story_goblin's reviews
348 reviews

A Pirate's Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

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adventurous funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

So cozy and fun :)
Heir to the Empire: The 20th Anniversary Edition by Timothy Zahn

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really enjoyed all the notes throughout that were added for the 20th anniversary edition. Also, I wouldn’t necessarily call the characters “lovable”, but they are interesting and fully developed. Zahn’s style always involves a fair bit of set-up, so I’ve found that the pacing feels slow at first, but then, somewhere between 1/4-1/3 of the way in, you are suddenly completely immersed in the story. 
The Rift, Part 3 by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Gene Luen Yang

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4.0

Critical Role: Bells Hells — What Doesn't Break by Cassandra Khaw

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dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

It's almost impossible to pick a favorite Bells Hells character, but if I was forced to, I'd say Laudna. I've been super excited for this book since it was announced. Robbie and the others did an impeccable job narrating, as always. The story is heartbreaking in the best possible way, and it was wonderfully executed. Maybe it was a little slow in places, but the pacing was good overall. I want more! I wish they'd do a collection of short stories of Imogen and Laudna traveling together.
The Rift, Part 2 by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Gene Luen Yang

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4.0

The Rift, Part 1 by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Gene Luen Yang

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adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

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challenging dark funny hopeful reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Extremely unique, wildly vivid, and perfectly grotesque in all aspects. Several elements of being human are exaggerated and then dissected before being pinned in a display case. And yet, it is ultimately hopeful. 
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

The core premise/the magical realism element is a really fascinating idea, but the book fails to really deliver. I think the characterization is the weakest element. All the main characters are really defined by one main trait (Nell is Stubborn, for example). Because the characters are not fully fleshed out,
as each person adds their pieces of the story, there are no unique voices; it sounds like more narration instead of a character speaking.
I also found most of the mystery elements not very mysterious. If the intention was to use dramatic irony to build tension, I don’t think it worked due to the lack of strong characterization.
I absolutely clocked both secret identities and how the villain was moving unseen way early and, instead of building tension, it slowed the story down as I waited for the characters to catch on.
Lastly, I feel like some of the characters’ motivations were not well explained. 
City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda

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adventurous funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really liked the idea of this story, but it just takes a really long time for things ti start happening.
The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book was very slow to start. I don't think I got truly invested in the characters, the main plot, OR the mystery element until roughly half to two-thirds of the way into the book. I was planning to give it 3 stars because I still really liked the idea of the book even if I felt like it was too slowly executed, but the last 3rd of the book was compelling enough to raise it to 3.75 stars.