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wendleness's reviews
324 reviews
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
While Viv may be young and her zest for violence alive and well, this book is still very much a cosy one, thanks to an injury that forces her to to slow down enough to allow it. Her frustration with having to be careful and rest was palpable early on in the book. Seeing that after knowing how calmly she was moving through life in Legends & Lattes was interesting, and only makes me want to know more about her life, her adventures, and her journey.
I had a few thoughts and theories regarding the plot, how things might shake out, and potential twists and turns. They were all wrong. But I loved that, because things were actually just so much simpler. Which is, again, kind of the point for a low-stakes cosy fantasy. And I absolute love that.
A longer review can be read at my book blog: Marvel at Words
I had a few thoughts and theories regarding the plot, how things might shake out, and potential twists and turns. They were all wrong. But I loved that, because things were actually just so much simpler. Which is, again, kind of the point for a low-stakes cosy fantasy. And I absolute love that.
A longer review can be read at my book blog: Marvel at Words
Space Story by Fiona Ostby
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
Hannah’s story, for me, was the most intense. We see her slowly coming out of her shell and meeting people, letting people care for her and understand her pain. The emotions in all of that hit me so hard I was actually sobbing at one point. Leah’s story is more one of strength and resilience in the face of hopelessness—a determination to not give up. And setting both amongst the history of their love story was an extra, glorious, punch in the feels.
A slightly longer review can be found on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
A slightly longer review can be found on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
One of the overwhelming feelings in the book is loneliness and isolation. For Leah this was quite literal, being trapped as she was and all three of them struggling with the situation in different ways. For Miri it was much more on an emotional level. Leah was there, in body if not in mind, and she had friends to call on. But she didn’t. And this is something that makes her character more interesting, but less likeable. She’s struggling, but doing nothing to help herself.
In both situations the characters are almost haunted by a world outside of the one they find themselves stuck in, a world they’re not quite a part of. Leah with the mysterious noises of something in the ocean around the submarine, and Miri with the constant sound of the neighbour’s television as a constant companion.
A longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
In both situations the characters are almost haunted by a world outside of the one they find themselves stuck in, a world they’re not quite a part of. Leah with the mysterious noises of something in the ocean around the submarine, and Miri with the constant sound of the neighbour’s television as a constant companion.
A longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Kingdom by Jon McNaught
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Immediately the book had feelings of nostalgia. Quiet moments captured in a handful of panels. Memories I would not have thought to remember were pulled from the depths of my mind. And all with such a quiet beauty and fondness.
With a limited colour palette, blocky art style, use of shade, and stylised text, the artwork is simple but beautiful. There is depth and texture. The size and number of panels varies from page to page, but each and every frame is beautiful and worthy of taking several moments to appreciate.
A slightly longer review can be found on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
With a limited colour palette, blocky art style, use of shade, and stylised text, the artwork is simple but beautiful. There is depth and texture. The size and number of panels varies from page to page, but each and every frame is beautiful and worthy of taking several moments to appreciate.
A slightly longer review can be found on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Although the location is lovely, interesting, and important, the biggest setting of the story is inside of Dex. The mental journey they are on is more interesting and intense; the physical journey is one they’re taking to distract themself. Both are equally beautiful in their owns ways.
My heart wasn’t fully captured by the book until we met Mosscap. Splendid Speckled Mosscap. A robot on its own journey to meet humans. A journey it seems to thoroughly enjoy. Mosscap is an absolute delight, and I adore them. Considering Dex is its first interaction with humanity, Mosscap exudes so, so much of it. Above all, it is curious.
A longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
My heart wasn’t fully captured by the book until we met Mosscap. Splendid Speckled Mosscap. A robot on its own journey to meet humans. A journey it seems to thoroughly enjoy. Mosscap is an absolute delight, and I adore them. Considering Dex is its first interaction with humanity, Mosscap exudes so, so much of it. Above all, it is curious.
A longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is another case of me loving a book so much I can’t write a coherent review. It’s just so good, okay? So… safe and wholesome and lovely. When I was getting towards the end I actually stopped reading for about a week because I just did not want it to end.
I could read about this town and these characters forever. And while I know there is a prequel out—and I plan on reading it, don’t you worry—I also long for more stories set in Thune. Each focusing on a different character’s low-stakes happenings and incidents with cameos and support from other characters we know and love. This is what I crave. And I just know that Durias, that mysterious chess-playing gnome, has a [spoiler] story just waiting to be told. He needs to cameo in every book until we can start piecing his tale together.
