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sarai0410's reviews
329 reviews
The Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
4.0
While there was more of a focus on World War I battles than I was expecting, this was incredibly interesting. The writing and the way in which the author told Gillies' story was fantastic. I do wish there was more of a focus on the surgeon and his surgical innovations - especially his work on gender-confirming surgery later in life - but this was a great introduction into how plastic surgery evolved due to the horrific trauma soldiers faced during/after war.
I've been eyeing Fitzharris' other book, The Butchering Art, for quite sometime - I think it's time to pick that up.
I've been eyeing Fitzharris' other book, The Butchering Art, for quite sometime - I think it's time to pick that up.
Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
If I read the words demure or blood and steel (as a curse) one more time, I was legitimately going to stab myself with one of Shan's claws.
I wanted to like this so badly, and it genuinely had an interesting concept, but the execution was terrible. Non-existent world-building, lackluster characters, the worst case of 'telling, not showing' in writing that I have seen in a long time, and dialogue that made me want to gouge my eyes out. Nothing about this book was believable.
After the first 40ish pages, it felt like the author dropped us into book two or three in the series and just expected us to just get it.
I wanted to like this so badly, and it genuinely had an interesting concept, but the execution was terrible. Non-existent world-building, lackluster characters, the worst case of 'telling, not showing' in writing that I have seen in a long time, and dialogue that made me want to gouge my eyes out. Nothing about this book was believable.
After the first 40ish pages, it felt like the author dropped us into book two or three in the series and just expected us to just get it.
Critical Role: Vox Machina — Kith & Kin by Marieke Nijkamp
adventurous
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
As a huge Critical Role fan that has only casually enjoyed Campaign 1, I really enjoyed this look into the Twin's backstory. Going into this I knew to not expect a ton of magic as Vex and Vax aren't magic users at this age, so this really wasn't something that was missing for me. The only thing I wanted more of was the flashbacks to their years in Syngorn as this was where they had so much of their character development that shaped their Campaign 1 characters.
For the full experience, I highly recommend the audiobook (I mean it obviously has to be good considering Liam and Laura both voice their characters) as Robbie gives a phenomenal performance as the narrator.
For the full experience, I highly recommend the audiobook (I mean it obviously has to be good considering Liam and Laura both voice their characters) as Robbie gives a phenomenal performance as the narrator.
The Fury by Alex Michaelides
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Well that was certainty a book. A good book? Nah - definitely not. Despite disliking almost everything about this story, the thing that killed it for me was how every chapter ended in a faux-cliffhanger; really killed the vibe after following the exact same format for every chapter.
Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I picked this up at a library book sale (very appropriate for obvious reasons) and enjoyed the writing style and story. Honestly, I just wish it were a full length novel because this odd futuristic world that Gailey created had so much going on that I was interested in learning more about and I wanted to stay with the characters longer.
She wanted that satisfaction. She wanted it for herself wanted it like a half-starved alley-rat watching that table through a window on a bellyaching night. She didn't know how to get it—but she had a feeling that if she stuck with the Librarians for long enough, she might be able to figure it out. How to feast instead of starving...How to like the person who she was instead of fighting it.
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
adventurous
funny
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
4.5
While I'm not as well versed in Egyptian mythology as I am in Norse and Greek, I've always found the history and culture of Ancient Egypt fascinating, so I was ready to dive into another Riordan interpretation of mythology. The strongest bits of this story were the relationship between Carter and Sadie and their individual personalities. I enjoyed their interactions as practically strangers at the start of the book and how that developed into a more solid sibling relationship towards the end.
The overall story felt more mature than the PJO series, which I actually really liked and ultimately made sense for the characters: with Carter being raised by his dad, traveling the world, and not experiencing a traditional childhood, it made sense that his actions and personality are older than his age; the same could be said for Sadie, being raised by her grandparents. While there were still the classic 'silly goofy' times/references I've come to expect with a Riordan novel, the plot felt more high risk and I think we felt that risk at the end.
I'm super behind in enjoying Riordan's novels, but I am loving getting to do so now.
The overall story felt more mature than the PJO series, which I actually really liked and ultimately made sense for the characters: with Carter being raised by his dad, traveling the world, and not experiencing a traditional childhood, it made sense that his actions and personality are older than his age; the same could be said for Sadie, being raised by her grandparents. While there were still the classic 'silly goofy' times/references I've come to expect with a Riordan novel, the plot felt more high risk and I think we felt that risk at the end.
I'm super behind in enjoying Riordan's novels, but I am loving getting to do so now.
Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes
When I bought this, I hadn't realized it was the start of a series, and now I can't wait for the release of Murder Your Mate (according to the snippet at the end of the book) - I haven't found any publishing information, but hopefully we'll see it sooner rather than later.
dark
funny
mysterious
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
4.5
Having really only picked the book up because I thought the title was funny (who need synopses anyway?), I was very happy to find that I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and it was indeed funny inside as well! The writing style and way in which the story was told felt unique; while we technically had three main characters to follow in their journey (Cliff, Gemma, and Dorie), each perspective was done differently in both style and personality, so I was never bored of the writing. While the middle section (around 45-60%) was a little slow and could be considered drawn out, I was still quite fascinated to find where the story would take us. The humor throughout the story was amazing and I was constantly giggling with the little puns and jokes that were tossed around.
Couple spoilery thoughts about the ending:
Couple spoilery thoughts about the ending:
When we were introduced to the characters by our narrator, we were told that not all of them will be successful in their thesis/deletion. Because of this, I was expecting their failures to be more traditional and for McMasters to ensure they were deleted themselves. However, I was very happy with the way in which the 'failures' were handled - specifically with Gemma coming on as a faculty member (McMasters really does value their morals!). I liked how each character came to a different conclusion with their thesis also, nothing felt repetitive and each student had their our unique outcome and sense of purpose following their thesis'. Learning who Cliff's sponsor was, Jaeck's wife Lilliana, felt so good as well - that she had such faith in Cliff and really valued him as a son was a wonderful way to do justice for her husband. Finally, the last few pages of the book and the Dean's letter - I'm so curious to see if he actually survived or if there will be a new Dean for McMasters.
When I bought this, I hadn't realized it was the start of a series, and now I can't wait for the release of Murder Your Mate (according to the snippet at the end of the book) - I haven't found any publishing information, but hopefully we'll see it sooner rather than later.
A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
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
4.5
4.5 ⭐ There is no reason that this should have sat on my shelf for so long without being read (cough cough, February 2022 BoTM..) considering how much I loved it. While the first 20-25% is a little slow in getting to the plot, I loved exploring the island of Cadence and being introduced to our main characters - once we started to learn more about Sidra and Torin, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were a big part of the story with Jack and Adi! While some of the plot lines and twists were predictable, it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. It's not often that I will pause a book that I am loving because I just don't want it to end, but I did just that with A River Enchanted in the last 50ish pages. After that cliffhanger, I am so excited to move into the sequel A Fire Endless.
The Novice by Taran Matharu
adventurous
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
While I don't typically read from the Young Adult age range, I picked this up on a whim and can say that I did like it for the most part. In terms of age appropriateness, this felt way closer to Middle Grade than YA, despite the MC being 15 years old - the characters read much much younger, in both dialogue and through their actions. I enjoyed the first 35-45% of the story - the world-building and characterization at the beginning was interesting and had a good pace, but once I got to the 50% mark, the pacing changed drastically and everything became very 'telling, not showing' - also Fletcher's decision-making and thought processes felt more juvenile than any average 15 year old boy.
Overall, I think this is a good story for a (very) young audience, but more so for fantasy-beginners as many of the actions and characterization could seem cheap/underwhelming for any reader that has read more than a handful of fantasy novels.
Overall, I think this is a good story for a (very) young audience, but more so for fantasy-beginners as many of the actions and characterization could seem cheap/underwhelming for any reader that has read more than a handful of fantasy novels.
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
STEVENSON 👏 NEVER 👏 MISSES 👏
Each installment of The Ernest Cunningham Mysteries has been the easiest 5 stars for me and Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is no different. Intriguing, quick-witted, genuinely hilarious and 'LOL' worthy, this novella is the perfect holiday mystery. I hesitate to say much because I think it's best to go into these books/the whole series blind for the best experience.
Each installment of The Ernest Cunningham Mysteries has been the easiest 5 stars for me and Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is no different. Intriguing, quick-witted, genuinely hilarious and 'LOL' worthy, this novella is the perfect holiday mystery. I hesitate to say much because I think it's best to go into these books/the whole series blind for the best experience.
In keeping with an accidental theme—my first case involved a full stop, my second a comma—this may well be the first mystery ever solved by Comic Sans.
Some detectives, perhaps, solve crimes like fireworks: one lit fuse exploding everything at once. I solve crimes like a ten-car rear-ender on a bumper-to-bumper freeway: one car slams into another, and another and another, all the way up the line.