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savage_book_review's reviews
223 reviews
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
The Villain has been captured by the Valiant Guard and awaits his unmasking. But his assistant has other ideas. She's about to score a big promotion... and her own Wanted poster.
I've been looking forward to reading this since the moment I finished 'Assistant to the Villain' earlier in the year, and I was not disappointed. The writing has the same comedic joy pouring from every page, while at the same time managing to be heartfelt, action-packed, faintly ridiculous and with a frustratingly good slow burn. There are moments where it does feel like the author's attention has wandered slightly, or where the flow of the writing is a bit lost, but generally it's a fun, lighthearted read that leaves you desperate for the concluding instalment!
The relationship between Evie and The Villain is brilliant pitched; their relentless banter and flirting makes you giggle like a schoolgirl, and the UST makes you want to bang their heads together (or take a leaf out of Lyssa's book and lock them in a cupboard for a few hours)... Equally, the character development of each individual is fab too. We haven't had the full 'Sandra Dee to smoking, leather trouser wearing Sandy' transformation yet, but there are flashes of attitude from Evie that really make you think it's on its way. And I cannot wait to see The Villain's jaw hit the floor when it does.
I will say that I was a little disappointed by the secondary characters in this one. The majority carry over from 'Assistant' so it's not like they are unfamiliar, but to me they felt like they were just there to populate the world in this one, rather than with any truly meaningful role in mind. It really is all about the Villain and his apprentice. Likewise, some elements of the plot aren't quite as developed as they could be, as they seem to have been designed almost exclusively to get Evie and The Villain in close proximity, rather than dealing with the overarching plot of the series.
I'd recommend rereading 'Assistant' before you pikc this one up. I only read it a few months ago, but enough of the detail had slipped my mind to leave gaps where some context might be useful.
And now another year's wait commences... *sighs*
I've been looking forward to reading this since the moment I finished 'Assistant to the Villain' earlier in the year, and I was not disappointed. The writing has the same comedic joy pouring from every page, while at the same time managing to be heartfelt, action-packed, faintly ridiculous and with a frustratingly good slow burn. There are moments where it does feel like the author's attention has wandered slightly, or where the flow of the writing is a bit lost, but generally it's a fun, lighthearted read that leaves you desperate for the concluding instalment!
The relationship between Evie and The Villain is brilliant pitched; their relentless banter and flirting makes you giggle like a schoolgirl, and the UST makes you want to bang their heads together (or take a leaf out of Lyssa's book and lock them in a cupboard for a few hours)... Equally, the character development of each individual is fab too. We haven't had the full 'Sandra Dee to smoking, leather trouser wearing Sandy' transformation yet, but there are flashes of attitude from Evie that really make you think it's on its way. And I cannot wait to see The Villain's jaw hit the floor when it does.
I will say that I was a little disappointed by the secondary characters in this one. The majority carry over from 'Assistant' so it's not like they are unfamiliar, but to me they felt like they were just there to populate the world in this one, rather than with any truly meaningful role in mind. It really is all about the Villain and his apprentice. Likewise, some elements of the plot aren't quite as developed as they could be, as they seem to have been designed almost exclusively to get Evie and The Villain in close proximity, rather than dealing with the overarching plot of the series.
I'd recommend rereading 'Assistant' before you pikc this one up. I only read it a few months ago, but enough of the detail had slipped my mind to leave gaps where some context might be useful.
And now another year's wait commences... *sighs*
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
The Fairy Tale Collection: Contemporary MM Retellings by Helen Juliet
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
A scarred and angry war veteran forced into an arranged marriage with the son of his father's business partner... a dashing prince and a working class Essex boy whose relationship could destabilise the monarchy, or restore its reputation... and an enby who dreams of the world finally gets to set foot into it, along with his bodyguard who must protect him from the inept assassins out to get him before he can claim his birthright. These contemporary retellings of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Rapunzel tell the stories of handsome princes who don't need a princess to have a happy ending.
I'm in my Romance era... after a weekend at #RARE24Edinburgh, I'm all about the love, in whatever form it comes. So it felt like a good time to pick up this book, which has been on my Kindle Unlimited subscription for a while now. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed these - I went in with relatively low expectations, and found that both the BatB and Cinderella retellings far exceeded them. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the Rapunzel retelling; it was a very cute and fuzzy story, but it felt less 'real' than the others: while I'm very clear that none of the premises are particularly realistic, this one did stretch the bounds of believability just a little bit. For example, the completely useless assassins which just came across as badly written slapstick, playing to the peanut gallery. There was just no need - having "proper" assassins would probably have made the story more dramatic IMO!
That being said, each of the main characters were beautifully built upon, relying on your knowledge of the traditional fairytale for their base but then branching out and making them into something different. There's certainly familiar tropes involved in setting up the relationship and and power dynamic, but even with all of these familiar elements none of the characters were simply stock parts. Plus their chemistry is hot!
The author also manages to explore and enlighten on several facet of the LGBTQIA+ experience without it feeling forced. The relationship development feels totally natural (if expedited for the sake of pacing) - the characters' sexuality is what it is and there is no reason for the reader to question otherwise. Bringing to the foreground issues of gender identity, bisexuality, age differences, homophobia and social/moral expectations, every difficult moment that arises is dealt with with the utmost respect.
