I feel like I read a different collection of stories when reading some of the reviews here.
This book was fine... but that's it. The writing at times fI feel like I read a different collection of stories when reading some of the reviews here.
This book was fine... but that's it. The writing at times felt deliberately confusing, but in other sections it was beautifully evocative.
The tenuous thread that links the first collection of stories together, Heat, took a bit to get. I had also expected all three collections- Heat, Water and Light- to be all within the same universe. It didn't feel completely absurd that the sandplants that appear in Water are somehow related to Pearl from Heat.
Some of the stories stood out. Sound, from the last collection, is probably the strongest out of all of them.
I'm not surprised this collection has won awards. Van Neerven's writing is beautiful. But there's a disconnect at times, and I had to re-read some passages to try and grasp the potential meaning (such as Pearl in the bathtub and her brother-in-law... doing something...? with her??). ...more
Changing Lady Macbeth's age to seventeen was the first major problem. It turned a potentially interesting exploraSo much potential that all fell flat.
Changing Lady Macbeth's age to seventeen was the first major problem. It turned a potentially interesting exploration of a woman's power in the early eleventh century to an historical YA piece of fiction.
I didn't mind the fantasy moments. It felt out of place in parts (oh, okay, now there's a dragon in Scotland and the pelt of a unicorn), but overall it didn't bother me. The witches stuck in the dungeon doing laundry felt... bizarre... but given they shared a consciousness, maybe it was some kind of learned helplessness.
The main issue I had was pacing. It seemed like Roscille had just arrived and the very next day, her husband was starting (and had won) a war to get her a necklace. The ending also became a stock standard YA romance novel with a forbidden love. Blech. I might pick up Lady MacBethad instead; that seems like it's more what I'd hoped for....more
I want to read this, but there are no paragraph breaks or line spacing for the dialogue. It's entirely, 'how are you?' she said. 'I'm well.' 'Did you I want to read this, but there are no paragraph breaks or line spacing for the dialogue. It's entirely, 'how are you?' she said. 'I'm well.' 'Did you go to the shops?' 'Not yet, but I'll be going tomorrow.' 'Can you get some eggs?' 'Yes,' I said. 'Thank you.'
I don't know if this is just this edition or how the book is intended to be presented. Either way, I can't do it. ...more
On the one hand, I loved the depiction of sirens and the world building regarding the different fae sectors that live in Keirdre. The description of SOn the one hand, I loved the depiction of sirens and the world building regarding the different fae sectors that live in Keirdre. The description of Saoirse's powers and how her impulses are part of her came across well. She has to kill because it's as natural to her as eating and breathing; she can't not kill because it's part of her being.
As a whole, Saoirse is also a powerful character; yes, she's beautiful and powerful and strong, despite never having someone teach her how to use her abilities, but she's a good female character.
But on the other hand... there was something lacking in the book. Was Rain's status as a human meant to be a surprise or twist? There was no other explanation for why she had to be coddled or hidden from the world; she was housed by two women who expressly take in those who don't fit in elsewhere. She's not a siren, so of course she's a human.
There were a few plot holes that I simply didn't understand. For instance, Hayes' older brother, Finnean, isn't known about? He just died and that's... it? No memory, no collective recollection of the former prince? The same goes for all the former creatures/beings who lived withing the barrier. Saoirse may be the last of her kind, but that implies that up until 18 years ago, there was at least one siren living within the confines... so surely the mass culling wasn't all that long ago. Hayes himself is tied to it, but Finnean mustn't have been as the barrier didn't come down when he died.
The book is definitely quick to read, though. I got through it easily. It's fun, a light jaunt. ...more
An interesting premise but the backstory and worldbuilding was so convoluted that I couldn't get into it. A pity, as my partner really enjoyDNF at 23%
An interesting premise but the backstory and worldbuilding was so convoluted that I couldn't get into it. A pity, as my partner really enjoyed this. ...more
It's been fun reading the reviews of this book; even amongst my friends list, people either appear to love it or hate it. IMore accurate rating: 3.8/5
It's been fun reading the reviews of this book; even amongst my friends list, people either appear to love it or hate it. I can see both sides. The world building is great and I love the description of how the maji came to be. From what I've read, Adeyemi based the maji's clans on Western African mythology. The scene where Zelie is walking through the temple and the paintings come to life is my favourite, and I'd have loved an extended scene where she sees how every clan received their powers.
But this book is long. Looong. And it's very dense. The writing is smaller than I anticipated when I picked it up, and getting through it was a slog. The pacing is also very strange; despite how long each scene was, time passed quickly.
