bookforthought's reviews
711 reviews

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.

Emily Carlisle is a Witch of the Stack, tasked with taking care of the most powerful magical library in existence and assisting heroes and heroines on their quests with the help of Orpheus, her betta fish Companion. Her daily life goes by peacefully between a magic potion and a spell, until a mysterious Rot starts destroying her library - and everything she holds dear. Having reluctantly enlisted powerful heroine Ozioma Monroe to help her fight the Rot, Emily is suddenly forced to stop assisting and start leading her own adventure, or it might be the last thing any of them do.

Spellbound is a deeply charming and engaging novel brimming with magic and presenting a cast of endearing characters. It is impossible not to root for Emily as she fights hard to save her home, and it is easy to connect with her as her past is slowly revealed. Emily's relationships with her fish, Orpheus, and with heroine Ozioma are also great, with the banter providing several light-hearted moments while maintaining the dialogue feeling natural. The deep bond between the witch, the heroine, and their companions was also deeply touching, and it is clear that great care and tenderness went into drafting it.

As most of the action takes place within the magical library, the worldbuilding is pretty clear and easy to follow. At times, though, references were made to other locations that seemed set partly in a fantasy world and partly in the real world, which became slightly confusing and left the status of the world outside the library unclear. The magic system was explained very well and used consistently throughout, and it was a delight to travel with Emily within the Stacks and discover what the next level held in store. The Stacks themselves are described vividly, and it is almost possible to see them while reading!

The novel is well-paced, even though the ending felt slightly rushed and could have probably used a bit more breathing space to bring everything to a close comfortably. There was at times some confusion around the protagonists' ages, as in a couple of sections it is mentioned they are seventeen but the way they talk about their life experiences and how they interact made them come across as much older than that. It is not a big issue in itself but sometimes felt rather jarring.

This is mostly a cosy read with some elements of adventure and danger, and as such would perfectly suit a young adult audience as well as some older adults looking for a light, fun and heartwarming read.

I received a free copy of this book via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

Sortilegi by Bianca Pitzorno

Go to review page

mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

Diva by Daisy Goodwin

Go to review page

emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.5

Like any good Italian, I was diligently taught about opera from a young age and grew up hearing about the greats: Luciano Pavarotti and Maria Callas were ever-present, and recordings of their most famous arias were often heard in my house (fun fact: I still have a few on my phone to listen to on-the-go!). Even though La Divina's voice was so familiar to me, I realised I actually knew close to nothing of Maria Callas the woman, which is why I was so intrigued by this book!

Let me start by saying that the audiobook experience was truly great: the narrator did a phenomenal job delivering an impressive range of emotions, accents and personalities, and the already magnetic story was enriched by the music scattered throughout. Listening to snippets of the arias mentioned in the book added a certain magic to it and definitely made me go back to re-listen to some of them in full later on. I only listened to the audiobook for this one, but would recommend it wholeheartedly as I just can't imagine having the same experience without the audio.

Diva is a fictionalised version of Maria Callas's life and, as such, it is not 100% accurate (it being a novel, as the author's note also clarifies). Still, it gives a good sense of this woman's life and her passion for her art, as well as the difficult relationships she navigated throughout her life. The story starts with Maria trying to cope with the news that the man she loves is marrying someone else as her every reaction is scrutinised by the press and high society, ripe for gossip and keen to tear a famous, powerful woman apart. It then proceeds to unravel everything leading up to this point in a series of flashbacks, different timelines intersecting as memories are conjured up.

The cast includes several names I knew very well, as well as others I didn't know much (or, in some cases, anything!) about. They all came across as very well fleshed out for their role in the story, considering that there is only ever one person at the centre of the stage. Callas is a complex, at times difficult woman, who becomes one with her voice, her talent overshadowing everything else. It was hard, yet deeply touching, to see her struggle to find acceptance and self-worth, delighting in the love audiences bestowed upon her yet constantly dreading the moment her voice might fail her.

The writing flowed naturally for the most part, easily drawing me in and keeping me glued to my headphones, constantly trying to sneak in just a little more time with Callas, even though it came across as a bit simplistic at times. One thing that didn't always work well for me was that the dialogues at times felt slightly unnatural and as if they were being used only to convey key information. I probably noticed this more on audio than I might have if I'd read this, but it jarred.

A significant part of the book is obviously devoted to Callas's relationships with her husband and with Onassis and, while they were obviously a central part of her life for so long, I would have liked to see more of her without them. I felt this even more so as the story ends quite soon after the breakup with Onassis, where I would have liked to see more of what she did without him. There was also a tad too much emphasis (which sometimes bordered on repetition) on Callas's physique and her eating habits, which were of course an important part of her public figure but got pretty tiring pretty quickly, as it seemed to be reading a gossip column more than a novel.

