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mcaliz's reviews
475 reviews
Malice by Heather Walter
5.0
Content warning: child abuse, physical abuse, self harm, manipulation, racism
6/18/22 Reread: This was even better on the second read!! I'm literally jumping into book 2 right now
Overall:
I REALLY liked this Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent retelling (it honestly leans more towards Maleficent) and it kept me on my toes. You didn't know who to trust, every character had their motivations and you couldn't tell with some people if they were doing things or helping Alyce out of the kindness of their hearts and it was ROUGH. This girl honestly was never able to catch a break because people were constantly being afraid of her, using her, lying to her, and just being cruel to her just because she is half Vila. As a biracial woman myself, I understood how Alyce felt not being accepted by the humans or the Graces because she was half Vila; I have been seen as only being (in my case) white, instead of also being Mexican by my Mexican friends and family, or only being seen as Mexican by my white friends and family. I saw myself in Alyce as she tried to deny her Vila side because of how people saw her as a monster because of it, knowing that no matter what she did or said she would ALWAYS be seen as the villain because she is half Vila. So I loved when she started to embrace that side of herself more and embraced her powers and began to understand them more.
There was a LOT of twists in turns in this and I cannot WAIT for the sequel!!
Characters (ones worth mentioning):
-Alyce/Alice: she can’t catch a BREAK. You understand why she's doing certain things and you can't help but root for her. I'm here for the havoc she's about to sow
6/18/22 Reread: This was even better on the second read!! I'm literally jumping into book 2 right now
Overall:
I REALLY liked this Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent retelling (it honestly leans more towards Maleficent) and it kept me on my toes. You didn't know who to trust, every character had their motivations and you couldn't tell with some people if they were doing things or helping Alyce out of the kindness of their hearts and it was ROUGH. This girl honestly was never able to catch a break because people were constantly being afraid of her, using her, lying to her, and just being cruel to her just because she is half Vila. As a biracial woman myself, I understood how Alyce felt not being accepted by the humans or the Graces because she was half Vila; I have been seen as only being (in my case) white, instead of also being Mexican by my Mexican friends and family, or only being seen as Mexican by my white friends and family. I saw myself in Alyce as she tried to deny her Vila side because of how people saw her as a monster because of it, knowing that no matter what she did or said she would ALWAYS be seen as the villain because she is half Vila. So I loved when she started to embrace that side of herself more and embraced her powers and began to understand them more.
There was a LOT of twists in turns in this and I cannot WAIT for the sequel!!
Characters (ones worth mentioning):
-Alyce/Alice: she can’t catch a BREAK. You understand why she's doing certain things and you can't help but root for her. I'm here for the havoc she's about to sow
Archenemies by Marissa Meyer
4.0
Rep: queerness, sibling love, slow burn romance
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
This was a good installment in the trilogy! This was very action heavy & I once again just found myself idly listening to the audiobook when these occurred. Honestly the plot felt secondary to the relationships between the characters & seeing them being more fleshed out was my favorite part of the book. I found the over arching plot line to be interesting, but I kind of don’t care for it
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
This was a good installment in the trilogy! This was very action heavy & I once again just found myself idly listening to the audiobook when these occurred. Honestly the plot felt secondary to the relationships between the characters & seeing them being more fleshed out was my favorite part of the book. I found the over arching plot line to be interesting, but I kind of don’t care for it
Supernova by Marissa Meyer
4.0
This was quite the ending, to say the least. There were twists and turns, (love) confessions, heartbreak & forgiveness. A lot happens in this & it wasn't bad. I agree with a lot of other reviews where they talk about the ending & how it feels like this story is NOT over, but for now, we have some suspicions to think about & a pretty much wrapped up ending.
I think overall me listening to this trilogy via audiobook hindered my enjoyment of these books, but I definitely see myself going back & rereading passages if not all three books in the future.