The speed with which Zelie went from loathing and trying to kill to Iman to being in love with him was what dragged the rating down for me. Amari and Tzain's relationship blossomed far more realistically. Truthfully, though, Amari gives more soft queer vibes, and her relationship with Binta felt more like the real romance of the book.
I'll probably read the second book (if only because my partner already has it), but I'm crossing my fingers that it's not as a dense. ...more
First and foremost, I loved how complex the characters were and how the core three women- Felicity, Sim and Johanna- all [insert ponderous music here]
First and foremost, I loved how complex the characters were and how the core three women- Felicity, Sim and Johanna- all had realistic interactions with one another. None of them were garishly unrealistic, they all had their own fathomable struggles and strong points that were believable. I really liked the wider arc Felicity went on, and that although she remained very much the same by the end of the novel had still grown.
What I didn't like was how dragged out the story was. It felt like paragraphs, lines, sentences, were added simply to up the word count. A good hundred pages could have been sliced off and it wouldn't have impacted the book any. So much action occurred in the last fifty pages, when the first third could have been slashed in half to help liven it up a little.
Also... dragons? I genuinely can't remember much of the first book, but were there fantasy elements at play? I absolutely can't recall.
I know Felicity is meant to be aroace, but her interactions with Sim read more burgeoning soft lesbian to me. But I loved that Sim was still very much interested in having a life with Felicity, even if the feelings aren't romantically reciprocated. I also wouldn't be at all shocked if Johanna turned out to be queer and had a relationship with Sim and/or Felicity. ...more
I skipped a good third of this book as it's nothing but smut that doesn't drive the plot forward.
A week or so ago, I saw the fourth book in the serieI skipped a good third of this book as it's nothing but smut that doesn't drive the plot forward.
A week or so ago, I saw the fourth book in the series for sale. I considered buying it, before deciding not to as I wanted to see how this one went. I've been fairly 'meh' on the first two books in this series, but they've kept me entertained enough to keep reading. I'm highly relieved I didn't purchase it as my interest has completely waned.
Meandering, slow and mostly about incidental side quests that don't push the plot forward, this book is just confusing and dull. I really wanted this to be something great, as there's promise there, but ultimately I need to wave my white flag. St Clair's writing just ain't it for me....more
Hoooo boy. What a tough book to review. What a tough book to read.
Parts of this book are so incredibly beautiful. The descriptions of grief, of depresHoooo boy. What a tough book to review. What a tough book to read.
Parts of this book are so incredibly beautiful. The descriptions of grief, of depression being a wraith that clings to one's neck and sucks life and joy and nutrients from an individual. How it speaks to you, insidious and cruel, and refuses to allow you to escape from it.
The descriptions of Crowley, overwhelming his victims and leading them to their doom. The way he began to overpower their minds and force them into obeying his every whim.
And God. How He was presented as something so strange, so alien, and all at once familiar.
These parts I loved.
The rest... Malik. Brett. That entire... section.
Many times I wanted to put the book down. Many times I wanted to leave it as DNF. I truly regret purchasing this book and its splatterpunk aesthetic simply because of that. The rape and torture, purely for rape and torture. The way it's all magically removed from them afterwards, because why have a point to including these graphic scenes?
The beautiful writing in the rest of the book is the sole reason I continued to read it. I would rate these portions 4/5 stars.
The brutal torture is why I'm rating it two stars....more
A collection of short stories by predominantly queer Australian authors. All have a fantasy or sci-fi bent, all deal with queer issues.
Being a collectA collection of short stories by predominantly queer Australian authors. All have a fantasy or sci-fi bent, all deal with queer issues.
Being a collection of short stories, there were some I preferred better than others. I also feel there was a slant towards newer authors, which I support... but it did lead to some questionable writing. I don't want to criticise the weaker stories as a result of the potential burgeoning storytellers; all I'll say is, I think a more thorough editor should have been at play.
I enjoyed the variety of stories and identities displayed here. The number of Malay identities was also a fun addition, and one I haven't seen regularly in Australian-based literature. ...more
I feel like a heathen, rating this book so highly when there is so much I can't stand about it, but I love Nesta and want that to be reflected.
I love I feel like a heathen, rating this book so highly when there is so much I can't stand about it, but I love Nesta and want that to be reflected.
I love Nesta's character journey through this. She's still angry and cold and restrained by the end of the book; she's still entirely Nesta. Proud, conceited, and haughty. But she has started to open her heart up just a little and has found herself friends who are on the same level as her. Those who have come from similarly hurt backgrounds and had to learn to stand up for themselves. This part I really liked.
