Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
The hype surrounding this book is so well deserved. It was clever, witty, and like I was watching a D&D campaign play out. Based on the synopsis, I expected this to be a silly, goofy time, but there were darker moments as well, and I thought Dinniman balanced the two out perfectly. Aside from the plot, I couldn't get enough of the characters. Carl and Donut were hilarious together. I love a talking animal companion, and when they're super sassy? Even better. Their interactions kept me giggling the entire time. I loved how inventive and unpredictable the dungeon was, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the levels have in store. If you're looking for a fun, ridiculous (but in the best way) series to start, I can't recommend this one enough.
I haven't enjoyed the last few releases from Hazelwood, so I went into this with low expectations. To my surprise and utter delight, I loved it. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. It felt so different from what Hazelwood had done before, and that's why I enjoyed it so much. I liked that it wasn't as focused on science as her usual work, since most of that stuff goes way over my head, and you could tell that Hazelwood was having fun trying something new. I liked our main characters. Scarlett was so in her head, which I could relate to, and I appreciated her dry sense of humor. Lukas was intense but had such a soft spot where Scarlett was concerned. I know there was a lot of discourse surrounding this release being too smutty, but honestly, I didn't think it was that bad. It dealt with many facets of intimacy that Hazelwood hasn't touched upon before, but it wasn't as over the top as many made it out to be. If you're in the mood for a spicy sports romance, I'd recommend checking it out.
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| Pub Date: 9-21-20 Adult - Sci-Fi |
Dungeon Crawler Carl- Matt Dinniman: Carl was a Coast Guard vet living with his girlfriend and her prize-winning show cat, Princess Donut, but after an alien invasion wiped out most of the Earth's population, Carl now finds himself fighting for his life. With all structures destroyed, Carl and Princess Donut must descend into a trap-filled dungeon that doubles as an intergalactic game show. Carl and Donut have to battle goblins, fight bosses, and try to level up while keeping the alien viewers at home entertained. The dungeon is full of dangers--both alien and human--with unknown rules that seem to change on a whim. Can Carl and Donut make it through, or will it be game over?
The hype surrounding this book is so well deserved. It was clever, witty, and like I was watching a D&D campaign play out. Based on the synopsis, I expected this to be a silly, goofy time, but there were darker moments as well, and I thought Dinniman balanced the two out perfectly. Aside from the plot, I couldn't get enough of the characters. Carl and Donut were hilarious together. I love a talking animal companion, and when they're super sassy? Even better. Their interactions kept me giggling the entire time. I loved how inventive and unpredictable the dungeon was, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the levels have in store. If you're looking for a fun, ridiculous (but in the best way) series to start, I can't recommend this one enough.
Rating: 4/5
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| Pub Date: 1-7-25 YA - Historical Fantasy |
A Language of Dragons- S.F. Williamson: Vivian Featherswallow has always been a strict follower of the rules. She knows that any slight misstep can demote her and her family from the Second Class down to the dreaded Third Class societal ranking. Viv has her eyes set on a prestigious internship studying dragon languages, but her future is up in the air when her parents are arrested for being rebels, and Viv unknowingly starts a war trying to clear their names. In hopes of pardoning her family and getting her sister back, Viv takes a role as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. Viv is fluent in many dragon languages, but this new hidden language she's been tasked with cracking eludes her. The more she investigates, the more Viv uncovers secrets about her government that go against everything she's been taught, leaving her to wonder who's the real enemy.
I had such high hopes for this one, and I was let down. A lot of it came down to how it was marketed. It was full of betrayals and secrets, but dark academia and enemies-to-lovers? I don't buy it. I also hated Viv as a main character. I thought she was selfish, naive, and so blind to reason. It took her almost the entire book to decide that she should change her ways, and by that point, I didn't care. The romance between her and Atlas also felt forced and unnecessary. I thought the plot and pacing were too slow, which made me keep losing interest in what was going on. However, it was wild seeing how so much of it seemed to align with our current political climate. The highlight of this whole thing was the dragons. I thought all the different species were so cool. It was fascinating learning about all their languages and dialects. For me, this is a case of a super cool premise but poor execution.
I had such high hopes for this one, and I was let down. A lot of it came down to how it was marketed. It was full of betrayals and secrets, but dark academia and enemies-to-lovers? I don't buy it. I also hated Viv as a main character. I thought she was selfish, naive, and so blind to reason. It took her almost the entire book to decide that she should change her ways, and by that point, I didn't care. The romance between her and Atlas also felt forced and unnecessary. I thought the plot and pacing were too slow, which made me keep losing interest in what was going on. However, it was wild seeing how so much of it seemed to align with our current political climate. The highlight of this whole thing was the dragons. I thought all the different species were so cool. It was fascinating learning about all their languages and dialects. For me, this is a case of a super cool premise but poor execution.
Rating: 2/5
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| Pub Date: 2-4-25 Adult - Contemporary |
Deep End- Ali Hazelwood: Scarlett Vandermeer is no stranger to working hard. As a junior at Stanford, she balances her pre-med studies with her training as a competitive diver. Scarlett is determined to return to her best shape after a traumatic injury almost ruined her diving career, so she has no time for distractions. Lukas Blomqvist is the captain of the swim team, an Olympian, and the most disciplined person Scarlett has ever met. To the outside world, the pair have nothing in common, but when a secret slips out, Scarlett and Lukas are thrown together for an arrangement of sorts. As the pressure leading up to competition time ramps up, so do the feelings between the pair. What started as a way to sate their desires turns into a connection neither could've predicted.
I haven't enjoyed the last few releases from Hazelwood, so I went into this with low expectations. To my surprise and utter delight, I loved it. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. It felt so different from what Hazelwood had done before, and that's why I enjoyed it so much. I liked that it wasn't as focused on science as her usual work, since most of that stuff goes way over my head, and you could tell that Hazelwood was having fun trying something new. I liked our main characters. Scarlett was so in her head, which I could relate to, and I appreciated her dry sense of humor. Lukas was intense but had such a soft spot where Scarlett was concerned. I know there was a lot of discourse surrounding this release being too smutty, but honestly, I didn't think it was that bad. It dealt with many facets of intimacy that Hazelwood hasn't touched upon before, but it wasn't as over the top as many made it out to be. If you're in the mood for a spicy sports romance, I'd recommend checking it out.
Rating: 4/5
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