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ira_reads's reviews
91 reviews
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
funny
medium-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
5.0
We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Content Warning: Ableist language, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Verbal abuse, Child abuse and neglect, Blood and gore depiction, Physical injuries, Dead bodies, Grief depiction, Death of a mother, Death of a father, Death of a child, Death of a friend, Death of a cousin, Murder and attempted murder, Torture, Imprisonment and captivity, Blackmail, Kidnapping, War themes discussed, Animal death, Hunting
Overall Rating: 50000000/5
World: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
What I loved:
There’s not one thing in this series that I didn’t love but I guess I can list some stuff out if you want.
-Altair
-Nasir
-Zafira
-Every single protagonist in this freaking book
-Enemies to lovers but it’s not toxic
-Amazing, tragic backstories
-Beautiful, descriptive, emotional writing.
-Did I say Altair already?
Synopsis:
Zafira is a peasant living in a village in Demenhur, a land filled with snow and poverty. To provide for her village, she disguises herself as a man and hunts from the Arz, a deadly forest filled with mysterious creatures.
Nasir, on the other hand, is the prince of Death, an assassin for his father, the Sultan.
Both are sent to the Arz, Zafira to hunt for the prized possession that could bring magic to the Arawiya again, and Nasir to assassinate Zafira as soon as she finds it.
World-building:
This book is set in a fictional land called Arawiya which is both complex, but easy to understand atthe same time. Each kingdom makes sense, and isn’t just there to make the book look more fancy. If anything’s complicated, it’s the history behind these lands, not the lands themselves. There is a ton of world building and storytelling in the first ⅓ of We Hunt the Flame, but it’s so worth it.
Characters:
These books’ found family is elite. Elite, I tell you. Kifah, Benyamin, Altair, Nasir, Zafira, and so many others all crawl their way up into your heart. And in a dangerous journey like theirs, I found myself fearing for every single one of them.
What I loved a lot was how Altair and Nasir were complete opposites. One, was a tortured, abused, Prince of Death, whose values and morals had been twisted by his father. Altair was a carefree, funny character that starkly contrasted Nasir. Being a duo in both books, they’re differences and similarities become more and more obvious especially in the second book and it’s fascinating to see them grow together.
Zafira’s character development in this series was very admirable. Her development was a rollercoaster, it fluctuated and it followed a realistic timeline. She didn’t become the hero that she was meant to be by the end of the first book. She had ups and downs, and went through many struggles before she was confident in herself.
Plot:
I don’t know how to describe the plot in a way that it deserves. The plot of these two books was so well thought out, it was intricate, it was complicated, it was everything you would expect from a high fantasy. The magic system was so simple but complicated, and I was constantly waiting for the next big thing to happen. Sometimes some fantasy books get so lost in the characters’ stories and the world that they’re building that they completely forget to make a substantial plot. This results in a very methodical, formulaic, boring plot. The Sands of Arawiya duology managed to make a plot of great substance and connected the world, character stories, and the plot.
Final thoughts:
This series made me cry because of how beautiful and emotional the writing was. Everything about this book was beautiful and amazing and I will recommend this series to anyone who can stand the initial worldbuilding. The romance, the found family, the world, the magic system, everything was absolutely perfect and now I have to decide if this or Six of Crows is my favorite high fantasy. This was one of the books that I was sad to end because I didn’t want to be taken away from the characters’ stories. There’s something for everyone in this series. Found family, romance, intricate world, intricate plot, amazing side characters, character development, the list goes on and one. This was an unforgettable read.
Overall Rating: 50000000/5
World: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
What I loved:
There’s not one thing in this series that I didn’t love but I guess I can list some stuff out if you want.
-Altair
-Nasir
-Zafira
-Every single protagonist in this freaking book
-Enemies to lovers but it’s not toxic
-Amazing, tragic backstories
-Beautiful, descriptive, emotional writing.
-Did I say Altair already?
Synopsis:
Zafira is a peasant living in a village in Demenhur, a land filled with snow and poverty. To provide for her village, she disguises herself as a man and hunts from the Arz, a deadly forest filled with mysterious creatures.
Nasir, on the other hand, is the prince of Death, an assassin for his father, the Sultan.
Both are sent to the Arz, Zafira to hunt for the prized possession that could bring magic to the Arawiya again, and Nasir to assassinate Zafira as soon as she finds it.
World-building:
This book is set in a fictional land called Arawiya which is both complex, but easy to understand atthe same time. Each kingdom makes sense, and isn’t just there to make the book look more fancy. If anything’s complicated, it’s the history behind these lands, not the lands themselves. There is a ton of world building and storytelling in the first ⅓ of We Hunt the Flame, but it’s so worth it.
Characters:
These books’ found family is elite. Elite, I tell you. Kifah, Benyamin, Altair, Nasir, Zafira, and so many others all crawl their way up into your heart. And in a dangerous journey like theirs, I found myself fearing for every single one of them.
What I loved a lot was how Altair and Nasir were complete opposites. One, was a tortured, abused, Prince of Death, whose values and morals had been twisted by his father. Altair was a carefree, funny character that starkly contrasted Nasir. Being a duo in both books, they’re differences and similarities become more and more obvious especially in the second book and it’s fascinating to see them grow together.
Zafira’s character development in this series was very admirable. Her development was a rollercoaster, it fluctuated and it followed a realistic timeline. She didn’t become the hero that she was meant to be by the end of the first book. She had ups and downs, and went through many struggles before she was confident in herself.
