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orangewitchling's reviews
82 reviews
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was impressed by the writing style and the intricacy of the plot. I personally did not find it scary, but heartbreaking. I believe the supernatural aspects were used skillfully to showcase how grief, mental health and healing can manifest adjacently and nonlinear. I really liked the way past and future merged in the stories and through the characters. This book has to be one of my favorites in a long while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racism, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This books remains as one of my all time favorites and it wrecked me emotionally. Where Circe felt relatable, this retelling felt like a love poem. It explored the Achilles and Patroclus relationship and the characters that surrounded them, specially the women in such an empathetic way.
Circe by Madeline Miller
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I don’t thing this book requires any review, but still…Hands down one of the best mythological retellings I’ve ever read. The exploration of the character was very relatable, it was emotionally challenging and the ending was superb for a myth.
Every Rising Sun by Jamila Ahmed
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I enjoyed this book, it was a better retelling than another one I started and DNF because the YA arc grated on me.
This book focused a bit more on the historical and cultural moment the story took place, which I thoroughly enjoyed. My favorite character in the whole book was Dunya, because she felt relatable and I wished there had been more of her. Shaherazade's exploration was not
quite as relatable and it was a bit more YA.
My issue with a lot of heroines is that their decision making and personalities do not align with the situations they encounter, which was the case in this book. I still think it was a decent retelling all and all.
This book focused a bit more on the historical and cultural moment the story took place, which I thoroughly enjoyed. My favorite character in the whole book was Dunya, because she felt relatable and I wished there had been more of her. Shaherazade's exploration was not
quite as relatable and it was a bit more YA.
My issue with a lot of heroines is that their decision making and personalities do not align with the situations they encounter, which was the case in this book. I still think it was a decent retelling all and all.
Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The story was interesting, but I didn’t find it necessarily scary. I enjoyed the writing style and the exploration of how grief affects a person’s personality and make them vulnerable. It was a bit unsettling at times and I didn’t care too much about the characters, but it was an interesting read.
Cunning Folk by Adam L.G. Nevill
dark
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? Yes
3.0
The story was good and very creepy, but I almost DNF. My only complaint is the incessant descriptions! Personally, the descriptions were dreadful because they were so extremely descriptive not because whatever was being described was scary. I honestly, spaced out a lot, but the end was twisted enough to make it worth finishing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Suicide, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism
Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
This was a very interesting and refreshing cozy murder mystery. It revolved around family and friendship, with a very light touch of romance. It showed in the background the issues that took place during the historical time the story took place. I enjoyed reading it and the plot was predictable, but still nice to read. It’s not a head banger or mysterious, but I found it it entertaining.