spootilious's reviews
140 reviews

slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Read: October 17, 2023
Title: Solomon’s Crown

Author: Natasha Siegal

Genre: Historical Fiction / LGBTQ Romance
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Review:

This book was very cute. There was no real feeling of suspense or worry despite the subjects of war and the like. So, I would classify the novel as a ‘Cozy’ Historical Fiction though I am unsure if others would agree.

The prose was beautiful and well written, reminding me a log of Song of Achilles, and each character was well rounded and unique.

This book was given such a high rating, not because I enjoyed it (tbh I was quite bored with most of it, though it’s obvious that I am not the target audience) but rather because I can not find many faults with the book. The two that I did find were simply that the book’s pace was slow and monotonous, and there were many repetitive aspects of the main characters.

Overall, though, It was definitely a solid read and highly recommend it to individuals that enjoy Historical Fiction and Cozy LGBT novels.

Quotes:
N/A

TW:
Minor: War, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, and Adult/minor relationship

Content Warnings

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Read: October 11, 2023
Title: Fourth Wing
Series: The Empyrean #1
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Genre: New Adult Fantasy
Rating: 2/5
Review:

I won’t say that I didn’t enjoy this book…. Honestly, if I didn’t enjoy reading it I wouldn’t have given it 2 stars… it would have been lucky to have 1.

I could spend pages discussing what I didn’t like about the book but instead I’ll list the things I like and disliked then put some notes at the end.

Dislikes first because there are so many:

· This book would have been better if it wasn’t in first person.

· The writing is very juvenile

· The storyline is unbelievably predictable (including the ‘twist’ at the end)

· The plot may have worked better without such a heavy focus on the romance.

· The romance includes EVERY single cliché I can think of (and I do enjoy dark romances so it’s not that I don’t like a good romance… it just need to be… not bad.)

· Repetitive

· The worldbuilding is extremely lacking.

· The protagonist basically gets away with everything

· The protagonist has not self-accountability

· The objectification of other sexes

· I’m unable to find a single original idea in the plot.

· So many plot holes!

· Endless use of the words Fuck and Hot

· The dialog is TERRIBLE.

· Every character is unbelievably immature (including leadership and the parents).

Likes:

· Liam is definitely a gem.

· The plot was entertaining if unoriginal.

Ok, so digging into the details. I have a feeling that if Yarros chose third person for this book it wouldn’t feel so immature or cringe worthy because we wouldn’t be listening to a lot of the cliches that are present. The writing feels like it should be a YA book and not New Adult (though the sex is obviously what pushed it into the category) I probably would have enjoyed this WAY more if it was YA. This was a book club book for us and I made my predictions less than 100 pages into the book about the war and how the book would end and sadly I wasn’t wrong, though it may be because Yarros seemed to take bits and pieces of all the best selling fantasy franchises (particularly ones that have been made into movies) and copy and pasted them into this one after just changing some names.

I love a good romance, especially enemy to lovers with some really dark themes… but this felt, once again… juvenile, forced, and utterly cringe, and to be honest I’m too lazy to provide examples but pick a page at random and I’m sure the main character feels tingling at the back of her neck because the man in question entered the room, or her body heats because she glanced at him, or his core turned to liquid…. Which brings me to my next point, the back and forth and romance between the two main characters were so repetitive that it was almost painful and I really just wanted to skip it all and get back to the story.

The world building is lacking as well. The reader only get tidbits here and there and only if the author thinks its necessary but because of this the sense of the world is so vague it hurts. The reader should know a lot more about the war, considering that this is taking place in a school for military cadets that will be fighting on the front lines… instead it’s ‘guys with griffins are the enemies and they’re attacking us’. Okay…. Who are they? Why do they attack? Did they use to be part of us and broke away? That would make sense with the whole unification thing… Are they attacking the government or just the land…. Etc etc. (this is just an example and the answers can be inferred but they’re never truly explained).

Moving on to the main character who basically undermines her leadership and is constantly insubordinate and breaks practically every rule and never gets in trouble for it. She also never takes responsibility for herself. Everything is always because she’s too small or fragile or because of someone else… and I’m not here for it.

I’m gonna skim over the objectification of the sexes, because it doesn’t need explaining. As mentioned above the story line seems to be cut and paste from a lot of very popular franchises. When I started reading I even mentioned to my buddy that it reminded me of Hunger Games, then Harry Potter, Mulan, Game of Thrones… I could go on. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find a single original aspect to the story, which I was a little disappointed in because, as I said, I enjoyed the read… But then again who wouldn’t if its made up of some of the best and most consumed fantasy entertainment out there.

