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emilynied's reviews
269 reviews
The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really loved reading about Nico and Will again, especially in their own book! I love them as individuals, as halfbloods and as boyfriends. The plot did get pretty repetitive, in my opinion (like spurts of action split up by both of them taking naps - LIKE SO MANY NAPS). Otherwise, I don't have many comments, this was a good book!
True Crime Story by Joseph Knox
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
This book kept me on my toes! I went into it not knowing much, but I was interested by the premise because from reading the blurb, the author, Joseph Knox, was featured as a character in the story. Interesting, right? I picked it up, expecting a fictional mystery about a missing college student, but was instead greeted with a note from the publisher about disagreements with the author (Joseph Knox) and new knowledge come to light about his familiarity with the case. HUH? THEN, I flip the page and there's a note from the author himself, again reiterating the split between himself and the publisher. THEN, I flip the page and there's a photo of a girl, with a note underneath detailing her name, age, quick story and the last moment she was seen alive.
Now, as you can imagine, I was shook, because why did it feel so real?! I actually had to recheck online that it was a purely fictional story and not even inspired by a singular case from the real world. Nope, purely fictional. So, all of this to say, Knox sucks you into this world using a variety of storytelling techniques and I was hooked from the first page.
The book is crafted using a variety of letters, emails and news clippings, and the entirety of it is written interview style (think "Daisy Jones and the Six" with the name of the character and a snippet of their "interview" with the writer themself). It's a really cool storytelling technique and made it feel like more of a true crime investigation than a story.
The writer who was working on investigating the story of the missing college student is revealed to have died in the first few pages, and Knox, who had been conversing with her as the project came into fruition, finished up the book for her (again, all fictional) and got it published. So again, HOOKED.
The characters in this book are gritty and very unlikable, and as another reviewer put it, "at first, it seems like a sordid nasty soap opera that Zoe (the victim) left behind, but eventually every minor detail becomes important." There's so many intertwined plot lines and big reveals and uncovered secrets. As the story winded down, I was wondering if we would even get a definite ending. I did, however, guess the killer (which, tbh, I'm pretty proud of myself for). This was, however, a very thrilling read.
Now, as you can imagine, I was shook, because why did it feel so real?! I actually had to recheck online that it was a purely fictional story and not even inspired by a singular case from the real world. Nope, purely fictional. So, all of this to say, Knox sucks you into this world using a variety of storytelling techniques and I was hooked from the first page.
The book is crafted using a variety of letters, emails and news clippings, and the entirety of it is written interview style (think "Daisy Jones and the Six" with the name of the character and a snippet of their "interview" with the writer themself). It's a really cool storytelling technique and made it feel like more of a true crime investigation than a story.
The writer who was working on investigating the story of the missing college student is revealed to have died in the first few pages, and Knox, who had been conversing with her as the project came into fruition, finished up the book for her (again, all fictional) and got it published. So again, HOOKED.
The characters in this book are gritty and very unlikable, and as another reviewer put it, "at first, it seems like a sordid nasty soap opera that Zoe (the victim) left behind, but eventually every minor detail becomes important." There's so many intertwined plot lines and big reveals and uncovered secrets. As the story winded down, I was wondering if we would even get a definite ending. I did, however, guess the killer (which, tbh, I'm pretty proud of myself for). This was, however, a very thrilling read.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
In The Jasmine Throne, Suri crafts a beautiful world and characters using beautiful storytelling techniques and writing. Her writing style is truly, truly beautiful to read. The lush worldbuilding jumps off the pages of the book and the characters are so easy to imagine and discover.
In a world inspired by the history and "epics" of India, captive princes Malini, who refused to sacrificially burn on the pyre for her traitorous brother, is brought to the recently captured and colonized Ahiranyi province in the outskirts of the Parijatdvipan Empire. She spends her days in isolation locked up in a quite comfortable Hirana temple, which acts as her metaphorical cage. The Hirana was also once the source of the mystical "deathless waters," which acts as a pretty abstract matter until it develops into so, so much more later on.
Priya is a maidservant, serving the regent's wife, Bhumika. In the beginning of the book, she makes the journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini's chambers. When an accident causes her to reveal her "true nature" to Malini, the two become intertwined. The plot unravels from here, and is so unpredictable and surprising. Each page reveals a new aspect of this fantasy world and I really loved not knowing much going into it.
Much of this book revolves around the politics of this fantasy empire, which changes our two main characters as they become more entangled with their own fates and the future of the empire. In a world of rigorous gender roles and strict cultural norms (most of which were retracted in Ahiranyi after its colonization), they must navigate conformity while struggling with their conflicting hearts. They are also supported by a wide cast of side characters that build up the world even more - we get three other regular POVs - with Ashok, Rao and Bhumika. I saw another reviewer complement the vast differences in the three main female POVs - kind, secretive Priya, temperamental Malini and level-headed and protector Bhumika). It showcased the assortment of female roles very well. Due to the robust world building and the pretty large number of POVs, it did take a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked.
