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catlion27's reviews
253 reviews
System Collapse by Martha Wells
adventurous
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A solid Murderbot entry. I especially liked the turn in the plot toward using fiction to tell to the truth.
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
4.5
A charming, funny juv/YA urban fantasy. I feel like this series deserves much more awareness than it has. This first book was a delight.
"Doors are for people with no imagination."
"Doors are for people with no imagination."
The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.5
Really enjoyed this. It fulfilled my expectations for a sequel series that included the main cast from the previous series, which was mainly that I wanted to see how their relationships grew and changed in the intervening years. And this book delivered. Schwab's writing feels effortlessly evocative and descriptive, but not in a showy way that slowed anything down.
Really happy to be back in the world of Shades of Magic and looking forward to the next book.
Really happy to be back in the world of Shades of Magic and looking forward to the next book.
Caped and Dangerous by Isabel Jordan
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Light and fun and steamy, but I did wish for a little more development in the characters/relationship.
I had two other minor gripes: 1) #EnglishMajorProblems, it should have been written in first person. I think it would have accentuated Greer's strong voice, and the beginning is written directed towards the reader in the way you do when you write in first person.
2) The book *really* hints at Killian having mind-reading powers, which ends up *not* being the case, and I thought that would have been a good reveal and it was hinted at SO strongly.
Otherwise, it was a quick enjoyable read.
I had two other minor gripes: 1) #EnglishMajorProblems, it should have been written in first person. I think it would have accentuated Greer's strong voice, and the beginning is written directed towards the reader in the way you do when you write in first person.
2) The book *really* hints at Killian
Otherwise, it was a quick enjoyable read.
Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
Unfortunately I have been underwhelmed by Discworld again. It just...didn't grip me with its humor or insight. Once I got to the conversation with Vimes and the Patrician at the very end, I felt like "Oh, this is the philosophical point he wanted to get to about human nature," but it felt like it took too long to get there for what it was, and I wasn't enthralled in the journey enough along the way.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
4.0
A unique re-imagining of the problems of Reconstruction, but caused by zombies. It ends without resolving some big things but I still enjoyed the story.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
An interesting and reflective story on innocence and who we really are. It's a slow, philosophical book, but does an excellent job of helping you piece together what happened and rewarding reading between the lines. It feels literary, a bit like a fairy tale, especially at the beginning.
Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Delightful and still very different from book 1. I liked the relationship a lot and how they used their strengths for each other and supported and respected each other. The action at the end was very exciting and tense, too.
Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really liked this one. Tense and interesting all the way through. In the past I've been bothered by Dresden needing to describe what felt like every woman's body that he came across, but in this book the times that he lingered on someone's sex appeal felt intentional (by the author). It's a weakness of Dresden's that many characters use to manipulate or exploit him, and I think the book used that to good effect.
Everyone is right: Michael is a delight.
Good setup and payoff from the (fantastic) beginning scene, though the plot was a little convoluted and there was at least one plot thread that I felt didn't go anywhere.
Overall I really enjoyed it, more than I thought I would, and I'm excited to continue the series in a way that I wasn't after book 2.
Everyone is right: Michael is a delight.
Good setup and payoff from the (fantastic) beginning scene, though the plot was a little convoluted and there was at least one plot thread that I felt didn't go anywhere.
Overall I really enjoyed it, more than I thought I would, and I'm excited to continue the series in a way that I wasn't after book 2.
Hellboy Vol. 2: Wake the Devil by Mike Mignola
4.25
I liked this one slightly better than the first one. More good quips from Hellboy, and I think more clear "thesis" from him about deviating from his "destiny." More fleshed out from the villains, too, though I do want more from the Bureau side characters.