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unlikelyplaces's reviews
244 reviews
The Sword Defiant by Gareth Hanrahan
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ahhh ok I loved this so much!
The pitch of this book is basically “what happens to the d&d party 20 years after the final battle?” and it definitely wears its influences on its sleeve.
We follow Alf who was a part of the group who defeated the dark lord years ago and is now charged with holding an extremely powerful, sentient sword, as he sets off on a quest to defeat a new evil.
We also follow Olva as she sets off from her home town in search of someone she loves.
I always love seeing the classics fantasy races (Elves, dwarves etc) and little nods to Lord of the Rings. This felt familiar but still fresh and unique to me. The world building is really interesting and I feel like there’s so much more to uncover in this world.
Alf was a great character to follow, I loved the way he views the world and his interactions with the sword. He’s definitely joined my list of favourite fantasy characters!
This book had a dry wit to it which I think will work for you if you like Ambercrombie’s humour. There’s a lot of commentary on growing older and how the way we view things changes with age which was really interesting.
There was also basically no romance at all in this which is a plus for me but if that’s something you look for just be aware of that.
So yeah I think this book is super underrated and you should definitely go check it out ❤️
The pitch of this book is basically “what happens to the d&d party 20 years after the final battle?” and it definitely wears its influences on its sleeve.
We follow Alf who was a part of the group who defeated the dark lord years ago and is now charged with holding an extremely powerful, sentient sword, as he sets off on a quest to defeat a new evil.
We also follow Olva as she sets off from her home town in search of someone she loves.
I always love seeing the classics fantasy races (Elves, dwarves etc) and little nods to Lord of the Rings. This felt familiar but still fresh and unique to me. The world building is really interesting and I feel like there’s so much more to uncover in this world.
Alf was a great character to follow, I loved the way he views the world and his interactions with the sword. He’s definitely joined my list of favourite fantasy characters!
This book had a dry wit to it which I think will work for you if you like Ambercrombie’s humour. There’s a lot of commentary on growing older and how the way we view things changes with age which was really interesting.
There was also basically no romance at all in this which is a plus for me but if that’s something you look for just be aware of that.
So yeah I think this book is super underrated and you should definitely go check it out ❤️
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
3.5
I’m not really sure how to review this book tbh…
On one hand it was super addictive and interesting and I got through it way quicker than most audiobooks even though it was long. It sort of reminded me of X-men which is a plus and it was a lot more fantasy-heavy than I was expecting. I liked the dynamics between the characters and the magic.
However, I predicted a lot of the plot and found the characters to be a bit lacking in depth. I also felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. I know it’s a series but it didn’t really feel like there was any sense of completion at the end of this book for me.
So I will probably listen to the 2nd one but I still don’t know what to make of this book 😂
On one hand it was super addictive and interesting and I got through it way quicker than most audiobooks even though it was long. It sort of reminded me of X-men which is a plus and it was a lot more fantasy-heavy than I was expecting. I liked the dynamics between the characters and the magic.
However, I predicted a lot of the plot and found the characters to be a bit lacking in depth. I also felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. I know it’s a series but it didn’t really feel like there was any sense of completion at the end of this book for me.
So I will probably listen to the 2nd one but I still don’t know what to make of this book 😂
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
4.0
I’m not overly sure how to talk about this one. It’s really not my usual genre but I picked it up because I wanted to try this author’s work and I’ll read anything set in the 70s but I did really enjoy it.
This is a noir/mystery/thriller novel set in Mexico in the 70s during a time of extreme political control known as the “Dirty War”. The story itself follows a woman called Maite and a man called Elvis as they investigate the disappearance of a missing woman.
I loved the way the characters lives sort of circle around each other and interweave throughout the novel. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and am definitely interested in picking up more of their work.
My main issue with this was that I really couldn’t stand Maite. I don’t think she’s meant to be particularly likeable but I just found her a very irritating pov, especially early on in the novel. Once the story got going through I was hooked.
As I say, this is really not my usual genre so I don’t know how much I can say about how good it really is but I had a good time and learned about a period of history that I didn’t know about before so that’s a win for me.
This is a noir/mystery/thriller novel set in Mexico in the 70s during a time of extreme political control known as the “Dirty War”. The story itself follows a woman called Maite and a man called Elvis as they investigate the disappearance of a missing woman.
I loved the way the characters lives sort of circle around each other and interweave throughout the novel. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and am definitely interested in picking up more of their work.
