turrean's reviews
2269 reviews

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu

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

4.5

Gripping story, marvelous characters, fascinating interweaving of folklore and fantasy, and a dystopian setting. The audiobook was very well done. Book #2 is already downloaded and ready to go! 
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Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett

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adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

The setting and the details of the mountain climbing expeditions were detailed and fascinating. I can’t think of another fantasy quite like it, though there are plenty where the heroes must make it across the mountains. 

It’s a pleasure to read a story set in a non-patriarchal society. Men and women function in the roles of power in this world, as leaders, explorers, shamans, and scholars. The love triangle and the attendant thrilling kisses were thus a bit of a letdown, and solidly put this novel into the YA category.
I rolled my eyes at a scene where a male character blushes and hesitates at the thought of helping a female companion out of wet clothes in a snowstorm. Bruh, you’ve been sleeping in the same tent for weeks. Has she never stopped to pee before? Have you?
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The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

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

4.25

This was a marvelous conclusion to the trilogy. The audiobook narrator was excellent, giving a Russian flavor to the dialog (and pronouncing all the names correctly!) 

Ordinarily I am not a fan of the immortal supernatural man + spirited teenager romances. Talk about an age gap. But this one was well done, with mixed motivations, regrets, and disappointments alongside the growing love and passion. The bonds among siblings and cousins were strong and enduring, too. 
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The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

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emotional reflective medium-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

5.0

Everyday extraordinary people and their everyday extraordinary lives. 
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The Girl in The Tower by Katherine Arden

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challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

As Vasya grows older, her choices lead to greater and more terrible consequences than when she was a child. 

TheI found myself impatient with the heedlessness of her judgement, and with the ease with which various factions, political and supernatural, bent the will of the Rus’ people to their own ends.  The reader can just see the inevitable horror mounting. 
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Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin by Tracy Newman

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informative inspiring slow-paced

4.5

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A gorgeous fantasy with a Russian folkloric setting. Beautifully told. The audiobook narration was excellent, and sounded authentic to my (admittedly untutored) ear. There were a few point-of-view accounts that I thought were unnecessary (the brother who wants to become a monk, for example.) 

The fate of some of the characters was so distressing!
I found I pitied Anna far more than I disliked her. Her family sees her as a burden, but she’s denied the one choice women had in that era to escape being given to a husband. I know she’s in some ways a dark shadow of Vasya, who makes her own way. But poor Anna had no chance at redemption.
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China Trade by S.J. Rozan

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

First in the series. Attitudes felt a bit dated but it is 30 years old, so the sexism is spot on for the times.  

The recording was sub par. The narrator sounded robotic during the action, and made the main character’s voice weirdly young and dithery.  Though the mother was a hoot! 
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Savvy by Ingrid Law

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Engaging and hopeful. I thought a few of the adults escaped trouble more easily than the real world would permit, but I have zero complaints about the ending! 
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Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Brendan O’Hea, Judi Dench

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funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

What a fantastic memoir! Judi Dench is a peerless Shakespearean actress, with insights and stories that illuminate the plays for the reader.