Tegan
That. Was. Wild! It's nearly midnight here and what a perfect time to finish this book. I loved this, it hit the Victorian and unhinged horror themes just right. Not sure I'd describe it as similar to American Psycho though. Highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator hits the perfect balance for the MC. I don't want to say any more for fear of spoiling it, read it!
If you liked Red Rising by Pierce Brown, it's likely you'll enjoy this. Instead of following a protag that is The Chosen One (ish) like in Red Rising, you get to see what it's like fighting and colonising alien planets from an on-the-ground soldier perspective. The alien races are fleshed out and fascinating to me. It's not just fighting humanoids and John Scalzi isn't afraid to injure or kill characters we have become fond of. This book isn't always about war, it also delves into the psychology of being a new soldier in an unknown universe and grappling with the untethered-ness of it all, including how the soldiers are made.
Great sci-fi action story and I enjoyed the narrator (William Dufris) who hit all the emotional points perfectly. I am very picky with narrators so I'm glad I liked this one. The different accents he gave the characters made the world that much more immersive.
Onto the next book!
Contains spoilers
I'm deep in book grief atm so I'll write a more detailed review later ("I won't think about it now. I'll think about it later when I can stand it") but here are the differences in the movie vs book.
Spoilers below:
- Book Scarlett isn't present when Gerald is killed. In the movie she sees it happen, in the book it happens when she's in Atlanta and her sister Suellen was responsible for his death via a financial con
- Scarlett had two other children, one from each marriage. I understand why the writers of the movie cut them out as the first two don't propel the plot along except for Wade being the reason Scarlett was invited to Atlanta.
- the movie glosses over how Scarlett made her fortune which, I think, is crucial to her character, specifically the convict labour part. The movie keeps Scarlett as child-like and flighty whereas the book gives more grounded context as to why she makes these immoral decisions in the name of financial security
- following on from the previous point, it's clear in the book that Scarlett has PTSD and that is a big motivator for her character and decisions after the war. The movie mentions her nightmares once but doesn't give it enough weight for the proper context
- Movie Scarlett is more ungrateful and doesn't appreciate anyone contribution to her success at any point. Book Scarlett is devastated at Melanie's death (something that is slightly changed in the movie as well) and realises how much people have done for her (that she previously regarded as her own contributions) that helped her get to where she was at the end of the book. Book Scarlett is also ungrateful but it's less cartoon-y than the movie portrays her to be
- in addition, book Scarlett is regretful of the decisions she had to make (before the convict labour which in my eyes in unforgivable) in order to survive but acknowledges she would have made the same decisions if she was in the same position again. She acknowledges the people she hurt (Honey, Suellen, Frank, her children) and wishes someone else had taken her place and/or that those decisions weren't so critical to her and her family's survival. Movie Scarlett only has moments of regret when she sees some of the consequences of her actions, usually affecting her negatively
- Rhett's character in the book is far more fleshed out, specifically the dedication to his daughter (which makes the death scene all the more harrowing) and changing his reputation to benefit her. The child's death in the movie was sad but the narrator's acting in the book made me sob the whole way through Mammy's speech. His jealousy of Ashley and his secret love for Scarlett (and his cruel behaviour towards her as a defense mechanism) is far more apparent in the book
- Scarlett's presence at Tara is very different in the book vs the movie. Book Scarlett leaves Tara to be run by her sisters and Will (a character not in the movie) after she leaves for Atlanta to ask Rhett for money. Book Scarlett lives in Atlanta with her dead husband's aunt, a character that isn't as prominent in the movie (and I understand why they cut her out), from this point on until the end of the book. Movie Scarlett has her living in Tara much longer and doesn't really mention that Frank's store and Scarlett's purchase of the lumber mill in Atlanta (via Rhett's backing) is how she clawed her way back from poverty
- the martial rape between Scarlett and Rhett is very different in the book. In the movie it is treated like rape with Scarlett struggling and her reaction the next morning. In the book Scarlett enjoyed "giving over control" and regarded it as the most passionate love making sessions she ever had. Book Scarlett yearned for more nights like that one and was only resentful of it when she learned she was pregnant
- following the previous point, the aftermath of her miscarriage is more serious in the book and paves the way for honest emotional but platonic connection between Melanie's and Rhett's characters (which comes in handy after the death of his child). In the book Scarlett is bedridden and delirious, the doctor isn't sure she'll survive, and Rhett is tortured and distraught at the thought that he didn't prevent her accident and thinks he has caused her death. The movie skips over most of that and we only see Scarlett in recovery.