Overall, this was a pleasant and entertaining book, certainly enhanced by the great audio production. The author's passion for this story is clear and, even though it didn't fully meet the mark for me, I did feel infected with her enthusiasm by the end and as if I knew the great Diva better than I did before.

I received an advanced listening copy of this book from the publisher for free via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay

Go to review page

mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.5

Anyone who's been around here before knows I love a good heist, even more so when it's tinged with revenge, con artists, women getting their power back, and some class commentary as this book seemed to be. And yet, despite being perfect on paper (it's also a historical novel!), The Housekeepers didn't win me over.

I really enjoyed the premise, as well as the details of the heist planning that were slowly unveiled, revealing the full picture only at the very end. The varied (and large) cast of characters added a certain dynamism, especially as the narration moved from one to the other to give the reader a bird's-eye view. Where most problems lay, for me, was in the execution: despite the high stakes and the numerous obstacles, I was never on edge or tense about the outcome in any way. If anything, for the most part I was simply... bored.

There were definitely some issues with the pacing for me, as everything seemed to move far too slowly and hardly any scene felt impactful and yet at the same time it appeared as though I hardly had any time to get to know the characters properly. Maybe there were too many of them for a book of this length, or maybe their backstories were too complex (it seemed everyone had a big, dark secret), but ultimately I cared about none.

The build-up to the heist took up the majority of the book, but when the climax came, it fell flat for me as if there just wasn't enough momentum to carry it over. There was simultaneously too much and not enough happening, which made for a frustrating reading experience, more a chore than a pleasure.

Still, some parts were definitely good, with humorous elements and some interesting characters who would have benefited from more breathing room. I could see kernels of good writing here and it is a decent debut, so I might give the author's next books another chance even though this one didn't meet my expectations.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.5

Every reader has at least once experienced that feeling of suddenly wanting to grab a book off the shelf (or the e-reader), diving into it with passion and barely coming up for air only when life demands it. Being a mood reader myself, I tend to do this quite regularly: sometimes a book will wait for me to pick it up for a very, very long time, but I will almost inevitably at some point feel the urge to pick up exactly that one as if it called out to me. This is exactly what happened with What You Are Looking for Is in the Library, and how apt this was!

Through five seemingly unconnected stories, this book introduces us to Sayuri Komachi, the enigmatic librarian of the Community House library who has an almost magical ability to recommend precisely the right book for every reader, the one even they didn't know they needed. As each of our protagonists is struggling with a different challenge, through the transformative power of books they find a new and different outlook on life, rediscovering joy and meaning.

The book is framed as a series of chapters essentially reading as short stories, each focused on a different character. The stories are lightly interconnected but can be read separately, the Community House and the library being the only real points in common. I liked how varied the cast of characters was, and how they each experienced different issues connected to the specific phase of their life they were going through - from recent graduates looking for their place in the world to a recently retired man seeking a purpose beyond work. They were also very well drawn, each with their own individuality. I instantly formed a connection with them, and have been thinking about them as I would old friends since finishing the book - always a sign of some very good characters indeed!

If anything, Sayuri Komachi herself was the only character that felt slightly unexplored, save for a few peeks at her character here and there through her (brief) interactions with the library users. This was probably done to keep an air of mystique around her character, but I really would have liked to know more about her. Still, I enjoyed what we did see of her!

One of my favourite aspects about this book was its focus on community and building positive, supportive relationships through open communication, trust, and small acts of kindness. This was particularly refreshing, as I've been growing tired of the rampant individualism permeating all aspects of society. Seeing the characters in this book rediscover the value of meaningful connections was like a balm for the soul.

Overall, this was a delightful, heartwarming read that I was genuinely happy to curl up with every night and that left me with a smile on my face, a deep-seated feeling of peace and contentment and a strong desire to hug my loved ones tighter than usual. It's a simple book that does what it says on the tin, but perhaps this time it was exactly what I was looking for in the library.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

Go to review page

informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Content Warnings

Queer Villains of Myth and Legend by Dan Jones

Go to review page

informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

Clear, engaging and entertaining, Queer Villains of Myth and Legend is a fun and informative celebration of famous villains throughout the ages, exploring their impact on culture and the many different ways their identities developed.

These often-overlooked characters finally take centre stage, getting the recognition they deserve while accompanying us on a tour from ancient myths to modern TV and cinema. There is a truly wide range of characters on display here, some possibly slightly more famous than others, and I deeply enjoyed discovering villains I hadn't previously heard of while catching up on bits of trivia and information on characters I had already encountered. Many of the characters are explicitly queer, while others are queer-coded and/or became particularly significant for the LGBTQ+ community, which made it a varied bunch of characters to explore.

While I enjoyed the free-flowing, friendly writing style (making this an easy read indeed), it felt slightly out of place at times and, coupled with the speed with which the characters were analysed, left me wanting just a bit more complexity and nuance than I got. The short chapters work very well to keep the reading flowing and fast-paced but seem to leave little room for deeper reflections and discussions.

