I loved Clark's Dead Djinn Universe, and since then, I've been eagerly anticipating his next work, which turned out to be this book. I dove into it wiI loved Clark's Dead Djinn Universe, and since then, I've been eagerly anticipating his next work, which turned out to be this book. I dove into it without knowing much about the plot.
The story centers around Eveen the Eviscerator, a top-notch assassin who finds herself faced with an impossible job. Whether she takes it or not, the consequences are dire. I really enjoyed how the world was introduced—right from the start, we’re immersed in it and gradually come to understand its complexities. The world-building is superb, demonstrating the art of "showing" rather than "telling."
Eveen and the secondary characters are well-developed, though I wished for more of them—a common limitation of novellas. The plot is engaging as Eveen is presented with two equally unappealing choices. While the premise might seem familiar to seasoned fantasy readers, Clark’s unique twist and humor give it a fresh spin.
The book is relatively short—about 200 pages with 9 chapters—so the chapters are of medium length and the pacing is generally steady. It slows down a bit in the middle but picks up speed towards the end, leading to a satisfying conclusion.
I debated between giving this a 3.5 or 4-star rating, but after reflecting on my enjoyment, I think it deserves the higher mark. Whether we’ll revisit this world or explore a new one, I’m excited to see what’s next....more
"Earth" is the second installment in the Elemental series, following Evan, a character who was first introduced in "Water." In thiWater ★★★★ Earth ★★★★
"Earth" is the second installment in the Elemental series, following Evan, a character who was first introduced in "Water." In this book, Evan takes center stage as a prominent football star.
The writing reflects Boyne's signature style—blending humor with serious themes that mirror real life. This novella weaves together two storylines: Evan's journey from his challenging upbringing to his success as a football player, a sport he excels in but doesn't enjoy, all while grappling with his sexuality. The second storyline explores Evan and his friend facing accusations of rape.
The book tackles weighty issues such as homophobia, abuse, and rape. Given the breadth of topics, the novella feels densely packed, and I wondered if these themes might have been better suited to a full-length novel. Despite this, the story feels complete, though some aspects, like the significance of juror No. 6, remain unclear—possibly hinting at future developments.
Boyne continues to address difficult subjects with finesse, and despite the novella's brevity, it still includes significant plot twists. The characters are complex and elicit a range of emotions. Overall, the novella is engaging and leaves me eager for Boyne's next installment....more
I first heard about this short story from a friend's review of another book and heard it has a great depiction of mental illness and for a story that I first heard about this short story from a friend's review of another book and heard it has a great depiction of mental illness and for a story that is written at the end of 1800s I have to firmly agree with that.
The story follows a woman who is going through a mental break down and how it is dismissed by her husband who is a physician, nonetheless. It's interesting that one century forward and mental illnesses are still stigmatized and treated that way by some people.
I just wish the story was longer adding more to the abrupt ending, but I think it is worth giving 20-30 minutes of your time! ...more
I went into this not knowing anything other than that people liked it and that it is written by Christina Lauren. My problem wActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
I went into this not knowing anything other than that people liked it and that it is written by Christina Lauren. My problem with the book is that it felt too unrealistic, and this may be a funny thing to say when the series is called "The Improbable Meet-Cute" but let me explain.
The first 50% of the book is written in emails formula which was a breeze to go through. In fact, the whole book took me 40 mins to read. The story follows T and C when C sends an email by mistake to T and then it stars an annual thing between them to exchange emails on Valentine's Day each year. For us reader, this feels cute to read those exchanges between 2014 to 2024 and in one of those emails T confesses she has a crush on C which felt very weird to me given that they have talked less than 10 times in a decade and never met before.
The rest of the story is more believable with the usual cliched hot smart tall, nice guy and the shy girl which was tall in the case and maybe this was the plot twist instead of the petite girl we always have in those books.
So, I thought it was cute, but I wanted more as I am used to from these authors.
Every Heart a Doorway ★★★ 1/2 Down Among the Sticks and Bones ★★★ 3/4 Beneath the Sugar Sky ★★★★ In an Absent Dream ★★★★ Come Tumbling Down ★★★ 1/2 Across Every Heart a Doorway ★★★ 1/2 Down Among the Sticks and Bones ★★★ 3/4 Beneath the Sugar Sky ★★★★ In an Absent Dream ★★★★ Come Tumbling Down ★★★ 1/2 Across the Green Grass Fields ★★★ 1/2 Where the Drowned Girls Go ★★★★ In Mercy, Rain ★★★ Lost in the Moment & Found ★★★ 1/2 Mislaids in Parts Half-Known ★★ 1/2
This last entry in the series is a bit different from all the other novellas in that it is a continuation of the last book "Lost in the Moment & Found". I appreciate the stories and that they always have a message behind them, but this particular entry felt all over the place and that's why I enjoyed it the least one so far.
