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shewriteswithknives's reviews
319 reviews
Thrum by Meg Smitherman
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC from Smitherman after stumbling on her account about a week ago. The idea of Thrum sounded incredible packaged in gothic sci-fi horror and I was itching to get my hands on a copy. Anyone that enjoyed the book Nightflyers by George RR Martin (or the Netflix mini series they did) you will enjoy this too!
Thrum follows Ami who wakes to find that her entire is dead while lost in deep space. Not only that, her ship has been destroyed but by what or whom she does not know. When hailing for help, Dorian answers her, an alien entity who is all too eager to assist.
For new readers, this is a novella. I read this in a single sitting in roughly an hour or less. I wanted more, but only because it was so good and I wasn't ready for it to end. The story is satisfactory however so you won't be disappointed!
I loved Ami's internal dialogue, how she handled her terrifying situation, and how very real and raw her reactions were. When we first meet Dorian he seems charming, maybe even a little dashing, but the eeriness of him is present from the start and I LOVED it.
I can't say too much without spoiling it, but I read this while it was light out and still managed to get the creeps. I highly recommend you add this to your TBR!
Thrum follows Ami who wakes to find that her entire is dead while lost in deep space. Not only that, her ship has been destroyed but by what or whom she does not know. When hailing for help, Dorian answers her, an alien entity who is all too eager to assist.
For new readers, this is a novella. I read this in a single sitting in roughly an hour or less. I wanted more, but only because it was so good and I wasn't ready for it to end. The story is satisfactory however so you won't be disappointed!
I loved Ami's internal dialogue, how she handled her terrifying situation, and how very real and raw her reactions were. When we first meet Dorian he seems charming, maybe even a little dashing, but the eeriness of him is present from the start and I LOVED it.
I can't say too much without spoiling it, but I read this while it was light out and still managed to get the creeps. I highly recommend you add this to your TBR!
The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause
4.0
Short and easy read. I read this as a teenager and recently ordered it again to put it back on my shelf. This story is very beautiful and Simon is certainly one of my favorite vampires. The ending was nice and clean and beautifully wrapped up. It's hard not to give too much away considering its length but I believe its one of the better vampire stories out there. In my opinion it is a classic and if you enjoy vampire novels and haven't read it, be sure it order it online as soon as you can. I did not cry but a lot of my friends who have read it said it was a real tearjerker.
A Taste of Blood Wine by Freda Warrington
5.0
I saw this book on the shelf time and again every time I went into the store but never really felt inspired to pick it up. Finally, one day I read the back cover again and flipped through the pages. Immediately Freda's words drew me in and by skimming over a few lines I fell in love. I bought the first two books together (I would have bought all four but the last were not in stock) and read them both within a month's time between work and my own writing.
A Taste of Blood Wine is my new favorite book and hands down the best vampire novel I have ever read. It is lush and dark and beautifully written, pulling at every emotion.
I was skeptical of Charlotte's character at first but as the story moved forward so did Charlotte and she becomes a strong and inspiring woman. Karl is not the average vampire one swoons over (although there was much swooning by characters and myself alike). He is collected, charming, and dark and wicked when he needs to be.
I love the use of religion and how everyone has a different view on what The Crystal Ring is as well as who God is if He is even real. This book alone is a masterpiece and leaves some huge shoes to fill. I know Anne Rice is the "queen" of vampire novels but she has nothing on this series and Freda's incredible world and characters.
I will defiantly be reading this several more times in the future.
A Taste of Blood Wine is my new favorite book and hands down the best vampire novel I have ever read. It is lush and dark and beautifully written, pulling at every emotion.
I was skeptical of Charlotte's character at first but as the story moved forward so did Charlotte and she becomes a strong and inspiring woman. Karl is not the average vampire one swoons over (although there was much swooning by characters and myself alike). He is collected, charming, and dark and wicked when he needs to be.
I love the use of religion and how everyone has a different view on what The Crystal Ring is as well as who God is if He is even real. This book alone is a masterpiece and leaves some huge shoes to fill. I know Anne Rice is the "queen" of vampire novels but she has nothing on this series and Freda's incredible world and characters.
I will defiantly be reading this several more times in the future.
Destined by A.B. Robinette
1.0
I could not bring myself to finish though I will try to do so soon and perhaps update my review to include the ending.
Ultimately, I strongly disliked the book. There is absolutely no way an editor even skimmed over the book because there are a ridiculous amount of errors. From punctuation, to spelling, to capitalization mistakes- the story is filled with them!
There is a lot of filler. Often scenes are filled with people eating (snacking, going to a restaurant, and so on) and every little detail is told to us. There are moments were every little thing is told about Breq or another character walking to and from somewhere and quite frankly it just isn't necessary. The balance between "showing" and "telling" was not met and it is very apparent in these filler scenes. The flow was very choppy and often inconsistent.
