Nico

Quit audio @ 38%. I was lured by the beautiful cover and Thai-mythology, and was enjoying the adventuring and phi spirits, but I swear this is YA despite it being widely accepted as adult and I almost had no issue with that. I was getting by okay enough, but I got to a point where the 24yo male MC and 28yo(?) female have an immature as hell spat and I decided it was time. I did love the phi and another POV character (which was absolutely stronger and more interesting and I wasn't getting enough time with her) and I can't say it's a bad book.

This is perfectly solid YA/teen. I think teens will want to read it and it incorporates some important themes, which I always look for in a teen book. Personal enjoyment was a 3-stars and I was repeatedly distracted by the overuse of, “Took a beat” as in took a moment.

This sequel was just okay for me. It's still a lighthearted pallet cleanser that asks big questions, but I had high expectations after the first book felt like a set up. This still felt like a set up for something bigger.

Another grand tale that filled my heart with every chapter. I guess I'm really into cultural/folklore based fantasy? The audiobook version of this book is excellent and the narrator did an excellent job bringing me into the world. I highly recommend this book, especially in audiobook format!

I went in blind and if you're a fantasy lover I suggest the same for you. I suspect if you don't like it by the 10% point then it's just not for you. I have not read the Cosmere books and I was not confused, but it does add to my desire to start the series.

This is a VERY short story reimagining the myth of Galatea and Pygmalion - and honestly the afterward is what makes this short story worth it to me. I recommend it as a must read for that.

My least favorite of the series so far. It starts in the middle of the activity, which left me confused for a while and didn't work for me at the end of the day. Feels like a set up book for something off, maybe a spin off?

I absolutely adored this book. I never really write this much about books, but I think because this one touched on some really personal and heavy topics for me I wanted to cover a bit of this one. I think it's a really unique fantasy story due to it following an older couple still feeling the grief of losing their baby many years before and who are also struggling a bit in their marriage and with the state of their own lives - I just don't often see those themes in fantasy. It's a retelling of the snow child folktale, which I had never heard of before - “There once was an old man and woman who loved each other very much and were content with their lot in life except for one great sadness - they had no children of their own.” So for some (like me) there might need to be some handling with care, especially if you've experienced the loss of a child. It's set in Alaska in the early 20th century. I found it magical and whimsical, especially against the interior Alaska backdrop - “I don't know if you get used to it really, it just get's in your blood so you can't stand to be anywhere else,” - if you know, you know. I think another reason why this is special is because it's dual POV of the couple, so you're able to see the drivers of their (sometimes poor or hurtful) decisions, which as someone who had marital relationship problems I appreciated seeing both sides. Of course it won't be for everyone, but if 1) what I said before interests you, 2) you want an emotional, loving and/or “real” story (and if you liked those aspects in Sword of Kaigen this might interest you or vice-versa), 3) you like the woods, hunting/fishing/trapping or homesteading, or 4) are in the mood for a book that will make you feel the cold and the brutality and beauty of winter, check this out.

A very heart-warming and lighthearted set of stories about a human woman (20yo) who was found in the spirit world as a young girl and adopted by spirits. It's kind of like a set of vingettes in a very slice-of-life sort of way, but there is one arc that runs though.

I'm not sure who the audience is. The writing seems like it's better for middle grade, but the characters are older teens and there's a brief moment where there's a “huge rack” and “big butt” comment justified because the character is a man — and it was weird. But really the translation seemed a bit weird and off at many times.

I really did enjoy this one and I recommend for an easy, lighthearted, maybe even cozy read, and I think adoptive parents or children might really enjoy this too. Read too if you like stories about spirits, especially from Japanese mythology.

Hands down the best dystopia I've encountered in any medium. Although I craved much more in the plot and the depth of characters and character relationships, my stomach felt wretched while reading page after page - this world felt incredibly real in all its cruelty and brutality. Butler's story-telling enraptured me from the start, in a way that I never believed a book written journal-entry format could. About half way through I did feel like I was reading a list of “things I did today,” and lost the feeling of awe in the story telling. A lot of the second half of the book fell flat for me, including the ending. If you want to read an excellent dystopia, this is a must read.

This is a quiet western with some fantastical elements and a revenge plot. It's also a bit of a historical fiction since it takes place at the time of the building the Central Pacific Railroad line. The story left me wanting more character development and plot, but I have no regrets reading this debut from Lin.

2.5 stars.

Let me first say I loved this book and I ate it up. The book was somewhat of a slow start for me, but for some reason I was curious about one character's arc from the start and that's what held me through. There were points in the middle where I was hitting chapters on other characters and I was so bored, I was counting how many pages to the next chapter featuring the character I became invested in. If you like war and battles and political plays there's a good chance you'll like this. I did get ASOIAF vibes, but really only because of the kingdoms related political intrigue and essentially big wolves. The writing and politics are definitely different - they are [gasp!] different books. This isn't the type of series book that can stand alone, the plot continues to the next. My heart wants to rate this 5/5-stars, but following my rating scale it's not completely there.

Quit at 5% - just wasn't feeling it.

Oh how I ended up loving this short book and could write so much more about it. It took me a little bit of time to really become interested, but when the fantasy elements where revealed I was hooked and then I fell in love with the protagonist and side characters. I mean, I want to know more about the librarian for example. The [heavy] themes and the way they're handled are *chef's kiss IMO. I'm unclear if this is technically YA/teen, but something about the construction of the book felt more adult - so if you're anti-YA I wouldn't let that put you off to it. The prequel has a release date in 2022 and it's going to be one of my most anticipated releases in the New Year.

DNF

Book two of the Forever Desert trilogy was just as brilliant as book one. I didn't have any guess as to where Utomi was going to take this one and I gasped when I read the very first paragraph. Again Utomi manages to do a lot in a short amount of pages while saying something too about power and those who suffer for it. I highly recommend this series.

This is a children's book with a brave and quick-thinking young girl as the protagonist. It was creepy in the best way for me and even as an adult I enjoyed it. I hear the movie is great so I'll definitely check it out.

I only have the first four Discworld Death books to compare to, but it feels like Pratchett inserted his wisdom and heart deeply into the Witches and Tiffany Aching storylines. This wasn't my favorite Discworld read so far, but it's above the middle, which means it's a pretty dang good book.

DNF

Was hoping this would be a temporary quit, but after two attempts and getting to the half way point, I have no desire to go back to it. This is an official DNF (for now, I love Brom).

Just wow, new favorite book. I think in some ways this made me feel like how I feel when I read The Hobbit - I just felt completely transported and hypnotized by the whimsy and magic of it. I can see why this is not everyone's cup of tea, but I disagree with reviews that this is a children's story largely because that does a great disservice to Lord's spectacular writing - speaking of which I can't believe this is their debut, but plot wise I guess on the same hand I can see it. Regardless, all of Lord's works are now on my TBR.

Laini Taylor has such a magical writing style and Khristine Hvam's narration brought Laini's world to life. I “read” this book after I read “Strange the Dreamer” and the sequel. Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares are in my all time favorites list, but Daughter of Smoke and Bone is definitely up there too. What a brilliant story, full of love, whimsy, complexity, magic and pain...Laini knows how to weave so many elements together artfully and beautifully. I can't wait to read the sequel.

3.5 stars, thinking of rounding down. Beautifully written fairytale about a unicorn who thinks they're the last and leaves their forest to find out why. I did enjoy it, especially the ending, but I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't absolutely love this, between the writing and story it feels like it should fit the recipe of an all time favorite. I can see why from the fantasy classics this is still beloved and recced as a must-read, and I'm glad I did. Readers of classics and fairytales will likely love this.

I “read” the first in the series on audiobook and read this IRL book as the audiobook was not available to me and I couldn't wait - I'm gobbling up this epic series just as quickly as I absorbed Strange the Dreamer and its sequel. I wasn't sure if I elevated Daughter of Smoke and Bone because the narrator of the audiobook is so good at bringing the characters and story to life, but I felt just as entranced by and invested in the tale when reading the tangible book. Onward to the third!