I think overall me listening to this trilogy via audiobook hindered my enjoyment of these books, but I definitely see myself going back & rereading passages if not all three books in the future.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
This felt like everything and nothing happened all at once and the last 2 chapters were the best part of the book (aside from Rhys & Feyre finally getting together)...Book 3 here we gooooo
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
This was so weird... The best way I could describe reading this is if you imaged being in a room with people who all had speakers and everyone was blasting a song from a different genre but all of the songs were talking about the same thing. So it's just this big clash of plot and subplots that Sarah J Maas put in to this book that was just an absolute MESS. But I still had fun with it. Some parts had me cackle with laughter or pulled at my heart strings at the whole moments
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
Not bad, but not as fluffy as I thought it would be.
The Becoming by Nora Roberts
2.0
Overall:
Content warning; semi-graphic rape scene*
Rep: dragons, male/male romance
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
Honestly the only good thing about this book were the wholesome cringe moments between some of the love interests and family.
The plot is ALL over the place, and you know that scene in The Emperor's New Groove when Yzma, Kronk, Kuzco & Pacha are racing their way back to the palace & you see them on the map just making their way there & it’s just all over the place. THIS WHOLE BOOK FELT LIKE THAT SCENE. There was just so much going on, while at the same time, it felt like nothing was going on.
*About the rape scene, it features very dubious consent & I was very taken aback by it. I haven't seen a SINGLE review that mentions this, so just as a forwarding, there's essentially a rape scene even though the person "consents" to having sex with a certain person.
Pros:
We have a dragon bonding moment & it was very cute.
Gripes:
There are so many unnecessary scenes! And Subplots! Especially Shana’s! Completely unnecessary, even though I see where it's "going", I still think it's not necessary.
The romance(s):
Breen and Keegan were weird & very lukewarm in this.
Content warning; semi-graphic rape scene*
Rep: dragons, male/male romance
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
Honestly the only good thing about this book were the wholesome cringe moments between some of the love interests and family.
The plot is ALL over the place, and you know that scene in The Emperor's New Groove when Yzma, Kronk, Kuzco & Pacha are racing their way back to the palace & you see them on the map just making their way there & it’s just all over the place. THIS WHOLE BOOK FELT LIKE THAT SCENE. There was just so much going on, while at the same time, it felt like nothing was going on.
*About the rape scene, it features very dubious consent & I was very taken aback by it. I haven't seen a SINGLE review that mentions this, so just as a forwarding, there's essentially a rape scene even though the person "consents" to having sex with a certain person.
Pros:
We have a dragon bonding moment & it was very cute.
Gripes:
There are so many unnecessary scenes! And Subplots! Especially Shana’s! Completely unnecessary, even though I see where it's "going", I still think it's not necessary.
The romance(s):
Breen and Keegan were weird & very lukewarm in this.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
3.0
Content warning; torture, killing of children
Rep: friendship, animal companions,
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
Actual Rating 3.5⭐️s
I had fun with this! I’m glad that I finally read this instead of putting it off. I think the first half of the book was really strong, but the second half felt just felt really disjointed. Like there was a clear vision of the plot that was established in the first half, but the plot kept taking these twists and turns that didn’t feel necessary. But I will be starting the second ASAP so that I can see where the story is going to go!!
Pros:
The magic was really cool! Definitely my favorite part of the whole book.
Gripes:
Inan was so MESSSSSSY, I couldn’t handle it!! I was rooting for him & then he would do something REALLY STUPID and I would have to put the book down & rub my temples.
Rep: friendship, animal companions,
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
Actual Rating 3.5⭐️s
I had fun with this! I’m glad that I finally read this instead of putting it off. I think the first half of the book was really strong, but the second half felt just felt really disjointed. Like there was a clear vision of the plot that was established in the first half, but the plot kept taking these twists and turns that didn’t feel necessary. But I will be starting the second ASAP so that I can see where the story is going to go!!
Pros:
The magic was really cool! Definitely my favorite part of the whole book.
Gripes:
Inan was so MESSSSSSY, I couldn’t handle it!! I was rooting for him & then he would do something REALLY STUPID and I would have to put the book down & rub my temples.