Isabel

FREAKING FIVE STARS.

Look, I had a terrible week, and today I saw a friend saying they were picking this up, and it was the first day of PRIDE MONTH and I was like, BLACK AND QUEER LOVE AND JOY? HELL YES.

And oh my god, I may not be cohesive about this but, this was everything I've been searching in romance books for a while.

Characters are fully developed and delightful to read, the story feels like something you could live, or hear from someone close, it feels fleshed out and palpable.
The prose is well-written and feels real, and has some beautiful moments. Chencia really knows how to balance playfulness and feelings and serious discussions about gender and gender roles, patriarchal society, homophobia, and race.
The plot makes sense and all the questions that happen during the book are honest questions and discussions.
There's no conflict that doesn't lead to dialogue, and everything is faced with maturity and copious amounts of love from everyone involved.
The banter is IMPECCABLE and the smut is great, I don't even care about smut usually because it's usually bad, here it isn't.

I swear to you the only bad thing about this book is that it ENDS.

I saw this book today in a video from a content creator and what called my attention to it was the Booktoober saying how much representation this book had and how some aspects of it were usually not talked about in mystery thriller, and to be honest I was intrigued there.

I listened to this audiobook in one sitting.

The cast and sound effects were on point, all the voices were good and it was a huge part of me enjoying it so much.

But the writing in this is good. It's not flowery or convoluted, it goes straight to the point but it is smart in the way it feeds you clues. I never felt I wasn't supposed to guess what was happening, it was like the author wanted me there, even if I saw what was going to happen before the protagonist.

I do like the representation in it. I like the fact it is pointed out more than once racism, xenophobia, and misogyny in our society and most important in the justice system.

But honestly what hooked me from the start was the characters. I know many reviews state they didn't like El, but I did. I loved her relationship with Martín, and him personally. Her friendship with Sash, Nathalie, Tina, and Ayaan was complicated and somewhat shaky but I also could feel what the writer intended when doing the connections.

Yes, the last quarter is less credible and developed but it doesn't take the brights spots of the book for me, it is a solid 4 stars, and I will read her next book.

I don't know how to rate this.

I don't think I've ever read a book like this.

This is trippy because Jade is fully trippy as a character and as a protagonist. Being inside Jade's head was fun, but it was also confusing, I didn't get all the references, but the ones I got made sense and weirdly elated me. Jade is unhinged, delusional, and honest to god and needs lots of therapy and good friends. And for a second there I rooted a lot for her and Letha to get together.
The end left me wanting more, and I know it is purposeful because this is a trilogy, but I still feel a little unsatisfied by this, like something I needed wasn't delivered.

However, the author's acknowledgments were touching for me. Knowing the reason why SGJ decided to write this book and the process, shaped it beautifully, and it's ultimately the reason for my rating.

This wasn't bad, but it also wasn't what I wanted from it.

There's a sense of emotional manipulation in this that I don't like, that nothing is what seems but in a cheap way. I kind of like the magic system, and I kind of like Adam, Vic and his family, Sue, Argent, and Silver, but I don't think I will keep reading the series. It has potential but is misused.

I really needed a solid book, that was fun, had some mystery, and had good and likable characters.

I only have one question: Masie and Phoebe, please?

This book is sooooooo god, I am in love. The writing, the plot, the characters!!!!!! I need both Xiala and Serapio TO BE OKAY

I read this because I saw a tweet that mentioned Hench when talking about “unsettling easy distinctions between heroes/villains through narrative moments of unbearable intimacy” and this is precisely what Hench was. This is a 4.5 for me.

In the age of superheroes, few works invite us to talk and think about what the world would really be if they existed. What would be the consequences to normal people, to the everyday human, and how that impact would mold our society? Hench does all of this and more.

There's a great depth of analysis in this book, a great representation of a disabled protagonist and other characters, a great bisexual representation that is never shamed, and the whole LGBTq+ gets their moments too. We have POC characters that aren't stereotypical or forgetful.

If all of that isn't enough, Hench has great humor moments, but it's not a book for you if you're squeamish because the gore is present a lot, and there are also lots of triggers. There are also lovely and warming moments that give us comfort and make us fall in love with the characters and their relationships.

