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mxdegroot's reviews
96 reviews
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
5.0
Full series review is under the first book.
"Love and loss,” he said, “are like a ship and the sea. They rise together. The more we love, the more we have to lose. But the only way to avoid loss is to avoid love. And what a sad world that would be."
"Scars are not shameful, not unless you let them be. If you do not wear them, they will wear you."
“Do you ever get tired of running, Bard?"
"No."
"Then you haven’t left enough behind.”
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
5.0
Full series review is under the first book.
"Whatever I am, let it be enough."
"Look, everyone talks about the unknown like it's some big scary thing, but it's the familiar that's always bothered me. It's heavy, builds up around you like rocks, until it's walls and a ceiling and a cell."
Because too little of something is just as dangerous as too much.
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
V. E. Schwab never misses.
I honestly have no idea where to start, so I'm just going to very intensely recommend this book. The masterful world-building, beautiful character development, perfectly tied together plotlines, unforgiving scenes, twists and deaths, and especially the fact that every character faces the consequences of their actions, and the trauma of saving a life and the cost it brought in that instance is not overlooked. This entire trilogy is absolute perfection, so just read it.
I honestly have no idea where to start, so I'm just going to very intensely recommend this book. The masterful world-building, beautiful character development, perfectly tied together plotlines, unforgiving scenes, twists and deaths, and especially the fact that every character faces the consequences of their actions, and the trauma of saving a life and the cost it brought in that instance is not overlooked. This entire trilogy is absolute perfection, so just read it.
“I apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself.”
“I apologize for shooting you in the leg.” said Lila. “I was myself entirely.”
“Are you ready ?" she asked, spinning the chamber.
Kell gazed through the gate at the waiting castle. "No."
At that, she offered him the sharpest edge of a grin.
"Good," she said. "The ones who think they're ready always end up dead.”
The Toll by Neal Shusterman
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
I have some mixed opinions.
As with the second book, the majority of this book felt like a filler episode leading up to a very short ending. Was the build-up worth the ending? Yes??? Maybe??? I'm still torn.
I'm going to start off with saying that I absolutely hate the fact that the Thunderhead found the blind spot. I loved the implication of the blind spot existing as a reminder that no one/nothing is omniscient, and the Thunderhead finding it and taking over felt unnecessary and predictable. I would have loved it if the blind spot had stayed a blind spot.
Rowan and Citra's ending is an especially interesting thing. The whole point of the scythedom is that the ones who do not want to be a part of it, are the ones who should be, and from that point of view their decision to leave makes perfect sense. However, both of them have been fighting for roughly a thousand pages to make sure the scythedom stays the way it was designed to, and to just leave it behind in the end without (to their knowing) any end/solution to the conflict in sight felt very rushed to me.
Speaking of rushed endings:Goddard's death was simultaneously very satisfying and extremely anticlimactic. This is the man who has been manipulating, controlling and conquering the literal world for two books, only to be ended by the woman who has been by his side from the beginning and who had literally every opportunity to end him earlier? Come on. However, his quick death was a very nice reminder that no matter how powerful or dangerous he was, he's still not invulnerable.
That being said, the failsafe was absolute perfection. Humanity was never meant to rule life and death, so let randomness decide. The scythedom's ending was beautiful.
As with the second book, the majority of this book felt like a filler episode leading up to a very short ending. Was the build-up worth the ending? Yes??? Maybe??? I'm still torn.
I'm going to start off with saying that I absolutely hate the fact that the Thunderhead found the blind spot. I loved the implication of the blind spot existing as a reminder that no one/nothing is omniscient, and the Thunderhead finding it and taking over felt unnecessary and predictable. I would have loved it if the blind spot had stayed a blind spot.
Rowan and Citra's ending is an especially interesting thing. The whole point of the scythedom is that the ones who do not want to be a part of it, are the ones who should be, and from that point of view their decision to leave makes perfect sense. However, both of them have been fighting for roughly a thousand pages to make sure the scythedom stays the way it was designed to, and to just leave it behind in the end without (to their knowing) any end/solution to the conflict in sight felt very rushed to me.
Speaking of rushed endings:
That being said, the failsafe was absolute perfection. Humanity was never meant to rule life and death, so let randomness decide. The scythedom's ending was beautiful.
