bookforthought's reviews
714 reviews

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

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adventurous dark 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

4.5

Godkiller is one of the books that fell through the cracks in the past few months: I read it, loved it, and then never wrote my review for it. That all changes today! 
I mostly listened to the audiobook for this (even though I had an e-arc from NetGalley) because I was enjoying it so much I just couldn't stop when I left the house. The narrator did a fantastic job creating the right atmosphere for me to simply get lost in this rich world and the stories of these fascinating characters.

The multiple POVs worked very well and the different character voices were unique enough that I never mixed them up - a rare occurrence for me! All four main characters were super interesting to follow and I loved spending time with each of them: Kissen, the titular godkiller; Elogast, a baker formerly the prince's most trusted knight; Inara, the daughter of a noblewoman whose existence was kept secret; and Skedi, god of white lies who is bound to her. All the characters have to face their fears and flaws, and find ways to grow and discover where their strengths lie - even though for some of them this was barely introduced so I expect it will feature more prominently in the next book in the series.

The relationships that developed between them were fantastic, and I loved how realistic they felt, giving each sufficient time to bloom without it ever feeling forced or rushed. I got strong Witcher vibes at times, especially in the relationship between Kissen and Inara, but also enjoyed the slow-burn budding romance element and I was there for all of it.

Another thing I loved is that the representation in this book was handled brilliantly: there is talk of mental health, with some characters suffering from PTSD following an old war; one of the main characters is disabled and has a prosthetic leg; the world features a queer normative society, and several characters (including the MC) are openly queer; and there is a sign language. Although the book lent heavily into some classic tropes, there was enough freshness to the characters, the world and its politics to keep away the feeling of having seen it all before. The gods and the religious system, in particular, are fairly unique, but all the elements introduced fit seamlessly into the world.

Where I struggled slightly was with the pacing, which at times felt off. For a fairly short book as far as fantasy goes, some sections dragged while others didn't seem to get quite as much breathing space as they would have needed. A lot of the time was also spent on the road, as the characters travelled from one place to the next, which slowed everything down considerably. It all exploded towards the end though and, by a certain point, I couldn't read fast enough. The ending was fantastic and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!

Overall, Godkiller is an engrossing read and a solid debut, featuring compelling characters and fascinating worldbuilding, all topped off with romance, deception and drama. I'm excited to see what other surprises this world has in store!

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
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A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

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dark funny mysterious 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? No

3.5

I read this book all the way back in June when the sun was shining and spooky season was definitely not on my mind, but with Halloween upon us, it's finally time to share a few thoughts on this!

I discovered Kingfisher's books last year, when I read the amazing Nettle and Bone, and I decided to catch up with a few more of her books: so, enter A House with Good Bones. Right from the beginning, I realised this would be quite different from my previous read and I wasn't really sure what to expect but one thing was certain: that house was well and truly haunted.

I warmed up almost immediately to Sam as a main character. For starters, she's an archeoentomologist, something that immediately set her apart and allowed her to share fascinating tidbits on insects throughout the novel. Sam's quirky and extremely funny, providing a humourous commentary throughout, which somewhat tempered the creep and chills evoked by the book's events. The book is narrated entirely from Sam's POV, and much of it is just her inner monologue so by the end I felt as if I knew her pretty well, even though I couldn't say the same of the other characters.

While recovering from her most recent dig, Sam decides to visit her mother, but immediately realises that something is wrong. Sam's relationship with her mum was another element I really appreciated, since it seemed to be very genuine and based on true love and care for one another. I also enjoyed the sharp contrast this made with the relationship they both had with Sam's grandmother and her (very difficult) character.

All the elements to the story are very carefully laid out, slowly but surely drawing the reader in thanks to the author's masteful storytelling. Still, despite this, something felt missing for me to feel the truly haunting side of this story, the ending leaving me somewhat unsatisfied. I felt as though there were at once too many elements colliding and, at the same time, things were rushed along to reach the conclusion swiftly. The build-up felt definitely far too long compared to the final shenanigans, switching from Sam's sarcastic monologue to pure horror in a very short time, giving the impression of a much-too-fast tonal shift and a serious pacing issue.

Even though this book didn't fully hit the mark for me, it's still a pretty engaging and quick read to get you in the spooky mood this Halloween. I'll definitely be reading more from the author in the future!

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
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I dannati della terra by Frantz Fanon

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challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews

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

2.5

Right from its beautiful cover and intriguing synopsis, The Leviathan promised to be an unsettling and atmospheric read. Although it did achieve some of that thanks to some pretty impressive research and evocative writing, it ultimately left me somewhat disappointed.

The 17th-century setting works very well to help create that unnerving atmosphere of danger and distrust, with a Civil War and witch hunts looming in the background as we focus on Thomas's home, a deeply domestic setting and a safe haven that is safe no more. Despite this, the dual timeline removed much of the tension, as certain key points were very easy to guess once a few elements were revealed in the future.

Although the setting and atmosphere were mostly on point, the characters are where this book really lost me. None of the relationships felt established enough, remaining mostly surface-level and lowering the stakes even further. There were a lot of different elements to this (maybe too many), but none of them ever felt as if it came to completion, stopping just short, and all potential conflict elements (even those relating to the historical setting) were quickly dismissed. In the end, I found I just really didn't care much about any of it.

Still, this is by no means a bad read if you enjoy slower-paced and understated stories or if you're looking for an unsettling book just for the vibes as we enter spooky season, because this had spooky vibes aplenty. I just wanted something more from it, so sadly it didn't work for me. 
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Adua by Igiaba Scego

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challenging emotional reflective slow-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

3.25

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On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

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challenging emotional slow-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

4.0

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The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma

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adventurous challenging 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

4.0

Well, wow! The Phoenix King is the Indian-inspired adult fantasy I didn't know I needed.

Set in a gorgeously intricate world rich in lore and tradition, the book is narrated through the POV of three very different characters: Leo, the current king of Ravence, who is preparing to cede his crown to his daughter while trying to fight a terrible and hidden enemy; Elena, the soon-to-be queen, struggling to feel worthy of her title and desperate to ensure the safety of her beloved kingdom; and Yassen, an assassin desperately trying to free himself of his bonds through one last job. These characters couldn't differ more from one another, and I really enjoyed how their individual voices came through in their respective chapters. They're complex, flawed, and make some really bad, but really tough, choices and it was very satisfying to watch events unfold while getting to know them better.

The characterisation was a little shallow at times, which was a shame, and there were a few turns in certain characters' behaviours that didn't really make sense as nothing in their POV chapters had previously indicated such thoughts or intentions. This isn't a huge issue but rather more of a pet peeve of mine, since to me it just doesn't make sense for a character to withhold information from or lie to the audience when we're in their mind. Still, it worked to get a few surprises in and didn't have a massive impact on my overall enjoyment. This is only the first book in a trilogy, so I hope there will be space for further development in the next instalments. There are some pretty memorable secondary characters too (I love Ferma!) and each of them had a few unique characteristics that made them interesting and added value to the scenes they appeared in.

The worldbuilding is intricate, seamlessly blending classic fantasy elements with sci-fi ones. Elements coming from South Asian culture (Indian in particular) are used effectively and I love the fact that the author chose not to translate certain words, as that would have massively diminished the reading experience. The world is complex and heavy in politics, with both potential war with other states looming on the horizon and internal unrest brewing within, as well as a sort of transnational anarchist terrorist group creating chaos. At times, it felt as though there was almost too much going on and a lot of exposition was needed to bring the reader up to speed, which made me feel as though the plot was suffering from being slowed down so much. I did appreciate the themes explored here, especially those around identity, belonging, power and choice, and in the midst of all the action and drama, there were a few well-landed humorous moments and a very delicate romantic subplot that worked very well.

The pacing is another element that mostly worked, although at times it felt a bit uneven, as things seemed to move very slowly and then suddenly action erupted and everything happened at once. Still, when it did I was glad I'd stuck with it through the slowest parts, as there were some pretty epic action scenes. The writing certainly helped, as it flowed very smoothly and kept me turning the pages even when nothing was apparently happening. The book does get pretty dark at times, so you might want to check the CWs first, especially if you're particularly sensitive to fire/burning as that is a central element of the MCs' religion.

Overall, this was a great start to the trilogy and an absolutely banging debut! I'm confident a lot of the minor issues with pacing and characterisation will be fixed in the next instalments. Definitely recommended if you're looking for an epic fantasy mixing in sci-fi elements, explorations of identity and belonging, or a badass female MC!

I received an e-arc of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley as part of the blog tour organised by Compulsive Readers. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
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The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 26%.
More of a “not right now” than a real DNF. Although the book so far was well-written and narrated, I just wasn’t in the right mindset for it and couldn’t give it the attention it deserves. Will pick it up again in the future. 
Outlawed by Margaret McNellis

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Alys Fletcher Hood is an outlaw with a mission: to free King Richard the Lionhearted from imprisonment at the hands of the Holy Roman Emperor. To do so, she will have to leave her home, England, for the first time in her life, embarking on a perilous journey to Almany. With numerous obstacles in her way, unexpected encounters and new friendships, Alys will need to make some extremely difficult choices and, above all, she will need to learn to trust herself.

Picking up right where The Red Fletch left off, Outlawed is a solid second book in the series allowing the reader to spend more time with Alys as she travels across Europe to reach and free her King. Where the first book was fast-paced and filled with twists and turns, Outlawed takes a step back, using the long journey to allow space for reflection and providing a deep dive into Alys's mind as she wrestles with the morality of her actions thus far and her overwhelming feelings of guilt.

The cast of secondary characters is greatly reduced for the most part, which really allows for the focus to be solely on Alys, without sacrificing some truly beautiful relationships and exchanges. Alys's internal conflict is the centre of the novel and is depicted with great care and detail. Unfortunately, this does mean that, at least for the first part, the pace is at times frustratingly slow and certain passages (while probably realistic in this context) can feel quite repetitive. Still, the story really picks up around the halfway mark, fully rewarding readers for their patience as it delivers an incredibly satisfying conclusion to Alys's character arc (for now).

The settings are as beautifully constructed as in the first book, and it is almost possible to breathe the medieval air through the clear, detailed descriptions. The author really showcases her historical research and expertise in the field while managing to keep an even tone, providing ample context for characters' choices, thoughts and beliefs.

Outlawed follows in the footsteps of the previous book to continue building on a beloved legend, expertly blending action and introspection. A solid second book in the series, setting up the stage for the next chapter, perfect for readers looking for a queer feminist retelling who don't mind an occasionally slower pace.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the author via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
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22.11.63 by Stephen King

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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