Gemma

Leviathan Wakes ???????????????Caliban's War ???????????????

I might possibly have a new favourite series!

The plot picks up a while after the first book ends and introduces a few new point of view characters along the way. I really loved the writing in this series so far, I find it a really exciting combination of description and plot. The additional points of view were hit and miss, but none were bad. I simply got attached to some characters more than others.

There is a cliffhanger in the final section of the book that has me dying for the next.

I decided to pick up the Chronicles of Narnia in a beautiful illustrated edition, which inspired a re-read to complete the series. I'd definitely read a couple of the stories, but I'm not sure I ever finished it.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was a solid story, but while it's enjoyable I didn't find it to be particularly memorable. I think that's probably due to how familiar I find this story; it's so famous and I liked the adaptions so much that the book really couldn't have held up. I'm looking forward to seeing how the other books that I don't know much about stack up.

I loved this! It feels like a proper divergence from the format of the previous books will begin from the next book and I???m so ready for it.

This is a short novella that comes after the first two books in the Witchlands series, before the most recent release. I heard some reviews mentioning that the plot of the novella is essential to the third book, so it was the natural next book to read.

Sightwitch is different to the other books in the series so far in a few ways. Firstly, this is an epistolary novel told in first person. I don't usually like epistolary novels, but this one really didn't read like one and it didn't inhibit my ability to enjoy the story. I am also not partial to first person stories, but I quite enjoyed it in this book.

In the story we follow a Sightwitch who feels an intense sense of responsibility and pressure by the role that has always been predicted of her and her journey to meet those expectations. I don't want to say anything else about the plot because the novella is so short, but I really enjoyed the story.

Spoilers
I also took a stupid amount to time to remember where I'd heard the name Ryber before in this series.

I think this review can be best summarised by the fact that I don't think I will read another book in this series, and I won't be picking up a physical edition of this book.

I can't even say I hated it, I was simply bored by everything going on and I felt like some of the big reveals felt like I'd figured them out quite a while back. In some points the naivet?? and shortsightedness of Helene drove me mad. She is highly trained, yet acts with about as much thought as Laia.

The first book was great, the next two were disappointing.

This is the first book in a long series which currently has five books out. I have collected the first four books in paperback since I was gifted the first by a friend when I was 16. I have read Weeks first trilogy, and loved the first book. The other two had disappointed me for different reasons, but there were a few common threads. I found the women to be ridiculous caricatures whose plot seemed to revolve around their potential for sex. This was one of the most upsetting parts about the original trilogy for me, because I feel fixing that issue would have massively improved the series for me.

Unfortunately, Lightbringer has started with the same issues as far as I can tell. There are a similar amount of women to men in this series, so I am not trying to imply that women aren't present. The issue I find with this series is that 3/4 women who are properly present in the plot are only relevant due to their connection to the Prism. Particularly, due to how much he wants them, or doesn't want them. There is the lover scorned years ago, kept apart by secrets that cannot be divulged. This character is described as incredibly capable and has a position in an elite force. But the character is treated with sexist jokes I would expect from a 70s sitcom. Another character is literally a sex slave.

The red stepped forward, pulled off her mask, and stepped out of her robe. She was young, athletic, beautiful, and also naked. Kip???s eyes widened. He tried to hold them to her face. Somber ceremony, Kip. Orholam???s watching, Kip. Straight to hell, Kip. p. 321

I think the idea I'm trying to paint here is clear, so I will move on.

Another problem I found with the book was the writing. In the author's debut series I found the writing to be enjoyable, and I don't remember noticing anything otherwise. In this series the sentences are short; blunt and the structure of the sentences feels particularly repetitive. I think the audiobook was possibly exacerbating this issue, so it possibly was just my reading experience. Also, characters would occasionally express a thought in first person without any indication; italics, quotation marks or any another punctuation. I thought this was poorly done as was a jarring change from the third person narrative.

It is also worth noting that one of the main characters is fat, and about 2/3 scenes he is in reference his weight actively. It seems ridiculous, I know more about this kid's weight than anything else about him. He barely has a backstory or a personality. It is fair so say that the terrible characterisation of women and this main character isn't special, because I don't really feel any if the characters have any characterisation that isn't directly related to the plot. We know a lot about one of the MC's backstory because the plot needed us to, but we don't know much else.

The magic system of the book was the most exciting thing about the book as I began it. It remains the most interesting part of this book, but it isn't really compelling me as much as I thought it would. I will be continuing on with this series as I have been gifted the books over the years, but I felt really disappointed by this book. A lot of reviewers are very positive of this book and mention it improves upon the Night Angel trilogy. I disagree and think the Night Angel (while it has problems) is done better, but it could be that later books will change my mind.

There's little point in reviewing the quality of this book, it is evident to everyone that this book has stood the test of time for good reason.

I was going into the story fairly unaware of the plot, other than it was a love story between two people who disliked each other at first glance. My only experience of the story before the novel was the spoof adaption Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, which I recommend. The book surpassed my enjoyment of the spoof by far.

