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thereadinghammock's reviews
615 reviews
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I appreciate that the mystery of this book was tired up with a nice neat bow that doesn't make me feel frustrated to have to grab the next one to find out what happens. I did enjoy the story, a bit more slow paced than I typically prefer, but I think the constant interjections with the characters contributed to that. While I loved how it gave us insight into each of the characters as we got to know them, it did make it difficult to stay in the narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Minor: Violence, Trafficking, Stalking, and Classism
Spare Me by Parker Blythe
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A fabulous debut with a story that truly felt unique and fresh. Parker eloquently entwined two seemingly different experiences (growing up in a militarily family and growing up a member of the British royal family) and highlighted how they're not really so different after all. She threw us readers some heavy plot at times (trying not to spoil Maddy's story because it was an audible gasp reader moment for me!) but handled them with care and compassion for both Maddy and Alex. And Bertie always came to the rescue with moment of "cute puppy" when we needed him most!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Death
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was enthralled by this story from the prologue. The world building was exceptional, the characters were fantastically diverse and beautifully flawed, the narrative was compelling, and I adored every moment I was in the story. I was also a fool ™️ who didn't realize this was the first in a trilogy and book two isn't due it until next spring! Cue me aiming to get it on my library hold list ASAP to get near the front of the line!
10/10 so glad I finally picked this one up! I've been eyeing it on bookshelves for at least a year and it was 100% worth the read.
10/10 so glad I finally picked this one up! I've been eyeing it on bookshelves for at least a year and it was 100% worth the read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Death of parent
Minor: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Police brutality
Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Everyone just felt too edgy for their own good. I couldn't find the desire to care about how anyone's story really turned it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Of the multitude of cliffs to leave us hanging, this is one I knew was an option but could not have predicted would be the one to be left dangling from.
Just like in Assistant, I was laughing, my heart was aching and breaking for the steadily growing found family of Massacre Manor, and I just kept wanting to push Evie and Trystan's heads together in a "just kiss you idiots!" kind of way. I can't wait to see how the fate of Rennendawn will fare with Evie and Trystan teamed up, for better or worse in the final book next year!
Just like in Assistant, I was laughing, my heart was aching and breaking for the steadily growing found family of Massacre Manor, and I just kept wanting to push Evie and Trystan's heads together in a "just kiss you idiots!" kind of way. I can't wait to see how the fate of Rennendawn will fare with Evie and Trystan teamed up, for better or worse in the final book next year!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Violence, and Grief
Funny Story by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Trying to explain the set up to this plot to someone is like trying to explain how that distant cousin is related to someone outside your family. It 100% makes sense when you can explain it with good details, but gets messy in the TL;DR. But IT WORKS. It's the gentlest friends-to-lovers, found family, "I can't let you hurt me because it will break me" love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Sanguine by Abigail Kelly
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Can it really be love at first bite? Atticus is thrown into a maelstrom of emotions as soon a he discovers his "easy job" is transporting a vampire blood bride to her groom, the very thing he's been protecting his sister from becoming herself. This man finds ways to twist himself up that would make a pretzel jealous.
Carmine has no social context from which to attempt to survive on her own after being sold off by the crypt she was raised in, but having never been able to trust anyone but herself, could Atticus be the safe haven she's been looking for? She desperately wants to trust him, but also hates feeling like he's only helping out of guilt or obligation.
After much internal debate for both, they both finally get on the same page with an ACTUAL conversation and the sparks they both were afraid were dwindling and reignite, BIG time. I love how Abigail teases is with the "they must not be that into me" only to bait and switch with a perfect "I'm obsessed with you, I can't imagine my life without you in it." Third act break ups? Not in the NPU!
Carmine has no social context from which to attempt to survive on her own after being sold off by the crypt she was raised in, but having never been able to trust anyone but herself, could Atticus be the safe haven she's been looking for? She desperately wants to trust him, but also hates feeling like he's only helping out of guilt or obligation.
After much internal debate for both, they both finally get on the same page with an ACTUAL conversation and the sparks they both were afraid were dwindling and reignite, BIG time. I love how Abigail teases is with the "they must not be that into me" only to bait and switch with a perfect "I'm obsessed with you, I can't imagine my life without you in it." Third act break ups? Not in the NPU!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and Trafficking
Minor: Murder
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I was excited to finally dive into this buzziest of books from last year. And I found myself delightfully entrancedby the end, but I was also totally thrown off guard by the format of the book. I was not expecting the field journal style narration, but I did come to enjoy Emily's unique take on her time in Hrafnsvik.
I found the "romance" between Emily and Bambleby to be a bit shoe horned for my liking. She clearly enjoyed him as a foil to her own knowledge, but had almost no inkling toward him in a romantic way before he proposed, or nearly after for that matter. I almost would have rather he stayed a dear friend and not entered the arena as a possible lover. It all just felt very afterthought and, yes it gave him a reason to help save her, but it felt like the weakest plot thread, since we got so little of the story from Bambleby's POV.
I found the "romance" between Emily and Bambleby to be a bit shoe horned for my liking. She clearly enjoyed him as a foil to her own knowledge, but had almost no inkling toward him in a romantic way before he proposed, or nearly after for that matter. I almost would have rather he stayed a dear friend and not entered the arena as a possible lover. It all just felt very afterthought and, yes it gave him a reason to help save her, but it felt like the weakest plot thread, since we got so little of the story from Bambleby's POV.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Kidnapping
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary: Working Domestic Magick with Hestia by Raechel Henderson
informative
reflective
slow-paced