momoxshi's reviews
484 reviews
Luna Heartstrong & the Brave Explorers of Deep Space by Lyra Brave
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Do I read children's books from time to time to somehow heal my inner child? Maybe.
Art is absolutely stunning. I'd give it already 5 stars just for that but the explanation of stress for kids is the icing on the cake. Where were these kinds of books when I was a kid? 🥲
It almost feels criminal I got this for free on Kindle when it was on sale.
Art is absolutely stunning. I'd give it already 5 stars just for that but the explanation of stress for kids is the icing on the cake. Where were these kinds of books when I was a kid? 🥲
It almost feels criminal I got this for free on Kindle when it was on sale.
30 Days of Night, Vol. 1 by Steve Niles
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Art definitely adds creepiness. I wish there was something more added to the story tho.
Heap House by Edward Carey
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A creative concept and I'm always a sucker for dark tales, especially ones that are aimed for kids but adults can still enjoy.
The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin
Alder is haunted by his late wife and the other undead people beyond the wall. They seek to be freed and to be in Earthsea through him. He seeks Sparrowhawk for help but the former archmage is "done with doing" and tells him to seek Tenar, Tehanu, and the King Lebannen. But other than the undead, another threat looms above them: the dragons.
+
I've put off finishing Earthsea for selfish, need-to-hang-onto-series type of reasons but I do have a twinge of regret that I've not started on this book sooner. So many layers to this. The narrative has an uncanny way to focus less on the adventures that are happening right in front of you and hones in more on the characters, what's happening between the lines (beyond the main storyline), and so on.
The Farthest Shore continues to be my most favorite out of all of the Earthsea books but this was a good ending for it.
adventurous
reflective
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
4.25
"I don't know which I should fear more," Tenar said, "death or life. I wish I could be done with fear."
Alder is haunted by his late wife and the other undead people beyond the wall. They seek to be freed and to be in Earthsea through him. He seeks Sparrowhawk for help but the former archmage is "done with doing" and tells him to seek Tenar, Tehanu, and the King Lebannen. But other than the undead, another threat looms above them: the dragons.
+
I've put off finishing Earthsea for selfish, need-to-hang-onto-series type of reasons but I do have a twinge of regret that I've not started on this book sooner. So many layers to this. The narrative has an uncanny way to focus less on the adventures that are happening right in front of you and hones in more on the characters, what's happening between the lines (beyond the main storyline), and so on.
The Farthest Shore continues to be my most favorite out of all of the Earthsea books but this was a good ending for it.
Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A quirkily written novella that goes against all the supposed rules of how fairy tales should go. Princess Floralinda gets trapped in a tower by a witch with an artistic eye. The tower is forty flights up—each level containing an unexpected, vicious monster with the lovely Princess as the prize up top (and a golden sword too) and the first level already containing a diamond encrusted dragon. Princes have come but none so far have come past the dragon. As the days pass and no more princes come, Princess Floralinda grows worried and restless.
+
I found the novella equal parts interesting and boring at the same time. It might have been more interesting to me if the characters were more likable but they were not. They're also a bit abusive towards each other (which I've also seen in Muir's Gideon the Ninth but the characterizations there were more complex-as the work is wayyy longer than this one-but that's something I can't unsee now). I'm not sure I'm a fan of the ending. I did like how the character of Princess Floralinda grew (which was kinda expected) but the choice she made at the end was not something I was expecting.
Still a pretty good read as far as twisted fairy tales go.
+
I found the novella equal parts interesting and boring at the same time. It might have been more interesting to me if the characters were more likable but they were not. They're also a bit abusive towards each other (which I've also seen in Muir's Gideon the Ninth but the characterizations there were more complex-as the work is wayyy longer than this one-but that's something I can't unsee now). I'm not sure I'm a fan of the ending. I did like how the character of Princess Floralinda grew (which was kinda expected) but the choice she made at the end was not something I was expecting.
Still a pretty good read as far as twisted fairy tales go.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If this was on r/AITA, my verdict would be ESH.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Rating's based on my personal reading experience.
I see the literary merit and appreciate the purpose of it as a comical critique of society during Mark Twain's time. It does do a good job of inciting annoyance and rage in me towards Hank Morgan, which might have been the purpose.
But it's a bit boring and annoying to read that I almost DNFed it (I could not, for the life of me, see enjoyment reading chapters and chapters of one person being a pompous, arrogant ass). My interest got piqued again when Hank and Arthur get captured as slaves and their responses to that instance was gold. I was hoping Hank gets his comeuppance during this time but I was a bit let down.
A great piece for required readings at school but probably not for leisure reading.
I see the literary merit and appreciate the purpose of it as a comical critique of society during Mark Twain's time. It does do a good job of inciting annoyance and rage in me towards Hank Morgan, which might have been the purpose.
