tvislife's reviews
286 reviews
The Terror by Dan Simmons
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
A very good book, but not one I’d recommend to anyone. It follows the stories of seaman trapped in the ice as a monster and the cold slowly try to kill them all.
This book is very long and very dense. There are so many instances where the author is just naming various men and their role on the ship, the number and type of stores they have, or the different directions that people traveled looking for help. Those parts (which were pretty frequent!) were very boring and made it difficult to power through the rest of the book.
That being said, I did like this book! I thought there’d be more focus on the monster, and it would be more like a creature feature. But honestly, the scariest part of this book was the unrelenting cold and darkness. To be basically marooned in the middle of nowhere, the weather getting more and more extreme, and running out of food? Horrifying. Throw a monster into the mix? Fantastic horror novel. I just wish it was a bit more succinct.
This book is very long and very dense. There are so many instances where the author is just naming various men and their role on the ship, the number and type of stores they have, or the different directions that people traveled looking for help. Those parts (which were pretty frequent!) were very boring and made it difficult to power through the rest of the book.
That being said, I did like this book! I thought there’d be more focus on the monster, and it would be more like a creature feature. But honestly, the scariest part of this book was the unrelenting cold and darkness. To be basically marooned in the middle of nowhere, the weather getting more and more extreme, and running out of food? Horrifying. Throw a monster into the mix? Fantastic horror novel. I just wish it was a bit more succinct.
Mothtown by Caroline Hardaker
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Odd little novel, with a creepy tilt. This follows David, both “Before” and “After”. David never quite got over losing his granddad, and as a child and as an adult he realizes he doesn’t quite belong.
I’ll start out by saying I think this author is very talented. Her writing was lyrical and beautiful at certain points, and some of her lines were truly haunting and gorgeous. That being said; this book just didn’t work for me. Despite the beauty of the writing, the actual substance was so boring to me. I could tell it was meant to be mysterious and a slow-burn, but to me it was just confusing and a slog to get through. It picked up around the halfway point, especially when it mostly focused on the one timeline, but by that time I had mentally checked out and honestly didn’t really care where Davey went “home”. For those of you that don’t really care about plots, this might be a nice little fall read, but in general I’d say to skip this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I’ll start out by saying I think this author is very talented. Her writing was lyrical and beautiful at certain points, and some of her lines were truly haunting and gorgeous. That being said; this book just didn’t work for me. Despite the beauty of the writing, the actual substance was so boring to me. I could tell it was meant to be mysterious and a slow-burn, but to me it was just confusing and a slog to get through. It picked up around the halfway point, especially when it mostly focused on the one timeline, but by that time I had mentally checked out and honestly didn’t really care where Davey went “home”. For those of you that don’t really care about plots, this might be a nice little fall read, but in general I’d say to skip this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
The Omen by David Seltzer
fast-paced
4.0
Short, creepy read. I’ve seen the movie years ago, but from what I remember, this was pretty much the same thing. It follows a couple as they raise a sinister little boy, who may or may not be the Anti Christ b
Not particularly scary, but a good story, and a perfect read for around Halloween. I liked how tight the story was, if it had been any longer I think it would have been a bit boring, but this had good pacing. Recommend to any horror fans!
Not particularly scary, but a good story, and a perfect read for around Halloween. I liked how tight the story was, if it had been any longer I think it would have been a bit boring, but this had good pacing. Recommend to any horror fans!
Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
This was a fun one to read at the office! I’m sure everyone has daydreamed about murdering those who make their life difficult, but McMasters is there to turn dreams into reality! This book follows several students there, each with a goal to end someone’s life.
I loved the humor in this. Dryly funny, full of little puns about murder and death that somehow still felt sophisticated, despite how silly they were. The tone of this book was what really made it stand out—almost felt like they were learning salad fork etiquette, rather than how best to kill someone quickly without being noticed. Everything felt vaguely aristocratic, and made it seem much more fun. I highly recommend this to anyone as a light little read.
I loved the humor in this. Dryly funny, full of little puns about murder and death that somehow still felt sophisticated, despite how silly they were. The tone of this book was what really made it stand out—almost felt like they were learning salad fork etiquette, rather than how best to kill someone quickly without being noticed. Everything felt vaguely aristocratic, and made it seem much more fun. I highly recommend this to anyone as a light little read.
Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie
dark
4.25
What a horrifying premise for a book. All children in the world drop dead over the course of a couple days, just to “revive” a few days later—craving blood.