- one of the biggest differences from book to movie is how the Confederacy is glorified in the book. The movie takes a lighter touch which was for the best regarding certain scenes and a disservice in others. The book hammers away at why they think POC should be slaves ("they are like children and cannot look after themselves") and why the Confederacy, and therefore white power (including the creation, operation, and dissolution of the KKK), is a glorious and a just cause.
There are other small differences (the Ashley scandal, Carreen's arc, some sequence of events are switched, etc) but they're slightly less consequential and this review is long enough as it is.
I watched the movie first and I think it was good fortune that I did. It gave me a foundation to explore more of via the book. If you do read the book, either as audiobook or physical/digital, be warned of the frequent use of the N slur and the racist depictions of POC. I know, I know, given the setting of the 1860s it was what actually happened but I still think it needs to be said.
I would recommend the audiobook (narrated by Linda Stephens) over the physical/digital copy just so you don't have to read the racist way the author depicted the POC dialogue. Trying to decode that and the abhorrent implications of it on paper or screen is much better served via audiobook in my opinion. Plus Linda Stephens is a fantastic narrator (more of an actor imo) that gives a unique voice to every character and SINGS (literally, not metaphorically) which surprised and delighted me and also gives such an emotional performance. She made me sob at the back end of the book and only one other narrator has touched my emotions that way before (Tim Gerard Reynolds in the Red Rising series).
I do recommend the audiobook heartily with those caveats I mentioned. I think I'll rewatch the movie to see if any of that hidden context is more apparent now that I know about it.
Very enjoyable collection! I read this after feeling a bit down about Christmas and it cheered me right up. Not sure what that says about me that mysteries that sometimes feature murder can cheer me up but here we are.
The first story ‘The Man with the Sack' by Margery Allingham is a particular favourite as well as ‘A Problem in White' by Nicholas Blake, ‘Loopy' by Ruth Rendell, and ‘Rumpole and the Old Familiar Faces' by John Mortimer.
I'll be looking up Margery Allingham's other work after this as I really enjoyed the entire story from top to bottom. Being drawn into a regency era type story with a mystery set in England at Christmastime was just what I needed.
I picked this up after seeing a post from a few years ago where the author had a viral moment as an onslaught of new readers supported her based on one tweet by the author. I love the internet for that type of thing and I wanted to support her as well even if I was very late to the party.
I'm a bit torn on this book. I loved the first 60% which I read in one night but didn't love the back 40% as much. I think it was when the timeline was revealed that it lost me. I won't go into spoiler territory here so I'll just say the justification for the missing time doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The last 25% of the book felt rushed and it wasn't a satisfying ending for me. It downgraded the previous antagonists to two dimensional characters which doesn't help the lesson the story is trying to tell.
In the first half of the book there were emotional notes that were hit perfectly but the last quarter of the book was missing that. I wanted to stay with them longer in those moments, really feel the turn of events, but we were rushed through them too much.
What I did love was the accuracy of the POV from the 16yo's perspective. Her thoughts, justifications, interpretation of experiences, and reactions to events were so spot on for me. It was almost like the author had peered into my own head at that age.
I had forgotten what my 16yo self was like until I read this and it reminded me of how flawed we are when we're growing up and experiencing the world for the first time. We don't know if we should have these reactions, we're putting on a show for others because that's what we THINK we should do when we feel very differently in our hearts, we're trying to follow the lead of our parents or elders but have doubts and don't know how to voice them... all of this was the jumbled mess of the character's and my 16yo brain that I had forgotten about.
