stories_of_the_soul27's reviews
265 reviews

Heartbreak Boys by Simon James Green

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funny lighthearted relaxing 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

5.0

OMG THIS BOOK WAS SO EXTRA! And I LOVED it precisely for this reason! It was SO GAY AND FUNNY AND COLOURFUL!!!!!! It was extra grumpy x extra sunshine combo!!!!!!!! 
Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What I loved about this comic: 
  1. Batman’s vulnerability that was shown, his pain and fear regarding his parents’ death that we get to see when he inhaled the scarecrow. Also the depiction through art of how Bruce Wayne sees his mother and father. 
  2. The two other heroes of Gotham: Gordon and Dent. The story of how their fight for justice seeped into their families too. Tragic and heartbreaking. In Year One, the version we see of Gordon is being carried in Long Halloween too and there’s not enough respect in this world with which we can shower on this man. Harvey Dent’s story has always give me pain. Someone who gave his all against crime did not deserve this ending. He did not deserve to be the villain. 
  3. Catwoman: I love her. She is very integral to all Batman’s stories and we should never forget that. 
  4. The rooftop scene when Batman, Gordon and Dent made the promise to fight for Gotham. Batman’s trust in Dent and calling him a friend. 
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

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adventurous dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

Honestly I was expecting something epic from the finale but it felt flat!
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

If a book can be described as delicious or scrumptious, then yes this book was exactly like that for me. The writing of this book felt like a hot chocolate melting in my mouth. 
Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-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

5.0

My oh my! Another favourite book added to my list!!!! It really gave me ‘Sex Education’ vibes which was so fun to read. I loved Darcy. Seeing her give advices and having the perception of where she is wrong and how she can do better, her whole character development throughout the story was satisfying to read. The various topics Gonzales wanted to explore were done beautifully. The love triangle in this book is the only one where I’d have loved any of the pair being the endgame. I also loved every character in this story. The friendships, the queer group, the sisterly love and the parenting—— so so many moments in the touched my heart. 

Also it’s every bit a teen book and that’s what I loved the most about it. That is the age we make mistakes and how to choose to address them is what shapes us for the future. I love Queer teen stories and this was done justly and rightly! 
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

5.0

What is with Olivia Blake and her ability to write a story that starts vaguely and then things just start to happen and it just spirals and spirals and eventually so many things are happening and eventually your blood is rushing and you might just combust because of the story and the characters (who before seemed like nuisances to you but now that you slowly come to know what makes their heart beat, you are ready to give your life for them) and this just goes on. Her writing style is so vivacious and amazingly so beautiful and funny. The best thing Blake does is how she weaves her story. The suspense buildup is mind bogglingly infuriating and then she starts to untangle bits and pieces here and there and slowly it dawns on you what is happening and by that time, the story has engulfed you totally and you’re far far gone and nothing can save you. You end up dreading the last pages. You don’t want it to end. By the love of the God and every things holy, you don’t want to get out from this web spun by Olivia Blake. 

About this particular book : Masters of Death, I don’t know what to say. Believe me when I say that you don’t want anything to give you the story away because getting to know the story on your own is the best thing about this book. Fall in love with this book slowly and take your time. You will have the time of your life. 

On a bleak wintry day this book provided me warmth. On a stormy wintry night, this book provided me comfort and company. On a sunny wintry day, this book elevated my spirits. (And yes the weather changed this drastically in a span of just 3 days where I was staying during this time period) 
Gotham Central, Book Four: Corrigan by Stefano Gaudiano, Steve Lieber, Kano, Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

A series of books that has brought me equal parts of joy and pain!!!!! AND WHAT IS WITH THE ENDING????? SERIOUSLY WHY WOULD YOU END THIS MASTERPIECE LIKE THAT?! Pay for my therapy!!!
Gotham Central, Book Three: On the Freak Beat by Stefano Gaudiano, Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark, Greg Rucka

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

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emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

5.0

Was this a romance book? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. What is the definition of a romance book anyway? Is it just about whirlwind romance that it feels like someone opened a cage of butterflies in your heart and you feel yourself being lifted away in your happy balloon? Or it is about the pit drop feeling you get in your stomach whenever you see your favourite person? Or is it about two people coming together to understand each other, finding the cracks in your heart and slowly filling them up? Book Lovers was about all those things. I am amazed with every Emily Henry book I read. How slowly and gradually she makes me fall in love with her characters, that at the end I am ready to hide bodies for them. It’s amazing how she thinks about tropes and plays with them. Nora Stephens is the best girl in romcoms till now for me. I could see so much of me in her that I wanted to come up for air every-time I read about her fears in the book. It was maddening but still I loved every second of it. 
How amazing it was seeing Nora and Charlie being there for each other during the bad stuffs and just praising and lifting each other up. All the parts of yourself that you thought weren’t loveable are loved inch by inch by your favourite person! How amazing is that? In good times and in bad times, to hold each other’s and just be there! That’s love right there! 

I loved this book solely because of the characters arc. It was about how two people  who at the age of thirty-two have learnt to let go of the burden of growing up too early, of not getting to be just kids and being carefree, who have fiercely protected their loved ones for so long that it became the only way they knew how to live their life. It was about two ‘cut-throat, organised and always keeping a checklist’ kind of people finally getting their own love story. 
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This book surprised me a lot. I really really enjoyed the antics of these group of kids and the atmosphere wasn’t exactly horror but it was nicely built. I feel these characters have a lot of backstory to explore and I am here for it. The issues of abandonment and kids being on the frontline in this story sets a grim setting. It’s middle grade but an adult like me needs this kind of stories now and then.