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emilynied's reviews
294 reviews
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
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
3.75
Cosmere Universe: Book 1 / 27
My first Brandon Sanderson book!! Brandon Sanderson was on my TBR this year and I did SO MUCH research into the Cosmere Universe and the world and where to start. Based on watching like a million videos and reading a bunch of blog posts, I decided to start with Elantris. Despite the fact that it's widely regarded as Sanderson's "weakest" book (as it's his first published work) I wanted to start with a standalone to finish off the year and I'm fine with starting with the worst (and let me tell you, if this is the "worst" book, I just know the other books are going to be great). The setting is really interesting and I loved the idea of the "fallen" great city, Elantris. The three POVs really jumped well from each other and I really, really liked the story!
Sarene was a strong, female character with a fierce disposition, a strong will and action-oriented decision making. Hrathen was a literal religious missionary but his character development was so so interesting. I disliked him right away cause like booo forced religious conversion but it was really interesting to hear his inner thoughts and how he actually thought what he was doing was the right thing. And finally, Prince Raoden, who is displaced and thought to be dead, dumped in the lost city of Elantris. He was the most level-headed and reading about him finding authority in that "society" was really fun to read about.
Based on this first read, I am so excited to jump into this universe and all the interconnected stories. Yay!
My first Brandon Sanderson book!! Brandon Sanderson was on my TBR this year and I did SO MUCH research into the Cosmere Universe and the world and where to start. Based on watching like a million videos and reading a bunch of blog posts, I decided to start with Elantris. Despite the fact that it's widely regarded as Sanderson's "weakest" book (as it's his first published work) I wanted to start with a standalone to finish off the year and I'm fine with starting with the worst (and let me tell you, if this is the "worst" book, I just know the other books are going to be great). The setting is really interesting and I loved the idea of the "fallen" great city, Elantris. The three POVs really jumped well from each other and I really, really liked the story!
Sarene was a strong, female character with a fierce disposition, a strong will and action-oriented decision making. Hrathen was a literal religious missionary but his character development was so so interesting. I disliked him right away cause like booo forced religious conversion but it was really interesting to hear his inner thoughts and how he actually thought what he was doing was the right thing. And finally, Prince Raoden, who is displaced and thought to be dead, dumped in the lost city of Elantris. He was the most level-headed and reading about him finding authority in that "society" was really fun to read about.
Based on this first read, I am so excited to jump into this universe and all the interconnected stories. Yay!
Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.0
Ultimately, this book was just not for me BUT based on reading the reviews, I can see how people might connect to the characters. I just didn't :/ I thought it was a super interesting concept I just think I got a bit lost in the story. I felt like I had to scramble to understand the internal narration and was left hanging multiple times. Also I think the big emphasis on sex in the second half of the novel (not necessarily the act of doing it but just the emotion/thoughts behind it) also left me feeling really disconnected. It didn't feel like love to me it felt like two characters scrambling for co-dependence and seeing something in the other that wasn't necessarily there.
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
adventurous
medium-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
3.5
We are back in Elfhame! I loved the Cruel Prince trilogy and its characters so I was excited to get back into this world. We follow a new character of a different court and Jude's younger brother, Oak. This story wasn't my favorite but it was a fun read and I do like the characters. I think because I would rather be reading about Jude and Cardan, it just made me a little less interested.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Ok so I could really tell that this book was written for a YA audience - it falls into a number of cliches (both character and romance oriented), is super fast-paced, the writing is quite basic and simple HOWEVER, I read it super quickly and I quite enjoyed it. I came into this book intending a quick read and I knew this one would deliver. It's a paranormal mystery set with a high school aged main character and a (mostly) high school setting. I do really like the mystery aspect of it and the paranormal elements came into play well as the story began to unravel - I just think I personally felt detached because of the high school characters (with their high school traits and immaturity) and also even though I liked Noah and his English accent, he just felt so unbelievable as a character (I'M SORRY). There were also some parts where I was like wtf is happening (which was probably intended but I just felt utterly confused at the plot). If I ignore those pieces of the puzzle, it's a very enjoyable book!