I think the first half is important for teens or pre-teens to reads as a cautionary tale. The back quarter lost that lesson in favour of tying up the ending in a pretty bow when, in my opinion, that wasn't the point of the story or lesson in the first place. The events in the book can be triggering (trigger list below) but it's told in a way that isn't detailing the events on page. The writing style itself is interesting because it's a little bit removed from the events in many parts which helps the content to not be as triggering as it would have been with other writing styles. I wasn't re-traumatised by this which, given my history with these triggers, is uncommon for me. I usually need to stay away from books that have these triggers as, depending on how it's handled, they can be upsetting and/or can affect my mental health significantly. This book is one exception which I am grateful for.
The first half of the book gets 4.5 stars but the back quarter dragged it down to a 3.5 star rating. I do recommend it if you keep in mind the ending is a bit rushed.
TRIGGER WARNING BELOW
THE TRIGGER WARNINGS CONTAIN SPOILERS
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Trigger warnings:
- age gap power dynamics (derogatory)
- controlling behaviour
- death
- drug use (off page)
- forced imprisonment
- forced sex work/rape (kind of off page)
- gaslighting and emotional abuse (on page)
- grooming (on page)
- kidnapping
- sex with a minor (kind of off page)
- violence
- volatile housing situation / unhoused individuals
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
This was my first dark romance and I think it was the perfect one to start with. There was mystery, there was intrigue, there was romance, there was spice (holy heck there was spice!). I really enjoyed it (although I did roll my eyes a few times towards the end) and I'm so into the characters that I'm starting the sequel right away! I'll be checking out more of this author for sure.
This book is part of a six book series (at the time of writing) but they are all standalones from what I can tell. The sequel is not part of the six book series. Overall, I would recommend this book to dark romance newbies or seasoned experts. I think it has something for everyone who is okay with open door sx scenes. I'm not a fan of a few of the tropes (age gap, vrgin, breeding kink) but they didn't bother me and I attribute that to the grounded characters and writing style.
Spice level:
4.5 stars!
This was an enjoyable read! I ended up contacting the author directly because of a tech kerfuffle with the ARC and she couldn't have been nicer about it! Top notch customer service to go along with great writing!
Anyway, to the review. I liked this book a lot. The FMC is younger than I usually like my main characters to be (she's 16) but it is a young adult novel after all. Her age only cropped up a couple of times, mostly for being idealistic or naive.
I read the first half of the book in one sitting and liked the character development. It was around chapter 20 when it got a bit dicey for me. Characters were acting, well... out of character and that annoyed me a little. I could go into detail but I'm trying to keep this spoiler free so let me just say that some characters made decisions or justified actions in a way that didn't jive with their established personalities. It wasn't bad or broke my focus, more confusing than anything.
The plot was interesting and for the most part didn't pull punches. I love an underdog story especially one centred on magic and forbidden practices. There was a teensy bit of the ‘chosen one' trope towards the end but I didn't mind it too much.
The end was a bit too neat for my liking but on the flip side if x and y hadn't been addressed I would have been more annoyed and/or disappointed. I kept waiting for something to happen to thwart the resolution (one character I didn't trust at ALL) and I'm surprised it didn't happen. I'm glad that it didn't and I suppose my anxious feelings about it are a testament to the author creating such tension with those characters previously.
I'm glad it didn't end on a severe cliffhanger. It's a small cliffhanger (a hillhanger?) with enough resolution that I'm not irritated that the second book isn't out already. I did yell in my head at the FMC a few times towards the end of the book about how she handled a few things/didn't put the pieces together but remembering she's only 16 helped tamper that frustration down. I feel like the author did a great job at writing a teenager going through all of this without making her too adult.
I loved the queer rep (despite it being so chaste but it's not like the rest of the book was smutty in any sense of the word) and that it wasn't a Big Deal. The magic system was fascinating and I liked that there were still things to discover about it towards the end of the book.