While I wouldn’t really call this book “scary”, it is a terrifying premise, knowing the lengths parents will go to in order to save their kids (or what’s left of them). After reading reviews, I see some people didn’t really like the focus on the parents and wanted this story to be a bit more scary and bloodthirsty—but honestly I loved the different parents’ perspectives. Their slow descent into madness, the increasingly horrible things they were willing to justify, the delusions they were convincing themselves were true—that was some good shit! It felt more like a psychological thriller, but I really enjoyed it and recommend to people who think they can handle this premise (so likely not people with kids tbh).
While I wouldn’t really call this book “scary”, it is a terrifying premise, knowing the lengths parents will go to in order to save their kids (or what’s left of them). After reading reviews, I see some people didn’t really like the focus on the parents and wanted this story to be a bit more scary and bloodthirsty—but honestly I loved the different parents’ perspectives. Their slow descent into madness, the increasingly horrible things they were willing to justify, the delusions they were convincing themselves were true—that was some good shit! It felt more like a psychological thriller, but I really enjoyed it and recommend to people who think they can handle this premise (so likely not people with kids tbh).
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn’t. I’m somewhat of a fan of her Bridge Kingdom series (which I admit isn’t super high-brow, but it’s entertaining and easily readable). My expectations were I think fairly low for this, and yet I was still disappointed. It follows Freya, who has the blood of a god, and is the prophetic “shield maiden”.
If there’s one thing I hate more than anything in fantasy novels, it’s insta-love (or in this case, insta-lust). I’m pretty sure by page ten they were already eye-fucking each other, and the book lost me from there (which is a shame, because the opening few pages were very intriguing! I was excited!).
Even though I hated that, I still tried to keep an open mind, but I just didn’t find a lot in this story to really bring me in. Unlike her previous series (where it’s a complete fantasy world), this world has Norse gods and is grounded (somewhat) in actual history and mythology—and I think the book suffered because of it. With her earlier work, it was easy to overlook the minimal world building because it was something new and exciting. But because everyone has a passing familiarity with Norse mythology, it became very clear very quick to me that her world-building was lackluster. Name dropping a god’s name here and there, or mentioning runes, doesn’t really make for strong descriptions.
The mediocre world, combined with my general dislike of the main characters relationship for the most part, made this mildly enjoyable at best. I still think her writing style is highly readable, but this was not my favorite work.
If there’s one thing I hate more than anything in fantasy novels, it’s insta-love (or in this case, insta-lust). I’m pretty sure by page ten they were already eye-fucking each other, and the book lost me from there (which is a shame, because the opening few pages were very intriguing! I was excited!).
Even though I hated that, I still tried to keep an open mind, but I just didn’t find a lot in this story to really bring me in. Unlike her previous series (where it’s a complete fantasy world), this world has Norse gods and is grounded (somewhat) in actual history and mythology—and I think the book suffered because of it. With her earlier work, it was easy to overlook the minimal world building because it was something new and exciting. But because everyone has a passing familiarity with Norse mythology, it became very clear very quick to me that her world-building was lackluster. Name dropping a god’s name here and there, or mentioning runes, doesn’t really make for strong descriptions.
The mediocre world, combined with my general dislike of the main characters relationship for the most part, made this mildly enjoyable at best. I still think her writing style is highly readable, but this was not my favorite work.
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Beautiful story about family and love, told over multiple generations. Much like Spells for Forgetting, this book has a couple different timelines (but in a much different sense than her other book).
There were moments that were confusing for this book (still not sure I have all the women’s names straight), but the heart of the story was easy to follow and so so beautiful. Generations of women having to deal with an almost impossible choice, and no matter what they pick, there will be consequences. The love shown between these women was as sweet as it was heartbreaking, and really shows that a mother will do anything she can to protect her family. I love multiple timelines in stories, and I’ve never read a book that treated time the way this one does—it was a delight. Can’t wait to see what Young puts out next.
There were moments that were confusing for this book (still not sure I have all the women’s names straight), but the heart of the story was easy to follow and so so beautiful. Generations of women having to deal with an almost impossible choice, and no matter what they pick, there will be consequences. The love shown between these women was as sweet as it was heartbreaking, and really shows that a mother will do anything she can to protect her family. I love multiple timelines in stories, and I’ve never read a book that treated time the way this one does—it was a delight. Can’t wait to see what Young puts out next.
Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood
3.75
Basically a complication of 3 little fanfiction stories. Not amazing, but perfectly readable and entertaining. My favorite was the first, least fave the last, but all of them followed a predictable and easily-digestible format.