A full review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
I could read about this town and these characters forever. And while I know there is a prequel out—and I plan on reading it, don’t you worry—I also long for more stories set in Thune. Each focusing on a different character’s low-stakes happenings and incidents with cameos and support from other characters we know and love. This is what I crave. And I just know that Durias, that mysterious chess-playing gnome, has a [spoiler] story just waiting to be told. He needs to cameo in every book until we can start piecing his tale together.
A full review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Vulnerability Is My Superpower: An Underpants and Overbites Collection by Jackie Davis
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
The content of the comics range from silly and fun to deep and meaningful, and I really appreciated that contrast. I found myself laughing one moment and nodding in understanding the next. The art is simple and clear with surprising depth, and small details adding so much to the mood of the comics.
A slightly longer review can be found on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
A slightly longer review can be found on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
The Fall of Koli by M.R. Carey
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love so many characters in this book. All of them have their strengths and their flaws. I love how many strong women there are. I love that the male characters love and support the strength in them. I love that Koli’s strength is his passion. He’s not a fighter, but he has so much heart that he just cannot hide it away, and he’s driving this entire story with it. I love Cup’s no-fucks-okay-maybe-a-few-fucks attitude, how people need to earn her respect and how loyal she is once they have it. I love Spinner, and Catrin, and Jemiu, and Ursula. And Monono.
Something I’ve realised since finishing the book is how much love there is in it. How much the characters come to love and care for each other. And, most importantly, how much of that in non-romantic love. Monono and Koli. Koli and Cup. Cup and Ursula. Koli and his family. Koli and Mythen Rood. Just so, so much love. The only romantic relationship is Spinner and Jon, and even that is not portrayed overly romantically, instead focusing on the respect and trust they have for each other. I just really appreciated that.
If I had one criticism I would say after the climatic ending things felt a little rushed. Spinner spun us through the happenings of what characters did and where they ended up. Characters that I loved, that I would have liked to spend just a little more time with. A little more heart into the final notes of their stories. A few extra pages. But then maybe that’s because I really didn’t want to see their stories end at all.
A longer review can be found at my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Something I’ve realised since finishing the book is how much love there is in it. How much the characters come to love and care for each other. And, most importantly, how much of that in non-romantic love. Monono and Koli. Koli and Cup. Cup and Ursula. Koli and his family. Koli and Mythen Rood. Just so, so much love. The only romantic relationship is Spinner and Jon, and even that is not portrayed overly romantically, instead focusing on the respect and trust they have for each other. I just really appreciated that.
If I had one criticism I would say after the climatic ending things felt a little rushed. Spinner spun us through the happenings of what characters did and where they ended up. Characters that I loved, that I would have liked to spend just a little more time with. A little more heart into the final notes of their stories. A few extra pages. But then maybe that’s because I really didn’t want to see their stories end at all.
A longer review can be found at my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Methods of Dyeing by B. Mure
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
Put simply this books is a gorgeous, quiet, and funny murder mystery.
The gorgeous part cannot be understated. I love the artwork so much. It’s both casual and precise, detailed but not overwhelming. The line work seems deceptively simple and expresses so much, while the colours are simple with a limited palette, but used so perfectly. It all comes together to make such peaceful pieces that make me feel calm. I get lost in the art.
A slightly longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
The gorgeous part cannot be understated. I love the artwork so much. It’s both casual and precise, detailed but not overwhelming. The line work seems deceptively simple and expresses so much, while the colours are simple with a limited palette, but used so perfectly. It all comes together to make such peaceful pieces that make me feel calm. I get lost in the art.
A slightly longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.25
There is a lot of world- and character-building in this book. A lot of it relevant later on, as the story plays out and threads weave together. But also a lot of it not so relevant. I loved the aspects that did all pull together in the final chapters—that’s always satisfying. I also loved, perhaps even more, certain character details that didn’t lead anywhere specific. Eight Antidote’s desire to travel and see the worlds, Eight Loop’s missing intentions and motivations, Five Portico’s possible uses for the faulty imago-machine. I hope these are things that get explored in the sequel.
The world building… is where I start to not love the book as much. Because there is a lot of it. And that’s not necessarily a criticism, so much as it is me, personally, not enjoying it. I struggled to get into this book initially because there was just so much to take in.
I will certainly be reading the sequel at some point. There are a lot of loose threads that I hope get picked up, as there are several things I want to know more about.
A longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.
The world building… is where I start to not love the book as much. Because there is a lot of it. And that’s not necessarily a criticism, so much as it is me, personally, not enjoying it. I struggled to get into this book initially because there was just so much to take in.
I will certainly be reading the sequel at some point. There are a lot of loose threads that I hope get picked up, as there are several things I want to know more about.
A longer review can be read on my book blog: Marvel at Words.