scentedsstuff - Tumblr blog

scentedsstuff · 11 days

Text

Red Queen

By Victoria Aveyard

The PREMISE, The premise of this book is what easily caught my attention but as I proceeded to actually read the book, that’s where it lost me.

Quick Plot Summary:

Mare Barrow is our main character, born into a world divided by blood, and in this world you are either a red or a silver.

The reds are the commoners who labour away all day and the silvers are the ruling class, born with supernatural powers.

But what happens when this “norm” is disrupted by none other than our main girl; Mare Molly Barrow. In a turn of events it is discovered that Mare, a red, has supernatural powers of her own much to the surprise of everyone, including Mare herself. Why and how does Mare have the abilities that she does? Is she the anomaly or could there be others?

What follows is the beginning of a revolution.

Thoughts:

The idea was there, the execution, however, was not. Initially, I was intrigued by the premise, if you have two very different groups of people; reds and silvers, how can someone like Mare exist? Why does she have the abilities that she does despite having red blood?

I felt there was potential for me to like this book, but it was the characters that really deterred me from giving anything above 2 stars.

Mare was a bland main character, she really wasn’t standing out much from any other protagonist in a YA dystopian setting which made the book overall feel less memorable. The same could actually be said for the world building in general. It was an okay book with an okay protagonist but it wasn’t doing much for all the praise it seemed to be getting on social media.

Mare makes mistakes (like anyone else does) but doesn’t seem to learn from them nor grow as a character. There’s not much character development, and whilst I am aware that this is only the first book in a series, there doesn’t seem to be much promise for her character to get any better.

The rest of the characters suffered the same fate and were just as annoying.

There's a scene in this book that lives rent free in my brain (not because it’s particularly amazing but because I don’t remember ever cringing so hard from reading a book) :

Mare and the rebel gang are all together, plotting and scheming as one does, and they start to brainstorm how their plans are going to take care of a whole legion of soldiers under Cal (the big brooding brother)’s order.

Maven chimes in with “I happen to know a girl who knows a general very well” (**hint hint, It’s Mare and the general she knows very well is Cal).

She goes off on a lil tangent of “C’mon this is Cal, the solider, the general, the prince, Cal would never betray his country, not for anything!”

………literally the following excerpt reads “I know my brother, if it comes down to it, we both know what he’ll choose”

Mare ‘not like other girls’ Barrow responds “He would never choose me”

Maven shakes his head. “He will always choose you.”

Giirrllllll………..what the actual………. The way my eyes rolled so far back into my head (if that's even correct). I shut that book up and THREW it across the room.

I’m sorry but it feels like he just met you and before this dialogue she literally comes to the realisation that he loves her. How? How did this happen when they’ve only had a handful of scenes together where there was barely any build up. I can understand if he likes the girl and vice versa but love?! Bye. This book was testing me.

Mare had the personality and charisma of a blank piece of paper and I’m supposed to believe she had 3 guys head over heels in love with her.

Overall this book was very much a product of its time. Any redeeming traits were far and few and I just didn’t like it but that could just be me. If the premise seems interesting to you and you’re wanting to read it, be my guest.

2 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 1 month

Text

Terms and Conditions

By Lauren Asher

Rating: 1/5⭐️

I had actually read this book a while back and forgot I had. It was seeing this cover which triggered memories I had previously tried to suppress to come flooding back .

Quick disclaimer: this book does include steamy/spicy scenes (a lot of them)

Quick Plot Summary:

This is the second installment in Lauren Asher's Dreamland Billionaires series which follows Declan Kane, the eldest of the Kane brothers who is set to become the next CEO of his family's media empire.

A workaholic through and through, on paper it seems as though he's got it all figured out but it turns out his journey to becoming CEO would face one last challenge; his grandfather's inheritance clause.

The inheritance clause stated that in order to assume this position Declan needed to be married and have an heir to the family business. Such a predicament felt impossible to overcome until his assistant Iris volunteers for the job. And that's exactly what it was supposed to be, a job, a means to an end so that Declan could fulfill his grandfather's dying wish and assume the role of CEO. But what happens when this act starts to blur the lines between reality and make-believe?