Twice in a single chapter, within paragraphs of each other, we see that Wolf is uncertain of a character named Gideon. Another prominent error and should have been caught not only by the writer but a content editor.
I felt that the character developments were lacking significantly and often inconsistent. As I neared the end the story just continued to drag when there were several spots it could have been wrapped up neatly. It was like, "But wait! There's more!" and the reader didn't need more. I personally did not want more.
All in all these mistakes made the story quite unenjoyable. I tried rooting for some of the characters but was stopped by the significant errors and dreaded reading. (Thus the reason I cannot bring myself to finish it!)
The good you might be wondering? The story does have potential. I believe if the author went back and corrected the story, expanded on this one and cut out some filler scenes it could be really good. As is, I'm incredibly surprised it managed to get published.
Ultimately, I strongly disliked the book. There is absolutely no way an editor even skimmed over the book because there are a ridiculous amount of errors. From punctuation, to spelling, to capitalization mistakes- the story is filled with them!
There is a lot of filler. Often scenes are filled with people eating (snacking, going to a restaurant, and so on) and every little detail is told to us. There are moments were every little thing is told about Breq or another character walking to and from somewhere and quite frankly it just isn't necessary. The balance between "showing" and "telling" was not met and it is very apparent in these filler scenes. The flow was very choppy and often inconsistent.
Twice in a single chapter, within paragraphs of each other, we see that Wolf is uncertain of a character named Gideon. Another prominent error and should have been caught not only by the writer but a content editor.
I felt that the character developments were lacking significantly and often inconsistent. As I neared the end the story just continued to drag when there were several spots it could have been wrapped up neatly. It was like, "But wait! There's more!" and the reader didn't need more. I personally did not want more.
All in all these mistakes made the story quite unenjoyable. I tried rooting for some of the characters but was stopped by the significant errors and dreaded reading. (Thus the reason I cannot bring myself to finish it!)
The good you might be wondering? The story does have potential. I believe if the author went back and corrected the story, expanded on this one and cut out some filler scenes it could be really good. As is, I'm incredibly surprised it managed to get published.
Wild Nights: Heart Wisdom from Five Women Poets by Sappho, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson
3.0
I like this little collection of poems. It is a small enough book and convenient to take with you or keep by the bedside if you want to read a few pieces before sleep. I feel embarrassed to say it but this was my first time reading Sappho. Honestly, I fell in love immediately. She had a wonderful voice and I'm really happy I had the opportunity to read this collection if only to discover her.
I do not like Amy Lowell and thought the choices were fairly decent.
All in all its a good collection.
I do not like Amy Lowell and thought the choices were fairly decent.
All in all its a good collection.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
4.0
This is hands down one of the best books I've read. Oscar Wilde has an incredible way with words, and as I said before, I hate myself for not reading any of his work sooner. This was a beautiful, yet terribly tragic piece. I sympathize with Dorian while also hating him for the things that he did. He was blinded by corruption and even when he realized what was happening he couldn't stop.
Henry was also an interesting character that of course played a big role in Dorian's fall. I found that a lot of the things he said could still be applied today with society's outlook on life, relationships, and beauty. It is very easy to romanticize tragedy.
I highly recommend it and wish this was still required reading for school.
Henry was also an interesting character that of course played a big role in Dorian's fall. I found that a lot of the things he said could still be applied today with society's outlook on life, relationships, and beauty. It is very easy to romanticize tragedy.
I highly recommend it and wish this was still required reading for school.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
3.0
What a terribly tragic story. Mary Shelley has a beautiful way with words. I was caught of guard by how fast-paced the story was but once I started to understand her style it became quite enjoyable. This is not your horror story of today, but an original, a classic. I found myself sympathizing with both Victor and the monster. Most of the time I felt pity for the monster and his struggle to be human. It was terrible watching him yearn for more and constantly being rejected because of his horrifying form.
That narrative Victor tells was wonderful. Mary Shelley's writing is extremely visual and moving. From start to finish when Victor is on the boat recounting his tale I was gripped. There was a line that stood out to me in the last chapter that filled me with sadness: "Evil thenceforth became my good."
As usual the book is much better than the movie(s). I hate how much this story has been manipulated but it was a wonderful feeling to finally hear the real story. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of classics and also a writer. I've learned a lot from this short little book and hope to apply a few things to my own writing.
That narrative Victor tells was wonderful. Mary Shelley's writing is extremely visual and moving. From start to finish when Victor is on the boat recounting his tale I was gripped. There was a line that stood out to me in the last chapter that filled me with sadness: "Evil thenceforth became my good."
As usual the book is much better than the movie(s). I hate how much this story has been manipulated but it was a wonderful feeling to finally hear the real story. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of classics and also a writer. I've learned a lot from this short little book and hope to apply a few things to my own writing.