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980 reviews
Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
4.0
I'm pleasantly surprised!! Normally Christmas inspired stories get a bit too saccharine for my cup of tea but luckily M.A. Kuzniar's enchanting Midnight in Everwood didn't succumb to the usual pitfalls of holiday reads. Inspired by Tchaikovsky's magical Nutcracker ballet, Midnight in Everwood is a spellbinding and also lowkey sinister tale about taking ownership of one's narratives / self-will. It also has a lush and feminist undertone that's redeems this an empowering read.
So let me just say about what makes this an unexpectedly cozy Christmas read. Personally a cozy read isn't the absence of dark / sinister elements (that's cheesy), but it's rather the way the storytelling gives the readers glimpse of hope that warms their heart when after the conflict resolution - the emotional impact to the readers.
Firstly, Kuzniar avoided getting cheesy by ofsetting the sugary backdrop on the worlbuilding and opting to dig deep into the darker side of human psychology. I think Kuzniar is well versed with fairytales: both its light and dark sides. Its darker facets often left in the dark. But what makes Midnight in Everwood worthwhile to read is that it fleshes out the more sinister side of a well known fairytale (which is also adapted as a famous ballet). Fairytales tend to convey an aspect of human nature - The Nutcracker is no exception. I think Kuzniar captured the essence of The Nutcracker very well through her exquisite storytelling.
Another thing that I enjoyed is the element of hope in the book. I think this is well demonstrated from the female characters' resilient characters - particularly Marietta's. The odds that she's been through over the course of the novel and how she finally overcame the difficulties. This is where the heartwarming aspect of the fairytale (the emotion that I associate with Christmas) comes in. And luckily the storytelling saves this from being just another cheesy Christmas story!
While Midnight in Everwood excels in its storytelling and thematic developments, I think since this is a book targeted to older middle-grade / younger YA readers some of the intricacies aren't sketched out in as much detail that I usually look for in a book. For example, the headspace of the villains and the more intricate details about how the palace operates. So if you're accustomed to reading very detailed books / adult fictions, the scope provided here might not fully satisfy you.
A few disclaimers aside, Midnight in Everwood is nevertheless a magical treat. It's Christmassy, atmospheric, and surprisingly hopeful. It's a must read for anyone who loves Christmas, fairytales, and a small dose of something dark and sinister.
N.B. content warnings: emotional abuse, violence, accidents, death, weapons, and blood mention
So let me just say about what makes this an unexpectedly cozy Christmas read. Personally a cozy read isn't the absence of dark / sinister elements (that's cheesy), but it's rather the way the storytelling gives the readers glimpse of hope that warms their heart when after the conflict resolution - the emotional impact to the readers.
Firstly, Kuzniar avoided getting cheesy by ofsetting the sugary backdrop on the worlbuilding and opting to dig deep into the darker side of human psychology. I think Kuzniar is well versed with fairytales: both its light and dark sides. Its darker facets often left in the dark. But what makes Midnight in Everwood worthwhile to read is that it fleshes out the more sinister side of a well known fairytale (which is also adapted as a famous ballet). Fairytales tend to convey an aspect of human nature - The Nutcracker is no exception. I think Kuzniar captured the essence of The Nutcracker very well through her exquisite storytelling.
Another thing that I enjoyed is the element of hope in the book. I think this is well demonstrated from the female characters' resilient characters - particularly Marietta's. The odds that she's been through over the course of the novel and how she finally overcame the difficulties. This is where the heartwarming aspect of the fairytale (the emotion that I associate with Christmas) comes in. And luckily the storytelling saves this from being just another cheesy Christmas story!
While Midnight in Everwood excels in its storytelling and thematic developments, I think since this is a book targeted to older middle-grade / younger YA readers some of the intricacies aren't sketched out in as much detail that I usually look for in a book. For example, the headspace of the villains and the more intricate details about how the palace operates. So if you're accustomed to reading very detailed books / adult fictions, the scope provided here might not fully satisfy you.
A few disclaimers aside, Midnight in Everwood is nevertheless a magical treat. It's Christmassy, atmospheric, and surprisingly hopeful. It's a must read for anyone who loves Christmas, fairytales, and a small dose of something dark and sinister.
N.B. content warnings: emotional abuse, violence, accidents, death, weapons, and blood mention
Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan
3.5
I must admit that I wasn't expecting much with Girls of Fate and Fury, since I wasn't very sold into the second book of this series (it has its own fair share of common YA writing pitfalls). But alas, I'm the cat that curiosity has k-ed and I decided to just give the finale a go.
Without giving away too many things, I enjoyed Girls of Fate and Fury more than I'd thought. First and foremost, I'm pleasantly surprised of the chapters written from Wren's perspective. I thought the inclusion of Wren chapters did help flesh out her character arc, what she's been through, and what she's willingly going to fight for. I also thought Wren's pespective helped flesh out the previously less developed parts of the worldbuilding.
I think this foils well with Lei's chapters. I'm still not completely sold into Lei as a main character, but thankfully Ngan gave me the next best thing: developing the worldbuilding loopholes / the unanswered questions about what goes on in the palace & people there that weren't properly explored in the disappointing sophomore effort. I think by fleshing out the life back in the palace, I've not only learnt about what the other Paper girls had been through.
While the plot build-up isn't optimal (the pacing has always been an issue in the series), I think the ending nevertheless closes the series nicely. To me, reading the ending has some sort of healing touch & some elements of found family that makes the ending feel hopeful.
So while not everything in the writing is excellent, Girls of Fate and Fury still managed to avoid the worst possible slump by straightening up the holes in the worldbuilding & putting more emphasis on the journey of healing.
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: abuse, self-harm, violence, blood mention, emotional blackmail, and death
(3.5 stars out of 5)
Without giving away too many things, I enjoyed Girls of Fate and Fury more than I'd thought. First and foremost, I'm pleasantly surprised of the chapters written from Wren's perspective. I thought the inclusion of Wren chapters did help flesh out her character arc, what she's been through, and what she's willingly going to fight for. I also thought Wren's pespective helped flesh out the previously less developed parts of the worldbuilding.
I think this foils well with Lei's chapters. I'm still not completely sold into Lei as a main character, but thankfully Ngan gave me the next best thing: developing the worldbuilding loopholes / the unanswered questions about what goes on in the palace & people there that weren't properly explored in the disappointing sophomore effort. I think by fleshing out the life back in the palace, I've not only learnt about what the other Paper girls had been through.
While the plot build-up isn't optimal (the pacing has always been an issue in the series), I think the ending nevertheless closes the series nicely. To me, reading the ending has some sort of healing touch & some elements of found family that makes the ending feel hopeful.
So while not everything in the writing is excellent, Girls of Fate and Fury still managed to avoid the worst possible slump by straightening up the holes in the worldbuilding & putting more emphasis on the journey of healing.
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: abuse, self-harm, violence, blood mention, emotional blackmail, and death
(3.5 stars out of 5)
The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
4.5
Aww I love The Bone Shard Emperor!! It's a heartfelt and engaging sequel to the excellent The Bone Shard Daughter that I've read back in 2020. Not only Andrea Stewart defied the notorious sophomore slump, this equally adventure packed and emotionally charged sequel made kept me highly invested in the different perspectives of its intricate East Asian-inspired worldbuilding.
Without giving away too much about what happened in the series (for people who haven't read The Bone Shard Daughter), I think The Bone Shard Emperor is a very solid sequel by its own merits. And it digs further into Lin Sukai's sense of self and her partnerships:
+ Characterisation: I must admit that I enjoyed reading about the side characters more in this book. While I liked the characters back in The Bone Shard Daughter, I felt like the secondary characters are more distinctive voices in the sequel. Personally I'm pleasantly surprised of how much I've enjoyed reading from Jovis' POV this time around!! The way he digs deep to find the hidden secrets of the empire and I also enjoyed his partnership (which is at times intense) with Lin.
But Jovis isn't the only character who has a level up in The Bone Shard Emperor. I also found Phalue, Ranami, and Nisong's perspective intriguing that it paints a more comprehsnsive picture of the worldbuilding. As well as their perception of Lin Sukai.
+ Political intrigue: Thanks to the excellent execution of the third person POV chapters, Stewart not only established a well drawn worldbuilding but also puts some page-turning political intrigue into action. And she accomplished this by exploring the different parts of the empire in great detail!
+ Magical system: While the concept of constructs were introduced in the predecessor, it's in The Bone Shard Emperor where some of the loose ends in the magic system were straightened up. Partially I think it's due to the more plot development in the sequel, the fitting backstories the drive the plot, as well as Lin & Jovis' relationship with their respective pets Thrana and Mephis.
+ Themes: Thematically The Bone Shard Emperor touches my heart through excellent storytelling revolving themes about self-identity, partnership, the notion of power, as well as betrayal. While the story is set in a fictional secondary world, what makes it a worthwhile read is that the emotions that I've felt reading this is very relatable in real life.
And I definitely struggle to name major drawbacks / weaknesses in The Bone Shard Emperor, though here's a disclaimer this book is narrated from many different perspectives and that there are some content warnings to be aware of:
Content warnings: blood mention, death, violence, corpse, natural disasters, and injuries
To sum it up, I'm very impressed. The Bone Shard Emperor is an excellent sequel that captures both my adventurous side as well as my heart. And now I'm very eagerly waiting for its finale which will be coming in 2022:D
(4.5 stars out of 5)
Without giving away too much about what happened in the series (for people who haven't read The Bone Shard Daughter), I think The Bone Shard Emperor is a very solid sequel by its own merits. And it digs further into Lin Sukai's sense of self and her partnerships:
+ Characterisation: I must admit that I enjoyed reading about the side characters more in this book. While I liked the characters back in The Bone Shard Daughter, I felt like the secondary characters are more distinctive voices in the sequel. Personally I'm pleasantly surprised of how much I've enjoyed reading from Jovis' POV this time around!! The way he digs deep to find the hidden secrets of the empire and I also enjoyed his partnership (which is at times intense) with Lin.
But Jovis isn't the only character who has a level up in The Bone Shard Emperor. I also found Phalue, Ranami, and Nisong's perspective intriguing that it paints a more comprehsnsive picture of the worldbuilding. As well as their perception of Lin Sukai.
+ Political intrigue: Thanks to the excellent execution of the third person POV chapters, Stewart not only established a well drawn worldbuilding but also puts some page-turning political intrigue into action. And she accomplished this by exploring the different parts of the empire in great detail!
+ Magical system: While the concept of constructs were introduced in the predecessor, it's in The Bone Shard Emperor where some of the loose ends in the magic system were straightened up. Partially I think it's due to the more plot development in the sequel, the fitting backstories the drive the plot, as well as Lin & Jovis' relationship with their respective pets Thrana and Mephis.
+ Themes: Thematically The Bone Shard Emperor touches my heart through excellent storytelling revolving themes about self-identity, partnership, the notion of power, as well as betrayal. While the story is set in a fictional secondary world, what makes it a worthwhile read is that the emotions that I've felt reading this is very relatable in real life.
And I definitely struggle to name major drawbacks / weaknesses in The Bone Shard Emperor, though here's a disclaimer this book is narrated from many different perspectives and that there are some content warnings to be aware of:
Content warnings: blood mention, death, violence, corpse, natural disasters, and injuries
To sum it up, I'm very impressed. The Bone Shard Emperor is an excellent sequel that captures both my adventurous side as well as my heart. And now I'm very eagerly waiting for its finale which will be coming in 2022:D
(4.5 stars out of 5)
The Confession by Jessie Burton
4.0
There's a well known motto that you should "never judge a book by its cover" - I must admit that the rabbit in the cover artwork partially influenced my decision to read Jessie Burton's The Confession. But Jessie Burton's impressive novel is one rare instance where the artwork nailed the vibes of the book perfectly. This is an emotionally gripping read featuring a cast of compelling characters and prompted readers to ask about deep questions related to self-knowledge: the notion of responsibility, womanhood, and self-expression.
What impressed me the most with The Confession is the characters. I thought the main characters are very well fleshed out (Connie's strong need for authentic self-expression, Elise's own insecurities, and Rose's internal conflicts). Not only they defy the usual pitfalls, but they are also written in a tone that felt very realistic to me: particularly the subtleties of the characters' emotional turmoil. I thought these are all vividly conveyed throughout the book.
Thematically, there's a lot going on in The Confession. But thanks to the superb storytelling from both the characters' point of view and the subplots of Connie's novels within the pages, I was welcomed a lot of thought provoking moments as the revelation slowly unfolds. Plenty of food for thoughts on the notion of responsibility and how one approaches self-expression / self-knowledge in a relationship. In some sense the storytelling felt continuous to me even though this book is written from dual perspective & timeline.
While the actual meat of the book is pretty impressive, I think a possible drawback in the writing is the slower pacing & the multiple perspectives. Personally I think the slow pace and the presence of subplots worked well for The Confession in that it gracefully builds up the defining moments of the novel: something that couldn't be pulled off without unrushed storytelling. Though I can also see why this type of writing style doesn't work for readers who are looking for a quick & simple read.
Another thing that I hope to see more of is what goes inside Connie's novels that were written in the pages of the novel. While I think thematically mentions of Connie's novels enhanced the character arcs, I personally would love to see more of the fictional world that Connie has created (since they sounded intriguing).
A few disclaimers aside, I have discovered a new author to look more into from The Confession. This is an engaging and gracefully written novel about responsibility and self-expression. It also features a strong feminist streak and an emotionally engaging f/f relationship. If you're looking for a character-driven story that excels in feminist themes & storytelling, look not further than this title!
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: alchohol, vomiting, emotional abuse, childbirth, self-harm, and abandonment
What impressed me the most with The Confession is the characters. I thought the main characters are very well fleshed out (Connie's strong need for authentic self-expression, Elise's own insecurities, and Rose's internal conflicts). Not only they defy the usual pitfalls, but they are also written in a tone that felt very realistic to me: particularly the subtleties of the characters' emotional turmoil. I thought these are all vividly conveyed throughout the book.
Thematically, there's a lot going on in The Confession. But thanks to the superb storytelling from both the characters' point of view and the subplots of Connie's novels within the pages, I was welcomed a lot of thought provoking moments as the revelation slowly unfolds. Plenty of food for thoughts on the notion of responsibility and how one approaches self-expression / self-knowledge in a relationship. In some sense the storytelling felt continuous to me even though this book is written from dual perspective & timeline.
While the actual meat of the book is pretty impressive, I think a possible drawback in the writing is the slower pacing & the multiple perspectives. Personally I think the slow pace and the presence of subplots worked well for The Confession in that it gracefully builds up the defining moments of the novel: something that couldn't be pulled off without unrushed storytelling. Though I can also see why this type of writing style doesn't work for readers who are looking for a quick & simple read.
Another thing that I hope to see more of is what goes inside Connie's novels that were written in the pages of the novel. While I think thematically mentions of Connie's novels enhanced the character arcs, I personally would love to see more of the fictional world that Connie has created (since they sounded intriguing).
A few disclaimers aside, I have discovered a new author to look more into from The Confession. This is an engaging and gracefully written novel about responsibility and self-expression. It also features a strong feminist streak and an emotionally engaging f/f relationship. If you're looking for a character-driven story that excels in feminist themes & storytelling, look not further than this title!
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: alchohol, vomiting, emotional abuse, childbirth, self-harm, and abandonment
Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher
3.0
I normally don't read romance heavy books, but I'm intrigued by the mention of books / storytelling in Amelia Unabridged so I last decided to give this a go. I think this is overall an achingly heartbreaking book about processing grief, featuring a main character who loves reading.
Personally my favourite thing about Amelia Unabridged is the subplot where Amelia reads / thinks some defining sections in the Orman Chronicles. I think the storytelling in these subplots are quite well done that not only there's a story within the subplots on their own but also on how the themes in these subplot paralleled what Amelia herself is going through. In other words, Amelia's emotional headspace is well fleshed out and felt believable.
On the flipside, I found the romance between Amelia and the author a bit abrupt and latched on a bit too quickly. Not that the author of Orman Chronicles is less well fleshed out than Amelia, but I think some of the romance heavy chapters could be shortened in favour of streamlining Amelia's character growth as she comes in terms of who she is and how she moves forward amid the grief.
Despite my concerns with the pacing and the romance, I think thematically Amelia Unabridged
explores the complexity and the messy sides of processing grief really well. If you're a book lover, you'll hopefully relate to Amelia herself and her passion in reading to gain self-understanding through relating to the stories within the books that she loves.
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: death, loss of loved ones, and grief
Personally my favourite thing about Amelia Unabridged is the subplot where Amelia reads / thinks some defining sections in the Orman Chronicles. I think the storytelling in these subplots are quite well done that not only there's a story within the subplots on their own but also on how the themes in these subplot paralleled what Amelia herself is going through. In other words, Amelia's emotional headspace is well fleshed out and felt believable.
On the flipside, I found the romance between Amelia and the author a bit abrupt and latched on a bit too quickly. Not that the author of Orman Chronicles is less well fleshed out than Amelia, but I think some of the romance heavy chapters could be shortened in favour of streamlining Amelia's character growth as she comes in terms of who she is and how she moves forward amid the grief.
Despite my concerns with the pacing and the romance, I think thematically Amelia Unabridged
explores the complexity and the messy sides of processing grief really well. If you're a book lover, you'll hopefully relate to Amelia herself and her passion in reading to gain self-understanding through relating to the stories within the books that she loves.
N.B. This book contains following content warnings: death, loss of loved ones, and grief
A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig
3.5
Hello December! Matt Haig's A Boy Called Christmas is my first Christmassy read of this holiday season. This is a heartwarming backstory of Father Christmas. In some ways Haig crafted a relatable and likeable main character who's to become the most well known figure of Christmastime, and I think that's a pretty big thing to pull off well!
I think a heartwarming story is heartwarming not because it only has lighthearted chapters, but because it gives readers hope and something to feel grateful for. Matt Haig avoided the usual traps of lighthearted reads here by exploring the human emotions and the notion of kindness through Nikolas' point of view. This book also has a healthy dose of adventures that keeps more plot focused readers engaged. But what I'm most surprised about is the way Haig crafted a broad range of personalities through his characters: from Nikolas' relatives, the reindeer, to the elves.
While this is overall quite an enjoyable Christmas read to indulge amid a hectic month, I wasn't entirely sold into the pacing of the book. I thought the beginning was a bit sluggish and then all the things happening were jammed in the final 1/3 of the book, so it's hard to gauge the character arcs of the secondary characters.
Aside from the pacing issue, I nevertheless found A Boy Called Christmas a cute and uplifting read for the Christmas season - that it reminds me to treat others with kindness, spread positivity, and be grateful of what I already have.
N.B. This book contains following triggering content: vomiting, abandonment, cannibalism, and physical violence
(3.5 stars out of 5)
I think a heartwarming story is heartwarming not because it only has lighthearted chapters, but because it gives readers hope and something to feel grateful for. Matt Haig avoided the usual traps of lighthearted reads here by exploring the human emotions and the notion of kindness through Nikolas' point of view. This book also has a healthy dose of adventures that keeps more plot focused readers engaged. But what I'm most surprised about is the way Haig crafted a broad range of personalities through his characters: from Nikolas' relatives, the reindeer, to the elves.
While this is overall quite an enjoyable Christmas read to indulge amid a hectic month, I wasn't entirely sold into the pacing of the book. I thought the beginning was a bit sluggish and then all the things happening were jammed in the final 1/3 of the book, so it's hard to gauge the character arcs of the secondary characters.
Aside from the pacing issue, I nevertheless found A Boy Called Christmas a cute and uplifting read for the Christmas season - that it reminds me to treat others with kindness, spread positivity, and be grateful of what I already have.
N.B. This book contains following triggering content: vomiting, abandonment, cannibalism, and physical violence
(3.5 stars out of 5)