jasbeingjas's reviews
801 reviews

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert

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adventurous emotional tense fast-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? No

5.0

Reading this book helped me cement why I haven’t enjoyed the few reverse harems I’ve tried reading. Katee Roberts writes polyamorous relationships so well! Usually there’s one person in the relationship that I really dislike but that wasn’t the case here because the characters weren’t caricatures of some trope. It also might have helped me that this was from a single POV rather than all four of the MCs. And besides the spice, the plot was fun. This was just a fun book to read! I was also super excited when I first saw Azazel! I wasn’t prepared for a little crossover but I loved it! 
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Such Color: New and Selected Poems by Tracy K. Smith

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

I really appreciate Tracy K. Smith's work.  There were definitely times where I found myself struggling to engage with this collection, but I think that is a reflection of my own attention span at the moment.  The poetry is always beautifully written.
The Hawk by Hildie McQueen

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emotional hopeful 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

4.5

This story was just what I needed!  I loved Gavin and Freya and the subplot related to the attacks was also interesting.  In some ways the ending felt like it wasn't fully resolved.  There was no mention of what happened to Tasgall.  But overall I loved the romance between the two MCs, I love all the brothers, and Knox! of Clan Ross of Skye and I can't wait for Alexander's book.  Hoping Knox also gets a book.
Chrome Valley by Mahogany L. Browne

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

I am such a fan of Mahogany L. Browne!  This collection of poems touched on a few things, many of which were heavy, and yet her verse is so incredibly melodic.  Everything just flows in a way that I cannot comprehend how she does it.  It's soft and musical but sharp in places for maximum impact and I find myself taking pause at a certain line or section.  One of my favorite authors for sure!
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The Scot's Legacy by Keira Montclair

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adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I was pleasantly surprised, given that so many of the books in this series have been hit or miss for me, and maybe even more misses than hits. But I was determined to finish the series because I’ve followed all the way since the first series in this world, the clan grant series. Along the way I’m not sure if the books got worse or so repetitive, but I was expecting to dislike this one as well. And given the first moment where Eli instead of coming across as bold came across as coercive, I was really worried I wouldn’t like this book. Overall I think it was a good ending to the series. I kind of really hope that the author will actually let these characters rest now. Either way I don’t think I can bring myself to read the next spin off series. At this point I actually can’t stand Logan Ramsay and I think if he popped up again I would actually despise all parties involved. 
Dark Restraint by Katee Robert

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.5

Ugh I think this might be one of my top three in the series so far! With the recurring plot through the series heating up I am so anxious for the next installment. I only wish the ending didn’t feel so abrupt for our main characters. I wanted to see some of Ariadne and the Minotaur’s happy ending. The epilogue being about Icarus feels like we missed out on that. I really cannot wait for more from this series though! 
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The Sandman: Endless Nights by Neil Gaiman

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reflective relaxing
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

This was a nice collection of short stories related to the Endless, however I was expecting more of each sibling.  Instead, some of the stories felt like the sibling only made a brief appearance, which was a bit of a bummer.  Surprisingly, my favorite was the Portraits of Despair.
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The Wake by Neil Gaiman

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I'm not sure why I expected more from the Wake.  Or maybe the epilogue focusing on a character that I didn't super care for felt like a dull end.  The volume is also shorter than I was expecting, given it includes two other stories, one related to the Dream (Daniel) and one related to Dream (Morpheus).  I didn't mind those much.  But I'm more looking forward to the stories in Endless Nights as it seems to focus on each of the siblings.
The Sandman Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman

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dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.5

When I started this series I had no idea it would be so heartbreaking. What a devastating volume, but at the same time maybe even the best one so far. 
The Sandman Vol. 8: Worlds' End by Neil Gaiman

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adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A fun assortment of stories within a story.  Enjoyable enough read.  As I've been reading the sandman series I wish I had someone to discuss some of my more nuanced or niche opinions on representation and storytelling devices in the series.  I'm excited to find out who the Kindly Ones are.