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mattiedancer's reviews
125 reviews
The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Writing: 3⭐️/5
On one hand, Jordan knows he’s writing books that are very long and people may need reminders of certain things. On the other hand, Jordan’s repetitive phrases and facts really, really exhaust me (if Nynaeve tugs on her hair one more time…). All in all, the book is serviceable to the plot, demonstrating great control at times, and at others lacking a certain something something.
Characters: 3.5⭐️/5
*Some Spoilers*
I am incredibly torn. Nynaeve and Mat continue to grow as characters, fleshing out their flaws and motives to be truly interesting characters. Rand even offers some growth – even if it is foul and unhealthy at times – with his passages becoming more unhinged, but also more interesting. However, it feels like we get a huge step back with Perrin, who reads during much of this novel like a carbon copy of Book-Two Rand. So much so that I wonder if Jordan knew how to make Perrin have an internal struggle that different from Rands. Egwene as well begins to act like a petulant child in a way that felt unnatural and unsmooth. I will say that at the end of the day, the characters are still fascinating and kept me reading.
Plot: 3.75⭐️/5
*Some Spoilers*
We have a couple illegal tropes to charge Jordan with, mainly the “Adults are Useless” trope. I found it incredibly hard to believe that the Amyrlin Seat would have encouraged three untrained Accepted Aes Sedai students to chase after the Black Ajah with little thought to how untrained they are. Other than that though, I didn’t have a huge problem with any of the overarching plot. In comparison to the previous book, I thought this felt less stuffed with fluff. I enjoyed the traveling, I enjoyed the switching perspectives, and I enjoyed the pace (mostly).
Who Should Read This Book?
- Those who read book one and two of The Wheel of Time (The Eye of the World)
Content Warnings?
- Confinement, kidnapping, toxic relationships, toxic friendships, blood, gore, abuse, war, misogyny, sexism, death, murder, injury, injury detail, fire, emotional abuse, gaslighting, mentions of slavery,
Post-Reading Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
Oh, I am worried for Faile.
Final Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery
Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Writing: 4.25⭐️/5
A well-crafted, well-controlled novel. Fitzgerald is a master of prose when it comes to pairing life’s finest luxuries with those who least deserve it. At many intervals, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the writing. At a few moments, the writing seemed to hold the plot back a bit, adding little to the story or character, and seemed to exist to be beautiful without substance. Overall, a fine read.
Characters: 4.25⭐️/5
The characters in this novel are not all (or always) good or moral people. But they are fascinating. I thought Dick Diver was missing a little something – substance, motive, characterization – and yet he was still interesting to read. Nicole Diver was a fascinating creature, as was Rosemary. Both women were deeply described and written with good depth. I think I also would have loved a bit extra from Nicole’s family, to fully understand both Nicole and Dick’s turmoil and relationship.
Plot: 4⭐️/5
The plot is really there to support the characters, and yet I still wish a little more occurred throughout the novel. Don’t get me wrong, the writing and characters made up for the lack of plot, but I would’ve loved the drama that followed Rosemary at the beginning to weave thoroughly throughout the novel. Instead, it disappeared, and the characters took the main stage.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald
Content Warnings?
- Mental illness, murder, incest, gun violence, alcoholism, child abuse, racism, racial slurs, adult/minor relationship, psychosis, ableism, death of parent, sexual assault, homophobia, sexism, misogyny, police brutality, toxic relationship, toxic friendship, infidelity
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
Fascinating.
Final Rating: 4⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship
Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories by Paul Dini
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Writing: 3.75⭐️/5
Alright, so it’s a fun collection, but it falls victim a bit to some sexist tropes and a bit of unnatural dialogue. I liked the way Harley Quinn’s thoughts were written, and I enjoyed the writing overall.
Artwork: 4.5⭐️/5
I mean, I can’t really say too much bad about the artwork. Maybe the female characters are not proportioned correctly, which is pretty standard in comic books, unfortunately, but it’s a beautiful comic with beautiful art.
Characters: 4⭐️/5
I love Harley Quinn. I love her stubbornness, her tenacity, and even her obsessions. I would have loved a bit more about her and the Joker’s relationship, but even then the characters are well-fleshed and fun.
Plot: 4.5⭐️/5
The plots of the comic books are fun and I enjoyed reading them.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of Batman
- Fans of Harley Quinn
- Fans of the Joker
Content Warnings?
Mental illness, violence, misogyny, sexism, physical abuse, emotional abuse, injury, forced institutionalization, toxic relationship
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
I had fun. Did I mention that?
Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/Injury detail
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Writing: 4⭐️/5
The writing falters at some points, but shines at others. I particularly loved how Brown writes about history and art in a way that blends fiction and fact seamlessly. I also enjoyed the flow of action, which was mostly easy to follow. What I liked less was the reliance on some sexist tropes of female characters. And, while the writing was functional, it definitely fell into some tropes for the favour of time and ease of reading. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely not the strongest writing characteristic.
Characters: 3.5⭐️/5
Alright, so I get it. Robert Langdon is very, very badass. But he doesn’t know it. It was both fun and not fun at times to follow him, but I did overall enjoy him and most of our main characters. I felt less love towards the suddenness at which Robert and Sophie found themselves romantically involved. I also didn’t buy into Sophie’s reason for essentially estranging herself from her grandfather. It felt like something that would’ve been silly to keep going for that long.
Plot: 4.25⭐️/5
Okay, so the plot is incredibly... fun? That seems like the wrong word, but here we are. I enjoyed reading the plot, despite its many ups and downs and some completely unbelievable sections. But I was okay with employing some suspension of disbelief (like the many many hours of zero sleep) to enjoy the engaging, ever-changing, ever-moving plot.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of mystery novels
- Fans of thrillers
- Fans of art history who like mysteries/thrillers
Content Warnings?
- Murder, death, self-harm, gun violence, ableism, blood, death of parent, car accident, violence, stalking, gaslighting, emotional abuse, religious bigotry, torture, kidnapping, confinement
Post-Reading Rating: 4.75⭐️/5
Well, that was fun.
Final Rating: 3.75⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Writing: 4.25⭐️/5
The writing shone in certain sections. I particularly loved the way Hatzopoulou described and wrote about the threads. I also thought she commanded good control of her language while describing action and combat, leaving the actions clear. A few sections of the novel fell victim to a bit of a rushed feeling, but most of it was paced well with good control.
Characters: 4.25⭐️/5
I really loved Io. She maintained her strength without paying to the conventions of the “strong badass female protagonist.” I liked that she fought against her sister’s description and prescriptions of her and paved her own path. And, I really loved her reaction to her fate string. I loved how she kept her secret to herself and how both characters eventually gave into the determination of the string. Honestly, the characters were just deeply written and still fun to read about.
Plot: 4.25⭐️/5
Ah, a world in which fates are reborn and the threads that bind us remain visible to some. I loved it deeply, especially as it wove into a mystery novel, with Io and Edei investigating together in a world where magic and myths come to life. I think the end was a bit rushed, and the cliffhanger did feel a bit sudden, a bit forced, but overall, it was lots of fun to read.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of young adult fantasy
- Readers looking for a fantasy read with mystery vibes
- Readers looking for a solid book in a fantasy world
- Fans of Greek mythology reimaginings
Content Warnings?
- Death, murder, genocide, war, blood, gore, grief, gaslighting, emotional abuse, animal cruelty, violence, injury, injury detail, death of parent, confinement, transphobia,
Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5
Would read the next one.
Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
adventurous
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
4.25
Writing: 4⭐️/5
The writing in this novel is strong in some sections and adequate in others. I thought the descriptions were strong, the world-building strong, but portions of the book dedicated to emotions or the inner turmoil of characters could sometimes fall flat in comparison to everything else. Similarly, the dialogue, especially at the beginning, felt forced, attempting to craft a badass female MC, but it came off a little cringe-y.
