craftshley's reviews
293 reviews

The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 
I was astounded to realize that The Notorious Virtues was supposed to come out five years ago! It seems like I’d just finished reading Hero at the Fall when I heard about this book. Turns out Hero at the Fall was released eight years ago. So, yeah, my sense of time passing is clearly terrible. Be that as it may, I was so happy to read The Notorious Virtues. It was an amazing book, building on the universe created in Rebel of the Sands, but set in the future and in a different country. Nora is actually related to Miraji royalty! I loved how the setting in Notorious Virtues was so markedly different, yet still ties back to the universe created in Rebel of the Sands. 

The characters in Notorious Virtues are incredible. Lotte was slightly annoying in the beginning but she quickly redeems herself through her actions. I was expecting at every turn that she would betray someone, since she had no real reason to be loyal to the Holtzfalls. I was pleasantly surprised at her cunning and character growth throughout the story. I also enjoyed Nora’s almost lack of growth? Her circumstances and knowledge changed and she reacted to these changes, but she remained herself, in the best ways. She learned a lot and embraced herself as an individual, rather than the Holtzfall heir apparent. She isn’t just a socialite–she’s a powerful magic user with a cunning mind and excellent instincts. Her relationship with August makes me so happy. Their witty conversations are so funny and well constructed. I knew they would fall for each other as soon as they met, as that is simply the way, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the fall. They’re all unique characters with conflicting motives but are all generally good. Lotte having suffered in the convent as she did creates a barrier between her and the rest of the world and she does have some hateful thoughts and actions. But she has suffered and she’s seen how the Holtzfalls have made the world suffer and how she’s suffered because of them. 

The method of magic is fascinating to me. The various charms and the sheer power Nora possesses makes me so happy. She’s the heir apparent to the Hotlzfall family but she actually has both power and a brain. I never thought my favorite character would be dumb, of course, but sometimes you don’t choose your favorite based on intelligence alone. All of the main characters are beyond intelligent, very clever and resourceful, but not infallible. I also like that about them, that they can be tricked and led astray. It leads to a great story and an unfortunate cliffhanger. I didn’t fully realize that this book was part of a series until the last ten percent or so. I had hoped in a lot of ways that it was, because I really like these characters and would love to see more from them. But also, it took over five years for this book to be published, and that’s just five years from the original date, not how long it took to write in total. We’re talking the better part of a decade at this point. But I’ll willingly and eagerly wait for the next part, and happily re-read this book if and when the time comes. 

There are no queer characters as far as I can tell. No side characters or anything, which feels unrealistic. Even if none of the main characters are queer, there should be someone who is. You could say that it’s the equivalent of the 1920s and so even if there were queer people, they wouldn’t be out about it. And yeah, not every story needs to be a coming out. It just felt strange, I think, especially since I read a lot of queer fiction of all sorts (historical, fantasy, science fiction, young adult of all of those). There’s always a way to work it in. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy! It’s not a super long book, nor is it super complicated. There are pieces of the mystery that can be traced and solved on your own, if you want. But everything is laid out towards the end. The world building is light compared to adult fantasy books but it is all the more enjoyable for that. I didn’t feel like any aspect of the story suffered from being a young adult novel. I never lost interest in any of the character’s points of view–I always wanted to stay with them but was eager to see what the other characters were doing, too. The romance is light and doesn’t affect the plot too much. Love of that sort is not the main motivator and that is more than okay in my eyes. As Nora is mourning her mother and preparing to inherit the family magic, romance does not need to be a main plotline. 

 
The Great When by Alan Moore

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Lengthy nonsensical paragraphs. Dense nonsense. Long paragraphs with no breaks. Boring story despite the interesting premise. 
Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I’ve been reading Libba Bray books for over twenty years. It astounds me to say that but it’s true. I started with A Great and Terrible Beauty, shortly after it was published in paperback. There’s only one book of hers I haven’t read (Beauty Queens), though I do own it and have it on my TBR. I was ecstatic to read Under the Same Stars as an ARC. 

Bray has a way with characters and historical settings, especially. Each point of view had a unique voice and a unique setting that I had no trouble picturing as I read. Hanna and Sophie in 1940s Germany. Lena in 1980s Germany. Miles in New York in 2020. The last one hit the hardest in a lot of ways, as fresh as that time is in my mind. With the world as we know it falling apart around us, I think back to those early days of the pandemic and wonder how those times were more hopeful than those we’re living through now. Even when circumstances tell you otherwise, get out there and do something. Stand up, speak out. Protest. March. Call. Email. Do something. Even if it’s small. Do something. It’s better than doing nothing. 

I love the progression of the story. I felt like the pacing was near perfect, especially the back third of the book. As secrets were revealed and threads of story were tied off, I looked back and wondered how I missed the signs. I had an inkling about a couple of the big reveals but was more than content to let the story lead the way. There’s always something comfortable about Bray’s writing, something I will always come back to and find a home in. Everything is so seamless, switching between settings and decades and characters. The interjections of the fairytales and the bits from other people’s point of view aside from our main three. 

There is no obvious magic in this book, as there is in so many of Bray’s other books. There is a certain magic in the power of the very few accomplishing a lot. How one person can stand up and cause a tidal wave with their actions. 