One thing I didn't like and don't think was necessary was the use of the f slur to describe a bundle of sticks. You know the one. It happened twice and I was shocked to read it and I'm not someone who is easily scandalised. I understand the usage of it as it's not used as a slur but to describe something but ultimately I don't think it was necessary to use that word.
One additional note about the plot and characters - I like how the plot and actions of FMC subverted my expectations. I'm thinking of one scene in particular (haystack, IYKYK) and I found the FMC's response and actions so refreshing.
This is getting overly long so I'll cut it short here. Great book, some issues with it but I enjoyed it overall. I will definitely read the next book in the series whenever that comes out!
Thank you to the author for letting me read their novel before the publish date! All opinions here are my own and this review was left voluntarily.
This book was a tough read for me but probably not in the way you'd think. I loved the spooks, the writing was excellent, the characters were great (flawed and realistic), the mystery was engaging, the red herrings were good... but the detailed descriptions of abuse was super triggering for me. They were essential to the plot and the characters so I understand their place in the book despite me not liking them.
I ended up switching from the audiobook to the ebook to finish the story because the verbal descriptions were getting to me. The narrator is too good! She was perfect for the tone of this book and really got the emphasis needed in certain situations. The kind of grudging acceptance of the situation dotted by moments of clarity before being pulled back down to self gaslighted reality... Those moments really hit me hard because I have been there and my sister is currently there. The silver lining to switching formats is that I read the rest of the book in the characters ‘voices' that the narrator gave them. I knew the cadence the MC spoke and thought with which was essential in some areas (as sometimes one word in a sentence gave more weight to the situation). I would have missed that if I read it via ebook from the beginning.
If I wasn't reading this for a book club I may not have finished it but I'm really glad I did. I got a lot of positive vicarious feelings from the sequence towards the end of the book and that alone made the first half of the book worth it. The amount of satisfaction I got from reading that part surprised me and I think it was the perfect way to end the book given the sub-text.
If you're going to read it and need CWs for a few topics - look them up but don't look any further than that. I'll tell you now that you don't need to worry about SA appearing.
The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is due to the mental health spirals (plural) it caused me to have. Having that happen highlighted some things for me that I need to address so thank you to the author for that.
Loved this book! A book with queer rep, POC main character, a murder mystery, alternate history combined with vampires? I was already so on board just from the description. There were parts that made me laugh, hit me right in the heart, and some that made me roll my eyes. All in all I loved it and eagerly wait for the next book!
The narrator did a good job and I only cringed at one voice for being stereotypical (and even then the character had like two lines). People from the southern US may have more to say about the choice of accents but once I got used to them they didn't grate on me. CW for detailed descriptions of death, emotional abuse on page, AH father, racism (casual mention), grief, death of family members, unresolved trauma.
It's the first of a duology but doesn't end on a cliffhanger. It does rival Return of the King (2003) for how many endings it has though
Beautiful art work, great recipes! The recipes say which anime the food is from and they all look delicious! I was wishing there were photos of the irl dishes made so I knew what to aim for but that's my only little nitpick. Definitely pick it up if you want to make anime dishes!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and their publishers for this free book in exchange for an honest opinion!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and their publishers for sending this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
I went in blind (aka my ADHD erased the blurb from my brain) and I think it was better that way. I kind of knew where it was going based on the character interactions but it was fun to ride that tension until it was said out loud. So, if you haven't read the blurb yet, don't do it and try to go in as unspoiled as possible!
In saying that - there's very mild spoilers below.
I enjoyed this! The first quarter of the book was hard going because the whole time I was thinking 'Chris, you are an idiot. Chris, what are you doing?? Seriously, Chris??' which I guess is a good thing. Better that than a character that doesn't evoke any emotions I suppose! A bunch of stuff happened and I was so shocked to see I was only 25% of the way through! The pace didn't slow down too much which was good. I read the other 75% in one sitting and there was a tipping point for the twist where I still didn't understand what the twist was
I received this book from Netgalley as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DNF as I didn't vibe with that type of writing. The ARC I received had a few missing words on the first page but I chalked that up to it being unpolished which is normal for an ARC. The style of writing wasn't horrendous or odd but it didn't grab me. It's almost as though the author is stating things instead of weaving a story.