I adored the romance between Malini and Priya and I would call it a slow burn...HOWEVER. I think I would have preferred a lot more of those *small moments* that eventually build up to a budding romance. I understood their strong connection, for sure, but there wasn't enough queues to pick up on a romance, rather than just a very strong female friendship (besides the fact that in Priya's POV, she lusts for Malini right away). I'm a sucker for a slow burn with tension, and I did feel like that was lacking just a little.
In a world inspired by the history and "epics" of India, captive princes Malini, who refused to sacrificially burn on the pyre for her traitorous brother, is brought to the recently captured and colonized Ahiranyi province in the outskirts of the Parijatdvipan Empire. She spends her days in isolation locked up in a quite comfortable Hirana temple, which acts as her metaphorical cage. The Hirana was also once the source of the mystical "deathless waters," which acts as a pretty abstract matter until it develops into so, so much more later on.
Priya is a maidservant, serving the regent's wife, Bhumika. In the beginning of the book, she makes the journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini's chambers. When an accident causes her to reveal her "true nature" to Malini, the two become intertwined. The plot unravels from here, and is so unpredictable and surprising. Each page reveals a new aspect of this fantasy world and I really loved not knowing much going into it.
Much of this book revolves around the politics of this fantasy empire, which changes our two main characters as they become more entangled with their own fates and the future of the empire. In a world of rigorous gender roles and strict cultural norms (most of which were retracted in Ahiranyi after its colonization), they must navigate conformity while struggling with their conflicting hearts. They are also supported by a wide cast of side characters that build up the world even more - we get three other regular POVs - with Ashok, Rao and Bhumika. I saw another reviewer complement the vast differences in the three main female POVs - kind, secretive Priya, temperamental Malini and level-headed and protector Bhumika). It showcased the assortment of female roles very well. Due to the robust world building and the pretty large number of POVs, it did take a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked.
Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
3.75
This book is necessary - even more so now I think than it was in 2020. I knew little of "incels" prior to starting this read, and think my only previous knowledge in the pop culture sphere was Harry Styles in "Don't Worry Darling" (which is kinda sad on my part tbh). It's clear that activist Laura Bates spent a lot of time researching for this nonfiction book and much of what she discusses is from her own experiences. She's been the target of many misogynistic attacks online due to her women's rights work and the fact that she chose to go undercover into incel internet corners to document the horrific things they write about and discuss on a daily basis... I can't even imagine the emotional toll that might have on a person.
The book explores not only incels but "pick-up artists," MGTOW, Men's Rights Activists and how they are interconnected with other extremist movements like white supremacists and Neo-Nazis. It's also discussed how the internet, which is becoming more and more consumed by younger audiences is amassing young boys to extremist world views and YouTube "stars" that encourage misogynistic ways of thinking. Bates actually treats this topic with care, and writes of young boys being slowly socialized cautiously and thoroughly.
This was a tough one to get through - I think at times it felt like too much of an onslaught of misogynistic comments, scary anecdotes and real world instances of women being killed or raped or sexually assaulted. I think if those parts were broken up a little more with some more solutions or commentary, it would have been more of a digestible read. Bates does take some time int he last part of the book to leave the reader on a hopeful note, but I think more sections of the book could have been dedicated to that cause - I finished feeling pretty terrified for the future, to be honest.
I also think it did a fairly good job of being intersectional and speaking of the specific problems that Black women and Asian women face (though I would read other reviews by Black and Asian readers to hear their perspective) - I would have liked to see more about Native American women (but that truthfully could have a whole other book with how much there is to explore) but I understand the goal here of speaking more to the men generally.
The book explores not only incels but "pick-up artists," MGTOW, Men's Rights Activists and how they are interconnected with other extremist movements like white supremacists and Neo-Nazis. It's also discussed how the internet, which is becoming more and more consumed by younger audiences is amassing young boys to extremist world views and YouTube "stars" that encourage misogynistic ways of thinking. Bates actually treats this topic with care, and writes of young boys being slowly socialized cautiously and thoroughly.
This was a tough one to get through - I think at times it felt like too much of an onslaught of misogynistic comments, scary anecdotes and real world instances of women being killed or raped or sexually assaulted. I think if those parts were broken up a little more with some more solutions or commentary, it would have been more of a digestible read. Bates does take some time int he last part of the book to leave the reader on a hopeful note, but I think more sections of the book could have been dedicated to that cause - I finished feeling pretty terrified for the future, to be honest.
