10000bees's reviews
326 reviews

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

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adventurous lighthearted 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

3.5

In a word: charming. Just a cute, cozy little fantasy with a wonderful found family. The author did a great job tackling the topics she wanted to; the immigrant experience, the feeling of being lost and not having a plan for the future, being good at something but not good enough for yourself. At the same time, everything about the book felt very low stakes, including the conversations between characters. Everything worked out a little too well the whole time, which might be expected from a Cozy Fantasy, but I just need a little more tension to feel engaged. BUT for a Cozy Fantasy lover, this would probably be perfect. The author definitely has skill and I think she can go far, so I'm interested in seeing what she does next.
Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was really fun! I love a mystery that gets me putting my detective hat on, and this one did. The plot was tight and quick, and I loved how unique the whole cast of characters was. It was a bit twee at times with how much it poked fun at the genre, but I didn't mind it. It's the sort of book that I just let myself get swept up in for the ride. I did think it was a bit too heavy on the dialogue at times, and while the atmosphere was appropriately dark and stormy, after a handful of dramatic lightning flashes, I was wishing it would switch it up a bit. I could see myself picking up the next book in the series when I'm looking for something engaging and quick, but I'm not going to jump on it immediately.
The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song

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adventurous dark 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

3.5

hmm... I didn't not like this, but it wasn't my favorite thing ever. As a Mulan retelling, it ended in a way that I wasn't entirely expecting, though the general path it took felt very familiar. There's definitely a healthy dose of chosen one and being really good at everything which was supposed to be balanced by her Big Huge Flaw (greed). I struggled a little bit believing that flaw because of how many times it was directly stated. I understand that Meilin's upraising in a strictly patriarchal society would color her self-perception to believe herself to be greedy for wanting more, but after her saying it so many times, I was simply sick of it. Perhaps show me her greed for power once or twice through her actions without also saying "because I was greedy" afterwards. That aspect, as well as the general vibe, definitely gave more YA than adult. Personally, I'd categorize this is new adult at most. 

The romances both felt weird and forced to me. Both guys gave me the ick, and both relationships made Meilin feel even more Not Like Other Girls. Overall, not bad, not my favorite, but I'd definitely be interested in seeing where the sequel goes. Crossing my fingers that she goes villain mode for that.
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

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funny lighthearted 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

4.0

I saw this cover on instagram and said WHAT? I need to read it. And you know what? It exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations. It was just a delightful little read. World events had me craving something Silly Goofy and this delivered exactly what I needed. This is a book that knows what it is and completely committed to the bit.

Coal was a fun main character, and his relationship with Hex had me kicking my feet a little bit. I also deeply appreciate the message about the importance of real joy and that it should be prioritized and chased in life. Fun, flirty, good writing, and bonkers concept that somehow works. If you're also looking for something lighthearted for the holiday season, look no further.
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.
I couldn't bring myself to care about anything happening unfortunately
The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

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adventurous medium-paced

4.0

This was a pretty solid finisher to the series. All the loose ends tied up nicely and I appreciated the direction it went in the end. The world continued to be my favorite aspect of the story, except maybe Mephi. I really do love him. There were some things I wish we got a little more reflection on, but in general this whole series was solid and interesting.
The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson

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adventurous dark 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

2.5

This is one of those rare instances where I wish I had listened to the audiobook rather than read physically. The writing felt very dry to me, but I can easily imagine a narrator putting enough of their own emotion into the voices to make up for the lack of it in text, but alas, my eyes were unable to do that for themselves. The plot felt very reminiscent of D&D games with travel and combat between each plot point. It got to be a little tedious imo. That paired with the writing didn't really excite me to pick the book up, but I was determined to finish it to find out that much-touted ending.

The Ending was interesting, but I saw it coming. Not all the details, but the shape of it was clear to me by the halfway point. And interesting is not enough to make up for my middling opinion on the rest of the book. Overall, it just felt like someone very excited to write their D&D campaign in a novel format and I just couldn't get into these characters that I'm unfamiliar with.
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

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dark emotional 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

4.0

This book clicked for me like My Heart is a Chainsaw never did. I'm sure it's super meta and folds in the staples of slasher genres while dissecting and subverting them, but unfortunately I'm a little wimp and don't Get That because I never watch horror movies. Sorry! But I still really loved it. A lot more than I thought I would 2 years after reading Chainsaw. The way SGJ writes characters just hits me so hard. All the little details just get me into everyone's heads and understand their emotions so quickly.

What I liked about the first book was Jade and how much I could relate to her. I didn't experience what she did, but her emotions and reactions felt so nostalgic to me. We were cut from the same cloth in high school. And a few years later, I also relate to her as she's grown older. I cannot tell you the number of times I've just been hit with the extreme desire to apologize to everyone I ever spoke to as a teen. So sorry for being Like That. I swear I'm normal now.

The pace was pretty relentless and the kills were gory. I found myself cringing a number of times while I was listening to the audiobook. I definitely plan on finishing the series soon to see what happens next with Jade. 
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Go girl give me nothing. Nothing!! Everything from the characters to the setting to the plot was just flat, convenient, and performative. There were ingredients for something cute. Something passable at least. But there was no time to cook. Insta-love, insta-reflect on your problems and change as a person no therapy needed, insta-reveal for the "mystery" of what was ""haunting"" the shop. The writing was bad and repetitive to the point where it felt insulting to my intelligence. The autumnal atmosphere felt so empty because the writing had no flavor. You can't tell me it's pumpkin spice just because there are pumpkins in the room.
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Gaslight gatekeep girlboss, baby!! The horror was a slow simmer up to a full on boil as Ji-Won's desire to ruin everyone else's life spiraled out of control. Short chapters make it a breeze to read through, though I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style (something about it was a bit dry to me). I'd probably recommend reading it in one or two days instead of dragging it out like I accidentally did.