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skylarkblue1's reviews
229 reviews
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Representations: https://trello.com/c/x4zZsSuI/116-before-the-coffee-gets-cold-1-before-the-coffee-gets-cold-by-toshikazu-kawaguchi
If you've liked other recent Japanese translation works in this similar vein, you'll like this one for sure. The rocky translation is still there, but the last 2 stories made me cry :')
Characters were a lot more prominent in this than say, Food Detectives, but there was still a new story and mostly new characters for each of the 4 mini-stories. I really loved the group who runs the cafe, they were really chill and the book felt really calm with them too. Even for the characters that just appeared for 1 story I felt like I understood them, they were all described and explained really clearly and easily.
There's not too much plot, the stories focus heavily around those characters, their lives and why they've visited the cafe. The first 2 stories where a little rough I felt, it had the usual "this has been translated and is understandable, but it feels like a lot is missing between translations". The last 2 stories though, oh boy. I read the 3rd one while volunteering at the library and I was just sat in the corner, surrounded by kids at storytime, just holding back tears :') Then read the 4th story when I got home and just cried at it. Incredible writing there.
Despite dealing with heavy topics as well and being very emotional, it felt pretty light and was certainly a quick read!
If you've liked other recent Japanese translation works in this similar vein, you'll like this one for sure. The rocky translation is still there, but the last 2 stories made me cry :')
Characters were a lot more prominent in this than say, Food Detectives, but there was still a new story and mostly new characters for each of the 4 mini-stories. I really loved the group who runs the cafe, they were really chill and the book felt really calm with them too. Even for the characters that just appeared for 1 story I felt like I understood them, they were all described and explained really clearly and easily.
There's not too much plot, the stories focus heavily around those characters, their lives and why they've visited the cafe. The first 2 stories where a little rough I felt, it had the usual "this has been translated and is understandable, but it feels like a lot is missing between translations". The last 2 stories though, oh boy. I read the 3rd one while volunteering at the library and I was just sat in the corner, surrounded by kids at storytime, just holding back tears :') Then read the 4th story when I got home and just cried at it. Incredible writing there.
Despite dealing with heavy topics as well and being very emotional, it felt pretty light and was certainly a quick read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I think this is perfectly middle of the road. First half is way too slow, second half is not bad though. The characters aren't exactly likeable however and they just bicker far.. FAR too much.. But the action was good tbh, even if the stakes were very low.
For the characters, they didn't really feel that rounded out. The book attempts to make fun of general horror tropes but.. didn't really do anything to actually parody or do anything with that so the characters just felt quite trope-y. None of them developed in any way over the course of the film as well, they all stayed basically the same. The relationships between them slightly improved I guess but there was no real consequences or reason really for the 2 sisters to finally make up and be closer especially. The ending was kinda meant to be for that to have a meaning but.. it fell a little flat.
There's also just way too many characters. New characters are constantly brought in for like a single scene and then never seen again... Was at bookclub and someone mentioned the character that just rang the door at one point to yell a bit and then was never mentioned again? I literally entirely forgot that character existed because they added nothing, had no reason to exist, and honestly just felt like a couple padded pages there.
The plot was kinda hilariously wild though. For one, it manages to take away all the tension and stakes from the action which is impressive for what's meant to be a supernatural slasher lmao. The reveal towards the end was also incredibly dumb but I actually loved it for that?? xD Pretty much all the plot is just at the end though, the action picks up around halfway through but the story is basically in the last 3rd/4th.
I did finish it, obviously, but that was mainly just because I actually liked the action - did take me a few days to get through the first half though. I was also genuinely curious on how it'd end honestly... it wasn't a very satisfying end though even with hopes not too high. Honestly, despite clearly being "inspired" by scream, it really felt like it copied specifically Scream 5 and just kinda did all it's points a bit.. worse. It didn't subvert expectations, it didn't really make fun of tropes, rules where played pretty loose.. But the action was pretty fun tbh!
There was just also a bit of weird representation. The only time one of the characters' Jewish identity was not played as the butt of a joke was at the very start - but even then they're just portrayed as a worrier and not to be taken too seriously. But genuinely like every other mention was because it's the butt of a joke (even if the "wrong religion" joke was kinda funny, it was certainly a trend through the book even with it's own running gag throughout). Not to mention as well the adult/minor relationship drama..? The adult is portrayed as a creep but like, if you agree to meet at a club on a 21+ night and lie about your age what do you expect them to think?? Yeah he's still written as "he seems a little creepy" but just feels a bit badly written all that side of things.
But yeah, mixed bag of a book. Certainly one to just not think about too much and just enjoy the action honestly. Maybe you can find what chapters have the plot and action in so you can skip all the bickering and have a much better time with it.
For the characters, they didn't really feel that rounded out. The book attempts to make fun of general horror tropes but.. didn't really do anything to actually parody or do anything with that so the characters just felt quite trope-y. None of them developed in any way over the course of the film as well, they all stayed basically the same. The relationships between them slightly improved I guess but there was no real consequences or reason really for the 2 sisters to finally make up and be closer especially. The ending was kinda meant to be for that to have a meaning but.. it fell a little flat.
There's also just way too many characters. New characters are constantly brought in for like a single scene and then never seen again... Was at bookclub and someone mentioned the character that just rang the door at one point to yell a bit and then was never mentioned again? I literally entirely forgot that character existed because they added nothing, had no reason to exist, and honestly just felt like a couple padded pages there.
The plot was kinda hilariously wild though. For one, it manages to take away all the tension and stakes from the action which is impressive for what's meant to be a supernatural slasher lmao. The reveal towards the end was also incredibly dumb but I actually loved it for that?? xD Pretty much all the plot is just at the end though, the action picks up around halfway through but the story is basically in the last 3rd/4th.
I did finish it, obviously, but that was mainly just because I actually liked the action - did take me a few days to get through the first half though. I was also genuinely curious on how it'd end honestly... it wasn't a very satisfying end though even with hopes not too high. Honestly, despite clearly being "inspired" by scream, it really felt like it copied specifically Scream 5 and just kinda did all it's points a bit.. worse. It didn't subvert expectations, it didn't really make fun of tropes, rules where played pretty loose.. But the action was pretty fun tbh!
There was just also a bit of weird representation. The only time one of the characters' Jewish identity was not played as the butt of a joke was at the very start - but even then they're just portrayed as a worrier and not to be taken too seriously. But genuinely like every other mention was because it's the butt of a joke (even if the "wrong religion" joke was kinda funny, it was certainly a trend through the book even with it's own running gag throughout). Not to mention as well the adult/minor relationship drama..? The adult is portrayed as a creep but like, if you agree to meet at a club on a 21+ night and lie about your age what do you expect them to think?? Yeah he's still written as "he seems a little creepy" but just feels a bit badly written all that side of things.
But yeah, mixed bag of a book. Certainly one to just not think about too much and just enjoy the action honestly. Maybe you can find what chapters have the plot and action in so you can skip all the bickering and have a much better time with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Blood, and Classism
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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? No
4.5
Representations: https://trello.com/c/PaFot8iC/115-compound-fracture-by-andrew-joseph-white
Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I think this book is a perfect example for why the genre "New Adult" should exist. It's incredibly gory and graphic, politics while fine to read where pretty complicated and heavy on that front and in general.. considering YA is sold to kids as young as 13 I don't think it's really something that kids that young would have a good time with.
I thought the characters where as good as always with AJW's books, it's pretty impressive imo how he can take a queer autistic teen story and create such different and unique stories! Representations where as great as always, really love how different the characters across the spectrum are from him, and just how raw the emotions are from them all. Not all the characters here feel properly fleshed out though, there's a lot and we're told more than we're shown for most of them.
The story was a fair bit wild, it kinda was there but wasn't at the same time. Generational trauma and using that as a device to just write gore and politics ig? The character stories are where this book really stands out imo. It might be set largely in reality but don't go into it thinking it reads as realistic. It's batshit insane and everything just works out like clockwork in a way. But if you're going in expecting that - and you probably should be if you've read his other works, it's pretty similar - then you'll have a good time with it. I can't really think of any major issues with the plot other than "how the hell did it reach this level" lol.
Some very nice explicit aromantic rep, and the new side of the autism rep from him was really excellent to read! The shower scene just made me tear up with just how much it made me re-think everything around that!! Honestly this book made me tear up a few times with it's representations oop... It's just the really insane levels of gore that really is what kinda took me out of the book. I've read a ton of horror, I've watched a ton of horror, a lot of gory slashers too. But especially for something marketed and sold as YA... I'm not sure about that one. It was a slightly hard to stomach read for me as a 23 yr old horror veteran - I dread to think how a 13 yr old would handle it. Please can more people advocate for New Adult to become a book age range!! Books like this really just fall into that gap that age range would perfectly cover in my opinion!
Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I think this book is a perfect example for why the genre "New Adult" should exist. It's incredibly gory and graphic, politics while fine to read where pretty complicated and heavy on that front and in general.. considering YA is sold to kids as young as 13 I don't think it's really something that kids that young would have a good time with.
I thought the characters where as good as always with AJW's books, it's pretty impressive imo how he can take a queer autistic teen story and create such different and unique stories! Representations where as great as always, really love how different the characters across the spectrum are from him, and just how raw the emotions are from them all. Not all the characters here feel properly fleshed out though, there's a lot and we're told more than we're shown for most of them.
The story was a fair bit wild, it kinda was there but wasn't at the same time. Generational trauma and using that as a device to just write gore and politics ig? The character stories are where this book really stands out imo. It might be set largely in reality but don't go into it thinking it reads as realistic. It's batshit insane and everything just works out like clockwork in a way. But if you're going in expecting that - and you probably should be if you've read his other works, it's pretty similar - then you'll have a good time with it. I can't really think of any major issues with the plot other than "how the hell did it reach this level" lol.
Some very nice explicit aromantic rep, and the new side of the autism rep from him was really excellent to read! The shower scene just made me tear up with just how much it made me re-think everything around that!! Honestly this book made me tear up a few times with it's representations oop... It's just the really insane levels of gore that really is what kinda took me out of the book. I've read a ton of horror, I've watched a ton of horror, a lot of gory slashers too. But especially for something marketed and sold as YA... I'm not sure about that one. It was a slightly hard to stomach read for me as a 23 yr old horror veteran - I dread to think how a 13 yr old would handle it. Please can more people advocate for New Adult to become a book age range!! Books like this really just fall into that gap that age range would perfectly cover in my opinion!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Vomit, Car accident, and Death of parent
When I say graphic I mean graphic. Like at one point there's an entire chapter dedicated to just describing the most gory and drawn-out death I've ever read in a book and that's not even all the gore there is.
Keedie by Elle McNicoll
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Representations: https://trello.com/c/4xFdu0RV/114-a-kind-of-spark-0-keedie-by-elle-mcnicoll
This was a very hard read for me, but I couldn't stop reading it for very long. Absolutely a book that everyone must read at least once, especially kids in school.
I loved the characters so much, even the complete assholes. Though while characters like Keedie, Addie, Nina and similar where pretty well rounded out, characters like Bonnie and Angel while feeling important really didn't get much development at all. I know kids books keep on getting larger and larger and it is an issue.. but I do feel like it could have used an extra scene or 2 just spending more time with those 2 instead of us just being told about them.
Of course, not too much about the world and a plot. This is a very character focused book, building on characters and topics explored in A Kind of Spark. Only thing was I'm not too sure about what happened to the forced institutionalisation which was a decent sized topic in A Kind of Spark, but didn't seem to get reached in this book. The history about the town was nice but small, and the bullying storylines was very well explored.
If you're autistic though and faced ableist bullying, restraining, or any other related topics then this will be a hard read for you. It's very frank, very honest and brutal. It's not a happy go lucky read, it might make you happy at some point but this is more a book to find who you are, know you're not alone, and for those who aren't autistic to learn more and learn empathy.
This was a very hard read for me, but I couldn't stop reading it for very long. Absolutely a book that everyone must read at least once, especially kids in school.
I loved the characters so much, even the complete assholes. Though while characters like Keedie, Addie, Nina and similar where pretty well rounded out, characters like Bonnie and Angel while feeling important really didn't get much development at all. I know kids books keep on getting larger and larger and it is an issue.. but I do feel like it could have used an extra scene or 2 just spending more time with those 2 instead of us just being told about them.
Of course, not too much about the world and a plot. This is a very character focused book, building on characters and topics explored in A Kind of Spark. Only thing was I'm not too sure about what happened to the forced institutionalisation which was a decent sized topic in A Kind of Spark, but didn't seem to get reached in this book. The history about the town was nice but small, and the bullying storylines was very well explored.
If you're autistic though and faced ableist bullying, restraining, or any other related topics then this will be a hard read for you. It's very frank, very honest and brutal. It's not a happy go lucky read, it might make you happy at some point but this is more a book to find who you are, know you're not alone, and for those who aren't autistic to learn more and learn empathy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Self harm, Dementia, and War
The Book of Elsewhere by China Miéville, Keanu Reeves
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book is just not it. I can't tell you anything that has happened except really really poor writing and "action man being action man".
If you're on the fence about this, go to amazon and read the "look inside" bit. Just from page 1 you'll know if you're gonna like this book or not. It goes from an entire page of just the shortest sentences possible, and then the next page is a whole paragraph of a single sentence. The writing is very stilted and just very basic honestly.
I was going into this expecting "keanu reeeves self insert john wick fanfic but sci-fi" and I think that is there, but I just cannot get past this writing. Got told multiple times as well that the story just completely loses the plot so it's not even worth reading for that.
This book is just not it. I can't tell you anything that has happened except really really poor writing and "action man being action man".
If you're on the fence about this, go to amazon and read the "look inside" bit. Just from page 1 you'll know if you're gonna like this book or not. It goes from an entire page of just the shortest sentences possible, and then the next page is a whole paragraph of a single sentence. The writing is very stilted and just very basic honestly.
I was going into this expecting "keanu reeeves self insert john wick fanfic but sci-fi" and I think that is there, but I just cannot get past this writing. Got told multiple times as well that the story just completely loses the plot so it's not even worth reading for that.
Twice Upon a Time by Michelle Harrison
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Representations: https://trello.com/c/5ZIvWrOE/113-twice-upon-a-time-by-michelle-harrison
Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was most certainly one dark kids book 👀
i really loved all of the characters, they were so crazy but a great bunch together. There were a lot of characters but I think, somehow, there was actually a good amount of information for each. The twins were a fantastic POV and reacted well to situations and generally were just fun to follow, the other kids in the house were a great contrast both with the twins and between themselves, and the adults while mostly feeling the same nanny was excellent!
The mystery was actually really intriguing, I did get pretty curious about how it'd go and even if the twist wasn't the most suprising (at least for me, an adult lol) it was still a pretty solid plotline. The general worldbuilding though I thought was lacking a fair bit, and towards the end it ended up being just a lot of infodumping which managed to somehow slow down the pace a fair bit. Though despite the infodumping, there was still a fair bit of the fantasy side unanswered. There was a very basic reason given for what happens but I could only just ask "Why?". Why does it work like that? Why did it occur? Why does it happen?
I also have to mention the tinnitus rep! I felt so seen finally seeing some rep of that, it's so overlooked but it can just drive you mad.
I'd still really recommend this though honestly, it's a lot of fun and while really dark (so I'd more give this to older-middle grade and above) it's still just a very fun mystery read!
Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was most certainly one dark kids book 👀
i really loved all of the characters, they were so crazy but a great bunch together. There were a lot of characters but I think, somehow, there was actually a good amount of information for each. The twins were a fantastic POV and reacted well to situations and generally were just fun to follow, the other kids in the house were a great contrast both with the twins and between themselves, and the adults while mostly feeling the same nanny was excellent!
