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whatellisreadnext's reviews
617 reviews
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-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
5.0
Incredible.
There are only 3 states of being, before Way of Kings, during Way of Kings and mourning Way of Kings. I can't tell you how much of a comfort blanket this book became for me that as soon as it ended, I felt its loss so heavily. Every moment I had spare was spent either reading this book or chatting about it with @chaosofcold. I miss it so.
2024 has definitely been the year of Brando Sando for me, having completed the first three Mistborn books earlier in the year, I felt I was ready to finally give the 1000+ page behemoth my time. And I'm so glad I did. The world is vast and vivid, with character development and political intrigue beyond my wildest dreams, not to mention the drama and how well Sanderson writes his action scenes. I was in awe.
I think Mistborn is definitely a good place to get your bearings with his writing if you're thinking about delving into some Brando. That series now feels like the tester series, whereas The Way of Kings feels like a book he put everything into, which may overwhelm if not used to the way he tells his stories. It is a masterpiece, and I can't wait to read the rest of the Stormlight Archive in 2025.
There are only 3 states of being, before Way of Kings, during Way of Kings and mourning Way of Kings. I can't tell you how much of a comfort blanket this book became for me that as soon as it ended, I felt its loss so heavily. Every moment I had spare was spent either reading this book or chatting about it with @chaosofcold. I miss it so.
2024 has definitely been the year of Brando Sando for me, having completed the first three Mistborn books earlier in the year, I felt I was ready to finally give the 1000+ page behemoth my time. And I'm so glad I did. The world is vast and vivid, with character development and political intrigue beyond my wildest dreams, not to mention the drama and how well Sanderson writes his action scenes. I was in awe.
I think Mistborn is definitely a good place to get your bearings with his writing if you're thinking about delving into some Brando. That series now feels like the tester series, whereas The Way of Kings feels like a book he put everything into, which may overwhelm if not used to the way he tells his stories. It is a masterpiece, and I can't wait to read the rest of the Stormlight Archive in 2025.
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
What a perfect book to escape into. The vibes in A Study in Drowning are immaculate. Do I wish it'd been a bit more weird and folky? Yes. But did I really enjoy it regardless? Also, yes.
We follow Effy, an architecture student, who wins a contest to redesign the manor of famous author Emrys Myrddin as a tribute to his legacy, and he just so happens to have written her favourite book, Angharad.
This was dark and stormy and angsty, and very, very damp. It was honestly just what I needed, I haven't devoured anything this fast in a long time. I would recommend it to everyone, but definitely those who loved The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, it felt very similar in atmosphere.
We follow Effy, an architecture student, who wins a contest to redesign the manor of famous author Emrys Myrddin as a tribute to his legacy, and he just so happens to have written her favourite book, Angharad.
This was dark and stormy and angsty, and very, very damp. It was honestly just what I needed, I haven't devoured anything this fast in a long time. I would recommend it to everyone, but definitely those who loved The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, it felt very similar in atmosphere.
Malamander by Thomas Taylor
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Malamander was just what my tired mind needed. An engaging and endearing wintery middlegrade mystery by the sea. We follow Violet Parma and Herbie Lemon as they unlock the mystery of the Malamander, whilst also spending time in a bookshop that prescribes books, a fish and chip restaurant, and by the fire in the lost & found of the Grand Nautilus Hotel. Definitely recommend to lovers of Greenglass House, and I can't wait to pick up the next instalment.
All Of This Unreal Time by Max Porter
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't have much to say other than this was just lovely. Max Porter knows just how to say so much with so little. My heartttttt.
Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Never thought I'd be cackling whilst reading the grossest part, Jeff did that. What fucked up end to the series (would happily devour 10 more books). Full review to come. Also would like to place a disclaimer here, as I just went to read a load of reviews and for some reason a lot of people who hated Authority and Acceptance have been reading this, and obviously hating it. So just don't. You won't like itππ»ββοΈ
The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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
4.0
Orion Lake *shakes fist*
Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
Of the Flesh by Susan Barker, Adorah Nworah, Emilia Hart, Bridget Collins, Lucy Rose, Robert Lautner, Michel Faber, Evie Wyld, JK Chukwu, James Smythe, Lewis Hancox, Lavie Tidhar, Francine Toon, Louisa Young, Ainslie Hogarth
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
A really solid collection, that grabbed my attention after months of little to no concentration. Yes, It probably could have been scarier, but I did enjoy how dry and British a lot of the stories were. My favourites are pretty all over the place, but highlights include: Waffle Thomas, Shade, Bob-a-job and Broccoli Eel. A great collection for spooky season and I will definitely be looking into a lot of the authors other works.
The Searcher by Tana French
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
This was fine, and I'm glad I finally read it. It just came nowhere close to the Dublin murder books at all. It felt pretty basic and obvious. The characterisation was okay, but nothing like her usual vivid characters. I definitely need to just carry on with the Dublin murder series, I think I've two left.
Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio
funny
mysterious
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? No
2.0
I'm sorry, but this was barely a book. Graveyard Shift needed about 300 more pages of character establishment and plot. It was so short, you don't know who anybody is, or care. Some people have a knack from short fiction. They can bring you into a story immediately, without need for elaboration, M.L. Rio doesn't have that skill, unfortunately, which is fine, but this should have just been a novel instead. It wasn't scary, and the interesting parts felt very rushed. I'm over it, expect it to be on my vinted at the end of the month π€£