hforsythe26's reviews
186 reviews

If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

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

4.25

I don't normally enjoy YA books but I picked this up after the unique premise piqued my interest and I'm so glad I did! What at first seems like a light frothy story actually dives deep into some heavy themes of class, privilege, and wealth. There's a sweet romance between our main characters and the characters were well fleshed out. YA still isn't my favorite but this was a delightful story that had a meaningful message at its heart. 
Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

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

4.5

Eight Perfect Murders is such a fun nod to classic mystery novels. It's absolutely filled with references to Agatha Christie, Donna Tartt, and other famous authors which is a fun way to keep a reader interested. They mystery was a good one with a unique premise and a couple of twists and turns that surprised me. I felt that the very end was just a bit lacking in that it wrapped up very neatly when I actually wanted a more ambiguous ending or maybe a shocking reveal that left that "no way!" feeling as the reader's final thought. Besides that it was a really fun quick read and definitely one of my favorite mystery novels to date. 
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous hopeful tense 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

4.0

This second installment of the famed Mistborn series is very different from the first. Like broccoli and peas, they taste similar but you can tell right away that they're different stories entirely. I'm astounded at the length of story Sanderson is able to pack into each of his books. Just like the first book, this one constantly had me wondering how in the world there's going to be another entire book to continue the story after this one. The plot is epic in scale but certainly not as fast paced as book #1. A large majority of the plot shows the struggles that come with managing a fledgling empire... the political scheming, lawmaking, and all the trouble that goes along with it take center stage which causes the plot to lag just a bit for the first two thirds or so. The character work is where Sanderson really shines - as always! Vin, Elend, and the rest of the crew reveal deeper layers than ever before and these characters felt so real and so alive it really shows an astonishing ability on Sanderson's part. The heroes, villains, and the "in-betweens" all drew me in and made me want to know more about them. All in all, this was a masterful continuation of an intensely nuanced story of struggle, conflict, and ultimately, hope.
Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst

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adventurous 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? Yes

4.0

Another fun fantasy adventure from Sarah Beth Durst. I liked this one a little less than The Bone Maker but still really enjoyed it. The premise is fascinating and the worldbuilding is unique and thorough without being dense. The characters were complex and realistic and I was fully invested in their journeys. Both of Durst's novels that I've read recently have been easy, fun reads that are great for an engaging pick-me-up to offset some of the more intricate or complex fantasy out there. Overall, very well written and lots of fun!
Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy, The-Holiday Ed.: And Other Stories by Tim Burton

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dark funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

Absolutely hilarious! Very much a Tim Burton vibe with this one... a collection of poems that tell stories of horrifying children in horrifying situations accompanied by Burton's whimsical sketches. Just a fun, silly, morbid little read that made me chuckle. Loved it!
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

Absolutely hilarious observations about dogs, self-worth, childhood, and other human experiences accompanied by the worst (if judging by artistic skill) but also best (if judging by ability to make me lol) hand drawn comics. Also, somewhat surprisingly, offers the most accurate depiction of depression I've possibly ever seen. A+ all around 👍🏻
The Golden Cage by Camilla Läckberg

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

The Golden Cage is an excellent dark thriller about bad people doing bad things. I know, I know, that might not sound like an almost five star read but it really is! I flew through this one and could not keep turning pages to find out what was going to happen next. There really were not any characters that I liked or was rooting for because they were all utterly despicable but at the same time I was very invested in Faye's journey and felt like I just had to keep reading and had to find out who survived to the end. There were only two characters that could be considered decent people, or innocent bystanders at least... the 7 year old daughter and Faye's first college boyfriend but by the end of the book both of those characters were subjected to absolutely horrible things! That's what they get for being decent people! Jokes aside, this was a top notch thriller by a clearly talented author and I highly recommend it to any Cersei Lannister fans out there. ** Side note: I'm not kidding about the content warnings here. That quarter star I knocked off was because this author really didn't hold back and some of the content was gross. I was shocked she went there and I don't get shocked very often.**
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Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

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funny lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

Finlay Donovan is my new best friend. I absolutely loved this book! It is equal parts hilarious, heartwarming, and mysterious. The author does such a wonderful job with the main character, Finn, making her realistic and relatable. I really enjoyed reading about a main character my age... she's in her early 30s, doesn't have her life figured out, and (despite the ridiculous shenanigans she gets mixed up in) felt like the most realistic character I've read in a long time. I laughed out loud so many times at her snarky attitude and enjoyed following along with her on all her crazy adventures. Can't wait to pick up the next book in the series! I almost gave this one five stars but I took it down to 4.75 because I found myself wanting to know more about Finlay's sister, the only character that felt a bit one dimensional. Hoping we'll get to know more about her in book #2 🤞🏻
The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst

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adventurous dark lighthearted 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

5.0

Starting 2023 off with a five star read... what could be better? I was a little skeptical going into The Bone Maker because I had previously dnf'd The Queen of Blood by the same author but I couldn't resist the synopsis and it seemed like there might be a lot of tropes that I normally enjoy, adult characters, interesting magic system (bone magic, so cool!), hero friend group... I am so glad I gave it a try! Absolutely loved it! I would describe it as Kings of the Wyld meets T. Kingfisher. The tone is light and fun, the dialogue is snarky and casual, and the characters are middle-aged people seen as "has-beens" that are forced into a somewhat reluctant comeback. That being said, the themes are actually pretty dark and it tackles some heavy moral questions. Very plot driven and fast paced without sacrificing character development. Definitely be aware that you'll need to suspend your disbelief and just go along with some moments that might have seemed a little too convenient in a more serious fantasy story. Overall, this was a fun read that kept me intrigued and also gave me some morally grey moments that I will be thinking about for quite some time. 
The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters

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

4.0