Thoughts:

This book happened….that’s all I can think to say.

Listen every book has its audience and in this case it definitely wasn’t me. This was something I read when I was trying to find out what genres I could branch out to besides fantasy. So it was more along the lines of me thinking if you never try you never know…………and now I know.

From my perspective and what I remember, it was a whole lot of spice and steamy scenes with a dash of plot thrown in there for the sake of it so that there would be a plot in the first place.

I honestly couldn't bring myself to like any of the characters except maybe Cal but that's about it. Declan is rude and unlikeable to the end, Iris annoyed me and everyone else simply ceased to exist to me once I turned the page.

The main conflict occurs much later on in the book, maybe the 80% mark and the rest of the book after that is just Declan scrambling to make things right with Iris. Did I think he could’ve grovelled a lot more? Yes, absolutely, but that’s just me.

Not exactly my kind of thing but that’s not to say it can’t be someone else’s. All I can say is I’m glad she at least got her green house in the end.

#book thoughts #terms and conditions #lauren asher #dreamland billionaires #bookish #books #book review #booklr #iris and Declan #romance novels #romance #romance books #contemporary romance #book reviews #bookblr #book blog #adult booklr #adult books #spicy books

4 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 2 months

Text

The Love Con

By Seressia Glass

Rating: 1/5⭐️

DNF at 60%

I wanted to give the romance genre a try, I really did, but somehow I came out of this perhaps even more sure that romance isn't the genre for me, and possibly never will be.

*Quick disclaimer/heads up: This book does have spicy/steamy scenes

Quick Plot Summary:

The Love Con finds our main character Kenya as a contestant on the reality cosplay competition show ‘Cosplay or No Way.’

She’s made it to the finals and is one challenge away from not only establishing herself in this industry but also proving to her parents that this was the right choice for her, that she could do this.

The next challenge is unlike the rest, it’s a duo challenge. When faced with the reality of the challenge Kenya names her long time best friend Cameron as her partner, which is no shock to Cam, the real surprise comes when Kenya announces on live TV that Cam just so happens to be both her best friend and boyfriend to the shock of both everyone they know as well as Cam himself.

What follows is a story which dives into the more technical side of cosplay, the pressures of both societal and familial expectations, the micro-aggressions faced by a woman who is both black and plus sized as well as the complications of falling in love with your best friend.

Thoughts:

I can see how this might appeal to fans of the romance genre, especially those looking for more modern and diverse stories. It’s packed with romance, romantic tropes, pop culture references and all the cheesiness to go along with it, but me personally, I couldn’t get into any of it.

However, not all was lost so let’s start with what I did like about the book:

1) The Dual POV.

If you’ve got dual POV in a book that is immediately one thing I like about the book already. I enjoy getting to see a situation from both perspectives and in this case it’s getting to see how their relationship develops.

2) The exploration of what it’s like to want to pursue an artistic career especially when you're family aren't as supportive

I get this, I understand the feeling of not wanting to voice your interest in more artistic fields especially when your parents only see value in anything but that. I appreciated getting to see this explored in the book, especially through the main character.

3) The way the interracial romance was handled

I like the way the author handled the fact that this was an interracial romance. By this I mean that it was acknowledged that it was such but then the story goes on because it is first and foremost just A ROMANCE regardless of who is involved, which as a black girl I love to see. I’ve found in a few books that the race aspect is heavily focused on at times and that can get annoying. If it’s in a book set in a time where this aspect of the relationship would greatly affect it, I can understand that but nowadays I think we can have romances that focus solely on the romance that just so happen to involve two people from different backgrounds.

Now for the things I didn’t like:

1) It reads as very YA and not in a good way.

These two were supposedly adults but it all read as very YA. I cringed a lot at the dialogue between them which I don’t think helps as the two romantic leads. Once anything resembling dirty talk was introduced, I WAS OUT.

2) The pacing of the romance

This book utilises both the friend's to lovers trope and the fake dating trope which in this case meant a lot of miscommunication. I get it, there has to be some drama and the characters can't just immediately resolve it (which I can appreciate) but it was getting well past halfway in the book and these two were still lost, heck, I WAS LOST! The pacing was just too slow when it came to the romance which is supposed to be the main event here.

Besides that I couldn’t bring myself to really care about the romance/relationship in the first place. I read hoping that with each page I would grow to like the characters more and be invested in their stories but instead I felt mostly indifferent. As a result of this, other events and situations in the book regarding the main characters failed to matter as much. This included the whole situation regarding Kenya and her parents (even though I can understand where she’s coming from), the relationship drama etc.

The reality cosplay competition itself took a bit of a back seat for a while before being brought back but by then any interest for the book had slowly dwindled.

So, suffice to say, I took a chance on a romance book and things just didn’t work out.

0 notes

scentedsstuff · 2 months

Text

Nettle & Bone

By T. Kingfisher

Rating: 4/5⭐️

If you're a fan of traditional fairytales and lore I'd definitely recommend checking out not only Nettle & Bone, but all of T. Kingfishers works as this tends to be her niche.

Trigger Warnings (TW): This book has mentions of dosmetic abuse, child loss and abusive relationships

Quick Plot Summary:

Marra is the youngest of three sisters, all princesses to a small harbour kingdom. With the eldest having been married off to a prince from a far away Kingdom, many believed this was the beginning of a more peaceful time. That was until the eldest was brought home dead.

It was not long before the second sister followed suit and was married off to the same prince, only this time when she returns home it is with scars. Marra worries for the safety of her sister left in the care of this prince and the idea that if something were to happen and yet another replacement bride was needed, she would be next. Realizing that the only person that can save her is herself she sets off on her quest with just one question in mind, ‘how does one kill a prince?’

On her quest she is joined by a dust-wife and her demon possessed chicken, a godmother with a knack for bestowing health as a gift, a former knight and a most loyal bone-dog.

Thoughts:

I absolutely loved getting to read a book that reads more like the older more fable-like stories in fantasy. It talks of Kings and Queens, faraway kingdoms and ancient family curses. It has enchanted forests and secret goblin markets, mythical creatures, lore and so much more.

Now to be fair the beginning of the book took some getting into, particularly the parts where our main character is first introduced in the present day. However, once we moved past that and saw Marra begin her quest that was when the book really took off for me personally. After that I have nothing but good things to say.

The world building is well done. It’s a whimsical fairytale world through and through with moments that are quite eerie and creepy. The magic is straightforward and I like that about the book seeing as there’s already so much going on in this relatively short fantasy book.

The humor is well balanced, especially with the darker elements of the book, as it doesn’t feel like it exists completely on its own but provides moments of relief for both the characters and the reader.

Now, when it came to the characters, particularly the main bunch, they added an element of found family to the book which just feels natural with these quest centred stories. There was a bit of romance added in and even with the limited time given to it I still grew to adore it.

Personally, I find it refreshing to read a fantasy book where this fantastical quest is undertaken by a main character who isn't in their late teens to twenty years old (I barely see main female characters past the age of twenty in the genre).

This was both a quick and fun read that managed to find a good balance between the action, fleshing out the characters and telling the reader a whole story. And the story, whilst dealing with quite serious matters, is overall quite wholesome.

So to anyone interested in the genre or just this book specifically, I’d definitely recommend checking it out for yourself.

#nettle and bone #t. kingfisher #fairytale #fairy tales #books #book thoughts #bookish #fantasy books #booklr #book reviews #book review #bookblr #bookworm

3 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 3 months

Photo

He said “YOU do?” And I proceeded to pass out. HE HAD EYES FOR HER SINCE DAY 1!!!!!

MERLIN | 1x05 “Lancelot”

#they had so much more chemistry #it should have been them!#they should’ve been endgame #probably will delete this soon

923 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 4 months

Text

Cinder

By Marissa Meyer

Rating: 3/5⭐️

As a big fan of fairy tale retellings, especially those with a new take on a classic tale, I had long had my eye on 'The Lunar Chronicles.' However, when actually getting to read the first book of the series, I've found that it simply didn't live up to the hype.

Quick Plot Summary:

In this Cinderella retelling we follow a teenage Lihn Cinder; the best mechanic in New Beijing.

Part of the new take on this tale is that she also happens to be a Cyborg, which in this futuristic society renders her as a second class citizen, not only amongst the general public but within her own family.

Her life starts to take a turn for the unexpected when the heir to the throne; Prince Kai, enters the picture. Cinder now tasked with fixing the Prince's royal android, finds herself tangled in royal politics and schemes.

This leads to the discovery of royal secrets and hidden identities, all while the earth's future is hanging in the balance as a deadly plague continues sweeping the nation and the threat of war looms near.

Thoughts:

This was a book I had been wanting to read since high school but somehow never got around to it. Unfortunately this turned out to be a book I felt I would have enjoyed a lot more as a teen as opposed to now.

The premise itself is very promising; a cyborg Cinderella set in a futuristic city incorporating elements of both sci-fi and fantasy, what's not to like?

The writing was simple and easy to follow which allows the story to be more accessible for any reader. The world building piqued my interest, but even with so much potential it ultimately fell flat.

The pacing on its own was fine, however when paired with the surface level exploration of characters and the world itself, felt like a disservice to the book. And this was something which really annoyed me about the book; the lack of exploration.

How did their world come to be that way? What was the history there that led them to the beliefs and prejudice that they have now? What about the backstory on those from Lunar? Their powers? So much that could've been explored and used to set the foundation for this world but wasn't. With the Eastern commonwealth being a mixture of different people and backgrounds what is the culture like?? The customs etc?? Give me a whole new world to explore!!

Even though I am aware that as the series progresses more will be revealed, there has to be some groundwork for the reader to go off of, especially in a fantasy/scifi setting.

Now as for our main character Cinder, honestly, she was meh at best (sorry not sorry). I did like her relationship with Peony but besides that I felt no emotional connection to the characters. Kai was fine, I guess, and his relationship with Cinder was your typical YA romance; instalove, a little bland, cringe at times but bearable.

Overall the book was still interesting enough for me to want to finish it, but in my opinion is overhyped. It's an enjoyable read but not much of a memorable one.

(So no, I did not end up reading the rest of the series)

#cinder #marissa meyer #the lunar chronicles #lunar chronicles #Lihn Cinder #prince kai #cinder x kai #book thoughts #bookish #books #fantasy books #booklr #book review #fantasy #scifi #fantasy book #young adult fantasy #young adult #young adult books

9 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 4 months

Text

The Wrath & The Dawn

By Renée Ahdieh

Rating: 2/5 ⭐️

Coming off from the excitement of having finished The Sands of Arawiya duology I wanted to keep within the Middle Eastern based fantasy books and that's how I ended up reading 'The Wrath & The Dawn.'

Quick Plot Summary:

It's a retelling of the One Thousand and One Nights tale, where Khalid, the young Caliph of Khorasan, claims a bride every night and by dawn she dies.

This is where our main character Shahrzad is introduced. Having lost her best friend to the Caliph, she devises a plan of revenge that would see the end of his murderous reign once and for all. But ofcourse, not everything goes to plan as Shahrzad comes to discover that there is more to the Caliph than what meets the eye.

Thoughts:

This book was an interesting read, that's for sure. It had its moments but ultimately lacked direction (this is mostly applicable to the 2nd book and the series as a whole but these problems do find their footing in the 1st book).

To start off on the positive, I liked the very beginning of the book. The mystery, the allure of the tales that Shahrzad would tell, these drew me in immediately as a lover of fantasy and folklore.

Unfortunately, as the book continued I found that there was less that I liked and there are a number of reasons why.

1. The main character

I'd say it's a no brainer that if the main character isn't that likeable, the book becomes less tolerable the more you read it.

Our main protagonist Shahrzad is presented to the reader as the epitome of a YA protagonist. She's said to be cunning, fearless, and a skilled archer, to name a few, but through out the book she comes across as this careless, and short tempered girl who couldn't keep anything to herself if she tried.

