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rebeccazh's Reviews (2.89k)
Wasn't gonna post a review since I just breeze through KU romances but I had to. Love the angst, tension, bad decision-making, and misunderstandings between the two leads, but I absolutely HATE that the villain was a queer guy.
I got like 30% or 40% into this story before deciding that this book is not for me. Intriguing worldbuilding but it's all quite dated and I dislike the way Roarke objectifies the heroine (forgot her name).
Gave this book another chance because it was recommended highly on Reddit. Whew, this book! This is absolutely not a romcom. This is about two people working through a toxic relationship. The only thing this book has got going for it is a really strong writing style, with a slightly Mariana Zapata-esque focus on endless narrating/monologuing/being in one's head (in this case it was entertaining).
The first 50% was just so hard to get through. Nicholas and Naomi are extremely toxic to each other: they sabotage, resent, and are hostile to each other. It was stressful to read. I ended up skipping chapters. Around 50-60%, there's a gradual 180 turn. They start to patch things up. I think that this book has potential -- the two main characters are both extremely flawed people. But Hogle doesn't spend enough time unpacking WHY they behaved like this and WHY they changed (for the worse and the better), so the change doesn't seem believable and rewarding.
As it is, I'm baffled. It seems almost by chance or heavy authorial intervention that the two of them started changing their behavior and suddenly becoming more mature. So... mixed feelings about this one. I liked the premise though, it's really unique.
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i could NOT get through this... naomi, who is narrating, is really unpleasant. i think she's meant to be snarky, but she just comes off really unpleasant. i struggled to even make it through the first chapter. i finally got to the third chapter and i realized that the love interest is nicholas?! the two of them have so much resentment and miscommunication that it gives me red flags. it's a DNF for me.
The first 50% was just so hard to get through. Nicholas and Naomi are extremely toxic to each other: they sabotage, resent, and are hostile to each other. It was stressful to read. I ended up skipping chapters. Around 50-60%, there's a gradual 180 turn. They start to patch things up. I think that this book has potential -- the two main characters are both extremely flawed people. But Hogle doesn't spend enough time unpacking WHY they behaved like this and WHY they changed (for the worse and the better), so the change doesn't seem believable and rewarding.
As it is, I'm baffled. It seems almost by chance or heavy authorial intervention that the two of them started changing their behavior and suddenly becoming more mature. So... mixed feelings about this one. I liked the premise though, it's really unique.
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i could NOT get through this... naomi, who is narrating, is really unpleasant. i think she's meant to be snarky, but she just comes off really unpleasant. i struggled to even make it through the first chapter. i finally got to the third chapter and i realized that the love interest is nicholas?! the two of them have so much resentment and miscommunication that it gives me red flags. it's a DNF for me.
I came across this book because I asked ChatGPT to recommend some books about boundaries. ChatGPT neglected to mention that this is written by a Christian, for Christians. The non-Christian reader's ability to gain something helpful from this book really depends on how much one minds Christian references (which is a lot). Despite that, I did find this book very useful. Somehow the things that it was speaking about were exactly what I had been pondering over.
All in all, it's a very practical book about boundaries, very easy to understand, lots of examples and explanations about the different types of boundaries, the various nuances, etc. Especially helpful for those who are conditioned to think giving mindlessly = caring, and not giving = heartless. It's a bit like a Boundary 101 explainer and guidebook.
All in all, it's a very practical book about boundaries, very easy to understand, lots of examples and explanations about the different types of boundaries, the various nuances, etc. Especially helpful for those who are conditioned to think giving mindlessly = caring, and not giving = heartless. It's a bit like a Boundary 101 explainer and guidebook.
Too long has passed since I last read the first novel. The plethora of names, titles, and conventions confused me so much. This is a detective narrative and Addison's trademark understated but warm tone is here.
Picked this up because pretty much every reddit recommendation thread highly recommended this. This is progression fantasy with a twist. Will Wight takes the world of wuxia and gives it a Western interpretation. I saw readers comparing it to Naruto, shounen anime and the like, but I saw a lot of the cnovels I've read in this. Surprisingly, even the tiny details in this novel match the world of wuxia. Progression fantasy is a very new genre to me - it's a type of fantasy where the main characters start off weak and work very hard to progress, much like the way you level up in a game.
Anyway, the first 30-40% of this was a small, self-contained wuxia story about a boy, Lindon, without a strong magical core, and he's treated as lesser because of it. We witness his burning ambition and desire to improve his lot in life, the powerful bullies and obstacles he faces, and the tricks he uses to stay ahead. Around 50% is when the world dramatically expands in scope. Turns out this world he's in is considered a cradle world where civilizations 'start'. Interdimensional travel is possible and there are a group of higher beings who rule over the cosmos with names like archangels. I'm guessing Lindon gets to rub shoulders with them eventually. The novel ends with Lindon taking a gamble to venture beyond the four mountains and he succeeds.
