paper_elytra's reviews
400 reviews

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews

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adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

Rules for Ruin is a new and fresh direction for Mimi Matthews. More adventure, more action, and even some espionage. This book has a smouldering rivals to romance relationship, a dual POV, and characters from poor backgrounds! The attention to historical detail grounds this more action-packed story, without bogging it down. I really enjoyed this new book, and I hope it helps more people realize that historical romance an be quite fun!  I'm grateful to Netgalley and Berkley for the advance reading copy. 
The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

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emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

5.0

A book loving heroine, a brooding, secretive soldier, a run-down castle, and family drama combine in this novel of yearning and romance! Belle of Belgrave square pays heartfelt, delightful, fresh, homage to two of my favourite stories: Beauty and the Beast, and The Blue Castle. 
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

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emotional funny 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

4.0

A fun Christmasy read, a little spice, but mostly sweet, with some nice emotional beats, and a cast chock-full of characters for more romances in the series. 
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautifully meditative work on our roles in society, and self reflection, and friendship. 
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A regency set novel full of subterfuge and action, with two sisters doing their utmost to help other women in dire circumstances. 
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The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-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

5.0

Very glad I listened to this, hearing the songs and singing felt right, rather than reading them silently. Such a brilliant fairytale of exploitation, community, and revolution. 
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Miss Amelia's List by Mercedes Lackey

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funny lighthearted relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I do like Lackey's Elemental Masters series overall, but wish this one had either more emotional depth, or more action. It was a very pleasant, cozy read, with plenty of historical detail, but perhaps it was a little too tidy. 
All Systems Red by Martha Wells

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Superb. 
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