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weathersreadsgarbage's reviews
240 reviews
The Silken Rose by Carol McGrath
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
You know the sort of historical fiction that’s really long and you can tell the author is a historian at heart that keeps going “oh but let me tell you about this textile!” at parties while everyone else is desperately looking for an exit? This is one of those.
And don’t get me wrong I love those. I too care about the textiles. I want to dwell on the foods and beliefs and all of that because I’m insufferable. This book satisfied me in that sense but it was unfortunately very meandering. The story would often come to almost a complete stop and frankly nothing ever happened. There’s no drama in an era that was frankly rife with it. The author wants to talk about she wolves but like… that’s never really a thing that’s focused on in the books?
I also found the addition of the embroidery artist to make the story drag even more. I just didn’t care about her. Everyone was Teflon covered.
And don’t get me wrong I love those. I too care about the textiles. I want to dwell on the foods and beliefs and all of that because I’m insufferable. This book satisfied me in that sense but it was unfortunately very meandering. The story would often come to almost a complete stop and frankly nothing ever happened. There’s no drama in an era that was frankly rife with it. The author wants to talk about she wolves but like… that’s never really a thing that’s focused on in the books?
I also found the addition of the embroidery artist to make the story drag even more. I just didn’t care about her. Everyone was Teflon covered.
The Maid by Kimberly Cutter
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Another one of those historical fictions that feels wrapped in gauze. It’s told in very short vignettes with periodic breaks for first person narratives and all different tenses. It’s a hard style to do well but the author manages it reasonably well here - even manages to handle sexual assault more tastefully than you’d expect. But because of the style it was hard to get into. I was more invested in the way the author compared Joan’s love for god as untested like a newlywed and how that changed over time. I don’t know, something about it was intriguing.
I did come away with a newfound appreciation for Joan of Arc. So many stories in history are so unlikely and hers is one of them.
I did come away with a newfound appreciation for Joan of Arc. So many stories in history are so unlikely and hers is one of them.
Nest of Ashes by G. Lawrence
I’m not by any means someone who dislikes info dumps but at times I felt like all I was doing was reading info dumps and not getting a story. Very limited dialogue and not a lot of action. First person POV feels less like a stylistic choice and more like a crutch in this case and as a reader I don’t want to feel that way.
It’s not bad and I’ll continue on, but I’m hoping to spend less time in Jane’s meandering and more time in the action when the real shit starts.
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
So before I get into any complaints I want to touch upon some things that I liked or at least thought were neat:
- The author clearly loves the era and has done their research. You can tell from the little details but it’s even more pronounced in the author’s note where they go on to explain where they took liberties and why.
- Jane is sort of the most boring wife but the portrayal here is certainly more compelling so far. There’s more to her than being a meek boring blip in the historical record but it doesn’t go full Philippa Gregory. There’s clearly thought and care put into Jane’s motives which I can appreciate.
I’m not by any means someone who dislikes info dumps but at times I felt like all I was doing was reading info dumps and not getting a story. Very limited dialogue and not a lot of action. First person POV feels less like a stylistic choice and more like a crutch in this case and as a reader I don’t want to feel that way.
It’s not bad and I’ll continue on, but I’m hoping to spend less time in Jane’s meandering and more time in the action when the real shit starts.
Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story by Anne Rice
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
My toxic trait is I enjoyed this more than the original. Probably because Louis and his whining about good and evil gets really old really fast. Claudia on the other hand is a tragic antiheroine if there’s such a thing.
I don’t think you’re really getting anything new here though so it’s probably more of a novelty than anything else, you know? If you read the novel you know ever beat of this and Claudia in her own words adds little to nothing to it. The artwork is very pretty at times though.
I don’t think you’re really getting anything new here though so it’s probably more of a novelty than anything else, you know? If you read the novel you know ever beat of this and Claudia in her own words adds little to nothing to it. The artwork is very pretty at times though.
