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val_theburrowofstories's reviews
353 reviews
Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
At the beginning I thought Finley was such a smart little girl and a sweetheart, but by the end I was a bit tired of her š
Iām sorry but I donāt usually read middle grade from a kidās pov, I tried to understand her and remember that sheās only 11.
It made me happy to see her finally meet her cousins and spend quality time with them. But I donāt like the grandma or the aunts ngl and the grandfather is just there.
One thing I donāt understand is how this book is sold as fantasy. I had way different expectations for the book because of it and itās not the kind of fantasy I like (was it even fantasy at all?
I listened to the audiobook and I think the narrator did an amazing job.
Overall, I liked the book so itās a 3 ā. I think it would be a good book for kids who have parents who are divorcing, if they need to understand mental health a little better or just as a form of escapism.
It made me happy to see her finally meet her cousins and spend quality time with them. But I donāt like the grandma or the aunts ngl and the grandfather is just there.
One thing I donāt understand is how this book is sold as fantasy. I had way different expectations for the book because of it and itās not the kind of fantasy I like (was it even fantasy at all?
I listened to the audiobook and I think the narrator did an amazing job.
Overall, I liked the book so itās a 3 ā. I think it would be a good book for kids who have parents who are divorcing, if they need to understand mental health a little better or just as a form of escapism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Did not finish book. Stopped at 81%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 81%.
(Tried to read this in May 2024)
- To be honest, I wanted to DNF this from the first book. I mean I finished that one and it was okay, but I had zero interest in continuing, and yet I tried because I wanted to know this story before reading Six of Crows, but Iām not forcing myself now and Iām free lol
- Reasons why I DNF this: I HATE Alina. There is no romance AT ALL, like you canāt tell me that thing with Mal is romance. Introducing Nikolai and heās so superficial. I need Alina to shut up and use her brain for once. I felt so miserable even with the audiobook at 2x! Nothing happened in sooo many pages and I felt like I was wasting my time.
- I watched a YouTube video by one of my fav booktubers and by her review I understand that basically nothing happens in Book 3 either lol whatās impressive to me is how in my mind she is such a smart girl but then she goes and calls this thing a favorite trilogy?? like girl- she threw the good taste out of the window, but alright we all have bad takes from time to time.
How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
(Tried to read this in May 2024)
- Hey, guess what? I just found the 10th DNF of the year lol
- The way this books has so many little sections in each chapter only to end up talking a lot but ultimately saying nothing.
- It's been a bit more than 30% and I haven't learn anything. I think this book is full of just little obvious things you could've think by yourself.
- Anyways, Section 1 was more what I cared for because Section 2 is family and I don't have children, then I think it also involves religion? idk Iām fine without this
- I feel like I'll forget that I ever picked up this book lol
What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
(Tried to read this in May 2024)
- To be honest, and respectfully, I am not a fan of japanese literature at all and it shows in the ones Iāve tried. This was the very last one in my TBR and I wanted to try one last time but yeah Iām not spending my time in this.
- Lesson learnt from this book: the main characters discovers that life is about the little things. Good. But I need so much more to be happening in a book or Iāll find it boring.
- Honestly, I'm not even bothered by the fact that I DNF this book when I'm in the middle of a reading slump because that's what I expected anyways from this book.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think I had a vague idea of how this would be and ended up being a different thing. People praise these books so much but for my taste this is too YA with a very foolish chosen one who made me feel a bit angry by the end so I was considering if I wanted to even continue with the trilogy...
I never saw this thing the author wanted to do between Alina and The Darkling, it felt so stupid and forced and well she's clearly an hormonal teenager because girl I need you to use your BRAIN and realize how you don't know shit about him except for all those darks stories?? I'm sorry but insta love is not my thing, I need building in the relationship, I need for them to get to know each other.
She had this crush on Mal for so long and when it is finally clear that he also has feelings for her it feels weird, as if she doesn't love him anymore (or more like she doesn't deserve him in my eyes)
This started with what felt like a big and crazy world building, and I ended up disliking everything because I absolutely thought Alina was so freaking stupid by the end omggg she made me so mad! and if Mal died because of her I think I would've DNF the trilogy (although she still has a chance to kill him with her stupid decisions lol)
So yeah maybe this will be just a 3 ā
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death
- Injury details: Thereās so many injured from the attack of these creatures.
- Death: Thereās so many deaths too because of these creatures and because of the Darkling.
- Violence: And so thereās violence clearly because of all of this.
- Animal Death: Someone kills a stag by the end of it.
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
(Tried to read this in March 2024)
- I tried. God knows I REALLY tried with these books but I just could not take it anymore, itās so damn fucking BORING š this was my last straw, I did not pay attention to what was going on, I have no idea where everyone was or what they were doing and I didnāt care anyways. After two months I was even going to maybe give it a chance again kind of forcing myself just so I could say I read it?? but thereās a big waiting time in Libby and nope I will not do it.
- Iām still going to watch the movies because I do find them okay (not a big fan of them either) but I love the soundtrack so that helps.
- I guess The Hobbit movies and book will remain my favorite of J. R. R. Tolkien. I donāt have it in me to even try the other stuff from this universe.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
(Tried to read this in March 2024)
- I was about to start a reading slump (only I didnāt know it at the time) so that didnāt helped to the fact that his was boring, I didnāt care what was going on, it was confusing and for such a small book this was slow paced, not even the audiobook helped.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
(Tried to read this in March 2024)
- I only remember that Elsa is 7yo and the grandmother is 77yo and has cancer and she loves her so much.
- I mean, I donāt think much was going to happen in just 10% of the book, and yet it was enough for me to decide to DNF this. I knew I would be only wasting my time because this is not my type of book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
(Tried to read this in March 2024)
- Iām sorry but for once I picked up a book just for the romance, and so it happens that this book is more adult problems and dealing with adulthood and her asshole father, anything but ROMANCE (and a one night stand in Las Vegas does not count lol)
- I was excited because my fav booktuber recommended it, because Julia Whelan wrote it and narrates this and sheās one of my fav narrators! But this was just not for me.
- The author gave her such a āuniqueā name and the character had an accident so she lost one of her eyes, and yet, her story is so boring. I listened to it one day and then I didnāt care to pick this up again.
- I find funny that this book is sold as a romance book, when thereās barely any romance in it and the main character hates romance books.
- Anyways, I really wanted to like this, love it even, but I am going to DNF.
Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
(Tried to read this in March 2024)
- I started it one day and 10 days later I decided to DNF. It just wasnāt interesting at all, not much was going on and the little it did I didnāt care.
- Even before starting it I thought about just taking the book out of my TBR but I decided to try anyway because it has asexual rep. But it didnāt work for me.
- I think we couldāve been okay without the constant reminder that her step brother looked at her with bad intentions???
- I donāt think Iām missing out by DNFing this. It was just going to make my reading slump worst and I was bored, so bye bye.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death of parent
- Death of parent / Blood: It happens maybe around 15% into the book so is it really that big of a spoiler? But yeah, her mother is killed horribly in front of her.