wnyreader's reviews
80 reviews

The Shadow in the Glass by J.J.A. Harwood

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book has a lot of promise that it’s ending didn't quite live up to. If there are following books in the works, that might explain the unfinished feeling this book gave me. As a standalone, however, it didn’t quite work.

Content Warnings

Community Board by Tara Conklin

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.

It felt like the plot was nonexistent, the characters were all flat to me, and I didn’t enjoy the writing style

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

A Kirkus review summed it up best for me: “Lots of characters. Not a lot of depth.” While I liked the prose and the overall structure, and I think the text asks a lot of interesting and important questions, it feels like it but off more than it could chew in terms of characters. The intertwining cast is large and we don’t spend a lot of time with any of them. The looks we get at them feel like glances - never enough to really get to know them or care about their problems. It made it hard for me to connect with the rest of it.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

I thought this story was really well crafted, with loveable characters and a world that was fun to be in. The ending felt a little too familiar to me, but I’m still eagerly anticipating the second book!

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced