magicalghoul's reviews
98 reviews

Crueler Mercies by Maren Chase

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

3.5

Got an e-arc from netgalley and bindery books in exchange for a honest review. 

The story of Vita's revenge starts slowly, but stick with it—the plot eventually falls into place, and the payoff is worth the wait. 

While the tension is low until the final arc, this slow-burn approach works perfectly for Vita's compelling character development. The protagonist, a passive narrator for much of the story, patiently bides her time, making her eventual growth feel both organic and well-earned.  I'm not that used to reading about this type of passive protagonists, so this was a nice change of pace. 

The central f/f romance is sweet, though it did feel a bit underdeveloped. Vita's allies suffer this same fate but you'll find yourself genuinely rooting for them and hurting with them nonetheless.

In contrast, the antagonist fares better: His cruelty is disturbingly realistic and nuanced, avoiding cartoonish villainy and capturing the multi-faceted nature of abusers. 

This solid antagonist along with the well-crafted worldbuilding is what I think ultimately made the narrative work, it provided a strong foundation for the complex political intrigue and warring factions that drive the latter halves of the plot, making it all feel very grounded. 
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El Buzón de las Impuras by Francisca Solar

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

Clubs de Lectura 2025: Febrero

Este libro de ficción histórica toma el incendio de la Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús de 1863 en Chile, evento que personalmente desconocía por completo. 

Al principio, la escritura me pareció algo rígida y aburrida de leer. Pero los personajes (tanto héroes/heroínas y antagonistas) están TAN bien logrados, tri-dimensionales y distintivos, que mediante ellos la lectura se hace amena. 

Me ocurrió algo similar con la sub-trama de los gringos: La sufrí al principio sin entender por qué se incluían tales detalles que sólo parecían diagonales a la trama principal, pero que luego cobraron sentido al ver cómo el destino de estos diplomáticos se cruzó con el de las mujeres víctimas en el incendio de la compañía, personificado en la ficción en las historias de Fatima y Max.

Una vez la trama llega al fatídico día se mantiene un excelente sentido de tensión e intriga a lo largo de la narrativa a tal punto que ese día debí seguir leyendo hasta el final para no quedarme en vela sin saber el destino de los personajes que tanto me habían encariñado.

La puntuación que le doy es en gran parte a la gran labor de investigación, periodismo y divulgación realizado por la autora en su intento por humanizar esta parte olvidada de la historia de Chile. Creo que hay detalles de la narrativa (como el estilo algo tieso, cambios de POV irregulares e inclusión poco orgánica de detalles históricos) que pueden perdonarse cuando el resultado es un libro con una misión tan noble y que se disfruta muchísimo.
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La sed by Marina Yuszczuk

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

4.0

Clubs de Lectura 2025: Febrero

La primera parte me gustó mucho y aunque tuve mis dudas sobre las segunda, una vez
Alma se encuentra con la vampira
, me volvió a enganchar por completo. 

El contraste de la fuerza del duelo en una de las voces narrativas en contraste con un personaje que no se inmuta con la muerte que causa y la muerte a su alrededor fue bastante interesante. 
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What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

Well built characters, fascinatic monsters, really good action writing and moving emotional beats. Would've loved more down time with some the characters as they bonded, though, but that would be it. Solid YA read. 
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A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

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challenging 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? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A bit of a challenging one since it was, ultimately, about an abusive relationship.

The writing style is beautiful and lent itself really well to the audiobook format but I would've loved to see more moments with the other characters to really feel that bond they had. I enjoyed reading it but it could've pushed itself a bit more in that regard, if anything to at least make an even more satisfactory ending. 
La mala costumbre by Alana S. Portero

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Historia coming of age de una mujer trans en el seno de una comunidad y familia obrera en una España post-Franco.

La autora tiene un dominio increíble sobre la palabra, nutre la narrativa con pasajes hermosisimos e hila multiples historias entre otras, haciendo pausas e introduciendo personajes de forma magistral.

Lamentaba cuando tenía que pausar la lectura y tuve que revisar una y dos veces para cerciorarme de que se trataba de una historia de ficción, pues todo era tan real (aún con las influencias y guiños a cuentos de hadas) como algo sentido en la vida real en su totalidad.

Muy dura pero también muy esperanzadora. Este libro y Las Malas de Camila Sosa Villada parecen en conversación, no solo por la temática principal pero también por cómo ambos reflejan los triunfos y penurias de las mujeres trans de la clase trabajadora, cada una desde su propio continente. 
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The You You Are by Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale, PhD

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
I wish I knew how to help him. And perhaps some-day I will. But for now, I'm grateful for who I can help: You.

Oh Mark, you're so loved 😔😔😔

Ricken may be a Bit self centered and misguided but his heart is in the right place. Down with "Ricken is the real evil" theorists!!!! 
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

One of those books you just don't want to finish. 

Very beautiful. There's so many allegories that could be applied to it, specially considering the author had to flee from a genocide. 

Despite the bleak setup, the power of community, curiosity, resilience and compassion in the face of the cruelest, most incomprehensible of scenarios (and the perceived lack or distance to humanity the protagonist sees in herself) shine through. 
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My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

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

3.0

Thought I'd enjoy it more than I actually did.

It was a challenging read, despite me relating to many aspects of the protagonist's whole deal (Your early 20s are all about maladaptive daydreaming, seeing what cocktail of psychiatric meds best work for you and engaging in a Lot of depression naps, right?)

The last act did keep me engaged though, and I know that last line will haunt me. 
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The Predator (Animorphs Graphix #5) by K.A. Applegate, Michael Grant

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Eva debut, Eva debut! 

The timing of this one felt a little off, but I'll live. The graphic novels chop A Lot of inner dialogue which I understand, but also think is detrimental to character development but that's just how it is, I guess. The choice to have Rachel's dialogue in the middle of it despite it being a Marco book was also an odd one but I'm not complaining too much because it did give us a cute moment with her and Tobias. 

Also the gag of Marco walking out of Marco's office with two purple eyes was honestly too funny. My poor child. 
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