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mweis's reviews
1104 reviews
The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
3.0
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I had heard nothing but positive things about this book so when the publisher put it up as Read Now on NetGalley before the release of the series finale, I thought I'd give it a shot. I love everything about this setting. It's 1872 New Orleans and Celine Rousseau is a white passing teen girl who fled Paris under suspicious circumstances. That on it's own is fascinating to me and then you toss in a series of bodies being discovered in gruesome ways and I'm totally sold.
Unfortunately, the execution did not work as well as I might have hoped. For one, it never really felt like 1872. Like New Orleans has always had a fascinating meld of cultures but Reconstruction era New Orleans was especially fascinating and for the most part the story felt like it could have been any point in time and I really wish Ahdieh had leaned into the historical pieces more or else made it a modern story. As it was though I kept forgetting it was supposed to take place in the past because the speech and mannerisms were all so modern but then there would be some reference to the year and I would be pulled completely out of the story.
I did like the way Ahdieh wrote the vampires. I thought they were spooky and fun and I liked the hints of greater supernatural creature worldbuilding that will presumably get fleshed out later in the series. I thought Celine herself was a decently fleshed out character but everyone else felt a bit cardboard cutout, and I started to get very annoyed by the repetitious descriptions of Sébastien.
Overall, I'm not mad I finally picked this up but I definitely went in with expectations that were too high and while I didn't hate this reading experience, I'm not really compelled to continue reading the series despite the major cliffhanger.
I had heard nothing but positive things about this book so when the publisher put it up as Read Now on NetGalley before the release of the series finale, I thought I'd give it a shot. I love everything about this setting. It's 1872 New Orleans and Celine Rousseau is a white passing teen girl who fled Paris under suspicious circumstances. That on it's own is fascinating to me and then you toss in a series of bodies being discovered in gruesome ways and I'm totally sold.
Unfortunately, the execution did not work as well as I might have hoped. For one, it never really felt like 1872. Like New Orleans has always had a fascinating meld of cultures but Reconstruction era New Orleans was especially fascinating and for the most part the story felt like it could have been any point in time and I really wish Ahdieh had leaned into the historical pieces more or else made it a modern story. As it was though I kept forgetting it was supposed to take place in the past because the speech and mannerisms were all so modern but then there would be some reference to the year and I would be pulled completely out of the story.
I did like the way Ahdieh wrote the vampires. I thought they were spooky and fun and I liked the hints of greater supernatural creature worldbuilding that will presumably get fleshed out later in the series. I thought Celine herself was a decently fleshed out character but everyone else felt a bit cardboard cutout, and I started to get very annoyed by the repetitious descriptions of Sébastien.
Overall, I'm not mad I finally picked this up but I definitely went in with expectations that were too high and while I didn't hate this reading experience, I'm not really compelled to continue reading the series despite the major cliffhanger.
A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets by Kate Khavari
4.0
*I received an audio review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
This is such a solid historical mystery series in my opinion. In this third installment, Khavari pulls in more political implications of London 1923 to make the book almost spy thriller adjacent. Saffron is pulled into a murder investigation where Ashton's brother is under suspicion for the murder of a scientist that worked in a government lab.
The mystery was interesting, but as is typical for me in longer historical mystery series, I am more interested in the character interactions. I love the tension between Saffron and Alexander and I liked seeing more of Elizabeth and her family.
Overall I found this to be a compelling story and as usual, I adore Jodie Harris's narration. I am also intrigued by the way this ended and where the story might be going in installment #4.
This is such a solid historical mystery series in my opinion. In this third installment, Khavari pulls in more political implications of London 1923 to make the book almost spy thriller adjacent. Saffron is pulled into a murder investigation where Ashton's brother is under suspicion for the murder of a scientist that worked in a government lab.
The mystery was interesting, but as is typical for me in longer historical mystery series, I am more interested in the character interactions. I love the tension between Saffron and Alexander and I liked seeing more of Elizabeth and her family.
Overall I found this to be a compelling story and as usual, I adore Jodie Harris's narration. I am also intrigued by the way this ended and where the story might be going in installment #4.
Voyage of the Damned by Frances White
3.5
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I saw murder mystery on a ship of magical passengers and knew I had to read this immediately. I have to admit, I struggled through the first 25% of this. The world building and magic are very surface level and I was getting bogged down in poking holes in what was happening, but once bodies started dropping I stopped caring so much about the world and let myself get pulled into the mystery which led to a much more successful reading experience. I should have known when I saw "TikTok sensation" that this wouldn't read as standard adult SFF and it didn't but I think going in with the expectation that it will read more New Adult helps.