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
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
Beautiful.
I really, really loved this book. The main characters, their dynamic, the magic system, the focus on language, secret societies, the main conflict, the light it shines on racism and hypocrisy in academia—all of it was so exquisitely done, I was just obsessed. It follows Robin Swift, a boy taken from Canton as a child and brought to England to become a translator for Babel.
I would love to know how much time was spent researching linguistics and translation for this book, because it had to be an ungodly amount. I don’t think I’ve ever read a fictional book that was this casually informative about an academic subject, and an obscure one at that (yes, everyone knows “language”, but translation? Who learns that?).
I just loved this. The book really hit a yearning for what I missed in college. The group of friends that was initially bound together by the nature of just being around one another, and a collective misery over difficult coursework, but slowly blossomed into true friendship; the utter helplessness of feeling like you’ll never understand a concept or subject and the euphoria when you finally do; the sense of not quite belonging, but wanting more than anything to be on the inside (which is different for the POC characters in the book than it was for me, obviously, but the sentiment is there. God I sound like Letty).
All of it just combined into a really beautiful work of dark academia, with a scathing look at racism in these prestigious institutions as well (and white countries in general). Robin and Ramy and Victoire were never going to belong. It doesn’t matter how hard they worked or how brilliant they were. It was so heartbreaking and frustrating to see how they were diminished, again and again, by their peers and by the people who “took care” of them. I’m not happy with how the book ended, but I don’t know how else it could have gone for any of them. Highly recommend.
I really, really loved this book. The main characters, their dynamic, the magic system, the focus on language, secret societies, the main conflict, the light it shines on racism and hypocrisy in academia—all of it was so exquisitely done, I was just obsessed. It follows Robin Swift, a boy taken from Canton as a child and brought to England to become a translator for Babel.
I would love to know how much time was spent researching linguistics and translation for this book, because it had to be an ungodly amount. I don’t think I’ve ever read a fictional book that was this casually informative about an academic subject, and an obscure one at that (yes, everyone knows “language”, but translation? Who learns that?).
I just loved this. The book really hit a yearning for what I missed in college. The group of friends that was initially bound together by the nature of just being around one another, and a collective misery over difficult coursework, but slowly blossomed into true friendship; the utter helplessness of feeling like you’ll never understand a concept or subject and the euphoria when you finally do; the sense of not quite belonging, but wanting more than anything to be on the inside (which is different for the POC characters in the book than it was for me, obviously, but the sentiment is there. God I sound like Letty).
All of it just combined into a really beautiful work of dark academia, with a scathing look at racism in these prestigious institutions as well (and white countries in general). Robin and Ramy and Victoire were never going to belong. It doesn’t matter how hard they worked or how brilliant they were. It was so heartbreaking and frustrating to see how they were diminished, again and again, by their peers and by the people who “took care” of them. I’m not happy with how the book ended, but I don’t know how else it could have gone for any of them. Highly recommend.
Shadows of Self: A Mistborn Novel by Brandon Sanderson
4.0
I’ve found it a lot harder to get into Mistborn Era 2 than Era 1, but that’s not to say these books aren’t great. They are great! But the whole early industrial revolution is a much less exciting backdrop than a more Medieval setting (at least, for my own personal taste).
Wax, Wayne, and Marsai are at it again, and Marsai is the only truly sane and thoughtful voice between them. I think she’s the best character, and wish more time was spent from her perspective. As much as I enjoy Wayne’s chameleon-like personality shifts when he puts on a new disguise, and Wax’s broody intensity, Marsai is the true heart of this series in my opinion. I like her determination and the fact that she’ll insert herself into the conflict, even if she’s not always strictly wanted there (she’s usually needed). As far as the plot, it’s just fine, I’m more concerned with the characters who are all steadily growing on me.
I look forward to seeing where it goes from here, but I’m not dying for the next one.
Wax, Wayne, and Marsai are at it again, and Marsai is the only truly sane and thoughtful voice between them. I think she’s the best character, and wish more time was spent from her perspective. As much as I enjoy Wayne’s chameleon-like personality shifts when he puts on a new disguise, and Wax’s broody intensity, Marsai is the true heart of this series in my opinion. I like her determination and the fact that she’ll insert herself into the conflict, even if she’s not always strictly wanted there (she’s usually needed). As far as the plot, it’s just fine, I’m more concerned with the characters who are all steadily growing on me.
I look forward to seeing where it goes from here, but I’m not dying for the next one.