I'd probably say that Cinderella is the strongest of the three stories. It's certainly something that should be reflected upon; it's bound to happen one day that a person in the direct line of succession to a throne somewhere in the world identifies as something other than heterosexual and cisgender, and it will be interesting to see what the reaction is.
Very pleased to have read this, and I may go looking for some more of the author's work...
I'm in my Romance era... after a weekend at #RARE24Edinburgh, I'm all about the love, in whatever form it comes. So it felt like a good time to pick up this book, which has been on my Kindle Unlimited subscription for a while now. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed these - I went in with relatively low expectations, and found that both the BatB and Cinderella retellings far exceeded them. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the Rapunzel retelling; it was a very cute and fuzzy story, but it felt less 'real' than the others: while I'm very clear that none of the premises are particularly realistic, this one did stretch the bounds of believability just a little bit. For example, the completely useless assassins which just came across as badly written slapstick, playing to the peanut gallery. There was just no need - having "proper" assassins would probably have made the story more dramatic IMO!
That being said, each of the main characters were beautifully built upon, relying on your knowledge of the traditional fairytale for their base but then branching out and making them into something different. There's certainly familiar tropes involved in setting up the relationship and and power dynamic, but even with all of these familiar elements none of the characters were simply stock parts. Plus their chemistry is hot!
The author also manages to explore and enlighten on several facet of the LGBTQIA+ experience without it feeling forced. The relationship development feels totally natural (if expedited for the sake of pacing) - the characters' sexuality is what it is and there is no reason for the reader to question otherwise. Bringing to the foreground issues of gender identity, bisexuality, age differences, homophobia and social/moral expectations, every difficult moment that arises is dealt with with the utmost respect.
I'd probably say that Cinderella is the strongest of the three stories. It's certainly something that should be reflected upon; it's bound to happen one day that a person in the direct line of succession to a throne somewhere in the world identifies as something other than heterosexual and cisgender, and it will be interesting to see what the reaction is.
Very pleased to have read this, and I may go looking for some more of the author's work...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Amelia Collins is an accountant, it's tax season, and she's been stuck with a nightmare client who can't seem to grasp even the basics of what she needs. And then she gets the even more wonderful news that yet another cousin is getting married. Which means constant grilling from her mother about why she hasn't got a plus one. A chance meeting leads her to Reggie, a slightly strange but drop dead gorgeous guy, and a madcap idea that they fake a relationship for the festivities. Except Reggie's got people after him for a crime they think he committed... a hundred and fifty years ago...
As with Levine's debut novel, 'My Roommate is a Vampire', this is a light, fluffy, cute romcom that requires very little brainpower or concentration, but absolutely fits into its own little niche and nails the brief 100%. It makes you smile, makes you giggle and makes you swoon just a little!
Inevitably, with the descriptions offered of Reggie's build and mannerisms, I could not help but picture David Tennant playing this role - the character is like a perfect blend of Crowley and Aziraphale from 'Good Omens' and so there's not really any other choice in my head! And while I'm a lawyer rather than an accountant, I could certainly relate to Amelia's personality and work stressors, so... yeah... again, the inevitable happened 😊
The relationship between the two characters, after the initial hurdle of setting up the story, is really believable and develops as a great pace - the clueless innocence of Reggie when it comes to relationships with a human just adds the icing on the cake to an already fab build up. The vampirism element does add a little bit of spice at the appropriate times, which really makes their chemistry leap off of the page, but it's not particularly shocking or scandalous. There are tropes galore, all of which are immensely satisfying to read through to their conclusion; it's very easy to tell where the the story is headed, but that in no way detracts from the journey to get there!
I honestly wasn't expecting there to be any direct crossover with the first book - I figured it'd be in the same world only. So to see the return of Frederick and Cassie as supporting characters in this one was hugely satisfying, especially as the small issue I had with the finale of that book gets resolved nicely in here. Nevertheless, it is very much Amelia and Reggie's story - at no point did I wish that Frederick and Cassie would return to the foreground. Likewise, all of the other supporting characters are well drawn and do their jobs, but none of them steal focus or drag the story down.
The only bit I really struggled with was the sub-plot about the people after Reggie. Specifically, the resolution thereof. I can see that it gives Reggie a good backstory and introduced a small amount of jeopardy into the tale, but it didn't seem entirely necessary, nor did the resolution feel like it was firing on all cylinders. But I guess that's the risk you run when you're talking about tax law! Conversely, the ending once again felt just a little too rushed to me. But I hold out hope that we'll get a nice resolution in the next one!
Very enjoyable.
As with Levine's debut novel, 'My Roommate is a Vampire', this is a light, fluffy, cute romcom that requires very little brainpower or concentration, but absolutely fits into its own little niche and nails the brief 100%. It makes you smile, makes you giggle and makes you swoon just a little!
Inevitably, with the descriptions offered of Reggie's build and mannerisms, I could not help but picture David Tennant playing this role - the character is like a perfect blend of Crowley and Aziraphale from 'Good Omens' and so there's not really any other choice in my head! And while I'm a lawyer rather than an accountant, I could certainly relate to Amelia's personality and work stressors, so... yeah... again, the inevitable happened 😊
The relationship between the two characters, after the initial hurdle of setting up the story, is really believable and develops as a great pace - the clueless innocence of Reggie when it comes to relationships with a human just adds the icing on the cake to an already fab build up. The vampirism element does add a little bit of spice at the appropriate times, which really makes their chemistry leap off of the page, but it's not particularly shocking or scandalous. There are tropes galore, all of which are immensely satisfying to read through to their conclusion; it's very easy to tell where the the story is headed, but that in no way detracts from the journey to get there!
I honestly wasn't expecting there to be any direct crossover with the first book - I figured it'd be in the same world only. So to see the return of Frederick and Cassie as supporting characters in this one was hugely satisfying, especially as the small issue I had with the finale of that book gets resolved nicely in here. Nevertheless, it is very much Amelia and Reggie's story - at no point did I wish that Frederick and Cassie would return to the foreground. Likewise, all of the other supporting characters are well drawn and do their jobs, but none of them steal focus or drag the story down.
The only bit I really struggled with was the sub-plot about the people after Reggie. Specifically, the resolution thereof. I can see that it gives Reggie a good backstory and introduced a small amount of jeopardy into the tale, but it didn't seem entirely necessary, nor did the resolution feel like it was firing on all cylinders. But I guess that's the risk you run when you're talking about tax law! Conversely, the ending once again felt just a little too rushed to me. But I hold out hope that we'll get a nice resolution in the next one!
Very enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.0
Captured in her youth, Tisaanah dances for her master and his cronies for the chance to buy her freedom and join the Orders, to learn how to use her magic and return to free her fellow slaves. Foisted upon Maxantarius Farlione, a reclusive Wielder who wants nothing to do with the Orders, can she learn enough from him to fulfil her desires? And can he protect her from the darker side of magic?
I have to say I LOVED the female narrator on this audiobook. Her voice was light, gentle and sweet, well spoken and clear. She manages to bring to life the fact that Tisaanah doesn't speak the language of the realm she ends up in by putting on a hesitant 'foreign' accent, but it's done with care and really added an extra layer to her story, that I'm not entirely sure would have come through in the physical book. Likewise, her voice for Maxantarius is, IMO, better than the male narrator's! He has a very slight accent in places which, after a long while of uninterrupted Esther Wane, falls a bit short of the character she's built. Likewise, he's a bit breathy and rushed, whereas the character feels like it needs a more steady pace. He puts me in mind of Jodie Whittaker's Doctor in 'Doctor Who' - constantly sounds like they've just sprinted in and haven't had a chance to catch their breath. He's not bad at all, it just didn't vibe with me, which isna shame as the character absolutely did!
As for the story, it has a very cosy, domestic feel once you get the two main characters together. Even the more action-packed sequences are made to feel quite sedate in the audiobook; the focus is very much on Tisaanah and Max, with whatever wider action very much taking a back seat. Watching their relationship grow and change is gorgeous, and I do get the hype about Max being a good book boyfriend.
This book does have the feel of an extended introduction though. While it can stand alone as a good story, you can clearly see the building blocks for future episodes. And while things do happen, aside from the finale they do feel like they will have more of an impact once you've read the whole series. I would have liked to see more of a focus on the immediate, as I think so much more could have been added to really stretch out the slow burn. But conversely, it also lacks context. I could desperately do with more explanation about certain elements of the plot as I'll admit to being a bit lost. For this element, I think perhaps reading the physical book might be better for me.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the series progresses!
I have to say I LOVED the female narrator on this audiobook. Her voice was light, gentle and sweet, well spoken and clear. She manages to bring to life the fact that Tisaanah doesn't speak the language of the realm she ends up in by putting on a hesitant 'foreign' accent, but it's done with care and really added an extra layer to her story, that I'm not entirely sure would have come through in the physical book. Likewise, her voice for Maxantarius is, IMO, better than the male narrator's! He has a very slight accent in places which, after a long while of uninterrupted Esther Wane, falls a bit short of the character she's built. Likewise, he's a bit breathy and rushed, whereas the character feels like it needs a more steady pace. He puts me in mind of Jodie Whittaker's Doctor in 'Doctor Who' - constantly sounds like they've just sprinted in and haven't had a chance to catch their breath. He's not bad at all, it just didn't vibe with me, which isna shame as the character absolutely did!
As for the story, it has a very cosy, domestic feel once you get the two main characters together. Even the more action-packed sequences are made to feel quite sedate in the audiobook; the focus is very much on Tisaanah and Max, with whatever wider action very much taking a back seat. Watching their relationship grow and change is gorgeous, and I do get the hype about Max being a good book boyfriend.
This book does have the feel of an extended introduction though. While it can stand alone as a good story, you can clearly see the building blocks for future episodes. And while things do happen, aside from the finale they do feel like they will have more of an impact once you've read the whole series. I would have liked to see more of a focus on the immediate, as I think so much more could have been added to really stretch out the slow burn. But conversely, it also lacks context. I could desperately do with more explanation about certain elements of the plot as I'll admit to being a bit lost. For this element, I think perhaps reading the physical book might be better for me.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the series progresses!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Rape, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Athena's Child by Hannah Lynn
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Another day, another Greek myth retelling... I just can't help loving this particular trend! Medusa does seem to be particularly popular at present, and as I've already read another retelling of her story this year and both claim to be 'feminist' retellings, I was interested to compare the authors' approaches.
