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sphynxreads's reviews
771 reviews
His Plastic Doll by Mark Fermill
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
2.0
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
*All my reviews (including ARCs) are intended for reader consumption and not for the authors.
Let me preface this review by saying that this is my first time reading a Wattpad story all the way through and my first time reading a book written in Taglish.
With those disclaimers in mind, I'm sad to say that while I wasn't disappointed in this book, it annoyed me more than anything. There were so many grammatical errors and word choices that were just wrong that I think this book is in dire need of a much better editor. The code switching also didn't feel natural, but that might just be me since I haven't read Taglish literature before.
I also found so many scenes to be downright cringey. If I had to count the number of times I face-palmed myself from reading a scene that was so awkward and uncomfortable, I'd need a two extra hands, which is three too many. Many of the scenes involving women also felt very male gazey and borderline sexist. I'm not quite sure yet how I feel about the overall message of the book but I did like how it ended.
Despite my qualms with this book, I have to commend the exceptional character work done here. Every single character, including minor ones, felt fleshed out and well-developed. The plot itself is tightly structured and never once feels directionless. I thought the sex scenes were also well-written.
Overall I think Wattpad stories just might not be for me.
*All my reviews (including ARCs) are intended for reader consumption and not for the authors.
Let me preface this review by saying that this is my first time reading a Wattpad story all the way through and my first time reading a book written in Taglish.
With those disclaimers in mind, I'm sad to say that while I wasn't disappointed in this book, it annoyed me more than anything. There were so many grammatical errors and word choices that were just wrong that I think this book is in dire need of a much better editor. The code switching also didn't feel natural, but that might just be me since I haven't read Taglish literature before.
I also found so many scenes to be downright cringey. If I had to count the number of times I face-palmed myself from reading a scene that was so awkward and uncomfortable, I'd need a two extra hands, which is three too many. Many of the scenes involving women also felt very male gazey and borderline sexist. I'm not quite sure yet how I feel about the overall message of the book but I did like how it ended.
Despite my qualms with this book, I have to commend the exceptional character work done here. Every single character, including minor ones, felt fleshed out and well-developed. The plot itself is tightly structured and never once feels directionless. I thought the sex scenes were also well-written.
Overall I think Wattpad stories just might not be for me.
Locke and Key: Head Games #6 by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This final issue in the Head Games series impressively raises stakes, provides interesting backstory, and introduces more compelling layers to this already creative world.
Locke and Key: Head Games #5 by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wild. I like that we're getting more of Duncan. I hope he plays a larger role later on.
Locke and Key: Head Games #4 by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Twisted, dark, and endlessly creative.
Locke and Key: Head Games #3 by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely bonkers!
Locke & Key: Head Games #2 by Joe Hill
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is so weird, but in a fun way!
A Vanishing of Griffins by S.A. Patrick
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
This was quite a letdown of a sequel and I would've rated it lower if it weren't for the really intriguing ending. This is just as dark as the first book but leaned more into the politics of the world instead of the whimsy of Piping magic, which made this story difficult to pick back up. I still love the characters though and am looking forward to the finale.
Furysong by Rosaria Munda
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm not sure if I should rate this higher because I did like the book and it was a solid conclusion to the series, but I liked this significantly less than the second book so my enjoyment of the trilogy overall went for a somewhat steep dive. I don't know, I just wasn't as engaged in this third book as I was in the first and the characters I cared about more were almost completely sidelined here. I also couldn't have cared less about Delo and Griff's storyline. I still admire Munda's skill at writing action scenes and character relationships, but I guess the story simply didn't go the way I had wanted it to.
Locke and Key: Head Games #1 by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I love how this story is expanding. Excited to learn more!
The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Listen to the audiobook, they said. The audiobook is the best way to consume this book, they said. Maybe I shouldn't have listened because audiobooks rarely work for me. (So take this review with a grain of salt.) Even though there were a number of accounts that were either chilling or harrowing, especially with the recorded calls leading up to the attacks and the stories of the aftermath, I found myself growing increasingly uninterested from the quarter mark onwards. It certainly didn't help that I had only learned about Dick Cheney recently from watching Adam McKay's 2018 film Vice, so hearing quotes from him just kind of left a bad taste in my mouth, especially since a lot of 9/11 discussions have led to fuel for the US's atrocities in the Middle East and Islamophobia in general. I understand that a lot of the narratives here would focus on the direct victims of the attacks and I'm glad that the effect that the events of 9/11 had on the Arab community in the US at the time was touched on, but I wish there had been more of an exposé on that side of things. I was also confused at some points because of the switching perspectives, which I initially appreciated as it provided a layered look into different events, but the more the storylines progressed the more I thought that this format would have worked better for me in print.