Book Reviews by Genre: Fiction

Even though it has been some time since I read The Final Empire , it is a testament to Brandon Sanderson that I could remember most of the details of this fantasy series when I got to the second book, The Well of Ascension. The magic system of burning different metals to provide a variety of super-powered abilities is such a unique idea that it easily sticks in my mind and is complex enough to explore further in this book.

While I love how Sanderson does his action sequences, I understand the need to lean more on political and religious intrigue in this second book to deepen the lore and world-building for the Mistborn series. Sanderson does a good job with these moments of loyalty and betrayal, and it shows the amount of thought he put into making this world realistic—at least in terms of how we understand our world’s politics and religions. However, unlike how Orson Scott Card did this in the Call of Earth series or Isaac Asimov did in the Foundation series, there don’t seem to be ties to real-world histories that weigh down what Sanderson is trying to do here.

Ultimately, Sanderson is a master of magic systems, and The Well of Ascension uses Vin to expand what allomancy can do. That Vin is the best character in the series so far is testament to how much she factors into the plot and the development of the magic system. The creative ways she uses her magic to move through the world is what makes the action sequences as entertaining as they are. I do hope I can get to the next book in the series sooner rather than later, just to see how things turn out for her.

Political intrigue mixed with great magical world-building, I give The Well of Ascension 4.5 stars out of 5.

Solid time travel meets murder mystery. I was thinking about this book even when I wasn’t reading it.

A love story that honors misfits and art and community. Beautifully written as one would expect from Fredrik Backman. Brings tears and laughs, and sometimes at the same moment.

Although many people love her books, this one was just too predictable. I still think the plot is good but not shocking enough for a mystery. Great book to read on a road trip or flight, because it’s super fast paced.

Set in eighteenth century Cairo, Nahri is a con artists who spends her days marking arrogant soldiers and planning her next meal. So when she accidentally summons the mythical djinn warrior, Dara, she sees her carefully planned life in turmoil. When he whisks her away to the magical city of Daevabad, Nahri discovers shocking secrets about her heritage and navigates complicated political affairs, as she also discovers that her companion may not be all he says he is.

The City of Brass is a high fantasy novel and made for a fun read! While I absolutely adore fantasy, the backdrop and the mythology in which this story is based made for a longer and more complicated read. The magic systems were intricate and the history of the djinn were incredibly complex. That being said, it’s clear that the author put her soul into writing this novel, as nearly everything was seamless! The characters were flawed and forced to navigate complicated political environments that challenged their personal morals, and the ending was crazy! I genuinely feel like all hope is lost now, I have no clue how the author can write two more books expanding the plot when so much happened just in the last 50 pages! If anyone is looking for a plot based high fantasy, definitely don’t sleep on this one, it was so much fun to read!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an absurdist space adventure comedy about a man named Arthur Dent who is taken to space on a crazy adventure. I enjoyed this book because it had lots of weird humor and laughs. I think the author did a great job designing zany characters. The only flaw is that sometimes the ridiculous comedy makes the plot nonsensical. Otherwise, this is a hilarious and fun read that I recommend!
Reviewer grade: 8

This is a cozy fantasy novel talking about a librarian who escapes a collapsing empire and opens a small spell shop on a quiet island. The story focuses on starting over, found family, and the comfort of simple magic rather than big battles. I chose this book because the idea of a magical shop and a calmer fantasy setting sounded relaxing and different. What I enjoyed most was the peaceful atmosphere and the relationships between the characters, which felt warm and genuine. Some parts moved slowly, but that fit the cozy tone of the story. Overall, this book was comforting, creative, and enjoyable, especially for readers who like fantasy without constant action.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an absurdist space adventure comedy about a man named Arthur Dent who is taken to space on a crazy adventure. I enjoyed this book because it had lots of weird humor and laughs. I think the author did a great job designing zany characters. The only flaw is that sometimes the ridiculous comedy makes the plot nonsensical. Otherwise, this is a hilarious and fun read that I recommend!

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel set in the American South during the Great Depression. It follows a young girl named Scout as she learns about justice, empathy, and growing up. The story focuses on her family, especially her father, who stands up for what is right even when it is unpopular. I chose this book because it is a well-known classic and often recommended for its important message. What I enjoyed most was how the story showed serious topics through a child’s point of view, which made them easier to understand and more emotional. Some parts were slow, but the lessons about fairness and compassion made the book meaningful. Overall, this book was powerful and thought-provoking, and it made me think differently about right and wrong.

