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madieanne's reviews
324 reviews
The Voice Upstairs by Laura E. Weymouth
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
4.5
(4.5) the voice upstairs was a brilliant ghost story !!
wil and edison were both wonderful main characters, and i loved their distinct personalities. i loved how this started as a classic ghost story and slowly became more sinister as the plot developed. the twists and turns were insane. i never would have guessed the ending.
while the main focus is the ghost story/mystery, there is a romance subplot that i adored. wil and ed’s relationship was tender and sweet, and i found myself rooting for them from the first page. the way they yearned and pined for each other had me giggling and kicking my feet.
i also want to point out the atmosphere the author created. the writing style was incredibly intoxicating, and from page one, i was enveloped in the sinister, slightly off-kilter world of the grange.
If you’re looking for a ghost story with a perfect blend of mystery, romance, and mayhem, the voice upstairs is the book for you!
wil and edison were both wonderful main characters, and i loved their distinct personalities. i loved how this started as a classic ghost story and slowly became more sinister as the plot developed. the twists and turns were insane. i never would have guessed the ending.
while the main focus is the ghost story/mystery, there is a romance subplot that i adored. wil and ed’s relationship was tender and sweet, and i found myself rooting for them from the first page. the way they yearned and pined for each other had me giggling and kicking my feet.
i also want to point out the atmosphere the author created. the writing style was incredibly intoxicating, and from page one, i was enveloped in the sinister, slightly off-kilter world of the grange.
If you’re looking for a ghost story with a perfect blend of mystery, romance, and mayhem, the voice upstairs is the book for you!
Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
foul heart huntsman was the perfect conclusion for a perfect series.
i’m in denial. i can’t believe this is the end of the secret shanghai universe. my love for this series is so strong, and even though i’m sad it’s over, i’m glad I’ll always have a chance to reread it.
the secret shanghai universe will always have a special place in my heart.
full review to come.
thank you simon teen for the ARC!
i’m in denial. i can’t believe this is the end of the secret shanghai universe. my love for this series is so strong, and even though i’m sad it’s over, i’m glad I’ll always have a chance to reread it.
the secret shanghai universe will always have a special place in my heart.
full review to come.
thank you simon teen for the ARC!
Children of Fallen Gods by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
children of fallen gods was a riveting sequel.
honestly, this series has me conflicted so far. i found both the first and second books hard to get through, and neither book grabbed my attention until the 80% mark. i think both books could be a tad bit shorter. that said, this was a major improvement compared to the first book.
i loved aefe's character, and although i guessed who she was within her first few chapters, the big reveal still had an emotional impact. i think aefe's character was a brilliant addition to the story, and i look forward to seeing her character again in the final installment.
i’m going to take a little break from this series and let myself process everything, and then i’ll come back and finish the last book.
honestly, this series has me conflicted so far. i found both the first and second books hard to get through, and neither book grabbed my attention until the 80% mark. i think both books could be a tad bit shorter. that said, this was a major improvement compared to the first book.
i loved aefe's character, and although i guessed who she was within her first few chapters, the big reveal still had an emotional impact. i think aefe's character was a brilliant addition to the story, and i look forward to seeing her character again in the final installment.
i’m going to take a little break from this series and let myself process everything, and then i’ll come back and finish the last book.
Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
3.5
(3.5) daughter of no worlds was a decent story.
i’ve seen a lot of hype surrounding this series, which is the main reason i picked it up. unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to my expectations, but it was a good start to the trilogy, and i have a feeling the next book is going to be even better.
i’ve seen a lot of hype surrounding this series, which is the main reason i picked it up. unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to my expectations, but it was a good start to the trilogy, and i have a feeling the next book is going to be even better.
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
5.0
stories like we hunt the flame are the reason i love fantasy !!
i mean it when i say this is one of the best ya fantasy books i’ve read. the storytelling was fantastic. it’s truly unmatched.
i loved zafira and nasir, they were amazing main characters, and they each had distinctive voices. books with dual perspectives are usually a hit or miss for me. sometimes i struggle to connect with one of the characters, and then i find myself bored for half the book, but that wasn’t the case with we hunt the flame. i loved getting glimpses of both zafira and nasir, and not one aspect of this book bored me. i was entertained and engaged the entire time.
reading about the struggles of zafira and nasir and following along as they worked through their issues was gut-wrenching at times. the character development was well-fleshed out and some of the best i’ve read.
i thought the dash of romance was perfect! i appreciated that the romance didn’t overshadow the rest of the story. nasir was such a sucker for zafira, and i adored every little interaction.
i need everyone to read this !!
i mean it when i say this is one of the best ya fantasy books i’ve read. the storytelling was fantastic. it’s truly unmatched.
i loved zafira and nasir, they were amazing main characters, and they each had distinctive voices. books with dual perspectives are usually a hit or miss for me. sometimes i struggle to connect with one of the characters, and then i find myself bored for half the book, but that wasn’t the case with we hunt the flame. i loved getting glimpses of both zafira and nasir, and not one aspect of this book bored me. i was entertained and engaged the entire time.
reading about the struggles of zafira and nasir and following along as they worked through their issues was gut-wrenching at times. the character development was well-fleshed out and some of the best i’ve read.
i thought the dash of romance was perfect! i appreciated that the romance didn’t overshadow the rest of the story. nasir was such a sucker for zafira, and i adored every little interaction.
i need everyone to read this !!