Characters: 3.75⭐️/5
Listen. I love the badass female protagonist as much as the next gal, but I felt a bit forced by Kaner to accept our MC’s badassery. She was in your face, blunt, and sassy to the point of disinterest, seemingly cutting elements from the typical badass female character and pasting it onto the page. Similarly, Elo’s determination to be a pouty ex-soldier with a chip on his shoulder reads similarly. His broody demeanour felt broody for no reason other than to be broody, and I was happy when he started to develop into something more.
Now, that being said, nearly everyone else was so fascinating to read about. The gods and their desire to have gifts. The young King and his suspiciously timed mission. The young girl who is plagued with a god of white lies. That god of white lies and his desire to undo the hurt he causes. If the two main characters had hit a stronger stride earlier, this could have easily been a five.
Plot: 4.5⭐️/5
The plot – and the world it takes place in – are instantly fascinating. We have a world, once overcome with gods and their patrons, now devoid of them. We have a quest to find the lost gods, and an attempt to untie a small god from the girl it wound itself around. I loved the story and I was fascinated at nearly every turn to understand and read about the next exciting moment, the next beautiful description, the next intriguing turn.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of older young adult fiction looking for a brilliant fantasy world
- Those who LOVE the badass female protagonist
- Fantasy readers looking for plot and world-building over writing
Content Warnings?
- Death, fire, fire injury, murder, stalking, gaslighting, confinement, toxic relationship, toxic friendship, violence, injury, blood, injury detail, death of parent, death of child, war, sexism, sexual content,
Post-Reading Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
Fascinating. If I had the second, I would have started reading immediately.
Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Writing: 3⭐️/5
The writing in this novel is fine. Near the end – or the further I got into the book – the more Myers seemed to find a writing flow. However, a couple chapters or so into the book, I realized that several paragraphs were formatted nearly the same length with sentences of exactly (or nearly exactly) the same length with the same rhythm. Once I noticed this, it was hard to keep reading as it gave a very boring, dry sound to every piece of action, despite the story being utterly compelling. Eventually, this kind of fell away, but it never fully left, and it really struck me as quite hard to continue reading.
Characters: 3.5⭐️/5
Alright, so the characters are interesting, but also inconsistent at various points. I felt like some of the backstory was thrown in almost too conveniently and it gave a lack of polish to the characters. However, I did find our MC and our main love interest compelling and – as the story continued – they grew nicely (if conveniently) enough to keep me engaged and happy.
Plot: 4⭐️/5
The plot started strong. We have a crooked medium who robs her clients in order to pay her rent. We have a conveniently rich man who has need of her fake services. And we have a murder – or suicide? – that we need to solve. Compelling, right? I loved the main plot. For as predictable as some turns were, it remained fun and fresh in feeling enough to keep me thoroughly engaged. However, my main gripe is with the ending, which felt like way too much, too soon. For some reason, Myers chose to use about the final 20-30 pages to wrap up every little thread possible – including several that really should have been left alone. The overwriting of the ending was hard to deal with, especially after a fun journey.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of fantasy and mystery novels
- Fans of mystery novels looking for a fresh plot
- Fans of historical mystery novels with a side dish of romance
- Readers of the above persuasion looking for plot overwriting
Content Warnings?
Murder, gaslighting, mental illness, stalking, police brutality (minor), child abuse, death, pregnancy, miscarriage, incest, violence, injury, injury detail, blood, grief, gore, confinement, drowning, infidelity, toxic relationship, misogyny, sexism, slavery (minor), emotional abuse, physical abuse, suicide, animal death (minor)
Post-Reading Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
Oh, if only it hadn’t tried to wrap up every tiny thread in the last bit of the novel, I could have loved it so much more.
Final Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Slavery, and Police brutality
Soul of the Deep by Natasha Bowen
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Writing: 4.75⭐️/5
The novel started off a bit rough, but it quickly cleaned up into some very clean and clear prose. She handles complex plot points with precision and foreshadows the progression clearly enough that you’re not caught off guard, even if you are still surprised.
