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owlsreads's reviews
3507 reviews
Fruits Basket Collector's Edition, Vol. 3 by Natsuki Takaya
lighthearted
5.0
I did not expect this volume to hit me right in the feelings??? The depictions of depression here and finding the strength to move forward and believing in yourself were so!!!! I almost cried. I also very much enjoyed the continued development of all the characters and their relationships.
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Another okay read for me. It had different expectations of how this story would go and so had a difficult time with the split narrative and the direction the plot took. It was still enjoyable to read about Raquel finding her footing and standing up for herself, plus Anita being remembered but... eh, it was just fine.
Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa
No rating since I skimmed about 30% of it. :(
I loooooooved the prologue! It was gruesome and tense and delivered so much in a few pages. I thought that had truly set up the tone of the novel and i was going to love this! Sadly, that was not the case.
The tone shift in the first chapters took some of me excitement away and the slow pace didn't help bring it back. I couldn't connect to the characters and Amara's perspective and the plot didn't capture my attention. I kept waiting for something exciting like the prologue to happen and... nothing.
I ended up skimming a lot of the middle and didn't find that I missed much in terms of important twists, either. The ending was a bit more satisfying, but by then I wasn't invested at all.
I loooooooved the prologue! It was gruesome and tense and delivered so much in a few pages. I thought that had truly set up the tone of the novel and i was going to love this! Sadly, that was not the case.
The tone shift in the first chapters took some of me excitement away and the slow pace didn't help bring it back. I couldn't connect to the characters and Amara's perspective and the plot didn't capture my attention. I kept waiting for something exciting like the prologue to happen and... nothing.
I ended up skimming a lot of the middle and didn't find that I missed much in terms of important twists, either. The ending was a bit more satisfying, but by then I wasn't invested at all.
The Watchers by A.M. Shine
tense
fast-paced
3.0
Eh. It was an engaging read with a fast pace, but it was predictable.
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Another lovely and heartbreaking novel from Kennedy Ryan!
One thing I love most about her stories is how they're always so sensitive when tackling difficult and heavy subjects. There are so many things left unspoken in the real world and Ryan has such a way to bring them to light in her novels. I loved how depression was addressed here and how much she hit on therapy being something helpful during the healing process.
In regard to the romance bits: I very much enjoyed the relationship progression here, but it was a little too slow at times. I appreciate how complex of a situation Yasmen and Josiah were in with all the unsaid things and the hurt between them. They both needed time to come to terms with certain things and, while I was so here for that character development, the initial agreement when they got back together didn't work for me.
Even so! This was a great read, as expected, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel!
One thing I love most about her stories is how they're always so sensitive when tackling difficult and heavy subjects. There are so many things left unspoken in the real world and Ryan has such a way to bring them to light in her novels. I loved how depression was addressed here and how much she hit on therapy being something helpful during the healing process.
In regard to the romance bits: I very much enjoyed the relationship progression here, but it was a little too slow at times. I appreciate how complex of a situation Yasmen and Josiah were in with all the unsaid things and the hurt between them. They both needed time to come to terms with certain things and, while I was so here for that character development, the initial agreement when they got back together didn't work for me.
Even so! This was a great read, as expected, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Grief
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was certainly entertaining! The writing was engaging and I very much loved how the novel was structured. I can't say the characters were likable, but the way Amy Tintera developed and explored each of their flaws made for a great read. The mystery plot itself was also wonderful to read about and kept me on my toes the entire time.
Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.5
Another great YA Horror novel from Sambury! I love how she writes family and, specially, sibling dynamics and how complex they always are. The writing here was excellent as always and fully worked to bring up tension and emotion to the story.
The book was mostly told from Sunny's perspective and she was a fascinating character. There was so much going on with her in relation to her family and what she thought they expected her to be/how to act and it was intriguing to read about her journey deconstructing that.
The plot in regard to the murders was also exciting! It kept me on my toes throughout the entire book and had quite a few twists that caught me off guard. Some pretty messed up things happened and to see it all come together was very satisfying. I just found the milk thing to be a little lame lol
The book was mostly told from Sunny's perspective and she was a fascinating character. There was so much going on with her in relation to her family and what she thought they expected her to be/how to act and it was intriguing to read about her journey deconstructing that.
The plot in regard to the murders was also exciting! It kept me on my toes throughout the entire book and had quite a few twists that caught me off guard. Some pretty messed up things happened and to see it all come together was very satisfying. I just found the milk thing to be a little lame lol
Murder Road by Simone St. James
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A fun read! I very much enjoyed all of the tension and the investigative bits. The paranormal element was also very well written and the way the plot progressed and revealed all the twists about that was very intriguing! The romance aspect kept my attention as well and I liked how the relationship between April and Eddie was established. My one issue was with the brain cancer stuff. That was so bad lmao
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
For more dystopian stories like this one! The story here really did capture my attention right from the first chapter. I very much enjoyed how it focused on a small remote indigenous community and he people who lived their lives there. There was so much tension from the situation itself but also from outside elements that I could not! put the book down. I also loved how dreams were used here.
Foxglove by Adalyn Grace
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
Not as charming as the first book, but still a great read! Some of the questions raised in the previous novel were answered in this one and I mostly enjoyed how the world-building developed. I wasn't exactly a fan of the Fate subplot, but the way that ended up being resolved was fantastic! There was a lot of growth from pretty much all characters too.
Some things: I wish we had gotten more about Signa's family. And in a weird way, I wish Death played a bigger role in this book. I think he ended up being sidelined a little bit.
The ending was so satisfying, though, and I cannot wait for the next book! I feel like it's going to be so much fun :D
Some things: I wish we had gotten more about Signa's family. And in a weird way, I wish Death played a bigger role in this book. I think he ended up being sidelined a little bit.
The ending was so satisfying, though, and I cannot wait for the next book! I feel like it's going to be so much fun :D