The plot holes were bothersome for me. I won’t go into too much details to avoid spoilers, but specifically the final War Game. It he main character is so smart then why isn’t she asking questions about the control of the enemy to participate it in, or how could she not come to the conclusion of both betrayals on her own… That along with the reasons the failings are happening and the 400 yr verses 600 year thing… Idk… It’s super bothering me though.

The last three dislikes roll together honestly. I’m so sick of the words Fuck and Hot that I’m ready to pull my hair out. The dialog sounds like a bunch of horny kids just reaching puberty. Actually that’s not fair to the kids… The characters themselves acted that way as well. Even the ‘adults’ or leadership figures were immature even if they didn’t have that kind of dialog. I mean… Violets mother was so one dimensional it was painful. Evil step mother vibes much?

I can’t even justify my likes. The only character I found the least bit rounded was Liam. Which I can’t say more about… So… yea.

Will I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely. To those individuals that love to read YA and are looking for a step into New Adult or Fantasy Romance like The Cruel Prince or ACOTAR or something similar and have never really been interested in High Fantasy.

Will I read book 2? Also yes, as I said I enjoyed the book and despite all my dislikes of it would come back for more. I think its important to realize that something can be objectively mediocre or bad and still have value/still be enjoyable. If it wasn’t we wouldn’t have junk food XP

Quotes:
“One generation to change the text. One generation chooses to teach that text. The next grows, and the lie becomes history.”

Content Warnings

Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch

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lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

Read: October 2, 2023
Title: Every Duke Has His Day

Author: Suzanne Enoch
Genre: Cozy Regency
Rating: 2.5/5
Review:

This was an adorable Cozy Regency Romance. I’d say it’s a far less spicy Bridgerton (Queen Charlotte specifically) meets 101 Dalmatians. The writing is well done and the characters are well rounded though the storyline is a bit unoriginal and falls flat. Its cute and fun but I doubt anything would be lost if it were skimmed rather than read. Honestly, it’s a bit longer than necessary. Still, it was enjoyable enough. I’ll probably recommend it to cozy romance readers in the future. A decent novel.

Quotes:
N/A

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

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dark slow-paced

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

0.0

Read: September 25, 2023
Title: The Coworker

Author: Freida McFadden
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 0/5
Review:

I’ve been trying to think of something good to say about this book. I really have. The closest thing I can say is that it wasn’t entirely predictable. The ‘plot twist’ wasn’t too surprising and most of the plot holes were tied up…. But that’s as far as I can go with nice things to say.

To start off, the writing style is extremely immature. It almost feels like I’m reading a fifteen-year old’s first attempt at a thriller novel. I’ve noticed that many people think that it’s due to the main character’s personality and I’m happy that like it, however, with the main characters being so one dimensional I can’t agree.

Natalie is written like a stereotypical B*mbo (I apologize for my choice of words, but it was the best descriptor I could think of), and Dawn is written like the only autistic representation the author has ever experienced is Rain man. The only personality traits are the Nat is considered pretty and Dawn really likes turtles. Honestly it made me want to vomit.

Surprisingly enough the only characters in the entire book that didn’t seem one dimensional were the men… and even then, only barely.

The way the office was written made it obvious that the author has no experience with an office environment and the way the police work was written was sloppy and seemed to have no research done whatsoever (though I may be a bit bias, having worked Law Enforcement).

Fifteen minutes into this novel and I knew I was going to despise it, though I did my best not to, I haven’t found a decent reason to feel otherwise. Overall, the storytelling was boring and flat, the characters were detestable and dull, and the ‘thriller’ part of the book maybe lasted 3-4 minutes before being utterly ruined by the fact that there is not a single redeeming quality to any of the characters, and the terrible, grotesque, and dehumanizing representation of autism in this novel makes me sick to my stomach. I would have called it quits on this novel but wanted to give it a complete chance and finished it… which only made my distaste worst.

I feel terrible having to write such a terrible review and giving the lowest (though I wish I could go lower) review I have ever provided but felt even worse as I was reading.

Minor TW: Death, Self-harm, Vomit, Confinement, Murder, Violence, Suicide, Blood, Ableism, Bullying, Child Death, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Stalking

Quotes:

N/A

Content Warnings

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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? No

4.0

Read: September 12, 2023
Title: Tress of the Emerald Sea
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Rating: 4/5
Review:

The biggest take away for this review is that this novel was loads of fun with such a unique world and wonderful characters.

The details: I am no stranger to Brandon Sanderson. I adore his work! That being said Tress of the Emerald Sea, which having the feel of many of his other works, is something unto itself.

The novel is fun and whimsical, with characters that are so lovable it hurts and villains that are just as loath-able. The nods to other worlds and characters in the cosmere is ever present which could be a bit confusing to a casual Sanderson reader (rather than the dedicated ones) but not so much so that it takes too much away from the story.

Sanderson has always had a talent for writing women and there is no exception here.

The world building is stunning (as expected) and so unique (also as expected).

Now, despite all of this it is not a 5 star book in my opinion. The ‘twists’ of the novel are extremely predictable. Perhaps this might be because I have read too much of Sanderson’s works but regardless, I found more of the world building (particularly the spores and interactions with them) far more surprising and intriguing than the actual plot ‘twists’. Though, I find that I am very rarely surprised but plot twists now a day, so perhaps it is just me.

I will also say that one of the signatures of a Brandon Sanderson book is it’s explosive and captivating ending. It is something I have come to expect and is typically delivered, and while the ending of this novel is fast paced and entertaining I would not categorize it as explosive (at least not figuratively) nor captivating. That is not to say that it wasn’t good, far from it, the ending was practically perfect. It was simply not what I had come to expect from a Sanderson novel, it seemed to fall just a tad bit short of my expectations; the book as a whole however met them all head on.

I loved this novel and will be recommending it as a wonderful first step into the Cosmere!

Minor TW: Death, Self harm, Vomit, Confinement, Murder, Slavery, War, Violence, Suicide, Classism, Blood, Guns.

Quotes:

If you wish to become a storyteller, here is a hint: sell your labor, but not your mind.

One of the great tragedies of life is knowing how many people in the world are made to soar, paint, sing, or steer—except they never get the chance to find out.

If bravery is the wind that makes us soar like kites, fear is the string that keeps us from going too far.

More twisted than a librarian’s love life (trust me, they’re a strange bunch)

You can’t taste a memory without tainting it with who you have become.

Memories are fossils, the bones left by dead versions of ourselves.

Worry has weight, and is an infinitely renewable resource.

After spending ages walking around with everyone piling bricks in your arms, it can throw you off balance when someone removes a brick to carry for you.

If we let it, memory can make shadows of the now, as nothing can match the buttressed legends of our past.

Content Warnings

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

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dark emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Read: September 11, 2023
Title: In the Lives of Puppets
Author: T.J. Klune
Genre: Adult LGBT Fiction
Rating: 3/5
Review:

I wanted to love this book so very much, however, I’m afraid that I simply liked it. The novel is cute with an edge of darkness to it but overall, a decent read. The characters are lovable and unique and the storyline, while predictable, was entertaining.

I suppose it fell a bit short for me for a number of reasons. The foremost being that Klune as shown us he can write better than this. While, House on the Cerulean Sea comes to mind, even the less fantastic novel Under the Whispering Door felt more enticing. That, of course, isn’t to say that this book was bad but rather not as good.

Much of the storyline felt forced, trying to fit into the Pinocchio retelling, and some of the dialog seems a bit clunky (and not due to the robots). This isn’t to mention the strange obsession these robots had with sex… but that last bit might just be a me thing…. Not sure.

Regardless, an overall decent book, though not one I’d read again and not one of Klune’s best.

Quotes:

“Forgiving others could be difficult, but forgiving yourself can sometimes feel impossible.”

TW: Blood and Violence, Minor TW: Abandonment, Animal death, Body shaming, confinement, Death of a parent, Death, Dementia, Fire/Fire injure, Genocide, Grief, Sexual Content, Torture.

Content Warnings

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

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

Read: August 21, 2023
Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Series: Aristotle and Dante#1
Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 3.5/5
Review:

The moment I began reading this book all I could think of was how Benjamin Alire Saenz’s writing style reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Of Love and Other Demons is perhaps one of my favorite magical realism novels I have experienced thus far. And as for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe… It is magical realism at its finest! Perhaps not quite Gabriel Garcia Marquez but I’m not surprised it has won so many rewards.

Obviously, I find the writing absolutely beautiful. The story, although engaging, had no real plot and tended feel a bit forced with some of its dialog but I was never bored. Overall, it was a simple but beautifully written slice of life.

I will admit, though, it was not what I expected this book to be. The light hearted young adult LGBT romance I expected turned out to be the study and exploration of it is to be human; of the loving and strained relationships between a parent and their child; of the existence of one’s self outside of expectations both imposed and internal; a study of the complexity of emotions; and a simple coming of age story. This book was all of these things and more…. And less.

