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liorallen's reviews
97 reviews
Ballad & Dagger by Daniel José Older
adventurous
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
I read this book by my spouse’s recommendation, and I wish I had read it sooner!
The world building is really rich and the characters are complex. The story had me hooked from the beginning, with twists and turns that were more often than not surprisingly satisfying. Heck, even the twists I predicted still were written so well that I wasn’t disappointed at all; it felt like I was in on something.
Only one downside, the end came so fast that I’m still percolating it. It was a *very* satisfying end, and it left me wanting more.
Sadly, the wait for the next book from the library is realllllllly long. I may just need to buy a copy of them both!
The world building is really rich and the characters are complex. The story had me hooked from the beginning, with twists and turns that were more often than not surprisingly satisfying. Heck, even the twists I predicted still were written so well that I wasn’t disappointed at all; it felt like I was in on something.
Only one downside, the end came so fast that I’m still percolating it. It was a *very* satisfying end, and it left me wanting more.
Sadly, the wait for the next book from the library is realllllllly long. I may just need to buy a copy of them both!
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.25
Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Stories of Horror by Lincoln Michel, Nadxieli Nieto
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t good. Middle-of-the-road, kinda boring. And these “flash fiction” supplies were longer than expected. But that’s maybe more a me thing.
Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
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
4.0
The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts by Soraya Palmer
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Fire/Fire injury
Voice of the Fish by Lars Horn
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Truly exquisite collection of essays. Definitely deserves the label “lyric.”