whatsmacksaid's reviews
1296 reviews

Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes

funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Loved this. It's a really fabulous resource.

Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft

challenging dark hopeful informative medium-paced

This is essentially a handbook for people in an abusive relationship, or people who think they might be, but aren't sure. The author speaks directly to that audience ("he might try XYZ, but this is to deliberately confuse you and escape responsibility," etc.) in a frank and readable way. 

It's a tough subject, obviously, but the book wasn't as depressing as I expected it to be. It's both an explainer of the mentalities abusive people hold and a guide to help abused people figure out their next steps. 

It's also worth mentioning that the author goes out of his way to explain that he's using binary gender terminology even though everything he writes about could apply to a same sex couple. He circles back to that multiple times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment

Highly Sensitive People in an Insensitive World: How to Create a Happy Life by Ilse Sand

informative reflective

DNF. There's nothing wrong with the book; it just wasn't what I was looking for. 

Ensnared by the Werewolf by Lillian Lark

emotional

3.0

Fiasco by Constance Fay

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.0

More fun and less goofy than the previous. Fantastic worldbuilding and I loved the angst--just don't look too closely at the FMC's reasonings.

The Bell in the Fog by Lev AC Rosen

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

These aren't necessarily my usual fair, but they're still great. And this one was a really excellent sequel. 

Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

3.0

I really enjoyed the first part, but there's a huge tonal shift at the halfway mark and I had trouble leaning into it. 

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Mixed feelings about this one. When it was good, it was *great,* but I struggled to stay interested through a lot of it. 

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

An absolute pleasure to read. Looking forward to the next book!

Crowned by the Fae King by Mallory Dunlin

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

The emotional arc is a little uneven, but I loved the morally gray FMC and her cinnamon roll (but still badass) hero. There's sweetness, adventure, and angst, but even better, something about Quyen and Cass' journey settled something in me. I've spent the last several months reading at a breakneck speed and unable to slow down, but for whatever reason, I found I could take my time with "Crowned by the Fae King." It's like the opposite of a book hangover. And I'm not sure how Dunlin pulled it off, but I got to savor the story.