Plot:
I don’t know how to describe the plot in a way that it deserves. The plot of these two books was so well thought out, it was intricate, it was complicated, it was everything you would expect from a high fantasy. The magic system was so simple but complicated, and I was constantly waiting for the next big thing to happen. Sometimes some fantasy books get so lost in the characters’ stories and the world that they’re building that they completely forget to make a substantial plot. This results in a very methodical, formulaic, boring plot. The Sands of Arawiya duology managed to make a plot of great substance and connected the world, character stories, and the plot.
Final thoughts:
This series made me cry because of how beautiful and emotional the writing was. Everything about this book was beautiful and amazing and I will recommend this series to anyone who can stand the initial worldbuilding. The romance, the found family, the world, the magic system, everything was absolutely perfect and now I have to decide if this or Six of Crows is my favorite high fantasy. This was one of the books that I was sad to end because I didn’t want to be taken away from the characters’ stories. There’s something for everyone in this series. Found family, romance, intricate world, intricate plot, amazing side characters, character development, the list goes on and one. This was an unforgettable read.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
Thanks to C.B. Lee and BookTalk for giving me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review
This book is a retelling of Treasure Island and it follows the story of two young girls trying to find a hidden treasure while outside forces try to stop them.
I'll be on the lookout for more pirate books after this. Although it took a while for the exciting parts of the book to start, I loved every second of this. I loved Shi Xiang's character development throughout the book. It felt gradual and realistic. The romance in this book never overpowered the plot, but there was still a substantial amount of it. Sapphic pirates are better than any other kind of pirates.
It gets interesting around the 40% mark, so don't give up on the book too early!
This book is first in a series called 'Remixed Classics.' Be sure to check out the other books in the series including 'So Many Beginnings,' which is also being released on the same date as this one.
This book is a retelling of Treasure Island and it follows the story of two young girls trying to find a hidden treasure while outside forces try to stop them.
I'll be on the lookout for more pirate books after this. Although it took a while for the exciting parts of the book to start, I loved every second of this. I loved Shi Xiang's character development throughout the book. It felt gradual and realistic. The romance in this book never overpowered the plot, but there was still a substantial amount of it. Sapphic pirates are better than any other kind of pirates.
It gets interesting around the 40% mark, so don't give up on the book too early!
This book is first in a series called 'Remixed Classics.' Be sure to check out the other books in the series including 'So Many Beginnings,' which is also being released on the same date as this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
emotional
lighthearted
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
5.0
Why did people make me think that the second half of the Shatter Me series wasn't going to be good? Cause this book was AMAZING. The end has left me shocked. Damn. I definitely love it more than Shatter Me and Unravel Me. This book was a really quick read and it made me feel so many emotions.
The only thing i didn't like was the fact that Mafi gave Warner exes . I didn't think it was necessary.
The only thing i didn't like was the fact that Mafi gave Warner
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
Ok I finished. So let me just say...WHAT THE FUCK. This was so so so good and and so heartbreaking and why did so many people have to fucking DIE.
This book made me think everything was going to work out, and then it fell apart, and then it worked out again, and then it fell apart. It was written so well and I have no words for the impact this has had on me. This felt so real. It felt like these were real movies that were being made, and real relationships, and real people that Evelyn was marrying.
I don't think I ever want to be who Evelyn Hugo was, but I think she did everything that she thought was best for her. And maybe I might have done the same.
I think both Evelyn and Celia were both doing what they thought was best for their relationship, and it's very easy to sympathize and understand both sides. If TJR ever came out with a book that narrated Celia's life, I would definitely read it. I think there's so much about Celia's life that we didn't get to know.
I was definitely not expecting that specific twist at the end, but I really glad that TJR connected it to Harry. I thought Monique was somehow going to be related to Evelyn or be some kind of child/grandchild of hers. But connecting it to Harry tied up that one unknown that had been left earlier in the story
This book made me think everything was going to work out, and then it fell apart, and then it worked out again, and then it fell apart. It was written so well and I have no words for the impact this has had on me. This felt so real. It felt like these were real movies that were being made, and real relationships, and real people that Evelyn was marrying.
I don't think I ever want to be who Evelyn Hugo was, but I think she did everything that she thought was best for her. And maybe I might have done the same.
I think both Evelyn and Celia were both doing what they thought was best for their relationship, and it's very easy to sympathize and understand both sides. If TJR ever came out with a book that narrated Celia's life, I would definitely read it. I think there's so much about Celia's life that we didn't get to know.
I was definitely not expecting that specific twist at the end, but I really glad that
Skyhunter by Marie Lu
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ok this book would have been 5 stars if the beginning and the ending didn't drag on. The middle parts where they were doing the whole fake-dating thing were amazing, but the story took a long time to start, and then it just wasn't ending. But overall, this book was really good.
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What the fuck. Zoe Hana Mikuta needs to give me the next book right now. WHY ERIS WHY.
Ok 4.5 stars since this book took a while to actually get interesting. But after the 30% mark, I loved it. I loved the whole concept of the Gearbreakers, mechas, and the found family was so great. my favorite side character is most definitely Nova. And the twist at the end really surprised me but I should have expected it.
The romance was so amazing. Their chemistry was amazing and seeing Eris become protective was the cutest thing ever.
Ok 4.5 stars since this book took a while to actually get interesting. But after the 30% mark, I loved it. I loved the whole concept of the Gearbreakers, mechas, and the found family was so great. my favorite side character is most definitely Nova. And the twist at the end really surprised me but I should have expected it.
The romance was so amazing. Their chemistry was amazing and seeing Eris become protective was the cutest thing ever.