I also think it did a fairly good job of being intersectional and speaking of the specific problems that Black women and Asian women face (though I would read other reviews by Black and Asian readers to hear their perspective) - I would have liked to see more about Native American women (but that truthfully could have a whole other book with how much there is to explore) but I understand the goal here of speaking more to the men generally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.25
"All The Light We Cannot See" is a beautifully written and crafted book about the devastation of World War II and its effects on the every day citizens caught in the crossfire. It follows a couple of storylines, some of which were a little hard to adjust to (as an audiobook listener) but became easier as the story continued and I became more adapted to the plot and its characters. Doerr has beautiful prose and he crafts the scenes so well - the book is paced well, with quick transitions and really great writing.
Marie-Laure is a young girl at the start of the book, living in Paris with her father, a locksmith at the Museum of Natural History. When the Nazis occupy Paris, they go to the city of Saint-Malo in northwest France to live with her uncle and maid, Madame Manec. Werner, an orphan who grew up in a German mining town with his younger sister, learns of his adeptness with radios early on in his childhood. He becomes an expert on building and finding radio signals, a niche which his Nazi education and eventual work exploit for their cause. Their stories interweave and collide throughout the book, concluding in the end of the war and their stories.
The book begins with Marie-Laure learning about an infamous and priceless diamond called the Sea of Flames, kept behind thirteen locks in the Museum. The story of this diamond and its potential whereabouts weaves throughout the story, which is a mystery to follow in the reader's interest to learn its significance.
The lack of Jewish POVs and representation was also a big source of thought for me as well. I've never read a WW2 book in the perspective of a Nazi (though that label is up for debate), so it was very thought provoking for me. It reminded me of a debate I once had in a history class about the Holocaust and the role of regular German citizens - do they bear the same responsibility for the millions of lives lost as Nazi soldiers? as concentration camp commanders? as Hitler himself? It's certainly an interesting conversation to have, especially with the current actions of the U.S. government and the genocide and war currently occurring in our world. Werner's role in the war and his conflicted thoughts were - at some points - just really sad to read about and I think the socialization of children and especially children during that time period, should be explored.
Marie-Laure is a young girl at the start of the book, living in Paris with her father, a locksmith at the Museum of Natural History. When the Nazis occupy Paris, they go to the city of Saint-Malo in northwest France to live with her uncle and maid, Madame Manec. Werner, an orphan who grew up in a German mining town with his younger sister, learns of his adeptness with radios early on in his childhood. He becomes an expert on building and finding radio signals, a niche which his Nazi education and eventual work exploit for their cause. Their stories interweave and collide throughout the book, concluding in the end of the war and their stories.
The book begins with Marie-Laure learning about an infamous and priceless diamond called the Sea of Flames, kept behind thirteen locks in the Museum. The story of this diamond and its potential whereabouts weaves throughout the story, which is a mystery to follow in the reader's interest to learn its significance.
The lack of Jewish POVs and representation was also a big source of thought for me as well. I've never read a WW2 book in the perspective of a Nazi (though that label is up for debate), so it was very thought provoking for me. It reminded me of a debate I once had in a history class about the Holocaust and the role of regular German citizens - do they bear the same responsibility for the millions of lives lost as Nazi soldiers? as concentration camp commanders? as Hitler himself? It's certainly an interesting conversation to have, especially with the current actions of the U.S. government and the genocide and war currently occurring in our world. Werner's role in the war and his conflicted thoughts were - at some points - just really sad to read about and I think the socialization of children and especially children during that time period, should be explored.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Ultimately, this book was just not for me. From the start, the mood felt uncanny, even in the academic environment at Effy's college - and it only builds as she travels to the South and to the spooky, (what I imagine as gothic), ancient house in the lower hundred. My gripe with this story is that I just felt confused with the fantasy elements, particularly about the presence of the Fairy King. With Effy's pills that she so adamantly takes in moments of great anxiety and nerves, we learn that she has visions, that may or may not be real? The myths of the Fairy King weren't explored enough, in my opinion, to supplement the ultimate reveal that he was, in fact, a real person. One who trailed our main characters and even inhabited one for the entire book. This main the main climax of the story underwhelming and the unraveling mystery not that exciting to me.
The overarching plot surrounding institutional sexism in academic really was the highlight of this book, and I'm so happy it was explored in this fantasy tale. Effy's character arc was exemplified in the end of this story and I was happy to see her development portrayed so well. I think the rest of the content though, made that fall a little flat. Preston was sort of just *there* as a side character, and honestly the story could have existed without him/their romantic relationship in my opinion. He had a backstory that was minimally explored to explain some of his actions (which was honestly self-explanatory) but there wasn't much to him besides acting as a contradiction to Effy's previously held views about her favorite author and literature and as someone from Argent, a neighboring country? (that is actually at war with Lyrr but that is also CRIMINALLY unexplored). Hey, at least they were kinda cute together.
