Take a photo of a barcode or cover
owlsreads's reviews
3507 reviews
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
A fantastic read! My only complaint is that the beginning was quite confusing in terms of world-building--it took me a few chapters to get situated and understand what was happening and how some aspects of this world work. With that said, everything else was lovely!
The characters were all well developed and Kol's perspective was engaging. The mystery plot was intriguing and very well developed. It kept me on my toes and guessing the entire time which made all of the twists and reveals all the more fun. I'm so curious about what's to come in the series!
The characters were all well developed and Kol's perspective was engaging. The mystery plot was intriguing and very well developed. It kept me on my toes and guessing the entire time which made all of the twists and reveals all the more fun. I'm so curious about what's to come in the series!
The Women by Kristin Hannah
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.25
I do appreciate Kristin Hannah shining a light on women's contribution during the Vietnam War and the struggles they had coming back home. The writing was also very accessible and made this a pretty quick read despite the heavy subject matter. My complaint would be that, with the exception of Frankie, I didn't really find any of the other characters to be well developed. They were mostly there to move Frankie's story along and help her when she needed it.
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
I won't be rating this due to the story being (I'd say heavily) inspired by the R. Kelly case.
The writing was fantastic, as always, but it was still a difficult read. It definitely served to show red flags re abusive and criminal relationships very clearly despite the book being written from the survivor's perspective--someone who didn't necessarily recognize what was happening to her at the time. It was also very accessible, and I hope it teaches young people to know what to look for and what to be careful of in these types of situations/relationships.
The writing was fantastic, as always, but it was still a difficult read. It definitely served to show red flags re abusive and criminal relationships very clearly despite the book being written from the survivor's perspective--someone who didn't necessarily recognize what was happening to her at the time. It was also very accessible, and I hope it teaches young people to know what to look for and what to be careful of in these types of situations/relationships.
Hex of the Witch by Heather G. Harris
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I think my expectations were too high for this one. Amber's perspective was very difficult to get into at the beginning and she frustrated me a little with some of her decisions during the first half. Her relationship with Bastion also didn't capture my attention right away and I'm not sure I enjoy them being near each other just yet.
The plot was a bit too slow in the beginning. Things picked up when the black witch element came into play again and I very much enjoyed how that particular subplot was developed here. We got a few answers about certain things, but also more questions! That left me curious about what's to come. Same thing regarding the potion subplot! I hope that's explored way more from here on out.
The ending was so underwhelming, however? I expected way more from it than what I got and didn't find it a satisfying conclusion in any way whatsoever. I do understand that this is a series, but I wish there was more of a sense of completion here than there was.
The plot was a bit too slow in the beginning. Things picked up when the black witch element came into play again and I very much enjoyed how that particular subplot was developed here. We got a few answers about certain things, but also more questions! That left me curious about what's to come. Same thing regarding the potion subplot! I hope that's explored way more from here on out.
The ending was so underwhelming, however? I expected way more from it than what I got and didn't find it a satisfying conclusion in any way whatsoever. I do understand that this is a series, but I wish there was more of a sense of completion here than there was.
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well! The writing here was fantastic despite all the long paragraphs that sometimes led to nothing. The fast pace and distinct perspectives for Olga and Prieto made this such a quick and engaging read that I managed to finish this in one sitting.
With that said, I didn't particularly like this story? The plot didn't capture my attention and I wasn't a fan of how certain points were developed. I also wouldn't exactly say the characters here were likeable by any means. The ending was a bit abrupt too, so it would be fair to say this was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
I will definitely keep an eye out for González's future works, however, since the writing here really was amazing.
With that said, I didn't particularly like this story? The plot didn't capture my attention and I wasn't a fan of how certain points were developed. I also wouldn't exactly say the characters here were likeable by any means. The ending was a bit abrupt too, so it would be fair to say this was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
I will definitely keep an eye out for González's future works, however, since the writing here really was amazing.
More Than You'll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This one really didn’t work for me.
I was super excited about the premise and enjoyed the writing, but the split narrative quickly killed things for me. I was personally disappointed that Gutierrez chose to go in that direction and reveal most of the mystery through a first person perspective instead of having Cassie discover it all in some other way. This meant I was aware of some twists before Cassie got a chance to figure them all and that took all the suspense out of the story.
Another thing I didn’t enjoy were the characters in general. Everyone was a terrible person for different reasons and some of their behaviors were excused and/or forgiven in narrative because someone felt sorry for someone else. That was very much not for me.
I was super excited about the premise and enjoyed the writing, but the split narrative quickly killed things for me. I was personally disappointed that Gutierrez chose to go in that direction and reveal most of the mystery through a first person perspective instead of having Cassie discover it all in some other way. This meant I was aware of some twists before Cassie got a chance to figure them all and that took all the suspense out of the story.
Another thing I didn’t enjoy were the characters in general. Everyone was a terrible person for different reasons and some of their behaviors were excused and/or forgiven in narrative because someone felt sorry for someone else. That was very much not for me.
Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I think I had a case of mismatched expectations with this one. I thought it'd be more of a mystery plot instead of a historical one, but I still very much enjoyed the writing style--it was very accessible and the fast pace kept me engaged the entire time.
The sibling relationship between Vera and Marigold was very well written. Their distinct perspectives and personalities served as a great contrast here and added depth to the story. They were both very different people who went through their own tough situations, but found support in each other.
I did expect more when it came to the resolution and conclusion of the novel, though. It felt a little bit rushed considering the build up we had in the previous chapters, but I liked that the sisters each had a satisfying ending to their story.
The sibling relationship between Vera and Marigold was very well written. Their distinct perspectives and personalities served as a great contrast here and added depth to the story. They were both very different people who went through their own tough situations, but found support in each other.
I did expect more when it came to the resolution and conclusion of the novel, though. It felt a little bit rushed considering the build up we had in the previous chapters, but I liked that the sisters each had a satisfying ending to their story.
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
A beautiful and heartbreaking read. I cry so hard at the last few chapters that I gave myself a headache.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and War
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
The Will of the Many by James Islington
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
A pretty intriguing read all around. It went some places I didn't expect and the world-building in general was complex and well developed. Vis' perspective was also engaging throughout, especially as certain things were revealed, and the way the Academy setting was explored didn't make things boring. I did expect a tiny bit more from the ending, however, but I liked the final twists and what they mean for the future of the series.
The Prince's Poisoned Vow by Hailey Turner
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.
DNF @ 55%
There are too many POVs and some of them have proven to be entirely unnecessary so far. The plot doesn't move forward as it should and the pace is really slow most of the time. That's "fixed" by time jumps that block any sort of interesting character development. I usually love Turner's writing, but this really didn't work for me in any way.
There are too many POVs and some of them have proven to be entirely unnecessary so far. The plot doesn't move forward as it should and the pace is really slow most of the time. That's "fixed" by time jumps that block any sort of interesting character development. I usually love Turner's writing, but this really didn't work for me in any way.