I think (and this is just my opinion) that Benhamin Alire Saenz didn’t write this book to be simply read… but rather to be experienced. While, that sounds simple on the surface it can be a very arduous task for the author and for the reader. Experiences are not universal and thus will not always appeal to some individuals, so I cannot recommend this book to just anyone.

However…

If you are one that loves poetic verse, the simplicity of a slice of life novel, or simply wish to try to discover the secrets of your own universe…. I cannot recommend this novel enough.

Quotes:

“Words were different when they lived inside of you.”

"We all fight our own private wars."

TW: Violence, homophobia, transphobia, foul language, injury, Mentions of Murder, Underage drinking, drug abuse

Content Warnings

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

Read: August 16, 2023
Title: No Gods, No Monsters

Series: The Convergence Saga #1
Author: Cadwell Turnbull
Genre: Fantasy Horror
Rating: 2/5
Review:

I don’t really have a lot to say about this one. I didn’t… NOT like it, but there isn’t much I specifically liked either.

What I can say is that the writing style is beautiful. It is obvious that Turnbull is very talented. However, the storyline and the characters have this sort of vagueness that keeps anything from truly standing out.

From what I can tell, most people complain at how the story jumps around and the points of view shift so strangely. I can understand their point. I suppose I’ve read enough novels written this way that it wasn’t too bad for me. Though I will say with just a small shuffle of one or two chapters Turnbull could have kept the mystery while still making the shifts less jarring for the reader. In my opinion he didn’t quite manage what he was going for.

I will also say that physically reading the book makes it more understandable than listening to the audiobook which is what I first attempted. Dion Graham is one of the sexiest narrators I’ve come across but there was nothing he could do with this one to make it easier to understand.

Overall, not a bad book but not a great one in my opinion. Bit overhyped but love the writing style 😊

Quotes:

N/A

TW: Rape, Murder, Gore, Vore, Body Horror, Mass shooting, General Violence

Content Warnings

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

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dark slow-paced

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

2.0

Read: July 5, 2023
Title: Game of Thrones

Series: Song of Ice and Fire #1
Author: George RR Martin
Genre: High Fantasy
Rating: 2/5
Review:

I am trying with this series… For the 10th time. Truly I am….

I pride myself in my love of high fantasy and with so many in love with this series I have continuously given it a try, much to my disappointment… Rather than go on for ages here are the things I do not like about this book:
- George RR Martin is so unbelievably dry that I would rather be reading a history book and probably be more entertained.

-The attempt at writing realistic sex scenes from a woman’s perspective

-All the sex

-How unbelievably predictable it is

-The lack of logic behind practically every character

-Beating the reader over the head with things that are supposed to be plot points but are obviously there for nothing more than disillusion (The ‘bastard’ bit with Jon Snow… I have a very good idea who he actually is but do not want to write it here if that is the case but he is no bastard I GARUNTEE you that… Far from it)

-How crazy every single woman that is not a stark is.

Now for the things I like:

-The feeling of realism despite how boring it is

-The Characterizations of some of the characters (specifically Tyrion and Ned)

-It is… technically fantasy….

That’s about it… That’s all I got… I’ll check back in after book 2.

Quotes:

“… A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.”

“Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.”

“Why is it that when one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what's on the other side?”

“A craven can be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no cost to it. How easy it seems then, to walk the path of honor. Yet soon or late in every man's life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose.”

“You can't hammer tin into iron, no matter how hard you beat it, but that doesn't mean it's useless.”

“The world was full of cravens who pretended to be heroes; it took a queer sort of courage to admit to cowardice...”

TW: Rape, Murder, Gore

While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Read: June 29, 2023
Title: While Justice Sleeps

Series: Avery Keene #1
Author: Stacey Abrams
Genre: Political Thriller
Rating: 3.5/5
Review:

I went into this novel not having read any of Stacey Abrams’ works and not a big fan of political thrillers… and I must say I was pleasantly surprised.

Abrams has talents for days, but I think we all knew that. The novel has a number of twists and turns that, while perhaps not surprising, are handled well and efficiently. Her characters are well written and stand on their own and the plot is engaging.

I will say that I found the dialogue lacking in some cases and it is obvious that Abrams doesn’t have much experience (or has done enough research) on some of the actions portrayed in this novel, but it is entertaining to say the least.

I found that the melodrama with the mother to be a bit distracting and unnecessary as well. Though, I found the romance to be refreshing, having the backdrop of the novel rather than the forefront.

Overall, a solid read that I quite enjoyed and would recommend.

Quotes:

N/A

TW: Rape, Drug Abuse, Gaslighting

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spootilious's reviews 140 reviews

spootilious's reviews
140 reviews