whiskedawayreads's reviews
552 reviews

Hold Me by Susan Mallery

funny lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

2.5

If you’re looking for a cozy read, this is for you. While there are better cozy novels than this, it gets the job done. I thought some of characters’ flaws seemed overly dramatic with limited realism. However, it you can look past that, it’s worth your time.

Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination: The Untold Story of the Actors and Stagehands at Ford's Theatre by Thomas A. Bogar

informative slow-paced

1.0

I would guess that the author bit off more than he could chew in writing this historical piece. There were too many characters that were being detailed in depth, as well as the need for more names versus pronouns being utilized to aid in differentiating all the people. It seemed more like a book to exonerate Spangler than anything else. The pace to almost too slow, with so many characters having little to no role within the narrative. The narrator also would make grammatical speaking errors, which was frustrating.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

dark funny reflective medium-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

3.75

The characters were thoroughly enjoyable and well developed. The alternating timelines keep you, as the reader, wanting to know more. It was also a creative way to continue to progress with the storyline while keeping with the two narrating perspectives. The historical environment was one of intrigue. Overall,  a lovely read.

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was prepared to hate this book after reading the trigger warnings. So much so that I almost didn’t read it. To my surprise, I loved it so much that I read the whole thing in nearly a day. I found the characters to be relatable and charming. The plot line was well paced and catching. The writing was well done as well. While I’m not a fan of the amount of spice, there were times when it felt like the spice allowed the forward movement of the plot line too.

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

funny lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

I am often nervous that the second addition to a series won’t live up to the original. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this one very much. It opens with a catching plot line, with a narrative that continues to pull at your interest. The characters remain well rounded and relatable. The additions of new characters and new perspectives opens fun new views and allows for new avenues of receiving information. As with the first, I cannot wait for the next addition!

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

dark funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

This was my first time reading a book of this genre. It took some time to get pulled in, but the characters allowed for this to happen relatively quickly. The MCs wouldn’t necessarily mesh well in typical circumstances, but it was done quite well. The storyline was rapidly moving, keeping the reader entertained and able to understand what was going on in the world that was created. Despite not being super knowledgeable about video games and the like, I found myself able to understand and follow along easily.

The Witches' Blade by A.K. Mulford

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.5

I wanted to really enjoy this read, but it didn’t meet the expectations elicited by the first novel. While I really wanted to like the characters, it seemed to take the majority of the book for the MCs to get become more one dimensional. I will note that the plot line had some interesting developments, some of which were intriguing. I enjoyed the addition of new characters, such as the blue witches. I also wish there would have been more development between Rua and Remy, but this was a missing component. 

Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin

dark funny sad slow-paced

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

2.0

As much as I enjoyed the Serpent & Dove, I was disappointed in this follow up novel. The tumultuous relationships between the various characters became laborious to continue sifting through. It seemed to take too long to get from point A to B, which interrupted my interest and focus. Some of the new characters were intriguing. But there was some world building that was missing, limit the impact of these new characters. 

The High Mountain Court by A.K. Mulford

dark funny medium-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

I was very excited for this read initially, and was finding it quite enjoyable. As the story progressed, I was disappointed to find that it was the quite similar to other recent fantasy  reads. I felt like there was so much focus on the mate bond, to the extent that it became repetitive and a bit annoying. I found the characters to be quirky and enjoyable. The writing was generally good, just with my note about the focus on mates. The world building was well done, keeping it easy to understand.

Charm by Tracy Wolff

emotional funny mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

I would say this was my least favorite book of the series so far, primarily based upon the plot line. A lot of the plot seemed forced and seemed to have little imagination to it. The writing reflected that as well, maybe me wish the book was several hours shorter due to the repetitive nature and contrived narrative. There were some positive pieces, such as the addition of new faces and a new landscape for the story to take place. The umberas were a nice add to the storyline as a new type of mystical creature.