thetejana_bookshelf's reviews
103 reviews

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

 

TJ Klune's take on Pinocchio drops us into a world where robots have taken over and nearly wiped out humanity. Our main character Victor might be the last human left, but he's far from alone – he's surrounded by his loyal robot family in this story about love, trust, and what it means to be alive. 

The characters really make this book special, especially Nurse Ratchet, who steals every scene she's in with her biting humor and sass. You wouldn't want her as your actual nurse, but she'll make you laugh out loud. The heart of the story is how Victor and his robot friends create their own kind of found family, though sometimes the book sends mixed messages about whether robots have the capacity to feel without their initial programing. 

The story moves at a good clip.  Klune is great at writing witty dialogue and exciting action. While there aren't many shocking twists, a few things did raise my eyebrows,

like how the blue fairy keeps working when it shouldn't, or why HAP makes the final sacrifice instead of Nurse Ratchet.

 

The ending wraps things up but left me wondering –

what if Victor found another human? Or even frozen embryos to restart humanity? These questions stayed with me after finishing the book.

"In The Lives of Puppets" is an enjoyable read, but if you're new to TJ Klune, I'd suggest starting with his other books first. This one has plenty to like, but it's not his strongest work. 

Weyward by Emilia Hart

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This story was chosen for my book club and I was excited to dive in since I hadn’t read anything "witchy" since my Harry Potter days. The story had a medium-pace, and the structure was engaging with its three different characters from different time periods. The author did a great job giving each FMC a distinct voice and inner monologue that made it easy to follow along when the POV switched back and forth.

No particular character resonated with me, however I did appreciate Violet’s love for learning about the natural world and her pursuit of an education in that field. Her relationship with her younger brother was another highlight. The way the author wove history through each character, showing how their actions rippled through generations—it had a powerful impact on me.

As someone who hates bugs, I wasn’t thrilled by their presence, but the author managed to make them more like companions than creepy crawlies, which I can respect even if I’m still not a fan. One plot twist that caught me off guard was

how Violet’s decisions shaped Kate’s future. It made me like Violet a little less. However, I found the ending very satisfying, especially with Kate standing up to her abuser.

 

I’d recommend Weyward to friends who enjoy stories about diverse feminism and the connections between generations, especially when history plays a central role.

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book took me awhile to get through because I kept losing focus in the world building of book eaters (who were kinda like vampires but not). I didn't mind the time jumps as it allowed me to see how far the main character, Devon had developed from her small world view. Although this can be seen as a mother's love doing anything to protect her child, it combined well with the media we consume is the worldview we get. 

Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

It was predictable and the ending was a bit of a let down. 

Reckless by Lauren Roberts

adventurous challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I feel like this sequel could have been an email. It got repetitive and drawn out. 

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Similar to the main character, I am unmarried and single. So the thought of suddenly coming home after a friend's bachelorette party to someone claiming to be their husband would freak any sane person out. With the twist of the husband changing each time they go in the attic. It was an interesting journey to see how the main character Lauren handled this predicament because now she could find The One with just a nudge to the attic. However, it gave way to finding meaningful connections with someone and that each person comes with flaws and odd quirks that will annoy the partner that obliviated the illusion of The One. Because of where I am in life, this book really stood out to me and made me ponder how my generation goes about dating. My only con was the ending, but other than it was a cool story. 

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative mysterious 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

Part murder "mystery", part textbook. This book started off a little slow, but then it started picking up pace that by the time you're towards the end you're upset that the ride is over. The narrator is playful with it's banter considering the subject matter ("deletion" aka murder). The setting being a college that teaches its students on how to plan the perfect murder on a target most deserving (reread title) and in order to graduate they must delete their intended target, or the school will find the student and delete them in return. A little high-stakes. However, one crucial component was that the student must question if the world will be a better place without their target AND is the target beyond redemption. It gave the plot and character relationships that grey-complexity that left me wanting to sit down with characters to discuss. I will definitely be buying a special edition of this one.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I flew through this book and I’m left with so many questions. This story is gonna stay with me for awhile. Now on to watch the Hulu adaptation 🏃🏽‍♀️ 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

It kept me engaged and the whole time I was sure it was one person than another. Loved all the twists and turns as well as the timeline going back and forth from present to past.