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onthesamepage's reviews
1010 reviews
The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Had I known that this was the 4th book in a series, I wouldn't have gotten the ARC for it. I found the fantasy elements to be disjointed and haphazard, but that could be because I haven't read the other books, so I'm not stating that as judgement, just clarification.
I really disliked the setup, however. Eli is basically a stalker, but the way it's presented is the author trying to make it seem like a cute quirk instead of an issue he should seek therapy for. Iris is the only non-magical person in her family and they all treat her like trash (her sister stole her boyfriend while they were still dating and the family is just okay with this), and I'm just not in the mood for this story.
Had I known that this was the 4th book in a series, I wouldn't have gotten the ARC for it. I found the fantasy elements to be disjointed and haphazard, but that could be because I haven't read the other books, so I'm not stating that as judgement, just clarification.
I really disliked the setup, however. Eli is basically a stalker, but the way it's presented is the author trying to make it seem like a cute quirk instead of an issue he should seek therapy for. Iris is the only non-magical person in her family and they all treat her like trash (her sister stole her boyfriend while they were still dating and the family is just okay with this), and I'm just not in the mood for this story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking
A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Once again had a really good time with this installment. I really enjoy all the characters, although I was hoping for a bit more development when it comes to Treadles and his wife. The subplot with Charlotte considering a marriage proposal by the brother of the man she's actually in love with was fun, too, and I'm happy with how that developed. Intrigued by how this ended, and curious to see how it'll be unpacked in future books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Murder
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
adventurous
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
5.0
If you thought Gideon was too confusing, I think I'd just recommend dropping the series at this point, because Harrow was infinitely more so, and I loved every second of it. It's just constant confusion pretty much all the way through, and even at the end I have so many more questions that I don't have an answer to (yet). But I love this series, with all its flawed and messy characters and relationships. Every read and reread is so rewarding.
I don't want to say anything about the plot, because I truly think these books are best experienced when you go in completely blind. Just put your trust in Muir, and enjoy the ride.
I don't want to say anything about the plot, because I truly think these books are best experienced when you go in completely blind. Just put your trust in Muir, and enjoy the ride.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Gore
A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
After the Forest by Kell Woods
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
Couldn't keep my interest. It's very slow paced, and I wasn't invested in the storyline of Hans's gambling debts and Greta baking to save them.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
dark
funny
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
5.0
I'm giving this the full 5 stars on reread. It's such a fantastic book, and I loved every second of it. Moira Quirk does an amazing job narrating, and I loved how distinct she made each character sound. The attitude she gave Gideon was so good!
Damsel by Elana K. Arnold
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
I'm giving up on this book for 3 reasons:
- The writing. The very first chapter has so many repetitions of the word "gray" that I got tired of it on page 3.
- The author kept using euphemisms that annoyed me. "His yard", "the meat of him", "his ivory tusk"—please stop.
- The author is either pro-Israel or both sides-ing a genocide, and I would rather not support authors who think genocide is something to be debated.
Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a really interesting story—the horror starts from the very first page, where we are introduced to our main character, who has suddenly lost her eyes, and checks they are gone by jamming her fingers into her eye sockets. That really set the tone of this, and the body horror just gets more intense after that.
It's not clear what this book is until very close to the end, and I don't know if it really got the room to let the themes breathe, or to deliver an actual message. It's also very open-ended, which is kind of hard to swallow once you understand, but I guess, in a way, it also made sense. I'm being very vague on purpose, but checking out the content warnings will probably tell you everything you need to know.
I did really like the way this was written. It switches between chapters set in the present and flashbacks to the past, interspersed with artwork. The chapters are short, making this a fast read overall.
It's not clear what this book is until very close to the end, and I don't know if it really got the room to let the themes breathe, or to deliver an actual message. It's also very open-ended, which is kind of hard to swallow once you understand, but I guess, in a way, it also made sense. I'm being very vague on purpose, but checking out the content warnings will probably tell you everything you need to know.
I did really like the way this was written. It switches between chapters set in the present and flashbacks to the past, interspersed with artwork. The chapters are short, making this a fast read overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Self harm
Moderate: Fatphobia and Mass/school shootings
Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
adventurous
lighthearted
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
4.0
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The audiobook narrated by Andy Serkis is a fantastic way to experience this story. The scene with Boromir towards the end gave me chills.
I think my main issue with the book is the pacing. Nothing much happens in the first half, but once the journey really starts I enjoyed it a lot more. This was a reread for me, but even when I read it the first time, I had already seen the movies, and I think that coloured my experience as well. But at this point it's very unlikely that anyone will pick this up without having that reference point.
It does give me a lot more appreciation for Sam as a character, though.
I think my main issue with the book is the pacing. Nothing much happens in the first half, but once the journey really starts I enjoyed it a lot more. This was a reread for me, but even when I read it the first time, I had already seen the movies, and I think that coloured my experience as well. But at this point it's very unlikely that anyone will pick this up without having that reference point.
It does give me a lot more appreciation for Sam as a character, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Grief