Scan barcode
dragoninwinterfell's reviews
97 reviews
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I love the world building Rivers Solomon developed for The Deep. It was so unique and fascinating. The problem is that the world building is all there is. The characters are flat, the relationships barely exist, and there isn't really a story. I wish this world building could be combined with fully realized characters and an actual plot.
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
It has been a long time since I've read a book with such an immersive world with such strong world building.
Godkiller has an exceptionally violent start as one of the three protagonists, Kissen, loses her whole family and a leg as sacrifices to a god. Cut to her as an adult where she has taken on the profession of a godkiller, which is essentially a Witcher taking on contracts to kill gods who are causing problems. I love the fascinating way Hannah Kaner presented gods as as reliant on the worship of humans who they help, while also monstrous beings who torment humans. The religious component added an interesting complication that isn't present in most monster hunter stories since there are those who worship the gods, giving them strength and power.
Kissen's contentious relationship with gods is made all the more complicated when Inara, a noble girl with an inexplicable bond to a god, come to her for help. As they embark on a quest to safely unbind Inara from her god, they meet a baker knight, Elogast, who is on his own quest to save the king by imploring the aid of a god.
Each of the three develop interesting relationships with each other while having their own independent motivations in the quests that don't perfectly align with each other. I liked their found family dynamics a lot. Though I do wish they had developed it more before the climax. As much as I liked the relationships, I can't say the intensity of all of them were fully earned.
Even with that complaint, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, im fully invested in the world and characters, and I look forward to starting the sequel.
Godkiller has an exceptionally violent start as one of the three protagonists, Kissen, loses her whole family and a leg as sacrifices to a god. Cut to her as an adult where she has taken on the profession of a godkiller, which is essentially a Witcher taking on contracts to kill gods who are causing problems. I love the fascinating way Hannah Kaner presented gods as as reliant on the worship of humans who they help, while also monstrous beings who torment humans. The religious component added an interesting complication that isn't present in most monster hunter stories since there are those who worship the gods, giving them strength and power.
Kissen's contentious relationship with gods is made all the more complicated when Inara, a noble girl with an inexplicable bond to a god, come to her for help. As they embark on a quest to safely unbind Inara from her god, they meet a baker knight, Elogast, who is on his own quest to save the king by imploring the aid of a god.
Each of the three develop interesting relationships with each other while having their own independent motivations in the quests that don't perfectly align with each other. I liked their found family dynamics a lot. Though I do wish they had developed it more before the climax. As much as I liked the relationships, I can't say the intensity of all of them were fully earned.
Even with that complaint, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, im fully invested in the world and characters, and I look forward to starting the sequel.
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
I really tried with this one. I even set a goal to at least get to 20% before DNFing. But I couldn't even get that far.
With The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or the mysteries that were being set up. When the story took a turn into another world, it was so unbearably dull despite what sounded like an interesting premise. I also didn't like how short the chapters were since they created the illusion that I was getting through the book faster than I saw, only for me to realize that a mere five minutes had passed.
Maybe I just wasn't the right audience for this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters or the mysteries that were being set up. When the story took a turn into another world, it was so unbearably dull despite what sounded like an interesting premise. I also didn't like how short the chapters were since they created the illusion that I was getting through the book faster than I saw, only for me to realize that a mere five minutes had passed.
Maybe I just wasn't the right audience for this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson was the perfect creepy read to end October with.
This novel intentionally hits the haunted house story beats with a family moving to a new town to live in the mysterious house that is the subject of local urban legends. I love how Jackson had her heroine Mari note this even as those typical conventions are turned on their head as the overall take away is that the true monster is systemic racism.
The strongest elements of this novel are the characters and complex relationships. Mari is an excellent protagonist to follow this horror mystery with. She is a teenager struggling with intense anxiety and drug addiction as well as the divorce of her parents and the blending of her family with a stepfather and sister. With all of that in play, it's actually realistic that she not come to the right conclusion with every clue and that those around her struggle to believe what she says. Even Mari, and therefore the reader, doubts what she's seeing and hearing as they could be impacted by her high anxiety and paranoia or her drug usage.
I particularly appreciated the way Jackson depicted Mari's anxiety since that's something I struggle with too. So, I could relate with many of her coping strategies and the feeling of being triggered. This heightened stakes of the story for me as the tension escalated.
I do think that Jackson pulled some punches. But I can more easily get past that when it comes to a young adult novel than I could with an adult novel. Otherwise, the story, characters, and dynamics were very realistic.
This novel intentionally hits the haunted house story beats with a family moving to a new town to live in the mysterious house that is the subject of local urban legends. I love how Jackson had her heroine Mari note this even as those typical conventions are turned on their head as the overall take away is that the true monster is systemic racism.
The strongest elements of this novel are the characters and complex relationships. Mari is an excellent protagonist to follow this horror mystery with. She is a teenager struggling with intense anxiety and drug addiction as well as the divorce of her parents and the blending of her family with a stepfather and sister. With all of that in play, it's actually realistic that she not come to the right conclusion with every clue and that those around her struggle to believe what she says. Even Mari, and therefore the reader, doubts what she's seeing and hearing as they could be impacted by her high anxiety and paranoia or her drug usage.
I particularly appreciated the way Jackson depicted Mari's anxiety since that's something I struggle with too. So, I could relate with many of her coping strategies and the feeling of being triggered. This heightened stakes of the story for me as the tension escalated.
I do think that Jackson pulled some punches. But I can more easily get past that when it comes to a young adult novel than I could with an adult novel. Otherwise, the story, characters, and dynamics were very realistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
From the first sentence to the last, I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call had me in a chokehold.
Jamison Shea's second installment of the I Feed Her to the Beast series was a vast improvement on the first novel. That's particularly impressive because the first book was very good. The one weakness in that novel was completely rectified in this one. Before, I was disappointed with the level of development in Laure Mesny's significant relationships. The sequel delves into the strained dynamic with her parents, shows the deep complicated bond between her and her close friends, details her exploring romance, and explored her connection with an eldritch god.
All of this quality relationship building strengthened what had already been achieved in the first book. Following Laure as she navigated new challenges was incredibly rewarding. I wish all sequels were this amazing. I'm giving this a solid five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jamison Shea's second installment of the I Feed Her to the Beast series was a vast improvement on the first novel. That's particularly impressive because the first book was very good. The one weakness in that novel was completely rectified in this one. Before, I was disappointed with the level of development in Laure Mesny's significant relationships. The sequel delves into the strained dynamic with her parents, shows the deep complicated bond between her and her close friends, details her exploring romance, and explored her connection with an eldritch god.
All of this quality relationship building strengthened what had already been achieved in the first book. Following Laure as she navigated new challenges was incredibly rewarding. I wish all sequels were this amazing. I'm giving this a solid five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Bloodless Princes by Charlotte Bond
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
With The Bloodless Princes, Charlotte Bond crafted a sequel to The Fireborne Blade that continued the successful elements of the first installment of the series while also delivering a fresh, new story. While the first novella deconstructed and subverted the conventions of the knight's quest, this one delves into a journey through the underworld.
This sequel centers on knight Maddileh and the mage Saralene three years after the events of The Fireborne Blade. They are confronted with the fallout from the choices made in that novella, forcing them onto a new quest. Following those very different personalities as they navigated their shared and individual struggles was very engaging. As dual protagonists as well as slow burn love interests, they play off of each other extremely well.
Just as the previous story rotated between the perspective of Maddileh and an in-universe text that provided world building, this one gives a narrative through the lenses of the two heroines along with a text about the in-universe mythology. The balance between the succinct plot and fanciful myths are perfect. The two blend into each other, explaining values and expectations the characters grew up with only to tear those expectations apart as the story unfolds.
This novella is a solid five stars. I hope Bond writes more in this universe.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This sequel centers on knight Maddileh and the mage Saralene three years after the events of The Fireborne Blade. They are confronted with the fallout from the choices made in that novella, forcing them onto a new quest. Following those very different personalities as they navigated their shared and individual struggles was very engaging. As dual protagonists as well as slow burn love interests, they play off of each other extremely well.
Just as the previous story rotated between the perspective of Maddileh and an in-universe text that provided world building, this one gives a narrative through the lenses of the two heroines along with a text about the in-universe mythology. The balance between the succinct plot and fanciful myths are perfect. The two blend into each other, explaining values and expectations the characters grew up with only to tear those expectations apart as the story unfolds.
This novella is a solid five stars. I hope Bond writes more in this universe.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
I love long, sprawling fantasy novels with intricately detailed world building and complex characters. So, I'm very impressed that Charlotte Bond managed to achieve in less than 200 pages with The Fireborne Blade what other authors can only do in more than 600 pages.
In this exceptionally well plotted work, not a sentence is wasted as we follow our heroine Maddileh on her quest to claim a magic sword and slay a dragon. While this premise sounds like a conventional fantasy story, aside from the knight being a woman, the twists and turns make the story anything but conventional. Much like George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, Bond breaks down the concept of knighthood, stripping it of romantic ideals to show a grittier side.
As a heroine, Maddileh absolutely walks in the footsteps of Tolkien's Éowyn and Martin's Brienne of Tarth while also standing on her own as a unique protagonist in her own right. She's both both prideful and stubborn as well as insecure and sensitive. She demands respect, while doubting her place in a world that only begrudgingly accepts her. She's also intelligent with lots of lived experience while not being even close to infallible. In short, she was a very enjoyable character to follow.
Since I restarted the book as soon as I finished it, I can also say that this work is even better upon a reread due to the mystery and twist ending. Going back to the beginning, it's easy to see all the foreshadowing and careful plotting that steadily built to a satisfying conclconclusion.
In this exceptionally well plotted work, not a sentence is wasted as we follow our heroine Maddileh on her quest to claim a magic sword and slay a dragon. While this premise sounds like a conventional fantasy story, aside from the knight being a woman, the twists and turns make the story anything but conventional. Much like George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, Bond breaks down the concept of knighthood, stripping it of romantic ideals to show a grittier side.
