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thebakersbooks's reviews
281 reviews
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3/5 stars
I don't think Markus Zusak was the right person to write a semi-whimsical fiction book based in Nazi Germany. While the story itself was interesting and the characters and events compelling, there's no getting around the fact that this ends up being a "not all Germans" narrative that spotlights (made up) people who did the bare minimum to be decent humans during Hitler's regime.
Further, I'll never be comfortable with a non-Jewish person writing, “The Jews preferred to simply stand and take things. Take the abuse quietly and then work their way back to the top," even with the foil of the Jewish character Max, who was portrayed as more willing to fight. It's an insult to the many real-life Jews, Romani, and other people who were targeted by the Nazis and fought back, resisted, and helped each other in the face of ultimate danger.
I also don't think it was appropriate to have a sympathetic (child) character cover himself in coal dust to emulate his hero, Jesse Owens. This is blackface and the incident is referenced throughout the book with fondness/humor.
If you're going to read this or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, read this because the other is pure garbage. However, I'd recommend reading Maus and/or an actual Holocaust survivor's memoir instead.
I don't think Markus Zusak was the right person to write a semi-whimsical fiction book based in Nazi Germany. While the story itself was interesting and the characters and events compelling, there's no getting around the fact that this ends up being a "not all Germans" narrative that spotlights (made up) people who did the bare minimum to be decent humans during Hitler's regime.
Further, I'll never be comfortable with a non-Jewish person writing, “The Jews preferred to simply stand and take things. Take the abuse quietly and then work their way back to the top," even with the foil of the Jewish character Max, who was portrayed as more willing to fight. It's an insult to the many real-life Jews, Romani, and other people who were targeted by the Nazis and fought back, resisted, and helped each other in the face of ultimate danger.
I also don't think it was appropriate to have a sympathetic (child) character cover himself in coal dust to emulate his hero, Jesse Owens. This is blackface and the incident is referenced throughout the book with fondness/humor.
If you're going to read this or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, read this because the other is pure garbage. However, I'd recommend reading Maus and/or an actual Holocaust survivor's memoir instead.
Pursuit of Happiness by Carsen Taite
4.0
*I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
3.5/5 stars
In this high-powered romance, defense attorney Stevie Palmer meets Senator Meredith Mitchell as the latter is considering a presidential bid. While the pair experience immediate mutual attraction, each is forced to decide whether it's worth pursuing a relationship in the face of her busy professional life.
Pursuit of Happiness provided a welcome dose of political wish fulfillment featuring 'will they or won't they' romantic tension between two career-driven women. It's my first Carsen Taite novel, and her legal expertise shines in the sections told from Stevie's point of view.
Although this is billed as a love story, the political plot takes center stage. I appreciated that Stevie and Meredith were portrayed as adults who were willing to spend time considering the potential ramifications of entering a relationship rather than diving in immediately. However, I would've liked to see the chemistry between them developed further--they're constantly thinking about each other, but the romantic tension feels stated rather than shown in a few places.
In part, the limited chemistry between the characters may be a result of failure to develop strong character voices. While most of the dialogue between the main characters is the rapid-fire result of two strong personalities learning how to fit together, their internal voices fall flat. For this reason, it ends up appearing that Stevie and Meredith are trying to force a relationship based on physical attraction despite how much it's inconveniencing them.("Could she handle this kind of pressure and the affect [sic] it would have on her own life? If it meant having more nights with Meredith like the one they'd shared last night, she was willing to try.")
I rated this book 3.5/5 stars but was happy to round up to 4 because the premise was strong even if the execution didn't quite land. This was a quick, straightforward read with an ending that was happy within the bounds of realism; I'd recommend it to anyone who wants political and/or legal drama with plenty of lesbian characters in main and supporting roles.
3.5/5 stars
In this high-powered romance, defense attorney Stevie Palmer meets Senator Meredith Mitchell as the latter is considering a presidential bid. While the pair experience immediate mutual attraction, each is forced to decide whether it's worth pursuing a relationship in the face of her busy professional life.
Pursuit of Happiness provided a welcome dose of political wish fulfillment featuring 'will they or won't they' romantic tension between two career-driven women. It's my first Carsen Taite novel, and her legal expertise shines in the sections told from Stevie's point of view.
Although this is billed as a love story, the political plot takes center stage. I appreciated that Stevie and Meredith were portrayed as adults who were willing to spend time considering the potential ramifications of entering a relationship rather than diving in immediately. However, I would've liked to see the chemistry between them developed further--they're constantly thinking about each other, but the romantic tension feels stated rather than shown in a few places.
In part, the limited chemistry between the characters may be a result of failure to develop strong character voices. While most of the dialogue between the main characters is the rapid-fire result of two strong personalities learning how to fit together, their internal voices fall flat. For this reason, it ends up appearing that Stevie and Meredith are trying to force a relationship based on physical attraction despite how much it's inconveniencing them.
I rated this book 3.5/5 stars but was happy to round up to 4 because the premise was strong even if the execution didn't quite land. This was a quick, straightforward read with an ending that was happy within the bounds of realism; I'd recommend it to anyone who wants political and/or legal drama with plenty of lesbian characters in main and supporting roles.
Across the Long Sea by Sarah Remy
5.0
4.5/5 stars — an exciting second installment in the Bone Magic series
*contains spoilers for Stonehill Downs and marked/hidden spoilers for this book*
I read Stonehill Downs, the first book in this series, in March and loved it, so I'm happy to report that Across the Long Sea was more of the same immersive fantasy goodness. In this installment, main characters Mal and Avani have separate storylinesthat converge in the last quarter of the book and only intersect in the last few pages . Mal leaves Wilhaiim to attend his critically ill father, while Avani travels to the capital to fill in as vocent in his absence.
