bkwrm1317's reviews
206 reviews

The Otherwise Normal Life of Charlton Smith by J.R. Bennett

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Read the first three or so chapters and did not get any more invested in the story nor main character (what felt like a self absorbed, whiny man for me personally). Might be enjoyable for fans of works that are fantastical and attempt to follow in the footsteps of the British greats. Not sure I see the same greatness here, but it’s simply not for me. 
The Changeling by Victor LaValle

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What a journey this one was! Kept me up til 2:30a then finished the next afternoon! 
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My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

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dark emotional funny mysterious tense 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

3.5

Solid middle of the line read of Hendrix on this one. Not my favorite, but not bad either. Components I really enjoyed included brother Lemon and his antics, among others. 
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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

A truly solid read by Ibáñez. That ending though! What!? How!? I need more!!! 

Loved the plucky Inez, her cousin, her uncle, Abdullah his brother in law, and of course Whit. 

Not often does a novel of this kind surprise me with a plot twist, but Ibáñez managed to do so. I’ll be reading more from her soon, I’m sure. 

I loved the balance of ancient Egypt with a magical system that actually felt unique, with glimpses into the past. 
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The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.0

Interesting little horror novel by Chupeco (which they do fairly well for my tastes!). This one feels a bit like folk horror across the seas but definitely enjoyed! 
The World's End by Rin Chupeco

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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? No

3.5

Solid close to Chupeco’s series that brought so many fairy tales from so many different cultures into one world for our rag tag group of found fam. 
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

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dark emotional hopeful tense 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? No

3.0

Solid middle of the line read for me. Listened to this as an audiobook. Good little mystery that continues to unfold and great for road trip driving. 
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

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

3.0

Solid read/listen. Nothing like the film 🤣
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

Really solid start of the mist born series!! Loved the character development, worldbuilding, and magic system based in metals - allomancy. I’ll be very much looking forward to where the series takes Vin, Kelsier’s crew, and Elend as he tries to make their society better for everyone. In particular, Vin and Sazed (and maybe with some help from Marsh!) as they try to discern what the Deepness is and what happened at the Ascension. 

I was not expecting the twist at the end at all!!

Also was weird to realize Sanderson teaches at BYU… that’s definitely a choice 👀
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What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

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dark funny lighthearted mysterious 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? No

4.0

Another novella in this series that’s equal parts slow burn gothic horror, witty and tongue in cheek humor, and creepy things going bump in the night. I really enjoy Easton. Angus and Miss Potter and their budding romance are hilarious and adorable as well. I’ll be continuing to read!