madgec's reviews
57 reviews

The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin

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challenging dark sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

This is golden age Sci fi at its best. Makes you think and feel things, and has human nature on full display.

Amazingly sexist, very much a product of its time. 
Hag-Seed: The Tempest Retold by Margaret Atwood

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emotional reflective medium-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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, the idea of the director teaching prisoners Shakespeare was excellent. I thought that the revenge plot was well done but it all felt a tiny bit too smooth sailing for him. The ending was good and satisfying but I was expecting a last bit of conflict, rather than a gentle sail to the epilogue. 
This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

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adventurous emotional lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This book is beautifully written, poetic, but it's not quite enough. It's kind of... Esoteric? I enjoyed it, the imagery and everything was beautiful, but it just wasn't....... I just can't give it 5 stars, it felt like something was missing. 

edit: downgraded the rating a little more, added the following:

it was beautiful  but i didn't get the fuss. it felt like one of those really pretty cakes you see that's in the shape of a  sparrow or something but you eat it and it just tastes okay

I didn't feel hooked on anything, particularly intruiged by the setting, etc. I enjoyed each and every chapter and each and every little flowery word, but it didn't.... affect me?

My first instinct would be to say the book didn't have a soul, but nothing could be less true than that.  I think the problem was that the book was all soul, so it didn't have a body, didn't have a physical presence I could bite down on?
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
I read self help quite often but this was so damn mystical I had to stop. Not for me! 
Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy by Jessica Fern

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reflective slow-paced

2.0

Honestly, I was expecting this book to be extremely informative and useful but found it very bland as someone who has been poly for 13 years. It explained attachment theory twice,which feltrredundant and had long sections that I skipped as they were explaining what I found to be basic polyamory theory. 

The segments that were really useful would have been just fine as like two blog posts. It really felt like it was padded out to justify a whole book, which just made me less engaged with it. 
Dune by Frank Herbert

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

3.5

This is a scifi classic for a reason. That said, it's quite slow and a product of its time, especially in how it characterises women. 

I first read it about ten years ago and listening to the audio book was easier, and I appreciated the political intruige more, though that may be thanks to the enders shadow series. I am going to give the next book a go. 

Overall it was very, very long with a rather jarring 4 year time skip, and I was sad the audio book didn't include the appendixes. 
Protector of the Small by Tamora Pierce

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Just love this book. How it treats romance and sex, of course, but as someone who read it as a child and grew up to be a project manager the fact that it showed me that "being organised and in charge" can be a calling was, in retrospect, pretty ground breaking. Plus having a heroine who was tall and loved maths ;)

The griffin as well is such a great little character. 
Protector of the Small: #2 Page by Tamora Pierce

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Really loved this book. Felt very cosy. A lot of action but not too much. Really loved Lalasa
You'll Be a Wonderful Parent: Advice and Encouragement for Rainbow Families of All Kinds by Jasper Peach

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

This was just a very sweet book that talked about so many different types of family. It was not really aimed at me but I still found it so validating 
First Test by Tamora Pierce

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

I forgot how much I related to Kel as a kid. What a great book. Docked a couple of points because it's a bit short.