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btwnprintedpgs's Reviews (1.3k)
As a whole, this book was cute, but if you know me, cute doesn’t quite cut it.
Let’s start with the Cinderella idea – I honestly wouldn’t have instantly thought this book was a modern day retelling, but don’t worry! If you forget, the book will beat you with that fact repeatedly.
Tatum isn’t a helpless Cinderella per say. She is absolute piss at defending herself, but she manages to start her own freelance business which helps her make her own money. That’s like the the equivalent of teenage success. However, she was at the wrong place at the wrong time and she gets punished for being in the driver’s seat of a car. And honestly – I get it. When your parents need to pick you up at the police station, you know there’s a punishment at the end of the car ride home. She ends up grounded and her travels are limited to baby sitting, her community service, and her sister’s school events. Colour me surprised…
I get it though – some of the rules that were implemented were a little much, but I’ve heard of those punishments before in other books. Maybe it’s ’cause my parents are more restrictive than most, but I didn’t find the whole thing that weird or restraining. I get why she thought it was unfair, but her defence on the matter sucked. She barely stood up for herself and I wouldn’t have sided with her either if I’d been her parents.
With all that being said, I really liked the idea of Tatum being independent and earning her own money from baby-sitting and freelancing. She took something she excelled at and pursued it. I really like that this part was in the book as it’s the gate to a lot of what comes later, but also because it shows that if you enjoy something you should explore it and see where it leads!
The character development in this book was also pretty great. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here and I really liked how the characters grew with the story and how more and more is revealed about each character as time goes on. It’s so easy to judge people and I enjoyed seeing how the characters grew and changed from the MC’s perspective.
As a whole, this was a cute, light story that is fairly conservative when it comes to the romantic aspects of the novel. With all the more graphic romance books out there for teens, this was a breath of fresh air!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.82/5
eARC obtained via Blink via NetGalley.
-review by Between Printed Pages
Let’s start with the Cinderella idea – I honestly wouldn’t have instantly thought this book was a modern day retelling, but don’t worry! If you forget, the book will beat you with that fact repeatedly.
Tatum isn’t a helpless Cinderella per say. She is absolute piss at defending herself, but she manages to start her own freelance business which helps her make her own money. That’s like the the equivalent of teenage success. However, she was at the wrong place at the wrong time and she gets punished for being in the driver’s seat of a car. And honestly – I get it. When your parents need to pick you up at the police station, you know there’s a punishment at the end of the car ride home. She ends up grounded and her travels are limited to baby sitting, her community service, and her sister’s school events. Colour me surprised…
I get it though – some of the rules that were implemented were a little much, but I’ve heard of those punishments before in other books. Maybe it’s ’cause my parents are more restrictive than most, but I didn’t find the whole thing that weird or restraining. I get why she thought it was unfair, but her defence on the matter sucked. She barely stood up for herself and I wouldn’t have sided with her either if I’d been her parents.
With all that being said, I really liked the idea of Tatum being independent and earning her own money from baby-sitting and freelancing. She took something she excelled at and pursued it. I really like that this part was in the book as it’s the gate to a lot of what comes later, but also because it shows that if you enjoy something you should explore it and see where it leads!
The character development in this book was also pretty great. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here and I really liked how the characters grew with the story and how more and more is revealed about each character as time goes on. It’s so easy to judge people and I enjoyed seeing how the characters grew and changed from the MC’s perspective.
As a whole, this was a cute, light story that is fairly conservative when it comes to the romantic aspects of the novel. With all the more graphic romance books out there for teens, this was a breath of fresh air!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.82/5
eARC obtained via Blink via NetGalley.
-review by Between Printed Pages
First off, I loved that this book gave so much time to Madi actually writing her blog, and tweeting out to her followers. It gave a sense of realism to the book – she wasn’t famous just because, she was famous cause she actually put time and effort into her work. As a blogger, I was able to relate to her a lot. That being said, I can’t say that I’m as accustomed to so many (read: any) responses to my work. It was great seeing Madi interact with her fanbase and try to be neutral and kind in her posts.
I have to admit – the troll made me nervous. There’s something about a faceless villain that really gets to you. And the scary thing is that it can happen. This is the world that we live in, where people can ruin your safe space with a few simple clicks of a button. And it sucks. It sucked for Madi more than most because the troll actually affected her real life – her schooling, her grades – and I think the worst is that the school kept buying into anonymous tips about Madi’s work that never actually panned out. My stomach kept knotting itself every time the troll struck, and that feeling is what fueled me through the book. I needed to know what the resolution was. I needed to know why this troll was after her.
Madi herself was well developed – I enjoyed her little quips and appreciated her introversion. Her motto was something along the lines of human interaction sucks, and I can definitely relate to that. We really got to see her step outside of her comfort zone and learn to take control of her own life. Madi’s sister, Sarah, added a lot of emotion to the book. I loved her and yet I also understood Madi’s own kind of resentment towards her parents, and kind of her sister. We learn early on that Sarah is someone with special needs, though her condition is never actually named. She is fun and lovable, and my heart hurts for her throughout the novel. Madi tries her best with her and I love the sisterly relationship that is a big part of this novel.
The romance itself is cute – it doesn’t actually steal the spotlight in the book, and I have to give the author credit for that. Some of the ideas lent to the whole long-distance relationship were fun and creative, too, and I enjoyed learning more about Laurent and the other NYC characters.
Random note: I would love to see/own a printed version of the book because some of the details would be cool to see off the screen.
As a whole, this book is probably one of my favourites this year. The resolution of the book was really well done, and I didn’t actually feel like the end was rushed. In fact, the epilogue was just what I needed to finish off the book (it’s something I kind of wanted to see at the end of books like Girl at Sea and other romantic contemporaries). Definitely would recommend!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.8
eARC obtained via Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Review by Between Printed Pages
I have to admit – the troll made me nervous. There’s something about a faceless villain that really gets to you. And the scary thing is that it can happen. This is the world that we live in, where people can ruin your safe space with a few simple clicks of a button. And it sucks. It sucked for Madi more than most
Madi herself was well developed – I enjoyed her little quips and appreciated her introversion. Her motto was something along the lines of human interaction sucks, and I can definitely relate to that. We really got to see her step outside of her comfort zone and learn to take control of her own life. Madi’s sister, Sarah, added a lot of emotion to the book. I loved her and yet I also understood Madi’s own kind of resentment towards her parents, and kind of her sister. We learn early on that Sarah is someone with special needs, though her condition is never actually named. She is fun and lovable, and my heart hurts for her throughout the novel. Madi tries her best with her and I love the sisterly relationship that is a big part of this novel.
The romance itself is cute – it doesn’t actually steal the spotlight in the book, and I have to give the author credit for that. Some of the ideas lent to the whole long-distance relationship were fun and creative, too, and I enjoyed learning more about Laurent and the other NYC characters.
Random note: I would love to see/own a printed version of the book because some of the details would be cool to see off the screen.
As a whole, this book is probably one of my favourites this year. The resolution of the book was really well done, and I didn’t actually feel like the end was rushed. In fact, the epilogue was just what I needed to finish off the book (it’s something I kind of wanted to see at the end of books like Girl at Sea and other romantic contemporaries). Definitely would recommend!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.8
eARC obtained via Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Review by Between Printed Pages
As a debut novel, it was pretty good. The subjects broached here are real and hard to deal with and I think Pitcock really treated them with respect and care.
The book starts off a little oddly. Immediately, we have a sense of who the characters are and we get a odd game of pretend. It's weird. I can't really see a "good girl" and a "bad boy" doing that together and doing it well. That being said, you immediately see some of the chemistry the characters have with each other. Broaching the subject of "bad boy" and "good girl", I can't say they needed the labels. Chance was kind of a player, but there was nothing really "bad" about him. This definitely wasn't a Katie McGarry sitch where the he's part of a gang or the wrong side of town, he was just hot and girls liked him. Back to their chemistry though, the characters played off each other well, and I felt like their relationship was really natural.
