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abrunettereads's reviews
228 reviews
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.75
This should have been a good book, however I didn’t pick this book up to read about wines and cellars and architecture. I want to know more about the research, the manuscript (which btw was completely forgotton by like 10%).
This wasn’t a dark academia. It isn’t “dark academia “ if you have four scenes in a library and then the remaining in some cellar/dungeon discussing million years old wine and champagne.
Anyway, a complete let down.
This wasn’t a dark academia. It isn’t “dark academia “ if you have four scenes in a library and then the remaining in some cellar/dungeon discussing million years old wine and champagne.
Anyway, a complete let down.
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Did not finish book. Stopped at 26%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 26%.
The jumping back-n-forth between characters and time was more confusing and the thriller aspect felt flat
Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Language and prose feels a little unpolished, and the emotions conveyed for parents who just had their child go missing seemed off.
The Choosing Chronicles: Ryker and Brynleigh's Duet by
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Archer by Dr. Rebecca Sharp
lighthearted
medium-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 had high hopes as this was sold to me as “criminal minds meets small town romance” and while some of the references and characterisations were on the nose, it fell a little flat to me for either tropes.
Archer felt like Hotchener however outside of his personality nothing felt like the brilliant profiler that Hotchener is.
If I read this book without the imagery of CM, it still falls flat. The storyline didn’t work for me as the FMC just didn’t fit. She came off as annoying, which in hindsight is fair and very true to who someone in her shoes would be, but pair that with MMC and it was a lose-lose case.
I also really hate the instalove/instalust and “her being a virgin waiting for him to finally see her” trope. Can we please move on from them?
Archer felt like Hotchener however outside of his personality nothing felt like the brilliant profiler that Hotchener is.
If I read this book without the imagery of CM, it still falls flat. The storyline didn’t work for me as the FMC just didn’t fit. She came off as annoying, which in hindsight is fair and very true to who someone in her shoes would be, but pair that with MMC and it was a lose-lose case.
I also really hate the instalove/instalust and “her being a virgin waiting for him to finally see her” trope. Can we please move on from them?
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
Fractured Souls by Neva Altaj
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Silent Lies by Neva Altaj
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A Murder in dehradun by
medium-paced
2.0
2 stars is a bit exaggerated, however I skipped majority of the book and still got the gist of the storyline.
While the author definitely had well intentions in his writing, it come off as overly dramatic and superficial. The whole “show me don’t tell me” is very appropriate here as the author did not show anything or leave anything for the reader to deduce or understand.
The ending was a bit too far fetched for me, especially the big reveal as it was based on only deductions and not real clues or evidence.
One of my favorite things about a locked room whodunnit is the fact that upon rereading you are able to see all the breadcrumbs the author left us while leading us up to the mystery, that wasn’t the case here.
While the author definitely had well intentions in his writing, it come off as overly dramatic and superficial. The whole “show me don’t tell me” is very appropriate here as the author did not show anything or leave anything for the reader to deduce or understand.
The ending was a bit too far fetched for me, especially the big reveal as it was based on only deductions and not real clues or evidence.
One of my favorite things about a locked room whodunnit is the fact that upon rereading you are able to see all the breadcrumbs the author left us while leading us up to the mystery, that wasn’t the case here.
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Not my type, found the main character to be too annoying
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
This has to be one of my favorite reads this year.
Having finished it just a minute ago, I am still in a shocked state at the ending.
Brilliantly executed by M.L.Wang, this work of art covers some of my favorite reads”difficult topics” and executes them with perfection.
This one is being added to my “will definitely reread” pile, once I get my hand on a physical copy!
Having finished it just a minute ago, I am still in a shocked state at the ending.
Brilliantly executed by M.L.Wang, this work of art covers some of my favorite reads”difficult topics” and executes them with perfection.
This one is being added to my “will definitely reread” pile, once I get my hand on a physical copy!