Last but not least Anna. She is a great protagonist for me, she captivated me and made me root for her for the entirety of this book. I am already a villain girl, but Anna makes it easy, not only because there's so much good in her that she's better than most heroes, but because she's loveable and funny and so so lonely and precious it hurts. I'll be waiting for the second book to pass more time in her presence.

I'm giving it 5 stars because this definitely hit everything I needed.

I had fun, I cried and I fell in love with both Dani and Zaf, I wanna date them both.

“This love business is absolutely nonsensical,” she told him unsteadily.
“I know,” he replied. “Isn't it great?”

This is nice, the narrative is easy to follow, nothing annoying happens, the characters have some depth, but the fact it was so insta-love was a hard sell for me.

There's nothing to be built on other than sexual attraction to explain why the characters behaved the way they did.

The audiobook is really good and I recommend it if you wish to read this book

2.5

This was a good read, and I'm not giving it 5 stars only because the romance needed more work.

I don't fault the author for prioritizing the development of the characters over the romance, but I yearned a little more for the development of the relationship.

This is one of those books that take a long time to get you hooked, but it's good to read nonetheless.

The concept of Jade being used as something to give you powers wasn't strange for me, for I have read other Chinese novels with it as a magical element. It's a very solid read and I will continue the series.

The first time I started reading this I didn't really care for it, I thought the prose was beautiful, but it wasn't enough to keep me interested and I dropped it for several months. Yesterday I picked the audiobook and listened to it from the beginning and I finally understand the hype around it.

As I said the writing here is really beautiful, the work is really well crafted and the romance is delightful in its yearning. And I think it really accomplishes what it sets out to. It's a love story told in letters, and the time travel part of it is good in a way that leaves you itching for more in-depth descriptions. I did see the twist coming and was thrilled by it.

Okay, I will preface this by saying that this was a highly anticipated read of mine and FINALLY I WASN'T DISAPPOINTED.

I heard about this book last year from many many people and I was always at the cusp of reading it, but took me a little to get to it, but I am finally here, and I'm happy to be a locked tomb girlie.

Nonetheless, some things were not what I expected.

A lot is said by this being a challenging book, and a book that will blow your mind with its mystery and I really ought to say: lower your expectations a little bit, not because this is a bad book, but because expectation is the mother of disappointment.

Gideon the Ninth can be a difficult book because Tamsyn Muir's writing here is purposefully dense and sometimes a little clunky. Many many words, sentences, and wordplays are sculpted to be hard on compression in a way that sometimes felt the book was telling me a lot without really saying anything. That is a big problem at the beginning of the book, its first 150 pages aren't earned for how wordy it is, if you are reading this without reading the book, I tell you PUSH THROUGH IT ITS WORTH IT. I could have done with a different way to tell the story, but Tamsyn is a good storyteller and this was the way she wanted to tell her story and I am happy I didn't give up. That is the extent of “difficulty” this book contains.

I've seen lots of people struggling with names, I didn't. I have a pretty good memory and once I learned their names I didn't struggle to recall, nor did I think Gideon was bad at naming the characters because plenty of context clues were given to me.

I also saw lots of people surprised by the twists, and I will say that I didn't predict the big fight at the end, or the “metamorphosis” the characters go through but everything else I guessed correctly. I figured the big bad at 48% of the book and it was hilarious because some friends tried to throw me off and I was like, nope I trust no beach. I also managed not to get spoiled which was a feat.

My favorite parts were the character development of Harrow and Gideon, Tamsyn managed to build a great story with loveable characters that you can relate to and love and suffer for, and if you know anything about me, know this: I am a plot princess that is also character-focused and Tamsyn did all of this for me. I also love murder mysteries and puzzle pieces and I adore following the clues and piecing everything together, and being right at the end about some things made this even more rewarding.

I love Gideon's silliness and golden retriever personality, my girl is a sunshine and she's so lovely and I only ever want to see her smile forever. But I knew I was going to love Gideon, I loved her from the premises of the book alone.

The real surprise was loving Harrow as fiercely and protectively as I do now. The Reverend's Daughter was my favorite character in this book, and from her first appearance, I couldn't do anything other than be in awe of her power, intelligence, fast thinking, and capableness. Harrow is my kind of character because she's not only the smartest person in the room she's also the girl with a huge heart hidden in her sleeve and I cannot deal with those types, I am easy pickings for a character with a tragic background that is powerful and good despite that. I cannot wait to get to her book.