The story itself was good. Labels aside, the characters were pretty down to earth and seeing into their worlds really brought the story to life. My heart actually hurt for some of them, 'cause honestly life sucks, but they dealt with it well enough. To be honest though, a lot of the story and problems the characters had could have easily been solved with this magical thing called communication. It was all just assumptions, overheard conversations, and jealousy, though I guess that's kind of what high school is anyway. I don't know guys, was high school really like this for you guys??
One thing that always drives me bananas is when the protag ditches her best friend for a guy. I get that it was a little different here, but her best friend plays a very peripheral role in this book, and she even states that she never sees Jenny anymore.
After typing all that out, you wouldn't know what's good about that novel, but honestly, there was something in the writing that kept me reading. The chemistry between the characters is great and the banter is funny, and as a whole, this book made me feel for the characters and their experiences. Is it a little cliche, sure. Is it super deep, not really. But I think it's a good book to keep you company because you can't help but smile while reading it.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.76
eARC obtained via Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
The book starts off a little oddly. Immediately, we have a sense of who the characters are and we get a odd game of pretend. It's weird. I can't really see a "good girl" and a "bad boy" doing that together and doing it well. That being said, you immediately see some of the chemistry the characters have with each other. Broaching the subject of "bad boy" and "good girl", I can't say they needed the labels. Chance was kind of a player, but there was nothing really "bad" about him. This definitely wasn't a Katie McGarry sitch where the he's part of a gang or the wrong side of town, he was just hot and girls liked him. Back to their chemistry though, the characters played off each other well, and I felt like their relationship was really natural.
The story itself was good. Labels aside, the characters were pretty down to earth and seeing into their worlds really brought the story to life. My heart actually hurt for some of them, 'cause honestly life sucks, but they dealt with it well enough. To be honest though, a lot of the story and problems the characters had could have easily been solved with this magical thing called communication. It was all just assumptions, overheard conversations, and jealousy, though I guess that's kind of what high school is anyway. I don't know guys, was high school really like this for you guys??
One thing that always drives me bananas is when the protag ditches her best friend for a guy. I get that it was a little different here, but her best friend plays a very peripheral role in this book, and she even states that she never sees Jenny anymore.
After typing all that out, you wouldn't know what's good about that novel, but honestly, there was something in the writing that kept me reading. The chemistry between the characters is great and the banter is funny, and as a whole, this book made me feel for the characters and their experiences. Is it a little cliche, sure. Is it super deep, not really. But I think it's a good book to keep you company because you can't help but smile while reading it.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.76
eARC obtained via Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
Sometimes, I just want to write a review like, "This book. It was good. Good book." But that's not very helpful to you or me (well, it would save me some time...).
When I think back to reading this book, I think light, fluffy, funny, great read. Then the rest of the story comes floating back into my head like a train wreck. Not that the book itself was a train wreck, but there was some heavy emotional healing in here. I loved the development of the characters as a whole, but I think the Brock's brothers stole the show for me. I looked forward to their scenes and their entertaining quips. They helped lighten the mood and gave readers a well needed break from the brooding mains. Also, he ending was pretty great, and it really got me excited for the next books.
Side note: I'm crazy excited for the sequel coming out in August: The Playboy Bachelor! The MC is Bentley and I loved his character in this book!
The being said, Jane and Brock fit well together. I really liked how their character grew into themselves. I loved the memories they had of their families especially - there were some cute memories/flashbacks.
Oh. My. Goodness. Jane's sisters made me want to tear my hair out. I know they were supposed to drive me bananas, but how did they manage to become to freaking spoiled??? I just don't get it.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book, but I can't say it wowed me. It was well written and well executed, but I think I'm just a little tired of the Cinderella story.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.9/5
eARC obtained via Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley.
When I think back to reading this book, I think light, fluffy, funny, great read. Then the rest of the story comes floating back into my head like a train wreck. Not that the book itself was a train wreck, but there was some heavy emotional healing in here. I loved the development of the characters as a whole, but I think the Brock's brothers stole the show for me. I looked forward to their scenes and their entertaining quips. They helped lighten the mood and gave readers a well needed break from the brooding mains. Also, he ending was pretty great, and it really got me excited for the next books.
Side note: I'm crazy excited for the sequel coming out in August: The Playboy Bachelor! The MC is Bentley and I loved his character in this book!
The being said, Jane and Brock fit well together. I really liked how their character grew into themselves. I loved the memories they had of their families especially - there were some cute memories/flashbacks.
Oh. My. Goodness. Jane's sisters made me want to tear my hair out. I know they were supposed to drive me bananas, but how did they manage to become to freaking spoiled??? I just don't get it.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book, but I can't say it wowed me. It was well written and well executed, but I think I'm just a little tired of the Cinderella story.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.9/5
eARC obtained via Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley.
Kisses on a Paper Airplane is a quick, simple read, but I honestly did not enjoy it.
Hannah Evans is travelling home to attend her mother's wedding. Her step-father-to-be got her a first class ticket from London, and during her time in the first-class lounge, she catches the interest of a good looking pop star AND FAINTS BECAUSE HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
There's instalove and there's over dramatic. How many people do you know see a good looking person and pass out. Like, I'm sorry, what?
Once conscious, she captures Theo's heart and they get massages together, they sit with each other on the plane, and then become besties on the verge of an instalove relationship during the like three days of travel and 5 minutes of her mother's wedding.
On top of the absolutely unbelievable story line, she talks like a fourteen year old. She's in college/university now, and she keeps talking about "the one" and saying like "is he my frog prince?" "Maybe I have to kiss a bunch of frogs to get my frog prince." I don't know if this book was supposed to be a kind of retelling of the Princess and the Frog, but it was so overplayed and the language was trying way too hard to be "relevant" and "cutesy".
Overall, probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone, unless you like fluff language and instalove...
Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 1/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Overall: 1/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.71/5
eARC obtained via Inkspell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hannah Evans is travelling home to attend her mother's wedding. Her step-father-to-be got her a first class ticket from London, and during her time in the first-class lounge, she catches the interest of a good looking pop star AND FAINTS BECAUSE HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
There's instalove and there's over dramatic. How many people do you know see a good looking person and pass out. Like, I'm sorry, what?
Once conscious, she captures Theo's heart and they get massages together, they sit with each other on the plane, and then become besties on the verge of an instalove relationship during the like three days of travel and 5 minutes of her mother's wedding.
On top of the absolutely unbelievable story line, she talks like a fourteen year old. She's in college/university now, and she keeps talking about "the one" and saying like "is he my frog prince?" "Maybe I have to kiss a bunch of frogs to get my frog prince." I don't know if this book was supposed to be a kind of retelling of the Princess and the Frog, but it was so overplayed and the language was trying way too hard to be "relevant" and "cutesy".
Overall, probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone, unless you like fluff language and instalove...
Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 1/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Overall: 1/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.71/5
eARC obtained via Inkspell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First thing’s first. I cannot attest to the legitimacy of the portrayal of OCD or anxiety in this novel. I know nothing about either disorder or its effect on a person’s way of thinking or acting.
That being said, this books spun out a wonderful story about healing and self-discovery. Sam wove a web of secrets for herself, keeping her condition hidden, but also her new friend and locker neighbour Caroline. However, she spent a great amount of time trying to ensure that her acceptance in the popular circle was secure.
That being said, when she discovers the Poet’s Corner, she learns that there are people out there who are having a hard time with life too. She begins writing and finds that it helps her keep her brain in check.
I really liked the poetry aspects of this novel. It reminded me a little bit of Collen Hoover’s Slammed, with a little more camaraderie and a little less teacher x student love haha. As I’ve said in the past, poetry really gets to the heart of things and expresses feelings and aspects of characters that you’d have never known about otherwise. It’s so hard to see into the heads of those around you, but poetry helps lay it all out there for the world to see. The poetry is probably was what sold me on the book, but it wasn’t all perfect.
One thing I didn’t quite understand about this book is how she was able to keep her OCD so hidden. While I’m no expert in it, I’ve read other books where the repetitiveness of a task is clear and overpowering. Sam’s wasn’t quite that. There were just enough scenes to ensure that readers never forgot she had the condition, but it never overpowered her, especially since it sounded like her diagnosis was quite extreme. She just seemed like a normal girl with a couple hangups, like her need for the speedometer to read a certain way. While there were intrusive thoughts and some aspects that showed the difficulties with the condition, it just didn’t seem like a prominent aspect of the book to me, like it was addressed, but then moved away from after a moment.
The end of the novel was a real twist. I don’t know if this is supposed to be some kind of paranormal thing, or if this is actually possible, but the end of the book definitely surprised me. Again, I’m not an expert in this subject in any way. This is just what I think, and I thought it was a really interesting end to the novel.
Overall, I think this novel is a good one to read. It has an great story line that had me sobbing at some points, and a lot of insightful poetry and characters that have their own unique voices.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 3.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads: 4.18/5
eARC obtained via Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
That being said, this books spun out a wonderful story about healing and self-discovery. Sam wove a web of secrets for herself, keeping her condition hidden, but also her new friend and locker neighbour Caroline. However, she spent a great amount of time trying to ensure that her acceptance in the popular circle was secure.
That being said, when she discovers the Poet’s Corner, she learns that there are people out there who are having a hard time with life too. She begins writing and finds that it helps her keep her brain in check.
I really liked the poetry aspects of this novel. It reminded me a little bit of Collen Hoover’s Slammed, with a little more camaraderie and a little less teacher x student love haha. As I’ve said in the past, poetry really gets to the heart of things and expresses feelings and aspects of characters that you’d have never known about otherwise. It’s so hard to see into the heads of those around you, but poetry helps lay it all out there for the world to see. The poetry is probably was what sold me on the book, but it wasn’t all perfect.
One thing I didn’t quite understand about this book is how she was able to keep her OCD so hidden. While I’m no expert in it, I’ve read other books where the repetitiveness of a task is clear and overpowering. Sam’s wasn’t quite that. There were just enough scenes to ensure that readers never forgot she had the condition, but it never overpowered her, especially since it sounded like her diagnosis was quite extreme. She just seemed like a normal girl with a couple hangups, like her need for the speedometer to read a certain way. While there were intrusive thoughts and some aspects that showed the difficulties with the condition, it just didn’t seem like a prominent aspect of the book to me, like it was addressed, but then moved away from after a moment.
The end of the novel was a real twist. I don’t know if this is supposed to be some kind of paranormal thing, or if this is actually possible, but the end of the book definitely surprised me. Again, I’m not an expert in this subject in any way. This is just what I think, and I thought it was a really interesting end to the novel.
Overall, I think this novel is a good one to read. It has an great story line that had me sobbing at some points, and a lot of insightful poetry and characters that have their own unique voices.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 3.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads: 4.18/5
eARC obtained via Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
This whole entire novel was not about what I had expected it to be about. The synopsis is extremely vague and to be honest only reveals what's in the first 2-3 chapters. This entire novel was like inhaling a trilogy of books, without the painful year long waiting between parts. There are so many sub-plots within the plot and history within these pages. It's honestly one of my favourite fantasy novels of this year, and maybe ever.
It is honestly so hard to describe how amazing this book was without spoiling anything. Ahh!
The story set up is absolutely perfect. We start in Agnieszka's village, move to the Dragon's tower (note, he is not in fact a scaly creature), then into the Wood, then into the Capital city, back to the tower, back to the Wood. There's so many changes in setting and characters that the book keeps you entertained throughout. While each setting is sectioned out, so are the character introductions - we meet the main character's family and friends in her village, then history of the Dragon in his tower, then other characters depending on where the story takes us next. The fact that the setting and characters are presented in such digestible tidbits made the whole book more enjoyable as it was easier to follow where people were going and what was happening in the novel.
I read this novel as an ARC, and I've found the response interesting. A lot of people rage on and on about the "kidnapping" not really being a kidnapping, because the MC gets to live in a tower and get nice clothes, etc. However, something that they miss is that it is horrifying. Said tribute is taken away from her home, her friends, her family - torn from her community and culture. She is placed with a less than amiable wizard, and honestly, I don't know how people see becoming refined as a gift and not a ten year long social redevelopment project. The response to this element of the novel has really made me think about it. Sure, the outcome isn't bad, but there is a large negative aspect to it that nearly mimics real life in some ways... just food for thought for those who have yet to read it (this is all revealed in the first 20 pages, no spoilers, I promise!).
I think my favourite part of the novel was the antagonist. It wasn't a specific person, per say, but a thing. A terrifying thing that consumes a person from the outside in - first their body, then their soul. The Wood was likely one of the more interesting antagonists as it's so evil without any conscious thought. Honestly, the scenes set in it freaked me out haha. Further, the story behind it was extremely interesting and actually moving. This aspect of the novel was built well.
One thing I wish had been better is the Dragon's personality. There's so much there to pull at, and I feel like we missed a lot of history in his lack of emotional and overall character exposure. Also, the MC was a little dense at times, but otherwise quite a strong female lead for this novel!
Overall, this was an extremely intricate book, and it truly captured my heart. It's quite long, and the beginning isn't as interesting as it could be, but in the end I thought the entire experience was well worth the effort. A beautifully constructed novel that really gets you thinking about suffering, revenge, and friendship.
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.2/5
eARC obtained via Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It is honestly so hard to describe how amazing this book was without spoiling anything. Ahh!
The story set up is absolutely perfect. We start in Agnieszka's village, move to the Dragon's tower (note, he is not in fact a scaly creature), then into the Wood, then into the Capital city, back to the tower, back to the Wood. There's so many changes in setting and characters that the book keeps you entertained throughout. While each setting is sectioned out, so are the character introductions - we meet the main character's family and friends in her village, then history of the Dragon in his tower, then other characters depending on where the story takes us next. The fact that the setting and characters are presented in such digestible tidbits made the whole book more enjoyable as it was easier to follow where people were going and what was happening in the novel.
I read this novel as an ARC, and I've found the response interesting. A lot of people rage on and on about the "kidnapping" not really being a kidnapping, because the MC gets to live in a tower and get nice clothes, etc. However, something that they miss is that it is horrifying. Said tribute is taken away from her home, her friends, her family - torn from her community and culture. She is placed with a less than amiable wizard, and honestly, I don't know how people see becoming refined as a gift and not a ten year long social redevelopment project. The response to this element of the novel has really made me think about it. Sure, the outcome isn't bad, but there is a large negative aspect to it that nearly mimics real life in some ways... just food for thought for those who have yet to read it (this is all revealed in the first 20 pages, no spoilers, I promise!).
I think my favourite part of the novel was the antagonist. It wasn't a specific person, per say, but a thing. A terrifying thing that consumes a person from the outside in - first their body, then their soul. The Wood was likely one of the more interesting antagonists as it's so evil without any conscious thought. Honestly, the scenes set in it freaked me out haha. Further, the story behind it was extremely interesting and actually moving. This aspect of the novel was built well.
One thing I wish had been better is the Dragon's personality. There's so much there to pull at, and I feel like we missed a lot of history in his lack of emotional and overall character exposure. Also, the MC was a little dense at times, but otherwise quite a strong female lead for this novel!
Overall, this was an extremely intricate book, and it truly captured my heart. It's quite long, and the beginning isn't as interesting as it could be, but in the end I thought the entire experience was well worth the effort. A beautifully constructed novel that really gets you thinking about suffering, revenge, and friendship.
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.2/5
eARC obtained via Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First thing's first. I loved the cover for this book. It really caught my eye, and of course I was one to judge a book by its cover and requested it...
I didn't love this book. It was a slow start that never really got going. When I thought something crazy was going to happen, something else would jump in from left field, take me for a spin and then drop me off back a description central. I love description - it helps build the setting, the characters, the mood and atmosphere of the novel - but this one wasn't a captivating one. I didn't want to wrap my world in this place and stay for a while. There was a lot of disconnect between myself and the characters and their world.
Sandrine and the other character switch personalities a lot. Sometimes they want to be really nice, sometimes they're cruel, sometimes their irritating beyond reason, and yet none of these personalities reconcile with one another, and I couldn't be with the characters, I could only just observe from a distance.
That being said, the world building was well done, overall, but even then, there was nothing that really stood out to be as historic? Aside from the sexism in the city of Paris (only boys allowed to do all the fun stuff), I didn't really see anything that screamed 1890s. It was more of just a fancy Paris. Maybe it's 'cause I've never been to Paris? I don't know.
On the other hand, I loved the description of the art. That was something that captured me. Not necessarily PG, but the way she painted and the way the whole process was described, there was something hauntingly beautiful about it. That was also the only time I really cared about what was going through her head throughout the novel. That part of the world was the only part that really resounded with me because I could feel her passion and see the art that was around her.
I think my least favourite part of the book was the questioning-to-create-drama part. How did that happen? What's happening? Who is this person? Did I do that? On and on it went. Every few chapters would end with some rhetorical questions that I already knew the answer to and it's just like girl, if you don't get what's happening you need to WAKE UP. I get that she might be irrational because of the whole possession thing, but really, how oblivious do you have to be to not see what's going on. And I hated that she kept switching back in forth - oh, I don't want her in me - actually I do - actually I think I'm better with her - wait no, she's bad -but she makes me better. It was like watching someone chase their tail - interesting at first, silly and tiring later on.
Overall, the concept was interesting, and while it wasn't a very time-specific setting, I could imagine Sandrine's world well. That being said, the characterization and descriptions held up the plot, and the lack of a huge climax was disappointing.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 3/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.54/5
eARC obtained via Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't love this book. It was a slow start that never really got going. When I thought something crazy was going to happen, something else would jump in from left field, take me for a spin and then drop me off back a description central. I love description - it helps build the setting, the characters, the mood and atmosphere of the novel - but this one wasn't a captivating one. I didn't want to wrap my world in this place and stay for a while. There was a lot of disconnect between myself and the characters and their world.
Sandrine and the other character switch personalities a lot. Sometimes they want to be really nice, sometimes they're cruel, sometimes their irritating beyond reason, and yet none of these personalities reconcile with one another, and I couldn't be with the characters, I could only just observe from a distance.
That being said, the world building was well done, overall, but even then, there was nothing that really stood out to be as historic? Aside from the sexism in the city of Paris (only boys allowed to do all the fun stuff), I didn't really see anything that screamed 1890s. It was more of just a fancy Paris. Maybe it's 'cause I've never been to Paris? I don't know.
On the other hand, I loved the description of the art. That was something that captured me. Not necessarily PG, but the way she painted and the way the whole process was described, there was something hauntingly beautiful about it. That was also the only time I really cared about what was going through her head throughout the novel. That part of the world was the only part that really resounded with me because I could feel her passion and see the art that was around her.
I think my least favourite part of the book was the questioning-to-create-drama part. How did that happen? What's happening? Who is this person? Did I do that? On and on it went. Every few chapters would end with some rhetorical questions that I already knew the answer to and it's just like girl, if you don't get what's happening you need to WAKE UP. I get that she might be irrational because of the whole possession thing, but really, how oblivious do you have to be to not see what's going on. And I hated that she kept switching back in forth - oh, I don't want her in me - actually I do - actually I think I'm better with her - wait no, she's bad -but she makes me better. It was like watching someone chase their tail - interesting at first, silly and tiring later on.
Overall, the concept was interesting, and while it wasn't a very time-specific setting, I could imagine Sandrine's world well. That being said, the characterization and descriptions held up the plot, and the lack of a huge climax was disappointing.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 3/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.54/5
eARC obtained via Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.