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blissofalife's reviews
118 reviews
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
Did not finish book. Stopped at 75%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 75%.
I nearly finished this before my library due date, but not quite and I didn’t like it enough to check it out again.
The gore in this one was so much worse for me, I dry heaved a few tubes which just isn’t an experience I like when listening to an audiobook. I found myself fast forwarding a lot.
Characters were fine, I love the marriage of convenience trope, but it felt like nothing was happening there and then they were suddenly having sex. I didn’t feel like the relationship development was there.
The gore in this one was so much worse for me, I dry heaved a few tubes which just isn’t an experience I like when listening to an audiobook. I found myself fast forwarding a lot.
Characters were fine, I love the marriage of convenience trope, but it felt like nothing was happening there and then they were suddenly having sex. I didn’t feel like the relationship development was there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Teeth gore. If you don’t like that, don’t read.
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Was it fun? Yes. Was it super graphic? Yes. Did it (like it warned it would) ruin some of my favorite foods? Also, yes. Will I be reading any of the other books in the series? Maybe. But I think one might be enough for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
Walk the Wild With Me by Rachel Atwood
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Definitely a cozy read, I loved the Robin Hood character cameos. An enjoyable listen, with a meandering plot. It was easy to put down and pick up a week later.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment
Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
I liked that the author was also the narrator for the audiobook, I think that made a huge difference. The biggest takeaway for me was that he seemed like a great guy trying to do good by the people around him, but he wasn’t always that way. (Also don’t be an actor)
An enjoyable listen, I would recommend it to Parks and Rec super fans but honestly that’s kind of it.
An enjoyable listen, I would recommend it to Parks and Rec super fans but honestly that’s kind of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Man, this guy did a lot of drinking and weed.
Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A new favorite! Borrowed from the library, planning to purchase a copy of my own for my shelf. Thoroughly researched, with both anecdotal evidence and citations from a range of sources, I enjoyed the conclusions and the human connection. A very empathetical approach. Would recommend to anyone interested in history, especially history centering around women and textiles.
Clean by James Hamblin
informative
medium-paced
3.75
Lots of interesting information, I enjoyed the interviews he cited and the deeper look into why we view hygiene the way we do and how it’s affecting us. A great quick read, I appreciated the quiet suggestions on how to scale back our over-washing without making drastic changes.
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
I knew nothing about the myth before starting, so I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Clytemnestra. I also loved all the cameos of mythic heroes and legends.
She’s not obviously likeable, which was refreshing. Clystemnestra is full of rage for much of the book, and spends much of the time plotting revenge. I loved how sure of herself she was, even if I didn’t always like her actions. A very strong character.
Overall slow paced with large time jumps, but an enjoyable read.I really loved the letters in the middle of the book, I liked the window into the lives and thoughts of her loved ones and the outside perspective it gave, I would’ve loved to see more of that.
She’s not obviously likeable, which was refreshing. Clystemnestra is full of rage for much of the book, and spends much of the time plotting revenge. I loved how sure of herself she was, even if I didn’t always like her actions. A very strong character.
Overall slow paced with large time jumps, but an enjoyable read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, War, and Classism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
My Lady Jane by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A fun read, the narrator on the audiobook was phenomenal! The book itself felt like it needed a little extra editing. There were several side plots that came to nothing and made the middle-ending drag on. Like the entire side plot with the Great White Bear?? And the number of scenes where Guilford and Jane are just…reiterating that he’s a horse during the day. Very repetitive.
Found this book after binging and loving the series, not upset that the series is drastically different from the book, I enjoyed both of them for different reasons. The tv series was definitely aged up from the book content.
I think I will read more of the books in this series, but I’m gonna take a break. Again, it needed to be shorter.
Found this book after binging and loving the series, not upset that the series is drastically different from the book, I enjoyed both of them for different reasons. The tv series was definitely aged up from the book content.
I think I will read more of the books in this series, but I’m gonna take a break. Again, it needed to be shorter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I’m struggling to rate this one, the world building was incredible! It was full of new ideas well explaining and executed with interesting and bizarre concepts sprinkled throughout. I would love to read a whole series set in this world!…just not about these characters.
Interesting uses of Christianity throughout, lots of symbolism and Bible verses alluding to the ultimate reveal, really solid buildup.
I just didn’t like the reveal. Or the final chapters. Or the ambiguous ending. I can’t believe the big reveal was “you’re not siblings! Oh wait, jkjk, you absolutely are. The truth will set you free you’re welcome” and then they just…agree with it all? Literally with the attitude of “well, at least they can’t hurt us more than they already have” feels icky icky.
Interesting uses of Christianity throughout, lots of symbolism and Bible verses alluding to the ultimate reveal, really solid buildup.
I just didn’t like the reveal. Or the final chapters. Or the ambiguous ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, and Murder
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual content, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
A Deal with the Elf King [Dramatized Adaption] by Elise Kova
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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? Yes
2.0
This isn’t my first dramatized adaptation of an audiobook, which is a good thing, because after this I would’ve avoided them like the plague. The sound effects were way too loud and made it difficult to hear the narrator and were very distracting, they were continuously in the background instead of being used to punctuate a moment.
The storyline itself was…fine, the world building was alright but left quite a bit to be desired. I feel like nothing was fully explained, and the resolution was rushed and felt like an afterthought rather than the grand reveal it wanted to be.
The romance was unconvincing, and the main characters did not feel compatible in the least. The sex scenes were unnecessary, and did nothing to make me believe the characters were falling in love or even connecting on an emotional (or physical, ironically) level.
Honestly just a meh read for me, a good premise but poorly explored.
The storyline itself was…fine, the world building was alright but left quite a bit to be desired. I feel like nothing was fully explained, and the resolution was rushed and felt like an afterthought rather than the grand reveal it wanted to be.
The romance was unconvincing, and the main characters did not feel compatible in the least. The sex scenes were unnecessary, and did nothing to make me believe the characters were falling in love or even connecting on an emotional (or physical, ironically) level.
Honestly just a meh read for me, a good premise but poorly explored.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content and Gaslighting