Overall, Queer Villains of Myth and Legend is an enjoyable read, and works especially well as an introductory text, sharing clear and accessible portraits of key characters, but may not fully satisfy readers looking for a deeper level of analysis.

I received a digital review copy of this book for free from the publisher as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman

Go to review page

adventurous funny slow-paced

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

3.0

I loved the premise for Scarlet - take the French Revolution and add vampires to it seemed like a recipe for mayhem honestly. I'm not really familiar with The Scarlet Pimpernel besides the name (which I'd heard before) so I don't really know how well the retelling element of this compares to the original, but I was very curious about this anyway.

Eleanor, a maid working in the service of a vampire aristocrat in England, bears a striking resemblance to Marie Antoinette and so is recruited by the mysterious League of the Scarlet Pimpernel to embark on a dangerous journey to France, impersonate the Queen and rescue the royal family from their imprisonment at the hands of the revolutionaries before their encounter with the guillotine.

This felt like a fresh look at a very famous historical event, and I really appreciated the portrayal of aristocrats as vampires. This kind of reminded me of the film El Conde, which had a similar premise with respect to Chilean dictator Pinochet. There were plenty of scenes which allowed for deeper reflections on society, social order, freedom and justice, but also some good humour and tense moments.

I also liked Eleanor as the main character. She is a smart, strong-willed young woman who joins a truly dangerous mission to save a complete stranger - and a royal one at that - just because she feels it would be the right thing to do. She does come across as a bit too naive at times, but I enjoyed the way her character developed by the end even though there were a few times when her choices felt slightly at odds with what we know of her.

That being said, I wasn't wholly in love with this book, even though on paper it had everything I usually love. It felt very slow for the most part, and quite repetitive in certain sections. The fantasy element is also not fully explained or even used for most of the book... I guess I expected the vampires to play a bigger role in this. As this is the first book in a trilogy I do wonder if everything will make sense by the end, since a few times this book really just felt as if it were setting the scene for bigger things to come.

Overall, this was a pleasant and at times funny read with some interesting insights, but I didn't really vibe with it. It felt like a slog to get through the middle section and, by the end, I felt as though I hadn't had enough and yet there was suddenly too much going on. It could be that I just wasn't in the right mood for this though, and I can definitely see other people enjoying this one. I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next book in the series, although I might just to see if I can find what was missing in this one.

I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

The Dilemma by Sarah Hawthorn

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

It had been a while since I'd thrown myself in a historical novel filled with family secrets and, having basically devoured The Dilemma, I can confidently say that I had somewhat missed it.

Esme's story starts when she finds a mysterious letter while clearing her mother's house after her sudden death - a letter from many years before urging her mother to return to Guernsey. Except, as far as Esme knows, her mother had no links to the island, having left it as a young woman with no family. Desperate to leave her life in London as the man she loves announces his engagement to another woman, Esme sets off to Guernsey to shed some light on this mystery... and maybe find some family along the way.

The story is told in alternating POVs, moving between Esme - who is dealing with the aftermath of her mother's sudden death in 1950s London - and Jane - a young woman trying to make sense of the fact that her husband is presumed dead in action during WWI. Both women are compelling characters, very well depicted with all their contradictions and confusions as they grapple with huge events and the effects of choices made many years before. The double POV added depth to the characters, and it really helped to empathise with both women, who otherwise might have come off as completely different characters. I particularly enjoyed Esme's journey and her growth, as she fully develops into the wonderful woman she is and makes peace with her past.

The island setting also worked beautifully and I loved learning some more about it since I'm not really familiar with Guernsey (aside from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society). I really enjoyed how the author managed to convey the strong sense of community, with all its ups and downs, and the slower pace of island life that allows for reflection and healing in contrast with London's fast pace.

The mystery itself was intriguing but ultimately, for me, it was maybe the least convincing element to the story. For someone who reads a lot of books a fair number of twists will be quite easy to predict, removing a lot of the suspense, and a few things just seemed a bit too much. I won't go into further detail as I'm heading dangerously into spoiler territory, but there does seem to be an awful lot going on at times, which ends up making the story just a little too unrealistic for me to enjoy it fully. The ending also felt a tad abrupt, with a very easy resolution coming virtually out of nowhere and being a little too convenient.

Still, this was a very pleasant read overall and, despite a few small issues, I really enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend it to readers looking to dip their toes in historical fiction with an easy read focusing on mothers and daughters and lots (truly, lots!) of secrets.

I received a digital review copy of this book for free as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

Fratellino by Ibrahima Balde, Amets Arzallus Antia

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

3.5

Content Warnings

More...

bookforthought's reviews 711 reviews

bookforthought's reviews
711 reviews