kassidyreads's reviews
1030 reviews

The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle

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adventurous 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? No

3.0

This was a fast-paced and entertaining sci-fi dystopian. I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what was happening. Some parts were rushed and unbelievable but it was still a fun read. 
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When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker

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adventurous dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Another romantasy book that started out good then went downhill. I loved the world-building but then the romance took over and ruined it. Also, this book was so long yet had zero plot or character development.
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The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

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adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I've read a lot of fantasy books with similar plots and although the beginning of this book was intriguing I started to lose interest by the middle. Lara was too oblivious about her father and Aren was too trusting. The jungle setting was unique but I had a hard time understanding the bridge system. A map would have been helpful. There were also some time jumps near the end which made it feel rushed.
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Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

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challenging inspiring sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I loved The Diviners series, so I was excited to read a new book by Libba Bray! And it was an interesting one! The book followed three stories from three different time periods, which felt disjointed at first but eventually came together in the end. In my opinion, the 1940 Kleinwald chapters were the strongest whereas the 1980 West Berlin and 2020 New York chapters were kind of boring. Also, this book didn't hold back when it came to social justice! It showed how history is repeating itself, but we can still fight back and make a difference. 
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The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book provided good background information on Celaena, Sam and Arobrynn's relationships. I loved Celaena and Sam; what happened to them strengthened my hatred for Arobrynn going into Queen of Shadows. 
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Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

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adventurous dark emotional tense slow-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

5.0

Robin Hobb continues to impress me! I'll admit I wasn't sure about this book at first, but once I got to know the characters, I began to really enjoy the story. The characters really stood out! They have such strength and determination that I couldn't help but root for them! The magic and world-building were also fascinating. I can't wait to read the rest of the series! 
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Fledgling by S.K. Ali

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

3.5

I love dystopian books, so this one was right up my alley! It took me some time to get into since the first couple of chapters were really heavy on world-building, but once I got past that, the pacing flowed more smoothly. The concept wasn't unique, but I thought the author did a good job considering this was her first non-contemporary novel. My only issue was that there were too many POVs and I didn't fully connect with any of them. The characters' decisions didn't always make sense to me,
and Nada's death felt so random.
All in all, I look forward to seeing where the story goes in the sequel. 
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These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang

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funny mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

2.5

This was sort of like Knives Out but with magic. It was a decent, quick read. I liked the quirky writing style, though the ending was a bit underwhelming. Also, I still don't fully understand how the fortune-telling magic works. 
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Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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adventurous tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

This book tries to be tough and badass, but the writing was so bad I had a hard time taking it seriously. While there was a lot of action, there was hardly any plot progression. I couldn't care less about anything that was happening. I still think there are too many side characters. At this point, I've given up trying to remember who they all are. Ridoc and Aaric were the only characters that stood out to me in this book. The rest of the cast hasn't made enough of an impact for me to remember them. Also, I agree with other reviewers that ending was stupid and confusing. 
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Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb

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adventurous emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was a struggle to get through! The plot involved a lot of travelling, which I found boring, and many of the characters that I liked in the previous books barely made an appearance. Fitz made so many stupid decisions, but I'm willing to forgive him since he was going through a lot. At least the character development was good, and I loved the relationships between Nighteyes, Fitz, and the Fool! Despite my mixed feelings for this book, I still really enjoyed the series!
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