jaina8851's reviews
532 reviews

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

Go to review page

challenging dark tense 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

3.75

I found myself underwhelmed by this book. I don't really like the word "overhyped" because I think that any individual person is going to hype a piece of media the amount that they deem appropriate, but I do think that I went into this book with higher expectations based on how many people I've heard rave about it. I thought the premise was interesting and the magical system was unique, but I didn't find myself caring a whole lot about what happened to our main character.
I did think that the choice to have her family turn on her at the end was a really powerful and unexpected one.
I agree with other reviewers descriptions that this reminded me a lot of Babel but less good. Moira Quirk's narration absolutely carried the day, she is one of the best there is, but the experience of reading this book as a whole left me feeling unsatisfied.
Authority by Jeff VanderMeer

Go to review page

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

2.5

This book really didn't land for me. I kept wanting to like it, but it felt like it was going in one ear and out the other, and I just couldn't keep a grasp on the story or the characters. I was most interested in the story of the biologist and really didn't find myself caring for Control much at all. I think that this book will go better for me on a reread with my eyes, because I do really want to continue with the series.
Paper Girls, Vol. 6 by Brian K. Vaughan

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

Paper Girls, Vol. 5 by Brian K. Vaughan

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

Paper Girls, Vol. 4 by Brian K. Vaughan

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

Paper Girls, Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Go to review page

adventurous dark tense fast-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

5.0

Absolutely unapologetically loved everything about this book. It reminded me of the way Ender's Game made me feel when I read it as a kid, but with 2024 sensibilities. I loved the interesting choices of how the author layered the story. The stakes felt very real and I never had any idea where the story was going to go next. I really loved the ending, even though I've seen in other reviews that it's a bit controversial. A+ no notes.
Paper Girls, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

Time traveling Stranger Things but with girl heroes and amazing art? This series is like candy for me, inject it into my veins.
Emergency Skin by N.K. Jemisin

Go to review page

challenging reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

NK Jemisin's stories always have such a fascinating hook and this was no exception. I felt like this was a well scoped short story that was a take on post-apocalyptic Earth that I haven't read before.