tas_takes_down_the_man's reviews
146 reviews

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

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adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.5

Really sweet book to round off the year. TJ Kline knows how to write characters that grow with the story. The initial interaction with the character is frustrating and annoying but you slowing start to fall in love with the main character as he grows. 
The Deep by Rivers Solomon

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

4.0

Beautifully poetic and I loved the afterword story. The purpose of broken telephone is to change the story, not preserve it. Fascinating. 
Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong

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

2.0

The story was good but I just wasn’t in it. I wasn’t invested in the characters and was just battling to finish it. It may have just been that I wasn’t in the right headspace for it. 
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious relaxing 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

5.0

The screams I scrumt! The gasps I gaped! Wow, what a ride and so worth the wait. Rebecca Yarros is the queen of twisting a tale. I think I have to change the name of my own novel now because of that bitch of a dragon Solas. Wowza! I reacted out loud so many times. Also this book makes me think that I cannot listen to smut in public. 
Primal Animals by Julia Lynn Rubin

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adventurous 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? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Not a bad thriller but there were a few inconsistencies I couldn’t get over. Still a good read. 
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.
Just took too long to get to the point and the stakes were constantly high so there was no moment to assess what had just happened. 
Murtagh by Christopher Paolini

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

It’s good to be back in Alaegesia but I think this book needs to be reread a few times to fully catch every detail. I loved the insight into Thorn and Murtagh’s past with Galbatorix. Felt so bad for Thorn and his struggles with tight spaces. 
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 64%.
It got real racist real fast. Typical. 
This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

I devoured this so quickly and I loved every second. It’s a refreshing take on the typical zombie fiction and I loved the lore that the author set up. My favourite part was the time jumps/flashbacks at the beginning of the chapters. It was like a breadcrumb of knowledge that slowly developed the story and built context. Would recommend again. 
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

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adventurous 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

4.5

Incredibly moving story with such compelling characters. My only issue is that it was so short. Could have listened to another 10 hours of this book. I also find it strange that a male voice is reading the story as Jam is trans but I get why it’s that way. Pet would have been less effective in a different voice.