stayshomeandreads's reviews
538 reviews

I hated how the main character talked like she was constantly running a professional therapy session and the little kids talked like adults, but otherwise this was a pretty cute fantasy romance.  It reads like something I would’ve read on Wattpad ten years ago, for better and for worse. Be warned that it has curse words on every page, which might disrupt some people’s cozy vibes. 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft in exchange for an honest review. This book is one of the most fun fantasy reading experiences I’ve had all year. The Hexologists is basically Sherlock Holmes meets whimsical urban fantasy. Our main characters are a married couple of paranormal investigators, Isolde and Warren Wilby, who are tasked to explore a mystery within their city’s royal family. The characters were one of the biggest strengths of this novel for me. First of all, Felivox the gourmand dragon is a new favorite character for me. Iz and War’s healthy and loving relationship was so refreshing as well. Reading how much they liked and respected each other made the scenes where they kick ass together that much better. I really appreciated having the cast of characters listed in the beginning of the book, as well as the glossary in the back because the book drops you right into the middle of the action. I was tripped up by the plot at times, but these lists helped to navigate the many characters and plot twists. The writing in general is quite strong and fun to read; I enjoyed how the author played with language and furthered the book’s whimsical tone. The worldbuilding that went into this novel is abundantly clear, and it makes me excited to read the next books in the series. My absolute favorite part of the book was the setting. The descriptions of the city of Berbiton were so vivid, I felt like I was there. It has a sort of British turn of the century vibe which I am a sucker for.  I might seek out the final published version of the book at my library just to see what the map will look like. I think you’d like this book if you enjoyed the Athena Club series by Theodora Goss. I’ve never read Senlin Ascends, so I can’t say how it compares, but I will definitely be seeking out the next book in the Hexologists series when it comes out. 

Prose was great, setting was super interesting, but the plot was very hard to follow. You definitely need to have an understanding of Norse mythology to understand this book. I wish it had just a little bit more exposition to really explore the unique world Bear created. All of the characters were really interesting and I loved how it played on the themes of guilt and vengeance. The bizarre sex scenes also soured me on it a bit. 

The Writing Retreat was such a letdown and it made me really sad. The book felt like it should have had another edit, but ultimately the prose itself was clunky. The characters are supposed to be grown women but all think and talk like they’re insecure teenagers. I liked that the book explored abusive dynamics between women, I just wish that theme wasn’t muddled by the other elements that didn’t work well.

One element that did not land in any way was the political message, which was shoved in so badly that it ruined the book for me and I’m not even conservative. Alex was an absolutely unbearable person to be inside the head of. Her thoughts read like a shallow HR diversity seminar at work. She brought up issues like race and sexual orientation constantly, but never actually explored them in any depth, so it all just felt performative and inorganic.

Ultimately this book felt like a decent thriller stitched together with an obnoxious Twitter thread and a poorly-written erotica. The premise is so cool and so interesting but it was not executed well in my opinion. 

Add this to the list of “books that did not live up to the Booktube hype.” 

Gosh, I absolutely loved this book. The pacing was perfect and the ending was as well. If you've ever left home, you'll be moved by the story.

400 pages of preaching 2016 Buzzfeed style “feminism” in the most misanthropic way possible. This book has only two-dimensional characters, and they just serve to beat you over the head with the most black and white, overly simplistic portrayal of sexism I’ve ever read. Why bother setting a book in the 1950s-60s if your main character is going to act like she’s straight out of the 2020s? Another part of the book I hated was the author’s complete inability to empathize with or even understand people of faith on a basic level. Even ministers in this book don’t have faith because they “understand science.” Never mind the fact that there have been religious scientists throughout human history, including in the 1950s and 60s. I would honestly be fine with that if this book was as lighthearted and fun as it set out to be, but it’s not even that! The book practically opens with a rape scene and is just page after page of the main character being heaped with misogynistic abuse with no reprieve until the deus ex machina ending. Overall, nothing about this book landed for me, especially not the humor. The only part I liked was the dog. 

I was initially interested in this book because it's been a long time since I've read steampunk stories. This collection of steampunk spins on classic fairy tales certainly fit the bill. While I think that many of the stories in the collection could have used better editing, a lot of them were genuinely unique takes on the stories we all know and love. Standouts for me included Three Days of the Cuckoo by Bernie Mojzes, The Porcelain Princess by David Lee Summers, and the Binding Clause by Cynthia Radthorne. It's not the most groundbreaking short story collection, but it certainly is entertaining and fun. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.