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blewballoon's reviews
598 reviews
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I was enjoying this book just fine and then I'm not sure what happened, but around the 60% mark I started to feel exasperated with it and just wanted to finish as quickly as possible.
I liked the concept of the magic seamstress who could imbue her embroidery with emotion, and the tension that her magic came with a price and it would weaken her if she used it too much. I was baffled by the juxtaposition of this setup with a multitude of other (arguably more valuable and powerful) forms of magic that cost nothing for the users. People can just shoot lighting, have Elsa's Frozen powers, sprout plants everywhere, and more! This made it seem out of place that the main character's abilities would be so valuable, half the time she didn't even sew the right emotion into the garments that were commissioned of her. Speaking of, the book tries to make it seem like there's a little bit of a found family situation going on with the group of royals she is working for, but every time they are like "aww you work too hard, just relax!" it doesn't hit right because the reason she is working so hard is because of the complicated garments they have ordered her to create in such a short time frame?
I thought the political aspects of the plot were a bit weak and/or nonsensical.How the hell could the prince regent keep the fact that the country was out of money hidden from anyone? They specifically say he's hiding it from Parliament? What? It was so obvious that was what he was hiding, but it didn't make sense. At the end most of the issues are basically resolved by "people inexplicably became a lot more chill about everything, and they just talked about stuff off-page and it all worked out."
Ultimately I probably could have looked past all of the above if I liked the romance more. I was looking for some cute tension with the premise of a seamstress falling in love with her client (like a gender swap of The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews) but I felt let down by the small amount of sewing/fitting/garments in the story. Kit kind of does the bare minimum in terms of being a love interest. He's outwardly a jerk most of the time and he turns on Niamh at the slightest discomfort. Their bickering/banter didn't feel healthy because the power dynamic was off-balance. I'm not even sure if having Kit's perspective would have helped.
I'll cut myself off there, I feel like I've complained enough. The audiobook narrator was pretty good, and the cover is gorgeous. I also didn't mind the writing style, there were some really pretty yet effective descriptions. I would try this author again.
I liked the concept of the magic seamstress who could imbue her embroidery with emotion, and the tension that her magic came with a price and it would weaken her if she used it too much. I was baffled by the juxtaposition of this setup with a multitude of other (arguably more valuable and powerful) forms of magic that cost nothing for the users. People can just shoot lighting, have Elsa's Frozen powers, sprout plants everywhere, and more! This made it seem out of place that the main character's abilities would be so valuable, half the time she didn't even sew the right emotion into the garments that were commissioned of her. Speaking of, the book tries to make it seem like there's a little bit of a found family situation going on with the group of royals she is working for, but every time they are like "aww you work too hard, just relax!" it doesn't hit right because the reason she is working so hard is because of the complicated garments they have ordered her to create in such a short time frame?
I thought the political aspects of the plot were a bit weak and/or nonsensical.
Ultimately I probably could have looked past all of the above if I liked the romance more. I was looking for some cute tension with the premise of a seamstress falling in love with her client (like a gender swap of The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews) but I felt let down by the small amount of sewing/fitting/garments in the story. Kit kind of does the bare minimum in terms of being a love interest. He's outwardly a jerk most of the time and he turns on Niamh at the slightest discomfort. Their bickering/banter didn't feel healthy because the power dynamic was off-balance. I'm not even sure if having Kit's perspective would have helped.
I'll cut myself off there, I feel like I've complained enough. The audiobook narrator was pretty good, and the cover is gorgeous. I also didn't mind the writing style, there were some really pretty yet effective descriptions. I would try this author again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
"The stakes have never been lower" is not something I usually have a problem with, because I like it when lower stakes leave room for more focus on the minutiae of the human experience and getting every detail of an emotionally charged interaction between characters. In this case I didn't feel like I really got any of the above. Billie and George never grew on me much. Billie is too much of a blatant "not like other girls" trope. That phrase is used literally in the text to describe her. George is your typical uptight heir who starts to think about his family friend Billie differently without much reason for why. The grounds for them being "enemies" is nonexistent and the animosity poofs away almost immediately. I don't think that was the right starting point for the relationship to grow from, because it didn't add any meaningful conflict or angst. Ultimately nothing really happens, and without an interesting emotional journey the book just kind of plods along slowly until a single mildly spicy scene at the end and a happily ever after.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
I gave Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries 5 stars, and I think I liked this sequel even more. I don't know if it's due to a change in the way Emily the character sees people or if it's due to having met some of these people before, but the characters felt more detailed. I felt much more attached and fond of Wendell in this book and I really enjoyed the understated comfort of Emily's romance with him vs feeling like it was a weaker aspect of the previous book. This story also seemed more adventurous and fast paced, which I enjoyed despite not having any issue with the slower pace of the previous story. I am curious to see where the series goes from here. I recommend the audiobooks for this series, they suit the tone so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Murder, and Alcohol
Through the Woods by E.M. Carroll
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A very spooky little collection of stories, greatly enhanced by the artwork!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Murder
The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley
emotional
funny
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
4.5
This was so much fun! I love the Wynchester family and I'm very excited to read more from this series! I think I would have had a great time with these characters and this story regardless, but it was an extra bonus that the audiobook was narrated by the fantastic Moira Quirk, who can make me feel immersed in just about anything. I do have some vague criticisms in the back of my head somewhere, but right now I'm still on the high of the happy ending and I'm just gonna stay in that feeling for now. If you like historical romances and you like stories with loving and supportive (but quirky) families, you will probably have fun with this book too.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Sexism, Grief, and Abandonment
The Narrow Road Between Desires by Patrick Rothfuss
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
My friend read this and recommended it to me. They were right, it's quite good, and so is the author's note and all the artwork included. I'd recommend to fans of cozy fantasy and fae folklore. It's a slow paced day-in-the-life story with some lovely imagery, and it's satisfying to see how many elements of the day tie together in the end.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Okay, I'm very glad I gave Abby Jimenez another chance. I DNF'd The Friend Zone, and I stand by that choice, but this was so much better. I could see almost from the beginning how this story was going to end, and that didn't matter a bit. I normally don't even like insta-love type romances like this, but it worked here. Daniel is my kind of love interest, he was so emotionally mature and considerate. I thought the humor was actually pretty solid and I laughed out loud a few times. I was frustrated with Alexis, but I understood her. I found a lot more of this story relatable than I expected. The audiobook was really good, I especially liked the male narrator.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcohol
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is sort of like the Veronica Speedwell mysteries mixed with Monty Python? It's mysterious, adventurous, and feels very British. There are constantly humorous things happening in the background of scenes, but the characters are all quite nonchalant about them. It's almost like an alternate universe where there are some elements of sci-fi (technology that seems like magic) and society cares very much about literature and classic writing more than almost anything else. I do enjoy British comedy, so that element worked very well for me. I also enjoy mystery series led by a capable heroine, so another box ticked there. I might like Thursday better than Veronica. The narrator for the audiobook was perfect for the part, and I think helped the humor land even better. I think the main things keeping me from rating the book higher are that I would have liked to have felt more depth with the characters and there were some "problematic" passages (which are a product of the time this book was published.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and War
Minor: Ableism, Fatphobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.5
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but I did want something more from it. I feel like the "resolutions" to a couple of the characters plot-lines were unsatisfying, and since that's most of what the book has going for it in terms of story, that feels more significant than it might in a more plot heavy book. What the book does well is show a group of strangers coming together as true friends, which is a type of story that I eat up just about every time. I just had a few lingering doubts and concerns here that I would have rather been addressed better, and there were parts of the writing that felt a little too forced even for my sentimental soft heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Minor: Blood and Alcohol