tas_takes_down_the_man's reviews
146 reviews

A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

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adventurous dark emotional reflective tense 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

4.0

I think I’ve found a new author to binge. Malinda Lo makes beautiful stories come alive and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this, even if I was annoyed by the MC’s decisions sometimes. 
Loved the little nod back to Last Night at the Telegraph Club. 
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

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

3.0

So much unexpected gay sex. 

This book took so long to get anything done. Could have been half the length and still would have been the same story. 

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Annihilation meets Lord of the Flies. I was so invested in the story but I just don’t like the love interest character and I couldn’t really follow the last quarter of the story. 
Great concept though. 
So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book is what would happen if you wrote a book based on a D&D campaign. It’s not bad and quite funny in places but somewhat contrived. 
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

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challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

I enjoyed the story and the characters were so compelling. I find it funny that I read 2 books, one after the other, that are both set in the 1950’s. 
Liked the Asian representation and Emily Woo Zeller was the perfect reader for this story. 
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What a pageturner! I was taken aback by Eleanor’s harshness and it was a little annoying in the beginning, but I slowly started to warm up to her.
I DNF’ed this book 2 years ago but I’m glad I did because the audiobook really brought the characters to life. 
This book also motivated me to look into therapy so take that as you will.  
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

Wish I could give it 10 stars! One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. 
It gave me the same feeling that watching the Barbie movie did. I just am so in awe of women and so grateful to be one. 
Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

One of the more beautiful books I’ve read in awhile. Loved the characters and the world in which they exist. 
Loved the line - “girls who played with matches around my paper heart”. Really stuck with me and was painfully relatable. 
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

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challenging dark mysterious sad slow-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

4.0

Incredible story but the reader’s voice was a bit distracting. Kind of felt like Mary Poppins was reading to me. 

The writing was smart because I kept wanting to read the next chapter even though the story took a long time. 
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

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

3.5

Beautifully poetic but so damn depressing. I don’t know what I was expecting but it’s like a combo of Free Willy and Annihilation, which is a strange mixture. Didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it.