She talks about getting revenge on the Caliph, but does very little in actually carrying out these plans. Her so called 'revenge plan' only lasts a few days before she starts catching feelings for the Caliph. This leads into yet another rant of mine regarding this book;

2. The Romance.

In my opinion it is both fortunate and unfortunate that I consider the romance to be the most entertaining part of both this first book and the second.

On one hand the chemistry was there, despite complications and obstacles faced I eventually ended up liking the idea of these 2 main characters together.

Did it develop much quicker than I would have liked? YES, but eventually, due to the writing (which I did enjoy for the most part), I grew to like them as a couple.

On the other hand, I couldn't bring myself to care about much else, and that is most definitely a problem because I found myself skimming through parts of the book that weren't related to this.

3. The Magic System

Again, this is a fantasy book that has its own magic system and yet, we see so little of it. It is touched upon maybe once or twice with the main character but after that not much is mentioned until the second book, which in my opinion is a little too late to be introducing your readers to a whole new magic system, especially in a duology. If it is supposed to be a component that exists within a world you've already set up, it's not something you just throw in later but should be established more thoroughly as a foundation in the world building.

And these were just the points I wanted to expand upon the most. Pair this with characters that were mediocre at best, and a tendency to drag out descriptions and there's only so much I can like in the book.

All in all it was another 2 star read for me. Here's hoping the next book I post about reaches above 2 stars.

0 notes

scentedsstuff · 5 months

Text

We Hunt the Flame

By Hafsah Faizal

Rating: 5/5⭐️

Where to begin with this book, how about the fact that it had been on my tbr for YEARS before I actually read it.

This is why I feel a book cover can be so important, had this book had a less memorable cover, I probably would've forgotten about it because the premise whilst intriguing was not something I'm commonly drawn to. However, I always remembered the book with that beautiful blue cover and thus we are here.

Quick Plot Summary:

Lets start with the plot. To keep it short; I LOVED IT. You have a mysterious hunter whose identity is kept secret with good reason, a prince who is also an assassin, both known only by reputation. Both are sent on a mission which would have their paths cross, leading them to discover that there is so much more to their mission than what they initially believed.

Thoughts:

The mystery throughout it all is such an entertaining aspect to the book because there was always so much left to uncover. The mystery of the land itself and why magic disappeared. The mystery of the 6 sisters who had all but vanished. The mystery of each and every character and the past they carried with them. With so much going on it would almost be expected that some segments of the book would feel more rushed than others but to my surprise the book felt very balanced.

If you also have a love for the found family trope as I do, I'd say you'll grow to love this group too. The connections and bonds formed within the time frame given felt very genuine and sweet. Any actions or attitudes expressed by one character towards another were all very reasonable, that is to say that it never felt as though these characters did or said anything out of character to progress the story or otherwise.

And ofcourse I have to talk about the romance. It's not exactly an enemies to lovers but it's definitely somewhere along those lines. It was entertaining, endearing, sweet and full of TENSION. It didn't overshadow the main plot and it didn't take anything away from it, in fact I'd say it complimented the story quite well.

And throughout it all, you are being introduced to a whole new culture (at least it was for me) in a way which felt accessible and inclusive. You never once felt like the author was talking down to you or repeating more than necessary, she trusted the reader to understand what it was she was trying to convey.

Out of the duology, this book would have to be a clear favorite. I am still a fan of the duology overall, however, in my opinion the first book is the most well balanced of the two.

#we hunt the flame #sands of arawiya #hafsah faizal #we free the stars #bookish #book thoughts #books #fantasy books #book review #review #book reviews #sands of arawiya duology #booklr #bookworm #bookish thoughts #bookish things

3 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 10 months

Text

The Davenports

By Krystal Marquis

Rating: 2/5⭐️

Historical fiction is a genre that I have recently been obsessed over so naturally I was excited at the premise of The Davenports. A bit of a heads-up, though this book is categorized as historical fiction with some romance, I'd argue it's more the other way around. It's a lot heavier on the romance, so keep that in mind to see whether or not this may be the book for you.