The mystery was actually really intriguing, I did get pretty curious about how it'd go and even if the twist wasn't the most suprising (at least for me, an adult lol) it was still a pretty solid plotline. The general worldbuilding though I thought was lacking a fair bit, and towards the end it ended up being just a lot of infodumping which managed to somehow slow down the pace a fair bit. Though despite the infodumping, there was still a fair bit of the fantasy side unanswered. There was a very basic reason given for what happens but I could only just ask "Why?". Why does it work like that? Why did it occur? Why does it happen?
I also have to mention the tinnitus rep! I felt so seen finally seeing some rep of that, it's so overlooked but it can just drive you mad.
I'd still really recommend this though honestly, it's a lot of fun and while really dark (so I'd more give this to older-middle grade and above) it's still just a very fun mystery read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Classism
Moderate: Murder and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty and Pregnancy
The Whispers by Heidi Perks
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
1 word. Awful.
I forgot very quickly that the characters were meant to be adults. They all acted like petulant school children who had nothing better to do in the day except argue about who's the better friend. Descriptions where incredibly basic and barely descriptions at all, pretty much nothing at all was happening and it was all just so completely unbelievable with how wild all the characters actions were.
Read this for a bookclub, and we all could barely remember anything that happened, it was just so forgettable. None of us liked it, and from those who did finish it the ending was pretty bad as well and didn't make up for the rest of the book.
Only good thing about this book is the opening reminded me of Broadchurch and now I think I'll go watch that again to remember how this kind of story is actually done well.
I forgot very quickly that the characters were meant to be adults. They all acted like petulant school children who had nothing better to do in the day except argue about who's the better friend. Descriptions where incredibly basic and barely descriptions at all, pretty much nothing at all was happening and it was all just so completely unbelievable with how wild all the characters actions were.
Read this for a bookclub, and we all could barely remember anything that happened, it was just so forgettable. None of us liked it, and from those who did finish it the ending was pretty bad as well and didn't make up for the rest of the book.
Only good thing about this book is the opening reminded me of Broadchurch and now I think I'll go watch that again to remember how this kind of story is actually done well.
The Love Interest by Helen Comerford
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Representations: https://trello.com/c/qezVGup9/112-the-love-interest-by-helen-comerford
While I really quite liked the idea, it kinda just really feels like a re-hash of The Boys but with teens and less sexual harassment/assault (but all the misogyny). Ron was literally just highlander but a bit less.... explicit? And the plot by the sounds of it seems pretty damn close to the book Renegades. But it was fun for the most part, and pretty funny in some points too.
The characters were quite a mixed bag. Jenna wasn't the worst protagonist but she didn't feel like an actual person, her whole personality and everything mainly just revolved around the other characters and the plot. Her sister is.... certainly something. I've read a lot of feminist fiction but this is the first time I've read a feminist character that reads like 4chan's view of an SJW. I did like the rest of her though, and I thought her foreshadowing with her contributions to the plot later on were really well done, even if a fair bit obvious. Blaze is fairly flat I think, mainly just superhero in a corrupt place who's very naive and that's about it for him.
I've mentioned a bit about the plot, and it is very cliche (which, the main cliche for romances is mocked at the start of the book, but then the plot goes on to follow those cliches anyway and doesn't seem self-aware about that fact lol), but it is fun. It's well foreshadowed, the "twists" made sense (even if quite obvious) and it was easy enough to read through in about a day without issue. Can't really think of any major plot holes, but that's also partially because basically no explanations where given for anything. I think there was too much done to set up the next book, and not much done for this book. I really hope a lot of it all is explained in the next book but with just how much there is I'm a tad concerned the whole thing will just be lore dumping.
The world was an interesting one. Like mentioned before, it's kinda just exactly the world of The Boys. A bureaucratic system of superheros ran by a washed up insane super that cares more about money than sense/caring for anyone but themselves. One weird thing though that didn't quite sit right with me is that it seems to be a very queernormative world (there's a pretty badass non-binary character for example), but incredibly misogynistic. All I could think about for that is when TERFs keep saying that when queer people get treated properly, cis women would lose rights - which..... I'm not saying that's what the author believes at all, but I think if you're going to put queernormative world alongside trying to discuss misogyny to this level, I think you need to be careful about that with how prominent that point is for TERFs currently.