But it's a bit boring and annoying to read that I almost DNFed it (I could not, for the life of me, see enjoyment reading chapters and chapters of one person being a pompous, arrogant ass). My interest got piqued again when Hank and Arthur get captured as slaves and their responses to that instance was gold. I was hoping Hank gets his comeuppance during this time but I was a bit let down.
A great piece for required readings at school but probably not for leisure reading.
Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Midwife Sarah Brandt comes to her neighbor's aid, gentle and too mild-manner of a banker Nelson Ellsworth. He thought he had found himself in a delicate situation when his lover, Anna, tells him that she is with child. But when she turns up dead in the middle of Washington Square and with him as the prime suspect, he finds that he's in more trouble than he could possibly fathom.
But Sarah is sure that Nelson is innocent. For one, after meeting Anna before she was killed, she's sure that the seemingly innocent girl isn't as innocent as she portrayed herself to be.
+
Did not enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the other Gaslight Mystery books I've read so far. While the twist was surprising and the only genuine thing that caught me off guard, the main plot point was already obvious to the reader at the first 3-4 chapters. Granted, this is has a historical setting and should be taken with more suspension of disbelief that the protagonists won't get the answers until much later than the modern audience. But by this point of the book, both Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy (with Frank already a fricking detective) are experienced investigators but were still too slow in piecing things together.
I think a lot of the unnecessary amateurish move was to give way to the budding romance between Sarah and Frank but I was not a fan and it just distracted me from fully enjoying the whole story. It also has the troupe you usually see in romance stories where the couple doesn't simply communicate and an easily solvable problem arises. For this context though, the troupe is used to unnecessarily stretch out the mystery when you already know who's guilty.
I am, still, intrigued enough to continue onto the next book. The character of Richard Dennis is curious enough and I want to know what's up with him.
But Sarah is sure that Nelson is innocent. For one, after meeting Anna before she was killed, she's sure that the seemingly innocent girl isn't as innocent as she portrayed herself to be.
+
Did not enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the other Gaslight Mystery books I've read so far. While the twist was surprising and the only genuine thing that caught me off guard, the main plot point was already obvious to the reader at the first 3-4 chapters. Granted, this is has a historical setting and should be taken with more suspension of disbelief that the protagonists won't get the answers until much later than the modern audience. But by this point of the book, both Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy (with Frank already a fricking detective) are experienced investigators but were still too slow in piecing things together.
Spoiler
And are you seriously telling me that she was able to taste the opium in the porridge given to Prescott but was unable to taste it in a tea given to her by a main suspect???I think a lot of the unnecessary amateurish move was to give way to the budding romance between Sarah and Frank but I was not a fan and it just distracted me from fully enjoying the whole story. It also has the troupe you usually see in romance stories where the couple doesn't simply communicate and an easily solvable problem arises. For this context though, the troupe is used to unnecessarily stretch out the mystery when you already know who's guilty.
I am, still, intrigued enough to continue onto the next book. The character of Richard Dennis is curious enough and I want to know what's up with him.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rick Deckard takes on a hit list for rouge androids after his fellow bounty hunter fails to capture one of them. These androids are of the new Nexus-6 models, a line of androids that are more human-like than the earlier models, making testing and capturing them supposedly more difficult--at least that's what their makers, the Rosen Association says. While Rick agrees with the capturing part, he's adamant the test he's using still works. As he's hot on the trail, Rick finds more than he's bargained for including a duplicitous corporation, a parallel San Francisco police force, and a surprising empathy towards the androids he's supposed to kill.
+
I might have read this in the preface of the copy I have but I was made aware that the point of this book was absurdity. I guess that helped me enjoy this book more as opposed to approaching this as a more serious sci-fi futuristic story. There's a lot of ironies and and comparisons that's drawn throughout the book not just between the androids and humans but also between real animals vs electric animals and even between the chickenhead Isidore and Rick.
I did find the book a bit boring around the middle but it got more interesting for me after Rick meets Phil Resch.
+
I might have read this in the preface of the copy I have but I was made aware that the point of this book was absurdity. I guess that helped me enjoy this book more as opposed to approaching this as a more serious sci-fi futuristic story. There's a lot of ironies and and comparisons that's drawn throughout the book not just between the androids and humans but also between real animals vs electric animals and even between the chickenhead Isidore and Rick.
I did find the book a bit boring around the middle but it got more interesting for me after Rick meets Phil Resch.
Bloodborne: Lady of the Lanterns by Cullen Bunn
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
3.5
A solid plot compared to the more creative or experimental turn of the other volumes, though slightly a bit too fast paced.
I did like the design and the story behind the antagonist for this volume. Definitely intriguing and the mini twist at the end was a treat. Art, as always, is superb.
I did like the design and the story behind the antagonist for this volume. Definitely intriguing and the mini twist at the end was a treat. Art, as always, is superb.