Leanne �'s Updates en-US Tue, 29 Apr 2025 23:03:15 -0700 60 Leanne �'s Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9369054734 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 23:03:15 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � finished reading 'The Brothers Karamazov']]> /review/show/7000979819 The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky Leanne � finished reading The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
]]> Rating852487000 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:16:20 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � liked a readstatus]]> /
Leanne � liked Ashleigh’s status update
Ashleigh Bix Ashleigh Bix is currently reading Artificial Wisdom
]]> Rating852486672 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:15:05 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � liked a userstatus]]> /
Leanne � liked Beckylanaway22's status update
Beckylanaway22
Beckylanaway22 is on page 72 of 430 of Blood Over Bright Haven
]]> ReadStatus9367761156 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:14:20 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � wants to read 'The Buffalo Hunter Hunter']]> /review/show/7529482560 The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones Leanne � wants to read The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
]]> Review5510447151 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:18:19 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � added 'The Blade Itself']]> /review/show/5510447151 The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie Leanne � gave 5 stars to The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1) by Joe Abercrombie
bookshelves: fantasy
This book had teeth � and it sank them in deep.

Abercrombie doesn’t just write characters � he inhabits them. Each voice is razor-sharp, distinct & drenched in personality. Internal monologue becomes a weapon, a defence, a sneer, a confession. It’s gritty & clever & addictive as hell.

Safe to say I’ve added two new names to my “fave characters ever� list � and they’re both from this book.

Glokta. Gods I am Obsessed. What a character. Twisted, cynical, broken � and yet� Utterly compelling. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever read. His chapters made me rethink how fantasy often glorifies war & heroism. Abercrombie doesn’t let you look away from the damage. He lingers in it. Glokta is pain personified, but never just for shock value � he’s layered, sardonic, human. I couldn’t get enough. The way his internal monologue clashes with his external restraint� Genius!! I was hooked.

And Logen Ninefingers� Bloody-Nine� Let’s just say � there’s more to him than blood & blades. And I’m intrigued. Oh so very intrigued.

The world is grimy & brutal, soaked in tension & dry wit. There’s violence, yes � but also insight, irony & a kind of weary wisdom. It’s the kind of book that makes you laugh & wince in the same breath.

I loved every page. And more than that.. I believed every character. No one is clean. No one is purely good or evil. It’s all grey, bloody, messy � and all the more brilliant for it.

This felt like the beginning of something big � like all the pieces are being moved into place, ready for things to explode. The politics, the shifting alliances, the character tension� it’s all simmering beneath the surface & I need to see where it goes next.

I can already feel Abercrombie becoming a favourite. He is definitely a perfect ‘me� author.

â­� A brutal, character-driven masterclass in voice & perspective. Abercrombie writes like a man wielding a blade: precise, relentless & entirely unafraid. I literally can not stop thinking about it.


4.75 Rounded up ]]> ReadStatus9366233171 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:24:00 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � wants to read 'The River Has Roots']]> /review/show/7528422132 The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar Leanne � wants to read The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
]]> Review7036413304 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 06:08:57 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � added 'Before They Are Hanged']]> /review/show/7036413304 Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie Leanne � gave 5 stars to Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2) by Joe Abercrombie
If The Blade Itself was the spark, then Before They Are Hanged was the wildfire.

Abercrombie has done it again � only more. More grit. More tension. More of that ruthless, razor-wire character work that cuts deep and refuses to let go. I didn’t just read this book. I lived it. Obsessively. Repeatedly. I’d finish a chapter, sit for a bit, then immediately go back and read it again. Some scenes, I read multiple times. It’s that good.

This is character-driven storytelling at its absolute peak. Every single arc is loaded with purpose, pain, wit, and evolution. I couldn’t tear myself away � not from the action, not from the politics, and especially not from the people.

Glokta continues to be the most fascinating character I’ve ever read. He’s vile. He’s brilliant. He’s broken. But never predictable. His chapters � Perfection. That dry, sardonic voice, the sharp intellect buried under agony and bitterness� I am feral for him. I’d read an entire series of just Glokta narrating his slow descent into moral compromise.

But honestly � Every character owns me in one way or another. Jezal � ohhh the way Abercrombie flips his arc on its head. Ferro � cold, furious, untamed, but layered and oh so heartbreaking! So underrated!
West. Ardee. Dogman. Threetrees � Even the side characters breathe. Every one of them feels real, complicated, alive.

And Logen. Bloody. Nine. I’m not okay. There is such weight in his silences, such heartbreak beneath the violence. The way Abercrombie balances brutality with aching humanity � Flawless.

Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie � say he writes some damn good characters!l 🔥🔥🔥

The world expands in this one. The journey. The battles. The betrayals. The creeping, gut-punching tension. It’s all bigger, darker, sharper � like the storm is building and you can feel the thunder just behind the words.

Abercrombie doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t hand you easy answers. He just drags you through the mud and the madness and dares you to look away.

I didn’t.
I couldn’t.

This series is consuming me. And I don’t want to be saved.

� Gritty, gripping, grimdark perfection. Abercrombie writes with blood on his hands and poetry in his bones. I’m obsessed � utterly and unapologetically. ]]> Review4842006142 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 06:00:44 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � added 'A Crown of Swords']]> /review/show/4842006142 A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan Leanne � gave 4 stars to A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, #7) by Robert Jordan
Another great instalment in the series! I know this is meant to be the start of the slog for some, but honestly? I didn’t feel it. Not in this book, anyway. The last three books were an absolute whirlwind of momentum and intensity, and while this one does ease off the gas a little, it never lost my interest. I was fully engaged the entire time.

Mat continues to absolutely shine for me—his wit, reluctance, and sense of honour just make him such a compelling character. His storyline in this one was packed with tension and had some jaw-dropping moments. And then there’s Lan—that return was everything I needed and more!

Cadsuane’s introduction was another highlight—such a commanding presence. She’s already so intriguing, and I’m both fascinated and slightly intimidated by her. Can’t wait to see more of what she brings to the table.

Yes, the pacing isn’t as fast as some of the earlier books (which still weren’t exactly rapid), but I really enjoyed the quieter depth here. It felt like a book carefully setting the board for the chaos to come—and that ending definitely delivered on that front!

Robert Jordan really knows how to build tension, layer in political scheming, and still throw in incredibly satisfying character moments. I’m loving how this series is unfolding, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.


3.75 ]]> Review4895080888 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 06:00:28 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � added 'Battle Royale']]> /review/show/4895080888 Battle Royale by Koushun Takami Leanne � gave 4 stars to Battle Royale (Paperback) by Koushun Takami
Brutal, Gripping & Thought-Provoking 🎯

Some books don’t just shock you � they leave a lingering ache beneath the violence.

Reading Battle Royale felt like being thrown into chaos and being forced to care anyway.
The concept is iconic: classmates forced to kill each other under a brutal government program�
“The rules are simple. All you have to do is kill each other.�
The sheer number of characters thrown at you is dizzying at first, but it almost doesn’t matter � you’re not meant to know them all. After all, most of them aren’t going to make it .. Basically: don’t get too attached to anyone.
And yet, somehow, between all the chaos and carnage, certain characters still shine through with heartbreaking clarity.

The plot is electric. Every chapter tightens the noose, and the pacing rarely lets up. You can feel the fear, the desperation, the flickers of hope under impossible circumstances. Themes of survival, morality, and trust are woven through every death � asking again and again: Who would you become if survival was your only rule?

The setting, while simple, serves its purpose: a lonely island that feels smaller and deadlier with every passing hour. It’s not overly detailed, but it traps the characters � and you � exactly where it needs to.

Also, I cannot not mention the lighthouse scene.
Man, that broke me a little. 💔

Overall .. Battle Royale is gripping, intense, and so much smarter than just “kids killing each other.�
It’s about what happens when trust dies and fear rules. It’s horrifying, yes, but also devastatingly human.
]]> Review7522680174 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:51:44 -0700 <![CDATA[Leanne � added 'Man'S Search For Meaning 1St (First) Edition Text Only']]> /review/show/7522680174 Man'S Search For Meaning 1St (First) Edition Text Only by Viktor E. Frankl Leanne � gave 5 stars to Man'S Search For Meaning 1St (First) Edition Text Only by Viktor E. Frankl
I wasn’t quite prepared for how much this one would affect me.

Man’s Search for Meaning isn’t just a memoir � it’s a powerful, deeply moving reflection on suffering, hope, resilience, and the human need for meaning. Viktor Frankl’s voice is calm, clear, and filled with humanity, even as he recounts unimaginable horrors.
It’s quietly devastating, but also deeply affirming. A book that leaves its mark.

This was my first time reading it, but I know it’s a book I’ll carry with me. The core message � that even when everything is stripped away, we still have the freedom to choose our attitude � is something I think I’ll keep coming back to.
It’s rich, challenging, and deeply inspiring.

Frankl’s way of finding hope amidst suffering, and his gentle but profound philosophy, really touched me.
It’s not an easy read emotionally, but it’s an essential one. A real gut punch � and a real beacon of hope too.

This has easily earned its place among the books I feel everyone should experience at least once.
If you’re drawn to thoughtful, life-affirming reads that sit with you long after you close the final page, this one’s worth picking up.



]]>