cursed_sapphire's reviews
163 reviews

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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

4.25

This book was very atmospheric and introspective, and I really appreciated it. Although I think half the reason I loved this as much as I did is because I am a HUGE Greek mythology nerd, I also think people who just want to hear more female voices will find this a good read- it definitely left me with some interesting perspectives to ponder. Overall, this really helped bring mythology alive in a way I strongly appreciate, even if the pacing is a bit slow-- there is a good portion of the book where not much happens-- and if I would have appreciated a bit more depth/time with some of the characters.

Content Warnings

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

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adventurous funny inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A new favorite, I need to read the sequel quickly lest I go insane. This book gave me a lot to think about. It felt like the main character was opening up so many interesting discussions on such varied topics and I want to ponder each one. Loved the insight into fame and influencer culture, very obvious it was written by someone with that experience. The characters are all very flawed, especially the narrator/protagonist, but I still found her immensely likeable. Easy 10/10, will definitely return to this masterpiece at some point.

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

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3.25

A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas

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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? It's complicated

3.0

Started off very slow and mediocre but picked up near the end. Nothing to write home about but not bad.

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

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adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

4.0

Fun, gripping, and action-packed, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. I was never sure what was going to happen next, and the themes of breaking a cycle of violence were compelling. Very much a blink-and-you'll-miss-it book, but that also meant certain details didn't add up to me- perhaps I wasn't paying close enough attention to certain details, but certain plot points and character motivations slightly confused me. Also disappointed that, for a horror book, this wasn't the least bit scary- I recommend going in expecting an action thriller, you'll have a better time.

Content Warnings

How to Break an Evil Curse by Laura Morrison

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

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

3.5

This book took a little while to get going, but once I got a feel for it and the story started to pick up, I had a really good time with it.

The story follows a Princess who is cursed to die if sunlight ever touches her skin, a kind artistic boy with an asparagus allergy, a ghost, a vile of talking Raven's blood, and many more strange characters.

I don't quite know how to describe the plot, as it zips around a lot. If you like a book with a strong plot, this probably won't be for you. But the characters were really fun and the humorous worldbuilding made me laugh out loud a few times, which is rare for me. So if you don't mind a goofy, irreverent, character-driven fairy tale, this is worth checking out.

I will say that the book is gorgeos, with beautiful illustrations and awesome cover. However the art does seem to lean more towards a dark-fantasy vibe, which this book did not deliver on, so the marketing is a little deceptive. The writing also leaned toward the younger side of YA, reminding me more of middle-grade books (not in a bad way, since a lot of my favorite books are middle grade). The best comparisons I have are E.D. Baker's fairy tales and the Ever After High books by Shannon Hale- if you like those this book might be right up your alley.

I will say that the humerous footnotes, while often hilarious and welcome, were also sometimes a bit too long. And that might be my biggest complaint with the book as a whole- it was a bit too long. A little extra editing could have made this book a lot better. The beginning was particularly slow, but once I passed the halfway mark the story really did pick up the pace and became much more enjoyable.

Overall this was a flawed book, but the author has a lot of potential. Hopefully the sequel improves on the quality a bit and continues all the fun things that made this story so enjoyable.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced