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triciab04's reviews
919 reviews
A Curse of Queens by Amanda Bouchet
adventurous
slow-paced
2.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the previous Kingmaker Chronicles novels so naturally I was pretty excited to see the series continuing with A Curse of Queens! While I am grateful for the continuation of the story as a whole in this expansive alluring world, I only wish Jocasta's time in the limelight would have been more engaging. It was a painfully slow read until the last 25% in my opinion. So much so that by the time interesting things really started happening I just wanted it to be over. The last bit of the book was honestly terrific though and held a lot of potential for interesting storylines to come. I'd definitely like to give the next book a shot but I can only hope it will not drag as long as this one did or my interest for the series might just die off.
Even the Romance element to this one felt off to me. I didn’t FEEL the chemistry between Flynn and Jocasta as much as I did in previous books which is really saying something considering this is the only one where intimate things happen between them. I love a good will-they-or-won't-they slow burn, but this felt inevitable and torturously drawn out. I didn't feel the feels, I was just told they are there...so when it finally happens I was past truly having any investment in it.
I think I missed the consistent excitement of Cat and Griffin immensely in this installment, whether it be in battle or romance. Maybe a Carver and Bellanca book next might turn up the heat and quicken the pace. I'd be game for that.
I received an ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Even the Romance element to this one felt off to me. I didn’t FEEL the chemistry between Flynn and Jocasta as much as I did in previous books which is really saying something considering this is the only one where intimate things happen between them. I love a good will-they-or-won't-they slow burn, but this felt inevitable and torturously drawn out. I didn't feel the feels, I was just told they are there...so when it finally happens I was past truly having any investment in it.
I think I missed the consistent excitement of Cat and Griffin immensely in this installment, whether it be in battle or romance. Maybe a Carver and Bellanca book next might turn up the heat and quicken the pace. I'd be game for that.
I received an ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews
adventurous
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
4.0
A great wrap up for Catalina! I was glad to see some resolution for Alessandro and his past as well, that was definitely a side perk. I can't be the only one hoping for not only Arabella's stories but also Leon and let's be honest I could go for the entire family, which totally includes the friends that are basically family. If House Andrews writes it, I will come.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
It pains me to rate this book so low but it was not quite what I was expecting. I really looked forward to an adult novel from Young. I've read and enjoyed a lot of her YA in the past and for awhile now my reading focus has shifted to adult only so I was excited to see an author I enjoy come out with something in that vein. Unfortunately, Spells for Forgetting still felt very YA to me. It didn't help that half the story was flashbacks to younger years and those ended up being the parts that were most interesting with more goings-on. When you were thrown into the present again it was still completely ruled by the past and so much time was spent trying to figure out the past that there really wasn't much action on the flip side until the end.
The main characters were hard for me to believe being in their 30s, they continued feeling much younger throughout. Also, I never really connected with them. They felt rather flat, but I do think that the intention was that they were stagnant due to things that happened long ago. I just wish there was a little more to them than that so I had SOMETHING there to hold onto.
One thing that came through was the atmosphere, which Young typically shines at. I loved the idea of the island, this living breathing thing all its own. I only wish she would have leaned harder into the magical elements of it. In some ways we were told more about the magic of it rather than being shown and that always dilutes the magic of it. There were definitely some cool ideas in here but ultimately I was left wanting on each front.
I received an ARC of this book from Random House via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
The main characters were hard for me to believe being in their 30s, they continued feeling much younger throughout. Also, I never really connected with them. They felt rather flat, but I do think that the intention was that they were stagnant due to things that happened long ago. I just wish there was a little more to them than that so I had SOMETHING there to hold onto.
One thing that came through was the atmosphere, which Young typically shines at. I loved the idea of the island, this living breathing thing all its own. I only wish she would have leaned harder into the magical elements of it. In some ways we were told more about the magic of it rather than being shown and that always dilutes the magic of it. There were definitely some cool ideas in here but ultimately I was left wanting on each front.
I received an ARC of this book from Random House via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Glow by Raven Kennedy
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Upgrade by Blake Crouch
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Gleam by Raven Kennedy
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Glint by Raven Kennedy
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm happy to report I enjoyed this sequel a great deal more than the first book. Auren uncaged started to grow as a person and I'm thrilled about that. The best part though was how much the world in general opened up. The new characters we meet are a vast improvement to Midas and basically his entire court. I'm really excited to see what the next book brings.