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clacksee's reviews
1116 reviews
Irmageddon by Maia Ross
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.75
Irma is the best! But also terrifying.
Firewatching by Russ Thomas
My only complain was that the narrator mumbled a bit, which meant I had to slow the speed down. As a result, my mind kept wandering and I had to replay sections way more often than normal.
dark
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? Yes
4.75
Well done mystery with compelling characters and a twisty, winding plot.
My only complain was that the narrator mumbled a bit, which meant I had to slow the speed down. As a result, my mind kept wandering and I had to replay sections way more often than normal.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual violence, Dementia, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, and Islamophobia
Blackheart Man by Nalo Hopkinson
I’ve previously found that Hopkinson drops readers into the thick of it. At the start, I have no idea who’s who and what’s going on. I have to just press on and, eventually, it clicks and I’m fully invested in the story.
Unfortunately, I never got to that click-point with this one. By the time it ended, I still had no idea what was going on.
Unfortunately, I never got to that click-point with this one. By the time it ended, I still had no idea what was going on.
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
Back in late 2020, I found I couldn’t write another serious novel about serious people dealing with serious problems. And so I set out to write a fun, silly, fluffy book to amuse myself.
Apparently, I wasn’t alone in that feeling. John Scalzi felt it too.
I took those feelings and wrote The Left Hand of Dog. John Scalzi wrote The Kaiju Preservation Society. While I wouldn’t call this one cosy, it does have common features with cosy sci-fi. For starters, it’s just so much fun. It’s affirming and heartwarming.
A rip-roaring tale full of adorable characters living their best lives.
Apparently, I wasn’t alone in that feeling. John Scalzi felt it too.
I took those feelings and wrote The Left Hand of Dog. John Scalzi wrote The Kaiju Preservation Society. While I wouldn’t call this one cosy, it does have common features with cosy sci-fi. For starters, it’s just so much fun. It’s affirming and heartwarming.
A rip-roaring tale full of adorable characters living their best lives.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd
reflective
3.75
As memoirs go, I suppose this was fine. If you like that sort of thing, which I don’t really.
I wouldn’t normally knock stars off on the grounds that an v book wasn’t for me. However , in this case,
I feel like the description sold this as a book about forensic pathology. Not as a personal memoir.
I wanted inspiration on unusual causes of death. Alas, this is not that book.
I wouldn’t normally knock stars off on the grounds that an v book wasn’t for me. However , in this case,
I feel like the description sold this as a book about forensic pathology. Not as a personal memoir.
I wanted inspiration on unusual causes of death. Alas, this is not that book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Medical content
Marketing Strategy for Authors by Tao Wong
informative
reflective
4.75
A lot of this geared at brand new authors, but there’s still good stuff in here for authors at most levels.
This isn’t a magic bullet – there isn’t a formula that will get you big sales. So what can you expect? This book will teach you how to build a marketing plan that’s right for your author business … wherever you’re at.
This isn’t a magic bullet – there isn’t a formula that will get you big sales. So what can you expect? This book will teach you how to build a marketing plan that’s right for your author business … wherever you’re at.
Iron Goddess by Dharma Kelleher
dark
mysterious
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
4.75
Shea’s awoken early one morning when the alarm in her business goes off. She races over to find one of her employees gravely injured and most of the merchandise missing. From there, things get worse. Much worse.
A fast-paced story of a woman on a mission. Her business in danger, her niece is missing, and the police are blaming her for all of it. She’ll stop at nothing to protect herself and the ones she loves.
Gripping and intense. A thrill ride of a book. Can’t wait for the audio of the rest of the series.
A fast-paced story of a woman on a mission. Her business in danger, her niece is missing, and the police are blaming her for all of it. She’ll stop at nothing to protect herself and the ones she loves.
Gripping and intense. A thrill ride of a book. Can’t wait for the audio of the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This book is a powerful anti-totalitarian anthem. This book is a racist, ableist, misogynist mess. Both statements can be true.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
adventurous
Compelling characters and a gripping storyline paired with racial slurs and crass stereotypes.
Sorry. Read her other books instead.
Sorry. Read her other books instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This instalment in the series returns Murderbot to the crew from the first story – and it's not sure how to feel about that. Mainly it feels icky because feelings are gross.