Another main point of the book is Jenna's panic disorder and anxiety. Personally, as someone who's dealt with this a lot, I thought it was incredibly well portrayed and very respectfully done as well. I read a book last year where the MC also had a panic disorder, and the way it was done there was... she just keep popping pills anytime she felt weird. I'm not against medication to help with mental health as I know it can be a lifesaver for many. But the way it was done here, with breathing exercises, grounding techniques and such, much healither and very good, practical advice for anyone reading the book who also has the same issue and a lot of very very lovely words about it all too.
I think if you enjoy superheros, you like that kinda "company" style of a superhero group, and the plot interests you, you might like this. Do absolutely wait until the second book has releases though, I think it's just a duology (and there's seemingly only really enough plot for a duology as well imo) and it really does need that second book to make this one stand a bit stronger - I hope.
While I really quite liked the idea, it kinda just really feels like a re-hash of The Boys but with teens and less sexual harassment/assault (but all the misogyny). Ron was literally just highlander but a bit less.... explicit? And the plot by the sounds of it seems pretty damn close to the book Renegades. But it was fun for the most part, and pretty funny in some points too.
The characters were quite a mixed bag. Jenna wasn't the worst protagonist but she didn't feel like an actual person, her whole personality and everything mainly just revolved around the other characters and the plot. Her sister is.... certainly something. I've read a lot of feminist fiction but this is the first time I've read a feminist character that reads like 4chan's view of an SJW. I did like the rest of her though, and I thought her foreshadowing with her contributions to the plot later on were really well done, even if a fair bit obvious. Blaze is fairly flat I think, mainly just superhero in a corrupt place who's very naive and that's about it for him.
I've mentioned a bit about the plot, and it is very cliche (which, the main cliche for romances is mocked at the start of the book, but then the plot goes on to follow those cliches anyway and doesn't seem self-aware about that fact lol), but it is fun. It's well foreshadowed, the "twists" made sense (even if quite obvious) and it was easy enough to read through in about a day without issue. Can't really think of any major plot holes, but that's also partially because basically no explanations where given for anything. I think there was too much done to set up the next book, and not much done for this book. I really hope a lot of it all is explained in the next book but with just how much there is I'm a tad concerned the whole thing will just be lore dumping.
The world was an interesting one. Like mentioned before, it's kinda just exactly the world of The Boys. A bureaucratic system of superheros ran by a washed up insane super that cares more about money than sense/caring for anyone but themselves. One weird thing though that didn't quite sit right with me is that it seems to be a very queernormative world (there's a pretty badass non-binary character for example), but incredibly misogynistic. All I could think about for that is when TERFs keep saying that when queer people get treated properly, cis women would lose rights - which..... I'm not saying that's what the author believes at all, but I think if you're going to put queernormative world alongside trying to discuss misogyny to this level, I think you need to be careful about that with how prominent that point is for TERFs currently.
Another main point of the book is Jenna's panic disorder and anxiety. Personally, as someone who's dealt with this a lot, I thought it was incredibly well portrayed and very respectfully done as well. I read a book last year where the MC also had a panic disorder, and the way it was done there was... she just keep popping pills anytime she felt weird. I'm not against medication to help with mental health as I know it can be a lifesaver for many. But the way it was done here, with breathing exercises, grounding techniques and such, much healither and very good, practical advice for anyone reading the book who also has the same issue and a lot of very very lovely words about it all too.
I think if you enjoy superheros, you like that kinda "company" style of a superhero group, and the plot interests you, you might like this. Do absolutely wait until the second book has releases though, I think it's just a duology (and there's seemingly only really enough plot for a duology as well imo) and it really does need that second book to make this one stand a bit stronger - I hope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, and Abandonment
The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence
slow-paced
2.0
I'll be honest I don't have much to say because I don't really remember much that happened/I honestly don't really think much happened?
This book was so very long, and so very slow and dry. I thought I was enjoying it still though because, well, I kept reading, but after needing to renew it twice at the library and the finale kinda just being.. nothing big I realised that I just don't really care for this aha..