I could be biased as I finished a great fantasy ARC last night so perhaps I'm subconsciously comparing the two when I shouldn't. It's a pity because I've read that it's a good story that people liked. To me this reads more like a first or second draft than the near-to-final draft. I like to hear an authors ‘voice' through the story they construct and I feel that wasn't there in this book.
Thank you for the opportunity to review this and apologies to the author for not being able to finish it.
#NetGalley #AWitchesGuideToBusiness
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! It took a chapter or three to get going but I thoroughly enjoyed it once it was in motion. The level of detail for the combat sequences was very satisfying. I only got lost once and I think that was due to being excited and accidentally skipping ahead too far. The characters were great, the mystery was engaging (especially as it unfolded more and more), and the world felt built up just enough that there something solid to hold onto while we navigated new waters. MC has a touch of ‘the chosen one' trope sprinkled with ‘the reluctant hero' trope but it wasn't cringey or annoying in the least. The MC is a grounded character which helps a lot. I'll be looking forward to reading the next book!
#NetGalley #ChroniclesOfSwordAndFang
I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just finished this book, it's nearly midnight here, and I'm breathless from everything that happened. My god. Let's just say 10 out of 10 stars, it's fantastic, go read it! The characters, the plot, the tension, the mystery, the action, the romance, just... everything was A+, no notes, the author crushed it.
My mind is still reeling from the events at the end of the book. I almost read the last 1/4 in a anxious fever dream. I had a profound attachment to certain characters and could not help myself from feeling panicky and anxious about their endings. Part of that was my brain being the mental health goblin it is (thanks, panic disorder) but a majority of it was me being scared about these characters (which rarely happens for me). I will buy this authors following books in a heartbeat regardless of what they're about.
I am more than grateful to Netgalley, Kassandra Flamouri (what a kick ass name btw), and her publishers for allowing me to review this for free. Thank you so much and I look forward to Kassandra's next book!
#NetGalley #TheFoxandtheFlame
I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fantastic, 10 out of 10, loved this book. I loved it so much that when I finished the book I actually flinched in disappointment, something that has never happened to me before. I was captivated by the story and characters and fell head first into the world so easily. I love that we start after a big event happened and dealing with some of the fallout from that. I feel like I've never read a book with that framing device before and it was refreshingly enjoyable.
I will definitely be getting the next book in the series when it comes out in Dec 2024. This book gets bonus points for being a good representation of LGBTQIA+ people and relationships. My only con for the book is I wish it was longer! There's a sneak peek of book 2 at the end of this book which will tide me over.
#NetGalley #TwistedMagic
I received an ARC of this book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I read this in one night (approx 3 - 4 hours) when I couldn't get to sleep and quite liked it! I had just finished a series that I didn't like (except the first book) so I had a bad taste in my mouth / grumpy attitude. This book helped cleanse me of that. The beginning was a bit rough for me but that might have to do with growing up in a similar home situation. I liked that the book flipped back and forth between narrators and time periods. I guessed one of the MCs mysteries early on but that, along with guessing what was going on in general, didn't prepare me for the end. I was satisfied with the end and enjoyed the ride (pun intended) of the book as a whole. I'll keep an eye out for books written by this author in the future!
#NetGalley #TheOtherPassenger
Three stars because I'm glad this series has ended. If you look at my reviews for the last two books you'll know my feelings on this one. The ending seemed like it was fast forwarded and I was happy for it. Not a fan of this book or the two preceding ones. Loved the first book though and I still stand by my review of it. I wish Briar Boleyn all the best going forward!
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review
#NetGalley #BloodofaFaeseries
I received this ARC from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. Spoilers will be in a separate section of this review marked by brackets.
I'm of two minds about this book. Between this book and the second book I feel that this author knows how to write great endings but doesn't know how to start the beginnings. The first half of the book I felt like the author was trying to write their way out of a corner. I felt this way about the second book as well however this book undoes some things that happened in the second book. That was frustrating to me.
