Scan barcode
hwesta's reviews
418 reviews
Beguilement by Lois McMaster Bujold
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Definitely a fantasy romance - I really enjoyed both the worldbuilding (malices! Groundsense! Lakewalkers vs farmers!) and the romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, and War
Large age gap in main romance - she's 18, he's 54 - but enthusiastically consensual on both sides.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked this! It had a little too many YA elements for my taste - a number of impetuous decisions that still turned out fine, lots of romantic drama - but still fun and interesting. I still disagree with the Xingyin about Wenshi, I think he was pretty reasonable and don't get why she hates him so much but I'll still try the sequel
作りたい女と食べたい女 1 by ゆざきさかおみ, Sakaomi Yuzaki
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
This was delightful! An adorable tale of two ladies who bond over food - Nomoto loves making tons of it and Kasuga loves eating huge amounts. I loved seeing them both be nervous about making a new friend as an adult (relatable!) and still reaching out to make it happen. This is also the start of a queer romance, and I'm looking forward to seeing that develop in future books.
Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 125, October 2020 by John Joseph Adams
3.5
Read "The Virtue of Unfaithful Translations" https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/the-virtue-of-unfaithful-translations/
A great fake academic history of a war averted by the translators colluding to change the translations of official missives to mislead rulers. Clever, cute, and with a great postscript
A great fake academic history of a war averted by the translators colluding to change the translations of official missives to mislead rulers. Clever, cute, and with a great postscript
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
3.5
Light and silly but overall didn't grab me. Definitely some stuff to catch on the second read if I wanted, now that I know the bug reveals
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
スキップとローファー 1 [Skip to Loafer 1] by Misaki Takamatsu
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
4.0
I enjoyed this! A light, relatively quick read. The main character is trying to fit in at her new Tokyo high school after moving from a more rural area. It's a lot of fun to meet her classmates and their different opinions of each other. Everybody has nuance, and it's funny along the way.
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't know what to say about this book. It's a fascinating and bizarre blend of fantasy and modern. The main character has no shadow and meets his boyfriend on a dating app. The world is simultaneously familiar and strange.
I absolutely did not see the reveal on who the narrator was<spoiler/>
Ivy, Angelica, Bay by C.L. Polk
4.0
I liked the slow realization of what was going on, that it was a magical view of Black-hostile urban planning and fighting against that with magic and community.