Quick Plot Summary:

Now, I've always wondered what it would be like to have a black fmc as a lead in a book set in the Gilded Age. In this book's case, make that 4 with the inclusion of a biracial narrator.

The book follows these 4 young women as they navigate the many challenges of life, questioning their positions in their current lives and the foreseeable future. Ofcourse, sprinkle in some romance within each young lady's life and things get a little complicated.

Thoughts:

Unfortunately when it comes to the plot this book did little beyond present me with the same character narrative/problems over and over again. I was tempted to give this book 1.5 stars but the drama was entertaining at times, enough to keep me engaged for most of the book, pushing it to 2 stars.

To put it simply there was nothing that stood out about the book other than the fact that it was an all black cast of characters in 1900s Chicago. Yes they're upper class society and at this point it's giving Bridgerton but not much else from there. That was it really, the characters lacked personality and about halfway through I only really cared for one girl's story out of the 4, whose perspectives alternated throughout the book.

The pacing was decent, but even this couldn't keep me from skimming through the pages towards the ending.

Overall, I'm disappointed because I had high hopes for this book.

#the davenports #krystal marquis #book review #book thoughts #books #bookish #booklr #historical fiction #romance #historical fiction books

5 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 10 months

Note

Unpopular book opinion: I feel like rf kuang put more time into showing off her academic research in The Poppy War, as opposed to making her characters feel like real people we could somewhat feel for and want to follow through with in their story.

I get that it's a commentary on British imperialism and on Mao with Rin in particular but her as a main character just completely fell apart for me, particularly towards the end of the book.

Yes she has to make those tough decisions, particularly towards the end but they don't end up making any sense. It's very clear that she's an anti-hero but I do feel like some of her choices still need to make some sense in relation to her as a character. Your telling me deep down she knows her teacher Jiang is right yet she chooses Altan because she's inlove with him and he's the only one she feels who understands her????🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ idk I just felt she wasn't that understandable.

You know what anon, if you had told me this earlier this year, or December last year (which was when I first read The Poppy War, I would have ABSOLUTELY disagreed with you.

However............. (I am slowly regretting my choice of rereading books I previously loved and gave 5⭐️s to) I may kinda agree with you😶.

4 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 10 months

Note

Unpopular opinion: I have seen some people really hate on these books but I reckon its enjoyable and that is..... the Red Queen Series. It's got an interesting world with cool powers and abilities, a cool main character, a love triangle etc. Just my thoughts.

Hi anon,

Ok listeeeennnnn, at the end of the day, everybody is allowed to read and love whatever book they want. I'm saying this to say, don't pay too much mind to what others think of the books you like/love or the ones you dislike. Besides, last I checked there is a pretty decently sized fandom for the Red Queen Series so you are definitely not alone.

Now, as for my opinion on it, I'm afraid I fall into that group of people who do not like the series. I definitely was pulled in by the premise; reds and silvers, special abilities, it all sounded SO COOL. Unfortunately it was the execution of it all that lost me. AND MARE, she as a main character fell flat for me.

However, this is just my opinion anon, thank you for taking the time to share yours😊Take care!

7 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 10 months

Note

Unpopular opinion: The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo 👎🏻👎🏻 don't get the hype

👀......Agreed.

5 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 10 months

Note

I know this is maybe unpopular, but I'm finding the Legendborn fandom more and more irritating. Twitter is just the most talkative part of the fandom but it's everywhere like on Goodreads as well. People praise the books because of Sel and not because of the main character. They make the story about everything BUT Bree. There's a lot of obsessing about the boys Nick and Sel or about side characters like William, Lark or Sarah who are all interesting characters that matter. But. Again the Black girl who is the main character has become a side show where her value is only because of her romances with the boys or her story is sidelined in favor of side characters.

The most annoying part is many people in the fandom will promise that they care about Bree they prioritise Bree but they don't, not really.

Hi👋🏽 anon, I'm pretty sure this was something others brought up, especially towards the release of the second book, just as a reminder that as excited as we may get about the book that it is indeed Bree's story first of all.

