nostoat commented on farron's review of The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)
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nostoat wrote a review...
I received an eARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I picked this one up months ago before the publication date with every intention to finish it in time and then just...didn't and I didn't know why because the premise was interesting enough and nothing stood out to me. Having now read the entire book I think I sensed the intense boring vibes coming. This is supposed to be a thriller; it is not remotely tense enough or tight enough with the pacing to be one, sadly. The biggest enemy of the pacing in this book is the CONSTANT stopping mid-conversations, mid tense moments, to talk about the past for a paragraph or more. Everything is a reason to reflect on Claudine and their years at college but somehow so much of it feels so empty. And continuously defusing the tension with mini flashbacks takes the teeth right out of any lingering thrill this book might have had. I was never once worried or even really invested in the stakes of this story, which, considering it's supposedly life-changing money is a little wild. The characters seem invested but I'm not really convinced. Sara spends five days just wandering aimlessly around New York when the Circus is only seven days long to begin with. Not a single exciting or interesting moment promised by the many incidents referenced by the roommates throughout the book ever happens. To top all of that off, the ending felt incredibly forced. I think I was supposed to dislike the character who was doing it all way more than I ended up disliking them, but the author didn't do enough to paint them as a person who would actually act like that. Instead, when the reveal happens, Sara just says something to the effect of "oh of course [they have] always felt entitled like that." Like huh?? Where's the showing? The evidence? Any crumb of characterization to lead me to believe this? Anyway. Disappointing!
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With Friends Like These
Alissa Lee
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The constant derailing current day conversations and moments to dive into the past is starting to get exhausting. It slows the pace of a book that in theory could be tenser to nothing. I've not felt any tension or worry for the main character because even in tense moments this is happening! Fully stopping to think about the past for a paragraph or more. I feel like I know so little about her as a person in the now because she's so caught up in rehashing the past on every page.
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Majestic Minibeasts: Moths, Millipedes, Mites, & More! 🐌🐛🐝
🏆 // 159 joined
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Come learn about the most common animals on our planet: insects, spiders, earthworms - all the critters and bugs who share our world! For this nonfiction quest, all you need is an open mind and a love for all things mini.
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nostoat commented on robyn00's review of The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth, #2)
screams grabs final book
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Ok ok, this is 100% winning me over already, the political part is still very little yet already entertaining, the two of them are such a great combo when they are not wishing the other one was suffering hell's tortures. Still trying to get over some things that turn my stomach upside down but I can not keep my eyes off the pages anyway, It's really growing on me.
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In honor of achieving a follower milestone that will GROW my account and INFLUENCE the algorithm (pls remember to like, subscribe, hit the bell to turn on notifications, and comment your PO box so i can deploy a legion of secret pigeons to directly harass you every time cheryl wyatt gifts me with more divine inspiration), i am as promised sharing a preview of the Australian translation of Soldier Daddy, written by award-winning, #1 worldwide bestselling author Brandon Sanderson Brandana Danderson, otherwise known as @brandanadei 🙌
Original American version: "I'm fond of the microwave myself. Although I can grill a mean steak."
Now why had he said that? Maybe she was a vegan and he'd just offended her.
Then again, according to her dawning grin, maybe not.
"I love steak. Especially from the grill, juicy and marbled. With sea-salt baked potatoes and sweet corn on the cob dripping with hot butter. And pumpkin pie so smothered in whipped cream that you can't see the golden filling. It's my favorite meal."
Australian translation (to be released in bookstores VERY SOON): "Aw yeah nah I'm alright with the microwave meself. Though I'll chuck a couple steaks on the barbie."
Now she'll think he's just some dumb bloke. She's probably one of them oat milk vegans from Melbourne and she'll be pissed.
But she cracked a laugh, so maybe he'd saved it.
"Bloody oath mate. Gotta have a good steak. Add a coupla snags, grilled onion, the misso makes a potato salad. Top it off with a pavlova with the passionfruit drizzle, now that's a good feed."
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