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lilyrooke's reviews
465 reviews
Wolfsong by TJ Klune
2.0
I enjoyed the second half of Wolfsong much more than the first. What began as a squick-inducing concept turned into a very moving study of grief. Personally, I think Wolfsong would have been a much better book had it begun as Joe returning as an adult, with the childhood storyline punctuated as flashbacks. For me, I could never get over the idea that a traumatised 10-year-old formed a mating bond with a 16-year-old, and it took until Joe returned after the three year gap for me to get on board with their relationship.
The way the relationship between Joe and Ox is portrayed is, in my opinion, a huge problem. Joe is possessive and incredibly jealous, from a child all the way through to the end of the book. I *get* that this is a mating bonds type story, but I dispute that it should be presented as a healthy relationship. Ox is highly vulnerable, and I had a real problem with the fact that Joe, his parents, his whole family, kept secrets from Ox for years.
Occasionally I got the clear sense that the narrative was suggesting that victims of childhood abuse were inherently damaged to the point that they would be unable to avoid hurting their loved ones. I re-read those passages carefully, to be sure I was not getting the wrong impression, and yeah. If you're going to write about the legacy of abuse, please consider the implications of what you're writing.
I loved the casual LGBTQ+ representation, and I added an extra star for the way Ox's grief is handled in the second half of the novel. Ultimately, I've read plenty of paranormal romance novels that present mating bonds in a genuinely healthy way, so I know it can be done. Equally, I've read novels that put a spin on the mating bond trope and show just how unhealthy it can be. Wolfsong just left me feeling kind of weird and unpleasant.
The way the relationship between Joe and Ox is portrayed is, in my opinion, a huge problem. Joe is possessive and incredibly jealous, from a child all the way through to the end of the book. I *get* that this is a mating bonds type story, but I dispute that it should be presented as a healthy relationship. Ox is highly vulnerable, and I had a real problem with the fact that Joe, his parents, his whole family, kept secrets from Ox for years.
Occasionally I got the clear sense that the narrative was suggesting that victims of childhood abuse were inherently damaged to the point that they would be unable to avoid hurting their loved ones. I re-read those passages carefully, to be sure I was not getting the wrong impression, and yeah. If you're going to write about the legacy of abuse, please consider the implications of what you're writing.
I loved the casual LGBTQ+ representation, and I added an extra star for the way Ox's grief is handled in the second half of the novel. Ultimately, I've read plenty of paranormal romance novels that present mating bonds in a genuinely healthy way, so I know it can be done. Equally, I've read novels that put a spin on the mating bond trope and show just how unhealthy it can be. Wolfsong just left me feeling kind of weird and unpleasant.
Blood by Ruth Miranda
4.0
I really enjoyed Blood. It was intriguing and surprising in equal measure, as elements of a thriller merged with something like a supernatural detective case. Especially towards the end of the novella, I really enjoyed how the theme of 'blood' deepened from one understanding to another (no spoilers!) I was also sweetly surprised by Marcus, and his involvement in the story. If you're looking for an original take on Fey, witches and vampires, I would highly recommend the Blood trilogy!
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
5.0
Well, this was a pleasure to read. Rhys was an absolute delight from start to finish. I'm so glad he featured so heavily in this book as I thought his scenes with Feyre were the standout moments of ACOTAR. Was laughing to myself at how early on Tamlin just gets dumped out of the narrative, and how much I couldn't care less about it. One of the issues I had with the first book was pacing, which was very much improved in this book. Among the contrasts between Rhys and Tamlin, one of my favourites was the emphasis on slow build compared to 'Slamlin', which had me fearing for a traumatised and clearly not in the mood Feyre at the beginning. Lots of very moving moments between Rhys and Feyre, focused on freedom and sacrifice, which really spoke to me. Also, I really loved all the Night Court family, especially coming to see the loyalty, protectiveness and kindness beneath their different tougher-seeming exteriors. I have a real soft spot for Az and I hope he gets everything he deserves. There's one main reason to read these books, which we all know, and I'm living for it. Blessed with Rhys supremacy.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
5.0
"I loved him on purpose."
Ughhh my heart. A bingeable comfort read, addictive and fills you with that sense of triumph like you could do anything in the world if you're brave enough <3
Ughhh my heart. A bingeable comfort read, addictive and fills you with that sense of triumph like you could do anything in the world if you're brave enough <3
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
4.0
"I will wait for you among the shades."
