booksonmars's Reviews (670)

no reason i just don't feel like picking it up right now

i held off from reading this the first time i heard about it because business rivalries isn't one of the tropes i like to read, but i'm glad i picked it up this season! erin sterling always comes through with the cosy halloween vibes as well as undeniable chemistry between the love interests. gwyn was such a great and supportive character in the first book, and i really enjoyed her coming into her own as a mentor to the three young witches, as well as her banter with wells. as the more serious brother of rhys from the first book, it was sweet to watch how he dared to dream of a less lonely life outside of his father's whims (who is a complete asshole), and to see him fall in love with gwyn. their banter and grumpy-sunshine dynamic made me smile to myself while reading this. i did enjoy the choice for vivi and rhys not to be in the book, it helped not overshadow gwyn and wells' presence. 

all in all i'd definitely recommend for anyone who wants an autumn light-hearted romance. i'm not too sure i will read the last book, as i absolutely despise time travel in romance books. but i did say that for this book and still really loved it, so never say never.

the real demon was gentrification

i really liked the friendship dynamics in this, but i think it was favoured over the actual horror elements, those felt rushed and not explained in full. every one of the main six but drew were unlikeable. i do think this could make a great film though, despite the very on-the-nose references to the 'rules' of horror cinema.

a dark study on the blurred lines between passion and obsession. i think i preferred this more than a dowry of blood. the writing was atmospheric and chilling, and the relationships were intriguing to read. i'd recommend for autumnal and academia vibes.

I love when you read a book that reminds you why you love reading, specifically the genre. As a lover of the darker side of faerie lore, this book was a joy to read. The writing captures the dreary, damp atmosphere so well it made me feel like I was rotting in a crumbling cottage myself. I enjoyed Effy as one of the most tangible and real characters in fantasy I've read; each of her characteristics are understandable from the things she's been through, like her prejudice towards Preston, her devotion to the particular fae novel, and the trauma she struggles with. Her growth was satisfying to read, as well as her back and forth banter with Preston, who is such a sweet love interest that genuinely cared for Effy. For me, the ending did feel a bit rushed, as well as some of the fantasy elements. Then again, this was less of a fantasy book but more of a fantasy psychological thriller, with the confusion between reality and fiction that even drew me in. I also really enjoyed the literary critiques and the scholarly world, it made the book all the more easy to believe.

I'm really excited that there's gonna be a sequel, and in Preston's POV! There's a lot of hidden depths about him, I think. 

enter ghost is, to me, a quiet study on estrangement. the estrangement of sisters, distant since childhood, and the grievances not discussed between them. the estrangement of a person and the home of their ancestors, and the frustration in desiring to belong again. additionally, despite me not being used to it at the beginning, the author causes estrangement between the reader and sonia, our main character, by switching from first person to script format. 

the book is also an insight into daily life in palestine, something that would seem surreal to the uninformed. the production of the play, which is the main bulk of the novel, involves the familiar such as tech rehearsals and set design, but are interspersed with cast members showing up late because of being held up at checkpoints, or cancellations due to tear gas activity in the area. it’s a reminder that despite the genocide there is still a thriving culture and art scene. it’s also uncanny and a show of how art will always imitate life, how much of hamlet, the play they perform, has reflections on the current state of the country. 

i really enjoyed hammad’s other work, the parisian, and it was interesting to read this afterwards, set on the other side of palestinian history. even if it felt slow at times, there was just something that mesmerised me.

a very impressive poetic style of writing. normally i can’t get into a style like that but i fell into the narrative very quickly. 

i’m almost two hundred pages in and i don’t feel anything for the characters, their relationships or their plot. maybe if i read this as a teen i would’ve enjoyed it but honestly maybe not. 

i really enjoyed this one. gretchen and charlie had such warm chemistry, and were separately individuals with a lot of emotional baggage so it was heartwarming to see them stumble with their feelings. gretchen’s relationship with the ghost everett was also very sweet, which is why i felt that the ending was missing a more emotional punch. i love a soft boy so charlie is now one of my favourite love interests :)