I am in agreement here. The fandom had me seriously side eyeing at some points based on some things I've come across. I get that there is a lot of different experience and stories brought to light in this book as well as a love triangle that prompts a lot of discussion but I don't think so much so that it overshadows the actual main protagonist of the book.

I've literally seen people try to centre the boys of the book more or even their relationship. I understand the need for them to better their relationship overall to a healthier dynamic, I do and agree with this, but it's the ones that suggest we should push it to be a more focal point and possibly explore a romantic aspect that get to me. This is BREE'S STORY first and foremost, it's about BREE and HER STORY, and HER relationships. We learn about the world through her and WITH HER, not anyone else. Sel can be your favorite boy, or William or whoever, you can have a favourite character that isn't the main character, that isn't a crime (and happens in many books) but let's not forget whose story this is.

As for those who say they care for Bree but actually don't, I'm not surprised, it's most likely just a means of saying something for the sake of not upsetting anyone and pleasing everyone.

24 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 10 months

Note

Hello, unpopular opinion: Don't come for me, but Babel was not great.

It claims to be fantasy, and I guess it is to an extent, but if anything it's more historical fiction. It gives you a look into imperial British history but other than that dosen't do much to build its own new world.

The main character is passive and so forgettable, most of the other characters don't fair much better and all lack much depth. They just regurgate the same modern views and ofcourse talk about evil imperial racists as well as make the authors point for her. WE GET IT, we as readers can deduce for ourselves what the author is implying but kuang continuously hammers her point so repetitively throughout the book. Every other page never fails to remind you that white = bad/evil.

The discussion surrounding the harmful effects of British colonization is definitely an important one to be had, no doubt about it. My problem here is that I believe it's not an issue you can reduce to a simple dichotomy of good and bad.

The countries under British rule did suffer greatly and it most definitely affected their cultures and I'm saying this as someone who comes from a country that has been affected by British colonialism. Yes we should acknowledge these wrong doings for what they are but I don't think dwelling on them and this push towards resenting white people is gonna lead to anything much better.

I was so excited when I first heard about this book as a lover of fantasy books and someone who also studied linguistics. It was a combination of my interests and was said to feature a diverse cast of characters which as a black girl, I appreciated, but this book was such a let down. The effort needed to get through this book was really taxing.

Hello anon I got your other ask about *regurgitate, all good, typos happen to us all!

Wow, thanks for sharing your thoughts there. As someone who had enjoyed rf kuang's past work (although upon my reread of the poppy war my thoughts have changed, seperate post about that later) I was intrigued by the premise of Babel but ultimately decided to pass on it.

Why? Well, you've mentioned a few of the reasons. I know they say not to judge a book by its cover and in this case I'm not, instead going off of the thoughts and reviews of close friends whose judgement and taste in books I trust as well my own judgement off of other reviews I've seen (because I haven't read it).

I've had it described to me by a friend as "one of the most condescending books I've ever read." And you know what? I believe them.

Listen, at the end of the day, read what you want to read but I'd rather not read about this.

2 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 10 months

Note

unpopular opinion: i hated the fault in our stars. it was so bad honestly.

Anon you just took me back to 2012-2014 with that one and it is a strong AGREE from me.

I couldn't stand the book nor the movie, just a no for me. I tried to get into reading more John Green because I wanted to understand all the hype surrounding his books, and at the time it felt like I couldn't go on Tumblr without seeing a John Green quote, but it just wasn't for me.

6 notes · View notes

scentedsstuff · 11 months

Note

Unpopular book opinion: The plated prisoner series was trash. Could barely get through the first one and just gave up by the second.

Agreed. I had to give up by book 3 though.

1 note · View note

scentedsstuff · 11 months

Note

Unpopular book opinion: The song of Achilles is just terrible. Apparently the author spent years and years researching for this book but honestly should've spent longer. Did she even read the Iliad??? Anyways, as you can see, I wasn't exactly crazy about this book.

👀😶. This is another case of books I haven't read so I don't have too much of an opinion on.

I do have a friend who's more of a history buff and loves Greek mythology and he shares your......intense dislike for the book.

6 notes · View notes