mvvelde's reviews
113 reviews

The Hand of the Sun King by J.T. Greathouse

adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Hand of the Sun King starts out a bit slow at first--gathering momentum as the plot manifests and the pages turn. Wen Alder is the son to parents of two very different worlds--one of imperialist Sienese culture, and the other of an unimportant minority (in the eyes of the Sien). The future his parents envisions for him weigh heavily on regaining lost respect for the family name by becoming the hand to the Emperor. Torn by his forbidden budding passion for the old ways of magic and restoring the family name to the glory it once had, Alder sets forth on his journey defined by ambition and loyalty. I really enjoyed was the world-building, and also the exploration of imperialism and the affects of colonization.

It was an overall quick read for me. Greathouse captivated me with brilliant world building and a twisting plot, making the book almost unputtdownable. Looking forward to where the sequel will go.

Thank you to NetGalley, J.T. Greathouse, and JABberwocky Literary Agency Inc. for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker

adventurous hopeful mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Golem and the Djinni is really such a unique and imaginative story. I found myself drawn in by the story—how it began to unfold and wonder where it would go. At times the book was a bit too slow-paced for my liking, but my curiosity and interest in the plot arc is what kept me reading. Overall glad to have read it, but I doubt it’ll be one that I’m drawn to reread.

Good Morning, Destroyer of Men's Souls: A Memoir of Women, Addiction, and Love by Nina Renata Aron

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

Not gonna lie, when I first began reading this book I had a very vague idea of what kind of book I was picking up. Despite feeling very disconnected from the topic of addiction, I think that on the topics of love and what it is to be a woman were still relatable. And in any case, these were the parts that most interested me in the memoir itself, even though at the center of the book is co-dependency and addiction. I appreciated the author's colloquial use of language, as well as her honesty and the raw sharing of her experiences. While I won't say that this was one of my most enjoyable or educative reads of the year--I'm glad to have read it.

The Memory Project by Andrew C. Youngson

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Wow. When I began reading The Memory Project I could not have anticipated how gripping the debut novel would be. You know how when you read a good book and bits of it pop into your mind throughout the day?--curiosity of where the plot will go or what will come next in the story? Well, that's what The Memory Project was for me.

Overall the pacing was just the right tempo, and I loved as the author kept the reader in the dark about most of the plot arc. It kept me hooked until the end. Speaking of which, I enjoyed that the novel did not end at a climax point, but rather left the ending open.

Additionally, the characters were overall diverse in their personas, and it was refreshing to read with queer representation. 

4 stars for The Memory Project! Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Memoirs of a Porcupine by Alain Mabanckou

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A bit bizarre and a bit quirky, Memoirs of a Porcupine is a social commentary on the life in an African village. The short novel is told from the perspective of a porcupine in a stream of conscious style. Picked up this book without any expectations. While the beginning was a bit difficult for me to get into (writing style, etc.), I did end up enjoying it & have been left with some questions.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

After watching Outlander back in February and getting super hooked. I quickly found much enjoyment and comfort out of the setting, adventure and romance of the series. While awaiting the newest season I thought I would try reading book one of Outlander. Needless to say that the book has become an instant favorite of mine, and (just like the series) will be something that I pick up for a comfort read.

If I were to do things differently, I would have read the book first before watching the series. It would have been interesting to see how I imagined Jamie, Claire, and the rest of the characters without having the cast of Outlander in mind. That being said, I very much enjoyed it anyways.

The Good Lie by A.R. Torre

dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

'A Good Lie' was the perfect mood read for me yesterday. I appreciated the twists and turns of the story, along with the cast of individuals. It was nice to have some spicy intimate moments here and there that served to up the tension and make the whole story more convoluted. My mind raced to try to keep up and put the pieces together. The ending was not what I saw coming.

Definitely a satisfying read! I give 'A Good Lie' a solid 4 stars. The book is perfect for a dreary day under blankets or a satisfying thrill laying on the beach. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spirits Rebellious by Kahlil Gibran

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Despite having been published in the late 1940s, I think that it is still relevant today—perhaps not in on all situations or all cases of religious social structures, but some definitely. I also find it applicable Gibran’s discourse on religion to connect especially to Abrahamic religions, but think it could even extend more generally to all religions.

Overall an interesting read. I can see why this was once a banned book in Lebanon, as it likely caused much debate and criticism of the church.

The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

2.5

I initially requested this book as the title, premise and cover of the book interested me. The Ninth Metal was an enjoyable read. Not my favorite book, nor my least. This one is perfect if you have a day at the seaside or poolside and are looking for something to keep your interest.

While this is true, I think I came away from it a bit disappointed? I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but the blurb on the back made me think the book had a ton of potential to be thrilling and intriguing all the way through. Did I see the plot unfolding as it did? Definitely not, which made it so enjoyable. But all the same, I just didn't feel quite satisfied with the way the plot unfolded.

Thank you to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Mariner Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 2.5 stars for The Ninth Metal. Despite how little I enjoyed it, I could see this being a great beach read for others. It just was not my 'cup of tea'.

Popisho by Leone Ross

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious 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

Popisho takes place in a Caribbean-inspired fantastical island world. On the island of Popisho, individuals are born with powers called cors--medicinal cors, cooking cors, etc. We follow a number of characters as the plot unfolds, including a famous & talented chef, a healer, politicians, prostitutes and lovers. We get to know them through their personal histories as the days grow closer and closer (and stranger!) to the royal wedding. The island is full fantastical elements. Butterflies are enjoyed as one would a glass of wine, while moths are ingested to achieve an addictive high. Themes of joy, loss, grief, love, abuse, and addiction are interwoven through the story in a masterful way with beautiful prose.

The writing is beautiful and lyrical in a way that Ross’s descriptions all but form the tastes on your tongue, the scents that waft past your nose, and the emotions that build up in your chest. The whole world of Popisho that Ross built with vivid and vibrant imagery kept me wanting more--to follow the next character perspective, to see how relationships and individuals developed or connected… I really enjoyed getting lost in the dreamy world building.

For Ross’s writing alone, I would recommend Popisho. Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the eARC of Popisho.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Minor: Miscarriage and Grief