I liked Ganymedes as a main character. He is flawed and has some serious issues (including but not limited to suicide ideation and disordered eating) but the way it was written felt relatable to me. I have seen other reviewers criticize this though so your mileage may vary. I also appreciated how casually diverse this cast of characters was and how White was able to make me care about them so quickly.
I am such a sucker for an isolated closed circle mystery and I found myself continuously compelled to keep reading so I think my high of finishing the book and solving the mystery is probably making me rate this higher than I would if I was rating purely on craft. But I had a really great time reading this so, I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a fantasy mystery blend and is willing to just go along for the ride.
I saw murder mystery on a ship of magical passengers and knew I had to read this immediately. I have to admit, I struggled through the first 25% of this. The world building and magic are very surface level and I was getting bogged down in poking holes in what was happening, but once bodies started dropping I stopped caring so much about the world and let myself get pulled into the mystery which led to a much more successful reading experience. I should have known when I saw "TikTok sensation" that this wouldn't read as standard adult SFF and it didn't but I think going in with the expectation that it will read more New Adult helps.
I liked Ganymedes as a main character. He is flawed and has some serious issues (including but not limited to suicide ideation and disordered eating) but the way it was written felt relatable to me. I have seen other reviewers criticize this though so your mileage may vary. I also appreciated how casually diverse this cast of characters was and how White was able to make me care about them so quickly.
I am such a sucker for an isolated closed circle mystery and I found myself continuously compelled to keep reading so I think my high of finishing the book and solving the mystery is probably making me rate this higher than I would if I was rating purely on craft. But I had a really great time reading this so, I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a fantasy mystery blend and is willing to just go along for the ride.
The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma
3.75
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I had this on my TBR when it was self-published as The Boy with Fire so I was excited when I saw it got picked up for traditional publishing by Orbit. Overall, I thought it was a really solid debut!
The Phoenix King is a tense political fantasy that follows 3 character POVs as they try to navigate a world on the brink of war. In the author's review, Aparna Verma says that she was inspired by the geopolitical tensions in India and the rise of nationalistic leaders in both America and India and it absolutely shows. Each of these characters make choices that show how hard it is to rule and the consequences of making decisions "for the greater good". On top of that, there is an interesting magic system that involves dance, prophecy and commentary on religious zeal, fantasy technology, and so much more.
I found the pacing dragged a little in the middle, but for the most part I was consistently compelled to keep reading and I never found myself hating being in any of the character perspectives. The romantic subplot did cumulate into a minor spicy scene at the end that to me, kind of came out of nowhere. But maybe that's because I didn't really care nor buy into the romantic subplot especially compared to the political machinations.
All that to say, I had a pretty good time with this and I would be very interested in continuing this series with The Burning Queen!
I had this on my TBR when it was self-published as The Boy with Fire so I was excited when I saw it got picked up for traditional publishing by Orbit. Overall, I thought it was a really solid debut!
The Phoenix King is a tense political fantasy that follows 3 character POVs as they try to navigate a world on the brink of war. In the author's review, Aparna Verma says that she was inspired by the geopolitical tensions in India and the rise of nationalistic leaders in both America and India and it absolutely shows. Each of these characters make choices that show how hard it is to rule and the consequences of making decisions "for the greater good". On top of that, there is an interesting magic system that involves dance, prophecy and commentary on religious zeal, fantasy technology, and so much more.
I found the pacing dragged a little in the middle, but for the most part I was consistently compelled to keep reading and I never found myself hating being in any of the character perspectives. The romantic subplot did cumulate into a minor spicy scene at the end that to me, kind of came out of nowhere. But maybe that's because I didn't really care nor buy into the romantic subplot especially compared to the political machinations.
All that to say, I had a pretty good time with this and I would be very interested in continuing this series with The Burning Queen!
Hers for the Weekend by Helena Greer
3.75
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I really liked Season of Love and For Never & Always was one of my favorite books of last year so I was thrilled to get an early copy of Hers for the Weekend. Unfortunately, while I did enjoy this book, it's my least favorite of the series. I also think this is the one book in the series that doesn't do a great job of standing alone and reading the first two books is what makes this book as enjoyable as I found it.
I loved going back to Carrigan's and seeing all of the characters I loved again but I struggled buying into Tara and Holly's relationship. I appreciate Greer's exploration of leaving toxic family situations and the idea of found family and finding your place in the world at a later stage of life. However, I never bought into the tension between Tara and Holly and they're will they/won't they fake dating wasn't given the depth or page time I felt it needed to feel authentic. That being said, it was also my least favorite part of this story so do with that what you will.
Overall, I adore this series and found this to be a fantastic conclusion even if this particular book wasn't as successful on the romance front as I wanted it to be. Also, I love Cole with all of my heart.
