troystory's reviews
199 reviews

In Flanders Fields: And Other Poems of the First World War by Brian Busby

5.0

An excellent collection of war poetry from a variety of authors. I genuinely love these poems, they're so visceral and full of feeling. Highly recommended!

The Tyrant's Tomb by Rick Riordan

5.0

I genuinely loved this book. The cast of characters was so incredibly diverse and loveable, and I really felt like I got to know all of them. Moreover, I loved that the stakes actually felt high in this book - I was on the edge of my seat during the final battle. It devastated me more than I thought it would! The ending was perfect too, it left me really excited for the last book. This might be my favourite of the series so far.

The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan

5.0

This is my absolute favourite book in the series. It was such a great end, and the stakes actually felt high, which I find is really hard to do. I loved that it took Apollo back to the people who had first helped him. Moreover, it really showcased the way he and Meg grew. Character development for the win! Such a gem of a book, its so worth it. I can't recommend it enough.

The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan

5.0

Ridiculously enjoyable, I had such a blast reading this. It was the perfect balance of funny and serious, and it handled heavy topics really well. No spoilers, the cast of characters was incredibly diverse and so loveable. I don't think I have a favourite character. I was so sad when I finished the book because I didn't want it to be over! I'm thoroughly excited for the next one!

The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

4.0

This was a pretty enjoyable book, and I loved how Apollo felt like a real person with realistic thoughts and feelings. He was just so much fun, honestly. And all the pop culture and ancient history references were great. The only thing I didn't like was the repetition - like, okay, I think we get it that Apollo is now 16 and Meg has cat-eye glasses. But apart from that, it was a fun ride and I'm actually really looking forward to finally reading the rest of the series.

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

4.0

I like this book a lot more than I thought it would. Emma as a character is very compelling, and she just has such a rich story that sometimes, it was impossible to put it down. I loved how she was presented in a sympathetic light, and she was never portrayed as a villain or a bad person. The cast of characters other than her were also really delightful - especially Homais, he was such a joy. The ending is sad, though, so be warned. It feels like a punch to the gut, but it's so worth it. Highly recommended!

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

2.0

My two favourite things about this book were Wolf, of course, and the incredibly rich world it took place in. It felt developed and believable without ever info-dumping you, which I appreciate. However, I wasn't a fan of the predictable prophecy storyline. This is a book for younger audiences though, and I did really only read it to get it off my tbr list, so I feel like kids would like it a lot more. Still, not a bad way to spend a couple hours.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

5.0

I love this book more than I thought I would. I came into it with low expectations, because lately I haven't liked most of the classic literature I read, and I honestly thought it was just another romance - - but it was so much more. I tend not to like main characters, especially in a first person POV, but Jane was so likable! She was relatable and very fleshed out and I loved her perspective. Along those lines... I am a fan of the Jane/Rochester romance. I wasn't expecting to fall in love with their story, but I did. Not to mention, the gothic and supernatural elements really did add to the book, and they never felt out of place. I highly recommend this!

The "supernatural" Book of Monsters, Spirits, Demons, and Ghouls by Alex Irvine

4.0

Honestly, this was pretty enjoyable, even though it's not really a book in the traditional sense of the word. It's more like a collection of folklore or like a how to kill monsters guide, or a supernatural reference book. Still, it isn't tedious to read, and it flows enough that it feels like a novel and not, like, a dictionary. I really like the stories interspersed with the folklore.

The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

3.0

Overall it has a strong plot and excellent characters, and I love how each book takes you to a different part of the United States so they each have a distinct vibe, which is cool. And the deaths in this book were gutting. I didn't see any of them coming and I was so shocked each time. I kept waiting for the characters to come back! However, I was really irked by the way Medea was written. She is a complex character and this book basically just turned her into a stock cartoon villain. Maybe some people can let that slide, but I just get bothered when "evil" women from mythology, who were clearly described as such because they were written from a misogynistic male perspective in a patriarchal society, continue to be labelled that way. Apart from that though, it was a fairly good book.