For anyone who is intimidated by classics I would like to advise you that I was similarly nervous. I have only read children's classics due to how difficult I found reading classics. I have read the first page of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility each around 20 times, unable to understand what was going on each time. I listened to the book on audiobook which massively improved my ability to enjoy and understand the novel. I enjoyed my experience with the audiobook so much that I went on to read Jane Eyre, a book I've been dying to read for years on audio and loved it.

I highly recommend picking up the book on audio.

I picked up Leviathan Wakes because one of my book clubs suggested it, and I thought it would be an interesting foray into the world of science fiction. Previously I've read both Andy Weir books currently out and not much else that could be classified as science fiction so I was excited for this book.

I knew almost instantly I was going to love this book. This book steals aspects from various genres; science fiction, crime fiction, and horror mainly. I personally feel that it takes the best parts of each genre for this book and builds a complex story out of them. The world felt expansive and really well designed, and it really gradually pushed the boundaries of the world we were aware of over the course of the book so I never felt lost. The cast also gets fairly large, but I similarly felt that we were never introduced to too many people too fast.

I want to make a special mention of the characters in this book, because it was how developed and how real the characters were that made me really fall for the book. The book is told from alternating perspectives of two characters that felt to me like best friends separated by lifestyle and moral compasses. Like Doug Judy and Jake Peralta. I really enjoyed the two opposite sides to this story.

I found this book to be funny, engrossing and quite thrilling in a slow burn kind of way. I would highly recommend reading these, especially on audio book. The audio book experience could have easily earned an extra star on its own.

I could not resist this one when it came up available on Hoopla. My current read is a bogging me down, and this was the perfect refreshing read. The art is genuinely fantastic and I???m really invested in the story. I would say that I wish more plot was happening but that doesn???t stop my enjoyment.

Coming back to write this review at the end of 2019, I can still remember a strong sense of this book. This makes this one probably a better book in this series.

In terms of re-reading this series as an adult, I feel like the middle portion of this series really suffers. Initially from a formulaic story format in the first 4-5 books, and afterwards from a forgettable plot.

Another good installment in this series, one of my favourites so far. The introduction of characters I remembered vaguely from later in the series was a great touch.

Very much looking forward to the conclusion of this series.

This is the second last installment (as of yet) of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which I have been trying to complete in time for the new season of the show. I really love the show, but the books so far have been a genuine delight and they have really proved all those who feel the show missed out too much of the plot correct.

In this book, the first plots which I had not been spoiled for began to unfold. Dorne were particularly enjoyable for me as I did not know many Dornish characters. Additionally, the Wall is always a firm favourite, as is Daenerys. I really enjoyed this installment of the series and can't wait to begin the final book. I think I've only disliked one book so far in this series, and otherwise rated the rest four or five stars, which is pretty impressive for such a long series.

Read for my IRL Bookclub.I don't really pick up historical fiction, so I was pushing myself out of my usual interests. I was completely wrapped up in the main relationship in the book (and I loved discussing it with my book club).

A quick, if a little boring read in the series. I am really looking forward to later books where I remember the plot gets deeper.

This has been a really surprising book so far. I knew nothing about it when I began it and was really struggling with the writing style. It was slogging by and didn't feel like I was going to enjoy the story at all. Around 2/3 of the way through the first part it changed pace, and began to hit its stride for me. I began to enjoy Rachael and Borne's relationship at that point.

Other than that, I'm not sure I can make any other comment. This really was ‘new weird' and I'm not sure if I enjoyed it.

The third in my series of short reviews for A Series of Unfortunate Events. This one was fine, but over quickly and I would have liked more. I read these such a long time ago that my memory is fuzzy, but I think the later books get longer and more satisfying.

We are now at the point where I no longer remember the plot of the books at all because the film only covered the first three books. I'm looking forward to finishing this series this year.

An exiting sequel to this series of unfortunate events. I felt it better paced than the first and much more enjoyable as an adult reader. Not much else can be said without spoiling the plot as this is a fairly short book. I am looking forward to the next installment in the series.

I picked this one up as the first installation in a book club between friends, suggested by a member as it is her favourite book ever. It is fairly outside of my usual wheelhouse, so reading something different was a refreshing experience. This is a young adult book following Cadence, who is missing memories of a summer two years ago due to an accident.

Every summer her family descends on their private island, and the firm hierarchy of the family becomes constricting again. I really like the glimpses of family interactions between the aunts, especially the different tactics they use to one up each other. There is a lot of passive aggression, backhanded manoeuvring and using their children as weapons. I thought this was the most realistic aspect of this story because I have seen it in real life. It really helped the book for me, because otherwise I think I would have felt like I could not relate or emphasise with the characters.

