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alouette's reviews
258 reviews
Folklords by Matt Kindt
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
pretty fun, and i liked the cliffhanger. but the plot was hard to follow- i understand it's a mystery, but the narrator bits seemed unnecessary and it's like the authors didn't quite know what they wanted the book to be yet.
Anthem by Ayn Rand
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
one star for holding my attention
negative stars for the laughably extremist, hyperbolic strawman that rand has built for all her arguments
negative stars for the laughably extremist, hyperbolic strawman that rand has built for all her arguments
The Haunting of Vancouver Island: Supernatural Encounters with the Other Side by Shanon Sinn
adventurous
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
3.5
interesting and fun, but a little bit boring too. i enjoyed the chapters where Sinn talked about his own experiences and conversations much more than those where he just quoted other authors again and again.
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
first read years ago, and still as fun as ever when you go into it without thinking critically. adore this plot :) no matter how much i know of the twists, they always make me grin
Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality by Bob Joseph, Cynthia F. Joseph
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
as a student who has no interest in the field of business, i am obviously not he target audience for this novel. nonetheless, i found some of the tips to be useful, even if some aspects were confusing to me as they concerned an unfamiliar field of study. much thought was put into this book, and of course the authors have all my respect.
Iron Heart by Nina Varela
magnificent. beautiful. awe-inspiring. everything i could have hoped for in a sequel to the gorgeous story that was crier's war. varela's graceful prose tells the story of crier, ayla, and all of zulla with so much emotion, not to mention with a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. i'm in love with the worldbuilding, the pacing, the characters, and the fact that so many queer characters and characters of colour exist in this story not for their identity to be used as a plot device, but just for the sake of existing. of bringing an already beautiful novel to new heights in every interaction, in every time i saw myself and my thoughts or feelings reflected on a page. and that climax and ending? could not have asked for more. made me very soft and happy. :)
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I could stand anywhere in this world and I swear my line of sight would end on you. I swear I'd find you in the dark.
magnificent. beautiful. awe-inspiring. everything i could have hoped for in a sequel to the gorgeous story that was crier's war. varela's graceful prose tells the story of crier, ayla, and all of zulla with so much emotion, not to mention with a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. i'm in love with the worldbuilding, the pacing, the characters, and the fact that so many queer characters and characters of colour exist in this story not for their identity to be used as a plot device, but just for the sake of existing. of bringing an already beautiful novel to new heights in every interaction, in every time i saw myself and my thoughts or feelings reflected on a page. and that climax and ending? could not have asked for more. made me very soft and happy. :)
The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sometimes love is a gay poly trio solving a mystery and fighting monsters, and i just think that's neat
seriously though, this action-packed urban fantasy surprised me in the best way. the dialogue, relationships, and fight sequences were stunning, i loved those aspects so, so much. while the first chapter did have me stumbling a bit, i like that you didn't have to understand the Atlantean society's structure to enjoy the book, and the magic itself was easy to grasp and lots of fun. the world was fascinating, and the author masterfully balanced humour with the dark story and violence. dark content which is not just for shock or anything but adds to the story and characters. my hope for the sequel is more characters of colour and female or gnc characters!
seriously though, this action-packed urban fantasy surprised me in the best way. the dialogue, relationships, and fight sequences were stunning, i loved those aspects so, so much. while the first chapter did have me stumbling a bit, i like that you didn't have to understand the Atlantean society's structure to enjoy the book, and the magic itself was easy to grasp and lots of fun. the world was fascinating, and the author masterfully balanced humour with the dark story and violence. dark content which is not just for shock or anything but adds to the story and characters. my hope for the sequel is more characters of colour and female or gnc characters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Homophobia
The Assassin's Curse by Kevin Sands
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
when they walk you through the code breaking process >>>>>>>
as brilliant as the previous installments! i love this series so much. it hits all the right beats at all the right times- the humour, the emotion, the thrilling mystery, it's all there once more. so multi-faceted and amazing.
"wait... you're not actually going to burn me, are you?"
"of course i'm not going to burn you. why would you even ask me that?"
"don't sound so insulted. not like it hasn't happened before."
"that was once."
"it was twice."
"it was not tw- oh... right. be fair though, i didn't really set you on fire. just your breeches."
"do you know what's underneath my breeches?"
"unfortunately."
"then you know i don't want it burned! i'm tired of this stupid country, it's always aiming at my crotch."
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
a lovely story that would fit right in with the beloved classic fairytales. and as with those, it has its problems.
pros:
- the characters! each of the main four was interesting and unique, and of course i loved ben and hazel's relationship and development.
- the pacing! the mystery wasn't too confusing, and the big events were nicely broken up by conversations, flashbacks, or reflections.
- the magic! even if the rules of tourists versus locals and the idea of no one believing the tales despite seeing the glass coffin (among other things) were rather arbitrary, at least they were simple and the Folk themselves were fascinating
cons:
- plot holes...like why were night-Hazel's methods so convoluted? how did Ben know to look for that one Ainsel story in the book and why did Hazel not mark that page too? why did Sorrow go to the school if she was hunting Severin? if Hazel drank fairy wine i thought normal food is forever ruined, but then that is forgotten? there's probably more that are inconsequential, but still frustrating.
- loose ends... i don't mind some ambiguity but after the way ben and hazel's parents treated them, after the way the rest of the town treated Jack, i feel like there should've been more resolutions or conversations to end it out.
- predictable/anti-climactic. like i said, the mystery not being too confusing was nice, but the stakes never felt as high as they should've for me, even during the climax. i've seen some other reviews that suggest that maybe this has to do with the writing style- i'm not sure. i wouldn't say i was bored, but the emotional investment was lacking at times.
- no consistency to POV switches. this is a small one but i was really hoping for more of Ben and Jack's POVs once one scene was given in each, so it was disappointing that we didn't get more insight into them especially at the end.
pros:
- the characters! each of the main four was interesting and unique, and of course i loved ben and hazel's relationship and development.
- the pacing! the mystery wasn't too confusing, and the big events were nicely broken up by conversations, flashbacks, or reflections.
- the magic! even if the rules of tourists versus locals and the idea of no one believing the tales despite seeing the glass coffin (among other things) were rather arbitrary, at least they were simple and the Folk themselves were fascinating
cons:
- plot holes...
- loose ends... i don't mind some ambiguity but after the way ben and hazel's parents treated them, after the way the rest of the town treated Jack, i feel like there should've been more resolutions or conversations to end it out.
- predictable/anti-climactic. like i said, the mystery not being too confusing was nice, but the stakes never felt as high as they should've for me, even during the climax. i've seen some other reviews that suggest that maybe this has to do with the writing style- i'm not sure. i wouldn't say i was bored, but the emotional investment was lacking at times.
- no consistency to POV switches. this is a small one but i was really hoping for more of Ben and Jack's POVs once one scene was given in each, so it was disappointing that we didn't get more insight into them especially at the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Violence, and Blood