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reka111's reviews
266 reviews
The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow
I honestly can't really decide if I liked this or not. Basically, I easily identified with it and liked the narrative, but somehow something seemed to be missing. I had a bit of a Joan of Arc feeling from this book, but that's probably just me.
If you're looking for a quick and nicely written short story, I recommend it.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I wonder what the songs will say about the Devil now that she is covered in the blood of her own God.
I honestly can't really decide if I liked this or not. Basically, I easily identified with it and liked the narrative, but somehow something seemed to be missing. I had a bit of a Joan of Arc feeling from this book, but that's probably just me.
If you're looking for a quick and nicely written short story, I recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Death
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This book saved me from a rather lengthy and difficult reading slump - again. Simply, Rick can enchant me even as an adult, but really. For some reason, I've been really hooked on Egyptian mythology/culture lately, so I chose this book completely by accident, but I didn't mind, I missed the Kane family already.
Sadie was my favorite, obviously, - talk about at people - but Carter also grew very close to my heart. They are both good at something else, they have different feelings and personalities that make them colorful. These two have come - and will continue to have - an extremely long and bumpy road, but I believe that together they will be able to do it. If we talk about the gods, Bast is definitely my favorite (although in real life I prefer Sakhmet) she just sacrificed so much for the Kane family that it's incredible, she deserves so much rest.
The plot immediately pulled me in, it was easy to understand and easy to identify with, it didn't require any background knowledge, because it gives you all the information you need over time. The narration - because that's the only way I can call it - was funny and fluid, just to the right degree. The pace didn't feel forced or fast anywhere. In short, I really liked this book and can't wait to continue.
I recommend it to those who love Egyptian mythology, but want something funnier to read, who have not lost the fun of life and still want a good adventure deep in their soul.
Sadie was my favorite, obviously, - talk about at people - but Carter also grew very close to my heart. They are both good at something else, they have different feelings and personalities that make them colorful. These two have come - and will continue to have - an extremely long and bumpy road, but I believe that together they will be able to do it. If we talk about the gods, Bast is definitely my favorite (although in real life I prefer Sakhmet) she just sacrificed so much for the Kane family that it's incredible, she deserves so much rest.
The plot immediately pulled me in, it was easy to understand and easy to identify with, it didn't require any background knowledge, because it gives you all the information you need over time. The narration - because that's the only way I can call it - was funny and fluid, just to the right degree. The pace didn't feel forced or fast anywhere. In short, I really liked this book and can't wait to continue.
I recommend it to those who love Egyptian mythology, but want something funnier to read, who have not lost the fun of life and still want a good adventure deep in their soul.
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
I died with this book, even though I felt it would never end. Honestly, I had a terrible time sticking to this book, but when I did, I could barely put it down.
Selene was arguably my favorite character. Even despite her young age, she was full of dreams, desires and passion for the world around her. And, of course, there was the endless hatred and fear that made her so human. I loved her relationship with her twin brother and Octavia. The other characters were lovable in their own way, Alexander for his love of lifemy little baby deserved better (that letter just killed me) , Octavia for her care, Julia for her passion, Marcellus for his personality, Juba for his fearlessness, and Gallia for her good heart. Yes, I hate Augustus so much that I can't even tell you.
I don't want to go into it too much, but it hurts that Selene, tried to balance between loyalty to her homeland and hopeless love for Marcellus, only to lose both of it at the end. But as the saying goes, if you lose, you win something back, and this time was no different, because as in real life, with her marriagewith Juba he not only gave her protection, love and understanding, but also freedom. I'm just happy that after all the suffering, she got the happy ending because she deserved it.
Basically, I'm not familiar with Selene's life, only her mother's life and her father's life a bit, and for some reason I never questioned what happened to her afterwards. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed her journey and everything she did to remain the master of her own destiny. The plot, as I said, was easy to follow, even for those who are not aware of history. The composition was nice, but not outstanding. The pace was slow and tuggy for me at the beginning, but by the middle I was quite used to it. The ending was nicely closed and I really liked the Red Eagle side thread as well.
Overall, I recommend it to those who love Egyptian and Roman history, who are attracted to Cleopatra's legacy, or just want an interesting read interwoven with politics and family ties.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
And when that time comes, let's hope your friends outnumber your enemies.
I died with this book, even though I felt it would never end. Honestly, I had a terrible time sticking to this book, but when I did, I could barely put it down.
