angeldevoursliterature's reviews
271 reviews

The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.

the writing was too descriptive for my taste. i got bored and did not bother continuing it. Stopped after chapter 7.

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The Bride of Death by F.M. Aden

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

This is one of those books that you start with high hopes, but end up putting down over and over again.

The first parts of the story were engaging, most especially the world-building.
However, as I got to the chapters in the Underworld, everything fell off until the end.
The more I progressed throughout the story, the more I got annoyed.
I felt that I had to push myself to finish this.

I wasn't able to connect myself with the characters. There's inconsistency with their characterizations, most especially with Zerryn. I don't see any real motivations for what she's about to do. "Make up your mind bro, do you want to kill him or despise him or fight for him or love him or are you just plain stupid?"
:(

The plot felt rushed. It would've been a great shot also to get to know more about the myth/folklore that has been based on, but there wasn't much to read. There is also more telling than showing which is why I wasn't that invested in reading. The romance wasn't that well-written. I find it corny.

Seriously though, the story has potential! I just wish it had more 'substance' in it.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and F.M. Aden for the ARC.

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Wild Song Philippine Edition by Candy Gourlay

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adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

Luki, a young lady from Bontoc, Mountain Province, is unable to conform to the standards of her tribe. She'd rather go out hunting boars with her best friend instead of doing what was expected of her as a young woman (cooking, cleaning, sewing, getting married, etc.). She grabbed the offer made by the Americans to travel to the United States and attend the 1904 St. Louis World Fair in the hopes of finally achieving a sense of fulfillment and freedom. However, it turns out that the land of opportunity is not what it seems.

Overall, I enjoyed reading it. I was fully invested in the story. The writer's narration is incredible and I liked how the historical details are woven thoroughly with it without info dumping. Characters are engaging, especially Luki. I just wish that there was a bit more tension though.
The ironies and ignorance of the Americans just goes to show how truly f***ed up that time was. The World Fair was a place of exploitation. I'm glad to have learned this part of history that I hadn't heard of during my Philippine history lectures back in Elementary and High School (hyperfixed on researching rn T_T).

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We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

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dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Woah. That was an unexpected twist. I noticed the pacing of the first 3/4 of the story was slow... abt midway I was always like 'when will there be a sudden turn of events or smth' :|
Some parts were kinda tedious but I still managed to read through them. It was a good book though.

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You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

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hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Unfortunately, I wasn't really invested as I progressed throughout the story and it's not as emotional as I was expecting. Some parts were well-written, and some just fell flat. I liked how it depicted the different ways people cope and deal with grief though. I just wish some parts and characters (especially Sam) were fleshed out more.

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Epic of Helinthia by M.J. Pankey

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is my first ARC and I must say... what a great book to start the year.

It's a whole new original story.
The central problem stems from violent political disputes on the island of Helinthia. A rebellion is ongoing led by Basileus Dargos, along with his allies, which aims to end the reign of Anax Charixes and restore order in the land.

Overall, I liked the storyline. The narration got my attention from beginning to end.
There were lots of interesting twists and turns along the way (those in the last chapters tho *party poppers* :DDD).
I liked how the characters were fleshed out as I progressed throughout the story. Although, it took me a while to familiarize myself with them in the first few chapters. The same goes for the other terms, especially with the names of the different places on the island (I felt confused, and having to flip back to the glossary over and over was a bit tiring).

Looking forward to the next installment as I'm curious how the story will go. Thank you to M.J. Pankey, Muse and Quill Press, and NetGalley for the copy <3.

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