My heart might actually be broken. The last 20% or so of this book destroyed me. Honestly I was hoping for something a bit less tame, but it was beautifully written and full of wonderful lines. "Somewhere his soul waits, but it is nowhere I can reach." / "I would know him in death, at the end of the world." I really loved Patroclus, seeing him grow from being so downtrodden to how he ends the novel. I can understand why people might dislike Achilles but I thought his narrative remained true to his character throughout the story.
The only downside was that I felt like the romance between Achilles and Patroclus was pushed aside a little too much from the time the war began. How many years pass while they're in the camp - a decade? But a lot of the emotional weight rests on what they had as teenagers, which I feel like was a bit of a missed opportunity. I do think you're meant to see them as good for each other and an OTP, but I think there needed to be more from Achilles' side during those war years for that to have the desired impact.
My heart might actually be broken. The last 20% or so of this book destroyed me. Honestly I was hoping for something a bit less tame, but it was beautifully written and full of wonderful lines. "Somewhere his soul waits, but it is nowhere I can reach." / "I would know him in death, at the end of the world." I really loved Patroclus, seeing him grow from being so downtrodden to how he ends the novel. I can understand why people might dislike Achilles but I thought his narrative remained true to his character throughout the story.
The only downside was that I felt like the romance between Achilles and Patroclus was pushed aside a little too much from the time the war began. How many years pass while they're in the camp - a decade? But a lot of the emotional weight rests on what they had as teenagers, which I feel like was a bit of a missed opportunity. I do think you're meant to see them as good for each other and an OTP, but I think there needed to be more from Achilles' side during those war years for that to have the desired impact.
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
3.0
(3.5) Wonderful characters and important themes, let down by poor pacing and a muddled plot.
The strengths of Cemetery Boys are its three central characters. Yadriel is a trans boy who isn't fully accepted in his traditional community, nor allowed to take on the roles afforded to boys at their maturity. Maritza is his vegan cousin who refuses to use her healing powers because they require the use of animal blood. Julian is the boy whose spirit Yadriel accidentally calls while attempting to find answers to the mysterious death of his cousin. Yadriel, Julian and Maritza have a great dynamic, and they held the story together. The themes of fighting to be accepted for who you are were also very moving and powerful, and I could vividly understand how hurtful gendered language can be, as well as how a throwaway comment from an unthinking relative can cause a great deal of pain. These elements of the story were handled very well.
My main issue with Cemetery Boys was the pacing. I was surprised at how little happened with regards to what seemed like the main plotline - solving the mystery of Miguel's (and Julian's) death - until about the 70-80% mark of the story. The author seemed to want to focus more on Yadriel and Julian's developing relationship - which I would have been all for! But I think for that to be effective, there needed to be a decision that the novel would revolve around a completely different plot - probably without any of the supernatural elements. I think if this had been a contemporary romance, it would have worked far better structurally, and would have been more focused and tightly-plotted.
Still, 'Mi querido' had me sobbing. I was very pleased the author included so much Spanish, totally unapologetically. I think that should be done more often. Lovely characters with important themes, but for me it unfortunately didn't live up to its full potential.
The strengths of Cemetery Boys are its three central characters. Yadriel is a trans boy who isn't fully accepted in his traditional community, nor allowed to take on the roles afforded to boys at their maturity. Maritza is his vegan cousin who refuses to use her healing powers because they require the use of animal blood. Julian is the boy whose spirit Yadriel accidentally calls while attempting to find answers to the mysterious death of his cousin. Yadriel, Julian and Maritza have a great dynamic, and they held the story together. The themes of fighting to be accepted for who you are were also very moving and powerful, and I could vividly understand how hurtful gendered language can be, as well as how a throwaway comment from an unthinking relative can cause a great deal of pain. These elements of the story were handled very well.
My main issue with Cemetery Boys was the pacing. I was surprised at how little happened with regards to what seemed like the main plotline - solving the mystery of Miguel's (and Julian's) death - until about the 70-80% mark of the story. The author seemed to want to focus more on Yadriel and Julian's developing relationship - which I would have been all for! But I think for that to be effective, there needed to be a decision that the novel would revolve around a completely different plot - probably without any of the supernatural elements. I think if this had been a contemporary romance, it would have worked far better structurally, and would have been more focused and tightly-plotted.