This family is unfathomably rich, and it genuinely didn't feel real to me. This was worsened because the main characters are teens, but really don't read like teens. One character constantly mentions “sexual intercourse”, and they never contract their sentences (I am versus I'm). This really added to the surreal vibe, which did intensify the atmosphere. The book also took the time to touch on important topics such as privilege and racism, but I don't feel like it really did much with it.

All in all, I think this is a well crafted book and I can't deny the quality. If you are into contemporary or literary fiction this book could do well for you. I didn't personally resonate with the book, but I can see why so many do.

This book hurt to read. It was painfully real, and the characters felt like people I could lift off the page into reality. Some of the development that is revealed along the course of the book really added to the dimensions of the plot and the characters simultaneously.

This was an incredibly crafted story; it didn't miss a beat. It is just shy of a five star book for me, and I strongly recommend it. Depending on how much the story stays with me I may even bump it up.

Vox is dystopian America where women can only use 100 words a day, and are heavily policed. Jean is an Italian-American woman whose life has been irrevocably tore in two by this law. Her life before was full as a neuro-linguist, married with four children. Now she feels adrift in life as she struggles to live her new life.

I'm not going to share anything else about the plot because I want you to pick this book up as I did, completely blind as to the details. I devoured the book in a day and I could not wait for the next chapter, the next clue as so what was going to happen. I don't think I really knew what was going to happen next at any point through the book. All of the chapters are short, and really kept me engaged with every page turn.

I didn't expect to love this, because it was similar in concept to The Power by Naomi Alderman. However, this book was executed in the way I expected The Power to be, so it suited me much more. I'd really like to read more of this type of story, so I will have to keep a lookout.

This is a re-read from childhood that I picked up again so that I can I have a record of reading it. I also picked it up because I never finished the series originally, and I would like to see the netflix adaption now it has finished.

This book was weirdly formal throughout, but well written. I still found it enjoyable as an adult, but it felt like a really insubstantial book. I think the course of the book really occurs over a week or so, and it shows. Additionally, the conflict and resolution of the book is carried out in the last two chapters very quickly so it didn't feel as satisfying as it did as a kid.

I'd recommend it if you're the market age range, if not I'd suggest you watch the tv show. I still want to complete the series to see if it gets better.

Feast for Crows is the fourth installment in this series, and I found it to be a strong book. If I was the type to give half stars it would be four and a half stars, and if I had read it when it was published after such a long wait I would have thrown it across the room in disgust at the afterword.

This book focuses on Kings Landing, and A Dance with Dragons focuses on the north and all of the other characters missed out in the fourth book. If I had realised that I might not have read the entirety of the fourth book before the fifth and split my time between the two evenly. The writing was great as ever, and I really enjoyed continuing on with characters we had become close to over the series. Some of the new characters bored me, but others were really enjoyable for me.

In particular, while Adrienne as a character doesn't interest me much, the role Dorne played in this book and some of the history which is revealed was incredibly interesting to me. I can't wait to see more of them. Similarly the Greyjoys are always a delight for me in any of the books, and their increased focus was a real treat.

The ending was a bit lackluster personally. I think the book might have been served better if the last two chapters had been switched around for a more devastating note to end on. However, I think this was because so many characters had shared the same or similar names that I completely forgot the significance of Pate the pig boy until I googled it at the end of the book. The similar names is one of my biggest issues with this series as it gets broader. A lot of significant hints are snuck into short moments to be referenced later, and because I lose track of all of the minor characters I don't benefit from those moments.

Highly recommend any fantasy fan to read this series. I cannot wait to complete the series in time for the next season of the show to air.

I picked this up purely based on the rave reviews it has been getting across the bookish internet community. It really held up to those reviews!

Fence follows a young boy trying to become a nationally ranked fencing champion. He faces a lot of prejudice and he has a pretty big chip on his shoulder that he will need to overcome on his journey. So far the world hasn't really been fleshed out yet, but it is vibrant and engaging so far. I think the second volume will hopefully develop the characters more because currently that is lacking for me. The art is gorgeous and I really liked seeing all the alternate covers at the end of the volume.

I am excited for the volumes to come and I think this will be a series I will try to keep up with as it is published.

I loved this, I felt there was no dip in quality from the first volume. The only reason it gets four stars over five is because it didn't make me immediately pick up the next volume.

I am finding this book particularly hard to rate.

Neverworld Wake follows 5 teenagers who awake in a a middle space between life and death, and as the synopsis says they must decide which one of them gets to live. There is a lot more to the plot, but to reveal much more would be unfair to how the plot reveals in the book.

Like other reviews I have seen of this book, I feel the way the plot reveals is possibly the best part of the book. I found the characters to be irritating and unrealistic, but over the course of the book I became endeared to them. If the book had been any longer I think I would have got sick of them, but as it was the story was tightly plotted it wasn't so annoying.

I can see why everyone loves it, but I can definitely see why others have issues. I would recommend this book for nothing more than the experience of reading it. It was a wild ride, and I loved every minute of discovering what the hell was going on.