thepercenator's reviews
73 reviews

The Hundred Loves of Juliet: A Novel by Evelyn Skye

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

3.5

There were many parts of this book I enjoyed. I liked the idea of making your own fate, and I also really liked how real

Sebastien’s trauma and fear felt - after all that happened, it only makes sense he’d be protective and kind of a mess at times.

That being said, I think something lacked in the epicness of the romance for me.

Part of that came with the past element of it - one half is already head over heels and the other has this immediate connection, so we didn’t really get the full experience of seeing them fall in love because in a lot of ways, they already were from the get go.

I think this kind of plot is hard to fully execute.

It just felt like the parts I usually love in a romance novel were glazed over and fast-forwarded through too much.

I thought it was well written and I liked the characters, but there was something missing overall that made me like it less. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book so much, which was almost surprising because I went into it with really high hopes and was worried I’d be disappointed. There’s definitely a ton of connections to issues happening in the real world today (racism, the treatment of undocumented and documented immigrants, homophobia, etc) through the treatment of magical creatures in this book, but it’s told in a way that makes you see the pain of discrimination but also the way small things can start making a big difference. All of that laced in with extremely lovable characters, all unique and despite some being magical, still capturing the reality of children being children, and parents who love them, just made this book so incredible for me. I loved the love story woven in, too, but there wasn’t a sense of some characters being ignored to push up the romance more.

Really, this was Linus finding his home, and falling in love with it as a whole, not just small parts, and it made me very happy. Sometimes we need our sweet happy endings where good characters get the life they want.

I got very emotional (teary) during several parts of this book, but in good ways. Highly recommend this, and will absolutely be reading more TJ Klune. 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

adventurous funny 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? No

4.5

I’ve read the Percy Jackson series before but wanted to start it again via audiobook. I love this book so much. Knowing Greek mythology and the many ways Riordan ties it all into the story and how in depth his knowledge is makes this just so fun. I love the characters and think the adventure is fast paced and fun. Definitely a fun read for kids and adults! 

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

Initially I was thinking I might not like this book as I got into it because it did not go in the direction I thought it would, but by the end and making some very real world emotional connections, I really liked it. I feel like the horror of this is very much based in the reality of escaping trauma or “lessons” pushed on you as a kid that you carry with you into adulthood. The only other book I’ve read by this author was Hide, which has some similar elements —> FYI this spoiler includes some spoilerish themes from Hide as well - if you haven’t read that don’t open this spoiler

”cultish” sacrifice of young people for the so-called betterment of the world, or really a very specific type of person or people in the world

. Having read the author’s note at the end and seeing the authors personal experience, these themes really make sense even more.

I actually loved the ending. The idea of parents breaking away from something toxic to make things better for their kids, all mirror the author’s real life struggle to escape Mormonism? Really powerful and deep for horror.

If you’re looking for less psychological, more traditional bloody-type horror, I’d say this book might not be for you (and I’ll admit I went into it thinking I would get that and had to adjust my thinking). There’s a depth here I really liked and would recommend this book for. 

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This was my first dive into a Paul Tremblay book, and I have to say I really enjoyed it and I will have to read others by him. The audiobook was a different experience. The screenplay was being read like it was a table read, full of actors making mistakes and repeating lines. I wasn’t sure if that sort of thing was reflected in the text version, but it was interesting and added this very meta layer to the listening experience.

I liked that it became clearer and clearer how unreliable the narrator was, particularly with the issue about when his finger was actually cut. He clearly remembered things one way but also was deliberately telling them the way he wanted it to be conveyed. The ending was one that I could see coming with the building up of the thin kid monster (funny that in the audiobook it almost sounded like they called him the “thing” kid, which also fits), but I still enjoyed it.

I feel like this book was made to be enjoyed by horror fans who can appreciate certain tropes being deliberately woven in. It’s almost like it’s not meant to be taken too seriously while in the story, everyone does take it too seriously. I liked that juxtaposition. 

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.75

I really loved this book. It took me a bit of time to really get into it (mostly because the beginning, being dropped right into it, confused me for a bit before it all started making sense, which was the author’s intent but still made it harder for me at the start), but I really grew to love the characters and the magic and just the dark, interesting presentation of this world through Lethe (and also some of the reflections from the real world - like the way money and power rule despite the moral dubiousness of it all). I’ll definitely be reading the next book in this series!

Also they better save my baby Darlington I love him dearly!!!

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

dark emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

This book was phenomenal. I’m not much of a nonfiction reader, but the way it is written reads like a narrative. It’s still incredibly informative but it incorporates the emotions of the people involved. I’d also seen the movie before reading this and the book was just far beyond and extensive. It also made me deeply question some choices made for the movie, but that’s another topic. I loved the multiple perspectives, from the

Osage in the past as the murders were happening, to the FBI solving the crimes, to the modern Osage with the author discovering just how much wasn’t actually solved and the lasting effects on the tribe.

I really enjoyed how much the book pulled you into what was happening and continues to happen. Definitely interested in reading more by this same author if this is how he approaches nonfiction. Thoroughly engaging! 

The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

I think this is definitely a collection that everyone should read. There’s such relevant history and commentary regarding the current state of the US and how it links back to slavery as an origin, and just how the inequity and injustice radiates today. I hadn’t read the original collection when it first came out in the New York Times Magazine, but this expansion and clarification was compelling and emotional, along with the important information being shared. I usually don’t read nonfiction but this was a cross between multiple nonfiction genres and was just too important and relevant to ignore. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is some chapters really just didn’t have the same quality as others, though they all managed to be thought provoking and teach information regarding American history and slavery I didn’t learn through my education. Very important read to help understand the systemic racism that radiates through the US. Highly recommend. I plan to watch the Hulu documentary series next. 

The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I went into this book loving the overall concept and enjoying seeing the story immerse in Chinese tales and folklore. Overall I enjoyed it, but I had a bit of difficulty motivating myself around the middle to want to read because

I just didn’t enjoy the romance side of things. Usually I love romance but the soulmate aspect didn’t work for me here. The immediate affection and over the top “my lady” moments and the bonds they showed between Sai and Jyn just felt forced to me? They didn’t feel like this great love they were meant to be.

That said, I did enjoy the ending, and overall thought it was well done. I think I would have liked it more from Jyn’s point of view, though. 

The Women by Kristin Hannah

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

I enjoyed this book a lot. I actually know very little about Vietnam, and this book helped inspire me to do some research and learn so much more (also with the help of my buddy readers as well). Some parts seemed so awful I didn’t even think they could possibly be accurate

like Frankie being spit on and treated so horribly upon her return to Vietnam, along with the frequent dismissal of her service

, but it was definitely something that occurred and it really opened my eyes to a history I knew so little about. The main part that lost me in this book was

around the character of Rye. He just continued to prove himself again and again to be the WORST and I wanted to throw the book when Frankie kept believing his bullshit, especially when I felt like their initial “love” story wasn’t particularly inspiring or any more that sex. But as they continued and also the way Frankie fell apart after his last lies came through, it helped me see more about how broken she was in so many ways and how it wasn’t necessarily the author pushing this epic love story at us that felt awful, but that Frankie needed something she was desperately trying to get with Rye.

By the end I was right back in it and so incredibly emotional.

And JAMIE. I wanted him to have a soap opera return and when he did I was so happy and there was this hopeful tone in the end and I cried.

Frankie’s journey is really one worth reading.