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rcsreads's reviews
720 reviews
Pride and Prejudice and the City by Rachael Lippincott
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
3.5
I'd come to terms with them calling stays a corset but I got the rage when a man in regency England went to a bakery for some sugar cookies!
Apart from these linguistic crimes, I really enjoyed this. The chapters switch between the two main characters POV and they both had a very distinctive voice, one very YA and one very Austenesque. I think the fact she'd got the tone so right for Lucy made the occasional historical/ location inaccuracies of language more jarring.
The actual romance was adorable and I liked how the two girls had very different experiences of realising they were queer and coming to admit their feelings for each other. I also liked that there were several romance moments that were straight out of Austen, we even get a wet shirt in a lake!
The time travel element is fantasy/magic rather than sci-fi, which is always my preference as you don't have to worry about it making sense. I also like the idea of just messing with the neighbour kids by propelling them through time!
The romance is all very PG, Jane would approve, so suitable for the Janeites and the teens.
Apart from these linguistic crimes, I really enjoyed this. The chapters switch between the two main characters POV and they both had a very distinctive voice, one very YA and one very Austenesque. I think the fact she'd got the tone so right for Lucy made the occasional historical/ location inaccuracies of language more jarring.
The actual romance was adorable and I liked how the two girls had very different experiences of realising they were queer and coming to admit their feelings for each other. I also liked that there were several romance moments that were straight out of Austen, we even get a wet shirt in a lake!
The time travel element is fantasy/magic rather than sci-fi, which is always my preference as you don't have to worry about it making sense. I also like the idea of just messing with the neighbour kids by propelling them through time!
The romance is all very PG, Jane would approve, so suitable for the Janeites and the teens.
Sourcery by Terry Pratchett
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Adventure Time - Sugary Shorts, Volume 1 by Paul Pope, Lucy Knisley
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
3.0
Summer by Ali Smith
challenging
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Gorse by Sam K. Horton
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Gorse is part fairy tale, part murder mystery.
It's set in Cornwall in the 1780's. I initially thought this was a bit late for the old ways versus the church but I did research and discovered that Cornwall was full of heathens and loved an uprising. So well done Cornwall!
In Gorse someone, or something, is murdering people and the local religious types are blaming the Fae and saying they're demons. The local Keepers, Pel and Nancy, (who negotiate between the two worlds and keep both humans and Fae safe) think otherwise. Hijinks ensue (and by hijinks I mean violence)!
There's also a lot of beautiful descriptions of moorland; a very cute dog; and a boat load of toxic masculinity, although thankfully the female characters are having none of it!
The book deals a lot with grief, especially the loss of a child, and how it impacts the lives of everyone differently. Some coping in considerably less healthy ways than others!
I had a lot of fun reading it and now desperately need to read the second book in the series. Thanks very much to Solaris for an advanced copy. Please give me the next one now!
It's set in Cornwall in the 1780's. I initially thought this was a bit late for the old ways versus the church but I did research and discovered that Cornwall was full of heathens and loved an uprising. So well done Cornwall!
In Gorse someone, or something, is murdering people and the local religious types are blaming the Fae and saying they're demons. The local Keepers, Pel and Nancy, (who negotiate between the two worlds and keep both humans and Fae safe) think otherwise. Hijinks ensue (and by hijinks I mean violence)!
There's also a lot of beautiful descriptions of moorland; a very cute dog; and a boat load of toxic masculinity, although thankfully the female characters are having none of it!
The book deals a lot with grief, especially the loss of a child, and how it impacts the lives of everyone differently. Some coping in considerably less healthy ways than others!
I had a lot of fun reading it and now desperately need to read the second book in the series. Thanks very much to Solaris for an advanced copy. Please give me the next one now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Out of the Past: Tales of Haunting History by Aaron Worth
2.0
Probably the worst one of these collections so far
Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0