As a heroine, Maddileh absolutely walks in the footsteps of Tolkien's Éowyn and Martin's Brienne of Tarth while also standing on her own as a unique protagonist in her own right. She's both both prideful and stubborn as well as insecure and sensitive. She demands respect, while doubting her place in a world that only begrudgingly accepts her. She's also intelligent with lots of lived experience while not being even close to infallible. In short, she was a very enjoyable character to follow.
Since I restarted the book as soon as I finished it, I can also say that this work is even better upon a reread due to the mystery and twist ending. Going back to the beginning, it's easy to see all the foreshadowing and careful plotting that steadily built to a satisfying conclconclusion.
Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Just to start, Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher predominantly a romance. I wanted to begin with that just to help set the right expectations. In NetGalley, it's listed as just Sci-fi/Fantasy. While there are elements of Fantasy in this novel, most of which appears toward the end, the bulk of the novel centers on the rushed live triangle with the protagonist, Lizzie at the center.
I don't dislike romance. I do have pretty high standards for it. The romance needs to feel natural and earned. Despite the massive amount of time spent on Lizzie's romances, neither feels authentic. She meets both men on the same day and they're all talking about marriage a week later. I'm not exaggerating. A week after meeting these men, they're talking marriage.
Not only were the relationships weak, but the characters barely existed. They were all just names with dialogue that slowly pushed the plot forward. Only two tertiary characters had personalities, but they barely impacted the story.
Speaking of the plot, it had the potential to be very interesting. Lizzie's mother has a mysterious condition is shared by the sister of one of her love interests. They have to work together to discover what's happened to their loved ones. This is a very strong premise in my opinion. But after the initial set up, it was pretty much lost.
Overall, I liked the potential which made the poor execution all the worse.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I don't dislike romance. I do have pretty high standards for it. The romance needs to feel natural and earned. Despite the massive amount of time spent on Lizzie's romances, neither feels authentic. She meets both men on the same day and they're all talking about marriage a week later. I'm not exaggerating. A week after meeting these men, they're talking marriage.
Not only were the relationships weak, but the characters barely existed. They were all just names with dialogue that slowly pushed the plot forward. Only two tertiary characters had personalities, but they barely impacted the story.
Speaking of the plot, it had the potential to be very interesting. Lizzie's mother has a mysterious condition is shared by the sister of one of her love interests. They have to work together to discover what's happened to their loved ones. This is a very strong premise in my opinion. But after the initial set up, it was pretty much lost.
Overall, I liked the potential which made the poor execution all the worse.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Evo Uprising by Kipjo K. Ewers
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
3.0
Action-packed doesn't begin to describe Evo: Uprising. Set years after The First, Kipjo K. Ewers' second installment of the series is brimming with fight scene after fight scene between soper-humans created in the aftermath of Sophia Dennison's heroic act. Often, it felt like those fight scenes stretched on too long to the point where they lost their impact.
What i enjoyed most about this novel was the world building and character work.
In this world where magically enhanced people have nearly become normal, these powerful beings range from super heroes, super villains, and super powered individuals who are just going about their daily lives. While elements of the super hero genre are played with, they're often subverted, averted, and/or deconstructed. Existing issues are enhanced rather than solved by the existence of super heroes. In that way, this series reminds me of Watchmen in it's gritty depiction of a world full of super people.
While I feel that this novel was bloated with too many characters, the in depth character work for the main protagonist, Sophia Dennison, the supporting cast, and even some of the tertiary characters was excellent. I loved how Sophia was the most powerful being on the planet, yet made mistakes, had regrets, and was emotionally vulnerable. She's also not unbeatable. But I don't feel that enough time was given to the development of her most important relationship, which had an unearned turning point that was hugely important to the climax. There wasn't enough room with all the new characters and dynamics stuffed in.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What i enjoyed most about this novel was the world building and character work.
In this world where magically enhanced people have nearly become normal, these powerful beings range from super heroes, super villains, and super powered individuals who are just going about their daily lives. While elements of the super hero genre are played with, they're often subverted, averted, and/or deconstructed. Existing issues are enhanced rather than solved by the existence of super heroes. In that way, this series reminds me of Watchmen in it's gritty depiction of a world full of super people.
While I feel that this novel was bloated with too many characters, the in depth character work for the main protagonist, Sophia Dennison, the supporting cast, and even some of the tertiary characters was excellent. I loved how Sophia was the most powerful being on the planet, yet made mistakes, had regrets, and was emotionally vulnerable. She's also not unbeatable. But I don't feel that enough time was given to the development of her most important relationship, which had an unearned turning point that was hugely important to the climax. There wasn't enough room with all the new characters and dynamics stuffed in.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Darling Girl by Liz Michalski
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Darling Girl really is a mixed bag and a true 2.5 star book. There was so much I loved about it and there were so many ways it fell horribly short.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol