mxdegroot's reviews
101 reviews

The Phantom of the Opera, Volume 5, Issue 12 by Gaston Leroux

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

I guess I just have to read the actual book, because this was very confusing even though it's supposed to be a simplified version.

Death in the Freezer by Jennifer Bassett, Tim Vicary

fast-paced

1.0

Reads like a very badly written, completely unresearched fanfic, inspired by a Reddit story. That's the best way I can describe it.

Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 1 by Tsugumi Ohba
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.

No read, just Baldur's Gate

Goede moed by Tim Hofman

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

Live and let live.

Ik kan uren over dit boek doorlullen, maar dat zou allemaal hierop neerkomen: als je ook maar een mening hebt over onze maatschappij, lees dit boek.

Snel toch één dingetje wat ik heel goed vind aan dit boek: zoals de ondertitel al laat weten, 'Goede Moed' is een pleidooi. Tim Hofman verteld ons niet hoe wij ons leven moeten leven. Hij laat zijn eigen stem horen en brengt onder woorden iets wat veel Nederlanders niet kunnen of weigeren uit te leggen. Echt een aanrader, zeker in de periode waar wij nu in leven.

The Fragile Threads of Power (Signed Edition) by V.E. Schwab, V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark 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

Honestly, I've read and reviewed so many V. E. Schwab books at this point that I don't really have anything left to say. I just love her.

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 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.

"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.

“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?