I support women’s rights but I also support women’s wrongs 

A very cute YA love story with a whole magic plot going on in the background. The MC does annoying silly YA decision making type stuff but there were still some surprising twists & turns and an exciting finish 

This started off slowly, with some very predictable and stereotypically YA plot & character development. However, around 50-70% things really picked up and by the end, it was exciting, fast-paced, and interesting. I feel a little unsure about the romance subplot—I guess that remains to be seen in a sequel but I would have preferred the plot without it altogether. 

This really packed a punch. I enjoyed moving back and forth between the two timelines and while some of the things depicted were absolutely horrific, it never felt like it was gratuitous or without purpose. This was like two stories woven into one. 

The first was a character study of an apartment building filled with haunted people, living in a (lightly) haunted building. Sana, the main character, is adrift after the death of her sister and mother. She investigates the residents of the building and its history, digging deeper and deeper until she discovers the horrific story of the builder of the home. 

The second timeline follows the original home builder, his family, and the tragedy that befalls them. It’s dark and ominous and you can’t help but root for the safety of the main POV in that timeline even knowing that things are not going to turn out well. Finally, the two timelines merge in an exciting and satisfying ending. 

This was beautifully written and haunting.

Starts off a little slow and then ends a bit abruptly. Definitely felt very YA which, of course, makes sense for a YA novel. The main couple are cute and make sense together even if the miscommunication trope was really working overtime. 

This felt like if a CW teen show had one fever dream of a season and then ended with a happy ended & minimal character growth.

I really loved the world building in Faebound. Having a world of elves, human, and fae and NOT centering the humans was an interesting choice, and I appreciate the way myth and prophecy is woven throughout. I also loved the Obeah! They are everything a magical companion creature should be and added a great element to the story. I also loved Yeeran, Lettle, and several of the other characters. Their relationships are complex and intertwined, and I enjoyed the main romances. 

What I didn’t like: this is a very predictable book. Every prophecy is repeated multiple times, usually right around when another clue to solving it appears, and every hidden identity has clue after clue after clue given explicitly in the text. It very much takes what you are supposed to figure out and hits you over the head with it repeatedly well before the characters themselves figure it out. Subtle, it is not. 

In that sense, this might make a good entry-to-fantasy read. If you are intimidated by fantasy worlds because you can’t seem to keep track who everyone is or why they are doing what they are doing, this is a good read for you.

This makes me nostalgic for the urban fantasy boom a few years ago. The first installment of the October Daye series, Rosemary and Rue was unexpectedly dark from the very first chapter. The main character is knocked down, hurt, or almost killed nearly every chapter and while the main mystery of the book is resolved, there are no happy endings. I enjoyed McGuire’s version of faerie and the weaving of various myths throughout the story, and October Daye has a strong voice that makes spending time with her enjoyable. Still, the plot was repetitive throughout the middle third or so of the book and the pacing could be improved. It also felt very urban fantasy protagonist to have a half-human who can’t seem to stop themselves from stumbling into poor faerie based decisions. I’ve heard that this series gets a lot stronger from book 3 on & I enjoyed this entry enough to make me pick up the next to see if that’s true.

I would describe this book as a “cozy why choose fantasy series about colonialism” which is a wild string of words. I found the pacing slow and the plot generally boring; however, the world building was incredible and the main character was extremely lovable. The writing style was enjoyable and I loved all of the various myths and legends sprinkled in.  It’s easy to want Anequs and her band of found family to succeed but I wish there was more going on for them to succeed against. Fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree would probably enjoy this as well.