Dark Soul Vol. 2 by Aleksandr Voinov
dark
fast-paced
3.5
I really enjoyed exploring Silvio’s feelings here even if Batista gives me the big icks. I can definitely see the bond there and I’m dying to know just how that’s going to come back to bite everyone in the ass.
Also weird to have a very consensual bj and cuddle after everything. These characters are a lot.
Also weird to have a very consensual bj and cuddle after everything. These characters are a lot.
Dark Soul Vol. 1 by Aleksandr Voinov
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I don’t really know what to say about the start of this series beyond oh, okay then. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the characters but I’m enjoying the world building of this book much more than the other one I read from this author previously. The crime families feel absolutely ghastly in a way that many romances gloss over.
One Step Too Close by K.A. Merikan
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’ve been waiting for this one since reading Swamp Blood last year and it doesn’t disappoint. Jed is kind of an annoying character in the sense that he’s stupid as fuck, but you can generally emphasize with him even in his lows and Ryder is a perfect compliment to his recklessness. It’s fun to see a branch of the Nails that’s less progressive than the Detroit chapter and way less successful than the California one. Really gives them an interesting energy.
True Crime by Samantha Kolesnik
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I didn’t find this as shocking or disturbing as people hyped it up to be, but I’m not taking marks off for that. I’m hard to shock and harder to disturb. It’s not the author’s fault.
What I’m impressed by is the fact that this is written in a way that shows that the author is intelligent and purposeful in what she’s writing. So often these “disturbing” books are written by men with one hand on the keyboard and one hand furiously jerking off. It shows. The shocking bits are put in cheaply to up the ante and there’s no emotion.
In True Crime though we have cause and effect. There’s elements that will make you uncomfortable, but they’re placed thoughtfully. The sexual violence isn’t written as cheap erotica for some stupid fucking man to get his kicks. The lasting effects of sexual abuse are very really here. Suzy feels very real. There’s a film between Suzy and the rest of the world that will resonate if you grew up with severe childhood trauma.
While I was left wishing Suzy had made different choices and also wanting another hundred pages or so I think that’s kind of a good thing in a novella. This moved quickly enough to make me feel something but never overstayed it’s welcome.
What I’m impressed by is the fact that this is written in a way that shows that the author is intelligent and purposeful in what she’s writing. So often these “disturbing” books are written by men with one hand on the keyboard and one hand furiously jerking off. It shows. The shocking bits are put in cheaply to up the ante and there’s no emotion.
In True Crime though we have cause and effect. There’s elements that will make you uncomfortable, but they’re placed thoughtfully. The sexual violence isn’t written as cheap erotica for some stupid fucking man to get his kicks. The lasting effects of sexual abuse are very really here. Suzy feels very real. There’s a film between Suzy and the rest of the world that will resonate if you grew up with severe childhood trauma.
While I was left wishing Suzy had made different choices and also wanting another hundred pages or so I think that’s kind of a good thing in a novella. This moved quickly enough to make me feel something but never overstayed it’s welcome.
The Venue by T.J. Payne
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It’s easy to make comparisons to Hostel or Battle Royale here, but I think it’s still a solidly unique little story that’s well paced and fun. I’m impressed by this author’s ability to toe the line of making it gory enough but not going into extreme horror. I also found the ending fun - I vehemently don’t want a sequel but I like the opening of having my own what ifs about the whole situation.
I also love how Caleb is portrayed. We’ve all known a guy just like him and woo boy is he an absolutely repulsive fuck.
I also love how Caleb is portrayed. We’ve all known a guy just like him and woo boy is he an absolutely repulsive fuck.
The Tea Dragon Tapestry by K. O'Neill
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I feel like I was always going to be left wanting more with this series but I think this was a satisfying ending. As always the art was absolutely beautiful and I love how it tied the first two books together.
Also the talk about grief and loving people who are sad was really… just so well done.
Also the talk about grief and loving people who are sad was really… just so well done.