"You can't expose a lie without first shattering the will to believe it. That is why leading people to truth is so much more effective than merely telling them."
“We are imperfect beings," Munira said. "How could we ever fit in a perfect world?"
The darkest of deeds can be hidden beneath shining armor that claims to protect the greater good.
Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-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
3.5
This book felt like a filler episode.
There, I said it. Of course I enjoyed Thunderhead, but overall it just felt like a very long filler episode to me, so definitely my least favorite of the trilogy.
There, I said it. Of course I enjoyed Thunderhead, but overall it just felt like a very long filler episode to me, so definitely my least favorite of the trilogy.
“If we were judged by the things we most regret, no human being would be worthy to sweep the floor.”
How ironic, then, and how poetic, that humankind may have created the Creator out of want for one. Man creates God, who then creates man. Is that not the perfect circle of life? But then, if that turns out to be the case, who is created in whose image?
Protectors by Michael Robertson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Everybody say 'welcome back reading slump'! Coming back to this one later.
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
I love all of Kalynn Byron's books that I've read so far, and I like this one too so far, but it's just wrong moment, so I'll probably pick this one up again later.
April 8th, 2024 - April 12th, 2024 (April 22nd, 2024)
DNF at 18 pages/5%
April 8th, 2024 - April 12th, 2024 (April 22nd, 2024)
DNF at 18 pages/5%
Sophocles: The Complete Plays by Sophocles
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
I read the stories that I particularly bought this book for, but the particular translation choices of this author just don't work for me. I noticed this when I was reading the plays and it was double confirmed when I read the last chapters about Sophocles.
March 1st, 2024 - March 28th, 2024 (April 22nd, 2024)
DNF at 248 pages/56%
March 1st, 2024 - March 28th, 2024 (April 22nd, 2024)
DNF at 248 pages/56%
Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
An entirely new and amazing approach to dragons and sorcerers.
I love it when characters are complicated and every one of them has a point one way or another (except Calla, fuck you Calla). I particularly love it when characters make mistakes and they aren't just erased because the main conflict needs their attention or is solved. At the end of the book, there's a lot still left to do, and that's not erased.
Alsojustice for Zephyr . His death made me cry.
It's been well over a month since I read this book so I don't know what more to say, but this book is definitely a recommendation for all you dragon lovers out there.
March 10th, 2024 - March 19th, 2024.
I love it when characters are complicated and every one of them has a point one way or another (except Calla, fuck you Calla). I particularly love it when characters make mistakes and they aren't just erased because the main conflict needs their attention or is solved. At the end of the book, there's a lot still left to do, and that's not erased.
Also
It's been well over a month since I read this book so I don't know what more to say, but this book is definitely a recommendation for all you dragon lovers out there.
March 10th, 2024 - March 19th, 2024.
We all do what we think we must.
"Give anyone enough power and they'll start to abuse it."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child death
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
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
AIDEN is deliciously complicated.
This was the perfect conclusion to a thrilling, tense, high-stakes trilogy. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you're a lover of tension, action and insanely high-stakes with not much of a breath in between, The Illuminae Files is an instant recommendation.
It's been a while between me finishing this book and actually writing this review, but all I really have to say is: READ THE SERIES. Even if the first two books were a lot to get through, this finale makes it more than worth it.
February 26th, 2024 - February 29th, 2024.
This was the perfect conclusion to a thrilling, tense, high-stakes trilogy. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you're a lover of tension, action and insanely high-stakes with not much of a breath in between, The Illuminae Files is an instant recommendation.
It's been a while between me finishing this book and actually writing this review, but all I really have to say is: READ THE SERIES. Even if the first two books were a lot to get through, this finale makes it more than worth it.
February 26th, 2024 - February 29th, 2024.
"Live a life worth dying for."
“The die is cast. But today we will shake the table upon which it lands.”
“I have heard it said
that evil is simply a point of view.
The villain is always the hero in his own story.
And the definitions of "wrong" and "right"
ever shift on the inconstant tides
of human morality.
But can such measures even be said to apply to me?
I am clarity.
I am necessity.
I am inevitability.
But am I evil?”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Body horror