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mformato's reviews
190 reviews
MEM by Bethany C. Morrow
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was definitely a unique book. The story was interesting and confusing. I felt that some parts were rushed. One qualm is that whenever it jumped between memories to present day it happened to jarringly that I would lose track of where we were and whether the scene was happing in Elsie's head or actually taking place. Overall though I did enjoy the book and I think it leads itself to some nice discussions if you actually read it with other people.
Second Child by John Saul
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I have to start off this review by saying John Saul has been my favorite author for the past decade. It has been a while since I read one of his books, but I am determined to get through his full catalog.
This one though? I just couldn't get into. It had the classic Saul style of a family with too many secrets. A misunderstood daughter, a cartoonishly evil parent and a blissfully unaware parent take in the half-sister who is more than she seems. Normally I would eat it up but this time around I just didn't care. I think it has something to do with things just always lining up perfectly for plot convenience and nobody questioning anything until it was too late. I did like how it ended in typical fashion for one of his books, but it wasn't enough to salvage the rest of the story. It makes me sad I didn't enjoy this book and I hope I can get back into his other works.
This one though? I just couldn't get into. It had the classic Saul style of a family with too many secrets. A misunderstood daughter, a cartoonishly evil parent and a blissfully unaware parent take in the half-sister who is more than she seems. Normally I would eat it up but this time around I just didn't care. I think it has something to do with things just always lining up perfectly for plot convenience and nobody questioning anything until it was too late. I did like how it ended in typical fashion for one of his books, but it wasn't enough to salvage the rest of the story. It makes me sad I didn't enjoy this book and I hope I can get back into his other works.
Every Sky a Grave by Jay Posey
adventurous
tense
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? It's complicated
4.25
Posey is a great sci-fi military fiction writer and I have enjoyed all of the books I've read by him so far. He has a wonderful ability to craft such complex worlds and the political systems in them, as well as the science behind everything, while still maintaining a sense of humor across the page. Every Sky A Grave took many twists and turns that I wasn't expecting, but enjoyed nonetheless. There were some issues with pacing but overall I really enjoyed this book. I hope as the series continues we learn more about the history of the Ascendence and more about the power of the Deep Language. This isn't a book for everyone, like most sci-fi military fiction books, but if you enjoy expansive worlds, badass main characters, and a complex political system then this is a good book for you.
The Shadow of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee
adventurous
dark
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
4.25
The end of a great duology. I really wish this series would continue considering how long Kyoshi lived for, we could have countless stories of her growing more certain of herself in her early 20s as a young avatar or witness her great feats as the mature badass the fandom portrays her as. Overall, this was a great origin story and the author took great care of creating Kyoshi's legacy. These two books only further my desire of knowing more about the four named avatars that preceded Aang (though one could argue we know enough about Roku and Kuruk based on what has been shared through stories, Kyoshi and Yangchen are badasses who deserve even deeper character studies) and just more insight about the avatar universe prior to what stories have already been shared.
It is a little disappointing (though understandable) that the final battle left no casualties besides the main antagonist. I think it would have helped solidify Kyoshi's hardened attitude moreso losing one if not more of her closest friends to her other close friend, but I guess in a series that is aimed at a slightly younger audience (despite the stories of Kuruks exploits) it makes sense to have a happy ending.
The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee
adventurous
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book did a great job at setting up the backstory for Kyoshi for why she became the hardened badass we all knew and loved in the tv show. I felt that some lines were thrown into the story just as a nostalgia kick to remind you that you're reading an Avatar book, but luckily it wasn't overwhelming and the author gave Kyoshi the chance to shine as her own avatar. Being a YA based book the pace was a little funky, some parts felt like they could have deserved more pages of development but overall I really enjoyed the story and can't wait to see what happens next
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Holy fuck
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Homophobia
Windswept by Adam Rakunas
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book was like eight action movies packed in one. There were so many twists and turns and changes that kept me invested in the story; I had no idea where things were gonna go.
I like how all the big reveals were built up and could have been obvious if you paid close attention, but with so much going on the little hints didn't add up until they were spilled.
I wish there was more history and information about The Big Three and Mehta's past; I felt her "mystery" was kinda subpar compared to everything else in the book and I think her character could have been fleshed out a little more with some additional context to her past.
