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the---hermit · 1 year

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How We Read Now by Naomi S. Baron

I don't know where this book review will go, but to be honest I can predict it will kinda look like a rant at some point, because me and this book got beef. The worse 25 euros I have ever had to spend for uni. This is one of the books I have to study for my history of libraries and reading class, and if it weren't for that I would have dnf-ed this pretty quickly.

This is a non-fiction book that focuses on the differences between physical, digital and audiobooks. Its aim is to analize data to conclude on which is the best option for learning. It is said that the audience it is aimed at is made of teachers, educators and parents. I don't know if it was reading it from a student perspective, but the tone of the author felt so patronizing. It was incredibly annoying, and the worse thing is that I agree with a good amount of what the author is writing about, but the tone was so annoying it made it difficult to read and to agree with. There's so many things I didn't like about this book, I don't even know if I'll remember all of them. The general critique I have read about this book is that it's pretty dry, because there's a lot of statistics, and technical stuff about researches and analysis they did. It's true, but it's not the worse part of the book in my oprion. Firstly this book is so repetitive it hurts. If you could eliminate all the times the author adds unnecessary lines to say "as we have said in chapter x" or "as we will see in chapter y" the book would miss a good 50 pages at least, it was so overdone it made it difficult to focus on what the author was trying to say (and to be honest at a certain point it looked like it was simply a way to make the book longer). And then as if that wasn't enough the chapters in which she tries to give advices on how to have the best results from different types of reading the tips are always more or less the same for all three kinds of books, so again repetitive like crazy. While we are on the topic of these tips let's just say that they are beyond the line of being banal. I spent all that money and time to have someone tell me that to have a productive reading session I have to focus on what I read and minimize the potential distractions. As I mentioned reading it from a student perspective made the tone of the author feel incredibly patronizing, anytime she talks about students it feels like she comes from the point of view that all young people are drowned by technology and social media to the point of being stupid. I am not saying this is the opinion of the author, but it's the feeling I got while reading the entire book, and it was so annoying. Another thing I personally didn't like at all is how this person is trying to find the way™ to get people to read productively, almost without considering that not only everyone has their preferences but depending on what and how you study and who you are things might change drastically. The general idea given by the author is that at the end of the day you should mix mediums but physical books are the best for learning/studying. I do agree, because I prefer physical book, but the way this opinion is carried in the book made me want to disagree just to go against the author. Not the most mature way of dealing with this but that was my natural reaction. Overall the writing annoyed me so much to the point I struggled to focus, and against the author's advices I did way more skimming than close reading because of how repetitive this thing was. I do not recommend at all this book, it's not worth it. Read articles online if you are interested on the topic, this was a waste of money, ans if you couldn't tell I am still very much pissed at this book.

I read this for the non fiction prompt of the 2023 genre bingo.

#bookblr #booklr #2023 book #book #books #non fiction #how we read now #naomi s. baron #bookish #books about books #book cover #book rec #book recommendation #book review #bad book reviews #reading #uni book #mine #the---hermit

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francisfuckingabernathy · 11 months

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Every time anyone says "Oh, god, how you can get into The Secret History? The characters are so awful." I can barely contain the exasperated rage pummeling my body because they literally hit the nail on the head. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE BOOK.

#the secret history #tsh #books #literature #donna tartt #nearly every bad review of the book includes something like this #why must people be so stupid #how can they not realize its satire #SATIRE

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aroaceleovaldez · 6 months

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they girlbossed Sally Jackson

#pjo #pjo tv #riordanverse #sally jackson #this shall be my non-spoiler only review of the show so far #just watched the first two episodes - they were good!#i might make a post about Percy's char so far cause i am very pleasantly surprised so far with the adhd experience vibes #my compliments to the writing team for the good good disabled character rep in this script #very pleased with almost all the characters and plot so far #my only one i'm iffy on is Sally as mentioned ^ they girlbossed her #like. book sally is most defined by her kindness and perseverance. this sally is just kind of. tough. she's tough. girlboss.#which is not necessarily a bad thing? she's still a fine character she's just different #also only semi-spoiler in my review: Chris is there! Love that Chris is there #he's just there! but i am a rogue demigod enjoyer #so his presence alone is appreciated

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readerwithsalt · 1 year

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Sun and the Star Review: (With snippets from the book)

Since I just finished The Sun and the Star I’m just gonna say the first thing I have a problem with is the TELLING and NOT SHOWING.

• And I was wondering if anyone thought that they made Will super lame and ooc compared to previous cooler depictions of him. Like he’s supposed to be Super Chill under pressure and the Calm Dude but he’s so WHINY the entire book. He’s constantly complaining, judging, screaming, crying or sleeping. The cool, chill vibe Will had before is gone which was one of the things I liked about him before.

• someone else said ‘Tsats Will thinks there’s something wrong with Nico, something wrong with his personality. Will thinks Nico needs to be “fixed” and “healed” and so he can be “normal” and then Nico will be actually appealing to Will. Tsats Will may love some parts of Nico (or at least thinks he loves some parts of Nico). But there are more parts of Nico that Will finds unsavory or unnerving or scary or unsettling or unsatisfactory or unappealing’ I agree sadly

• Like he tells Nico in the beginning of the book that he’s just as capable of survival as Nico (which I snorted at cause no) and then is the hugest burden I’ve ever seen on a quest EVER in a riordan book. Like Nico tries to lift Will up every time he passes out from ‘lack of sun’ (which is so stupid btw) and Nico can’t lift him up cause he’s not strong enough so he’s constantly WAITING on Will. And it’s really boring to read about how every few seconds Nico has to turn around and let his boyfriend catch up.

I think Will’s character could have shined and been more likable in a completely different plot and quest.

Like, I thought since they weren’t giving Will any weapons that his strengths would lie in being the fast athletic character that didn’t need a magic item in order to show off…

• the whole ‘role reversal’ caretaker thing made Will look completely useless. Nico did 80 percent of the work and Will sadly fell flat. I thought he was coming along to keep Nico safe and to heal him when he got injured but Nico was pretty much doing almost every job. It was like he was riding Nico’s coattails to become a ‘hero’ and prove himself. But he didn’t really prove anything except that he complains a lot when things get rough.

They didn’t give Will a character weapon (even Piper has one and she doesn’t fight that much. Neither does Leo and he at least uses a hammer) they made him exhausted the whole book so he didn’t have his normal physical strength, his backstory was also pretty boring.

• and Will keeps randomly getting irritated at Nico bc Nicos irritated at him. Like?? Your shitting on his underworld home every chance you get. I’d be irritated too.

• in previous books he’s described as an archer. Even tho Leo calls him ‘the archer dude’ in TLH he suddenly doesn’t know how to use a bow AT ALL. He only said he wasn’t as good as his siblings not that he was complete shit at it. Previously he used a bow and had a dagger in BOO. Also will randomly says he never wanted to be a fighter and loved healing but in previous books he’s insecure about just that. Also the book forgets Will is a BATTLEFIELD MEDIC. Like he can fight and heal just like Apollo.

• Will whines constantly. And it’s grating and annoying to read. Either about the lack of sun (you knew what you were getting into dumbass) or the dead people walking around or about Nico’s horrible ‘darkness’ that he has to heal. It’s like he never thinks of Nicos feelings when he says stuff. And there little ‘fights’ end unsatisfactory.

• The vibe of Camp-Half-Blood is nonexistent. It does not feel like camp at all. It feels like we’re in a 12 year olds fanfic mind. ALL of the campers are gone even though it’s been established MANY are orphans and we see no beloved background characters and background chaos that makes us smile like in the past books. It made me surprisingly more depressed than I thought it would.

• it’s also missing the mystique of a quest. Like going up to the big house to have the quest recited around a table full of cabin counselor demigods all fighting to be the third member to prove themself a hero (mostly the ares cabin) no matter how important a quest in pjo was for Percy Chiron ALWAYS enforced certain rules. Even if they broke later on.

• Loose Ends. Reyna is. Not. Mentioned. Once. It never comes up how Nico feels about his big sister friend joining the hunters like his other one did even tho in BOO he tore apart a courtyard cause they took her. The girl whose shoulder he cried into, the girl who was with him during his last quest. The girl who thought of him as a little brother and tucked him in her cape and said he resembled his surname as he slept.

Hazel is mentioned… but it’s literally just a couple shallow mentions that don’t have anything to do with the fact that he may not ever see her again if he revisits Tartarus. He mentions his beloved little sister who was the actual first light in his life (don’t know why the book says Will is) in a long time only once and it’s because he can’t remember something and thinks Hazel would?? It’s weird that he iris messages Piper at the end instead of Hazel. I thought that’s what he was going to do and then it was just a big cringe fest of Piper shoved in at the end talking about the label of her sexuality?? Like we actually care??

And It’s never stated that Nico finds out where Jason is even though HE SHOULD KNOW. He literally talks to Beckendorf and Luke when they die in pjo to find out where they went but he can’t figure out where his best friend is??

Also at the end of the book it says Nico still hasn’t redecorated his cabin even though he told Jason he was going to a YEAR AGO bc the ‘decor was disgusting’ (I think that was the worst loose end not fixed 😂)

Every other relationship of Nicos is thrown away so he can admire Will Solace’s mediocrity. who’s kinda a loser in this tbh….

• The Percabeth scene was weird. What relevance does sally jackson have to Nico’s story? Why did he have to go all the way to Percy’s bedroom to iris message him?? And the fact he uses the ship name Percabeth to describe them (which he’d never done in previous books) proves a cringe fan is the one writing this.

The fact that they don’t OFFER TO HELP Nico is ooc of them. Bc even if Percy wants to chill at college he would never want Nico to clean up his mess without offering his help. Also the fact that Percy turns to Annabeth and says ‘oh man I forgot about him’ is like… WHAT?? And they just say oh yea if anyone can get through Tartarus it’s you two.

To Will who’s never been on a quest and doesn’t fight (at least in this book) that’s a weird thing to say. Percy and annabeth only survived bc they’ve fought together FOR YEARS. And bc of Percy’s big three power. It was just a forced add in cameo. Would’ve been better if they didn’t know till the end that Nico got Bob out and then they suddenly see Bob in an iris message and start crying or something…

• it broke my heart that Nico gave his SKULL RING to Will. The last gift from Bianca Nico ever got and he gives it to someone that doesn’t even appreciate his element.

And what does Nico get in return? A coin. I mean, an engraved coin but still. It’s kinda symbolic of the relationship. Nico giving Will something of such RELEVANCE to Nico’s character, something he’s always described with wearing and then Nico receiving a token in turn.

• Will asks Persephone how he’s SUPPOSED TO LOVE NICO. Like I almost blew up my house with me in it at that part. It never feels like Will is as attracted to Nico as Nico is to him. Nico instigates every kiss (which is ooc of him and his reservedness to touch). It seems Will likes to look at others a lot because one of Nicos insecurities were of him staring at fucking Paolo. While being right next to his boyfriend, Will checks out other people… Like Nico deserves so much better. He at least deserves respect.

I would’ve appreciated Nico and Ghost Jason way more than this shit. At least Jason described Nico better and they weren’t even dating. And I liked Solangelo before this. Will never describes physical attributes that he likes about Nico the same way Nico does about Will. Like Nicos inky dark eyes and baby bat winged hair, and his smile that is apparently like winter sun breaking through snow flurries, and his hair smelling pleasantly of rain against stone (I think Apollo is more attracted to Nico than Will is). But Nico has to call Will hot every five min.

• Also I simply don’t understand the idea that Will being away from the sun would drain him to the point where he can’t keep up with NICO’S WALKING PACE within a couple hours. Like the super athletic, physically strong character that can lift Nico over his shoulders and run with him (and Rachel in TON) walks into the underworld and has to be healed by a stupid portable night light within five minutes.

• Don’t even get me started on his JUDGINESS. I always pictured Will as the guy at camp that thought Nicos powers were cool and stuff, right? And now he just judges every ‘dark’ thing nico does like darkness is synonymous with evil. And only his light can heal him. I HATED that trope and honestly thought they would make him more original. But I have to say it: he was so boring. Like in a way that made my stomach hurt.

• Wills kind of a jerk in this. Like it’s weird to read.

• The PACING. It was off the whole book. The only part i enjoyed was the part where they didn’t know they were dreaming (that part got me) but that was it. But like gorgras scene keeps overlapping with the rest of the story and I kept forgetting my place. The fact that riordan or oshiro or whatever 12 year old fan wrote this put the words FLASHBACK & DREAM SEQUENCE over the chapters gave it SERIOUS fanfic vibes. The pacing is simply not suspenseful enough for a place like Tartarus.

• And do NOT get me started on Tartarus. Okay I’ll say it anyway: it wasn’t scary AT ALL. LIKE ANY OTHER QUEST. Actually it seemed easier than other previous quests which is a big nope. Hades might as well have sent him to Target.

• And about the fact that is was HADES who gave him that prophecy is SO OOC of him. He loves Nico. Nico is probably Hades most favorite child ever as of right now and he sends him horrible nightmares, and a prophecy respouted 12 times to get him to save Bob (whom Hades could care less about btw) and go back to a place that he knows haunts Nico every day MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE!

Also HOW did hades give Rachel that prophecy? He has no power over the Oracle of Delphi.

• Maria and Bianca MAKE NO SENSE! How in the hell is there any piece of thier souls left when Hades gave Maria ancient rites and was the one soul Nico was not allowed to see and Bianca reincarnated. WHICH WAS FORGOTTEN BTW. NOW SHES BACK IN ELYSIUM?? Like?? Like maybe I could see Hades letting Nico see a piece of Maria but Bianca is literally GONE forever.

Nico was ooc. Like not too badly but still bad. But the fact that Will didn’t let Nico shadow travel even once irks me. The fact Will didn’t let him summon Jules Albert irks me. The fact that Will kept brushing off nicos feeling about the underworld irks me. The fact that Will called Persephone the most beautiful PERSON he’d ever seen right in nicos face and then asked his (insecure) boyfriend if he was jealous irks me. The fact that Will is BORING AS FUCK irks me

• And the COMING OUT story. Horridly ooc. Nico shouting to the whole camp he’s gay and getting all the other kids to come out too is like??? and apparently he asked out Will before Will had even come out?? Nico would NEVER do that. Especially since not long before Cupid had done the same to him. And apparently Nico is like the first out character in a MODERN GREEK camp with DIONYSUS as a director. No.

In character Nico would’ve shadow traveled back to his cabin or the woods the moment he figured out what was happening.

• the nicknames are extremely cringe. Little ball of darkness is used to much and it made me itch. I think Will simply calling him babe or something would’ve been simpler and made them seem more like a real couple instead of a caricature of light and dark.

• ‘he’d always been the demigod who WOULDNT eat.’ ………..what the actual fuck is this. Nicos always been naturally skinny but being starved in jar is what messed up his hunger. Not that he WOULDNT eat. Why is everything always his fault in this book?

Like, he didn’t ‘LET’ himself get to the point of starvation over and over. I mean first of all he became homeless at ten years old, probably had to steal food items. And most recently he got KIDNAPPED by TWO GIANTS and starved forcibly. And then when he got out he was under so much stress of what just happened to him in Tartarus, the war with Gaea, his forced outing, and having to lug an enormous statue ACROSS THE WORLD. but nah, I guess he just LET all of that stuff happen to him

• the references are BAD. Out of touch bad. Unfunny and the joke never becomes a joke. It’s never explained how a kid from the 1930s knows how to use the internet and look up lil nas x in a camp that doesn’t use any technology. Doesn’t explain how Nico knows about Care Bear powers (I didn’t even know that) and the beginning scene with the Star Wars ‘joke’ set a weird tone for the book and wasn’t even funny.

• I hated the cocoa puff demons coming to live with Nico. Like I was fine they got created ig even tho it was weird and kinda dumb but the fact that Nico is so keen to have his worst memories and insecurities sleep in bed with him makes no sense once again. In character Nico would’ve burned them with hellfire.

• Also Nyx is a unfathomably weak villain. A PRIMORDIAL GODDESS that even ZEUS fears is taken down in two seconds. Also she’s just trying to get Nico ‘accept his darkness’. WHICH HE ALREADY HAS DONE. The moment he called himself The Ghost King in battle of the labyrinth at eleven years is when he truly accepted his powers and who he was. So… why is she even in the book in the first place??

• Also Will STILL insists it’s Nicos fault he wasn’t accepted. And that it was all in his head….

Also Micheal Yew was simply never mentioned again. Neither was lee fletcher. If they were I missed it.

There were a COUPLE of cute parts and lines but really this is simply too weird (and bad) to be canon to me. This book is just not canon. I see it as fanfiction from a random author that riordan probably let write the entire book or at least most of it. I think sadly riordan put his name on this for money and for fanservice because the writing is first draft material.

(And it kind of feels like they got this version of Nico and Will from cringy meme posts about them. Like, you know the ones where Nico’s all like ‘I am darkness, i am a vampire’ and Wills all like ‘come on, my uwu baby, no more shadowtravel for you, doctors orders~’ 🤣😭)

just because they thought that’s what the twelve year olds wanted and not realizing that a lot of those posts are simply made as a joke and not actually taken seriously in canon…. And that most people in the fandom thinks those are bad cringeposts

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starrynightsxo · 2 months

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jameson hawthorne, you have had 3 interactions with the main character, HOW ARE YOU ALREADY IN MY WALLS???

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nashvillethotchicken · 26 days

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Some Iwtv fans will seriously fight tooth and nail to argue that Armand is more evil or Lestat is more evil as if both them bitches aren't going to the hell under hell and then to the hell right under that one!

#no funny shit them niggas are evil #literally everyone in the show and on the cast crew interviewers reviewers will say armand is just as abusive as lestat and here come -#some tomfool name devilminionsthrownoutusedcondom saying no he not #boffum got something wrong with them!!!!!!!!#you see either of them you gotta just pray they dont think u cute cus no therapy could save you aside from a lobotomy #armand had a whole slave in the books!#ARMAND LIVE IN A PENTHOUSE IN DUBAI. ALL OTHER SHIT ASIDE YOU KNOW WHAT TYPE OF MF YOU GOTTA BE TO DO THAT?#lestat put his hands on women!!#like i love them both but them niggas are not good in any sense of the word #the way we know god aint real is cus neither have been struck by lightning yet for their myriad of crimes against bad bitches #interview with the vampire #iwtv #amc iwtv #lestat de lioncourt #armand iwtv #the vampire armand #iwtv 2022

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k-nonsense · 1 year

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My updated rankings/reviews of all the k dramas I have seen so far (up to 55 now). I would recommend any show I gave a C grade or higher, which is most of them. I bolded recently added shows.

1. Hometown Cha Cha Cha: An absolute masterpiece. It’s a heartwarming fish out of water story about a big city girl who finds herself in the quirkiest little seaside town. I wanted to stay in Gongjin forever. Grade: A+(Netflix)

2. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (S1): Delightful! Never have I ever rooted for a lead harder. She is the most endearing lead you will ever find. And the male lead is so so swoony. Grade: A+(Netflix)

3. Alchemy of Souls: The wildest of rides and the perfect blend of fantasy, adventure, mystery, comedy, and romance. The characters are just so lovable, you’ll never want it to end. Season 2 just as good as Season 1. Grade: A+ (Netflix)

4. Lovely Runner: the most beautiful love story ever told. ImSol and Sunjae forever! In every timeline! My only wish is that the drama would never end. Grade A (Viki)

5. My Demon: This show had me utterly enthralled, it was so mysterious and suspenseful and yet incredibly goofy and romantic. My new favorite main couple in all KDrama land. Yes it wasn’t perfect but I enjoyed it so much, it really encapsulated everything I love in a tv show. Grade: A (Netflix)

6. Love To Hate You: New fastest binge of my life. 10 episodes and I didn’t fast forward at all. There were no bad/slow parts. Also the funniest KDrama I’ve ever seen. Just watch it. You won’t regret it. Grade A+ (Netflix).

7. Business Proposal: It’s got every trope you can think of and it does them all to perfection. Plus it’s hilarious. Grade: A (Netflix)

8. Healer: This super romantic action mystery drama will keep you on the edge of your seat. Ji Chang Wook is equal parts sexy and adorable which is a seriously winning combination. Grade A (Viki). One caveat: I was very disappointed by a certain wardrobe decision in episode 3.

9.Her Private Life: Super funny and charming. The romantic leads have incredible chemistry. The premise is so good! Might be the one of the most rewatchable kdramas. Grade: A (Netflix)

10. Castaway Diva: Just utterly heartwarming. An instant classic. Ultimate underdog, redemption, story that teaches us what real love and family is. Also Ki-Ho is the new standard by which all men will be judged. Grade: A (Netflix)

11. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung: Great strong female lead. Very good messages. Couldn’t stop watching. The most adorable prince I’ve ever seen 💜Cha Eunwoo💜 Grade: A (Netflix)

12. Bad Prosecutor: Absolutely thrilling and hilarious. It’s like a heist, detective, lawyer, action comedy that will keep you wondering who is outsmarting who? Super shocking plot twists. Amazing OST. Stuck the landing with a truly satisfying finale. Grade A (Viki)

13. Sh**ting Stars: Probable the biggest turnaround of any show I’ve seen (The “Africa” part was so problematic). However it turned out to be one of the funniest and swooniest KDramas out there. There are 5 couples and you will cheer for all of them. Grade: A- (Viki)

14. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon: The main couple is absolutely everything! Just fast forward through pretty much every side plot (they are not important) and you’ll love it. Grade: A- (Viki)

15. So I Married the Anti-Fan: It’s campy, fluffy, goodness, with a fierce female lead and a K-pop star enemy/love interest. 2nd fastest binge of my life. Grade: A- (Viki)

16. 100 Days My Prince: An absolute classic period drama romcom. Who knew D.O. could kiss like that? Such a great strong female lead. I LOVE a show with adorable, quirky, townspeople. Grade: A- (Netflix)

17. Romance is a Bonus Book: Might be the most romantic K-Drama I’ve ever seen. Nothing about the trailer or setup intrigued me but I’m so glad I watched it anyway. It was a truly beautiful love story. Grade: A- (Netflix)

18. Because This Is My First Life: This drama really does everything right for me… A slow burn romance built on mutual love and respect. Supporting characters who I genuinely cared about and had incredible side stories of their own. A critique of the patriarchy. Women supporting women. An adorable cat. Maybe a bit melodramatic at times but not too much. Grade A- (Netflix)

19. Start-Up: Exceptional acting, compelling storylines, intriguing plot twists, great cinematography, intense love triangle. It’s just all around high quality. Grade: A- (Netflix)

20. Run On: Cute, fun, silly and pretty light. I especially loved the supporting cast. Strange storyline but it was a fun easy ride. Grade: A- (Netflix)

21. Forbidden Marriage: This is a weird show, but weird in the best way. It’s like a comedy, horror, romance, fictional-historical. I don’t know how to describe it but it’s really fun. B+(Viki)

22. Soundtrack #1: Short and beautiful. I just loved it. No one does heart eyes better than Park Hyung-Sik. Grade: B+(Disney+)

23. Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo: A bad-ass yet vulnerable female lead. The main couple just had a lot of fun together. Refreshing. Grade: B+ (Viki)

24. Doctor Slump: This show was a really nice journey of both mental health and romance. Grade: B+ (Netflix)

25. Welcome to Samdalri: Very heartwarming and beautiful story about love, family, friendship, and going home. It has quirky townspeople and Ji Chang Wook 😍 what’s not to love? Grade: B+ (Netflix)

26. My Lovely Liar: Creative and engaging premise, intriguing mystery, and a swoon worthy romance. A very fun viewing experience. Grade: B+ (Viki)

27. King the Land: This drama pretty much has no stakes or conflict and the main couple has THE MOST chemistry I have ever seen in my entire life. So if you just want to turn your brain off and be happy, this is the drama for you. I absolutely loved it. Grade: B+ (Netflix)

28.Law Cafe: This drama has so much to love, a strong/fierce/brilliant and morally righteous female lead, lovable side characters, steamy romance. But what I loved most was how the show spotlighted important issues like consent and abuse in nuanced and progressive ways. Yes it’s a fun rom-com but it felt like the beginning of a new chapter of more egalitarian storytelling which made me really excited for the future of k-dramas. Grade: B+ (Viki)

29. Not Others: A lovely Gilmore Girls type show about the relationship between an immature mother and her very mature adult daughter. It was a pleasure seeing them grow in their relationships with each other, others, and themselves. I want more! Grade B+ (Viki)

30. Cheer Up: Sports, comedy, romance, mystery, suspense, coming of age, this show had everything. The female lead was the lovable, feisty, driven, and brave. The male lead was adorkable, considerate, and sweet. It’s all very enjoyable and wholesome. Grade: B+ (Viki)

31. I Am Not A Robot: Zany premise but it was surprisingly pretty grounded for how crazy the set up was. It’s funny, emotional, good story telling. Great character development. Grade: B+ (Viki)

32. See You in My 19th Life: The shared experience of watching this mystical mystery drama week to week made it a really enjoyable watch. Not sure if it was totally satisfying, or that any of the couples’ chemistry felt authentic, but it was a very interesting and creative storyline. Grade B (Netflix)

33. Summer Strike: This show made me cry a lot. It’s heartbreaking yet healing. I’m still not sure if I liked watching it or not but it was a beautiful story of found family. Grade B (Netflix).

34. Shopping King Louie: Adorable! So many light fluffy feels for this show but it does drag a bit in the second half. Grade B (Viki)

35, Fight For My Way: Such lovable leads. Love the fierce female lead and adorable himbo male lead. It’s like a coming of age story but for 30 year olds. Storyline was ok. Second couple was skippable. Grade: B (Viki)

36. What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim: More PSJ is always a good thing. This drama did all the tropes in ways that didn’t always feel fresh, but it was very romantic and hilarious. A true classic. Grade: B (Viki)

37. Touch Your Heart: If you can just stick it out through the first few very shaky episodes, you will enjoy this adorable, fluffy, series. Grade: B- (Netflix)

38. Doom at Your Service: It was sometimes real sad yet ultimately a heart warming mystical story. Grade: B- (Viki)

39. True Beauty: Fun, cute, teen drama however, it’s a little too “antsy teen” for me. Cha Eunwoo though💜 Grade: C+ (Viki)

40. Destined With You: The chemistry between the main couple was absolutely sizzling. Rowoon was both hilarious and next level adorable. However, the plot and the characterization of women occasionally made me very frustrated. Grade: C+ (Netflix).

41. Suspicious Partner: Great story, great characters, attractive actors, beautiful romance, interesting plot, sometimes funny, sometimes suspenseful, but with 40 episodes, the plot was dragged. Grade C+ (Viki)

42. Crash Landing On You: The first half is GREAT but the second half is way too melodramatic for my taste. It’s a very interesting storyline, the main couple has insane chemistry, and there are very lovable side characters. Grade: C+ (Netflix)

43. Secret Romantic Guesthouse: First few episodes were a fun scooby gang mystery, middle episodes were super boring, last 3 episodes were crazy fast paced and thrilling. It ended well- I’ll give it that. Grade: C (Viki)

44. Dear.M: It was inoffensive and decently entertaining. If you like school dramas, you’ll probably enjoy it. Grade: C (Viki).

45. A Good Day To Be A Dog: The storyline is bonkers but very intriguing. It started off so well but the storyline lost its way in the back half. But hey, Cha Eunwoo + dogs, it’s worth the watch. Grade: C (Viki).

46. Angel’s Last Mission: Love: This drama was very similar to Doom At Your Service but it was more a bit more redundant with all of the tragedy and crying. I LOVED the chemistry of the main couple but I found myself fast forwarding a lot. Grade: C- (Viki)

47. Marry My Husband: Episodes 1-11 were phenomenal. Such an interesting premise with shocking twists and turns. After episode 11 it seemed like there were new writers who had never seen the show. Very disappointing but top tier villains. Grade: C-

48. Our Beloved Summer: I LOVED V’s “Christmas Tree” OST however I struggled to keep watching. Boring storyline but great acting. Grade: D+ (Netflix)

49. Heavenly Idol: An absolute hot mess. It was completely convoluted and just low quality but I also weirdly liked it. I can’t bring myself to rank it higher because I know how bad it was but I actually enjoyed it better than many shows I ranked ahead of it. Grade: D+ (Viki)

50. My Secret Romance: The story of a total screw up female lead falling for a manipulative, gaslighting, hottie. It was problematic yet fun? So 🤷‍♀️ Grade: D+ (Netflix)

51. My Man Is Cupid: Pros: many cute dogs, sometimes those dogs wear human clothes, cute ending. Cons: Makes no sense, not much chemistry, murder plot takes up too much time. Grade D+ (Prime).

52. She Would Never Know: As handsome as Rowoon is, I found his character problematic at the beginning (no means no buddy) but he did get a lot better as the show went on. I just ended up skipping to watch just the scenes with the main couple, which made the show way more enjoyable. Grade D (Netflix)

53. My Love From the Star: I found myself fast forwarding a lot through all the parts that didn’t involve the main couple and most of the flashbacks. Grade D (Viki)

54. Goblin: The age gap is too disturbing for me, like call the police disturbing. However, the Grim Reaper who is one of the most adorable characters I’ve ever seen. Grade: D- (Viki)

55. Extra-Ordinary You: I have never felt so betrayed by a second half of a series as I did in this one. All of the character development that it seemed to be leading to was replaced by a pretty sickening codependent relationship. Grade: D- (Viki).

Currently Watching: Going Seventeen, Ateez Wanteez

Dramas I’m Thinking About Watching: Gaus Electronics, Bad and Crazy, Hospital Playlist, Another Miss Oh, Oh My Venus, My Roommate is Gumiho, She Was Pretty, Crash Course in Romance, Soundtrack #2

Dramas I just couldn’t Finish (I’m sorry I tried): Today’s Webtoon, Once Upon a Small Town, Love in Contract, Hotel Del Luna, Kings Affection, Record of Youth, Behind Your Touch, Sparkling Watermelon, Tale of Nine Tailed 1938, Strong Girl Nam Soon, The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract, Wedding Impossible

What are your thoughts on these shows? Do you agree or disagree with my rankings? Any k-romcom recommendations that are not on the list yet?

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asexualbookbird · 6 months

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on one hand i wish past me would have written SOMETHING about books they didn't like

on the other hand, its very funny to open up a review and see this

and i stand by it

#bookbird babbles #yes i am looking at other bad books i read thanks for asking #i think i actually wrote that review in an actual notebook lol

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godzilla-reads · 8 months

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🐸 Good Faeries/ Bad Faeries by Brian Froud

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I meant to read Froud’s book “Faeries” first since that is his definitive collection of Faerie lore, but I acquired this one first and I was too impatient to wait. Anyway! This lovely and fun book is filled to the brim with Froud’s art and thoughtful descriptions as he brings life to the faeries around him, you, and me.

Particularly, I liked the Frog Queen the best, although I often see her counterpart- the Toad Queen- in my own yard.

#godzilla reads #good faeries bad faeries #Brian froud #book review #good faeries/bad faeries #reading #book blog #faeries #fairy books #fairycore #bookworm #booklr #bookish

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the---hermit · 1 year

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The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I read this book because I wanted to read a lighter fantasy novel to get me in the mood to actually continue The Witcher book series, plus I was intrigued by how many people love this book. It was not good, I really did not enjoy my time with it. I will admit part of this is on me, because I know that YA isn't usually my jam, but I wanted to give it a try, and sometimes I do like some YAs. This was not the case. Firstly a bit on the plot, although if you have been online for the past couple of years you probably have seen this book everywhere. We follow Jude, a human girl, who was brought to Faerie alongside her twin sister and their older half sister who is part fae. The focus of the book is famously enermies to lovers trope that happens between Jude and Cardan, a young prince of this land. The romance part of the book is very little, which I liked, as the plot tries to focus on the political aspect of things in Faerie. The thing I disliked the most was the main character, I really did not like her. She falls under the not-like-other-girls cathegory and is overall so annoying. Her way of narrating everything was frustrating, she always played the victim in every scenario, it was a painful experience to read. Of course me disliking the MC so much does not help at all my overall opinion of the book, but there's a few more things I didn't like. I felt like the narration sometimes was a bit weird, there was a few descriptions that were confusing. Avoiding spoilers there's one scene for example in which a character is described to be tied up, but then a couple of their movements are described as they if they were pretty much free, and then again it's said that they are bound. And this is just one example. There's also another thing which I realized at the end, so many actions ofthe MC have zero consequences which makes everything even less believable (I'll talk about it under the cut in the spoiler-y section). I liked the idea of a fantasy novel set in a world of faes, there was potential, but this book was overall not for me. What convinces me of the fact that the story had potential is that at the end I am curious to know how certain things will progress in the next two books, although I hated the main character so much. Another thing I really disliked, and that had a lot of potential in my opinion, is having twin characters. That could have started a really interesting narrative exposing how two similar people can react to the same situation in totally different ways. Instead the overall narration seems from the very beginning to yell at the reader that Jude is the superior sister, because she is a fighter (she is impulsive and has anger problems, which could have also been a great thing to talk about because she has all the rights to be angry, but at the end that's only used to make her "cool"), instead her twin is always exposed as weak, in need of protection, not independent, with no explanation of why she might be like that. What I didn't like is that from the very beginning you can tell that the author didn't think much of this twin, who is just there to oppose Jude and make her the cool edgy one, I guess. I could go on on why I didn't like the book, but I'll stop, I would really love to know what were the reasons people who read this book liked it so much, as I said clearly this book wasn't for me, but if so many people loved it there must be something to it I missed.

As mentioned under the cut there's a small spoiler-y section so consider yourselves warned.

I read this book for the twin character prompt of the winter reading challenge

In this spoiler section I want to explain a bit better what I mean when I say that Jude's actions had no consequences. I am thinking about mainly two scenes. Firstly Jude litteraly commits murder inside her house, the house of a general, and no one hears, but whatever. Let's also skip on how she managed to hide a corpes by herself, which seems highly improbable. There are no consequences to this action other than her getting a couple of bruises and her not having Valerian bother her anymore. No one seems to notice one of the sons of Gentry has disappeard, no one. I understand that the reing is going through a lot, but nor his family or his friends seem to give a shit about him disappearing out of the blue, and of course there's not consequences for Jude. Another action of hers that has zero consequences, and to be honest I have yet to understand how that was useful to the general plot of the book (although it may come up on one of the next novels of the series, but I doubt it), is her kidnapping a human servant from Balekin's palace. She gets this girl out of the place and back to her senses, for no reason, when she is supposed to just spy and lay low, and has her kill herself because of the trauma of realizing what happened to her. We are then told that the girl is brought back to life by those who live in the waters, and that's it, nothing happens. No one realizes this servant has disappeard, which is more believable than the Valerian thing, but this girl being brought back to life has no real impact on Jude. When we learn that she is alive again, I expected some sort of confrontation between the two, something that maybe would have endangered Jude's position, but nope, nothing happens. It would have been the same if the girl remained dead, and it would have been the same if Jude had not tried to save her. It's things like these that contributed to me really not liking the book, because at the end of the day it felt like the book wasn't curated enough, and if it were it could have been much better. Anyway I think I dragged this poor book enough, so I'll stop here.

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dateamonster · 6 months

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to get more to the actual point, im watching crow callers video on the lightlark sequel and it made me go like. why do these kinds of color-by-numbers ya romances and their badboy romantic leads so continuously tear down the protags agency in a way thats framed as desirable? like why is it considered appealing when the guy pressures the girl to wear something way more revealing than shes comfortable with? why does the protag keep getting into these like almost comically uncomfortable sounding sexual situations by complete accident? most of all, what is the reader supposed to get out of this?

and like i think my Game Theory here is that these books' audience is mostly girls and young women who are interested in intimacy but also kind of terrified and at least a little ashamed of it, so the fantasy of a kind of intimacy that happens against-their-will-but-not-really and therefor makes them blameless for their enjoyment of it is highly appealing.

part of me feels like i should find that more messed up than i do, and i suppose i do sometimes, but mostly it hits me in the way of like figuring out how eating candy triggers your brain to make more dopamine. is it healthy? probably not always. certainly not if its the only thing you consume. but i cant rly begrudge ppl wanting to feel happy even its through mildly unhealthy means. i too enjoy feeling happy every now and again believe it or not.

#off topic #ungodly screeching #lowkey hoping this doesnt turn out to be some super obvious analysis that everyone on earth already knows except me :9 #i just watch a lot of these bad/mid book reviews where the reviewer will comment on some prevalent trope or other #and always like just sorta mentioned but not rly examined #and i like examining!!

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jayteacups · 10 months

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Fanfic readers seem to forget that commenting unsolicited ‘advice’ or ‘con crit’ (which quite often isn’t even constructive it’s usually just a nasty hate comment) or backhanded compliments or ranking fics etc etc is not the same as commenting those things about a published book. And I’m tired of people thinking that it’s the same thing.

Fanfic writers don’t make money off of their fics, so they don’t owe readers anything. It’s purely a passion project, and leaving a hate comment is pointless and wasteful because it cost you nothing to read it in the first place. Fanfiction is free, and it costs you nothing to click the ‘back’ button if you don’t like what you’re reading.

Published authors do make a living off of their writing, so they have to write something that will sell. This is why tradpub has a rigorous editing process, this is why beta and sensitivity readers are absolutely essential. Constructive advice and criticism whilst the book is being worked on is absolutely needed to make the book worth a reader’s time and money. And after the book is published, it will be reviewed. It will get good reviews and it will get bad reviews, because reviews are by readers for readers, to let potential readers figure out whether or not that book is something they’d enjoy, and therefore they can make an informed decision whether it is worth their time and money. Published authors do owe their readers quality work because they’re profiting off of their reader’s interest and enjoyment in their work.

Leaving a hate comment on a fanfic is not the same. People don’t pay to read fics, because it’s not an industry. It costs you nothing to click on an AO3 link, so the writer doesn’t owe you shit. Fics are tagged (or at least they should be), so you should be able to tell whether or not it’s worth giving it a read. And if it’s not, simply click out, and block if you need to. Write your own damn fic if none of the existing ones satisfy you. Leaving a hate comment won’t help you, and unnecessarily hurts the author’s feelings when fanfic is about fun and enjoyment and self indulgence. It costs you nothing to not be a dickhead.

#i’m so tired of seeing this surge of hate comments and unsolicited criticism #people seem to think it’s the same as leaving a bad review about a published book. no it’s not #published books are at the end of the day PRODUCTS so that’s why reviews and bad comments are quite standard #fanfic is not a product nobody is profiting #fanfiction #tw discourse

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rebelsofshield · 4 months

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Updated Canon Star Wars Shows Ranking

The Bad Batch's third and final season begins tomorrow! What better time to take stock of how the series is currently stacking up against the nine other canon series' in the Star Wars sag.

(As always, please feel free to sound off in the replies or reblogs with how wrong I am. I love hearing your thoughts.)

10. Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett

Oscillating between dull and distracted, the original iconic bucket headed bounty hunter’s show displays Star Wars at its most shallow and routine. Despite claiming to be a Godfather-esque crime saga, The Book of Boba Fett feels oddly toothless and impersonal. In the process, the series does the ultimate disservice of making its title character less interesting at its conclusion than its outset. A great leading duo in Temuera Morrison and Ming-na Wen can’t really save a series that rarely if ever rises above being passable.

9. Star Wars Resistance

A fun, atypical series that aims for a younger audience with a lighter, more comedic tone. Some fans may not gel with its sometimes zany energy, but it boasts some impressively nuanced character arcs and standout aerial combat set pieces. It ends though on an awkward rushed note that may be as much a fault of the shambling structure of the sequel trilogy as the show itself.

8. Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Ewan McGregor’s big return to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi somehow feels like less than the sum of its parts. McGregor is wonderful as the title character and there are some truly emotional moments to be found in watching this old Jedi Master find his purpose and make peace with the trauma that came with the end of the Clone Wars, but overall Kenobi rarely manages to hit the highs it should. Messy production design and some clunky mid-season narrative choices end up cutting the series down in moments when the drama should be at its highest. For a series that may have been the most demanded Star Wars project of the last decade, Obi-Wan Kenobi never manages to fully reach the hype of its fanbase or the potential of its character.

7. Star Wars The Mandalorian

After an uneven but mostly promising first season, The Mandalorian has had trouble finding its footing. Despite being the flagship series for not only Star Wars live action television but also the Disney+ streaming platform, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s space western has seemed unsure of itself after two seasons that pushed back its main characters in favor of a parade of cameos and clunky franchise focused world building. Luckily, it still has an eye for spectacle and flash. The Mandalorian looks like a blockbuster action-adventure movie and even when the story fails to live up to its potential, you can still count on the series’ consistently strong directing talent to deliver on some fantastic moments of Star Wars spectacle and creatively designed characters and locales.

6. Star Wars Ahsoka

One of the most ambitious and complicated offerings from Star Wars’ live action television offerings, Ahsoka is the culmination of not only fifteen years of storytelling but an important evolution of both its central character and her creator, Dave Filoni. Unfortunately, it does frequently buckle under the weight of its own mythology and continuity. Trying to create a coherent identity out of a show that functionally serves as a spin off to three separate series, two of which are animated, often proves difficult and clunky. There are, however, moments of wonder and grandeur when Ahsoka really does shine. Whether its in the phenomenal performance of Ray Stevenson as the series’ enigmatic villain, Baylan Skoll, or how enthusiastically Ahsoka embraces the franchise’s more fantastical and weird story elements, Dave Filoni demonstrates that he does still have a sense for how to tell worthy stories in this galaxy.

5. Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi

Recently confirmed to be more than a one-time special set of animated short films, Tales of the Jedi now looks to be a regular animated anthology that fleshes out the unexplored angles of some of the most famous members of the Order. While the three installments focusing on Ahsoka offer little more than a reunion for fans of The Clone Wars, the miniature trilogy that Tales of the Jedi tells about the fall of Count Dooku to the Dark Side are masterfully written and directed editions to the animated Star Wars canon. Not only do they finally add emotional and philosophical clarity to one of the most famous villains from the Prequel Trilogy, but they provide a murky exploration into some of the Jedi Order’s failings and why exactly members of its ranks would be tempted to leave it behind.

4. Star Wars: The Bad Batch

While it suffers from some of the same pacing issues that abound in almost all Star Wars television, The Bad Batch has evolved into a fun ensemble action series with some truly stellar character moments scattered throughout. In particular, this Clone Wars spinoff excels in diving into the uncertain fate of the Grand Army of the Republic. At its core is the question of what happens to a people bred for wartime when that wartime ends? The results are often tragic and occasionally disturbing, but almost always make for standout television. Throw in some gripping action set pieces and you have a more than worthy follow up to one of the most beloved pieces of Star Wars canon.

3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

A very rough start and scattered snooze worthy story arcs aside, The Clone Wars is an ambitious as hell show that pretty much launched Star Wars as we currently know it. Its anthology style format allowed for its creators to tell a wide variety of stories that not only deepened a previously maligned era of the series but also played tribute to many of George Lucas’s creative influences. Great swing for the fences storytelling risks and gorgeous animation elevate this series into blockbuster level entertainment that balances incredible spectacle with powerful moments of character development and franchise redefining mythology.

2. Star Wars Rebels

A wonderful achievement in character and inventive storytelling, Star Wars Rebels reaches heights that are among the best moments the franchise has ever produced. Through its endearing and refreshingly complex ensemble cast and a tight four-season arc, Rebels feels like a complete, unique package that isn’t afraid to take risks and knows when and how to challenge its audience. Even occasional filler episodes aren’t enough to detract from what is overall a charming, suspenseful, and ultimately moving series of family and the fight against tyranny.

1. Star Wars Andor

Star Wars at its most human and political, Andor is thoughtful and meticulously crafted drama about the early days of a rebellion. Taking its title character from the ashes of Rogue One and spinning off into the story of a complicated man living in the shadow of fascism, Andor offers up intrigue, emotion, and a stirring critique of systems of oppression whether they be from the galaxy far, far away or own humble little world. Even outside of its heady political allegory, Andor is simply fantastically directed and acted television scattering a marathon of all-time-classic Star Wars moments throughout its first season. It’s that rare gem that only seems to come around only once or twice a decade: Star Wars that is not only great within the context of its universe but a truly essential work of pop cultural art.

#Star Wars #review #reviews #The Book of Boba Fett #Star Wars Resistance #Star Wars Rebels #Andor #Star Wars: Andor #Ahsoka #Star Wars: Ahsoka #The Clone Wars #Star Wars: The Clone Wars #The Bad Batch #Star Wars: The Bad Batch #Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi #The Mandalorian #Star Wars The Mandalorian #Tales of the Jedi

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thereadingchallengechallenge · 5 months

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Quick Review: Very Bad People by Kit Frick Rating: 4/5

An excellent boarding school mystery. I'm amazed this isn't a staple of dark academia book lists to be perfectly honest. It's pacy and nuanced and has so many things going on at once which really shows how good a mystery writer Frick is. The only reason this wasn't a 5-star for me is that I'm just a bit sick of reading about rich kids making bad choices but your mileage will vary.

#very bad people #kit frick #booklr #bookblr #book review #trcc original #portraits #4 star reads #reviews

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marlowethelibrarian · 15 days

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Review: Secondhand Origin Stories

So I read @leebrontide's Secondhand Origin Stories which is available to read for free here

9/10 stars

This was a really fun, character driven YA superhero book. It's very much in the same vein as Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee but with twice the number of teenaged disasters. I think I might even say that I enjoyed Secondhand Origin Stories more than Not Your Sidekick.

The story revolves around four teenagers with super-powered parents and explores how it affects their identities, their aspirations and their relationships with the world around them and each other. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm an adult who no longer identifies with teenagerhood as much, but I really enjoyed the fact that the adults in this book were real characters with personality.

It's really apparent that the author has a really good grasp on complex family dynamics, which are wholly on display here. We have a family grappling with the multiple disabilities, both new and old, and how it affects the kids and the parents both. It explores the prison system and adoption and how super powers might affect that. I love the part where the one main character that's not a part of the superhero family from the start walks into their mess and goes like. Wow, did I just walk into a gothic novel?

The representation here also didn't feel token, but rather an integrated part of the characters and their lives. I also loved the bit with a minor character with super speed and is Deaf and so when she's upset she sometimes signs so quickly she can't be understood. It's just a wonderful little detail.

It's 9/10 stars because I think this book suffered in terms of the romance. There's one romantic relationship in the book that doesn't really receive too much development, considering all the stuff that goes on in this book. I didn't feel the chemistry between those two characters very much, and I didn't find their relationship to be all that interesting- I sort of shipped Yael and Opal instead.

I don't think cutting the romance would have really hurt the book either. There's already just so much happening in this book.

I also want more about the worldbuilding. There's a lot of tidbits dropped throughout the book but it feels like there's a lot we still don't know. I think it's understandable because the pov characters are teenagers who have been sheltered from the world (Isaac pls. Isaac!!). Also the mechanics behind the superpowers and what they all are is also sometimes a bit muddled?

I want to be clear- this is kind of just nitpicking. The character dynamics and family drama are really the true engine of this book, and every part of that machine is oiled and going.

Book 2 is scheduled to come out in July, and I believe it's going to address the worldbuilding points and develop the romance further. I'm looking forward to it! The author is also offering eARCs of it so I'm going to grab that. Overall, this was a blast to read. The last page got me really emotional, honestly.

If you liked Not Your Sidekick you'll probably like this book and I recommend you give it a shot!

#book review #book recommendations #booklr #wizard reviewing #god isaac. the boy is 90% bad decisions #mcs are all SUCH teenagers #its great

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