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totaldweeb's reviews
193 reviews
The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC of The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book really intrieging. It's not a genre I often pick up, but every time I do, I sit and wonder why I'm letting myself miss out.
The Silence Factory is told in 2 parts; we follow Henry, a widow who is eager to please a man who produces revolutionary silk that blocks all noise, and Sophia, the wife of the man who brought spiders back from Greece to make his fortune.
Pros:
- This book kept me guessing all the way. The thought that has gone into how the silk works is so in depth. If I saw this in a NatGeo doc I would probably just g0 "Yeah, checks out."
- Expertly creepy. I like spiders, and even I was itching with the pure vides this novel exudes.
Cons:
- I would hat ATE every part of this, but damn the ending just soured it. The Henry reveal had me screaming "What?!" and not in the best way, though I will put that down to personal tastes.
4.0 stars
I found this book really intrieging. It's not a genre I often pick up, but every time I do, I sit and wonder why I'm letting myself miss out.
The Silence Factory is told in 2 parts; we follow Henry, a widow who is eager to please a man who produces revolutionary silk that blocks all noise, and Sophia, the wife of the man who brought spiders back from Greece to make his fortune.
Pros:
- This book kept me guessing all the way. The thought that has gone into how the silk works is so in depth. If I saw this in a NatGeo doc I would probably just g0 "Yeah, checks out."
- Expertly creepy. I like spiders, and even I was itching with the pure vides this novel exudes.
Cons:
- I would hat ATE every part of this, but damn the ending just soured it. The Henry reveal had me screaming "What?!" and not in the best way, though I will put that down to personal tastes.
4.0 stars
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur 허주은
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you to Netgalley to supplying the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur is a YA set in 1500s Korea, and follows Iseul as she tries to free her sister from the tyrant King Yeonsan, and the unlikely ally she finds in his brother, Prince Daehyun.
This was an absolute ride! Hats well and truly off to Hur! 4.5 stars!
Pros:
- June Hur starts the novel with a note; the story of the tyrant king, while shocking, is kept as true and as horrifying as history records show. There has been nothing swept under the rug for the sake of delicacy here, and it was absolutely the best choice. You are always aware of the stakes and you are always mindful of the toll the described events are taking on the characters. Such a good balance.
- The overarching mystery kept me so hooked! I can find sometimes that I can think myself ahead and spoil the twists, but my god I was shouting as it all came together, gasping, crying, all of it.
- The PINING! My lord these two.
- Found family relationships had me laughing, crying, and everything in between. The growth you see in our cast is so well done.
Cons:
- Check trigger warnings. The balance to keep this in the realm of YA is great, but certainly be aware this isn't for the faint of heart.
- I would have loved more of an afterword seeing our MCs healing, but it all came together in a cathartic way regardless. (I am just a sucker for a soppy ending)
I need a big hug now.
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur is a YA set in 1500s Korea, and follows Iseul as she tries to free her sister from the tyrant King Yeonsan, and the unlikely ally she finds in his brother, Prince Daehyun.
This was an absolute ride! Hats well and truly off to Hur! 4.5 stars!
Pros:
- June Hur starts the novel with a note; the story of the tyrant king, while shocking, is kept as true and as horrifying as history records show. There has been nothing swept under the rug for the sake of delicacy here, and it was absolutely the best choice. You are always aware of the stakes and you are always mindful of the toll the described events are taking on the characters. Such a good balance.
- The overarching mystery kept me so hooked! I can find sometimes that I can think myself ahead and spoil the twists, but my god I was shouting as it all came together, gasping, crying, all of it.
- The PINING! My lord these two.
- Found family relationships had me laughing, crying, and everything in between. The growth you see in our cast is so well done.
Cons:
- Check trigger warnings. The balance to keep this in the realm of YA is great, but certainly be aware this isn't for the faint of heart.
- I would have loved more of an afterword seeing our MCs healing, but it all came together in a cathartic way regardless. (I am just a sucker for a soppy ending)
I need a big hug now.
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy and Death of parent
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Characters feel like reskins of The Atlas Six. I love Olivie's writing and I love the concept, but I think I need to come back to it later to really enjoy it.