beccisays's reviews
369 reviews

My Dark Desire by L.J. Shen, Parker S. Huntington

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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

4.0

I've seen so much hate for the first book in this series online that it made me second-guess my own opinion. Say whatever you like, I snorted and chuckled out loud waaaay too often at this sequel to do anything but double down on my love.

I really liked this. I wasn't expecting Zach's uptight tendencies to become endearing. It was a bit silly and unrealistic at parts (I mean, two shots at the Olympics? Come on..) but that is what this series is good at, so I won't complain. I definitely pictured the stepmother as Jennifer Coolidge in A Cinderella Story, I borrowed a lot of mental imagery from that movie, truth be told, with the beaten-up sneakers etc. 

I'm curious to read Oliver's book because honestly, he has brought some highly appreciated comic relief to the past two books, so I'm willing to humour his development into a deeper character. 
System Collapse by Martha Wells

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adventurous funny inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

There were some parts of this that were hard to follow with the whole [redacted] thing, especially as I listened to the audiobook. However at this point I’m strapped in for the long haul with my Murderbot obsession so I hung in there until it was all made clear and enjoyed every second. I liked that this one humanises ART a little and highlights how well it works alongside Murderbot. 
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

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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? Yes

4.0

I loved that this turned into a sci-fi murder mystery. A lot of the tech jargon went over my head but the sarcasm and disdain for social interaction spoke to my soul, so it evened out. 
Hans by S.J. Tilly

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I’ve been meaning to read this next since it was released 3 months ago and now I don’t know why I waited so long.

Although I had that sinking sick feeling a few times, just because even the mention of human trafficking gets to me every time, this take on it wasn’t too heavy which I’m glad about. 

I love that all the women in this series are plus size and all the men are unhinged. Also love that we had a cute little worlds colliding moment where everyone linked up and there was like 500 epilogues so all the different couples could update us on their versions of happily ever after. 
Railed by the Easter Bunny by Dalia Davies

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

3.0

This was as silly and smutty as I thought it would be. However just after the story “ramps” up (excuse the rabbit pun), it cuts off.

I suppose it’s to entice you to carry on the series but I don’t think I have it in me to read the 284 page follow up book, let alone the full 8 book series.
Wonka by Sibéal Pounder

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I picked this quickly on a whim, which is so fitting as it is a whimsical quick-read. I don’t usually go for children’s books but this one filled me with such a sense of nostalgia, I was genuinely engaged by every page. 

Gotta admit, some of the jokes and metaphors did seem a bit out of sorts in a children’s book but as an adult, I was not complaining. I personally loved the inclusion of a chocolate cartel conspiracy and a police officer who developed a real bad “taste for the brown stuff”.

Either way, I really liked this and now want to read the Roald Dahl Charlie & the Chocolate Factory books
Network Effect by Martha Wells

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adventurous funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is the only full length instalment of the Murderbot series and the oddest part is I didn’t even notice the change, despite it being 4x the length of any of the previous books. There’s something about the all action, all the time pace that keeps things moving. 

I’m glad we got to see ART again but I don’t understand the whole bot-to-bot relationship thing. I can’t work out how all the poly family units and Murderbot’s relationship with Mensah factor in either, it’s a weird web of connections. And what happened to the other crew we saved and were going to go work with? 
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells

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emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

“You can hug me if you need to.” 🥺

Although only a short story (free on reactormag.com), this was a really nice glimpse into the human perspective. As it’s a different type of “processing” than you expect from this series, it’s easy to forget there’s real trauma and PTSD to work through for the human characters.
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The gang’s all back together. Murderbot is getting respect and recognition. It has freedom, a future AND a full entertainment feed? That’s what we call winning 🦾
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

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adventurous emotional inspiring fast-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

4.0

Enjoyed this one. Miki was such an intriguing character. You begin feeling so icky and unsettled by their behaviour, then end up really emotionally connected and invested in their wellbeing.