2treads's reviews
473 reviews

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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

3.5

Although Vera was overbearing and harbored unhealthy parenting beliefs, seeing her actions that drew these different and vulnerable young people to her spoke to her loneliness. Their acceptance of her even after finding out about her creative ways of uncovering their secrets was lively to read. I love a chosen family story.
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Not in My Book by Katie Holt

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Kundo Wakes Up by Saad Z. Hossain

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funny mysterious reflective fast-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

4.0

Another book in which Hosssain's skills at blending myth, tech, fantasy, and dystopia with dark humour, sharp dialogue, and vulnerable humanity is absolutely great.
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The Lotus Empire by Tasha Suri

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challenging tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I really liked the wrap up to Suri's series. even though there were certain storylines that felt rushed, the overarching themes of love and chosen family really stand out to me. the way in which Suri used the yaksa and their enemy to bring changes on the human world was interesting and demonstrated a push and pull that mirrors what keeps certain people's apart and at odds.

A tale that explores the strengths and weaknesses of empire, power, belief, and love. All throughout this series, what kept me reading, was how Suri is unafraid to break her characters and their relationships in order to realize their growth which then impacted the flow of the story.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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

3.5

This was pleasantly surprising. The ending made the entire book for me though.
The Necessity of Stars by E. Catherine Tobler

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

3.0

I love when a small book packs a punch with the characters and the story it's telling. Here we have an older woman in a diplomatic post, in a world ravaged by climate devastation, interrogating her role, memory, and place in this collapsed world. We see how privileged one has to be to have access to green spaces and to drinks  such as tea and coffee. A chance encounter with an entity that is unexpected has Breoné beginning to look beyond what is known. The writing is soft yet philosophical and makes the reader both relate and question the world.
The River Judge by S.L. Huang

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

3.0

I enjoyed this prequel to The Water Outlaws where we get an origin story of a character we know so that we can understand their motivations and convictions.
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A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
I'm not in the right headspace for this right now and the writing is coming across as dense and not easy to be immersed in.
The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

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

4.0

I had a much better time with this book and prefer it to the series opener. We get more of the motivations, cruelty, mindsets, and machinations of protagonists and antagonists. Also certain reveals and spiritual manipulations heightens the stakes and I can't wait to see where these moves and choices take us in the concluding book.
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The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso

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dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I had fun with this one. What is lacking in world building is made up through character  dialogue and pacing.