All in all, this is a solid 4.5 stars and I'm a fan of Tamsyn's work now.

It's not always that a book lives up to the hype for me, but this one did. 4.5 Stars

Not because the writing is incredible, even though the Audiobook IS, but because it is good enough to grab you and keep you hooked until the end, and maybe it is incredible in that sense.

Pip isn't the most intelligent character I've ever had, but her flaws don't outweigh her purpose. Better than that Ravi is one of the few MMC that I haven't been put off in a long time. He's sweet and loving and by the end, I was rooting for them, just because they both deserved something genuinely good.

I'm usually on top of mysteries, so the first big twist didn't catch me by surprise, but the second and all that it entailed did, which is another reason for this being a high rating. I think it is one of the few books that a lot of people will be surprised by and that's a huge merit.

The thing I liked the most about these books was the meeting with Ravi's parents. Not because of the sappiness, but because they were owned and they got it, it is hopeful and I am a believer at the heart.

This book needed editing, there are some things about the writing could be better, but the character development and the plot are solid.
That said, this isn't a happy book, and you should look up the trigger warnings before you read it because multiple disturbing subjects are being discussed here.

Both Hazzard and Sommers aren't the best or more likable characters you'll see, to be honest, most of the characters here aren't likable, but they're very human and flawed.

As someone who struggles with mental health issues, it's always a two-way street reading something so open and vulnerable. It was a good reading that ended on a hopeful note, and I intend to read the other Graphic Novels in the series.

If you're looking for an in depth character analysis of a person who's been through heavy trauma caused by captivity, captor bonding, Stockholm Syndrome and how that changes a person this is the book for you.

If you're looking for a good detective, investigation and procedural book this ain't it.

Through out the whole book I felt like the writer decided to focus on the main protagonist and forgot the rest. Jude has depth, but this story doesn't. Most of the plot doesn't make sense, the twists are way predictable and the big case they build throughout the book is just a reflex of Judy herself.

Well, this went up in flames in a really weird way.

Why is everything about Sal based on sex????? This could have been good, this could have developed, become a good story, and the writer really had to soil the potential for a good friendship, yikes

Dfn at 50%

The idea is interesting and I wanted to read this both because of the amputee representation and the borderline representation, but this fell apart. The characters are poorly constructed and they act without any rhyme or reason, they're a very unlikeable bunch, and there's so much casual racism in this that I have no idea how this was a nebula winner.

My face is swollen and I am deeply sad, yet hopeful. This book is beautiful, heartbreakingly beautiful.

I felt seen, celebrated, respected, and loved. Like Fish, I'm a Capricorn sun queer girl with a complicated family, and as Simone would say I feel marveled and reveled at by this book, and that doesn't happen often for people like us.

Thank you, Jas Hammonds, we do deserve moments too.

I have too many Sterek similarities to not like this.

Sweet, fresh and definitely one of the books I wish I had when I was growing up. Being black and queer ain't easy, but seeing someone out there writing for the next generation of black kids makes me think their path will be more gentle than mine, and that fills my heart with joy.

This book gave me everything I wanted from it, good round and we'll developed characters, beautiful friendships, growth and a sweet love story. 100% recommend.

Honestly speaking this is a fantastic and wholesome read.

It made me laugh, cry, question my worldview, and wish to hug my family and friends tight.

I can't wait to read all of them.

I don't know if this is a 5-star for everybody but this book sure is for me.

I'm biased and I admit it because as soon as I started reading this I connected it to McDanno and it was the end for me. I loved H50 and never had crossed to another type of relationship in media that was quite close to Steve and Danno. But right from the gate, you get their exact dynamic in this book.

One seemingly unaware dude that drives his partner crazy with the amount of trouble he gets dropped on and how much affection they share all the time. Said partner is kinda short tempered but smart AF and has a huge heart. Both of them share mutual respect, understanding, and undying love for each other, but one of them is gay and in love with the other one, and the other one is straight and dating.

Throughout the book their relationship takes form and they hit every single one of my needs from friends to lovers relationship. They have a yearning, they have good understanding and lots of dialogue, they are loyal and respect each other's boundaries and they always put each other's needs first. And when they finally get together there's no drama, no shit, no second guessing, they're it.

I'm picking up the whole series and I will be reading other books by Mary Calmes too.