3.5 stars - Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.

This is one of the most difficult reviews I’ve ever had to write. Have you ever read a book that you loved but was also so different and strange and peculiar that you aren’t actually sure whether you did enjoy it or not? No? Well, damn because that’s what I feel about this book and I am struggling so much to translate my tangle of emotions to the screen.

There is definitely something undeniably addictive and downright gorgeous about Holmberg’s writing. It always manages to draw me in, and keep me reading. It’s subtle but poetic and completely enthralling. If we just singled out the writing aspect of this story, I’d have no problems giving this book five stars.

The plot also had an addictive quality to it too. The first 40% (or so) was unputdownable. I fell into this story without meaning to it, and boy, did it suck me in quickly or what. I was up late, flipping through the pages with ease, desperate to see where the story was heading. It was unlike anything I’d ever read before, and I had no idea where the story was heading or even where it could possibly go. If you know me, you know that predictability is a massive no-no for me so the fact that Holmberg left me no clues whatsoever, and that I had to keep reading if I wanted to find out more was perfect.

But the more the story went on, the less I felt that urgency to read more. The story started to peter out - so slowly at first that I honestly didn’t even realise. Yet the more and more I read, the more and more I was getting… sidetracked? Probably not the most accurate description, but I felt that the story had lost it’s momentum. The plot was getting a little stranger and stranger. The characters lost their oomph, the villain became… useless and dull, not doing anything. The story just felt like it’d taken a wrong turn, and was too far in to turn back. It hit a snag, and I didn’t like it. Then bam - we were hit with the ending/major plot twist thing and… gah, I don’t know what to think of it. I think I liked it? Or maybe just the idea of it? It worked, and it didn’t. It was unique, and explained everything… but I don’t know if I’m 100% satisfied with it and now I’m lost.

Can you see why I’m struggling to write this review now?

Let’s just break this down:

Writing? Check. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Enchanting. Similar adjectives.
Plot? Hmm, it was mostly good…
Characters? Spot on… until they weren’t?
Pacing? Perfect... at first.
Romance? Great tension but mostly confusing.
Magic? BRILLIANT. CAN I GO FOR LENGTHS AT A TIME HOW BRILLIANT THIS MAGICAL BAKING THING WAS. GENIUS!
Ending? Uh…. I don’t know.

… so that’s it.

Overall? I loved this story. I think. The writing and magical system was perfect. The characters and plot were perfect for the first 40%... and almost everything slowly petered out after that, unfortunately. I’ll still be reading everything this author put outs. I loved her writing style, but I don’t know what to think of this book.