Still, 'Mi querido' had me sobbing. I was very pleased the author included so much Spanish, totally unapologetically. I think that should be done more often. Lovely characters with important themes, but for me it unfortunately didn't live up to its full potential.
Needlework by Bekah Berge
5.0
"There’s a difference between living and existing."
Needlework is an exciting YA fantasy about a group of young musicians vying to win a music contest. But it is so much more than that, too. After a horrific betrayal, Hakim - the black sheep of his noble family, and my favourite character - lives in constant pain, and that pain is only worsened by the unanswered questions he has about what happened to him. Melly, also, is dealing with the pain of surviving a traumatic attack, and the development between these two characters after what they have both been through was lovely to read.
My favourite parts of Needlework had to do with Hakim's experience of chronic pain, and how that affected him over the course of the story. It is very rare to come across a character who experiences this, especially in YA, and I thought the author did an excellent job translating Hakim's experience onto the page. In addition to this, I really enjoyed the themes of striking out on one's own, trying to get out from under the shadow of one's family, but also how this often isn't an easy feat, and comes with a lot of complex emotions and difficulties to work through.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Needlework is an exciting YA fantasy about a group of young musicians vying to win a music contest. But it is so much more than that, too. After a horrific betrayal, Hakim - the black sheep of his noble family, and my favourite character - lives in constant pain, and that pain is only worsened by the unanswered questions he has about what happened to him. Melly, also, is dealing with the pain of surviving a traumatic attack, and the development between these two characters after what they have both been through was lovely to read.
My favourite parts of Needlework had to do with Hakim's experience of chronic pain, and how that affected him over the course of the story. It is very rare to come across a character who experiences this, especially in YA, and I thought the author did an excellent job translating Hakim's experience onto the page. In addition to this, I really enjoyed the themes of striking out on one's own, trying to get out from under the shadow of one's family, but also how this often isn't an easy feat, and comes with a lot of complex emotions and difficulties to work through.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Wyndshaper by Kate Argus
4.0
The Wydnshaper is a highly accomplished and admirable adult high fantasy novel. The confidence with which it is written, and the surety of style and narrative, really stood out to me on every page. This is a novel that builds on the best of the genre that has come before it, while feeling refreshingly novel and timeless at the same time. The two main characters were lovely to read, and I especially loved Fletch. It is a must-read for any fan of high or epic fantasy. For me, the pace was slower than I tend to prefer, but this is very much a personal preference and not a criticism of the novel itself (I'm sure this element of the story is an aspect many will love!) I'd highly recommend diving into this immersive world.
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
4.0
“You can have a rest,” Amara says. “It’s alright to have a rest.”
Quite honestly heartbreaking. Maybe some might criticise this book because very little happens, it is full of moments of normalcy and daily interactions. I entirely disagree, because to me the whole point was to give a voice to the voiceless, to say to the reader: 'You are going to know what this feels like. Do not look away.' I feel very protective of the fact that the author dedicated the vast majority of this book to simply following the experience of a group of prostitutes in Pompeii, and never once shied away from the brutality or horrific nature of their lives. On the other side, she also managed to avoid unnecessarily explicit scenes, while including some beautiful female friendships, which, in the hands of other writers, I could easily see being butchered. The ending left me oddly disappointed because I was certain events were going to go a different way, but I know the characters will stay with me. As is hopefully obvious from the blurb, some readers may want to approach this book with a certain level of caution. There was nothing graphic, yet I found myself immensely triggered because of the authenticity of the voices.
Quite honestly heartbreaking. Maybe some might criticise this book because very little happens, it is full of moments of normalcy and daily interactions. I entirely disagree, because to me the whole point was to give a voice to the voiceless, to say to the reader: 'You are going to know what this feels like. Do not look away.' I feel very protective of the fact that the author dedicated the vast majority of this book to simply following the experience of a group of prostitutes in Pompeii, and never once shied away from the brutality or horrific nature of their lives. On the other side, she also managed to avoid unnecessarily explicit scenes, while including some beautiful female friendships, which, in the hands of other writers, I could easily see being butchered. The ending left me oddly disappointed because I was certain events were going to go a different way, but I know the characters will stay with me. As is hopefully obvious from the blurb, some readers may want to approach this book with a certain level of caution. There was nothing graphic, yet I found myself immensely triggered because of the authenticity of the voices.