I stopped and started and almost put down this novel many, many times. By the second half, I was hate-reading it—or so I told myself. Maybe I was just reading it for the dragons. I like dragons. The audible narration saved me, because reading this novel in its physical form was an exercise in dispassion. … Continue reading Book Review | The Priory of the Orange Tree
Book Review | An Ember in the Ashes
Butterflies and big, dumb boys. Enemies to lovers and moral greyness for days. I bought into every character and conceit. I cringed and I cried. I’ve been on a serious YA binge this year, but An Ember in The Ashes still felt like a palate cleanser. The cheesiness is the delicious kind, trickling through the story like some kind of delicious cheese fountain.
Book Review | A Little Life
A Little Life is painful, beautiful, and long. It’s the satisfying, engrossing kind of long, the kind where your mind tricks you into believing these people are real, that their lives are really happening, that you can really see their thoughts and their apartments and their laughter and their failure. This phenomenon is my favorite … Continue reading Book Review | A Little Life
Throne of Glass: Series Review
Coming to Throne of Glass from A Court of Thorns and Roses? Familiar with Sarah J. Maas and looking for takes comparing the two, or just takes thinking critically about SJM in general? Looking to commiserate after reading the most recent 700 page SJM book? Even if you're coming to SJM for the first time, … Continue reading Throne of Glass: Series Review
Book Review | Ruin and Rising (Book #3, Shadow and Bone Trilogy)
Author: Leigh Bardugo Genre: YA, Romance, Fiction Link to Goodreads: link ★★ The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne. Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army. Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit … Continue reading Book Review | Ruin and Rising (Book #3, Shadow and Bone Trilogy)
Book Review | The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Men who hate women—but from a male perspective. At once boring and sensationalist, Larsson has crafted a complicated mystery-thriller that ambitiously takes on the entire spectrum of problematic male gaze. Also: fun, idealistic financial robin-hood-ery.
Book Review | Siege and Storm (Book #2, Shadow and Bone Trilogy)
The sequel to Shadow and Bone (which I reviewed here). The second in the Grishaverse trilogy. Soon to hit your Netflix screens, Siege and Storm introduces Bardugo's best character ever. I still wouldn't call it great YA. Is its awkward tone the result of a fundamental writing mistake? Author: Leigh Bardugo Genre: YA, Romance, Fiction Link … Continue reading Book Review | Siege and Storm (Book #2, Shadow and Bone Trilogy)
Book Review | The Song of Achilles
The love story in this exquisite book is like a (tragic) symphony. But simply isn't enough space for understanding Achilles' motivations where they don't concern Patroclus.
Book Review | Shadow and Bone (Book #1 in Trilogy)
In the very first Grishaverse book, an intriguing magic system falls flat in the face of uninspired plot and consistently bland choices. Stay tuned, though—literally all the other Grishaverse books are better. The curse of the first book, maybe? (I'm looking at you, Sarah J. Maas.) Author: Leigh Bardugo Genre: YA, Romance, Fiction Link to … Continue reading Book Review | Shadow and Bone (Book #1 in Trilogy)
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