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thevalkyriereader's reviews
1581 reviews
The Midnight Arrow by Zoey Draven
adventurous
dark
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
3.5
Rating: 3.5
An adorable novella set in Zoey Draven's Kylorr world. As always, the author creates an intricate story of heartache and growth. The story was too short for me; I would have liked to have read about Marion's first venture to The Below with Larik.
An adorable novella set in Zoey Draven's Kylorr world. As always, the author creates an intricate story of heartache and growth. The story was too short for me; I would have liked to have read about Marion's first venture to The Below with Larik.
The Library: A Fragile History by Arthur der Weduwen, Andrew Pettegree
informative
sad
slow-paced
3.75
3.75 stars
The history of the library was a fascinating story of what started out as a collection of papyrus scrolls, to painted manuscripts, to what we know now as the modern library. We take for granted the access we have to physical copies of books with little to no restriction. The only downside to this audio was the accent of the narrator caused me to reduce the speed at which I normally listen to audiobooks to understand what was being said.
The history of the library was a fascinating story of what started out as a collection of papyrus scrolls, to painted manuscripts, to what we know now as the modern library. We take for granted the access we have to physical copies of books with little to no restriction. The only downside to this audio was the accent of the narrator caused me to reduce the speed at which I normally listen to audiobooks to understand what was being said.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Rating: 3.5
I loved Hazelwood's Love Hypothesis and Bride books. This was no exception. This STEM book was fun, light-hearted and has fun banter between the quirky FMC and the broody MMC.
Quote: The villain is love: an unstable isotype, constantly undergoing spontaneous nuclear decay.
I loved Hazelwood's Love Hypothesis and Bride books. This was no exception. This STEM book was fun, light-hearted and has fun banter between the quirky FMC and the broody MMC.
Quote: The villain is love: an unstable isotype, constantly undergoing spontaneous nuclear decay.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Maybe spoilers?
I enjoyed the information overload in this book. The author answered many of my questions from Iron Flame. There were some new characters tossed in there, but I rolled with it. A character death that I didn't see as meaningful to progressing the story, just shock factor. Sometimes the pacing felt off, but the plot combined with how RY ended it left even more questions on the history of the continent and set up a plethora of theories for book four. Many of the easter eggs from the previous two book finally clicked. Of course there was the cliff hanger. Like her previous two books, this one was just as shocking. Xaden pulled a New Moon Edward Cullen (if you know, you know). Something I want more of is Violet's family. Not Mira and Brennan. I want Lilith, Asher and her grandmother. With only two books left, how much was kept from Violet? Brennan is nearly a decade older; how much does he know from Violet's childhood that he has kept. Is he really so ignorant? I'm (im)patiently waiting for news on the publication of book four.
Favorite quote: Gods help her, my love, I'm afraid our daughter has atrocious taste in men. - Lilith Sorrengail.
1/23/25: Will review later. Still processing.
I enjoyed the information overload in this book. The author answered many of my questions from Iron Flame. There were some new characters tossed in there, but I rolled with it. A character death that I didn't see as meaningful to progressing the story, just shock factor. Sometimes the pacing felt off, but the plot combined with how RY ended it left even more questions on the history of the continent and set up a plethora of theories for book four. Many of the easter eggs from the previous two book finally clicked. Of course there was the cliff hanger. Like her previous two books, this one was just as shocking. Xaden pulled a New Moon Edward Cullen (if you know, you know). Something I want more of is Violet's family. Not Mira and Brennan. I want Lilith, Asher and her grandmother. With only two books left, how much was kept from Violet? Brennan is nearly a decade older; how much does he know from Violet's childhood that he has kept. Is he really so ignorant? I'm (im)patiently waiting for news on the publication of book four.
Favorite quote: Gods help her, my love, I'm afraid our daughter has atrocious taste in men. - Lilith Sorrengail.
1/23/25: Will review later. Still processing.
Sin and Redemption by Cora Reilly
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
I wanted so much more from this story. At only 250 pages, it felt rushed to me. I was really looking forward to this book, but out of the second generation stories this is probably my least favorite.
The Lives of Lee Miller: The Inspiration for the Major Motion Picture "Lee" by Antony Penrose
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Lee Miller lived an extraordinary life. From model and muse to recording the largest event of the 20th century. She was selfish and complicated. She fought for herself, but like many after the trauma of
war, locked away her life before and during WWII. Her son did a fantastic job preserving her career and legacy.
war, locked away her life before and during WWII. Her son did a fantastic job preserving her career and legacy.
Tip of the Iceberg: My 3,000-Mile Journey Around Wild Alaska, the Last Great American Frontier by Mark Adams
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
While it presented a decent description of Alaska, I couldn’t decide if the writer was providing an account of their trek through Alaska, John Muir’s trek or persuade you about the impact of climate change. I like the book but overall was confused on what the author was trying to do with the book. His description of Alaska was appropriate. Not everyone can be John Muir when describing scenery, but they left something to be desired.