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onejadyn's reviews
63 reviews
The hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
4.0
Just a great and fun story, and an easy and beautiful introduction to Middle Earth. It really is a great little book.
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
4.0
This review has spoilers
This is my first Drizzt novel and the world building in the Underdark frequently awed me. I loved the setting of this book, and despite the fact that I know Drizzt should irritate me, as he is very much a Mary Sue, skilled at anything he attempts ... he just doesn't.
I rooted for Drizzt like no other and cheered for him when he faced foes. I was euphoric when Masoj finally fell on the end, and I never would've forgiven R.A. Salvatore if the panther had truly perished.
However, this book did struggle to hold my attention through the first half, though I have no idea why. And I found the subplot of Zaknefein and Drizzt both assuming the other was evil extremely tiring. The misunderstanding trope is one of the worst, and that holds for father and son just as much as it does for the classic couple's plight.
Overall, I've rarely rooted for a hero as thoroughly as I did for Drizzt, and the Underdark fascinated me as a setting, despite the fact that I spent the entirely story wishing Drizzt would just leave it, as he's way too good for the place.
4/5 and a worthwhile read to be sure.
I rooted for Drizzt like no other and cheered for him when he faced foes. I was euphoric when Masoj finally fell on the end, and I never would've forgiven R.A. Salvatore if the panther had truly perished.
However, this book did struggle to hold my attention through the first half, though I have no idea why. And I found the subplot of Zaknefein and Drizzt both assuming the other was evil extremely tiring. The misunderstanding trope is one of the worst, and that holds for father and son just as much as it does for the classic couple's plight.
Overall, I've rarely rooted for a hero as thoroughly as I did for Drizzt, and the Underdark fascinated me as a setting, despite the fact that I spent the entirely story wishing Drizzt would just leave it, as he's way too good for the place.
4/5 and a worthwhile read to be sure.
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
3.0
This review has spoilers
The writing style of this book is simple, one of the simplest I've read in a long time. At first it bothered me, but it quickly faded into the background and almost added to the atmosphere. It felt almost as though I was listening to a podcast, which is where true crime stories flourish these days.
I never read in this genre and I picked this book up spontaneously. I'm glad I did. It was a great story that I finished in less than two days, and it held my attention all the way through. It isn't a story that I think will stay with me forever, but it was a good one.
As it went on, I found myself growing tired of the constant flashbacks to Beth. I think the flashbacks were valuable, but overall more was told through them than necessary. I think I would've preferred the mystery of only having key moments shown to us, and the rest being hearsay.
I really loved the book when it started but got less interested as it went on. Shea's story was my priority, and current-Beth's as well, so all the time we spent looking at her past lost my interest a fair bit.
That said, I enjoyed this book, and it's certainly better than average. I'd give it a 3.5 perhaps, if halves were an option.
I never read in this genre and I picked this book up spontaneously. I'm glad I did. It was a great story that I finished in less than two days, and it held my attention all the way through. It isn't a story that I think will stay with me forever, but it was a good one.
As it went on, I found myself growing tired of the constant flashbacks to Beth. I think the flashbacks were valuable, but overall more was told through them than necessary. I think I would've preferred the mystery of only having key moments shown to us, and the rest being hearsay.
I really loved the book when it started but got less interested as it went on. Shea's story was my priority, and current-Beth's as well, so all the time we spent looking at her past lost my interest a fair bit.
That said, I enjoyed this book, and it's certainly better than average. I'd give it a 3.5 perhaps, if halves were an option.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
2.0
This review has spoilers.
Altogether better than I had expected. The journey that Claire takes is exciting and startlingly more grounded than I expected. Weather, fever, or a single wolf can become a far larger issue in the end than other books will have you believe, where characters may casually stab a wolf, or ignore the aching pains of long journeys.
It was a bit high in romance for my tastes, but I did know that going in, and I do have an appreciation for what's there. Overall it was a thrilling journey told slowly and carefully, and Claire, with her love of medicine and botany, makes a great character to follow, with her own ambitions and strengths, and with a perspective that gives us, the modern readers, some space to breathe.
That said, I think I began to grow weary of Jamie and Claire, which makes sense for me seeing as I am not a romance reader. I loved the chapters where Claire was with Murtagh, and I was fine with the chapters with Jamie and Claire, but I think my interest in that relationship did begin to wane as the story went on.
It was a bit high in romance for my tastes, but I did know that going in, and I do have an appreciation for what's there. Overall it was a thrilling journey told slowly and carefully, and Claire, with her love of medicine and botany, makes a great character to follow, with her own ambitions and strengths, and with a perspective that gives us, the modern readers, some space to breathe.
That said, I think I began to grow weary of Jamie and Claire, which makes sense for me seeing as I am not a romance reader. I loved the chapters where Claire was with Murtagh, and I was fine with the chapters with Jamie and Claire, but I think my interest in that relationship did begin to wane as the story went on.
The Institute by Stephen King
2.5
This review has spoilers
I quite enjoyed this book, and absolutely adored the characters in it. From Luke to Avery to Sha to Nick, I loved them, and when Iris was lost I felt it too. When Luke's parents were lost I felt it.
That said, this book was good. It was interesting and held my attention well, but it didn't feel like it brought anything particularly new to any table. That said, it had an ending both satisfying and unsatisfying in exactly the way it ought to be, and Tim carried the climax in just the right way for it to be a pretty great book, if not particularly mind blowing in any which way.
I enjoyed it, and so it got a 3.5. It was my first King book and it's a good one, and though it didn't blow my mind, it did everything it did well and I'm pleased I read it.
That said, this book was good. It was interesting and held my attention well, but it didn't feel like it brought anything particularly new to any table. That said, it had an ending both satisfying and unsatisfying in exactly the way it ought to be, and Tim carried the climax in just the right way for it to be a pretty great book, if not particularly mind blowing in any which way.
I enjoyed it, and so it got a 3.5. It was my first King book and it's a good one, and though it didn't blow my mind, it did everything it did well and I'm pleased I read it.
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
3.0
This review has spoilers.
I took a break from this one about halfway through so I can't fully remember the first few stories. But to my memory, there were a lot of winners. The dragon story was exciting, and the stories in between were good fun. I think this book featured the doppelganger which was a good time if a bit meandering. I really really loved the last two stories—Ciri's introduction and Geralt's journey with the merchant who owed him a debt. Those two stories would nearly be 5 stars.
I can't truly say where this would be placed since my memory of it is lacking, but the ending was fantastic. It's unfortunate that it couldn't hold my attention consistently so I could give it a proper review.
I can't truly say where this would be placed since my memory of it is lacking, but the ending was fantastic. It's unfortunate that it couldn't hold my attention consistently so I could give it a proper review.