Emerie, Gwyn and Nesta becoming Valkyries felt a bit contrived... especially when they apparently become part of a book being written about them before they've done anything beyond train a little. I wish the Blood Rite section had taken up more of the book and had solely been from Nesta's perspective. I don't get why Cassian had to keep butting his nose in with the Eris nonsense... I'm also not entirely sure what the Eris shenanigans was about.
Things I didn't like:
The entire pregnancy subplot. This should have been its own novella, ala Frost & Starlight. I hated how this detracted from Nesta's own story. I appreciate how she gave up her powers (though I hope it turns out the Mother gave them back, as Nesta deserves to be on even footing with her sisters), but... c'mon, Maas. Let the depressed, trauma-riddled chickadee her own story, okay?
Maas clearly has trouble envisioning what it would be like to live for 500 years. Cassian, Az and Rhys all talk about doing stuff in their teens, but this would be the equivalent of someone talking about the nonsense they got up to as a two-month old. I really wish someone would have a conversation with the sisters, talk about some hijinks they got up to in their youth, and then reveal they were 332 at the time. Let the age disparity sink in a little.
Another issue- Gwyn is half river nymph. I expected her to swim up the river during the Blood Rite. Reveal more of her fae traits.
I am totally accepting of the fact I'll inevitably read the next one in the series. ...more
Broadly speaking, I don't eat potato chips. I don't dislike them. I think they're fine. If I'm at a social eveThese books are like potato chips to me.
Broadly speaking, I don't eat potato chips. I don't dislike them. I think they're fine. If I'm at a social event and someone has prepared a bowl of potato chips, I'll grab some. I might even go back for seconds. But I don't buy potato chips and I don't particularly crave them, and if someone suggested potato chips and, say, a plate of spaghetti, I'll go for spaghetti.
But like potato chips, these books are moreish. And I can't stop reading them.
Feyre is the quintessential bland main character. It's easy to project onto her because she has no discernible personality. Elain, likewise, also doesn't have much going on, except she's sweet and a little damaged. Mor is our resident Santana from Glee in that she sleeps with men, but in actuality is a lesbian... so the gays can have a little treat (but not too much). The men (or males, as Maas would say) are the same shades of muddled grey.
I love Nesta. She's the only one I care about. She's cranky and angry and she deserves to unleash her power over the world. I know her mate is Cassian, but I hope she and Amren get together.
Also, apparently it was intended as a trilogy? I found this surprising as the ending still has several threads left fluttering. The scene where the sisters father dies felt shorthanded, and Elain is still a void of a character. Nesta loses her power (boo!) and all the courts have been devastated. Tamlin has been utterly shattered.
The novella and companion book will hopefully wrap some of these up....more
Another Twisted Tale done and dusted. I think I might have only one or two left in my to-read pile, and then I'll need to hunt online for the rest.
ThiAnother Twisted Tale done and dusted. I think I might have only one or two left in my to-read pile, and then I'll need to hunt online for the rest.
This story focuses on one of the smaller characters in Pinocchio, but one that holds great importance: the Blue Fairy. This story also weaves effortlessly into the Disney version of the tale, as it explores how the Blue Fairy came to be and her role in the wider village. Unlike the other Twisted Tales, which tend to engage with more mature themes and are therefore better suited to mature middle readers, this story wouldn't be a struggle for younger audiences... except for perhaps the length.
That's my main fault with this novel. It's quite lengthy and it drags. Even the climax feels muted due to how long it took to reach. The last third of the novel wound up feeling muddled, with the conclusion almost being unearned.
While it is a change to have a tame, low-stakes book as part of this collection, it doesn't necessarily make for a good change. Even so, this is still enjoyable and I did prefer it compared to others that I've read in this series. ...more
My girlfriend gave it to me to read as she really struggled with it. At under 250 pages, it took a few weeks to read- whichThis was... fine. I think.
My girlfriend gave it to me to read as she really struggled with it. At under 250 pages, it took a few weeks to read- which is a long time for her. And although I devoured it (haha) in less than a day, I can absolutely see why.
This book is slow. It drags. The only depth we see is with our a narrator, Lydia, and she is depressed and a drifter through life. Most of the book is about how uninspired she is and how little things matter to her.
It's not until the end that it all falls into place. Lydia is starving. Literally. She's been gifted an eating disorder from her mother and all the problems that go along with it. It isn't until she has her first real meal in her life that she finally wakes up and realises what she's missing out on.