The writing in those novellas is just so magical and every time I pick one up, I am in awe of McGuire's prose specially the way those stories are started. I think some of this magic is lost when it comes to the plot. I liked the first entries more because they felt like standalones in the same world but with the last entries, they seemed more like a continuation of a series that I started in 2018 and I don't remember some of the important details to the story.
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known tackles more than one character with more than one theme and it made it a bit chaotic and hard to follow. I think I liked this series more when it introduced a new character and showed their stories and then how they come to join the school. I could read endless of those stories which actually made me stick to the series so far. Things seem to be getting different though and I am starting to question whether I am going to continue this series or not. I think I will give the next book a chance and see how things go.
Speaking of continuing it: Does anyone know how many books are planned in the series? ...more
I am a fan of Boyne's writing as he always seems to write complex characters and tackle complex issues while keeping the novel engaging and not overwhI am a fan of Boyne's writing as he always seems to write complex characters and tackle complex issues while keeping the novel engaging and not overwhelming and this was the case here.
This is not exactly a novel, it is a novella falling just under 180 pages, but Boyne proves that a good writer can still deliver a great story in this number of pages. I think Boyne could easily have stretched this into a full novel but what we got was still satisfactory.
From my small experience with Boyne's other books, you can tell that there are some subjects that he likes to talk about, and he does so elegantly. These include LGBT communities, sexism, religion and the church and how communities work in general.
Also, I have to say that the writing was smart because it gives the readers space to draw conclusions through threads that are presented without spoon-feeding them. This explains how such an impactful story was contained in a novella form. I was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that this is an elemental series with the next entry being called "Earth" featuring a character we were already introduced to in Water. I will be definitely keeping an eye on the rest of those novellas. ...more
This is my first time reading a Liu story and I enjoyed it. I think that authors use a different voice telling short stories,Actual Rating: 3.75 Stars
This is my first time reading a Liu story and I enjoyed it. I think that authors use a different voice telling short stories, so I am intrigued to see what his full novels look like.
This story talks about art and how we react to it. It shows the effects of social media on artists and the art itself and how in this modern world, everyone seems to have an opinion, and many think they're the only right opinion out there.
The writing was a bit weird for me at first. Liu tends to use big and complex words for some reasons which is cool but can be a bit overwhelming too. I don't know if that's how he writes in general or if it was just this book, but I am eager to find out. As to the idea itself, it was fun to read but I have seen it better executed, most recently in An Echo Chamber by John Boyne but the length difference definitely plays a role. I believe this short story still delivered a good idea in a very few pages and I appreciate the endeavor. ...more
Although this book has been out since 2003 and also got a 10th anniversary edition, I only knew about it from my friend Jon whActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Although this book has been out since 2003 and also got a 10th anniversary edition, I only knew about it from my friend Jon who sent me a copy for my birthday (Thanks a million).
The title is certainly interesting, but it is not a fantasy story. It is more of a contemporary/ romance story with "Superheroes" who have the quirkiest superpowers like being a sloth and a perfectionist and so and so...
The story is short and it took me less than an hour to finish because it also has short chapters and fast pacing. The writing is humorous and it focuses on character studying. I was going to give ti 4 stars but the ending kind of felt weak to me and the story overall wasn't that deep. If you have an hour to spare and you would like to read something different then I would still recommend giving this one a chance. ...more
Unfortunately, this was not as good as Zafón's full novels and I did not expect it to be. The author's brilliance is seen when he writes multiple plotUnfortunately, this was not as good as Zafón's full novels and I did not expect it to be. The author's brilliance is seen when he writes multiple plot threads and then wove them into a full story where everything just falls into place, and you can't do that with a short story. It wasn't even one short story but a collection of short stories ranging between a couple of pages to almost 30-40 pages. Some of the stories added a bit to the main story but overall, it was just a collection of good stories that did not leave me in awe as much as the main series did. We got to discover the origin of the cemetery of forgotten books though which was cool!...more
I am not gonna lie, I hardly remember this novella while I remember The Green Bone Saga very well. They are very different stories so there is no needI am not gonna lie, I hardly remember this novella while I remember The Green Bone Saga very well. They are very different stories so there is no need to compare them, all I remember about this is that it was enjoyable but nothing too special. ...more
I was interested in this book when it was released back in 2019 but some part of me was always convinced it will not be as great as I want it to be soI was interested in this book when it was released back in 2019 but some part of me was always convinced it will not be as great as I want it to be so I decided not to read it. I recently saw a rave review and for some reason decided to give it a chance. I mean it is under 100 pages!
My problem with this one is my problem with all novellas. It was too short, the pacing was too fast and there is not enough time to care about the characters. At this point I believe I enjoyed Novellas that are part of series because the author doesn't have to explain the world and magic and everything but when it is a series of it's own like this one, I think it is impossible to do so in such a small number of pages.
Part of me believes I don't understand the story though because I am seeing a ton of positive reviews and I feel like I am missing something. The book even won the world fantasy award but I am cursed with usually not enjoying books that won those fancy awards. I may still give the second book a chance depending on my mood next month....more
The Fall ★★★★ Of Blood and Fire ★★★★ Of Darkness and Light ★★★★ 1/2 The Exile ★★★★
Of Darkness & Light introduced us to Dayne but we never got to discoverThe Fall ★★★★ Of Blood and Fire ★★★★ Of Darkness and Light ★★★★ 1/2 The Exile ★★★★
Of Darkness & Light introduced us to Dayne but we never got to discover his past and The Exile is exactly that. A Novella covering the most important points in Dayne's life and it tells us how he got to become the man we met in ODAL. At its heart it is a vengeance story and I love those (Lists of people that need to be killed is just exciting like in Best Served Cold by Abercrombie or Seven Blades in Black.
The writing and formatting is excellent and that is not surprising to me at this point. Cahill proved himself as an extra-ordinary writer whether it is a full novel or even a novella. Despite it's length -which is always my biggest turn off from novellas- the story provides everything that the reader needs. The stories are so easy to get into and care about and The Exile follows the same rule.
I don't do long reviews for novellas because it is just easier to read them without knowing much. All you need to know is that if you read the previous books and liked them then you will love this and that Cahill once again did not disappoint. I am so looking for the next book in the series....more
For some reason I did not enjoy this one as the first one. I don't know if it was better to re-read book A Spindle Splintered ★★★★ A Mirror Mended ★★★
For some reason I did not enjoy this one as the first one. I don't know if it was better to re-read book one before jumping into this one but I felt something was off with this one and I couldn't connect to it as much as I did to A Spindle Splintered.
The writing is good and I loved the humor although sometimes it felt a bit forced and I think my main problem with this book is that many things felt force including the characters and the plot. I liked the ending and don't know if there will be more books in this series or not -it could go both ways with that ending- but I still think it is an interesting concept.
Most of the readers loved this one judging from all the reviews I read but a few readers including me just preferred book one for not so obvious reasons....more
The Fall takes place 400 years before the events of "Of blood and Fire" and it is so darn action packed. I think thThe Fall ★★★★ Of Blood and Fire ★★★★
The Fall takes place 400 years before the events of "Of blood and Fire" and it is so darn action packed. I think this is the fastest novella I have ever read and there is just so much happening in less than a 100 pages.
The novella follows the chaos of an important war in the past and it is chaotic(in a very good way). There are dragons and magic and multiple characters and we get to experience the war from different point of views and actually care about them in very little time which almost never happens in novellas and the main reason they're hard for me to enjoy.
The world-building was magical, the prose was great and there is not much that I can criticize other than the fact that I wanted more. I can't wait to read more in this series!...more
Ali Hazelwood did not write three Novellas, she wrote the same Novella three times!!!
Basically if you have read one of the novellas then you have readAli Hazelwood did not write three Novellas, she wrote the same Novella three times!!!
Basically if you have read one of the novellas then you have read all of them because it is tiny nerdy girl meets big sexy perfect guy who she falls for from first look, then they have a misunderstanding, an attempt of her hating him and then falling head over heels for each other and have sex and that's it. See this quote for example:
I watch him scratch his -big- neck, then cross his -wide- biceps on his -broad- chest.
What makes it weirder is that the three main protagonists are all friends so the stories are connected so it was weird having three tiny women meeting three tall big men at the end of this book. To be honest, this was probably my favorite out of the three but they are still not the best novellas I have ever read and they lack a certain depth that make them forgettable reads.
The Jade Setter of Janloon ★★★★ Jade City ★★★★ Jade War ★★★★ 1/2 Jade Legacy ★★★★ 1/2
Late last year I finished The Green Bone Saga trilogy which I reallyThe Jade Setter of Janloon ★★★★ Jade City ★★★★ Jade War ★★★★ 1/2 Jade Legacy ★★★★ 1/2
Late last year I finished The Green Bone Saga trilogy which I really enjoyed and the last book was one of my favorite books of last year. I did not expect Lee to be revisiting the world but I am glad that she did.
The Jade Setter of Janloon is a prequel novella to the main story following a new character and events taking place 2 years before that so it doesn’t really have much of an impact on the main story. However, I think it gives a good idea about the world and the characters and the writing style so if anyone is curious about the main series but is hesitant, it could be a good place to start.
The last novel contained many threads and characters that we follow through many years. This story follows one thread and only on the span of a few days but it gave similar vibes so it made me happy revisiting this world that I like. Fonda Lee established herself as a writer with this series so it is great to see her expanding it and I am even more excited for whatever she comes up with next. ...more
Novellas are tricky and this applies to this story too. On one hand, I think it was cute and I enjoyed it and got what I usualActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Novellas are tricky and this applies to this story too. On one hand, I think it was cute and I enjoyed it and got what I usually want from a romance book from it. On the other hand, It could have easily been a full length novel with more depth to the characters (It was too fast at the end and I swear we know Liam is huge!)
I started and finished this today evening so I will be reading the rest of the novellas because Hazelwood has such an addicting writing style....more
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