Characters: 4.25⭐️/5
I felt like the characters suffered a bit when compared to the first novel. Now, don’t misunderstand me, the characters were still very well-written and well-developed, but they lacked a bit of development that I remember being so prevalent in the first book. Some of the twists and turns also felt a bit fast, happening without understanding the characterization that forced or pushed them in that direction.
Plot: 4.25⭐️/5
The overarching plot of the world and the novel is still stunning. I applaud how Bowen weaves serious topics with fantastical elements, maintaining levity at the right moments, and depth at others. Mostly, I felt the ending was a touch rushed in several spots. Again, I wanted a bit more time to understand the development, whereas everything felt so rushed towards a specific ending that certain sections definitely felt a touch forced. Overall, an enjoyable end to a series though, even if it was not perfectly happy.
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
**Spoilers**
I don’t want to hate that the characters didn’t end up immediately together, but I do. Felt like a bit of a forced ending to have them not together.
Who Should Read This?
- Those who read the first book in the series
- Fans of The Little Mermaid
- Fantasy readers
- Young adult readers 14+
- Fans of mythology-inspired stories
Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Paint Me Like I Am: Teen Poems from Writerscorps by Bill Aguado, Richard Newirth
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
4.0
Writing: 4⭐️/5
This is a collection of poems written by teenagers. While the writing is definitely inconsistent (sometimes within poems), the glimmers or even glarings of talent are well worth reading. For nearly every poem chosen, I can see why it was chosen: either for their clear voice or clear understanding of their chosen themes. In particular, several poems were so engaging and stunningly written that I found myself looking into the author, to see if they had pursued their talent further.
Approach: 4⭐️/5
The poems all vary in writer, and therefore vary in approach. I found this a really wonderful read because of the drastic changes in approaches from poem to poem. Similarly, when I encountered poems I didn’t love, the approach changed for the next poem. This all being said – as to be expected with a range of young authors – the skill level definitely varied, but there was more good (and good potential) to be found in this collection.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of poetry
- Poetry fans looking to support Writerscorps
Content Warnings?
- Death, gun violence, abuse, child abuse, child death, racism, racial slurs, misogyny, sexism, gaslighting,
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
A well-rounded collection
Final Rating: 4⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Gaslighting
I Hope This Finds You Well: Poems by Kate Baer
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
Writing: 3.75⭐️/5
The writing, the diction, and the word choice are not entirely dependent on Baer, as they are coming from source materials, but some poems shined through in a way only done through a good poet. Other poems, though, fell short, almost suggesting a shortness of thought or consideration given. Sometimes the source stood out more than the erasure when it should always land the other way. Overall, the collection contains truly stunning moments, but I found myself starved a bit between the stunning moments by really nothing substantial to live off of.
Approach: 3.5⭐️/5
I’m a bit torn here. The concept of the poetry is fantastic; the execution is less so. Where I didn’t love the approach was with the inclusion of some positive sources – not because of their positivity, but because the erasure form seemed to only mimic their point and not become its own thing. What I did like about the approach is what I like about all erasure poetry: it cuts away from a source to reveal something new. Certain poems in the collection did this with both ease and precision, slicing at the words to uncover something else so beautiful or so perfectly said that I couldn’t help but love it. But the poems just didn’t always do that.
Forms 3.5⭐️/5
This blends slightly with my point on the approach, but I did feel like sometimes Baer used the source too much, leaving it almost in its original form rather than pulling words back from its source to create something new. I wanted a bit more in terms of making the piece its own thing.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Feminist poets
- Fans of erasure poems
- Those who like a bit of politics in their poetry
- Those who want a bit of biteback in a poem
Content Warnings?
- Misogyny, sexism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, bullying, emotional abuse, physical abuse, violence, racism, homophobia, pregnancy
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
Some poems were truly stunning. Others definitely fell short. A short but worthwhile read.
Final Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment