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bnsfly's reviews
511 reviews
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
By the end I really liked this but the arc is kind of weird: it feels like it's still getting started and then very quickly it resolves and is over.
On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Most of my feelings about this one are wrapped up in how it ended. Spoilers are not specific but will tell you what to expect from the ending so read at your own risk. It's tough to read a lot of this book because it's a lot of people being relentlessly cruel to each other and a lot of "they don't know what we know" frustration, but while I spent a portion of the book worrying that this would be one of those "everybody loses" kind of dark reads, it wasn't, and because the ending was satisfying, I ended up liking the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence, and Gaslighting
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It takes a long time to get interesting, but I'm interested enough that I'll pick up the next. It still feels a bit devoid of character, even with some big bombs near the end that seem like they should be shocking. But there's enough in there to keep me intrigued.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
Sanderson is a mormon who has, as I understand, grappled with how his faith approaches the "modern" world. His books aren't generally the worst offenders of misogyny etc, but there's definitely an underlying (and sometimes overt) thread of "traditional gender roles" etc.
The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Bad copaganda. IA as cartoonish bad guy, right down to cartoonish names. I'm sure it's a product of its time. It could be worse, I suppose.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
The Wife by Alafair Burke
I enjoyed the book overall but I do think that the eventual revelation that the women were lying, while maybe necessary to keep the twists coming and reveal the _big_ twist (which was an interesting if not entirely unpredictable one), wasn't really twisty itself and is obviously problematic. I spent a lot of the book wondering if the author would reveal their politics, and while I don't think the twist is an endorsement, it builds up these women to a real extent, somewhat intelligently presents all the things people tell themselves so as not to believe the victim, while presenting them in a way that seems to indicate it's not a great thing… and then says "yep that's right they weren't a victim" and that sucked
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed it but it suffers a bit from "book two" syndrome, where a clear purpose and arc to the plot is lacking, as characters kind of just maneuver around the board after the last book and setting up the next.
The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson
emotional
tense
medium-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