laedyred's reviews
280 reviews

The Melancholy of Mechagirl by Catherynne M. Valente

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

5.0

So close and reflectice of my own experiences, Valente moved me. 
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

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

4.0

I can't decide how I feel about this book. Some elements I really like, some I thought were too typical. The ending was unsatisfying as it all seemed to unravel itself for no reason. But I did like the writing style and am interested in the world. I was disappointed that there was the potential for a huge feminist message that wasn't taken. 
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The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.
It was okay, I just couldn't get into it. Had to return the book to the library and didn't have any interest in loaning it again. 

Stopped on chapter 38
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

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lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

There's a sublte humor in the prose I have great respect for. The plot itself is quite slow and methodical, as if it were a children's fairy tale. This isn't some crazy adventure story, but rather a play in classic literature. 
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

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

3.0

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

This book was a ride; there's a sense of beauty to it. Themes of loneliness, discovery, multiple selves, innocence, and the majesty of nature make it something special. The writing style and flow of Piranesi's thoughts are unique and sometimes unassumingly funny. There's a lot to reflect on, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo

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

3.5

This duology was definitely the weakest of the three groupings in the Grisha series. Rule of Wolves was a slight improvement on King of Scars. I enjoyed the book but often found certain things unsatisfying. Some explanations were a bit too convenient, relationships between characters too ideal, solutions to problems too easy. I wouldn't say I'm disappointed in the ending, but I definitely wasn't satisfied. If there's any chance of a sequel, I'd like to refocus on characters other than Zoya. 
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

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

3.5

This book was good, but a let down when compared to the rest of the Grisha series. The focus on Nikolai is a great choice - he was my favorite character in previous books and loved seeing more from him. However, his character is much more surface level in this story. Zoya becomes the "chosen one" trope I dislike so much, and her back story doesn't justify her actions. It felt like Bardugo was pushing for us to love Zoya by making her flawless. So many plot points seemed to come out of nowhere; fights that should have been heroic were trivial. Too many things felt forced. That being said, I still enjoyed King of Scars. Many great characters make their return. But I can't say I'm not slightly disappointed.
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

It's tough to judge this book in some ways because of the older language. At first it can be difficult to stay interested when much of the plot is pure description. However, the story itself reads unlike much of what I've been exposed to already and definitely deserves a read.
The Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo

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

3.5

It explains the Darkling's origins, but isn't much else.