omnombailey's reviews
94 reviews

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

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adventurous dark emotional funny 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

I DID thoroughly enjoy this (especially when it went from dry humor one moment and then explicit body horror murder the next, while also being queer about it), but I wish this book was messier. Especially near the end, it felt like there was a lot of handholding with explaining to the reader that A Bad Happened while also being a bit hamfisted in how the villains were portrayed. There wasn't any breathing room for nuances or implications, which was a shame. Still, I did really enjoy this and I hope more books like this crop up in the future.
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

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

1.5

I was told this book was "Project Runway meets Mulan". And it was for the first third or so of the book. After that, it takes a left turn into shallow, forced YA romance territory and I could not be bothered to give a shit. 

The only reason I was able to get through this and finish it was bc I also had access to the audiobook alongside the ebook, which I listened to multiple long drives (I wasn't a huge fan of the audiobook reader either). And it's a shame, bc the worldbuilding and fantasy elements are super fascinating, but it takes a backseat to a petulant main character and her love interest (which was all painfully straight - a huge disappointment when you're claiming your book is like Mulan in this day and age. So many missed opportunities for a more queer interpretation, especially when Ammi was swooning for Maia. I had my hopes up for some Maia/Lady Sarnai, but here we are....). I honestly had zero idea there was even romance in this bc nothing in the marketing even hints at that. Literally the only reason I decided to dive into Yet Another YA Novel was bc the pitch intrigued me. And that part of the novel WAS decent! 

Unfortunately, all of this disappointment + the bland prose = a very not compelling story. By far the most disappointing thing I've read in a long time.
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Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted slow-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

2.5

This could've been an excellent book, but the middle was just painfully boring. I really enjoy the ending (albeit rushed) and the intro was interesting enough to get me to keep reading, but I can't get over how terrible the middle was. I had to borrow this from the library at least four times until I finished it due to that slog. I'm really glad I read a different Brandon Sanderson book as my intro to him because if it had been this one??? I'd write him off entirely. Everyone keeps saying this was "like The Princess Bride if Buttercup was the heroine" and... sure, you see bits of that, but it's literally just the first 15-20 minutes of The Princess Bride dragged out for an entire novel. I had such high expectations and was extremely disappointed :/
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

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emotional inspiring 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

4.5

Beautifully written. It reminded me of a way better version of Fangirl and it definitely benefited from the two central characters staying as friends (there ARE romance elements in the story, but they are secondary). Everything flowed really well and I resonated so much with Frances and Aled that I couldn't put this book down. That said, the conclusion didn't stick the landing for me; it was good, but the execution was really odd and felt a bit too melodramatic/unbelievable for my tastes. Still, I genuinely loved this book.
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

I wasn't sure if I'd like this book when I first got into it. The initial 20% was pretty rough, especially when Spensa's petulance was the main focus. I get that it's a YA book with a teen protagonist, but the YA-ness of the setup plus the prose felt a bit hamfisted. But I kept reading bc the prose does flow very well, making it easy to read, and you hit a point in the narrative where it takes a left turn off a bridge in the best way possible. I couldn't put the book down after that. I teared up so many times and also laughed just as often. Are some of the reveals predictable? Sure, but it never felt bland; it all felt appropriate for the story and well-earned. I couldn't stand Spensa when I started and ended up loving her coming-of-age arc and learning to grow. All the interactions were magnificent, too. Just genuinely loved this book by the end, despite being frustrated with the beginning. 
Pariah by Dan Abnett

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

3.0

I'm not a 40k fan and all I know about it is based on memes my bf (who is a 40k fan and bought me this book) has shared with me. I was able to follow the book mostly fine, but a ton of hyper-specific details and Easter Eggs went right over my head. It was still a fun read and I came to really enjoy Beta and Renner by the end. There were a few plot points I wasn't a fan of (
really didn't like how nothing was done with Judika and then he's killed off
) and I skimmed 80% of the fight scenes bc they dragged on too long and read like bad shonen anime action scenes. The story really shines with it's conversations and quieter moments. I couldn't put the book down during those bits. Definitely enjoyed it overall, but I also just... couldn't really say what it was about due to the details washing over and not sinking in. Just "local girl is on the run and bad shit happens, plus tired guy has to wrangle her like a cat and fails a lot - more at 11". Would probably rate higher if I actually understood and loved 40k, but it's still a decent book in general. 
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

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emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

There were a lot of interesting worldbuilding nuggets along with individual moments, especially with how the narrative weaves in and out of the present and past, but I was really bored for most of the book. I kept with it because it was only 100~ pages, but it felt like a chore, which is a shame because the book had great ideas.
When Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

3.0

This book was A Trip (affectionate and derogatory). It was an easy read, and much needed after the last book I read, but it also felt super hamfisted in its depictions of someone dealing with her comphet. At times, the messiness was refreshing and I appreciated seeing adults tackle their sexuality, but other times it was uh... pretty offensive. The first 25% was really hard to get into bc Katie is NOT a likeable character. The middle is definitely my favorite part, but then then last 20% felt so incredibly rushed with a bunch of plot threads left loose. Not terrible, but not amazing. If you want wholesome non-problematic gay people, this ain't the book for you. If you want something with any level of depth, this also isn't for you. But if you want a mindless quick read, then sure why not.
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A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

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

3.5

I found the first and last 20% to be really enjoyable and compelling, but the middle was such a tedious drag. Would've finished the book a lot sooner otherwise. At least the prose is gorgeous. Don't think I'll check out the rest of the series tho
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Green Rider by Kristen Britain

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

The first 30% is a slog, but when things pick up, it was hard to put down. Prose is a bit convoluted, though highlights were the character interactions and seeing all the narrative beats from early on finally connect at the end.
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