Mal's point-of-view sections flesh out the world as he travels away from the Downs and the kingdom toward the coast where he was born. Because open water has an adverse effect on magic-users, we also get to learn more about the magic system (and see Mal go a bit off his rocker while shipboard). Mal's adversarial relationship with his parents is just the beginning of the tribulations that keep him away from his king and kingdom in their hour of need.
Avani, meanwhile, steps into Mal's shoes to investigate a plague called the Red Worm that's ravaging the capital. Although Mal's notes claim the sickness isn't rooted in magic, Avani isn't so sure—which makes her task of sealing the sidhe doors in the keep even more important. Although she's learned more about Mal's style of magic (and about the mysterious barrowmen) since the events of the previous book, protecting the capitol in Mal's absence is still a trial by fire for Avani.
Across the Long Sea showcased Sarah Remy's talent for breathing realistic life into even the most minor characters while still allowing the major players to shine. Although I enjoyed both plotlines in this book, I most enjoyed the opportunity to explore new aspects of the protagonists' personalities as the story took both out of their comfort zones. The previous book was fantasy with undertones of horror and suspense; this one adds an element of quest/adventure via Mal's plot, which I loved. The sidhe weren't an eleventh-hour surprise this time, but since they still don't quite seem to mesh with the rest of this book's story arc, I assume they're part of the series arc instead.
I'm as much a fan of Remy's writing and characters as I was after reading the first novel in this series, and I look forward to starting the third book. I hope it won't take me five months to get around to the next one this time!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the previous one, and the series to fans of adult fantasy featuring unique magic, thoughtful worldbuilding, and supernatural scares.
*contains spoilers for Stonehill Downs and marked/hidden spoilers for this book*
I read Stonehill Downs, the first book in this series, in March and loved it, so I'm happy to report that Across the Long Sea was more of the same immersive fantasy goodness. In this installment, main characters Mal and Avani have separate storylines
Mal's point-of-view sections flesh out the world as he travels away from the Downs and the kingdom toward the coast where he was born. Because open water has an adverse effect on magic-users, we also get to learn more about the magic system (and see Mal go a bit off his rocker while shipboard). Mal's adversarial relationship with his parents is just the beginning of the tribulations that keep him away from his king and kingdom in their hour of need.
Avani, meanwhile, steps into Mal's shoes to investigate a plague called the Red Worm that's ravaging the capital. Although Mal's notes claim the sickness isn't rooted in magic, Avani isn't so sure—which makes her task of sealing the sidhe doors in the keep even more important. Although she's learned more about Mal's style of magic (and about the mysterious barrowmen) since the events of the previous book, protecting the capitol in Mal's absence is still a trial by fire for Avani.
Across the Long Sea showcased Sarah Remy's talent for breathing realistic life into even the most minor characters while still allowing the major players to shine. Although I enjoyed both plotlines in this book, I most enjoyed the opportunity to explore new aspects of the protagonists' personalities as the story took both out of their comfort zones. The previous book was fantasy with undertones of horror and suspense; this one adds an element of quest/adventure via Mal's plot, which I loved. The sidhe weren't an eleventh-hour surprise this time, but since they still don't quite seem to mesh with the rest of this book's story arc, I assume they're part of the series arc instead.
I'm as much a fan of Remy's writing and characters as I was after reading the first novel in this series, and I look forward to starting the third book. I hope it won't take me five months to get around to the next one this time!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the previous one, and the series to fans of adult fantasy featuring unique magic, thoughtful worldbuilding, and supernatural scares.
Legion Versus Phalanx: The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World by Myke Cole
5.0
4.5/5 stars — a fascinating look into infantry formations in ancient western warfare
Myke Cole's nonfiction reflects his deft storytelling, making a potentially dense subject more palatable to fellow lovers of fantasy. Legion versus Phalanx contains enough well-researched detail to appeal to scholars of history but is explained in an unpretentious manner easily parsed by newcomers to the study of this era of history.
I don't read enough nonfiction (particularly military history) to speak to how this book fits with others of its kind, but I did find it more entertaining and easy to understand than similar books I read/studied as a history major in college. I enjoyed looking at ancient war in the Western world through the lens of its infantry and hope to see more nonfiction from Cole in the future.
Note: I took off half a star because I listened to the audiobook, and while it was largely an excellent experience, the narrator had a few inconsistent pronunciations and other minor issues. For anyone who wants to read this, I recommend a physical book (especially since I hear it has maps)!
Myke Cole's nonfiction reflects his deft storytelling, making a potentially dense subject more palatable to fellow lovers of fantasy. Legion versus Phalanx contains enough well-researched detail to appeal to scholars of history but is explained in an unpretentious manner easily parsed by newcomers to the study of this era of history.
I don't read enough nonfiction (particularly military history) to speak to how this book fits with others of its kind, but I did find it more entertaining and easy to understand than similar books I read/studied as a history major in college. I enjoyed looking at ancient war in the Western world through the lens of its infantry and hope to see more nonfiction from Cole in the future.
Note: I took off half a star because I listened to the audiobook, and while it was largely an excellent experience, the narrator had a few inconsistent pronunciations and other minor issues. For anyone who wants to read this, I recommend a physical book (especially since I hear it has maps)!