Scan barcode
bargainbinkazbrekker's reviews
833 reviews
The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
2.75
*2.75/5
honestly, I really wish that Schwab had spent less time with the original cast of characters and more with the new ones. I think the OG's could've shown up every now and then but spending entire sections of the book with them where sometimes they're not really doing anything of substance? I was growing to dread those sections/chapters. I really liked the unnamed thief and I wanted to know more about Tes and spend more time with her but this whole books was so overly saturated with Kell, Lila, Alucard, and Rhy-- characters mind you I enjoyed in the original trilogy but if I wanted to read about them again, I could just reread that trilogy! The shades of magic world has such opportunity for rich and beautiful expansion and new characters, yet I feel as though I received none of it. I don't know, I'm rather disappointed by this one. I really wanted more fresh and new things in this world.
honestly, I really wish that Schwab had spent less time with the original cast of characters and more with the new ones. I think the OG's could've shown up every now and then but spending entire sections of the book with them where sometimes they're not really doing anything of substance? I was growing to dread those sections/chapters. I really liked the unnamed thief and I wanted to know more about Tes and spend more time with her but this whole books was so overly saturated with Kell, Lila, Alucard, and Rhy-- characters mind you I enjoyed in the original trilogy but if I wanted to read about them again, I could just reread that trilogy! The shades of magic world has such opportunity for rich and beautiful expansion and new characters, yet I feel as though I received none of it. I don't know, I'm rather disappointed by this one. I really wanted more fresh and new things in this world.
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
0.25
WHY THE FUCK DID SHE APOLOGIZE TO HIM?????? HE BURNED HER HOUSE DOWN
Don't Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
3.0
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
I thoroughly enjoyed the horror elements of this book, the body horror reminded me of hell followed with us by A.J. White; the descriptions were gruesomely and wonderfully descriptive and well written, as well as the general horror elements that weren’t body horror. I think the horror was the strongest part of this novel.
But alas, the horror was (to my surprise) not the main focus. The bulk of the story was focused on Andrew and Thomas’s relationship and Andrew's identity. Had this been marketed as more of a romance and self exploration novel with elements of horror, I wouldn't have been so caught off guard. I was getting tired of the constant descriptions of Thomas, it felt like every other sentence was Thomas this and Thomas that, to a point that I genuinely didn’t have an idea who Andrew was outside of Thomas. I get that's sort of the point but I think it would’ve been nice to have a starting point where we compare and contrast Andrew at the beginning vs the end with his obsession with Thomas but the very first chapter he’s already completely obsessed. (A break would’ve been nice as well, I was actually getting irked with how much of Andrew's narration was just Thomas).
I also felt as though the story progressed too slowly. I got more than 50% of the way through and only two major things had happened, one at the very beginning and one right after half way, and everything in between was so slow and repetitive. Every night and every morning followed a similar pattern until it would be broken up by a major event before it would start to fall back into that pattern again. There were also some elements and plot points that were mentioned and then just completely dropped? Thomas’s parents and the following investigation? Hardly mentioned outside of the first few chapters. The enforcement of not sneaking out at night by the school staff? Never actually (conveniently) happens.
In summary, I think marketing this as primarily a horror novel was a bit of a disservice to the book. I think it would be better and more true to the actual story for it to be marketed as a romance with horror elements. I loved the horror elements, they were the best parts for me, but I got a bit sick of the romance and main dynamic because of how overwritten I felt the relationship and descriptions was. The writing, for me, was beautiful for the non romance elements. I may reread it once it's released and see how I feel knowing and not expecting it to be a horror book first and romance second. I would recommend this to body horror lovers, darker queer romance appreciators, and people who enjoy flowery prose.
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
4.25
A dark, rage filled, beauty of a novel that’s balanced with moments of hope and young queer love. Even though I felt the pacing was a bit slow and there were some missed opportunities for characterization that would lead to a bigger emotional impact, I still really liked the story as a whole. Those smaller issues didn’t detract from the story for me.
The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon
3.5
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an Ebook arc in exchange for an honest review!
The atmosphere, magic system, and world building were the best parts of this book for me! I loved the interactions Hellevir had with Death and the world that he inhabited. I loved the exploration of religion and religious structures (one of my favorite topics to be explored in fiction, it's absolutely fascinating to me). The world felt very alive to me, I genuinely enjoyed being it. I also really appreciated the casual queer rep we got. It wasn’t a big deal that there was a gay (man-loving-man) relationship, and our main character develops feelings for another girl. That being said, I didn't care much about the main romance, I just didn’t feel like it was realistic the way it progressed but that may just be me. Romances hardly ever work for me in fiction.
I don’t have much else to say, the ending felt a bit abrupt, like I got to the second to last chapters and was like there's no way it's ending in one chapter, there's still so much happening, but I know that this has a sequel, so hopefully things get resolved in it.
A solid fantasy read with queer rep and an interesting world and magic system!