I think my big issue with this book was the pace. I did enjoy seeing Rodger and Dodger interacting, getting to know each other and themselves, but I felt like a lot of it didn’t really move the story forward. And this wasn’t just a story of the two of them living their lives and learning about each other. There was an overarching plot, revolving around James Reed’s plan, but it seemed like the book didn’t really care about that until the very end. I think I would have preferred the book to be one or the other, but it tried to be both an exploration of these two characters and a story with some action and intrigue.

Not my favourite, but I will continue with the series.

Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

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reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

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challenging fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I disliked almost every single character in this book. No one is good; everyone is just using each other to get what they want. And yet, at points I was almost rooting for June, while also rooting for the truth and Athena. I also was endless intrigued by how the story would end. What would happen to June? Would she get her retribution? Did I want that?

I really hated her publishing teams. They were written so well to show their absolute racism (and micro-aggressions aplenty). I loved/ hated how June went along with their decisions and justified it all as being more inclusive and telling more realistic stories (“We soften some of the white characters. No, it’s not as bad as you think. Athena’s original text was almost embarrassingly biased… I get she’s trying to make a point about discrimination within the Allied front… [W]e switch one of the white bullies to a Chinese character, and one of the more vocal Chinese labourers to a sympathetic white farmer. This adds the complexity, the humanistic nuance that perhaps Athena was too close to the project to see.”) It just made me so angry in the best way.

There wasn’t really a lot of plot, just June releasing the book, facing backlash, being tormented by guilt, and trying to figure how to continue on as an author with the storm of sides and takes swirling around her (and potentially facing the consequences of stealing her book. That being said, I read through this so quickly and was fascinated by June and her justifications, and also the things we got to learn about Athena, pulling back that shiny veneer that covered her.

Just so good!

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan, Mark Oshiro

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adventurous emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Not sure if it was just my copy but this book could have used another edit… some poor grammar and a weird thing where they mixed up what river of the underworld they were talking about… otherwise loved it and love Nico and Will!

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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

I really enjoy N.K. Jemisin’s writing and the way she explains things. In terms of plot and like events, this book was not the heaviest on it. Mostly, we were learning more about the world and how Oregeny works. I was really interested in all of it. I also liked the multiple POVs and the various different experiences that the different characters we were following were going through.

I cannot wait to see how this series ends, what happens to Essun and the other characters we have gotten to know.

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This book was very atmospheric and I definitely felt the tension and mystery of the unknown early on. It also made me cry.

The reason it was not a five star for me was the pacing. It was very atmospheric for the first half, just them travelling through the woods and being in nature. It created a sense of tension, but as I got further along in the book, I was almost sure that the tension was going to go nowhere and this would just be a book about them travelling through the woods. And I was fine with that. I was enjoying the book for what I thought it was.

But then the second half was just thing after thing, high-suspense moment after high-suspense moment. And then a lot of the situations the characters find themselves in get resolved so quickly it was very deus ex machina. Overall really solid read and if the book continued in the way it started I may have given it 5 stars.

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booksandbujos's reviews 133 reviews

booksandbujos's reviews
133 reviews