Ember of Night by Molly E. Lee
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
listen, i’m a sucker for cheesy paranormal romances, but this was BAD. was it entertaining? yes, for the most part. was i cringing every two pages? also yes.
the characters were insufferable, and the dialogue was so embarrassing. i could not believe the shit harley and draven were saying to each other. it was so unnatural.
i also want to point out that ember of night feels like a complete rip-off of the dark elements trilogy by jennifer l armentrout. there were a ton of similarities, and i don’t think it’s a coincidence.
the characters were insufferable, and the dialogue was so embarrassing. i could not believe the shit harley and draven were saying to each other. it was so unnatural.
i also want to point out that ember of night feels like a complete rip-off of the dark elements trilogy by jennifer l armentrout. there were a ton of similarities, and i don’t think it’s a coincidence.
Illusionary by Zoraida Córdova
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
ahh illusionary was an incredible sequel!
the plot was action-packed, tense, and filled with little twists and turns. i loved ren and cas’s character development, and i just adored the romance between them. i loved the way they loved each other.
illusionary broke my heart and put it back together again. i had so many emotions coursing through me while reading. i haven’t felt so strongly about a fantasy book in a long while.
this duology is going to stick with me for a long, long time.
the plot was action-packed, tense, and filled with little twists and turns. i loved ren and cas’s character development, and i just adored the romance between them. i loved the way they loved each other.
illusionary broke my heart and put it back together again. i had so many emotions coursing through me while reading. i haven’t felt so strongly about a fantasy book in a long while.
this duology is going to stick with me for a long, long time.
Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
incendiary was a mind-boggling read!
incendiary had a perfect blend of magic, intrigue, and heartbreak. ren was a complex main character, and i really felt connected to her and the struggles she faced.
the plot was so twisty i honestly had no idea who to trust, and the betrayal that unfolded left me heartbroken and bruised. i had a lot of theories while reading, and while a few of them were somewhat correct, none of my theories covered the full extent of what actually occurred.
the last 150 pages of this book shocked me to my core, and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover. i can’t wait to see what unfolds in the sequel.
incendiary had a perfect blend of magic, intrigue, and heartbreak. ren was a complex main character, and i really felt connected to her and the struggles she faced.
the plot was so twisty i honestly had no idea who to trust, and the betrayal that unfolded left me heartbroken and bruised. i had a lot of theories while reading, and while a few of them were somewhat correct, none of my theories covered the full extent of what actually occurred.
the last 150 pages of this book shocked me to my core, and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover. i can’t wait to see what unfolds in the sequel.
A Queen in Hiding by Sarah Kozloff
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
i’m sad to say this was a bit of a letdown.
for starters, the synopsis says that an orphaned princess must master her powers and become a ruthless warrior to save her country, but none of that occurs in this book. and the orphaned princess in question only appears in a few chapters.
there were so many different character points of view, and it wasn’t executed well. i had a hard time keeping track of who was who and what was going on.
i know a queen in hiding is the setup for the series, but it just felt boring and pointless. i might continue the series later on, but for now, i’m moving on to something different.
for starters, the synopsis says that an orphaned princess must master her powers and become a ruthless warrior to save her country, but none of that occurs in this book. and the orphaned princess in question only appears in a few chapters.
there were so many different character points of view, and it wasn’t executed well. i had a hard time keeping track of who was who and what was going on.
i know a queen in hiding is the setup for the series, but it just felt boring and pointless. i might continue the series later on, but for now, i’m moving on to something different.
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
the stupid horse was the best thing about this book.
the writing was enchanting at first, but as the story went on it got very annoying. it felt like the author was more concerned with cramming in metaphors than with writing decent characters and an engaging plot.
the otherworld could have been an amazing concept if we had gotten an ounce of worldbuilding, and there’s not much to say about the plot because nothing interesting happened. it moved too fast, and too slow, and there wasn’t enough detail about more important things like the magic system or the horoscopes??
the romance was very instalove and cringy, which is not my thing. at all.
all in all, the star-touched queen had so much potential, but it missed the mark.
the writing was enchanting at first, but as the story went on it got very annoying. it felt like the author was more concerned with cramming in metaphors than with writing decent characters and an engaging plot.
the otherworld could have been an amazing concept if we had gotten an ounce of worldbuilding, and there’s not much to say about the plot because nothing interesting happened. it moved too fast, and too slow, and there wasn’t enough detail about more important things like the magic system or the horoscopes??
the romance was very instalove and cringy, which is not my thing. at all.
all in all, the star-touched queen had so much potential, but it missed the mark.