This volume introduces more Dragon Level monsters such as Nyaan and their capabilities to rival Class S Heroes. The Hero Hunter Garou is shown to be growing in power reaching levels far beyond his capabilities before. This is shown in his battle against Class S Puri-Puri Prisoner. Saitama encounters Class S Hero Flashy Flash as he goes deeper in the Monster HQ. Skeptical about Saitama's presence, Flashy Flash strikes at him. He is left shocked at his ability to react to his light speed blitz. Flashy Flash remembers Saitama as Genos' sidekick labeling him as a hero.

This is one of the best reactions of the Hero Association's recognition towards Saitama's strength so far, it delivers a satisfying conclusion that more and more Class S Heroes are recognizing his potential. I love the buildup towards Garou's inevitable growth towards being a Dragon Level Monster, being able to adapt more and more efficiently towards any opponent, and looking more monstrous as he progresses. A great buildup story overall for the upcoming big events. The portrayed art style really brings the feel of a difference between power in the manga, whether it be on speed or strength which creates a heavy impact on the characters' own specialized abilities.

I picked the book Lesson in Chemistry because I'm currently taking Chemistry and this bright cover and its status as a PPLD top checkout caught my eye. The story follows Elizabeth Zott, scientist who ends up hosting a TV cooking show to teach women about science. I loved Elizabeth’s fierce intelligence, but it was frustrating to read about the blatant sexism she faced in the lab. I really related deeply to Elizabeth’s struggle for professional respect, making this one of my favorite reads of the year.

I chose this book because I had heard so much about the story and wanted to see if the rest of the book was just as haunting. The plot of the main story involves a small town gathering for an annual ritual that seems innocent at first but ends with a shocking twist that I truly did not see coming. What I enjoyed most was Jackson's ability to make the mundane feel terrifying, however some of the shorter sketches felt a bit unfinished compared to the other in the bunch.

It was the most perfect, cheesy romance imaginable! While being unfortunately highly unrealistic, Poppy and Alex's story was so silly and fun to go along with. Honestly a refreshing read that wasn't too heavy but had enough weight to have a good plot!

Uncle Tom’s Cabin is one of those iconic literary texts that evaded my entire educational career. Remedying this, I have finally sat down to read this famous book, and I think more people would benefit from its narrative if they’re encouraged to read it as well. While the events are fictitious, the world Harriet Beecher Stowe paints with her words is probably closer to reality than most people at the time realized, thus educating people (mainly Christians) about how their beliefs should not be aligned with slavery in any way.

First and foremost, the format of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is still entertaining. The story itself is strong because it shares so many similarities with things happening in the lead-up to the Civil War. Things that most people of the time were likely ignorant of. We may take these events as common knowledge after all the history books that have been written about slavery, but to those in its contemporary era who didn’t know this was happening, it’s quite an enraging piece of literature that spurs one to action. The trick with reading it today is making sure to actually engage with the original material.

Partly because of all the adaptations of this work, some themes and characterizations are lost as people associate with the versions of Uncle Tom’s Cabin that ultimately form negative stereotypes for African Americans. I went into this book expecting these things but was pleasantly surprised to find that these characters really shined in their depiction of humanity. That there’s hope to defeat such an ugly beast of humanity’s greed makes me wonder if any other modern works will be written that expose things in a way to get the masses mad about what’s currently happening in our world.

A well-written exposé on the evils of slavery, I give Uncle Tom’s Cabin 4.5 stars out of 5.

This book follows the adventure of a misfortunate scholar named Humphrey Van Weyden. During a trip by boat he is knocked over board and finds himself saved and in the service of the unfeeling tyrannical captain Wolf Larsen. Throughout the book Van Weyden philosophically debates with his counterpart Wolf Larsen on kindness and intellect versus survival of the fittest. Van Weyden is eventually forced to confront Larsen and make his way back to civilization.

The book spends most of its narrative highlighting the absolute differences between the two main characters. Due to this focus the books story tends to be slower and sometimes repetitive. The book provides an excellent example of how environment shapes character and what beliefs are most important when confronted by challenge. The book has a compelling concept that unfortunately suffers from an excess of dialogue and not enough story progression or narrative.

There are nonfiction biographies about famous people, then there are books like Blonde, which fuse fictional narration techniques with mostly biographical details of a person’s life. While not entirely historically accurate, it is intrinsically entertaining. In fact, I would deem that Blonde is perhaps the most entertaining version of Marilyn Monroe’s life to be put to the page (given that you're listening to the abridged version like I did). It might be too over-erotic in places, but the trauma of being deemed and treated like a sex symbol for decades really comes into focus in this intimate portrayal of Norma Jeane.

Blonde is interesting in the way that it almost feels like an autobiography from Marilyn’s perspective. The almost breathless whispering affectation comes across and has such a well-thought-out explanation as to really convey Monroe’s internal monologue through these words. The progression of her life feels completely out of her control, but her ability to adapt and make the most of what she wanted to get out of it. That her endless stream of male suitors feels more like a used doll passed down the line instead of something she actively pursued really highlights how little autonomy women of the era had—even women as well-known as Marilyn Monroe.

Trying to make Monroe’s life into something more puritan would have been a disservice to the effect she had on society. While this could have been done in a less explicit manner, it drives home the central themes of the book. From a modern context, even 26 years after its original 2000 release, Blonde shows how oppressive the patriarchy was/is. Objectification has not improved in the meantime, even if the #MeToo movement has made voices calling out abuse more prevalent. In the end, Marilyn’s life is tragic, and the contextualization in Blonde merely brings this into uncomfortable focus.

An intimate and semi-fictional account of Marilyn Monroe, I give Blonde 4.5 stars out of 5.

Some of the best science fiction ever written has its basis in reality. These “what-if” scenarios often pull from actual processes and procedures that help ground them while still being entertaining. Knowing that Michael Crichton always digs deep into the science of his stories, it’s no wonder that The Andromeda Strain is an engaging examination of what happens when an unknown pathogen comes to Earth and wreaks havoc on the biosphere in odd and mysterious ways. Of course, the core of this story is the safety steps it takes to combat a terrifying virus.

This book mostly splits into two stories: one about the tragic effects of the titular “Andromeda Strain” and one about the purification rituals the scientists need to perform in order to come up with a way to counter it. Half is hazmat suits performing autopsies to learn what happened, and half is multi-layer clean-room (and extreme contingency) protocols to ensure this deadly virus cannot escape the facility meant to research it. Both parts of this book are engaging in their own way, with their twists and reveals that drive the story forward.

My singular qualm with this book is that there’s all this build-up and tension as more details are revealed, only for the climax to be anticlimactic. That there’s ultimately no need for a vaccine or protocol to keep the population safe makes it feel like all that work was ultimately wasted. Still, I really enjoyed The Andromeda Strain for the peek into extremely competent individuals following highly detailed rules meant to keep everyone involved (and even the whole world) safe from the alien virus. It might come across as stiff and more non-fiction than many would like, but I’d almost consider this book as an early example of today’s hard sci-fi.

A journey of competence that lacks some payoff, I give The Andromeda Strain 4.5 stars out of 5.

I love Edenbrooke so much, when I read it became one of my new favorite books. The main character is belittled in regard to how perfect her sister is, and she just lives in the shadow of her sister. Edenbrooke is the perfect example of a main character finding her own story. The romance is real and makes you not want to stop reading. The plot is loveable which makes you fall in love with the book. It is simple but beautiful, Julianne Donaldson did a fabulous job.

Continuing the story of the Hero association infiltrating the Monster HQ, the Class S heroes have been shown to demonstrate their value of power against the Dragon level monsters all while keeping a really good dialogue between the two sides. The art style, as always, is phenomenal especially on the fight scenes. The story so far has been so good now that we get introduced to more characters and lore behind the Monster King Orochi's origins.

While the Arthurian legend has always fascinated me, I wasn’t entirely sure how much of what I knew was just condensed through other adaptations and interpretations and what was in the original story. I finally took it upon myself to read through this huge multi-volume set to find out what it’s actually about. To say it disappointed me would be an understatement. Perhaps it’s the prose, or the translation, or just the story structure, but I have never been so bored by a piece of literature since I forced myself to read Ulysses .

Early on, Le Morte D’Arthur had enough recognizable events to keep me engaged. The origins of Arthur’s birth. The Sword in the Stone. Lady of the Lake and Excalibur. Then, things fell apart. So much of the focus in this book was on random battles and jousts that I could hardly believe the famous stories that were gleaned from this tome even existed in this form. After a while, I was just forcing myself to sit through it just to say that I’d covered the source material.

Considering this is the earliest story (aside from the Bible) that I’ve read all the way through, it can be forgiven for being obtuse and unfocused. I’m more glad that the salient story beats have been distilled in Cliff Notes and other adaptations so that I don’t have to dive in and tackle this unwieldy story again. My curiosity wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything, but my masochism forced me to finish it. Ultimately, if you’re also curious to read the original manuscript that inspired so many drama-filled tales of chivalrous knights, I’d say just pick up something that covers all the good bits and ignore the original.

An overly long book that doesn’t even seem to focus on anything it’s known for, I give Le Morte D'Arthur 2.0 stars out of 5.

When Chloe learns that her birth mother unexpectedly has another child, the last thing she expects is for her mother to name her next of kin for guardianship of her new sister. Not hesitating to say yes, Chloe learns that she does not meet all the requirements, and must enlist in a foster care program where she and another perspective guardian must work together to care for their siblings.

This book was very cute. It is a romance following two adults in their young twenties trying to care for their siblings amidst dealing with the foster care system. I’m lucky enough to have never needed to be in the foster care system, but I thought that the thought and care that the author implements regarding these situations was very sweet. Some parts of the book however seemed very convenient to the point that it did not seem realistic. So many coincidences happened in the main character’s favor that it was a little hard to believe. Other than that, this was a very easy read, and I really enjoyed the romance story.

After marrying to form a political alliance between both their nations, Alaric and Talasyn are far from at peace with one another. However, as the two grow closer and the world hangs in the balance with the Moonless Dark upcoming, loyalties are tested and the two must question what their motives might mean for the other. Little do they both know something more sinister is brewing.

This was a great sequel to “The Hurricane Wars!” While I felt like a lot of the plot was relatively predictable, it still made for an easy and exciting read. However, at the very end of the novel, Guanzon wrote an astounding plot twist that I truly did not see coming! With heavy tension still laying between the two main characters and this new development of the story, I’m very excited to see what Guanzon will do for the finale!

Set in occupied France during World War 2, “The Nightingale” tells the story of two sisters navigating their lives that become forever changed. Vianne has never spent her life alone. While living a quiet life with her husband and daughter in a small French town, she believes nothing will come of Hitler’s army terrorizing her country. When her husband is enlisted to fight for France, she finds herself alone for the first time and must discover how to balance keeping her family safe while fighting for what’s right. Opposite of Vianne, Isabelle has always dreamed of becoming a hero and fighting for her country. When she discovers the newly beginning French Resistance, she doesn’t hesitate in risking her life to save downed airmen all across France. However, when Germany begins losing the war, the consequences for spies become more serious, and Isabelle must decide how far she is willing to go for her country.

This book devastated me. Kristin Hannah describes all of the horrors of World War 2 in brutal, unflinching detail. More than that however, she put in so much research into learning about the French Resistance and the role women played, and she writes their courage and bravery with such passion. I think this a novel everyone should read, as the lessons of humanity and good vs evil will stick with me for a long time. I feel like everyone hears about how terrible war is, but accounts such as the ones in this novel, even while fictional, truly prove how war ravishes humanity and communities.

Those who live in Barkley Cove are more than happy to accuse the mysterious "Marsh Girl" of murdering beloved quarterback Chase Andrews. But there is so much more to Kya Clark than that. After being left to fend for herself at the age of ten, Kya learns to live off the land, developing a deep love for nature and its wonders. And as she grows older, she is forced to navigate the complexities of first love, loneliness, and heartbreak. "Where The Crawdads Sing" alternates between Kya's coming-of-age story and the ongoing murder investigation, leaving you constantly wanting to know what will happen next.

I was really looking forward to reading "Where the Crawdads Sing" because of its original and intriguing genre-blending. However, I think that Delia Owens may have tried to incorporate too many ideas into one story. The time skips were incredibly disorganized, with chapters and chapters devoted to the span of a few days with little action, followed by massive time skips that threw off the pacing, making this book boring, repetitive, and predictable. Along with this, the writing style was all over the place and the dialogue was poorly written, especially as the author unevenly incorporated North Carolina dialects for no apparent reason. In addition to these issues, I could not get invested in the romance plot, as the love triangle seemed forced, unnecessary, and confusing, hypersexualizing Kya and undermining her character development. Overall, I am sad to say that "Where the Crawdads Sing" did not live up to the hype for me, though I'm sure some readers will enjoy it.

Besides its incredible medical program, DeWitt Med is known for one thing: its influx of drug overdoses in first year students. Following the perspectives of five students and their professor, “Dead Med” navigates the lives of students crumbling under the pressure of med school and consider turning to the impossible, and when tensions are high the night before the final, a shot rings out, and the mystery regarding who did it is just beginning.

This mystery thriller was so incredibly underwhelming. The POVs of the lives of the students and the events leading up to the shooting were, in my opinion, very pointless to advancing the story and providing answers to the mystery. I only gave the novel two stars because some of the characters’ stories were mildly interesting, but even then, none of them were likeable! Also, the story as a whole was very confusing to follow, which made the plot twists and discoveries downright boring. And to finish, the book ends with a mediocre epilogue that attempts to explain the lives of the characters after the events that occurred, and I just felt as though this epilogue was so unnecessary as it still didn’t provide any sort of explanation.

Overall, I would not recommend this book. This was also my first Freida McFadden book, and unfortunately, I don’t know how many more novels I will be reading of this author.

All Talasyn has known is the Hurricane Wars. Her whole life has been composed of fighting and defending her land of Sardovia from the tyrannous Night Empire. Following a devastating blow and a shocking discovery, Talasyn meets Alaric, the newly crowned Emperor of the Night Empire. Despite being sworn enemies, the two must work together to face a new and rising evil.

This book was really fun to read! I saw a lot of people saying it gave the same vibes as Rae and Ben Solo from Star Wars, and while I don’t really like that comparison, I love Star Wars and I could see a little similarity with the world Guanzon wrote. I do wish the novel was a little less romance focused, as I feel as though some elements of the romance plot overtook the main fantasy story. Overall, this was a very fun book, and I’m excited to continue with the series!

The Lost World is a thrilling sequel to Jurassic Park that follows the returning Ian Malcolm and other scientists on a rescue mission for an arrogant scientist stuck on an island. I chose this book because I had already read Jurassic Park and loved it. I enjoyed the fast-paced, exciting second half. It is one of the best books I have read this year because it has lots of thrills and science. Overall, The Lost World is an amazing sequel that I highly recommend.

In the third installment of the House of Devils series, Darien must race against the clock in order to save Loren. The cost? It requires him and his Devils to venture to a completely different city, Yveswich. Meanwhile, in Ker's bustling capital city, Roman Devlin only lives for one purpose: to protect his brothers. The last thing he expects is for Darkslaying rival, Shayla Cousens, to steal and blackmail him. Now, with both Darien and Roman's lives becoming uprooted, the true dangers of the conflicts in Terra begin to evolve in terrifying new ways.

Wow! Just when I thought the plot couldn't evolve any further, Kayla Edwards continuously proves me wrong! I'm so glad the author included the perspectives of both new characters and old side characters. It definitely helped shape the plot and furthered my understanding of the conflict. I also absolutely love the found family trope that begins to develop in this novel. While the story was steadily building towards it in the previous novels, the effects are displayed more clearly in this novel. As per all of her books, Edwards did not fail at making me feel every emotion. I laughed, I cried, and my heart broke on more than one occasion for nearly all of the characters. I am so excited to continue this series, and I am so upset the rest of the series is not written already.

In the fourth installment of the House of Devils, the city of Yveswich is in uproar. With the city rapidly declining and the imperator only allowing limited time to get out, the Devils and the other Darkslayers must race against the clock. Within Yveswich, a dangerous new magic is forming, and it is up to the Devils to save not only the world, but also one another.

This book made me feel everything. Looking back from the first book, the plot is so much more intricate now and every character serves a purpose. I'm so impressed with how the author is able to seamlessly implement relatively small details from the first novels and make them serve a much larger purpose in this book. There was so much foreshadowing in books 1 and 2 and I just did not notice it! As I have said with previous reviews, I adore the characters, and this book allowed for so much plot-focused character development. While the decisions of some characters made me angry, I could always understand why they would make the decisions they did along with the information provided to them. I'm so sad this is a continuing series and this is the last book that is published, but I'm so excited to see where Kayla Edwards takes this series next! It's very rare that nearly every book in a series is five stars, but the author writes this story so well that I can't help but find it perfect.

Following the events of “City of Gods and Monsters,” Loren and Darien have new challenges to face. With Loren being blackmailed and Darien fighting demons only he can see, the two are forced to engage in a continuously growing conflict that not only threatens Angelthene, but their world of Terra as they know it.

I love this series! This book had me in a chokehold with the amount of the emotions the author was emitting. These characters just can’t catch a break! I also love how she expanded the characters instead of just talking about Loren and Darien, it really helped give a new perspective to the plot and conflict. I can’t wait to continue!