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librovermo's reviews
92 reviews
Evocation by S.T. Gibson
5.0
Evocation boasts a perfect balance of character relationships, romance, and supernatural suspense.
The plot was fantastic but my favorite part was the development not only of each character, but of the relationships between Moira, Rhys, and David. Rhys and Moira’s love for each other is sweet, and so deep, it actually gave me butterflies. David is a snarky jerk who is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it, but underneath his tough guy exterior is a vulnerable man who is terrified of the ancient curse placed upon his family. At the beginning of the book, Rhys and Moira are at odds with David, and he’s not too happy with them either, but as the story progresses, their feelings change in a way that feels natural and evenly-paced. The proximity is forced, but the slow-burn to the conclusion isn’t!
As for the story itself, it wasn’t until I hit about 10% of the book that I knew it was absolutely for me. I wouldn’t say the first bit was confusing, but there was some setup and I honestly didn’t know exactly what was going on. But once I got there, I was all in. I was truly engrossed as the trio attempted to break the curse threatening David’s life. I never would have guessed how everything came to a head! The ending was a great surprise, one that made me both excited for a sequel and beyond depressed that I’ll probably have to wait a long time for it.
This book really has it all: a spell-binding plot that leaves you excited for the next installment, unforgettable characters that defy initial impressions and surprise you with their depth, and a MMC who calls the FMC “little goddess.”
I received an ARC of Evocation from the publisher and all opinions are my own.
The plot was fantastic but my favorite part was the development not only of each character, but of the relationships between Moira, Rhys, and David. Rhys and Moira’s love for each other is sweet, and so deep, it actually gave me butterflies. David is a snarky jerk who is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it, but underneath his tough guy exterior is a vulnerable man who is terrified of the ancient curse placed upon his family. At the beginning of the book, Rhys and Moira are at odds with David, and he’s not too happy with them either, but as the story progresses, their feelings change in a way that feels natural and evenly-paced. The proximity is forced, but the slow-burn to the conclusion isn’t!
As for the story itself, it wasn’t until I hit about 10% of the book that I knew it was absolutely for me. I wouldn’t say the first bit was confusing, but there was some setup and I honestly didn’t know exactly what was going on. But once I got there, I was all in. I was truly engrossed as the trio attempted to break the curse threatening David’s life. I never would have guessed how everything came to a head! The ending was a great surprise, one that made me both excited for a sequel and beyond depressed that I’ll probably have to wait a long time for it.
This book really has it all: a spell-binding plot that leaves you excited for the next installment, unforgettable characters that defy initial impressions and surprise you with their depth, and a MMC who calls the FMC “little goddess.”
I received an ARC of Evocation from the publisher and all opinions are my own.
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
It wasn’t even the subject matter - I just didn’t like the writing style or the concept of Ronald editing Norton’s memoir and adding in footnotes. It just wasn’t doing anything for me.
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
5.0
Thornhedge is the only T. Kingfisher book I hadn’t heard of before I accidentally found it at a library I visited last month. It’s a dark, twisted retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
I love retellings of classic tales, especially when they have darker themes than the originals, so I figured I’d like this book, but I didn’t expect to fall so in love with its heroine, Toadling. She’s kind, curious, but cautiously so, and has a strong sense of what’s right. And she can turn into a toad. What’s not to love?
I also didn’t expect this retelling to twist the original tale as much as it did. So many pieces of the story I am familiar with were molded into something completely different, until only the most important foundational aspects of Sleeping Beauty remained. Instead of a simple story about a lovely princess cursed by an evil queen, Thornhedge is a short story with much more depth. We’re presented with the question of nature vs. nurture, there are moral quandaries, and there are relationships deeper than the insta-love of a prince who kisses a sleeping princess.
Thornhedge is one of my favorite retellings of all time and I will easily recommend it to anyone who is a fan of T. Kingfisher, a lover of fairytales, or just, you know, a person.
I love retellings of classic tales, especially when they have darker themes than the originals, so I figured I’d like this book, but I didn’t expect to fall so in love with its heroine, Toadling. She’s kind, curious, but cautiously so, and has a strong sense of what’s right. And she can turn into a toad. What’s not to love?
I also didn’t expect this retelling to twist the original tale as much as it did. So many pieces of the story I am familiar with were molded into something completely different, until only the most important foundational aspects of Sleeping Beauty remained. Instead of a simple story about a lovely princess cursed by an evil queen, Thornhedge is a short story with much more depth. We’re presented with the question of nature vs. nurture, there are moral quandaries, and there are relationships deeper than the insta-love of a prince who kisses a sleeping princess.