My main issue with this was that I really couldn’t stand Maite. I don’t think she’s meant to be particularly likeable but I just found her a very irritating pov, especially early on in the novel. Once the story got going through I was hooked.
As I say, this is really not my usual genre so I don’t know how much I can say about how good it really is but I had a good time and learned about a period of history that I didn’t know about before so that’s a win for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
Moderate: Body shaming, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
4.5
How shocking, Frankenstein is good, what a surprise 😮
Sarcasm aside, I haven’t read this since I was in school and I definitely have a better appreciation for it now. I think that learning a bit about Mary Shelley’s life really made it come to life for me this time around. The things that she went through and her feelings are so prevalent on page (would highly recommend listening to the Mary Shelley episode of “You’re Dead to Me” before reading).
I did struggle at times with the pacing (as someone who is used to slower paced classics) because I felt as though there were long stretches that I spent the whole time wondering how they were relevant. However, this didn’t ruin the story for me.
I started off listening to the audio for this and ended up switching to the physical because I wanted to annotate, I definitely already plan on picking this up again at some point to annotate the first half. It definitely deserves its classic status.
Sarcasm aside, I haven’t read this since I was in school and I definitely have a better appreciation for it now. I think that learning a bit about Mary Shelley’s life really made it come to life for me this time around. The things that she went through and her feelings are so prevalent on page (would highly recommend listening to the Mary Shelley episode of “You’re Dead to Me” before reading).
I did struggle at times with the pacing (as someone who is used to slower paced classics) because I felt as though there were long stretches that I spent the whole time wondering how they were relevant. However, this didn’t ruin the story for me.
I started off listening to the audio for this and ended up switching to the physical because I wanted to annotate, I definitely already plan on picking this up again at some point to annotate the first half. It definitely deserves its classic status.
Medea by Rosie Hewlett
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
“I [am] the shadows cast by the sunbeam, dark and twisting”
Medea - Rosie Hewlett (Arc)
⭐️ - 4.75
(This review may contain some very mild spoilers but the story is like 2000 years old so I’ve decided it’s ok)
Euripides’ “Medea” is probably my favourite of the Greek tragedies so Rosie Hewlett had a high bar to meet and definitely succeeded for me. This was a beautiful retelling of Medea’s story.
If you are unfamiliar with the myth, Medea is the witch who helps the hero Jason win the Golden Fleece and goes on to become his wife and then some wild stuff happens from there.
Hewlett really leaned in to the fantasy, magical aspects of Medea’s power which I think really helped the story feel grand in scale and for those of you who like witchy books I think you’ll love this.
I also loved the way that Hewlett used the story to explore different forms of abuse and gaslighting and the way that it affects a person in a really poignant way. I thought it was handled really well and actually made me quite emotional.
For me the story was both helped and hindered by the fact that I knew the mythology so well. The first half felt a tad slow to me but I think that was because I was so looking forward to see what Hewlett did with the ending and it definitely paid off. I also enjoyed the little nods to the source material with things like the “gaggle of women” outside the house, for those who have read the original it was nice to see those links.
My main criticism is that at times I felt that, by trying to create justifications for some of Medea’s more questionable actions early on in the book, it sometimes felt as though some of the character’s agency was taken away. However, I can see where Hewlett was going with it and it did work overall for me.
If you like myth retellings, villain origin stories, or Madeline Miller’s “Circe”, you will love this book. Definitely recommend.
Release date: 21 March 2024
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual violence
Madam by Phoebe Wynne
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.
No job is worth this hun, just leave…
Seriously though, I can’t deal with this main character. She just keeps inventing wild justifications for things that really should be a red flag. Ridiculous things keep happening that I think are meant to be like tense, everyone talks stupid and it’s like 40% through and I don’t care at all. I really don’t understand the comparisons to Du Maurier.
Honestly, the best part is the interludes about mythology. Sorryyyy
Seriously though, I can’t deal with this main character. She just keeps inventing wild justifications for things that really should be a red flag. Ridiculous things keep happening that I think are meant to be like tense, everyone talks stupid and it’s like 40% through and I don’t care at all. I really don’t understand the comparisons to Du Maurier.
Honestly, the best part is the interludes about mythology. Sorryyyy
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
2.75
I really liked the first book in this series but I felt like the middle book syndrome was real in this one, unfortunately.
There was just way too much going on here for me and I found it really difficult to keep up with everything. And there was almost constant action happening which might work for some people but I really like to take time to sit with things and reflect with the characters but we were just jumping from one thing to the next.
It was also so long! Despite all the action it still felt like it was dragging a bit because of the length.
