torts's reviews
1699 reviews

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

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  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

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adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Hunger Games (with a more satisfying love triangle) meets Ender's Game (with a more unexpected twist).
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Magical-coming-of-age adventures in a world that is a little more like Percy Jackson's than Harry Potter's. (As in, the currency and system of magic are a little less haphazard, there is acknowledgment of religion and of the kids actually going to school to learn math/literature/non-magic-things, plot armor doesn't seem as thick, racial backgrounds are not reduced to stereotypes, and there's a connection between magic and dyslexia.) Yetide Badaki's narration is excellent, but there were definitely a few places where I had to rewind to figure out how the plot had gotten to a climactic point because I'd kind of just been listening to the soothing rhythms of her voice instead of actually following along.
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

I probably could've used some context before checking this out, so can't blame it for my confusion...
The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab

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

3.75

Inferior by Angela Saini

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informative slow-paced

3.5

Not bad... it was kind of frustrating that there was such a careful inclusion of intersex people but zero acknowledgement of the existence of trans people (which I thought would have at least been an interesting complication in the discussions of studies done on gendered brain and hormone differences).
Dearly by Margaret Atwood

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dark reflective sad slow-paced

2.5

She sounds so weary reading her own poems. Which I guess meshes with the overarching themes of the poems... not my jam, though.