val_theburrowofstories's reviews
330 reviews

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.

(Tried to read this in May 2024)

To be honest, and respectfully, I am not a fan of japanese literature at all and it shows in the ones I’ve tried. This was the very last one in my TBR and I wanted to try one last time but yeah I’m not spending my time in this.
Lesson learnt from this book: the main characters discovers that life is about the little things. Good. But I need so much more to be happening in a book or I’ll find it boring.
Honestly, I'm not even bothered by the fact that I DNF this book when I'm in the middle of a reading slump because that's what I expected anyways from this book.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Go to review page

adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I think I had a vague idea of how this would be and ended up being a different thing. People praise these books so much but for my taste this is too YA with a very foolish chosen one who made me feel a bit angry by the end so I was considering if I wanted to even continue with the trilogy...

I never saw this thing the author wanted to do between Alina and The Darkling, it felt so stupid and forced and well she's clearly an hormonal teenager because girl I need you to use your BRAIN and realize how you don't know shit about him except for all those darks stories?? I'm sorry but insta love is not my thing, I need building in the relationship, I need for them to get to know each other.

She had this crush on Mal for so long and when it is finally clear that he also has feelings for her it feels weird, as if she doesn't love him anymore (or more like she doesn't deserve him in my eyes)

This started with what felt like a big and crazy world building, and I ended up disliking everything because I absolutely thought Alina was so freaking stupid by the end omggg she made me so mad! and if Mal died because of her I think I would've DNF the trilogy (although she still has a chance to kill him with her stupid decisions lol)

So yeah maybe this will be just a 3 ⭐

Content Warnings

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.

(Tried to read this in March 2024)

I tried. God knows I REALLY tried with these books but I just could not take it anymore, it’s so damn fucking BORING 😭 this was my last straw, I did not pay attention to what was going on, I have no idea where everyone was or what they were doing and I didn’t care anyways. After two months I was even going to maybe give it a chance again kind of forcing myself just so I could say I read it?? but there’s a big waiting time in Libby and nope I will not do it.
I’m still going to watch the movies because I do find them okay (not a big fan of them either) but I love the soundtrack so that helps.
I guess The Hobbit movies and book will remain my favorite of J. R. R. Tolkien. I don’t have it in me to even try the other stuff from this universe.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.

(Tried to read this in March 2024)

I was about to start a reading slump (only I didn’t know it at the time) so that didn’t helped to the fact that his was boring, I didn’t care what was going on, it was confusing and for such a small book this was slow paced, not even the audiobook helped.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

(Tried to read this in March 2024)

I only remember that Elsa is 7yo and the grandmother is 77yo and has cancer and she loves her so much.
I mean, I don’t think much was going to happen in just 10% of the book, and yet it was enough for me to decide to DNF this. I knew I would be only wasting my time because this is not my type of book.

Content Warnings

Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.

(Tried to read this in March 2024)

I’m sorry but for once I picked up a book just for the romance, and so it happens that this book is more adult problems and dealing with adulthood and her asshole father, anything but ROMANCE (and a one night stand in Las Vegas does not count lol)
I was excited because my fav booktuber recommended it, because Julia Whelan wrote it and narrates this and she’s one of my fav narrators! But this was just not for me.
The author gave her such a “unique” name and the character had an accident so she lost one of her eyes, and yet, her story is so boring. I listened to it one day and then I didn’t care to pick this up again.
I find funny that this book is sold as a romance book, when there’s barely any romance in it and the main character hates romance books.
Anyways, I really wanted to like this, love it even, but I am going to DNF.

Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.

(Tried to read this in March 2024)

I started it one day and 10 days later I decided to DNF. It just wasn’t interesting at all, not much was going on and the little it did I didn’t care.
Even before starting it I thought about just taking the book out of my TBR but I decided to try anyway because it has asexual rep. But it didn’t work for me.
I think we could’ve been okay without the constant reminder that her step brother looked at her with bad intentions???
I don’t think I’m missing out by DNFing this. It was just going to make my reading slump worst and I was bored, so bye bye.

Content Warnings

The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-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

I usually do some annotations about every audiobook I listen to, but sadly this one caught me in the middle of a reading slump and all I wanted was to just finish this even when I had waited so long for it. So I remember the feeling that I really enjoyed it and it was fun, but I can’t remember very well everything that happened since my mind wasn’t in the right place.

Still this is a 4 ⭐ for me!

I understand that Percy must obtain 3 letter of recommendation (?) from 3 different Gods.

In this book, he had to get back a Chalice because this one God lost it and he needs it to serve the Gods, besides the Chalice gives immortality to a mortal.

I love that I got to see Percy and Annabeth again 💙

Finale by Stephanie Garber

Go to review page

adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I feel like I was a completely different person reading each book because I loved the first one, I tolerated the second one, and this one I just hated.

The Caraval world would’ve been a better place if Tella would’ve really died in the first book lmao that was my true enemy in the whole trilogy, once we started to get her pov it was a nightmare because the girl is incredibly insufferable and stupid! I found her sweet in the first book, up until the point the girl literally made her sister suffer making her think she was dead, that was so damn cruel. She never really cared for Scarlett and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise because I have proof! lol. At least she met her mother and had a taste of her own medicine because the woman is just like her. I never cared for a second for Dante/Legend on his own or in a relationship with Tella, honestly they both could do better.

It was such a relief when I got to Scarlett’s pov. I kept going for Scarlett and Julian but this was just not good for me, the author managed to ruined even their relationship a bit.

The first book was so especial and magical, and then the other two just didn’t feel magical at all. Maybe it also helped that the main character there was Scarlett and at least her brain cells work.

To be honest at some point I just decided to take this with humor and laugh at everything because it was all just so ridiculous and messy. The author tried to include many different things from this world in the last book and it just didn’t work for me.

I’m reading my annotations and I’m laughing at how ridiculous this book was and how stupid Donatella is but at the same time she makes me so mad because she’s annoying as fuck.

The way I kept going hoping Evangeline would appear, but I only got to meet Jacks who is annoying and you just pity him.

And I’m stubborn as hell because the only reason I read this was to then read OUABH when I knew damn well that I didn’t need to, but here I am writing this. Now I’m thinking that the next trilogy cannot be as bad as this one so I’ll read it, even if everyone seems to dislike the third book.

But, after Finale I just decided to take a break. Actually I think this might have been one of the reasons why I’ve been in a reading slump for 2 months!??? omg

I’m just so glad it’s over, take your 2 ⭐ and goodbye forever!

Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brené Brown

Go to review page

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Brené Brown books might be the only self help non fiction books I actually enjoy and learn something. I’ve DNF many that are just words and words without meaning anything at all, but the author here makes her point with few words and good examples.

I love listening to the audiobook and writing down my own conclusions with my own words, it helps me to remember, it helps me to think how I can change as a person. I know this book is aim at leaders of companies mainly, but I think this is actually important and helps you to learn, grow and view the world differently.

I think I would like to have a copy of the own book some day to read it again and annotate in it.

The Section 3 in Part 1 is the best section in the whole book because it has so many teachings and reflections, I wanted to write down everything!

Content Warnings