outsyinsy's reviews
257 reviews

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

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adventurous informative lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Below by Alaric Cabiling

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
Writing and story weren't my cup of tea
The Tinker's Daughter by Josephine Angelini

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adventurous fast-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

3.0

I enjoyed reading this cozy fantasy. It was a quick read with characters that were easy to empathize with and relate to. I liked Dragon in particular, probably because he often felt more like a cat than a dragon.

If you're looking for a slow-burn romance, this is not it. If you're looking for detailed world-building and exciting plots with twists and turns, this is not it either. But if you're looking for a quick, easy-to-read cozy fantasy with fairly likable characters, then this might just be the book for you. 
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

5.0

Thoroughly enchanted by this twisted Sleeping Beauty fairytale. An odd tale about a slimy toad-girl that cries black tears shouldn't feel so cozy and whimsical, but that's what I got from this book. As with most fairytales, the plot gets dark and fast. The story does get wrapped up nearly, I think. T. Kingfisher has quickly become one of my favorite writers.
Heck McTyre, Necromanfluencer by E.B. Hauk

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

3.5

The title of the book drew me in (a necromanfluencer? amazing), and the start was very promising from the get-go. Heck is an interesting and fun character to follow. The few supporting characters we met along the way were also quite well-written, though no one really stood out to me. The main mystery was compelling and drew me in, though it kind of lost steam near the last third of the book when Heck was suddenly thrown into the Underworld with no warning or preamble to the reader.

A few bits of world-building were sprinkled throughout, though I would have preferred there to be more -- how did the Y2K incident suddenly bring back magic into the world? how did the Mirror Network work? A few more bits about Heck's necromanfluencer side hustle would've also been very welcome.

The ending was quite sudden and felt very unresolved to me. I know there will be another book, which I might read as well since I liked this one, but I would have liked some kind of resolution for book one that would still manage to whet the reader's appetite for book two. Instead, the ending seemed rather abrupt and unfinished. 

Overall, this is still a very enjoyable book and a great short read, perfect for the spooky season. Book two is coming out in November, so have that one ready by the time you finish this one. 
Funny Story by Emily Henry

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emotional lighthearted 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

4.0

This was my second Emily Henry book, and it was a vast improvement over the first one I read, Beach Read. The characters were likeable, and while the premise was very romcom, it was written and paced well enough that I didn't mind too much. Some people say the banter and humor were not great, but I thought it was funny enough. There was a bit too much talking about trauma and issues and stuff, which I didn't enjoy as much. Everything seemed so blown out of proportion. Overall, though, still a good read. But I'll probably wait till next year to read another Emily Henry. Too much romance hurts my teeth. 
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

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adventurous funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

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adventurous funny lighthearted tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Come Closer by Sara Gran

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

4.0