Selene was arguably my favorite character. Even despite her young age, she was full of dreams, desires and passion for the world around her. And, of course, there was the endless hatred and fear that made her so human. I loved her relationship with her twin brother and Octavia. The other characters were lovable in their own way, Alexander for his love of life
I don't want to go into it too much, but it hurts that Selene, tried to balance between loyalty to her homeland and hopeless love for Marcellus, only to lose both of it at the end. But as the saying goes, if you lose, you win something back, and this time was no different, because as in real life, with her marriage
Basically, I'm not familiar with Selene's life, only her mother's life and her father's life a bit, and for some reason I never questioned what happened to her afterwards. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed her journey and everything she did to remain the master of her own destiny. The plot, as I said, was easy to follow, even for those who are not aware of history. The composition was nice, but not outstanding. The pace was slow and tuggy for me at the beginning, but by the middle I was quite used to it. The ending was nicely closed and I really liked the Red Eagle side thread as well.
Overall, I recommend it to those who love Egyptian and Roman history, who are attracted to Cleopatra's legacy, or just want an interesting read interwoven with politics and family ties.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Death of parent
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Well that won't work for me. I have the stomach for everything (even for this), but I'm not in the right mood for it.
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Well, that was interesting, I mean, I really liked that, but not the same as I did with the other books in the series. Perfect for a pleasant afternoon read. Pip is still my favorite and references to the future are insane (and my poor Ravi at the end)
The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
I honestly didn't think I would suffer so much with this book, I thought it would captivate and enchant me, but nothing like that happened. I mean, I liked it, but it was terribly hard for it to hold my attention.
Nefertari - and basically Egyptian history — is far from me. Obviously, I did know the bigger ones (like Ramesses), but I never immersed myself in them like that. However, I liked her character terribly; Her innocence and deep passion for languages at the beginning and the end of the book gave us a strong and persistent queen who was loved by her people. Ramesses himself was an interesting figure, both in the book and in history, not only because he had many wives and children, but also because he was an outstanding pharaoh, a great general who made Egypt prosperous. The other characters were captivating too, and it was nice to see how the dynamics between them evolve as we progress through the plot.
I wouldn't say it was a love story because somehow it wouldn't hold up, no matter how hard I tried to explain it. But I still liked that the author did not rush all this. They opened up nicely to each other and held each other at sea like two rafts.
The plot itself was readable and understandable even to those who are not familiar with history. Basically, there were historically inaccurate things in it — but they are in all of them. I liked the wording, but I wouldn't call it outstanding. I found it difficult to get to know this book, but maybe it was just because it was so monotonous, almost predictable and straightforward. The ending is nicely closed, properly and neatly, as befits this book.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? No
3.75
This is how memories are; what seems so clear and unforgettable at one moment vanishes like steam the next.
I honestly didn't think I would suffer so much with this book, I thought it would captivate and enchant me, but nothing like that happened. I mean, I liked it, but it was terribly hard for it to hold my attention.
Nefertari - and basically Egyptian history — is far from me. Obviously, I did know the bigger ones (like Ramesses), but I never immersed myself in them like that. However, I liked her character terribly; Her innocence and deep passion for languages at the beginning and the end of the book gave us a strong and persistent queen who was loved by her people. Ramesses himself was an interesting figure, both in the book and in history, not only because he had many wives and children, but also because he was an outstanding pharaoh, a great general who made Egypt prosperous. The other characters were captivating too, and it was nice to see how the dynamics between them evolve as we progress through the plot.
I wouldn't say it was a love story because somehow it wouldn't hold up, no matter how hard I tried to explain it. But I still liked that the author did not rush all this. They opened up nicely to each other and held each other at sea like two rafts.
The plot itself was readable and understandable even to those who are not familiar with history. Basically, there were historically inaccurate things in it — but they are in all of them. I liked the wording, but I wouldn't call it outstanding. I found it difficult to get to know this book, but maybe it was just because it was so monotonous, almost predictable and straightforward. The ending is nicely closed, properly and neatly, as befits this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Infertility and Sexual content
Minor: Miscarriage
Aphrodite Made Me Do It by Trista Mateer
emotional
informative
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
I loved it.
A vér szövetsége by Genevieve Gornichec
Genevieve did it again, she enchanted me. I liked this book as much as The Witch's Heart, but it didn't have such a strong effect on me. Honestly, I've been waiting for decades to read it, and now I regret waiting so long because I liked it immensely.