The spice was there (and I'm impressed by how the wording of the spicy scenes haven't seemed to repeat in the three books I've read so far) but that doesn't make up for the juvenile behaviour from MC.
[SPOILERS INCOMING]
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Again, I was mystified by MCs motivation. When we left her at the end of the second book she hated her LI but within a chapter she loved him again? At one point she asked herself if her LI missed her and I was like YOU HATE HIM WHY DO YOU CARE?? I can't deal with this ‘will they, won't they' plot line. It never felt genuine to me, almost like it was delaying the inevitable. There were parts that were so cliche it had me physically rolling my eyes. It also felt like the author needed to drum up drama for the end of the second book and undoes those choices almost immediately upon the beginning of the this book.
For the most part of this book MC was steady with her emotions regarding her LI but I was never sure it would stay that way. That could be good or bad depending on your perspective. The MCs moods are really unpredictable when it comes to her LI and after only one book of constant back and forth and emotions seemingly flipping on a dime... I was so tired by it all. I'm glad she finally decided to accept her situation (and her own feelings?) but sprinting into love just after declaring her hate for the same person is so frustrating.
It was interesting to get LI's POV but those chapters didn't land as much as I had hoped. I was hoping he'd be three dimensional by now, especially seeing as we were viewing the world through his eyes but that didn't come to pass. His main motivations were SEX and PROTECT and not much else.
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[END OF SPOILERS]
I started and finished this book within two days. Despite all my criticisms this author knows how to keep me spellbound. I did have to force my way through to the half way mark and almost didn't finish this book. I'll still read the fourth one but my standards are getting lower and lower with each book. Here's hoping the fourth book really pulls it off!
#BloodofaFaeSeries #netgalley
I received this book for free (ARC) from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the first book so dove immediately into the second. The second was... good, not great. Twists and turns as usual and I read 70% of it in one night. I had issues with the beginning and middle specifically the MCs motivations. I felt there was a lot left out at the beginning that we would have liked to see. I feel that the author tries to create a world that is realistic in its reactions to situations but the MC start the start felt very two dimensional to me in the first third of the book. The beginning plot was cliche imo. Things only occurred to make MC stay in that situation and the MC didn't explore their feelings or the situation enough. I felt that MC lost that fire and drive that they had in the first book. I understood the rage they felt but I felt it was only there to create conflict on a superficial level. I did like the book but I don't think I'd re-read all of it. If I was reading the series over again I'd skip to the last 1/3 or 1/4 of this book. The spicy scenes were really good though!
#BloodofaFaeSeries #netgalley
I received a free ARC of this book from Netgalley. As of 21/5/24 all the books are available on Netgalley and I urge you to read them!
This book was fantastic! I've never been a fan of fiction about the fae (I'm not sure why) but this had me captivated! I read it all in one day and LOVED it. The drama, the romance, the action, the banter... It was all top notch. Didn't end the way I had guessed and a bunch of things happened that I couldn't have predicted. This ARC copy one had one error (last paragraph of Chapter 30) but I'm sure this has been fixed now. I'll be diving immediately into the next book (and cursing that I have surgery tomorrow so I can't spend all day reading) and I'm so thrilled about it! Five out of five stars!
#BloodofaFaeSeries #netgalley
Started this book at 8pm and finished it at 2am. I don't usually stay up that late to finish a book but when I tried to go to sleep at midnight my brain wouldn't shut up about it until I finished it. So here I am, 2am in the morning, writing this review.
I really liked this book. It was another book I just fell head first into and seemed to cause time to stop altogether. The ending wasn't as big as I was hoping for but that's my only critique. I have a lot more appreciation for how insidious racism is after reading this. I've read about it and knew about it, of course, but there's a marked difference between generally reading about it and reading first person experiences of it. I know this plot is fictional yadda yadda but you don't need me to tell you that there is a lot of truth in this story's foundation.
Excellent debut, everyone should read this!