The overarching plot surrounding institutional sexism in academic really was the highlight of this book, and I'm so happy it was explored in this fantasy tale. Effy's character arc was exemplified in the end of this story and I was happy to see her development portrayed so well. I think the rest of the content though, made that fall a little flat. Preston was sort of just *there* as a side character, and honestly the story could have existed without him/their romantic relationship in my opinion. He had a backstory that was minimally explored to explain some of his actions (which was honestly self-explanatory) but there wasn't much to him besides acting as a contradiction to Effy's previously held views about her favorite author and literature and as someone from Argent, a neighboring country? (that is actually at war with Lyrr but that is also CRIMINALLY unexplored). Hey, at least they were kinda cute together.
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
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? No
3.25
The first half of this book was tbh very, very confusing to me - I understood the basic premise of someone pretending to be Aslan but found the transition to the second half not so great, especially with the arrival of all of our favorite characters! It was a little confusing but I loved seeing Peter, Edmund, Lucy and Eustice back.
I was shocked to find out that they're all dead in real life?! And from a train crash?? Our heros from the past couple books are dead? I would have maybe liked to see them pass from old age after living a long and fulfilling life... Also the absence of Susan was also interesting to me but ultimately fell SO flat - it was brushed off with a sentence about her being boy crazy and obsessed with nylon stalkings... I've noticed how Lewis has seemed to disregard his female characters through the series and that was a big blow. The ending, with all the characters reuniting in Aslan's Country (heaven) was so sweet and made me super emotional to think back on all the stories. I'm super excited for Greta Gerwig's remake of this series, and hope she does well with reinventing this world and characters!
I was shocked to
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book dove right in within the first fifty pages and at times was quite challenging to get through. It's descriptive, disturbing and challenging as a reader. I initially picked up this book thinking it would be about a character post-abduction, re-entering the world and the psychological effects of a year spent kidnapped. The book, however, spent most of its first half describing the details of Annie's year kept in the mountains, probing into her innermost thoughts, emotions and fears. The book is interesting in that it tells Annie's story through meetings with her therapist, but we as the reader don't ever meet this person, as the story is told in purely first person. She talks to the reader as if we are the therapist, which makes for some interesting storytelling and cliffhangers between "sessions," broken up into chapters. I think I would have liked to see some sort of therapist "character," but the pacing felt super fast to me and kept me so intrigued - I read this in like a day.
The second half was what really surprised me. Rather than seeing Annie work through her trauma and experiences, the plot really focuses on the mystery surrounding the abduction and the web of potential connections and crimes that the reader (or just me?) never even suspected. I really liked the mystery here, but would have liked to see more of Annie's character arc as that felt pretty unresolved to me - the entire ending felt a little stilted and sudden after the last big bombshell dropped.
The second half was what really surprised me. Rather than seeing Annie work through her trauma and experiences, the plot really focuses on the mystery surrounding the abduction and the web of potential connections and crimes that the reader (or just me?) never even suspected. I really liked the mystery here, but would have liked to see more of Annie's character arc as that felt pretty unresolved to me - the entire ending felt a little stilted and sudden after the last big bombshell dropped.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Pregnancy
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I think I prefer Casey McQuinston's adult books over the YA, just because I think they delve a little deeper plotwise and character-wise. I was excited for the mystery here but felt like the stakes just weren't that high considering no other character besides Chloe really cared about Shara's supposed disappearance, not even her parents. It felt like there were easier ways to go about finding her than a trail of cryptic letters signed with XOXO. The side characters here were the highlight for me, especially Smith and Rory (love them). The plot lagged a bit, especially in the middle of the book and the transition from the first half to the back half felt a little weird but all of the happy endings were super sweet.
McQuinston also begins the book with a preface for some readers who may come from a Southern Baptist or Evangelical Christian background - and the tough experiences queer youth have to face each and every day growing up in that culture. It was thoughtful and considerate and I'm glad it was included.
McQuinston also begins the book with a preface for some readers who may come from a Southern Baptist or Evangelical Christian background - and the tough experiences queer youth have to face each and every day growing up in that culture. It was thoughtful and considerate and I'm glad it was included.
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
Looking back on this story, I don't remember much of the plot for the first half of the book. Mainly because... there wasn't much plot for the first half of the book? (and this was over 500 pages) It mostly just coasted on vibes and character stuff until the mystery really got going and our main character, Kadou, gained some initiative and purpose. I enjoyed the second half and the building friendship between Kadou and Evemer - we got some good backstory, genuine interactions and an amazing slow burn romance. I also really loved the anxiety representation and the side characters felt very lively and real to me.