I see a lot of potential in this first book - a lot of setting up was done, with the promise of more exciting plot things happening. The writing is solid and the story is action-packed, with lots of plot twists. There was quite a bit of info-dumping, which was necessary but bogged down the pacing quite a bit. It was with a bit of skimming that I finished the first book. I'm currently on the second book and I'm not sure if I'll finish it - it's pretty slow.
Overall, a solid read for those who like wuxia and progression narratives.
Anyway, the first 30-40% of this was a small, self-contained wuxia story about a boy, Lindon, without a strong magical core, and he's treated as lesser because of it. We witness his burning ambition and desire to improve his lot in life, the powerful bullies and obstacles he faces, and the tricks he uses to stay ahead. Around 50% is when the world dramatically expands in scope. Turns out this world he's in is considered a cradle world where civilizations 'start'. Interdimensional travel is possible and there are a group of higher beings who rule over the cosmos with names like archangels. I'm guessing Lindon gets to rub shoulders with them eventually. The novel ends with Lindon taking a gamble to venture beyond the four mountains and he succeeds.
I see a lot of potential in this first book - a lot of setting up was done, with the promise of more exciting plot things happening. The writing is solid and the story is action-packed, with lots of plot twists. There was quite a bit of info-dumping, which was necessary but bogged down the pacing quite a bit. It was with a bit of skimming that I finished the first book. I'm currently on the second book and I'm not sure if I'll finish it - it's pretty slow.
Overall, a solid read for those who like wuxia and progression narratives.
I agree with the reviewer who called this an eco-fable. It's a rather short book, split into four parts. The first three parts feature seemingly unconnected characters, told in a myth/fable-like style. The last part zooms into the human characters in a journey/roadtrip of sorts. The atmosphere of the book is haunting and dystopian.
I thought this book did a fantastic job showing the relationship between man, communities, and nature. The animals in this book (the rain heron, the squid) are mystical, with a touch of the unknowable about them. The groups of humans who interact with the animals have various agendas and motivations; some live in a harmonious and interdependent way with the animals, while others are driven by greed and profit and see the animals only as objects, leading to cruel spillover effects on other humans.
Also, I thought the rain heron would feature more.
I thought this book did a fantastic job showing the relationship between man, communities, and nature. The animals in this book (the rain heron, the squid) are mystical, with a touch of the unknowable about them. The groups of humans who interact with the animals have various agendas and motivations; some live in a harmonious and interdependent way with the animals, while others are driven by greed and profit and see the animals only as objects, leading to cruel spillover effects on other humans.
Also, I thought the rain heron would feature more.
This book is everything good in the first book intensified. Intricate world building, strong characterization, lovely images (burning mothers, yaksa, the rot...), excellent commentary on misogyny, a touching wlw relationship and really beautiful prose. The pace is also better and things pick up quite quickly once the book starts. Tasha Suri excels at writing political machinations and introspection but imo her fighting scenes are a bit weaker. The ending drops a big bombshell and I'm excited for book 3.
This book has an intriguing premise - the heroine jumps into parallel/alternate lives without her control (like Everything Everywhere All At Once!) and one day, she accidentally brings along a guy from her world. As they try to figure out how to go back, the two of them fall in love with each other, becoming brave enough to take responsibility for their lives.
This was an engrossing read. I've always liked this author's themes about living life in a meaningful way, and I like how romance is the vehicle by which two characters learn to make better choices. Although it is a romance, the story is a bit like a mystery (why does she go universe hopping?) that intrigued me and kept me reading and piecing the clues together. I appreciate how flawed the characters are and how they mess up for very real reasons. Though I did find the middle/later sections to be a bit draggy with the repetitive 'will they won't they' push and pull between the two.
Fascinating to think about how a person might change in a different set of circumstances, or because of making different decisions.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an engrossing read. I've always liked this author's themes about living life in a meaningful way, and I like how romance is the vehicle by which two characters learn to make better choices. Although it is a romance, the story is a bit like a mystery (why does she go universe hopping?) that intrigued me and kept me reading and piecing the clues together. I appreciate how flawed the characters are and how they mess up for very real reasons. Though I did find the middle/later sections to be a bit draggy with the repetitive 'will they won't they' push and pull between the two.
Fascinating to think about how a person might change in a different set of circumstances, or because of making different decisions.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A nice ending to Jade and Considine's story. Also loved the hilarious relationship Killian and Considine have.