The characters were ok, the world was quite neat as well. The writing though I think just really didn't mesh well with me. I also have no idea what the title is referring to considering what the ending is lol. I think this book really could have been so much shorter and like nothing would have been lost. We don't need super long books, this is a pretty big issue with a lot of the long books I've read, they just seem really padded and not well edited.
This book was so very long, and so very slow and dry. I thought I was enjoying it still though because, well, I kept reading, but after needing to renew it twice at the library and the finale kinda just being.. nothing big I realised that I just don't really care for this aha..
The characters were ok, the world was quite neat as well. The writing though I think just really didn't mesh well with me. I also have no idea what the title is referring to considering what the ending is lol. I think this book really could have been so much shorter and like nothing would have been lost. We don't need super long books, this is a pretty big issue with a lot of the long books I've read, they just seem really padded and not well edited.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Xenophobia, Blood, and Classism
Minor: Racism, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail
The Train to Impossible Places: A Cursed Delivery by P.G. Bell
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I'd say this book feels a bit like Strangeworlds Travel Agency, Alice in Wonderland and Dr Who with a train instead of a TARDIS lmao. I think the mix works quite well, but there's somehow not quite enough oomph to make this really work.
I'm not quite sure what happened with this book. I was really enjoying the start and part of the middle, I really loved some scenes especially like the ghosts. But then when we got to the big finale I kinda just... stopped paying attention/wasn't able to pay attention. I think by that point there was just *so* many characters with so many moving parts and a plot that was just so flat but also so convoluted at the same time that I just didn't really care much for the end of that plotline.
With how many characters there were, it was really hard to really tell them apart and none of them felt particularly fleshed out because of the short time each one had. There never could be just 1 additional character introduced, whenever a new character came around there was another like 5 characters ontop in addition. All with their own names, role and like a sentence of backstory just to make it all even more convoluted. Wilmot was the only character that actually felt fleshed out, WAY more than even Suzy was - and Suzy is meant to be the main character!! I think the only fact I can think of for Suzy is just "she likes physics and maths, but physics more as it gives maths a purpose". The plot kinda just happens to her, she doesn't really grow at all during the story...
The world was super interesting though, I loved how the different worlds where described and portrayed, I loved the duel-tower approach as well (that's the part that felt very alice in wonderland-y). I would have loved to have more worldbuilding though instead of a hand-wavy "I don't have time to explain all that please go ask someone else" even if it was a question that's been asked *multiple* times throughout the book.
I feel like it's a good start, and maybe the sequel and the 3rd book are a lot better, but I'm not sure about the writing for this honestly. Not sure I'll pick up the next book.
I'm not quite sure what happened with this book. I was really enjoying the start and part of the middle, I really loved some scenes especially like the ghosts. But then when we got to the big finale I kinda just... stopped paying attention/wasn't able to pay attention. I think by that point there was just *so* many characters with so many moving parts and a plot that was just so flat but also so convoluted at the same time that I just didn't really care much for the end of that plotline.
With how many characters there were, it was really hard to really tell them apart and none of them felt particularly fleshed out because of the short time each one had. There never could be just 1 additional character introduced, whenever a new character came around there was another like 5 characters ontop in addition. All with their own names, role and like a sentence of backstory just to make it all even more convoluted. Wilmot was the only character that actually felt fleshed out, WAY more than even Suzy was - and Suzy is meant to be the main character!! I think the only fact I can think of for Suzy is just "she likes physics and maths, but physics more as it gives maths a purpose". The plot kinda just happens to her, she doesn't really grow at all during the story...
The world was super interesting though, I loved how the different worlds where described and portrayed, I loved the duel-tower approach as well (that's the part that felt very alice in wonderland-y). I would have loved to have more worldbuilding though instead of a hand-wavy "I don't have time to explain all that please go ask someone else" even if it was a question that's been asked *multiple* times throughout the book.
I feel like it's a good start, and maybe the sequel and the 3rd book are a lot better, but I'm not sure about the writing for this honestly. Not sure I'll pick up the next book.