I still think that the world is interesting and the magic and I do love the characters in this so if I hear good things about the next book I might carry on but we will have to see…
Content warnings: just some language and a bit of violence
There was just way too much going on here for me and I found it really difficult to keep up with everything. And there was almost constant action happening which might work for some people but I really like to take time to sit with things and reflect with the characters but we were just jumping from one thing to the next.
It was also so long! Despite all the action it still felt like it was dragging a bit because of the length.
I still think that the world is interesting and the magic and I do love the characters in this so if I hear good things about the next book I might carry on but we will have to see…
Content warnings: just some language and a bit of violence
Red Country by Joe Abercrombie
5.0
"The past never stays buried..."
I was a bit nervous about picking this one up after struggling trough The Heroes and hearing that this was Ambercrombie's take a Western (which is really not my thing at all) but Abercrombie proved me so wrong!
I loved Red Country so much. It was a slightly lighter tone (relatively) than the other books in the series so far and Abercrombie's classic dark wit really shone through in this one. I loved following Shy and Lamb and begrudgingly warmed to Temple and was just so invested in this little found family and their journeys.
I thoroughly enjoyed all the Easter Eggs and references to the previous books and seeing the way that the world has developed over time. It's made me super excited to continue the series and see where it all goes.
This one also made me cry a lot more than any of the previous entries in the series which I was actually surprised by. As much as I have loved Ambercrombie's character work, his books have not often made me feel particularly emotional until this one.
The writing was gorgeous, as always. He just has a way of phrasing things in exactly the right way to make you feel something even though he's just describing like a cloud or something.
So, if you were like me and found The Heroes hard to get through, I'd definitely encourage you to keep going with the series. Such an easy 5 star read for me.
Content warnings: lots of violence and gore, language, alcoholism, a hint of spice, some critical discussion of religion.
I was a bit nervous about picking this one up after struggling trough The Heroes and hearing that this was Ambercrombie's take a Western (which is really not my thing at all) but Abercrombie proved me so wrong!
I loved Red Country so much. It was a slightly lighter tone (relatively) than the other books in the series so far and Abercrombie's classic dark wit really shone through in this one. I loved following Shy and Lamb and begrudgingly warmed to Temple and was just so invested in this little found family and their journeys.
I thoroughly enjoyed all the Easter Eggs and references to the previous books and seeing the way that the world has developed over time. It's made me super excited to continue the series and see where it all goes.
This one also made me cry a lot more than any of the previous entries in the series which I was actually surprised by. As much as I have loved Ambercrombie's character work, his books have not often made me feel particularly emotional until this one.
The writing was gorgeous, as always. He just has a way of phrasing things in exactly the right way to make you feel something even though he's just describing like a cloud or something.
So, if you were like me and found The Heroes hard to get through, I'd definitely encourage you to keep going with the series. Such an easy 5 star read for me.
Content warnings: lots of violence and gore, language, alcoholism, a hint of spice, some critical discussion of religion.
The Passing of the Dragon by Ken Liu
5.0
Ken Liu continuously amazes me with how much nuanced discussion he manages to fit into his short stories. The Passing of the Dragon made me think about the world, made me cry, and kept me interested the whole time. Such a stunning piece of work!
Divine Might by Natalie Haynes
funny
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Divine Might - Natalie Haynes (ARC review)
⭐️-5
I read Pandora’s Jar and Children of Jocasta earlier this year and with Divine Might I think that Natalie Haynes has firmly cemented herself as one of my favourite authors.
This book had me from the introduction. Haynes combines her incredible knowledge of mythology with fascinating insights into modern day culture and her ever-present wit and humour to create something that is so digestible but thoughtful and informative.
Having studied a tiny bit of classics, there were some things in here that I already knew but so much that was new to me and seeing Haynes’ interpretations of the myths was so fresh and enjoyable. I think that Demeter has now become my favourite of the goddesses because of this book.
If I had any criticism it would probably be that I wished we’d spent a bit more time looking at the actual mythology and depictions of the goddesses themselves and a little less time looking at modern media that has been influenced by them but there was still a healthy dose of both things and I am a history nerd so I don’t imagine everyone will have that critique.
If you have any interest in mythology or feminism or media I highly recommend picking this one up.
📚Release: 28 September 2023
❗️Content warnings: as to be expected when dealing with Greek/Roman mythology there is a lot of discussion of s3xual assault, if that is a trigger for you please do be cautious of this one. Also mentions of domestic abuse, violence (human sacrifice), animal cruelty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Animal cruelty
Minor: Violence