Kohda is a good writer. She has a verve about her and she captures the mood behind it all exquisitely. But Lydia is a main character lacks a lot of punch. Perhaps this is because how she, Lydia, sees herself, but it's a slog for a reader. There's so many characters here who could go explored: Lydia's mother, Heather at the art gallery, Gideon the would-be predator, Anju and Maria at the factory. But because of Lydia's starvation and melancholy, it goes unexplored.
I would like to see where Kohda does in the future. I'd love to see these threads finally knotted....more
Oh, this was fantastic. A Christmas gift from my better half, she saw this and immediately thought of me... and I am delighted by all of it.
A collectOh, this was fantastic. A Christmas gift from my better half, she saw this and immediately thought of me... and I am delighted by all of it.
A collection of short stories (all about 30 or 40 pages, but the text is large enough that it wouldn't take more than 15 or 20 minutes to read each) with a predominantly Victorian Gothic theme. There's a good spread of stories, some with ghosts, others with a general creepy, unsettling vibe.
It's hard to pick a favourite, as they're all very, very good. Even the weakest of the stories are still of a high standard.
I think this will become a quick top book of the year for me. ...more
First off, I'm glad so many people seem to love this book. It fills a gap in YA literature about trans yoThis was a tough choice between 2 or 3 stars.
First off, I'm glad so many people seem to love this book. It fills a gap in YA literature about trans youth, particularly young trans men. Add in the Latinx cast of characters and an own voice story and it's clear why this is winning hearts. But I don't want to rate this on intersectionality alone (and I have a small belief that books shouldn't been prized simply because it exists to fill a void).
Frankly, I struggled with the writing. There's a lot of exposition and worldbuilding going on, which normally I love, but it made the story drag. It wasn't until the halfway point that the plot actually started. There's so much dawdling about how to get Julian, our resident ghost, in and out of Yadriel's house. Then there's the two of them exploring school together and more mild shenanigans.
I love urban fantasy, that's not a secret. I love books that have lots of worldbuilding. But when a novel is as short as this one (about 340 pages), half of it shouldn't be set on establishing the world and how people work within it... at least not to the detriment of the storyline. Intertwine the two better....more
I loved this. It has everything I love: Puritan culture, witch trials, the devil, women committing glorious wrThough wouldst like to live deliciously!
I loved this. It has everything I love: Puritan culture, witch trials, the devil, women committing glorious wrongs. I love it.
Abitha, a recent arrival from England, is stifled by the confines of the Puritan town she lives in, but does her best to support her older husband. She loves him, even if she struggles. But when he dies, she sets upon a path to support herself.
The art is gorgeous. The writing is so atmospheric. I will be finding more by this author. ...more
Ahhhh the YA urban fantasy romance takeover of the late 2000s/early 2010s. This is such a defined period of time in my mind. All the books are similarAhhhh the YA urban fantasy romance takeover of the late 2000s/early 2010s. This is such a defined period of time in my mind. All the books are similar, all the plot points are the same, and the inevitable love triangle that occurs...
This one isn't overly different to the others, although this time the leading lady is the supernatural one. A quarter-angel, Clara is beautiful, perfect and just a little better than everyone else. I'm glad that Hand didn't shy away from it (it's such a trope to make the character a bit of a klutz or awkward), but it's still a bit of an eyeroll.
Clara has a purpose: she has to save the most popular boy at school from a devastating forest fire. But oh no, she also falls in love with the dark, brooding loner type. Whoever will she pick!
Hand does try to skirt around the tropes of a love triangle, and she does decently well. Clara begins dating Tucker and aside from a small hiccup where they break up to help her focus on her purpose of saving Christian. She still manages to fulfil her purpose, but holy twist, he's also an angel. What are the odds!
(Well, given it turns out one of her friends at school is also an angel, it seems the odds are higher than expected...)
The book is fine. Standard early-2010s YA PNR fare. I won't be chasing for the rest of the books, but it did make an easy read....more
Light fantasy/magic realism with a deep ground in human relationships.
A few reviewers have remarked this would be a good TV show and I agree. I think Light fantasy/magic realism with a deep ground in human relationships.
A few reviewers have remarked this would be a good TV show and I agree. I think it would help the the detachment and pacing problems I felt within the book. The time travellers have just enough time to drink their coffee before it gets cold, but while reading it felt like they only had five minutes. I kept wondering if this was also magical coffee that goes cold very quickly.
I did read this during the work day, which was nice. Each section is 50-odd pages and a quick read. ...more
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