Overall though, this was a good, action-pack sci-fi and I would recommend it to anyone who like being thrown right into a story that is packed full of punches.
I like how all the big reveals were built up and could have been obvious if you paid close attention, but with so much going on the little hints didn't add up until they were spilled.
I wish there was more history and information about The Big Three and Mehta's past; I felt her "mystery" was kinda subpar compared to everything else in the book and I think her character could have been fleshed out a little more with some additional context to her past.
Overall though, this was a good, action-pack sci-fi and I would recommend it to anyone who like being thrown right into a story that is packed full of punches.
Fight!: A Practical Guide to the Treatment of Dog-Dog Aggression by Jean Donaldson
informative
medium-paced
3.75
I read this book as part of the curriculum for a dog training apprenticeship program.
This book, just like Donaldson's other book titled Mine, is geared more towards trainers learning how to approach dog-dog aggression, but it can also be utilized by owners as long as they are educated on the jargon and training mechanisms from the dog training world.
The book is clear cut and gives straightforward steps on how to slowly build up the social skills needed in a dog who displays aggressive tendencies. It's a very easy read and worth it if you ever deal with an aggressive dog.
This book, just like Donaldson's other book titled Mine, is geared more towards trainers learning how to approach dog-dog aggression, but it can also be utilized by owners as long as they are educated on the jargon and training mechanisms from the dog training world.
The book is clear cut and gives straightforward steps on how to slowly build up the social skills needed in a dog who displays aggressive tendencies. It's a very easy read and worth it if you ever deal with an aggressive dog.
The Way of the Rose by Valery Leith
3.0
This was an experience. I picked up this book without reading the first two because everything about it sounded crazy and I thought it would be a fun experiment. So if you're reading this to figure out if you should read/continue the trilogy, just stop now because I won't be able to do this book justice.
I'm gonna start by saying that reading the final book of a trilogy as a stand-alone is very unfulfilling. I had no connection nor care about any of the characters since I had no idea what they had gone through already and I only had a vague idea of what they were trying to achieve. There were also quite a few character POV to follow along with, at least 7 that I can think of straightaway, plus maybe a few others that only lasted a chapter or two at the most. Luckily everyone had unique enough names that it didn't make things confusing, but I'd be many chapters into the book and suddenly introduced to a new POV. Since there was no main character and no clear lines of good or bad (though I understand not all fantasy books are like that) I didn't know who to root for or even care about.
The world building of this book, and probably of the trilogy as a whole, was intense; so much so that I was barely able to follow along at many points in the story. Just when I thought I was understanding some concept of the story, something new came along and threw me for a loop. I'm not even sure the main location of this book (Everian) actually exists and had people living there at any point in time. Of course any story with time manipulation is going to be complex, but there were elements that I just never understood, even with big information reveals at specific points in the story.
The plot kind of dragged for me, mainly because again I didn't know what the plot was supposed to be, but the story did pick up towards the end.
Overall, the story wasn't too bad treating it like a standalone, but this definitely was not the right book to try this experiment with.
I'm gonna start by saying that reading the final book of a trilogy as a stand-alone is very unfulfilling. I had no connection nor care about any of the characters since I had no idea what they had gone through already and I only had a vague idea of what they were trying to achieve. There were also quite a few character POV to follow along with, at least 7 that I can think of straightaway, plus maybe a few others that only lasted a chapter or two at the most. Luckily everyone had unique enough names that it didn't make things confusing, but I'd be many chapters into the book and suddenly introduced to a new POV. Since there was no main character and no clear lines of good or bad (though I understand not all fantasy books are like that) I didn't know who to root for or even care about.
The world building of this book, and probably of the trilogy as a whole, was intense; so much so that I was barely able to follow along at many points in the story. Just when I thought I was understanding some concept of the story, something new came along and threw me for a loop. I'm not even sure the main location of this book (Everian) actually exists and had people living there at any point in time. Of course any story with time manipulation is going to be complex, but there were elements that I just never understood, even with big information reveals at specific points in the story.
The plot kind of dragged for me, mainly because again I didn't know what the plot was supposed to be, but the story did pick up towards the end.
Overall, the story wasn't too bad treating it like a standalone, but this definitely was not the right book to try this experiment with.