incandescentreads's reviews
1111 reviews
The Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire
2.5
Rating : 2,5 ⭐
The beginning was interesting, I enjoyed being with a different narrator that usual and seeing what happened right after the curse. The audiobook narrator did a great job in that regard, he definitely injected a lot of personality in his narration. However, when we caught up to the events of Sleep No More, too much of it felt like copy/paste. It just proved my intuition that this story did not need to be told in two novels. It could have been a single book, with alternating points of view, which would have kept every important plot point while removing the unnecessary repetitions. I hope the author will not do this again with subsequent books.
The beginning was interesting, I enjoyed being with a different narrator that usual and seeing what happened right after the curse. The audiobook narrator did a great job in that regard, he definitely injected a lot of personality in his narration. However, when we caught up to the events of Sleep No More, too much of it felt like copy/paste. It just proved my intuition that this story did not need to be told in two novels. It could have been a single book, with alternating points of view, which would have kept every important plot point while removing the unnecessary repetitions. I hope the author will not do this again with subsequent books.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
3.5
Rating : 3,5 ⭐
The romance was cute, but it followed the plot beats of You've Got Mail very closely. I preferred it when the relationship stood on its own instead of being forced into this mould, but it was still enjoyable to read. The themes of death, loneliness, sacrifice and family were explored in depth and with a lot of compassion. The most disappointing part of the book for me is the world building. Most of it felt very bare bones, and the visual descriptions were not enough for me to really imagine what anything looked like. As a result, the book doesn't feel very grounded. The audiobook narrators both did a great job.
The romance was cute, but it followed the plot beats of You've Got Mail very closely. I preferred it when the relationship stood on its own instead of being forced into this mould, but it was still enjoyable to read. The themes of death, loneliness, sacrifice and family were explored in depth and with a lot of compassion. The most disappointing part of the book for me is the world building. Most of it felt very bare bones, and the visual descriptions were not enough for me to really imagine what anything looked like. As a result, the book doesn't feel very grounded. The audiobook narrators both did a great job.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
4.0
Rating : 4 ⭐
The diary format was used effectively, it really worked for this story. The characters felt unique and the plot was interesting. The ending hit the right balance between wrapping up the story and setting up a plot line for the sequel. The romance was understated, but it felt true to the characters. I'm looking forward to seeing it develop more in the next instalment. The audiobook narration was great.
The diary format was used effectively, it really worked for this story. The characters felt unique and the plot was interesting. The ending hit the right balance between wrapping up the story and setting up a plot line for the sequel. The romance was understated, but it felt true to the characters. I'm looking forward to seeing it develop more in the next instalment. The audiobook narration was great.
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
4.0
Rating : 4 ⭐
The juxtaposition of the personal and political conflict was extremely well done. I also loved how the music and literature specific to the era was such an integral part of the story. This is my favorite book by this author so far, I think I might be the odd one out for preferring her historical fiction to her fantasy. I enjoyed following both of the main characters, the back and forth allowed us to see the situations from two limited perspectives, while still letting suspense build up until the end. I really appreciated the way everything was resolved, it felt true to the characters. This was a really enjoyable read.
The juxtaposition of the personal and political conflict was extremely well done. I also loved how the music and literature specific to the era was such an integral part of the story. This is my favorite book by this author so far, I think I might be the odd one out for preferring her historical fiction to her fantasy. I enjoyed following both of the main characters, the back and forth allowed us to see the situations from two limited perspectives, while still letting suspense build up until the end. I really appreciated the way everything was resolved, it felt true to the characters. This was a really enjoyable read.
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
4.0
Rating : 4 ⭐
The sense of atmosphere was very strong and really made this story shine. The characters and setting were brought to life by the writing. The story was suspenseful and creepy, but still meaningful and touching. I liked the illustrations, there weren't that many but I thought it was a great touch. I enjoyed my time reading this book, it was perfect for this time of the year.
The sense of atmosphere was very strong and really made this story shine. The characters and setting were brought to life by the writing. The story was suspenseful and creepy, but still meaningful and touching. I liked the illustrations, there weren't that many but I thought it was a great touch. I enjoyed my time reading this book, it was perfect for this time of the year.
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal
2.5
Rating : 2,5 ⭐
The setting was unique and fun, and the chronic pain and PTSD representation was well written. The mystery plot started out with a bang, but then felt a bit repetitive and convoluted by the end. The way everything wrapped up with the final "clue" seemed ridiculous to me. Overall, this story was still enjoyable, but the ending didn't feel satisfying.
The setting was unique and fun, and the chronic pain and PTSD representation was well written. The mystery plot started out with a bang, but then felt a bit repetitive and convoluted by the end. The way everything wrapped up with the final "clue" seemed ridiculous to me. Overall, this story was still enjoyable, but the ending didn't feel satisfying.