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nere's reviews
82 reviews
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
tuesday, august 8, 2023
there is something about this genre and subgenres that demands homage or reference to trope. iron widow seems to deny you any satisfaction in this regard. anytime you think you know where the story is going Zhao takes you somewhere else. its refreshing but also disruptive to the part of my brain that demands structure from my genre fiction
there is something about this genre and subgenres that demands homage or reference to trope. iron widow seems to deny you any satisfaction in this regard. anytime you think you know where the story is going Zhao takes you somewhere else. its refreshing but also disruptive to the part of my brain that demands structure from my genre fiction
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Fatphobia and Vomit
The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
monday, july 24, 2023
i cant believe im done. im sad its over! i really have no major complaints. theserpent plot was a little weird and i half wish i wouldve gotten more catharsis with cardan and jude . but its not in their nature. otherwise, deliciously entertaining which is what i wanted and expected
i cant believe im done. im sad its over! i really have no major complaints. the
“ […] and Baphen was uncomfortably reminded that some prophecies are fulfilled by the very actions meant to prevent them.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Alcohol
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
really compelling. but it centers a pandemic and i’m really not in the headspace to read something like this right now
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Terminal illness
Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
friday, november 29, 2023
funnier than it has any right to be.
funnier than it has any right to be.
“A true Janian reply! Good angels be my guard! She comes from the other world—from the abode of people who are dead—and tells me so when she meets me alone here in the gloaming! If I dared, I’d touch you, to see if you are substance or shadow, you elf!”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, and Mental illness
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
wednesday, august 16, 2023
could not get into it. might try again at a later date
could not get into it. might try again at a later date
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
thursday, june 15, 2023
saturday, july 22, 2023 (reread)
I have no idea how to write a review for this. I cannot write coherent thoughts, I love it for all the world.
saturday, july 22, 2023 (reread)
I have no idea how to write a review for this. I cannot write coherent thoughts, I love it for all the world.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
The Wicked King by Holly Black
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
thursday, june 22, 2023
wow. blew all my expectations out of the water. everything I found at fault with the first book is suddenly gone with this one. I care about these characters SOOO much. I love Cardan and Jude. separately and together. and by god, does Holly Black know how to write tension. it's palpable and ancient. and she does the rare thing of balancing their hate and attraction on a razor's edge. I'm also realizing it's intensely gratifying to be in the head of someone who is such a cruel and conniving protagonist, but believing for all the world that what they're doing is for the greater good. Jude is a character for the ages.
wow. blew all my expectations out of the water. everything I found at fault with the first book is suddenly gone with this one. I care about these characters SOOO much. I love Cardan and Jude. separately and together. and by god, does Holly Black know how to write tension. it's palpable and ancient. and she does the rare thing of balancing their hate and attraction on a razor's edge. I'm also realizing it's intensely gratifying to be in the head of someone who is such a cruel and conniving protagonist, but believing for all the world that what they're doing is for the greater good. Jude is a character for the ages.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
sunday, june 18, 2023
peak book to get you out of a reading slump. funny and engaging until the end. the 400 pages fly by
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit, and Medical content
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
I'm glad I went into this with the allure of false advertising dropped. I could enjoy it for what it was, instead of going in expecting something and being met with a story with different priorities.
the novel follows Jude, a human brought to the world of Faerie by the man who killed both of her parents. it’s best, in my opinion to go into the story not knowing much else.
I will tell you what it's not: this is not a romance novel. romance is an attribute, as it often is in young adult fiction—but it is not the central theme. In the foreground, The Cruel Prince is a political intrigue story among Fae. in the background, an enemies-to-lovers story that is not the main priority. if you go into it expecting only that, you will find this novel lacking.
as far as character work goes, it took a while for me to warm up to these characters. despite that, Jude, in particular, stands out to me as a pretty unique protagonist—she’s selfish and conniving without ever coming across as evil.
the story is supremely engaging with a power beyond my understanding. The moment I picked up the book I couldn’t put it down. I just had to finish it to see what would happen next. and that sense of total enthralled engagement remains until the end.
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
wednesday, june 7, 2023
this is a book I primarily knew as a Tik Tok book. and with it came all of the implications of that, negative or otherwise. previously hailed as the pinnacle of enemies-to-lovers trope, I saw a booktube video that rectified this misconception and said it was a political intrigue story first with a romance subplot in the distant background.
this is a book I primarily knew as a Tik Tok book. and with it came all of the implications of that, negative or otherwise. previously hailed as the pinnacle of enemies-to-lovers trope, I saw a booktube video that rectified this misconception and said it was a political intrigue story first with a romance subplot in the distant background.
I'm glad I went into this with the allure of false advertising dropped. I could enjoy it for what it was, instead of going in expecting something and being met with a story with different priorities.
the novel follows Jude, a human brought to the world of Faerie by the man who killed both of her parents. it’s best, in my opinion to go into the story not knowing much else.
I will tell you what it's not: this is not a romance novel. romance is an attribute, as it often is in young adult fiction—but it is not the central theme. In the foreground, The Cruel Prince is a political intrigue story among Fae. in the background, an enemies-to-lovers story that is not the main priority. if you go into it expecting only that, you will find this novel lacking.
as far as character work goes, it took a while for me to warm up to these characters. despite that, Jude, in particular, stands out to me as a pretty unique protagonist—she’s selfish and conniving without ever coming across as evil.
the story is supremely engaging with a power beyond my understanding. The moment I picked up the book I couldn’t put it down. I just had to finish it to see what would happen next. and that sense of total enthralled engagement remains until the end.
"If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder