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overzealous_reader's reviews
384 reviews
Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
The novel’s ending was the most difficult to read and left me wondering if Bishop should have aged up Jaenelle. It was uncomfortable to read about Daemon’s physical response to Jaenelle, a twelve-year-old child. After looking back on the story, I wonder if the ending was to paint Daemon differently as he did not act on those urges, unlike the aristocratic men within the courts. There are many politics between the living and the dead, and the hierarchy symbolized by jewels is unique.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“*No,* he said gently when her words finally stopped, *they don’t want you. They don’t love you, can’t love you. But I do love you. The Priest loves you. The beautiful ones, the gentle ones—they love you. We’ve waited so long for you to come. We need you with us. We need you to walk among us.*”
― Anne Bishop, Daughter of the Blood
After hearing that this book inspired Sarah J. Maas to write A Court of Thorns and Roses, I read it. However, I was thoroughly unprepared for the harsh world that Bishop created, especially towards Jaenelle. The main plot is simple; there is a prophecy that the Witch will return and restore order to their world. A few thousand years later, a young girl, Jaenelle, starts to appear in lands considered lost. It is during her meeting with Saetan that it becomes apparent that Jaenelle has immense power and needs honing it. Jaenelle gains the help of Saetan and the protection of his son, Daemon. However, Jaenelle’s apprenticeship with Saetan starts a chain of events that results in Jaenelle being abused.
― Anne Bishop, Daughter of the Blood
After hearing that this book inspired Sarah J. Maas to write A Court of Thorns and Roses, I read it. However, I was thoroughly unprepared for the harsh world that Bishop created, especially towards Jaenelle. The main plot is simple; there is a prophecy that the Witch will return and restore order to their world. A few thousand years later, a young girl, Jaenelle, starts to appear in lands considered lost. It is during her meeting with Saetan that it becomes apparent that Jaenelle has immense power and needs honing it. Jaenelle gains the help of Saetan and the protection of his son, Daemon. However, Jaenelle’s apprenticeship with Saetan starts a chain of events that results in Jaenelle being abused.
The novel’s ending was the most difficult to read and left me wondering if Bishop should have aged up Jaenelle. It was uncomfortable to read about Daemon’s physical response to Jaenelle, a twelve-year-old child. After looking back on the story, I wonder if the ending was to paint Daemon differently as he did not act on those urges, unlike the aristocratic men within the courts. There are many politics between the living and the dead, and the hierarchy symbolized by jewels is unique.
This story is not for the weak but has compelling villains and morally grey characters.
Blood and Ruin by Rumer Hale
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The Omega Merger by Roxy Collins
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Omega Lesson by Roxy Collins
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
“But wherever you’re headed when this life is over, Quinlan, that’s where I want to be, too.”
First off, that damn ending. As problematic as Maas is, her endings will forever be ultimate cliffhangers—second, poor Hunt. Besides the Hound, a case can be made that Maas enjoys the suffering of her characters. Outside of the bad guys, everyone in this book gets screwed over. A frustrating aspect of the book is that Bryce is literally being played from the beginning. Bryce is no Calena. She is playing right into her enemies’ hands, and realizing they will suffer for it, is so painful. Even as Bryce tries to do the right thing, it comes back to bite her in the butt. Even as Danika is no longer with her, Bryce is still trying to grasp aspects of her friend, from the shocking revelations of Danika’s research to having an entire mate. Poor Bryce kept getting whiplash from the number of secrets Danika kept from her. The shocking part of the book is that Bryce ends up with Rhysand and his crew and resembles Rhun. For Bryce, this does disrupt the plan to save Hunt and Rhun. My main hope is that in the third book, Bryce is not gone too long and can free Hunt and Lunathion from the Asteri. Unfortunately, January is a long way from now.
As I have made apparent in previous reviews, I have a soft spot for Maas and her work. When I am in a reading slump or bored, I pick up the ACoTaR series and get swept up in her world-building, characters, and overall whimsical prose. Also, Maas does know how to write flawed characters. I do not think one character in her series is typically “good.” Instead, these characters are trying their best to right their worlds. Crescent City is no different. Flawed characters are trying to right their unjust world. Yet, unlike ACoTaR, there are moments within House of Sky and Breath that read as Maas writes character-driven stories and ends with plot-driven twists. Like, it is so frustrating. Like, her McGuffin with Emile completely depletes halfway through but keeps readers fascinated with the secrets of Danika while greater forces are working against Bryce and Hunt in the background. While Maas could’ve edited a few things out, for example, the sex scenes, because lord help her, it is always a bit cringe-worthy. As I started rethinking the book, I think Bryce should have listened to Hunt because Hunt constantly told her to tread carefully. After all, the Asteri is not to be messed with, and reminds her of their constant surveillance. Yet! These two kept repeatedly talking about their plans in broad daylight! It was so infuriating reading these two candidly discussing their plans without any precautions while under surveillance. The way these characters operated along with a cliffhanger ending infuriated me because it felt like the story was finally starting. Maas just left us with more questions than answers.
Maas gets a 4/5 star because her twists continually save her books. I am petty with this rating because I wish Maas wouldn’t constantly bank on her twists. I swear, if the third book is packed with a character-driven rather than plot-driven, I will riot. Maas is interweaving two universes and has a lot to work out: from Rhysand and Feyre persuading the other courts to aid Bryce, Hunt living life without Bryce, Rhun living as a labeled traitor, Bryce’s father and his desire for truth, The Viper Queen whole operation, and the Rebels. Maas has so much to clear up, and I hope this series doesn’t drag on like the Throne of Glass series.
First off, that damn ending. As problematic as Maas is, her endings will forever be ultimate cliffhangers—second, poor Hunt. Besides the Hound, a case can be made that Maas enjoys the suffering of her characters. Outside of the bad guys, everyone in this book gets screwed over. A frustrating aspect of the book is that Bryce is literally being played from the beginning. Bryce is no Calena. She is playing right into her enemies’ hands, and realizing they will suffer for it, is so painful. Even as Bryce tries to do the right thing, it comes back to bite her in the butt.
As I have made apparent in previous reviews, I have a soft spot for Maas and her work. When I am in a reading slump or bored, I pick up the ACoTaR series and get swept up in her world-building, characters, and overall whimsical prose. Also, Maas does know how to write flawed characters. I do not think one character in her series is typically “good.” Instead, these characters are trying their best to right their worlds. Crescent City is no different. Flawed characters are trying to right their unjust world. Yet, unlike ACoTaR, there are moments within House of Sky and Breath that read as Maas writes character-driven stories and ends with plot-driven twists. Like, it is so frustrating. Like, her McGuffin with Emile completely depletes halfway through but keeps readers fascinated with the secrets of Danika while greater forces are working against Bryce and Hunt in the background. While Maas could’ve edited a few things out, for example, the sex scenes, because lord help her, it is always a bit cringe-worthy. As I started rethinking the book, I think Bryce should have listened to Hunt because Hunt constantly told her to tread carefully. After all, the Asteri is not to be messed with, and reminds her of their constant surveillance. Yet! These two kept repeatedly talking about their plans in broad daylight! It was so infuriating reading these two candidly discussing their plans without any precautions while under surveillance. The way these characters operated along with a cliffhanger ending infuriated me because it felt like the story was finally starting. Maas just left us with more questions than answers.
Maas gets a 4/5 star because her twists continually save her books. I am petty with this rating because I wish Maas wouldn’t constantly bank on her twists. I swear, if the third book is packed with a character-driven rather than plot-driven, I will riot. Maas is interweaving two universes and has a lot to work out: from Rhysand and Feyre persuading the other courts to aid Bryce, Hunt living life without Bryce, Rhun living as a labeled traitor, Bryce’s father and his desire for truth, The Viper Queen whole operation, and the Rebels. Maas has so much to clear up, and I hope this series doesn’t drag on like the Throne of Glass series.
Fleeing Fate by Sabrina Day
The Omegaverse genre is difficult to digest as it tends to toe the line with elements from Dark Romance. However, within Fleeing Fate has darker elements regarding Ava’s father but not with the inner workings of Malcolm’s pack. The way Malcolm and his pack carefully treat Ava and Shay perhaps is due to Malcolm’s ability to shift, which is taboo based on the reactions of supporting characters. The introduction of Ava into the pack shakes up the dynamic, but no anger or malice is directed towards her. Instead, the pack has to address issues they have either pushed aside or disregarded. Specifically, Gabe is integrated into Malcolm’s pack along with Malcolm and his family. For the pack, the seclusive nature of Ava’s upbringing and her father’s mysterious connections result in the pack conducting a deep dive into her parents. It leads to more questions than answers, especially after Ava shifts.
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“Birdie? Our little escape artist? She’s right here.”
In the world of our protagonist, Ava lives in seclusion with her older brother Shay and their tyrant father. As they have lived in isolation for years, the death of Ava and Shay’s mother starts destabilizing the family dynamic as Ava and Shay begin to question their life. When Shay shifts into a wolf, Ava escapes her father’s clutches and runs with her brother. During that escape, the beta Sheriff Gabe approaches the siblings. After meeting with Gabe, Ava and Shay are directed to Malcolm. During their stay with Malcolm’s pack, Ava and Shay emerge into a world their father kept from them.
I look forward to the sequel and hope the world-building will expand into the shifters beyond the wall. I will have to reread this one before August.
The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“No women, no sighs. Only these sexless things, with their corrugated flesh.”
Our introduction to the degenerate Frank opening Lemarchand’s box to obtain the ultimate pleasure; in the form of “virgin whores whose every crevice was his for the asking and whose skills would press him—upward, upward—to the undreamed-of ecstasies.” What a charming man. But unbeknownst to him, Lemarchand’s box does not provide simplistic pleasures of the flesh. Instead, the Cenobites inflict an unimaginable form of pleasure interlaced with pain. Yet, as Frank is rewarded with his just desserts, it is not the last of Frank as his sister-in-law becomes entangled in his depravity.
While reading this book, it is impossible not to compare it to its film counterpart, and I conclude…not enough screen time for the Cenobites. In my opinion, Barker needed to expand the torture scene after Frank faced the Cenobites because book Frank is an utter sleaze-ball. In the film, Frank is not presented in a sympathetic light; the audience is aware of his sketchy sexcapades. Yet, book Frank is way worse, from his sexual assault on Julia, a deeply morally grey character, and his attempted sexual assault on Kristy. In the book, Rory is also presented as a sympathetic character and a nuisance by Julia’s perception leading her to aid Frank’s resurrection.
Ultimately, this book is just as captivating as its film counterpart as it presents a story of a scumbag’s resurrection and an extraordinary group of Cenobites dragging his ass back to hell.
Our introduction to the degenerate Frank opening Lemarchand’s box to obtain the ultimate pleasure; in the form of “virgin whores whose every crevice was his for the asking and whose skills would press him—upward, upward—to the undreamed-of ecstasies.” What a charming man. But unbeknownst to him, Lemarchand’s box does not provide simplistic pleasures of the flesh. Instead, the Cenobites inflict an unimaginable form of pleasure interlaced with pain. Yet, as Frank is rewarded with his just desserts, it is not the last of Frank as his sister-in-law becomes entangled in his depravity.
While reading this book, it is impossible not to compare it to its film counterpart, and I conclude…not enough screen time for the Cenobites. In my opinion, Barker needed to expand the torture scene after Frank faced the Cenobites because book Frank is an utter sleaze-ball. In the film, Frank is not presented in a sympathetic light; the audience is aware of his sketchy sexcapades. Yet, book Frank is way worse, from his sexual assault on Julia, a deeply morally grey character, and his attempted sexual assault on Kristy. In the book, Rory is also presented as a sympathetic character and a nuisance by Julia’s perception leading her to aid Frank’s resurrection.
Ultimately, this book is just as captivating as its film counterpart as it presents a story of a scumbag’s resurrection and an extraordinary group of Cenobites dragging his ass back to hell.
Curves for Days by Laura Moher
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
“The Honda driver’s eyes are huge, her hands up over her mouth. “Oh shit! I’m so sorry! Thank-you Snickers.” What’d she call me?”
After winning the lottery, Alice, aka Rose, is overwhelmed by the amount of people trying to get a portion of her wealth. Deciding to escape, she gets into her car named Lillian and ends up in the quaint town of Galway. Upon entering the small town, she runs into the town grump, Angus, who helps push Lillian out of the snow. After Angus helps Rose, he decides that the woman is a menace and is glad she is passing through town. But, unfortunately for him, Rose decides to stay in the small town forcing Angus to adapt to her chaotic energy.
Rose is a likable former waitress who doesn’t want to end up like previous lottery winners and maps out a plan for her millions. As she settles in Galway, she buys a house, starts classes at a community college, and aids the community. Along the way, she falls for Angus. Angus, a therapist that helps veterans, is caught off guard by his feelings for Rose. As he takes a job to help refurbish her house, the feelings continue growing, and the two begin dating. It is not until the last few chapters that Angus finds out about Rose’s millions. It results in Angus and Rose briefly breaking up until Angus explains the reason for feeling betrayed, and Rose explains her reasons for keeping the money a secret. For the most part, it is a lighthearted read about likable characters in a small town with a strong sense of community and full of warmth.
As these characters start their relationship, they open up about their past traumas and desires. There is not much to pick apart in this book; it is a fast read about a small town with likable characters trying to heal.
However, one moment took me right out of the book. When Rose gets her passport, Angus peeks at her passport to figure out her birthday. I assumed that would be the moment that Angus realizes that Rose is lying about her identity since you do have to use your legal name to get a passport…but later on in the book, during the angsty “we were on a break,” Angus mentions that he had no clue as to Rose’s real name. I squint at this because did he not realize her first name was not Rose instead, but Alice? It really did confuse me a bit. And I wonder if the author originally wrote the “we were on a break” portion to happen earlier in the book. But I do get wanting to spend more time with Rose and Angus as a couple, but it was just a small moment of, “Wait, what?”
Thanks again to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
After winning the lottery, Alice, aka Rose, is overwhelmed by the amount of people trying to get a portion of her wealth. Deciding to escape, she gets into her car named Lillian and ends up in the quaint town of Galway. Upon entering the small town, she runs into the town grump, Angus, who helps push Lillian out of the snow. After Angus helps Rose, he decides that the woman is a menace and is glad she is passing through town. But, unfortunately for him, Rose decides to stay in the small town forcing Angus to adapt to her chaotic energy.
As these characters start their relationship, they open up about their past traumas and desires. There is not much to pick apart in this book; it is a fast read about a small town with likable characters trying to heal.
However, one moment took me right out of the book. When Rose gets her passport, Angus peeks at her passport to figure out her birthday. I assumed that would be the moment that Angus realizes that Rose is lying about her identity since you do have to use your legal name to get a passport…but later on in the book, during the angsty “we were on a break,” Angus mentions that he had no clue as to Rose’s real name. I squint at this because did he not realize her first name was not Rose instead, but Alice? It really did confuse me a bit. And I wonder if the author originally wrote the “we were on a break” portion to happen earlier in the book. But I do get wanting to spend more time with Rose and Angus as a couple, but it was just a small moment of, “Wait, what?”
Thanks again to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
“Everybody goes to jail at some point, don’t they?”
In Mongrels, considered a coming-of-age story, our nameless protagonist learns about werewolf lore through the stories told by his grandfather, aunt, and uncle, Libby and Darren. After his grandfather’s death, the protagonist and his family go on the run. During this time, the protagonist learns about the dangerous life of a werewolf while acquiring his own stories.
One of this novel’s unique elements is our nameless protagonist’s nonlinear narrative. As the protagonist is reacting to a present-day issue, he attaches the issue to the stories told by his grandfather about werewolf lore from the concept of ‘moondogs’ and ‘partial kills.’ For the nameless protagonist, the survival of werewolves relates to a story laces within their lore. The unnamed protagonist rationalizes every decision and reaction by Libby and Darren by reflecting on his grandfather’s stories about his young werewolf years. As the story progresses, this small family unit drifts from state to state, trying to escape elements from their past. Even as Libby hopes for our nameless protagonist to be spared the werewolf’s life, she and Darren still tell him stories to prepare for possible situations as a werewolf. One drive of this novel is to see if the family unit gets their happy ending. And, I am not entirely sure they receive it, but for our nameless protagonist, the werewolf life is all he has been taught, and after gaining his claws; he is at a sense of peace and, I would argue, happiness.
