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emilymax21's reviews
136 reviews
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The story’s concept is intriguing, and kept me reading until the end. However at times it felt like one of those essays that needed to meet a word limit so it repeated the same sentence just with different “intelligent” sounding synonyms and filler information.
I enjoyed the multiple points of view as well as the variety of characters, and how they all saw one another. I love when a terrible character is written well, and this definitely accomplishes that.
I enjoyed the multiple points of view as well as the variety of characters, and how they all saw one another. I love when a terrible character is written well, and this definitely accomplishes that.
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was very entertaining but I think it would have been better if I read the physical book instead of the audiobook. The narrator wasn’t bad but his voice just didn’t seem to fit the characters, so it was hard to get invested
I love the way the author paints a quick story of all the side characters and not just the main characters so we have the whole story. It’s a very interesting way to write, and very difficult to do well without losing the readers attention.
Overall the book was entertaining but nothing world shaking either
I love the way the author paints a quick story of all the side characters and not just the main characters so we have the whole story. It’s a very interesting way to write, and very difficult to do well without losing the readers attention.
Overall the book was entertaining but nothing world shaking either
Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love by Tori Dunlap
informative
fast-paced
4.5
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
I am very conflicted on this book. I appreciate the social commentary it makes, I find a morally bad character intriguing, and I was compelled to keep listening because I wanted to know how it all ended. It is a good representation of the problem that is white people who think they can’t possibly be a bad or racist person because they vote democrat and happen to know some people of color
That said, I think a good indicator of a well done social commentary and “bad” character is when the reader feels conflicted about the main characters intentions and quality. I felt this was about Athena, but not Juniper. Juniper’s terribleness was so heavy handed it was borderline unbearable and incredibly annoying, which made it hard to keep going at times as I had nothing to latch onto
I also understand this is a modern book in a modern setting, and know there will be some modern references. When there are so many that it makes the reader cringe and dates the book drastically, it makes it hard for this book to ever been seen as a classic.
Overall it was compelling, but definitely not what I hoped
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I am very conflicted on this book. I appreciate the social commentary it makes, I find a morally bad character intriguing, and I was compelled to keep listening because I wanted to know how it all ended. It is a good representation of the problem that is white people who think they can’t possibly be a bad or racist person because they vote democrat and happen to know some people of color
That said, I think a good indicator of a well done social commentary and “bad” character is when the reader feels conflicted about the main characters intentions and quality. I felt this was about Athena, but not Juniper. Juniper’s terribleness was so heavy handed it was borderline unbearable and incredibly annoying, which made it hard to keep going at times as I had nothing to latch onto
I also understand this is a modern book in a modern setting, and know there will be some modern references. When there are so many that it makes the reader cringe and dates the book drastically, it makes it hard for this book to ever been seen as a classic.
Overall it was compelling, but definitely not what I hoped
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Sexual violence and Violence
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-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
4.25
My only real complain was the characters didn’t develop much personally, except for maybe the female main character, and I wish we got more information on the plague, the purging, the minor characters, and past trials.
If you ever wished there was a hunger games meets Harry Potter and the goblet of fire style competition, you will love the Trials in this book. If you love the male main character falling first & falling harder, you will love this book. Love, betrayal, trauma, family, and strength are the major topics of this book.
I appreciate how the author handles the female main character’s trauma as something she is stronger in spite of, and not because of. I like how despite her growth and time passing, she still shows signs of struggle and wounds that never healed. It makes the impact of what has happened to her feel more relatable and real. It also contrasted nicely with how the male main character processed his trauma.
Overall I’d say it was definitely worth the read
If you ever wished there was a hunger games meets Harry Potter and the goblet of fire style competition, you will love the Trials in this book. If you love the male main character falling first & falling harder, you will love this book. Love, betrayal, trauma, family, and strength are the major topics of this book.
I appreciate how the author handles the female main character’s trauma as something she is stronger in spite of, and not because of. I like how despite her growth and time passing, she still shows signs of struggle and wounds that never healed. It makes the impact of what has happened to her feel more relatable and real. It also contrasted nicely with how the male main character processed his trauma.
Overall I’d say it was definitely worth the read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Classism
Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
I might come back to it someday; it just didn’t grip my attention the way I needed it to. The pacing felt a little off and I just couldn’t focus on it
Disclaimer: I ran out of time on Spotify only 30% of the way through this book and had to wait almost 2 weeks to try again, so that could be part of the reason I just lost interest. But I wasn’t that invested in the first place honestly
Disclaimer: I ran out of time on Spotify only 30% of the way through this book and had to wait almost 2 weeks to try again, so that could be part of the reason I just lost interest. But I wasn’t that invested in the first place honestly
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Compared to the other books in the series, I liked it better than the second book, but not more than the first. My biggest complaint was the pacing felt a little off throughout the book. Some plot points felt unnecessarily drawn out and others gone took quickly.
Besides the pacing, the writing was amazing and this book truly makes you think. It was well established in the last book and this one that Rin is a complex person who is not necessarily a good or moral character, but it was so much so that in some moments it just felt excessive. That said, I do love a story where the main character is not a perfect hero as it makes for a much more intriguing read, and this accomplishes that.
This series as a whole is a great reflection of what war, trauma, betrayal, and most importantly, power can do to people. It is an amazing showcase of how much wrong you can do in the name of a cause you believe to be right, and how easily you can lose yourself in the fight to save yourself.
Besides the pacing, the writing was amazing and this book truly makes you think. It was well established in the last book and this one that Rin is a complex person who is not necessarily a good or moral character, but it was so much so that in some moments it just felt excessive. That said, I do love a story where the main character is not a perfect hero as it makes for a much more intriguing read, and this accomplishes that.
This series as a whole is a great reflection of what war, trauma, betrayal, and most importantly, power can do to people. It is an amazing showcase of how much wrong you can do in the name of a cause you believe to be right, and how easily you can lose yourself in the fight to save yourself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Suicide attempt, and War
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, and Sexual harassment
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Racism, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent
Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It was so cute and good, but the conflict at the end felt so unnecessary and so silly. It’s like all the progress the main character made emotionally went out the window. I know for the sake of the plot she had to blissfully unaware of the love interests feelings, but she was like, painfully unaware. But the writing itself was cute as well as the general descriptions and the subplots. There were a few too many modern references to things like tik tok which may date the book, but that’s not the end of the world. Overall worth the read but definitely not perfect