Lena is my favorite transformation, I think. Her personal progression and bravery through her summer in Germany was inspirational and really fun to read. I’m a 90s baby so it wasn’t a time I lived in but I found familiarity in the references to brands, magazines, celebrities, etc. I loved that her downstairs neighbor wanted her subscription to an American teen magazine, that she wanted American makeup and things like that. The fascination with America that other people have is so fun. The obsession with snacks and visits to malls and Target, when that’s just our normal everyday will never not amuse me. While Lena realizes that she’s a lesbian before she goes to Germany, she really embraces that aspect of herself and loses a lot of the shame she held inside. Against the backdrop of the Berlin wall, such things seem less important, especially when you have people who will support you, no matter what. Sophie is me, in a lot of ways, though I’m not sure how brave I would be in her circumstances. Miss Lonelyhearts, writing letters to be placed in a magical tree so she can find her true love. Keeping the fairytale alive and being hopeful for the future. She was a ray of sunshine for Hanna, and for me. 

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. I think Libba Bray fans will enjoy this slightly different book from her, as well. While it doesn’t hold the magic of her two most popular series, it does have everything else I loved about those books. The characters and friendships have the same feel of those in The Diviners and in A Great and Terrible Beauty. There is depth there that I can’t find anywhere else. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an eARC of this book! 

 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
The Will of the Many by James Islington

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adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low

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4.0

The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker

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4.5

Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Okay, Cupid is my first Mason Deaver book, though I own a couple and have even more on my TBR! It was a great one to start with, and appropriate for Valentine’s month. I love the magical addition of actual cupids, beings who orchestrate that perfect moment or moments that lead to a couple falling in love. Jude is a hopeless romantic, though they’re a cupid and are in charge of making love matches, rather than getting their own. After falling in love, and it being a spectacular failure because they’re a cupid, Jude is ready to prove themself to be the perfect cupid. If only they could resist falling in love again. How could they not, after all? It’s their first really long term assignment, all on their own, and of course they get paired up with the perfect guy. 

With how bubbly and fun the characters are, each with their own personalities, Okay, Cupid was easy to fall into and enjoy; I finished it in only a handful of reading sessions. Huy is an amazing character. A good son, active in sports at school, with good friends and solid relationships outside of his budding friendship with Jude. He’s super athletic but also enjoys making mix tapes, on actual cassettes. I know modern teenagers might not realize what cassettes are, or how they work, and I love Huy for the nostalgia he gave me. 

I would have liked more about the cupids in general. Perhaps a look at the older cupids and what they do on the daily. How they get their assignments, how they know who is on the verge of falling in love. Do they get an email with an assignment? Like a bizarre government agency? All clandestine and secretive except instead of nuclear codes and state secrets, it’s love. Which, honestly, is much more difficult to understand and manage, especially as a teenager navigating their first relationships. 

I love how much respect is placed in the feelings of teenagers. People always discount the feelings of teenagers, dismissing them and telling them they can’t experience love or deep feelings because they aren’t old enough. Because of that, I would recommend this book for teens who enjoy romance with a little bit of supernatural thrown in. Also for people hoping to expand their repertoire of queer books. With a non-binary narrator and a transmasc love interest, this book is sure to please! I will certainly be reading more of Mason Deaver in the future and will definitely be digging into my bookshelf to finally read those books that have been on my shelf for months. 
Boy of Chaotic Making by Charlie N. Holmberg

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was under the impression that the Whimbrel House series was just going to be a trilogy so I dove into this book, eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this amazing series. I found out shortly after starting Boy of Chaotic Making that there were to be even more books in the series! I was so excited to discover this and read even more voraciously because of it. I love reading more from Owein’s point of view, even as Hulda and Merritt’s wedding approaches. I feel like he really gains a solid personality and experiences real growth for the first time. While there is real danger in this novel, there is more character growth than in previous books. The first two books in the series were more Merritt and Hulda centric; it’s Owein’s turn now! 

The plot takes a little break for Boy of Chaotic Making, in comparison to the first two books in the series. We get introduced to many new characters and delve a little deeper into Merritt’s magic. Hulda also gets the chance to deepen her understanding of her augury powers. I love how, as Hulda learns to use her augury, she becomes more confident in herself and her relationship with Merritt. She finally feels desirable and deserving of love, for the first time in her life. But mostly it’s about Owein and his trauma, as well as what it means to be a human trapped in a dog’s body, as well as what it means to be over two hundred years old but still feel like a child in so many ways. Owein never got a chance to grow up, alone as he was in a house. He never had constant companionship and it wasn’t until Merritt and Hulda came along that he finally got to communicate with people once more. 

The lack of a villain limited the plot potential. I looked at every character with suspicion, thinking, ah yes, this is the new villain. Nope. Oh wait, it’s this guy. No…In the end, the villain was an obvious one, one that I had discounted because it was so obvious. I’m wondering if this book is just setting up an epic next book in the series, a filler book to help move the plot along, perhaps. I’m not unhappy with it being a filler book and in fact found the book to be an easy read, comfortable and quick to read while I was traveling this past week. 

I very much look forward to the next book and highly recommend this book and series to anyone wanting a cozy, sometimes dark, magical mystery series. The cover art is what drew me into the series and I’m sure other people are wondering if you should judge these books by their covers. The answer is, yes, you should! The story is even more beautiful than the covers.