Gunnhild was probably my favourite, not only because she was so strong and cunning, but also because she had a bit of Angrboda in her—at least in my opinion, anyway, I really liked her. Signy and Oddny (whose names I read through half the book as Odin and Sigyn) have been through so much, especially the former, but I believe their wounds will heal, and their broken parts will heal again because they deserve it, more than anything. Although the former was not in the book, I was terribly hurt by her absence, I was excited about her along with Oddny and Gunnhild, I really was. Of the other characters, Erik may stand out, and for good reason; A king cannot be overlooked. He was a terribly difficult and complicated character, maybe he could have done better, but eventually he shows that he is capable of compassion and forgiveness, he was not a monster, but he was not an angel.
The plot was easy to follow, and I really liked that this time we were transported back to the Scandinavian 10th century (the Norwegian one). So much, so much I needed a historical fantasy for my soul, oh my goodness! Although there are scattered foreign words in the text, they do not make reading difficult at all. The phrasing was beautiful — as always. The only problem I had was the pace, which was too fast for me and there were plenty of time jumps, but apart from that, it was perfectly fine.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
One of you clouds the futures of the others. For better or worse, your fates are intertwined
Genevieve did it again, she enchanted me. I liked this book as much as The Witch's Heart, but it didn't have such a strong effect on me. Honestly, I've been waiting for decades to read it, and now I regret waiting so long because I liked it immensely.
Gunnhild was probably my favourite, not only because she was so strong and cunning, but also because she had a bit of Angrboda in her—at least in my opinion, anyway, I really liked her. Signy and Oddny (whose names I read through half the book as Odin and Sigyn) have been through so much, especially the former, but I believe their wounds will heal, and their broken parts will heal again because they deserve it, more than anything. Although the former was not in the book, I was terribly hurt by her absence, I was excited about her along with Oddny and Gunnhild, I really was. Of the other characters, Erik may stand out, and for good reason; A king cannot be overlooked. He was a terribly difficult and complicated character, maybe he could have done better, but eventually he shows that he is capable of compassion and forgiveness, he was not a monster, but he was not an angel.
The plot was easy to follow, and I really liked that this time we were transported back to the Scandinavian 10th century (the Norwegian one). So much, so much I needed a historical fantasy for my soul, oh my goodness! Although there are scattered foreign words in the text, they do not make reading difficult at all. The phrasing was beautiful — as always. The only problem I had was the pace, which was too fast for me and there were plenty of time jumps, but apart from that, it was perfectly fine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Transphobia, Trafficking, and Kidnapping
Minor: Rape and Slavery
Girl in Pieces - Lány, darabokban by Kathleen Glasgow
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
That's how hearts get broken, you know. When you believe in promises.
Well, this book was something. Something I cannot - and do not want - to name. I can't decide if I liked it or not, because I honestly don't feel a single orphan feeling towards it, and it confuses me. I denied it somewhere in this book, maybe too much, and now I'm trying to figure out what it was.
Charlie was a girl with an extremely long journey, a girl in whose shoes many others can imagine themselves in, strong; weak, lost, full of hope, charitable, and so infinitely broken. Yet it was this diversity that made her so alive, not a survivor, but alive. She deserved so damn much peace and tranquility, so much. And I genuinely loved her, with all her flaws, she will surely stay in my heart for a very long time because she was able to get up off the floor, with difficulty, but she did it and I'm so proud of her for that. Besides, the others have grown very close to my heart, especially Blue and Linus, who helped her so much, I could give my whole soul to them.
The plot deals with a difficult subject, and I won't comment on that because I think everyone knows what I mean. It was relatively understandable, although it took a while for everything to come together, because as we progressed with the book, the more Charlie remembered and opened to the world. The pace itself was a bit slow and very long by the end. In short, it was good for one read, but I wouldn't read it again.
And remember; No matter what, wherever life takes you, up or down, there is always a way out, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, always.
Charlie was a girl with an extremely long journey, a girl in whose shoes many others can imagine themselves in, strong; weak, lost, full of hope, charitable, and so infinitely broken. Yet it was this diversity that made her so alive, not a survivor, but alive. She deserved so damn much peace and tranquility, so much. And I genuinely loved her, with all her flaws, she will surely stay in my heart for a very long time because she was able to get up off the floor, with difficulty, but she did it and I'm so proud of her for that. Besides, the others have grown very close to my heart, especially Blue and Linus, who helped her so much, I could give my whole soul to them.
The plot deals with a difficult subject, and I won't comment on that because I think everyone knows what I mean. It was relatively understandable, although it took a while for everything to come together, because as we progressed with the book, the more Charlie remembered and opened to the world. The pace itself was a bit slow and very long by the end. In short, it was good for one read, but I wouldn't read it again.
And remember; No matter what, wherever life takes you, up or down, there is always a way out, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, always.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual assault