whami's reviews
444 reviews

Counterweight by Djuna

challenging dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

dark funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was ok, but I've come to expect more from Tchaikovsky and this is not up to his standards.

Generation Ship by Michael Mammay

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I loved this book, but there were a few things that happened a bit too easily to move the plot along.

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Rose/House by Arkady Martine

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

 Interesting ideas here, but it doesn't pull it all together. Still worth a read. 

Divinity 36 by Gail Carriger

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I know several people who love this series, but it came off as dull and bland to me. I usually like found family stories, but I have to care for the characters first, which I never did in this book. I also couldn't suspend disbelief enough to accept the general premise.

Witch King by Martha Wells

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 Yet another Ian McDonald book is a 5-star read for me, even though it is something I normally wouldn't enjoy.
McDonald has a knack for writing books that are everything I normally hate (slow uneven pacing, not much happening, way too much time spent describing the background and scenery, etc.) but I end up loving. This wasn't quite as good as Hopeland, but still an excellent read. 

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 This was quite similar to A Memory Called Empire, but with a lot more physical action and a protagonist who wasn't enamored with the empire she was pulled into. As a first novel it is a little rough around the edges, and there could have been more support for some of the motivations, but it was still enjoyable.
Another positive - If you are striking out when trying to explain microaggressions to someone who just doesn't get it, have them read this book.