notsamwilson's reviews
61 reviews

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Oops I did it again. I looked up something about the book and spoiled the ending for myself. Accidentally I swear. However, I still finished the book and I was still surprised by some of the events. I still had certain emotions when the parts I spoiled came up. I was happy to see how each of the characters grew. Even if the first chapter was a drag. It was satisfying to see where everybody ended up after all the sacrifices they made. And my heart somehow hurts for Baghra and Aleksander after knowing their story. I’m happy I stuck it out with this series even if I enjoyed Six of Crows more.

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

I went into this thinking it was going to be purely fantasy based on the cover. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book upon discovering it was a murder/mystery. I was however thrown for a bit of a loop when it slightly diverged from being a murder/mystery. I was slightly disappointed there was a romance thrown in, but by the end I realized it was a good choice. It made the characters more human. I was happy to see Signa become comfortable with who she was and not try to force herself into a role society wanted. And that ending…I’m looking forward to the next book.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

The second installment of this series was slow. Mostly planning and very little action. But I do think seeing the way Mal and Alina’s relationship grew and changed was important. I think everything that happened will make a big impact on how things go in the final book.

Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I enjoyed the second installment of this duology so much more than the first. Following Maia through her transformation was something I won’t forget. She struggled with her desires, fears, and strength. Deeply dedicated to her country and family, she sacrificed a great deal and received a great reward. I look forward to reading Elizabeth’s other books.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was the perfect cure to being burnt out. A cross between Disney’s Tangled and Monty Python. I loved the banter between the characters and how truly like a well oiled machine all the characters fit together. There were only a couple small grammatical hiccups and one instance where a name for a minor character was suddenly changed. All in all, this was a great entrance into the industry for this author. P.S…I need the next book yesterday.

A Curse of Tooth and Claw by Nicolette Elzie

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

2.75

I found this book on tiktok and decided to give it a try because indie authors need more support. I was excited to try out something new. However, it seemed like there were two different stories that didn’t fit well together. It was also hard to like one particular character because of how she treated everybody. It was hard to relate to any of the characters. But I was kept guessing about who the main girl was until the end of the story. There were some grammatical things that could be fixed. All in all though, not horrible for a first book.

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

3.75

While yes this was very much like The Princess Bride, I didn’t love it as much as I loved that movie. There wasn’t a character I disliked in any way. However, the pace of the book was, in true Brandon Sanderson fashion, slow until the last quarter of the book. While I did like having one of the characters narrate, I did not like the way it was done. At times it was a struggle to get through this book, until the last twenty pages. Again, however, I did enjoy the bits of humor sprinkled in, the references to other  books in the Cosmere, and the growth the main character went through. I was even surprised by one revelation in the last pages.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted tense fast-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

5.0

I had been in a bit of a slump after finishing my last book. I started six different books before giving this one a chance. It was the only one that kept my attention and that I was excited to read. I loved the banter between the characters. I loved seeing a character that came to accept what they had grown up believing may not be entirely true. I loved seeing the growth the characters went through. Yes it’s a Sanderson book so it is a bit long in page count, but it wasn’t a struggle to get through. I look forward to reading his other stand alones.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.75

While this book may have started off slow, it ramped up in the last half. This is not my typical genre of book, but I greatly enjoyed it. I loved trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. I even loved the bits of horror in this book. The description of a couple of the characters made my stomach turn a little. Kind of like when I see clips of athletes being seriously injured. The author put this mystery together masterfully, to such a degree that when I get tired of fantasy I know where to go for a refresher.

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

challenging emotional sad tense fast-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? N/A

5.0

I had trouble answering the question for this review. This book made my brain melt and my heart shatter into a million little pieces. I came to understand what motivated Keris and the Nightbringer. After finishing the series, I genuinely do not have a least favorite character. I cried so much at the end I had a headache the next day. This is going to be a favorite series for a long time to come.