I really liked Season of Love and For Never & Always was one of my favorite books of last year so I was thrilled to get an early copy of Hers for the Weekend. Unfortunately, while I did enjoy this book, it's my least favorite of the series. I also think this is the one book in the series that doesn't do a great job of standing alone and reading the first two books is what makes this book as enjoyable as I found it.
I loved going back to Carrigan's and seeing all of the characters I loved again but I struggled buying into Tara and Holly's relationship. I appreciate Greer's exploration of leaving toxic family situations and the idea of found family and finding your place in the world at a later stage of life. However, I never bought into the tension between Tara and Holly and they're will they/won't they fake dating wasn't given the depth or page time I felt it needed to feel authentic. That being said, it was also my least favorite part of this story so do with that what you will.
Overall, I adore this series and found this to be a fantastic conclusion even if this particular book wasn't as successful on the romance front as I wanted it to be. Also, I love Cole with all of my heart.
Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis
3.75
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
This was a fascinating debut that honestly packs a lot into a fairly short page count. In Paris 1866, we follow two sisters who have taken diverging paths but are reunited by the haunting of the de Jacquinots, a family of dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are being haunted by a great aunt who was murdered during the Revolution. The book explores grief and complicated family dynamics and the treatment of young women in history and queerness.
I found the pacing of the story to be really compelling though I sometimes questioned narrative choices. For example the book begins from the perspective of Sylvie, the older sister who married a baron, but then about halfway through there's a change so we get a replay of certain events from Charlotte's perspective. While I think that helped keep the mystery of the reality of the haunting, it also made the book drag a little in the middle because we had already gone through those events once. I also thought the overall resolution felt a bit rushed.
I loved the setting of Paris 1866 with the shadow of the Revolution still hanging over the heads of society and the belief in spiritualism and mediums running rampant but I wish Lowkis had explored that atmospherically a bit more.
Overall, I found this book to be a compelling read and a really solid debut, so I'd be interested in seeing what Lowkis writes next.
This was a fascinating debut that honestly packs a lot into a fairly short page count. In Paris 1866, we follow two sisters who have taken diverging paths but are reunited by the haunting of the de Jacquinots, a family of dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are being haunted by a great aunt who was murdered during the Revolution. The book explores grief and complicated family dynamics and the treatment of young women in history and queerness.
I found the pacing of the story to be really compelling though I sometimes questioned narrative choices. For example the book begins from the perspective of Sylvie, the older sister who married a baron, but then about halfway through there's a change so we get a replay of certain events from Charlotte's perspective. While I think that helped keep the mystery of the reality of the haunting, it also made the book drag a little in the middle because we had already gone through those events once. I also thought the overall resolution felt a bit rushed.
I loved the setting of Paris 1866 with the shadow of the Revolution still hanging over the heads of society and the belief in spiritualism and mediums running rampant but I wish Lowkis had explored that atmospherically a bit more.
Overall, I found this book to be a compelling read and a really solid debut, so I'd be interested in seeing what Lowkis writes next.
Alexander at the End of the World: The Dramatic Last Years That Made Alexander Great by Rachel Kousser
3.75
*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
To be completely honest, I know very little about Alexander the Great or really about much of ancient history. That being said, I found Kousser's book about the end of Alexander's life to be very readable and narratively interesting even given my lack of background knowledge. The book starts after Alexander's defeat of Persian ruler Darius III and focuses on his long march into Afghanistan as he searched for the "end of the world".
I thought Kousser did a good job of balancing the story of Alexander, showing where he succeeded and where he failed. She also I think did a decent job of highlighting the supporting figures in Alexander's story. For being a relatively short book, Kousser packs in a lot of information while also keeping the reader from feeling bogged down by names and dates.
Overall, I thought this was a great character study and exploration of Alexander's conquest through Central Asia. I was impressed at the breadth of knowledge and how Kousser drew connections to other points in history.
To be completely honest, I know very little about Alexander the Great or really about much of ancient history. That being said, I found Kousser's book about the end of Alexander's life to be very readable and narratively interesting even given my lack of background knowledge. The book starts after Alexander's defeat of Persian ruler Darius III and focuses on his long march into Afghanistan as he searched for the "end of the world".
I thought Kousser did a good job of balancing the story of Alexander, showing where he succeeded and where he failed. She also I think did a decent job of highlighting the supporting figures in Alexander's story. For being a relatively short book, Kousser packs in a lot of information while also keeping the reader from feeling bogged down by names and dates.
Overall, I thought this was a great character study and exploration of Alexander's conquest through Central Asia. I was impressed at the breadth of knowledge and how Kousser drew connections to other points in history.