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siglerbooknook's reviews
180 reviews
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of my favorite novels, one I've read at least 4 times.
The questions posed in the story of morality, right and wrong, justice, and duty are left for the reader to think about. What makes a monster and what makes a man? What is the cost of vengeance?
Some classics deserve to be timeless and this is one of them.
The questions posed in the story of morality, right and wrong, justice, and duty are left for the reader to think about. What makes a monster and what makes a man? What is the cost of vengeance?
Some classics deserve to be timeless and this is one of them.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Murder
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
4.0
This was an interesting story/commentary on the Christian faith. I love the way C. S. Lewis makes the reader think by telling the story from the point of view of the enemy. I feel like I realized how often I let my internal monologue detract from actually living and this book helped me recognize it quicker so that I can truly live life to the fullest. I definitely think this is worth reading at least once in your life.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
5.0
Every once in a while you need a short comfort read. This is one of my favorites.
I have fond memories of my mother reading this book to me as a child, doing all the voices and everything. Maybe that colors my opinion, but every time I read any of the Narnia books I always find myself smiling and happier than I was before.
I have fond memories of my mother reading this book to me as a child, doing all the voices and everything. Maybe that colors my opinion, but every time I read any of the Narnia books I always find myself smiling and happier than I was before.
House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was every bit as entertaining, chilling, twisted, and enjoyable as the first.
I was surprised when this story focused so much on the romance. Then it surprised me again by being sweet, gentle, and almost like a daydream.
I spent half the book on the edge of my seat sure things were about to go terribly wrong.
And BOY did they. Once the chilling secrets started to show up they felt like a waterfall sweeping me along at a mad rush along with Verity. Every twist was a jarring mix of anticipation, hope, uncertainty, and fear. Every answer made perfect sense yet offered 3 more questions.
The plot is a wonderfully example of the dangers of ego and "playing god".
The ending made me want to throw the book across the room in the best possible way, and I can't explain why without major spoilers. It's the kind of ending that makes me speechless and shaking my head because "that can't be right!" You'll have to read it for yourself to truly understand what I mean...
I was surprised when this story focused so much on the romance. Then it surprised me again by being sweet, gentle, and almost like a daydream.
I spent half the book on the edge of my seat sure things were about to go terribly wrong.
And BOY did they. Once the chilling secrets started to show up they felt like a waterfall sweeping me along at a mad rush along with Verity. Every twist was a jarring mix of anticipation, hope, uncertainty, and fear. Every answer made perfect sense yet offered 3 more questions.
The plot is a wonderfully example of the dangers of ego and "playing god".
The ending made me want to throw the book across the room in the best possible way, and I can't explain why without major spoilers. It's the kind of ending that makes me speechless and shaking my head because "that can't be right!" You'll have to read it for yourself to truly understand what I mean...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
While I was truly enjoying the story of Jean Valjean and Cosette, there is SO much extra detail and explanation about locations, politics, the era, types of people, and characters that are important for all of a chapter that I could keep myself interested. The rabbit trails are too numerous between each small piece of the actual story. I'm glad it was written because the movie is one of my favorites, but this is not one of my favorite classics to read.
Thorn by Intisar Khanani
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book was not at all what I expected. Going in I thought it would be just another romantic fantasy with magic and cliche tropes. It was so much more.
The romance in the book is minimal, the focus instead being on friendship. Real friendship, and what it can cost.
Yet even that theme is secondary to a realistic exploration of justice, the effort it takes to achieve it, and the harsh reality of it.
There is no neat and tidy ending, which I think is perfect for this story. It isn't a book meant to be read, enjoyed, and forgotten, and Khanani does an amazing job ending the book in a way that makes you truly think about what justice is.
Thorn is a loveable and refreshing main character. I enjoyed seeing a softer female lead and watching her learn how to be strong in a way that didn't involve becoming a master fighter.
It is easy to tell how much thought, passion, and conviction went into this book. It may not be my favorite story I've ever read, but I will never forget it or the questions this book makes you ask.
The romance in the book is minimal, the focus instead being on friendship. Real friendship, and what it can cost.
Yet even that theme is secondary to a realistic exploration of justice, the effort it takes to achieve it, and the harsh reality of it.
There is no neat and tidy ending, which I think is perfect for this story. It isn't a book meant to be read, enjoyed, and forgotten, and Khanani does an amazing job ending the book in a way that makes you truly think about what justice is.
Thorn is a loveable and refreshing main character. I enjoyed seeing a softer female lead and watching her learn how to be strong in a way that didn't involve becoming a master fighter.
It is easy to tell how much thought, passion, and conviction went into this book. It may not be my favorite story I've ever read, but I will never forget it or the questions this book makes you ask.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and Sexual harassment
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? No
4.75
This book was every bit as good as I remember it being when I was a teenager, and possibly even more challenging. The premise is so dark and sad, but the characters so loveable it's hard not to enjoy the story.
I love watching the character growth in Peeta and Katniss. I will always cry at that one death. Haymitch is probably my favorite character.
The underlying warnings about a people divided are hard to ignore.
My only real complaint with the book is how stiff Katniss is throughout, even when she knows what's on the line. Maybe it's just because I don't relate to her personality but I found myself rolling my eyes at how obtuse she is at times. However, this definitely doesn't ruin the story for me at all.
I love watching the character growth in Peeta and Katniss. I will always cry at that one death. Haymitch is probably my favorite character.
The underlying warnings about a people divided are hard to ignore.
My only real complaint with the book is how stiff Katniss is throughout, even when she knows what's on the line. Maybe it's just because I don't relate to her personality but I found myself rolling my eyes at how obtuse she is at times. However, this definitely doesn't ruin the story for me at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Classism
Breath of the Dragon by A.L. Tait
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
This was such a cute ending to this 3 book adventure. There are wonderful examples of character growth, morals, how to be the bigger person, and still a good sense of justice and satisfaction at the end.
There are some typos throughout the book, and a few points where our lead characters make silly decisions, but they are 14 after all.
Some of the peril us situations they end up in are unbelievable but very entertaining.
Zain is a wonderfully written role model, who instills many important lessons on his young charges. He often shares hard won wisdom in a nurturing way.
I will definitely be adding this trilogy to my own collection.
There are some typos throughout the book, and a few points where our lead characters make silly decisions, but they are 14 after all.
Some of the peril us situations they end up in are unbelievable but very entertaining.
Zain is a wonderfully written role model, who instills many important lessons on his young charges. He often shares hard won wisdom in a nurturing way.
I will definitely be adding this trilogy to my own collection.
The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This story was entertaining and unique. I love the idea of stories holding magic for both good and evil.
My favorite parts of this book were the way the author wove her lore and stories into the over arching plot, the dragons, and the relationship between the two. She did a wonderful job making the old stories feel magical and they were definitely my favorite parts of the book. I also loved that the dragons we see in the story have very unique personalities that feel somewhere between human and animal. The idea that they can also share stories was beautiful!
I unfortunately didn't really find the characters to be engaging or likeable. There were points where I understood them, but often they hold to a personality flaw too long and it makes them feel stuck and flat. A good portion of the sub plot would have been easily avoided with some direct communication.
Everyone in this story was either absolutely evil, or a want-to-be martyr.
That said, the one character death in the book made me cry.
Jarek was so cruel he made a rather unbelievable character with 0 redeeming qualities. The author does a good job making us hate him, and I do understand his motives.
Her other villain however, honestly didn't make sense to me. He had everything to lose and nothing to gain by making the decisions he did.
Over all, I could definitely see a younger reader loving this book. It has a leading lady who is believably strong and a leading man who is both masculine and gentle. There was enough to the plot to be entertaining and most of the answers were satisfying. I even found myself surprised with one of the reveals.
My favorite parts of this book were the way the author wove her lore and stories into the over arching plot, the dragons, and the relationship between the two. She did a wonderful job making the old stories feel magical and they were definitely my favorite parts of the book. I also loved that the dragons we see in the story have very unique personalities that feel somewhere between human and animal. The idea that they can also share stories was beautiful!
I unfortunately didn't really find the characters to be engaging or likeable. There were points where I understood them, but often they hold to a personality flaw too long and it makes them feel stuck and flat. A good portion of the sub plot would have been easily avoided with some direct communication.
Everyone in this story was either absolutely evil, or a want-to-be martyr.
That said, the one character death in the book made me cry.
Jarek was so cruel he made a rather unbelievable character with 0 redeeming qualities. The author does a good job making us hate him, and I do understand his motives.
Her other villain however, honestly didn't make sense to me. He had everything to lose and nothing to gain by making the decisions he did.
Over all, I could definitely see a younger reader loving this book. It has a leading lady who is believably strong and a leading man who is both masculine and gentle. There was enough to the plot to be entertaining and most of the answers were satisfying. I even found myself surprised with one of the reveals.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
!!!CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS!!!
This book has proved complicated to review. I have many conflicting thoughts and feelings now that I've finished the whole story.
While the ending wasn't completely satisfying it does make sense, both with the plot, and with the way the main characters have been built. Several goals from all 3 books felt very rushed. Big bads that have been overwhelmingly powerful for 3 books were a cliffnote in the ending.
Of all the characters in the book I liked Diana and Matthew the least. Their personalities while well rounded, are very similar to how they were in the beginning of the first book. I don't feel like they grew much. By this book I felt like Matthew should have learned to have some faith in Diana and Diana should stop second guessing everything.
The side characters however, completely make up for it. I love almost every other character in the book, even if some feel like completely different people from the last time we saw them.
I felt like the plot dragged a little in the middle. We spend the entire second book on Diana learning to use her magic, so further learning in this book felt repetitive. I didn't really need to know how she comes up with words and ingredients for spells multiple times to understand she was growing as a witch.
I did love the big reveal at the end. Harkness does a wonderful job pulling all the tiny clues together. Any detail can be tied back to the reveal beautifully. I do wish she'd answered a few of the broader questions in a little more detail, like what daemons, witches, and vampires are.
Over all I enjoyed the story and am mostly satisfied with the ending.
This book has proved complicated to review. I have many conflicting thoughts and feelings now that I've finished the whole story.
While the ending wasn't completely satisfying it does make sense, both with the plot, and with the way the main characters have been built. Several goals from all 3 books felt very rushed. Big bads that have been overwhelmingly powerful for 3 books were a cliffnote in the ending.
Of all the characters in the book I liked Diana and Matthew the least. Their personalities while well rounded, are very similar to how they were in the beginning of the first book. I don't feel like they grew much. By this book I felt like Matthew should have learned to have some faith in Diana and Diana should stop second guessing everything.
The side characters however, completely make up for it. I love almost every other character in the book, even if some feel like completely different people from the last time we saw them.
I felt like the plot dragged a little in the middle. We spend the entire second book on Diana learning to use her magic, so further learning in this book felt repetitive. I didn't really need to know how she comes up with words and ingredients for spells multiple times to understand she was growing as a witch.
I did love the big reveal at the end. Harkness does a wonderful job pulling all the tiny clues together. Any detail can be tied back to the reveal beautifully. I do wish she'd answered a few of the broader questions in a little more detail, like what daemons, witches, and vampires are.
Over all I enjoyed the story and am mostly satisfied with the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Kidnapping