forthesanityof1's reviews
706 reviews

Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Gorgeous, melancholic prose that enhanced the moodiness of the narrative and highlighted the complexity of adult loneliness. The emotional poignancy cannot be overstated. Sadness is a constant companion in this novel, and I don't know that I have ever read something that portrays it so well with such succinct style. I will definitely be reading more from this author and translator.

Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Just did not jive with this at all. It was boring and had nothing to compelling me as a reader. Characters were very flat and uninteresting. The plot was a mess and difficult to follow at times due to poor pacing. Even the world-building, which seemed so cool initially, just fell flat. 

The WitchSlayer by Opal Reyne

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

Way too long, needed heavy editing and development in all areas, really did not like Rurik at all and thought the internal dialogue for him was juvenile at best and so flat, plot was irrelevant and haphazardly put together, again with the weird choices at the end from the FMC with her father and Reyne's odd obsession with shoving black-and-white moral lessons down the reader's throat while ascending from it by just glossing over a main point of conflict, and the smut wasn't even decent. There was little to no foreplay or build of impactful sexual tension. Even the dragon fucking let me down and that's my shit!! Also, tf with the ritual thing? Reyne puts a disclaimer at the end that "there was no other way to do this to properly portray the depth of their trust and love of each other :) also dark witches do bad things :)" like bestie. What a fucking joke. I guarantee there was a creative solution to the corner you wrote yourself into that didn't include

having the FMC rape the MMC and then brush it aside because he enjoyed it????????

. I always go into these reads with low expectations and continue to be let down by the quality.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

It was fine. I did not attach to any of the characters. The plot and main antagonist were rushed and a bit over-the-top without complex development. World-building could have been more fleshed out. I appreciate the neurodivergence rep and the asexual spectrum rep.

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

adventurous dark 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

5.0

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Eh. I feel like it lost its potential when the plot and its consequences expanded beyond what was pitched in the summary. I think this story would have been better staying more grounded. I also didn't particularly care for any of the characters or the romantic subplots. While I mostly enjoyed Blake's writing style, it did begin to wear on me halfway through the book. I wish there had been more variations in the prose to support tone and build tension. It didn't feel like the stakes actually mattered and the writing didn't reflect any building/cresting. 

Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

Court of Wanderers by Rin Chupeco

adventurous emotional sad tense fast-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