The author of this book hasn't wasted words - it's only 208 pages long - and yet the writing is beautiful detailed, emotive and paints a wonderful picture of the events described. The flow of the writing is brilliant; it flies by, but the story doesn't feel rushed, and the change in perspectives is less jolting than others I've read (although at the same time it does come with no warning, so if you are unfamiliar with the tale you might find yourself momentarily confused). If you're looking for a quick read that is more than just a bit of fluff, this would be a great one to pick up!
One of the best things about retellings is that, although the characters and settings might be familiar, everyone has their own approach. Even better with mythology, ther tends to be multiple versions of the same myth to start with, so there are many different threads a subsequent version can pick up on and run with. In this case, I really enjoyed the human family of Medusa, and the fact you get to see her as a human for more than just the awful moment which draws Athena's wrath. I found that this meant you could identify more with the characters after they undergo their transformation as you had a tangible thread of humanity to cling onto. It also helps portray the distinct unfairness of Athena when she chooses to punish Medusa for being the victim of assault, and the ultimate weakness of humans against the power of the gods.
It is likely that, when Perseus shows up for the first time as an adult, you will be likely to think "here we go again... they've turned the Greek hero into a moaning, frustratingly self-centred little boy". And to an extent you'd be right; he's definitely not portrayed as a proper Greek hero should be. But, after the initial immaturity, he does become far more likeable as a character. Ny the time of the final 'showdown' between Medusa and Perseus, your opinion of him should have changed a fair bit, it's a great bit of writing which just goes to prove that you can be feminist and still have a man there to support you.
If I could ask for something to make this book a 5⭐️ read, it'd be an extension. The pace and length of the book does mean that there is very little depth or room for exploration. The book doesn't need it, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to see more of the author's thought processed and individual flair.
Very good!
The author of this book hasn't wasted words - it's only 208 pages long - and yet the writing is beautiful detailed, emotive and paints a wonderful picture of the events described. The flow of the writing is brilliant; it flies by, but the story doesn't feel rushed, and the change in perspectives is less jolting than others I've read (although at the same time it does come with no warning, so if you are unfamiliar with the tale you might find yourself momentarily confused). If you're looking for a quick read that is more than just a bit of fluff, this would be a great one to pick up!
One of the best things about retellings is that, although the characters and settings might be familiar, everyone has their own approach. Even better with mythology, ther tends to be multiple versions of the same myth to start with, so there are many different threads a subsequent version can pick up on and run with. In this case, I really enjoyed the human family of Medusa, and the fact you get to see her as a human for more than just the awful moment which draws Athena's wrath. I found that this meant you could identify more with the characters after they undergo their transformation as you had a tangible thread of humanity to cling onto. It also helps portray the distinct unfairness of Athena when she chooses to punish Medusa for being the victim of assault, and the ultimate weakness of humans against the power of the gods.
It is likely that, when Perseus shows up for the first time as an adult, you will be likely to think "here we go again... they've turned the Greek hero into a moaning, frustratingly self-centred little boy". And to an extent you'd be right; he's definitely not portrayed as a proper Greek hero should be. But, after the initial immaturity, he does become far more likeable as a character. Ny the time of the final 'showdown' between Medusa and Perseus, your opinion of him should have changed a fair bit, it's a great bit of writing which just goes to prove that you can be feminist and still have a man there to support you.
If I could ask for something to make this book a 5⭐️ read, it'd be an extension. The pace and length of the book does mean that there is very little depth or room for exploration. The book doesn't need it, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to see more of the author's thought processed and individual flair.
Very good!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity and Blood
Ekaterinburg by Helen Rappaport
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
3.5
In the time I've been reviewing my reads and keeping a WTR list, it's become increasingly clear that I'm a cyclical reader. I read one book on a subject or theme, and add another load on the same subject to my WTR list. Get to those books, start reading, add a few more. So right now we're back in my Russian history phase and so my next few library books are all based on the lives of Tsar Nicholas II and the end of the Romanov dynasty.
This particular book is a concise approach to the last fourteen days or so of the Romanov family, while imprisoned in the 'House of Special Purpose'. Day by day, it counts you down to their brutal end, while also taking the time to explore each of the characters in detail and providing wider context of the events going on in Ekaterinburg and Russia more widely, as well as the UK and USA. Everything is linked back to the central premise, which makes this a very well controlled, tight narrative.
The author explains that she has been able to draw on sources that are not widely available, including Russian sources that are centralised around Ekaterinburg and that are almost contemporaneous with the events. This means it feels like you are getting a fresh perspective on events, and a balance between Western perspectives and that of the Bolsheviks who saw this family as the cause of many of the country's problems. I found the information she included about just how botched the plan for the burial was especially interesting - I feel like I knew this was the case, but to read in detail how badly planned it was doesn't feel like something I've read before.
While there are some fairly standard inclusions in terms of descriptions and perceptions, the author does do a good job at limiting these to a 'necessary' level. Yes, the Tsaritsa is perhaps a bit of a hypochondriac, but the descriptions of her weaknesses are couched in predominantly practical terms, actually painting a picture of her being ill in bed rather than just listing her ever growing hoard of symptoms. This makes her feel more 'real' off the page than a lot of other books I've read. Another example is the family's piety - there is a description of their last sermon with a priest (taken from the words of the priest himself as I understand it), which is incredibly moving and a beautiful illustration of the strength they found in their faith.
However, I will admit that, as short as this book is, I did find myself zoning out when the 'action' switched to Lenin, the Boleshevik attempts to keep control of Russia and their differing thoughts on what to do with the ex-Tsar. Don't get me wrong, I find that era of Russian history fascinating too, but I didn't get the same depth of interest from the writer when reading these sections - the book seemed to go from quite moving a quite moving narrative to fairly a fairly dry history tome. Clearly there is only so much that can be said about the Romanov imprisonment, given that access was incredibly restricted and all of the prisoners bar one ended up in the cellar on that fateful night, and so I totally get that some wider context needs to be included or it would be an incredibly sparse book! But I wonder if these parts could have been a little more focused.
Another interesting read about this tragic family.
This particular book is a concise approach to the last fourteen days or so of the Romanov family, while imprisoned in the 'House of Special Purpose'. Day by day, it counts you down to their brutal end, while also taking the time to explore each of the characters in detail and providing wider context of the events going on in Ekaterinburg and Russia more widely, as well as the UK and USA. Everything is linked back to the central premise, which makes this a very well controlled, tight narrative.
The author explains that she has been able to draw on sources that are not widely available, including Russian sources that are centralised around Ekaterinburg and that are almost contemporaneous with the events. This means it feels like you are getting a fresh perspective on events, and a balance between Western perspectives and that of the Bolsheviks who saw this family as the cause of many of the country's problems. I found the information she included about just how botched the plan for the burial was especially interesting - I feel like I knew this was the case, but to read in detail how badly planned it was doesn't feel like something I've read before.
While there are some fairly standard inclusions in terms of descriptions and perceptions, the author does do a good job at limiting these to a 'necessary' level. Yes, the Tsaritsa is perhaps a bit of a hypochondriac, but the descriptions of her weaknesses are couched in predominantly practical terms, actually painting a picture of her being ill in bed rather than just listing her ever growing hoard of symptoms. This makes her feel more 'real' off the page than a lot of other books I've read. Another example is the family's piety - there is a description of their last sermon with a priest (taken from the words of the priest himself as I understand it), which is incredibly moving and a beautiful illustration of the strength they found in their faith.
However, I will admit that, as short as this book is, I did find myself zoning out when the 'action' switched to Lenin, the Boleshevik attempts to keep control of Russia and their differing thoughts on what to do with the ex-Tsar. Don't get me wrong, I find that era of Russian history fascinating too, but I didn't get the same depth of interest from the writer when reading these sections - the book seemed to go from quite moving a quite moving narrative to fairly a fairly dry history tome. Clearly there is only so much that can be said about the Romanov imprisonment, given that access was incredibly restricted and all of the prisoners bar one ended up in the cellar on that fateful night, and so I totally get that some wider context needs to be included or it would be an incredibly sparse book! But I wonder if these parts could have been a little more focused.
Another interesting read about this tragic family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Classism
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Excrement, Vomit, and Pregnancy
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.
I saw the musical 'Wicked' a couple of months ago and, while I did enjoy it, I wanted a little more depth of story so I did have half a mind to read the book. It was therefore a no brainer to add to my Audible library when I spotted it was included with my membership. At this point, I am incredibly glad I didn't pay for it! I will give credit to the people who wrote the musical... how they managed to extract their inspiration from this is something I will never understand!
First and foremost, my goodness is this slow going! It takes 3 hours for the book to do what the musical does in, oh, 10 minutes max and actually get Elpheba and Galinda to their first day at university. And in the 8 hours I listened to, I couldn't really tell you about any major plot points that happened - they were just heading off to the Emerald City when I gave up. It's like the author kept getting distracted and going off on unnecessary tangents; in fact, his writing reminds me of the dull professors he talks about! There was just NOTHING to keep you engaged as a reader/listener.
I also found the tone of the writing very odd. Now, I'll admit that I haven't read the original Wizard of Oz books, so my thoughts here could be a result of the gap in my knowledge. But I couldn't get my head around the semi-frequent swearing, allusions to sex and various instances of more 'adult' material, all of which feels completely at odds with some elements which feel very childish and simplistic. I was expecting more on the YA end of the spectrum, if I'm honest, so while I'm by no means a pearl-clutcher, the grown up stuff just threw me for a loop! It's like the author couldn't pick his audience, so we've got a random mashup of everything.
I also remember being slightly disconcerted by the seemingly racist, sexist and trasphobic undertones, all of which made an appearance within the first hour. There are also questionable depictions of disability (physical and mental), and I got really bored with the repeated assaults of thinly veiled religious theology. It's not a new book, I know, but it was still published within my lifetime and so with each instance it just felt less and less comfortable.
The characters were all pretty bland too. Galinda is your mean girl with her back up b*tches, Boq is the geek in love with the popular kid, Fiero has apparently been given one hell of a glow up in the musical, and Elpheba is actually quite unlikeable. There was just no character I felt a connection with or able to root for.
While the narrator was fairly easy to listen to and had plenty of animation in his voice, I just felt that it would have been better if the story had been narrated by a woman. I felt like I might have been able to connect with the main characters more if I could hear their voice, rather that (in my head at least) the Wizard speaking on their behalf. I'd also say that the sound quality was not the greatest (lots of swallowing, loud breathing etc), and his timing was really odd in places, with large pauses where there was no need, and no pauses where there should have been.
All of this ties up in the moment I decided to DNF. The gang of secondary characters have just held a wake for a minor character and decide that the most appropriate thing to do thereafter is go to a sex club. After drinking and dancing, they get taken into a 'special room', where one of their number is pulled onto the stage with a sentient Tiger and a woman on her honeymoon. The woman is tied up by her hands, our secondary character is wrapped around the Tiger koala style, they're all blindfolded and it's inferred that the evening's entertainment begins with the Tiger performing oral sex on the woman. And then, without a breath, suddenly we're with Elpheba and Galinda on their way to the Emerald City.
Yup, at that point my brain went 'we're DEFINITELY not in Kansas anymore!'
First and foremost, my goodness is this slow going! It takes 3 hours for the book to do what the musical does in, oh, 10 minutes max and actually get Elpheba and Galinda to their first day at university. And in the 8 hours I listened to, I couldn't really tell you about any major plot points that happened - they were just heading off to the Emerald City when I gave up. It's like the author kept getting distracted and going off on unnecessary tangents; in fact, his writing reminds me of the dull professors he talks about! There was just NOTHING to keep you engaged as a reader/listener.
I also found the tone of the writing very odd. Now, I'll admit that I haven't read the original Wizard of Oz books, so my thoughts here could be a result of the gap in my knowledge. But I couldn't get my head around the semi-frequent swearing, allusions to sex and various instances of more 'adult' material, all of which feels completely at odds with some elements which feel very childish and simplistic. I was expecting more on the YA end of the spectrum, if I'm honest, so while I'm by no means a pearl-clutcher, the grown up stuff just threw me for a loop! It's like the author couldn't pick his audience, so we've got a random mashup of everything.
I also remember being slightly disconcerted by the seemingly racist, sexist and trasphobic undertones, all of which made an appearance within the first hour. There are also questionable depictions of disability (physical and mental), and I got really bored with the repeated assaults of thinly veiled religious theology. It's not a new book, I know, but it was still published within my lifetime and so with each instance it just felt less and less comfortable.
The characters were all pretty bland too. Galinda is your mean girl with her back up b*tches, Boq is the geek in love with the popular kid, Fiero has apparently been given one hell of a glow up in the musical, and Elpheba is actually quite unlikeable. There was just no character I felt a connection with or able to root for.
While the narrator was fairly easy to listen to and had plenty of animation in his voice, I just felt that it would have been better if the story had been narrated by a woman. I felt like I might have been able to connect with the main characters more if I could hear their voice, rather that (in my head at least) the Wizard speaking on their behalf. I'd also say that the sound quality was not the greatest (lots of swallowing, loud breathing etc), and his timing was really odd in places, with large pauses where there was no need, and no pauses where there should have been.
All of this ties up in the moment I decided to DNF. The gang of secondary characters have just held a wake for a minor character and decide that the most appropriate thing to do thereafter is go to a sex club. After drinking and dancing, they get taken into a 'special room', where one of their number is pulled onto the stage with a sentient Tiger and a woman on her honeymoon. The woman is tied up by her hands, our secondary character is wrapped around the Tiger koala style, they're all blindfolded and it's inferred that the evening's entertainment begins with the Tiger performing oral sex on the woman. And then, without a breath, suddenly we're with Elpheba and Galinda on their way to the Emerald City.
Yup, at that point my brain went 'we're DEFINITELY not in Kansas anymore!'
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-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
3.0
I absolutely adore the premise of this series, but it feels like we have strayed quite a long way from the story that was seemingly set up in 'Poison Study'. The world just feels too big; like the author had a lot of genuinely brilliant ideas, but tried to include them all in one trilogy rather than sifting through them to streamline the story. As a result, we have more zig-zagging in the narrative and, again, it can be very difficult to keep on top of. An example is the fact that Yelena was meant to be going to the Magician's Keep to learn about her magic and how to control it. But by my count she's actually had maybe half a dozen lessons in her whole time there? In this book alone, she is assigned to two different teachers for lessons, but she only has one interrupted lesson with each of them thanks to other aspects of plot getting in the way! So it does raise the question, what was the point of introducing the 'Magic school' anyway?
Likewise, it become really frustrating when characters seem to change allegiances at the drop of a hat! This could be a brilliant plot device, adding to the tension as you can't be sure whether the character is being genuine or not. But some of the changes come from no-where, and it's done so many times over the course of the series that it rather loses its effect, and just adds to level of concentration you have to muster to keep everything straight in your head.
The characters introduced in 'Poison Study' continue to be interesting and a joy to read about - their relationships are well established and they give off a great 'found family' vibe. I do love Valek in particular, but he's just another example of where the story seems to have gotten away from the author... there needs to be a hell of a lot more of him! What's the point in an established love interest if he only pops up to stage a daring rescue and then disappears again?! The relationship between him and Yelena is lovely, but I just need two or three chapters of them together, alone, being a couple. It would add to the jeopardy and the tension at crucial moments if you had had the chance to watch their feelings bloom in closer quarters, with Ari and Janco in the background being the annoying big brothers.
On the other hand, the supporting cast didn't add a huge amount of value for me. Yelena's real family and the others that she encounters on her travels seem to be missing that depth altogether and come across as fairly generic. And there are a couple of characters that are just left hanging around. I know there are more books set in this world and so I'm hoping that the author chooses to elaborate a bit more, but the most disappointing thing for me is the lack of follow through on the set up of Commander Ambrose. Had potential to be so, so good, but again that storyline just seems to peter out.
The series is definitely worth a read, and I will be picking up the follow ups as and when they reach the top of my WTR list. Although I may try and find the little short stories that fill in the gaps between these books in the meantime.
Likewise, it become really frustrating when characters seem to change allegiances at the drop of a hat! This could be a brilliant plot device, adding to the tension as you can't be sure whether the character is being genuine or not. But some of the changes come from no-where, and it's done so many times over the course of the series that it rather loses its effect, and just adds to level of concentration you have to muster to keep everything straight in your head.
The characters introduced in 'Poison Study' continue to be interesting and a joy to read about - their relationships are well established and they give off a great 'found family' vibe. I do love Valek in particular, but he's just another example of where the story seems to have gotten away from the author... there needs to be a hell of a lot more of him! What's the point in an established love interest if he only pops up to stage a daring rescue and then disappears again?! The relationship between him and Yelena is lovely, but I just need two or three chapters of them together, alone, being a couple. It would add to the jeopardy and the tension at crucial moments if you had had the chance to watch their feelings bloom in closer quarters, with Ari and Janco in the background being the annoying big brothers.
On the other hand, the supporting cast didn't add a huge amount of value for me. Yelena's real family and the others that she encounters on her travels seem to be missing that depth altogether and come across as fairly generic. And there are a couple of characters that are just left hanging around. I know there are more books set in this world and so I'm hoping that the author chooses to elaborate a bit more, but the most disappointing thing for me is the lack of follow through on the set up of Commander Ambrose. Had potential to be so, so good, but again that storyline just seems to peter out.
The series is definitely worth a read, and I will be picking up the follow ups as and when they reach the top of my WTR list. Although I may try and find the little short stories that fill in the gaps between these books in the meantime.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Transphobia, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, and Alcohol
Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Taken south to be reunited with her family, Yelena doesn't quite get the homecoming she expected. With her magical specialty still unclear and accusations of being an Ixian spy swirling around her, she must tread carefully and try to reconcile her southern heritage with the fact that her heart lies in the north.
At the outset, the reader goes in thinking they know what to expect; a family reunion followed by this world's version of Hogwarts. But my goodness there are a lot of directional changes in here! And trying to keep up with the zigs and zags of the storyline is enthralling and engaging, but also quite energy-sapping. It certainly keeps you on your toes, but you MUST be awake. So this isn't necessarily a book I'd recommend for bedtime reading. One character in particular jumps around in the reader's (and Yelena's?) estimations from villain to nice guy to maybe even potential rival love interest right back to villain again, with very little tangible reasoning for each shift. You get why, but it's all just feels a bit 'thin'. And when the story itself feels like a bigger version of this, you either want to read this in very small chunks so you can digest as you go, or read the whole thing in one go knowing that you have some time afterwards to take a breath and sort through everything in your head.
I'd say there's a lot more introspection on Yelena's part in this one. Parts of it are beautifully done, tying in with her learning about her magical abilities and bringing her northern mindset to the southern realm. And yet other aspects are less effective; for all of her thoughts about fitting in with her family, I'm not entirely convinced we needed her parents to be reintroduced. While they are lovely characters and have their parts to play, they don't feel like they make a huge difference - Yelena could just as easily have been a real orphan and the story would have worked just as well with a couple of tweaks.
While I wouldn't say this is any more graphic than the last book, it certainly deals with similar themes and they are a lot more prevalent - indeed, one of the main aspects of the story involves kidnapping, rape and murder. The suspense and mystery is very well handled throughout when seen through Yelena's eyes and the contrast between her methods and those employed by the southerners are a really interesting way to examine the story. Similarly, although it is very easy to understand why an outsider may view the way the north is run as a dangerous dictatorship, the juxtaposition between their insistence that their way of life is fairer and Yelena's treatment of the beggar children she encounters really makes you consider if their version of freedom is all its cracked up to be.
Recognisable tropes continue to make an appearance within, completed by the mind-link with a friendly animal. No dragons here, just a brilliant couple of horses! So simple, yet so effective, heartwarming and just a little bit funny to break the tension when you need it to.
Overall, I perhaps didn't enjoy the reading experience quite as much as the first book, but the story is great and I'm so glad I have the next book in the series ready and waiting!
At the outset, the reader goes in thinking they know what to expect; a family reunion followed by this world's version of Hogwarts. But my goodness there are a lot of directional changes in here! And trying to keep up with the zigs and zags of the storyline is enthralling and engaging, but also quite energy-sapping. It certainly keeps you on your toes, but you MUST be awake. So this isn't necessarily a book I'd recommend for bedtime reading. One character in particular jumps around in the reader's (and Yelena's?) estimations from villain to nice guy to maybe even potential rival love interest right back to villain again, with very little tangible reasoning for each shift. You get why, but it's all just feels a bit 'thin'. And when the story itself feels like a bigger version of this, you either want to read this in very small chunks so you can digest as you go, or read the whole thing in one go knowing that you have some time afterwards to take a breath and sort through everything in your head.
I'd say there's a lot more introspection on Yelena's part in this one. Parts of it are beautifully done, tying in with her learning about her magical abilities and bringing her northern mindset to the southern realm. And yet other aspects are less effective; for all of her thoughts about fitting in with her family, I'm not entirely convinced we needed her parents to be reintroduced. While they are lovely characters and have their parts to play, they don't feel like they make a huge difference - Yelena could just as easily have been a real orphan and the story would have worked just as well with a couple of tweaks.
While I wouldn't say this is any more graphic than the last book, it certainly deals with similar themes and they are a lot more prevalent - indeed, one of the main aspects of the story involves kidnapping, rape and murder. The suspense and mystery is very well handled throughout when seen through Yelena's eyes and the contrast between her methods and those employed by the southerners are a really interesting way to examine the story. Similarly, although it is very easy to understand why an outsider may view the way the north is run as a dangerous dictatorship, the juxtaposition between their insistence that their way of life is fairer and Yelena's treatment of the beggar children she encounters really makes you consider if their version of freedom is all its cracked up to be.
Recognisable tropes continue to make an appearance within, completed by the mind-link with a friendly animal. No dragons here, just a brilliant couple of horses! So simple, yet so effective, heartwarming and just a little bit funny to break the tension when you need it to.
Overall, I perhaps didn't enjoy the reading experience quite as much as the first book, but the story is great and I'm so glad I have the next book in the series ready and waiting!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Destined for the gallows, Yelena is no fool and accepts an offer to keep her life. In return, she must become the food taster for Commander Ambrose, leader of Ixia. Risking her life with every bite, she must also navigate the 'training' given by the chief spy master, Valek, try to survive the wrath of the father of the man she killed and keep her own secrets safe.
This is a great series starter and I'm really looking forward to reading the next one, but equally it's a really enjoyable story in its own right. I'd also say it would serve as quite a good 'on-ramp' for those who are just dipping their toes into the romantasy genre - it's got the magic, the intrigue and a number of the tropes that are very familiar (although no Fae, shadow daddies or wingspans in here - but then these books do predate these fashions), but at the same time it's not overwhelmingly fantastical - you could almost be fooled into thinking you're reading more of a historical fiction novel with a twist.
While it is an easy read, there is a darker undertone to the story and, while not explicitly detailed, there are moments in Yelena's backstory that are deeply disturbing. She is a very well drawn character and, although I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth to her development, she is certainly a character you can get on board with and walk alongside. Similarly, her relationship with Valek is joyfully inevitable given the genre, and while I didn't get much 'feeling' until it was written in black and white, at the same time I didn't really need it - my imagination just filled in the gaps for me!
I was very pleasantly surprised by a layer of representation in here that came completely out of no-where, but it's a wonderful idea and I'm very excited to see how it affects the story moving forward. Not saying what the representation is as I don't want to spoil the surprise, but it gives the book a feeling that it's a little ahead of its time IMO!
I feel like SJM might have read this book... I get definite ACOTAR vibes in a few places. The 'power twins' who teach our main character to fight with weapons and have a banter between them like no others; a grumpy yet skilled female warrior involved in the training; the man with power over the FMC that compels her back to him at regular intervals... there's even a character called Nix!
Hoping to meet the author at RARE24 in a couple of weeks, so really want to get through the next couple in the series before then! But with how smooth this was to read, I'm hoping there won't be a problem with that!
This is a great series starter and I'm really looking forward to reading the next one, but equally it's a really enjoyable story in its own right. I'd also say it would serve as quite a good 'on-ramp' for those who are just dipping their toes into the romantasy genre - it's got the magic, the intrigue and a number of the tropes that are very familiar (although no Fae, shadow daddies or wingspans in here - but then these books do predate these fashions), but at the same time it's not overwhelmingly fantastical - you could almost be fooled into thinking you're reading more of a historical fiction novel with a twist.
While it is an easy read, there is a darker undertone to the story and, while not explicitly detailed, there are moments in Yelena's backstory that are deeply disturbing. She is a very well drawn character and, although I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth to her development, she is certainly a character you can get on board with and walk alongside. Similarly, her relationship with Valek is joyfully inevitable given the genre, and while I didn't get much 'feeling' until it was written in black and white, at the same time I didn't really need it - my imagination just filled in the gaps for me!
I was very pleasantly surprised by a layer of representation in here that came completely out of no-where, but it's a wonderful idea and I'm very excited to see how it affects the story moving forward. Not saying what the representation is as I don't want to spoil the surprise, but it gives the book a feeling that it's a little ahead of its time IMO!
I feel like SJM might have read this book... I get definite ACOTAR vibes in a few places. The 'power twins' who teach our main character to fight with weapons and have a banter between them like no others; a grumpy yet skilled female warrior involved in the training; the man with power over the FMC that compels her back to him at regular intervals... there's even a character called Nix!
Hoping to meet the author at RARE24 in a couple of weeks, so really want to get through the next couple in the series before then! But with how smooth this was to read, I'm hoping there won't be a problem with that!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, and Dysphoria