booksny's reviews
314 reviews

. Thus, I was a bit worried that the power dynamics between the two would be problematic - and indeed, there were a few moments where I wasn't keen on DLL taking advantage of Judy confiding in him to dictate what Judy could or couldn't do. However, it was saved by Judy's character - she was good at asserting her boundaries and expectations - as well as the fact that DLL respected her enough and didn't put financial pressure on Judy when his wishes were thwarted. This, I appreciate the skill required to take the older, well connected male raising a younger, vulnerable woman trope and develop it into a decently balanced relationship for the period it was set in

Stitches in Time by Barbara Michaels

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dark funny mysterious medium-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

Really enjoyed this - thought that the mystery was gradually uncovered in a really skillful way

Dreadful Company by Vivian Shaw

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adventurous lighthearted medium-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

Somewhat mixed feelings about this novel, though ultimately I think the pros outweighed the cons. Things I really enjoyed:

Creative worldbuilding
Adorable monsters
Strong resourceful protagonist
Engaging prose

Things which I struggled with

Some of the supporting characters - I really couldn't tell the difference between the voices of the two psychopomps
The pacing - I would've liked for more interaction to be had between Greta and Corvin at the dinner party (it felt like lost potential to have it just whizz past). I also couldn't get a sense of urgency with fixing the problems the heroes had at hand - no one else outside their group seemed to be affected by it, so it felt like it was all self-imposed deadlines to sort them out the way they did
The fluctuating level of competence - a couple of characters were lax in their duties for months. They otherwise seemed like earnest, responsible characters so I thought that there must be a magical reason for their carelessness but no, they were just separately irresponsible. It was especially baffling as
one was the guardian of the city; how is it that no one in the city had called him out on his neglect or even cared?
. I also didn't understand their strategy to
take on Corvin's crew outnumbered when they were just waking up. Mind you, up until then, I'd also had the impression that Corvin's crew wasn't very skilled; I'm not certain how they suddenly became dangerous fighters, but given that the heroes had Corvin's second-in-command giving them valuable information, I can't see why they ended up misjudging the level of threat they were facing
I was under the impression that a lot of the characters were well-connected and respected individuals, it puzzles me that they decided not to pull in more resources or personnel

The Donkey On The Sands And Other Stories by Enid Blyton

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2.0

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booksny's reviews 314 reviews

booksny's reviews
314 reviews