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bluejaybrambles's reviews
3 reviews
Cradle and All by James Patterson
dark
fast-paced
0.5
I was very close to dropping this book but ended up reading it all in one sitting. The premise intrigued me enough to check it out from the library but the execution was...not good. I hadn't read any James Patterson before picking this up, and to be honest this book alone was enough to likely discourage me from picking up any more.
The plot is very contrived, stringing you along as the characters try to figure out which virgin birth is "real." The construction of this book does the readers no favors, with very short chapters that rapidly switch between POVs. The characters are very flat with backstory details being included in a very hamfisted manner, and there's an unpleasant fascination with sex and virginity throughout, especially with the teenage girl characters. The fakeout at the end also felt poorly done and upended the rest of the story without a satisfying payoff. A generally unpleasant read all around.
The plot is very contrived, stringing you along as the characters try to figure out which virgin birth is "real." The construction of this book does the readers no favors, with very short chapters that rapidly switch between POVs. The characters are very flat with backstory details being included in a very hamfisted manner, and there's an unpleasant fascination with sex and virginity throughout, especially with the teenage girl characters. The fakeout at the end also felt poorly done and upended the rest of the story without a satisfying payoff. A generally unpleasant read all around.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
Countess in Cowboy Boots by Jodi O'Donnell
emotional
inspiring
slow-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? Yes
3.0
Countess in Cowboy Boots centers around Lacey who has just moved back to her small hometown in Texas after a widely publicized "fairy tale" marriage. She's just trying to get back on her feet, build her sense of self-worth and something for the future, but her reputation as "America's Cinderella" keeps getting in the way, as well as her feelings for the handsome rancher Will Profitt complicating things.
I'm rating this a 3 out of 5 stars because in my opinion it's a decent, solid romance novel. It can be kind of messy and tropey in parts, but that's often par for the course for the romance genre. I appreciated how much the leads were able to communicate their boundaries and needs with each other, by the end of the book O'Donnell had convinced me these two would be able to last long term. It's also very reserved in regards to being a horny book compared to other romance novels, if that's something that entices you or turns you away.
I'm rating this a 3 out of 5 stars because in my opinion it's a decent, solid romance novel. It can be kind of messy and tropey in parts, but that's often par for the course for the romance genre. I appreciated how much the leads were able to communicate their boundaries and needs with each other, by the end of the book O'Donnell had convinced me these two would be able to last long term. It's also very reserved in regards to being a horny book compared to other romance novels, if that's something that entices you or turns you away.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
The main character has recently left an extremely emotionally abusive relationship and she is dealing with the trauma of that throughout. Additionally, her ex shows up and tries to manipulate her back into a position where he can control her again.
Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What I expected to be a solid mid-tier Cinderella retelling blindsided me with an incredibly sweet ending. Nicolette can be a little tedious as a main character at times, but the setup of the world intrigued me enough to read to the end and I was rewarded by a delightful resolution of the romance arc. Spoiler for endgame relationships I was so excited that this ended with a queerplatonic polycule. They're all friends and they love each other and want to build a family and a life together! I did not expect that at all going into this book and I was so pleasantly surprised. The motif of Faerie families that was introduced early on paid off in such a nice way.
Cornwell lays an interesting groundwork for the interplay of magic and machinery, and while this book works well as a stand alone, she leaves enough room for a sequel (that I am excited to track down and read). Nicolette is also an active character in her story, trying to find a way to achieve her goals and free herself. The nods to the designs of Cinderellas stepmother and -sisters in the original animated movie were fun easter eggs as well.
Cornwell lays an interesting groundwork for the interplay of magic and machinery, and while this book works well as a stand alone, she leaves enough room for a sequel (that I am excited to track down and read). Nicolette is also an active character in her story, trying to find a way to achieve her goals and free herself. The nods to the designs of Cinderellas stepmother and -sisters in the original animated movie were fun easter eggs as well.
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