10000bees's reviews
326 reviews

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

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

3.0

This didn't hit me as hard as it seems to hit others. The writing was fantastic and the Christmas vibes were immaculate, and I liked having a super introspective main character, but there was something that kept me from really loving it. Maybe because it felt a little too simple of a conclusion? A little too easy? Idk, but the story was too short to really overlook that. I do think if I'd read this during the holidays sitting next to the fireplace while it snowed outside I would have enjoyed it more. 
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Genuinely the worst book I've ever read.
The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso

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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

4.0

A strong conclusion to the series. From beginning to end, this was about Talyien struggling to bear the weight of not only the crown, but the extent of her father's expectations for her entire life. It is impossible for one person to hold it all and survive, and it is painful for Tali to learn that. She's not an easy character to love, but her character exploration was so thorough and intimate that I did love her by the end. And I hurt for her. The things she had to do because she didn't really have a choice, in the end. The way she came to realize her what she really meant to her father. I really respect the direction the ending went and think it was satisfying.

I still had issues with the pacing, and I think a lot could have been cut out while retaining (or even deepening) the emotional impact. I think some of the reveals could have been spread out a little more so it wasn't all packed in basically a single chapter. That was a lot to take in. But overall, I'm glad I read this series and am happy with how it ended. This is an easy recommendation for character readers.
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.
Cool concept, but I found myself not really caring at all
How It Works Out by Myriam Lacroix

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

3.5

The age-old question of "Would you love me if I was a worm?" meets In the Dream House in a deeply fascination collection of short stories revolving around the relationship between the same two characters set in alternate realities. They're cohesive without being repetitive and deeply lesbian in a way that some people might not connect with. The more I've been thinking about this collection, the more I've grown to like it. It feels a lot like lying in bed next to your partner, unable to sleep because you're spiraling about everything and anything. I think one day I'll reread this and be able to get a lot more out of it. I definitely recommend it to weird fiction lovers (especially Lesbians).
The Employees by Olga Ravn

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mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

This is definitely one of those Weird Fiction type of books that really wormed its way into my brain. It took me until maybe a third of the way in before I Got It, but once I did, I was in it. It's crazy how easily I could picture these interviews in my mind. Unfortunately, I decided it would be funny to read this book at work while I was clocked in, and this is one that is best read straight through in a single session. One day I'll reread it the right way and it'll probably be five stars.
All The Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows

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adventurous emotional 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

I love these boys, plain and simple. It was such a pleasure watching their relationship grow and develop after the ending of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. Meadows is able to portray such a realistic, complicated, and beautiful love between the two of them. And we got even more of best man Markel! He's easily one of my top side characters of all time. The whole cast is just rich and lovely. That even includes Asrien, who might be the single horniest character I've ever read in fiction. I highly recommend reading the author's note at the end because it helps add context as to why the book is like it is.

The writing and plot are both on par with the first book (if not better), and I really enjoyed seeing more of the world and larger political situation. The ending is satisfying and ties a nice little bow on the duology, but there is enough wiggle room to expand. Which I desperately hope happens! I think I could read a million books in this series without getting tired of it.
Queen B by Juno Dawson

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dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was too short to do what it was trying to do and it ended up feeling more like fanfic than a real instalment in this series. It's not a bad read! But it doesn't add much substance to the series. Or maybe I don't care enough about the English royal family to get it. Idk. The art was a nice addition!
Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew

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informative medium-paced

4.5

A short and punchy little nonfiction that will get you rethinking society's relationship with disability, and maybe even your own. Shew has a wonderful (and often funny) voice that keeps the information impactful and easy to understand. There were some points I wanted expanded a bit more, but I also appreciate the book being so concise. I would easily recommend this to people who want to read more nonfiction or want/need a better of understanding of what exactly ableism is and why it's so harmful.
Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright

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dark 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

3.0

I wanted to love this book because the concept was so strong, and the opening pulled me in super fast. Unfortunately, it fell victim to the classic romantasy flaw of being unable to juggle the plot and the romance and it ended up fumbling both. The pacing fluctuated too much between the slow character moments needed to build a romance and skipping forward in time to wrap up the overarching plot at a breakneck pace. The character work also relied too much on telling rather than showing. I really respect what the author was doing and the story they wrote, but the execution left me a little unsatisfied.