wynterstrike's reviews
45 reviews

lighthearted medium-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? Yes

3.0

This book unfortunately didn't give me what I was hoping for. At the start I thought Halle was really relatable, and anyone who's read the other MH series books knows Henry is a gem. I found their initial relationship a bit strange

like what do you mean they're just friends but hes pulling her onto his lap and sleeping next to her after only just meeting her

. I thought it was taking a good turn around the half way point but the end really fell over in my opinion. Just as I was getting into a scene and wanting to read more, the chapter would end and it'd be a whole other day. The bits I really wanted to read were instead just described in hindsight which made me feel like I was being robbed a little bit.

I expected Halle and Henry to steal my heart but I can now be certain Russ and Aurora still hold that crown and Wildfire is the better book. In fact, the parts where Russ was present were some of my favourite parts of this book, which is not a great sign. Despite her being relatable in the beginning, Halle quickly did become irritating and I struggled to see her motivations I the second half.

The Wolf and the Witch by Charissa Weaks

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.5

I read a few books between City of Ruin and this, but still found it easy to pick up from where the plot ended so that wasn't an issue. My opinions on this book changed as it went on though. The start didn't feel like a novella and it was nice to see everyone figuring out how to deal with the fallout of book 2, but by the second half it definitely read as a side plot. The best way I could describe it is like a filler episode in a TV show. I spent the second half wondering what the point of it all was and it felt quite rushed at the end. I really wanted to enjoy Nephelle and Neri's story but I don't think it was given the care and development it deserved.

A few points from the first two books were nicely explained and tied up here, but the slight break from the main plot was refreshing. Regardless, I feel this was a step down from the other books so hopefully Kingdom of the Forgotten brings back that winning formula.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

Been looking forward to starting this series for a while. Having read the rest of SJMs series, it's clear this is a debut novel with room for improvement in her writing, but that didn't hinder my reading experience at all. This book feels like a foundation for a good series so I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

I loved the characters and found it easy to resonate with them and keep track of who was who. While it may have started a bit slow, the story's payoff was worth it. Overall an easy and fun read.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Go to review page

adventurous 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? Yes

3.25

Really not sure how I feel about this book. I spent most of the first half considering DNFing, but the second half was interesting enough to stick with. I love Holly Black's style of fantasy and the characters were definitely different from most of what you see in the popular fantasy genre. However, the world building could've been more fleshed out; a lot was unexplained and left up to the reader to figure out.

Unfortunately there was no emotional investment for me and overall it just felt a bit empty. It had all the right elements but none of them were fleshed out enough.

Not a bad book, not a great book. Might continue the series though as I hear it gets better, much like the second half of the book.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-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? Yes

4.25

"I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I'd like to be known."

What a gorgeous story about the things we'll do for those we love and for the sake of humanity. This novel drew tears from me like none other. The focus on love in all it's forms - parent/child, sisters, friends - was appreciated and made the characters and their choices more relatable.

I do think the pacing was strange at some points, and I particularly felt the ending was rushed. The story could've taken more of a dive into the horrors and struggles faced by the French women in WW2 but I don't think that would've helped the vibe Kristin Hannah was going for.

If you're a big history buff and enjoy more historically accurate books, be warned, this may not give you what you're looking for. The occupation of this little countryside village by such a number of Nazis seemed a bit strange but if you can look past that and read the book as fiction, you'll get a beautiful story of love and survival.

Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh

Go to review page

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

This one surprised me. I generally don't so much as finish sports romances, let alone enjoy them. I also demand a full and thorough plot which was practically absent from this book. Shocking, given the ~800 pages, which definitely could've been reduced as conversations seemed to be repeated often, but I still devoured this book and had a great time doing so.

I loved the depth of the characters, and Gibsie and Johnny's friendship was a highlight for me. There were a couple of questionable comments made by characters, and everyone seemed to act first, talk later, but given the characters ages I think it checks out.

What I'd like to see in book 2:

more character development from Shannon would be nice; she was meek the whole book. I'd also like to see Johnny actually listen to her for once.

Looking forward to picking up the next book regardless!

It's worth checking the trigger warnings if you're okay not going in completely blind, there's some pretty dark themes throughout.

Content Warnings

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Go to review page

adventurous 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

3.75

A fun fast paced YA mystery. I appreciated the short chapters and thought Avery was a well fleshed out and enjoyable protagonist. I did find it tricky in the first half to keep track of the family tree and where all the other inhabitants of Hawthorne House fitted in but they all seemed to have their purpose. The mystery fell a bit flat for me but maybe YA just isn't up my alley any more.

Skin Taker by Michelle Paver

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced