Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (5000)

Content

Kristina (502 KP) rated Throne of Glass in Books

Dec 7, 2020

Throne of Glass

Sarah J. Maas | 2012 | Children, Fiction & Poetry

8.7

(91 Ratings)

Book Rating

4.5 stars
I put off reading this series because I was worried it would constantly remind me of Red Queen or even Hunger Games. My sister recommended it and promised there was no way I'd be comparing them. Boy, was she right! Never would I have guessed this series would include magic or be nearly as interesting as it is so far. Despite the strange spelling and pronunciations (yes, I found the page with the correct terms), I was immediately enraptured with Celaena. She's such a spitfire, full of sass and attitude; her sarcasm reminded me so much of myself. From the beginning I had a soft spot for Dorian, though I fear what he can become later on down the story line (honestly, his sarcasm drew me to him as well). Chaol is also such a sweetheart and soft, in his own way. For probably 85% of this book, I was #TeamDorian but I became #TeamChaol before it was finished. Of course, whether I stick with Chaol or not remains to be seen. Throne of Glass was riveting and, though it may not have necessarily had me guessing, it certainly had me at the edge of my seat. So glad I finally started reading it!

Kudos

ClareR (6256 KP) rated The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida in Books

Oct 21, 2020

The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida

Clarissa Goenawan | 2020 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Miwako Sumida has hanged herself, and her friends are in a state of disbelief. She had disappeared to a village in the mountains in the preceding few months, and had stayed in touch by letter with her friend Ryusei. He loved her, had told her as much, and she had repeatedly put off his advances. So after finding out about her death, Ryusei convinces another of Miwako’s friends, Chie, to go with him to the clinic in the mountains where she had been volunteering.

Whilst they are away, Ryusei’s sister, Fumi, has an unexpected visitor who asks to stay with her for a while. Fumi is clearly in a vulnerable position after the death of Miwako (who had worked for her), because she says yes.

This was such an unexpected pleasure to read. It’s a very sad story, gently told: these are all grieving, vulnerable people. When it slips in to magical realism, it didn’t seem out of place or odd, in fact these parts really helped to explain what had happened to Miwako and developed the character of Fumi. I can’t believe that I haven’t heard of Clarissa Goenawan before, and I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for more of her books.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book.

Kudos

Hazel (1853 KP) rated Nine Ways to Die in Books

Jan 24, 2021

Nine Ways to Die

Jordan Elizabeth Mierek | 2021 | Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)

7.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Fifteen-year-old January "Jan" hates the new town she has moved to but loves her new boyfriend, Jean. Her parents are never home, and her sister is in hospital, so she spends the summer days with her new friends. The only people she meets are around her age, and she never comes across any adults. The buildings are decrepit and old, almost like a ghost town. The more time Jan spends with her friends, the more peculiar the town, Memoir Falls feels.

Nine Ways to Die is a short story by versatile writer, Jordan Elizabeth. The details about Jan's past gradually emerge until Jan, along with the reader, discovers the truth about the strange town and its inhabitants. There are clues everywhere, but like Jan, readers fail to notice them until they come together in a sudden climax.

Through Jan's eyes, readers experience the town as though they are also new inhabitants. Although it is a short story, there is so much on offer: suspense, romance, thrills, and the supernatural. For those familiar with Jordan Elizabeth's work, this is a welcome addition to her vast collection of books. For newbie readers, this is a tempting taste of the author's full potential.