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third_bookworm's reviews
110 reviews
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was fine. Not really my cup of tea. I enjoyed Sanderson's writing, as always, and the concept was fun, but the noir flavor didn't really work for me.
The Faithless by C.L. Clark
adventurous
dark
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
This was a remarkable sequel. It felt cohesive with The Unbroken without feeling repetitive. The characters developed in new and interesting ways without abandoning their development from the first book. I loved the new characters that were introduced, and it was delightful to see further development of familiar characters - not just Touraine and Luca, but Pruett and Aranen in particular. I enjoyed seeing this book grapple with an empire on its home turf and explore resistance not just from colonized populations but from poor and marginalized people in the heart of the empire, as well as how the two interact. And of course I loved the court intrigue.
I loved the messy dynamic between Touraine, Luca, and Sabine, and I look forward to seeing that develop more in book 3.
Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Reminds me of the Jim Butcher books, but more enjoyable because it doesn't have the undercurrent of bizarre objectification of all the women who show up on screen. It's very fun to read a novel about a sad and lonely detective who feels like they've burned all their bridges and spends the whole book getting almost killed by most people they meet and have the protagonist be a woman. The paranormal fairy stuff was very fun as well.
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.5
This was good! I enjoy Solomon's writing a lot. The ending was not as satisfying as I would have liked, but it made sense with the rest of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
A very fun take on portal fantasy! I enjoyed the intergenerational storytelling a lot and the structure of the because being addressed to a particular person throughout. Also a fun magic system, and Harrow's historical settings are wonderful as always. All around a good time, but not so light-hearted as to feel frivolous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Racism, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I reread this book because I recently finished the show and wanted to see how they compared, and I was surprised at how different they were. I think I liked the show better; it was more cohesive and I enjoyed some of the plot choices more. However, I think the book focused more on the traumatic effects of the societal collapse and the world after the pandemic. The book was good, but darker and less hopeful than the show.
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Very sweet and insightful. Will be passing this on to family members who I think would benefit from the gender explanations.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A dramatic departure in tone and style from most of the cosmere books, but a very very fun departure. This was unexpected, but I enjoyed it very much.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
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
This was a delight! From the description I expected a particular brand of white feminism, but I was pleasantly surprised by the politics. This book manages an interesting and delicate balance of personal and political. The characters are wonderfully complex while still being sympathetic. The focus on the relationship between the sisters was sweet and enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Slavery, Outing, and Classism
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was fine. I feel like it went over my head quite a bit. Reminded me of Salman Rushdie's writing.