Due to my reading this novel for a class, I kept analyzing the text as I read. During my read, I kept thinking about how Graham expands on werewolf lore, but I couldn’t help but compare the werewolf lore to Twilight. Famously, yet questionable, Stephanie Meyer attached the werewolf label to the real-life Quileute tribe. As I first began reading Mongrels, I questioned if Graham-Jones was reclaiming this imagery attached to Indigenous people as ‘shifters’ and ‘otherworldly.’ Or perhaps, since Graham-Jones is a horror fan, he wanted to expand werewolf lore rather than attempting to reclaim a questionable trope associated with Indigenous people. It is difficult for me to not make the comparison to that of Indigenous people within pop-culture media, especially after Darren indicates films misrepresent werewolves. As the novel delves into the gory nature of werewolves, at the heart of the story is a family attempting to live their lives despite the hardships following them. Even in the end, our protagonist has written down his stories before his transition despite Libby demanding he burns them. For him, being a werewolf is tied to his heritage, and these stories are his family history. Perhaps I am reading too close, but these stories told to the nameless protagonist lie in truth, while pieces are left out but still present multiple roads for him. The novel’s ending suggests that the unnamed protagonist’s future is uncertain, but perhaps the written family history could provide him with a guideline for survival.
In Mongrels, considered a coming-of-age story, our nameless protagonist learns about werewolf lore through the stories told by his grandfather, aunt, and uncle, Libby and Darren. After his grandfather’s death, the protagonist and his family go on the run. During this time, the protagonist learns about the dangerous life of a werewolf while acquiring his own stories.
One of this novel’s unique elements is our nameless protagonist’s nonlinear narrative. As the protagonist is reacting to a present-day issue, he attaches the issue to the stories told by his grandfather about werewolf lore from the concept of ‘moondogs’ and ‘partial kills.’ For the nameless protagonist, the survival of werewolves relates to a story laces within their lore. The unnamed protagonist rationalizes every decision and reaction by Libby and Darren by reflecting on his grandfather’s stories about his young werewolf years. As the story progresses, this small family unit drifts from state to state, trying to escape elements from their past. Even as Libby hopes for our nameless protagonist to be spared the werewolf’s life, she and Darren still tell him stories to prepare for possible situations as a werewolf. One drive of this novel is to see if the family unit gets their happy ending. And, I am not entirely sure they receive it, but for our nameless protagonist, the werewolf life is all he has been taught, and after gaining his claws; he is at a sense of peace and, I would argue, happiness.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
I have to admit that I rarely read YA Romance, but Hibbert writes compelling protagonists. These two protagonists’ main worry is their future, especially with college expenses. Perhaps it is because I am pursuing my Master’s Degree, but I understand that gnawing anxiety regarding paying for school and navigating your life around paying back student loans…it is a struggle. Even though I am not too fond of the requirements associated with gaining the scholarship, during the Sherwood Forest expedition, our protagonists start talking about their falling out and becoming closer. Yet, Celine struggles with trust due to her father leaving the family and finds herself weary of trusting Bradley again. As Celine tries to scrutinize her reasoning for not trusting Bradley and rethinking her plan for vengeance against her father, Bradley struggles with his newfound feelings for Celine.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
The ultimate goal for Celine Bangura is to get a scholarship and a good-paying job and to shove her success in her father’s face. Yet, the existence of Bradley Graeme proves to be a distraction for Celine in her ultimate goal. After these two former friends have a falling out, it results in an intense rivalry for Celine, but for Bradley, their falling out results in resentment. So, as these two become Breakspeare Explorers, they have to work with each other and try to succeed in gaining a full scholarship.
*Minor Spoilers*
If you want a cute read about former friends turned enemies turned into a cute and supporting couple, this is the book for you.
Thanks again to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.