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velvetyaverage's reviews
274 reviews
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A little surprised I enjoyed a book where both the main characters are terrible people but on the other hand V.E. Schwab could make me obsessed with anything at this point! Absolutely loved it!
Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit
challenging
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
3.5
Single Player by Tara Tai
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
4.25
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALR! <3
Utterly bingeable. I was listening to this audiobook for hours at a time without even realizing it.
Miscommunication is at the root of Cat and Andi’s initial rivalry but it’s not frustrating. Rather, it’s pretty charming and entertaining. They’re not being deliberately antagonistic; they’re just two proud, awkward nerds. Yet they’re also adults capable of mature conversations that lead to a believable resolution to the rivalry. And they have great chemistry!
I will say, the nerd references are a bit heavy-handed—especially in Cat’s internal monologue—but it doesn’t come across as disingenuous. Either the author is a fellow nerd or they successfully put in the effort to make it relatable rather than cliche. They’re just a little over enthusiastic. And speaking of Cat, as a fellow late 20’s, chronically single gamer girl myself I found her incredibly relatable and a lot of fun.
The b-plot was ok. I was much more invested in the relationship than Jan or any of that but it resolved nicely enough to not be distracting.
Overall, hell of a debut! I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tai writes in the future!
Utterly bingeable. I was listening to this audiobook for hours at a time without even realizing it.
Miscommunication is at the root of Cat and Andi’s initial rivalry but it’s not frustrating. Rather, it’s pretty charming and entertaining. They’re not being deliberately antagonistic; they’re just two proud, awkward nerds. Yet they’re also adults capable of mature conversations that lead to a believable resolution to the rivalry. And they have great chemistry!
I will say, the nerd references are a bit heavy-handed—especially in Cat’s internal monologue—but it doesn’t come across as disingenuous. Either the author is a fellow nerd or they successfully put in the effort to make it relatable rather than cliche. They’re just a little over enthusiastic. And speaking of Cat, as a fellow late 20’s, chronically single gamer girl myself I found her incredibly relatable and a lot of fun.
The b-plot was ok. I was much more invested in the relationship than Jan or any of that but it resolved nicely enough to not be distracting.
Overall, hell of a debut! I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tai writes in the future!
Thronebreakers by Rebecca Coffindaffer
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The structure of finding a challenge, solving it, then immediately finding a new challenge worked well in Crownchasers because it was set up as a competition. It didn’t need to feel like a natural progression of events because the Crown Chase was a deliberately designed contest (with some unexpected twists). Outside of the competition plot, like in this sequel, it doesn’t work as well. The first 3/4 of the book felt just ever so slightly off. I mean it wasn’t even 10 seconds after we finish the “challenge” of grieving for the dead when the next immediately presents itself with the announcement of Edgar’s execution. While quick pacing and action-packed story can be fun, I feel like Thronebreakers would have benefited from slowing things down a touch.
Also, I don’t know if I’m just in a worse mood than when I read Crownchasers or if Alyssa got more frustrating but I had much less patience with her, especially in the beginning. She was acting like a teenager, though. Teenagers make poor decisions and act selfishly. And this is a YA book. I’m not the target demographic so me not being able to relate or being frustrated isn’t necessarily a point against the book. Still, something to consider for anyone looking to get into it.
That being said, I didn’t hate it. Less enjoyable than Crownchasers but by no means is the book a flop. Yes, a lot of the conflict is very easily resolved to the point of feeling too convenient.I mean really? Waith goes on an evil villain monologue and conveniently puts himself in the same room as his super evil assassins so that he can conveniently be filmed doing all this? Yes, the plot felt formulaic and predictable to a fault. Yes, we got basically no answers about the evil shadow organization, mysterious assassins, or royal seal. But we get more time with the other Crownchasers, get some nice development to Edgar’s character, and Hellmonkey/Alyssa are a very cute couple with a surprisingly well developed relationship considering how everything else works out.
Not a book I see myself coming back to in the future but also not one I’ll immediately forget.
Also, I don’t know if I’m just in a worse mood than when I read Crownchasers or if Alyssa got more frustrating but I had much less patience with her, especially in the beginning. She was acting like a teenager, though. Teenagers make poor decisions and act selfishly. And this is a YA book. I’m not the target demographic so me not being able to relate or being frustrated isn’t necessarily a point against the book. Still, something to consider for anyone looking to get into it.
That being said, I didn’t hate it. Less enjoyable than Crownchasers but by no means is the book a flop. Yes, a lot of the conflict is very easily resolved to the point of feeling too convenient.
Not a book I see myself coming back to in the future but also not one I’ll immediately forget.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, War
Here U Are Vol. 2 by DJun
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
My expectations were high going into Heavenly Tyrant and even then they have been exceeded. Just like Iron Widow, the book grabs you by the throat from the first page and refuses to let go. Time and the outside world cease to exist when reading this book. And yet, we have a slower pacing that allows the reader to sink more into the world and fleshes that world out. The prose has only gotten better and vivid imagery burns into the brain. The characters are complex; one minute you hate them, one minute you love them. All minutes are wonderfully conflicting. Genuinely I am quite shocked at how much Heavenly Tyrant has improved upon Iron Widow and I will spend every waking moment waiting for this third book. I feel like the last 72 hours have been a glorious fever dream and I’m struggling with coming up for air. Incredible book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Gore, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, War
Minor: Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicide, Pregnancy
Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
The premise is goofy so I went into this just looking for a silly fun time with hot vampires. And the first half or so of the book delivered. Then it kept going and by the last hundred pages I was watching multiple train wrecks. I’m flabbergasted. It went downhill so incredibly quickly. That end?? The final confrontation?? Mortified. Basically no chemistry between the couples; no real build up of romance between them; the quality of writing nose dived and became so cringe; Callum finally bit Tess and it was BORING AS HELL; Octavia is so standoffish even at the end that her and Joni are just fuck buddies; any conflict between couples immediately resolved to the point it felt inconsequential and petty; THE CLIMAX WAS SO ANTI-CLIMACTIC; I called every twist and I’M REALLY BAD AT SEEING PLOT TWISTS SO YOU KNOW IT WAS OBVIOUS; and while I liked parts of how the book handled Tess’s trauma and the SA it also felt… shallow? Especially by the end with the disaster that everything else was. There’s unserious, goofy fun and then there’s this.
An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Maud can do a whole lot of wrong but I still love her!
Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller by Oliver Darkshire
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
Structurally not my usual cup of tea with each chapter being its own little blurb of a story but still a very enjoyable listen! Nice little bite size stories and super interesting learning about some of the behind the scenes of rare book selling.