Thornhedge is one of my favorite retellings of all time and I will easily recommend it to anyone who is a fan of T. Kingfisher, a lover of fairytales, or just, you know, a person.
In Universes by Emet North
5.0
Emet North’s debut novel, In Universes, is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s beautiful, challenging, and the very best kind of strange. Each chapter is just a glimpse into Raffi’s life in one of an unlimited number of possible universes. On their own, the chapters could be short stories—all entertaining for different reasons—but together, they weave a tale of grief, love, heartbreak, and the search for self.
Anything is possible when we’re talking about infinity, so some of Raffi’s lives take place in fairly recognizable universes much like our own, while others take place in universes in which aliens inhabit animal bodies and attack humans, or, in my favorite (because it was both entertaining and absolutely brilliant), mothers fracture into hordes of animals when they give birth to daughters. What the universes all have in common though, is that they all fall within timelines in which Raffi connects with Britt, Kay, Graham, or Alice, and each of Raffi’s lives is unique in a perfect way that doesn’t make them unrecognizable as the same person. Raffi’s shifting and changing relationships with these recurring characters were fascinating, especially the one they had with Britt, who is always important no matter the universe.
Raffi is a remarkable character. They truly read as if they are a real person. They have fully fleshed out hopes, dreams, flaws, and plenty of endearing qualities. It’s easy to relate to and love a character as genuine and realistic as Raffi. Their friends and lovers were also great people. I wanted to choose a favorite to mention here but I couldn’t do it. Too hard. It might be Graham though.
Often, when I (and many people, I imagine) read a book, I insert myself into it. What would I do if I was the main character? What would I say if I was the side character? I did do that sometimes while reading In Universes, but more often, I inserted the concept of the book into my life instead. I’ve lost so much sleep the past couple nights, lying awake thinking about the points at which my life could have split into different universes and what those universes might be like. Or thinking about the universe in which I never met someone I love, or I did, but I love them in a different way, or they are merely an acquaintance. Or, hey, what kind of animal horde my mother would have fractured into when I was born (polar bear).
When I wasn’t losing sleep over In Universes, it was affecting my dreams. I won’t go into detail because reading other people’s dreams is kind of boring and that’s not what this is anyway, but my dreams have been incredibly weird and 100% influenced by this book. I loved In Universes while I was reading it, and I love it even more because it had such a strong hold over both my dreams and waking thoughts.
If you’re looking for something thought-provoking that will take you on a multifaceted journey, this is it. This is the book.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins, from whom I received this ARC. It was a pleasure to read and review In Universes!
Anything is possible when we’re talking about infinity, so some of Raffi’s lives take place in fairly recognizable universes much like our own, while others take place in universes in which aliens inhabit animal bodies and attack humans, or, in my favorite (because it was both entertaining and absolutely brilliant), mothers fracture into hordes of animals when they give birth to daughters. What the universes all have in common though, is that they all fall within timelines in which Raffi connects with Britt, Kay, Graham, or Alice, and each of Raffi’s lives is unique in a perfect way that doesn’t make them unrecognizable as the same person. Raffi’s shifting and changing relationships with these recurring characters were fascinating, especially the one they had with Britt, who is always important no matter the universe.
Raffi is a remarkable character. They truly read as if they are a real person. They have fully fleshed out hopes, dreams, flaws, and plenty of endearing qualities. It’s easy to relate to and love a character as genuine and realistic as Raffi. Their friends and lovers were also great people. I wanted to choose a favorite to mention here but I couldn’t do it. Too hard. It might be Graham though.
Often, when I (and many people, I imagine) read a book, I insert myself into it. What would I do if I was the main character? What would I say if I was the side character? I did do that sometimes while reading In Universes, but more often, I inserted the concept of the book into my life instead. I’ve lost so much sleep the past couple nights, lying awake thinking about the points at which my life could have split into different universes and what those universes might be like. Or thinking about the universe in which I never met someone I love, or I did, but I love them in a different way, or they are merely an acquaintance. Or, hey, what kind of animal horde my mother would have fractured into when I was born (polar bear).
When I wasn’t losing sleep over In Universes, it was affecting my dreams. I won’t go into detail because reading other people’s dreams is kind of boring and that’s not what this is anyway, but my dreams have been incredibly weird and 100% influenced by this book. I loved In Universes while I was reading it, and I love it even more because it had such a strong hold over both my dreams and waking thoughts.
If you’re looking for something thought-provoking that will take you on a multifaceted journey, this is it. This is the book.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins, from whom I received this ARC. It was a pleasure to read and review In Universes!