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bookedbymadeline's reviews
861 reviews
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
This is so boring š„± thereās literally nothing happening and although I love Nikolai and this is his duology, heās barely in it apparently?! Iām neutral about the OG trilogy and loved SoC but to go in with a plotless book that undoes sooo much of the original world and story feels like a tactless money grab
One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
This was exactly what I needed to beat my tiny reading slump! It was an easy, quick read and held my attention. I think it did a great job of wrapping up the trilogy!
It could be confusing in the beginning because there are so many characters to keep track of but eventually it got easier. The pacing felt slower at times compared to the first two books. It felt less like a thriller and more of a character driven story with some mystery, as it takes almost 100 pages to get into the action. I predicted 2 of the plot twists long before they were revealed but the biggest twists were well executed and shocking!
Overall it was a good read that did exactly what I needed it to do!
It could be confusing in the beginning because there are so many characters to keep track of but eventually it got easier. The pacing felt slower at times compared to the first two books. It felt less like a thriller and more of a character driven story with some mystery, as it takes almost 100 pages to get into the action. I predicted 2 of the plot twists long before they were revealed but the biggest twists were well executed and shocking!
Overall it was a good read that did exactly what I needed it to do!
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
This reads like a pretentious, telling over showing, morality play š« I couldnāt read more than a few pages at a time without getting bored and a fig tree in love with its owner (a male human)ā¦nah Iām peacing out.
The characters are uninteresting and the synopsis of following a forbidden love story in 1974 Cyprus sounds way better than what weāve actually been given.
After reading reviews by native Cypriots, this is apparently a horribly biased account of what happened, absolving British and Turkish soldiers and playing the ācanāt we all just get alongā āthey were following ordersā cards
The characters are uninteresting and the synopsis of following a forbidden love story in 1974 Cyprus sounds way better than what weāve actually been given.
After reading reviews by native Cypriots, this is apparently a horribly biased account of what happened, absolving British and Turkish soldiers and playing the ācanāt we all just get alongā āthey were following ordersā cards
The Ice-Cream Makers by Ernest van der Kwast
Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
So overly descriptive and the way women are described?! Iām begging men to stop writing women. This is my reminder to stop reading books written by straight men
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love the banter and tension!! The chemistry between Wyn and Harriet was š„µ
I related to both Wyn and Harriet a lot of times! I loved all the characters, getting to know them and watch them grow through the novel. I laughed, smiled, and cried but I think this is the first of Henryās (so far) thatāll be rated under 5 stars š
Around the 230 page mark I was so sick of the lack of communication!! This is essentially down to miscommunication being a main plot pointm, which I didnāt mind at first but eventually got so annoyed about it š
Youāre in your 30s and had been together for nearly a decade!!!! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK FOR 5 MINUTES AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS?! I understood to an extent given their characters backgrounds but still if youāre dating and ENGAGED to someone for that long, you should be able to communicate and share your feelings and if you canāt then maybe you shouldnāt be together š«
By the end, I kind of understood the miscommunication, given the background and character traits of both Harriet and Wyn. Also I think it frustrated me so much because I recognized myself and my past issues in their issues. I also liked the author reader guide to explain the choices because then it made more sense but I was still annoyed and think it went on longer than it shouldāve.
I didnāt cry at the end like I normally do, I still marked a lot of passages and loved the characters but I didnāt have the same emotions quite like the other books Iāve read so far š It was fun and easy to read with top tier banter as always but because of the miscommunication (that lasted waaay too long) itās going to rank last for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
How the Man in Green Saved Pahang, and Possibly the World by Joshua Kam
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
I hate to DNF this since itās Joshuaās books but A little too much telling over showing, repetitive writing, and alliteration for my taste š itās so chaotic and all over the place that I have no clue whatās going on and itās not flowing
The Ones Who Stayed by Shannon St Hilaire
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Immediately intrigued by the prologue! This is a historical fiction novella about an American nun living in El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980s. I didnāt know about this piece of history and felt like I learned a lot despite the short length of the story!
Immediately intrigued by the prologue! This is a historical fiction novella about an American nun living in El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980s. I didnāt know about this piece of history and felt like I learned a lot despite the short length of the story!
The writing is beautiful and descriptive. We really get to know sister Agnes and see the effects of war and loss through the characters. I think the pacing was well done and I will be adding the suggested books mentioned at the end to my tbr so I can learn more about the civil war! Overall it was a fascinating look at strength, resilience, faith, and moral reflections set in the backdrop of a devastating time period for El Salvador.
I look forward to reading more from her in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Violence, Police brutality, and War
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Car accident
Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 by Ibram X. Kendi
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This was an informative, thought provoking look at US history and the stories that are often not told. I took my time reading this to fully understand and take in the information. The book has a variety of writing styles that make it such a unique collection from straightforward informational essays to novel-like recreations to poetry!
Four Hundred Souls should be a book that everyone reads and refers back to in order to understand history, systemic racism, and the problems/politics still present today. I look forward to using this as a stepping point and researching many of the topics that I had never learned about in school, as well as reading more from the contributors!
Four Hundred Souls should be a book that everyone reads and refers back to in order to understand history, systemic racism, and the problems/politics still present today. I look forward to using this as a stepping point and researching many of the topics that I had never learned about in school, as well as reading more from the contributors!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Colonisation
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, and War
Minor: Religious bigotry and Classism
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
I loved reading about the store and Keikoās inner thoughts! I really related to a lot of the things she brings up about what is ānormalā and changing her tone/expressions based on the people around her. Itās very similar to how I feel as a late diagnosed autistic woman so I marked a few pages that struck me!
I hated Shiraha, he was so irritating with his sexist incel commentary š” I wanted less of him and more of Keiko interacting with customers and going about her daily routine! This was a quick, easy read that offers some great commentary on society expectations and forced conformity.
There could be moments that were repetitive or too telling over showing plus I wanted more from Keiko so for that reason itās only a 4 star read for me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Sexism
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal death, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
The Heir of Venus by Laura Shepperson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
I love myth retellings and was very excited to have one about the Aeneid! Itās one I donāt see retold often and loved the idea of retelling through the eyes of the women around Aeneas but sadly the execution fell flat. The writing was very choppy and felt a bit all over the place. The characters also felt flat and one dimensional. Overall I just found myself having a hard time feeling engaged or motivated to read this and often was bored or confused. Itās one of those stories with a lot of telling over showing as well but Iād still give the author another try in the future.