bdingz's reviews
411 reviews

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

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dark funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

T Kingfisher, drop another Sworn Soldier novella and my life is yours.
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A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

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emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I tried not to get my hopes too high for this book in case it didn’t meet my expectations. I needn’t have worried. A sweet sapphic love story mixed with a bit of mystery and fantasy. It had just the right amount of tension to keep things interesting.
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Witch in Darkness: Magick for Tough Times, Bad Days and Moments of Total Catastrophe by Kelly-Ann Maddox

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dark emotional reflective
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Some modern witchcraft books are too strict in their rules, while others are trying so hard to be open and inclusive that they don’t offer enough guidance. Witch in Darkness strikes a balance, offering tools for witchcraft practitioners to lean on in hard times without coming across as a preachy or boring how-to. The text is straightforward and organized while Maddox’s voice and personality shines through.

The specificity of the topics makes this book more relatable than its predecessor, Rebel Witch.  I will certainly purchase the book upon its release so that I can reference it in the future!
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Paladin's Faith by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous funny tense medium-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

This is overall the weakest story in the Saint of Steel series, but the latter quarter of the book almost makes up for it. I generally didn’t connect with the characters as much, except for Wren. Justice for Wren! 
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Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

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emotional reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book is so beautifully written. Nahr goes through so many horrific things, but this is as much a story of joy as it is a story of pain and resistance. The characters find solace in each other, as well as simple comforts like food and tea or skincare and nail polish. This could have only been bleak and sad, and it would’ve had every right to be…but it was so much more. 

If you think you can stomach the CWs, read this ASAP.
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Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals by Alexis Pauline Gumbs

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emotional inspiring reflective

4.0

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Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

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emotional hopeful tense medium-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

4.25

I love both science fiction and fantasy, but this might be the first time I've read a book that's an explicit mix of the two. Maybe once or twice throughout the story, I wasn't sure if totally Aoki pulled this combination off—for the most part, however, it worked. 

At first, I worried about the number of characters...but I soon found they were all recognizable in their own motivations, emotions and personalities. 
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Bi+ Lines : An Anthology of Contemporary Bi+ Poetry by Helen Bowell

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emotional inspiring reflective

5.0

Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous emotional funny medium-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

4.5

My favourite of the series so far. I love Piper!
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The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

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dark informative sad slow-paced

4.5

Not only does this book paint a picture of Jack the Ripper’s victims, it gives the reader a very good idea of what life was like for middle and working class people in Victorian England. A fascinating and heartbreaking read.
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