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
3.75
I really enjoyed this story! I loved the Romeo and Juliet inspiration and I really enjoyed the setting of Shanghai. Gong did a great job with the world building (especially because I listened to this as an audiobook) and I feel like the writing was super lively and colorful.
The main relationship between Juliet and Romeo was obviously interesting as we begin the book after they have become friends --> lovers --> enemies (obviously not a reflection of the original play). This was an interesting choice and I feel like it was much more interesting to read than if it had stuck to the original plot. This decision definitely reflected onto the characters and I also really enjoyed Juliet's strong-willed, heated demeanor and Romeo's more reflective yet stern characteristics. Everything felt really intentional and genuine if that makes sense? Like every character or plot choice made sense with the story, from the background to the family relations and dynamics to the feuds.
The mysterious illness plaguing the city was a nice choice for the plot and I also enjoyed the side characters' POVs and part in the story. And that ending! I'm excited to read the next book and see what happens next!
The main relationship between Juliet and Romeo was obviously interesting as we begin the book after they have become friends --> lovers --> enemies (obviously not a reflection of the original play). This was an interesting choice and I feel like it was much more interesting to read than if it had stuck to the original plot. This decision definitely reflected onto the characters and I also really enjoyed Juliet's strong-willed, heated demeanor and Romeo's more reflective yet stern characteristics. Everything felt really intentional and genuine if that makes sense? Like every character or plot choice made sense with the story, from the background to the family relations and dynamics to the feuds.
The mysterious illness plaguing the city was a nice choice for the plot and I also enjoyed the side characters' POVs and part in the story. And that ending! I'm excited to read the next book and see what happens next!
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
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
As I finished this book, I first left the living room (that my entire family was sitting in) to go grab a tissue and then I couldn't drag my eyes away from the page so I finished it standing at the kitchen counter. I think there's literal wrinkles in the pages from my tears.
I feel like I can't even write out how this book made me feel and think because I've internalized it all probably in an effort to protect my own emotional stability. I think I'm quite selective about the content I consume about WWII just based on a number of personal factors, but I am so glad I picked up this book. The writing was absolutely beautiful and I could feel how much thought and care went into crafting the story. The writing might have been beautiful but the content absolutely wasn't - it felt very historically grounded and actually taught me a lot about the war and the front in France that I didn't know about previously. The characters are dynamic and interesting (and sometimes you just want to grab them and shake them) and the development was so so fascinating to read as the story spanned years and their own individual circumstances/settings changed throughout the book.
Vianne and Isabelle played off each other so well and the sister relationship felt so familiar to me despite the story taking place in the mid-1900s. I'm glad they weren't the "perfect" characters with the idealist morals and decision-making skills because it made the story all the more realistic. In summary, this book was amazing and I will absolutely be reading more Kristen Hannah in the future.
I feel like I can't even write out how this book made me feel and think because I've internalized it all probably in an effort to protect my own emotional stability. I think I'm quite selective about the content I consume about WWII just based on a number of personal factors, but I am so glad I picked up this book. The writing was absolutely beautiful and I could feel how much thought and care went into crafting the story. The writing might have been beautiful but the content absolutely wasn't - it felt very historically grounded and actually taught me a lot about the war and the front in France that I didn't know about previously. The characters are dynamic and interesting (and sometimes you just want to grab them and shake them) and the development was so so fascinating to read as the story spanned years and their own individual circumstances/settings changed throughout the book.
Vianne and Isabelle played off each other so well and the sister relationship felt so familiar to me despite the story taking place in the mid-1900s. I'm glad they weren't the "perfect" characters with the idealist morals and decision-making skills because it made the story all the more realistic. In summary, this book was amazing and I will absolutely be reading more Kristen Hannah in the future.
Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I kind of really love that Oseman decided to take this turn with the series and the characters - Nick going off to college (insert crying emoji). I think it's beautiful to imagine characters as they were written with no time passing but alas, everyone grows up. College is a really scary thing and I think the fear of leaving home and your support system for a potentially really great opportunity and experience was captured perfectly - plus I loved a little Nick development and him getting out of his comfort zone!!