charliauthor's Reviews (531)

So, this was a weird one for me but im going to be generous because it wasnt weird enough to be considered a three so we’ll go with 4.

The pacing in the first third was great, action, intrigue, appropriate questions etc were all in place. I enjoyed the mid point regarding training and the army etc but the end then sped through all the answers that i dont particularly believe or think were good enough. Everything was too happily ever after for me as everyone turned out to be who they said they were going to be with no twists or shocks aside from one.

The reason i give it a 4 is because i was genuinely interested throughout but the end just fell flat. Im not one for judging a whole thing by its ending (GoT) so ill give this its just rewards for keeping me hooked from page one and being a digestible read the ending could have just be loads better

Having read a lot of inclusive or diverse books recently that focused on African cultures and influences, I was extremely excited to get a book that focused on Caribbean and more specifically Jamaican influences which is where my family originates.
From the first to last page this book is overflowing with Jamaican inspired words, foods, folklore and language that was such a joy to read and experience.

The cultural element aside, I really enjoyed this book. It took me a little while to get into but once I finally took some time to settle down and get into it without any work distractions, I found myself flying through the pages filled with intrigue and magic.

My favourite character is definitely Iraya. Although there are many similarities between she and the opposing witch Jazmyne, Iraya's sarcastic attitude and much more powerful/aggressive nature was more exciting to read than Jazmyne's inner musings about not being good enough.

The subtle love triangle was a personal fave and loved the jibes between the two woman over the guy who holds their affections, whether they want to admit this or not. It was a different take on it although i would have personally liked a bit more spice in that regard lol

The tagline 'Trust No Witch' was perfect for this book because the amount of betrayal and not really knowing who was on whose side until the last minute, was a great addition.

The magic system was a little unclear for me in the use of conduits and why the Obeah are restricted in some ways but not in others but I may go over this to make sure if I really took it in properly to understand. I was also a little confused about the difference between Aiyca and Xaymaca as they sound like the same place and i know historically, the latter is Jamaica's original name.

The language and description is rich and colourful and the characters all have a distinct and interesting part throughout.

I'd recommend this book so that readers can get a taste of Caribbean fantasy which we definitely need more of!

Newly discovered series for me obviously but really enjoying it! Love the well thought out world of angels and vampires and am entirely invested in Raphael and Elena's relationship. Excited to get stuck into the others!

Before I get into this, I want to make it clear that I was (and in some ways still am) a fan of the FBAA series. I was sucked in by Hawke and Poppy and later Kieran (take me wolven Black man. Take. Me

Really enjoyed this book and have added a new bae to the list in Archangel Raphael. Decent plot, great enemies to loves tension and great worldbuilding/urban fantasy setting

A love a good old Arthurian retelling and this book runs with all the legend but takes it just that little bit further.

This book is a little daunting when you first open it cause the words are so tiny that it took me a while to really get through it. However, it gets going fairly quickly and the major players of the game are established fairly early on.

I didnt like the constant references to “blackness” despite it being a significant part of the plot, as it it made the fantasy element almost secondary to the constant turn around to “the struggle.” While incredibly informative and hopefully eye opening for non-black readers, for me, it was a bit repetitive in its relatability.

Outside of that, i loved the magic system, the lore, the characters and the story as a whole. It was a great introduction to a new series and sets up the next book perfectly.

I recommend this not only for a fun though poignant retelling that looks to educate on micro aggressions, systematic racism and social injustice.

I've finally finished this after i had to basically drag myself through it!

What was meant to be a dark and twisted circus adventure, turned into a poorly executed uneventful, convoluted stain of words on a page.
The characters are boring and the plot makes no sense. The little tension that was created in the superficial relationships eventually ran its course as the overuse of the word 'love; and all its flowery connotations, at points made me physically ill.

The similes, the repetition, the endless use of first names rather than 'she' or 'here' made me want to blow my head off. The use of colours and smells as descriptive technique was overdone and completely asinine.

I wasnt a huge fan of #Caraval but a few people mentioned that the second book was a little better because the main POV changes. While this proved true in the beginning, Tella soon became a whiny, unstable and quite frankly boring character who had nothing going for her except a mysterious love interest that wasnt even all that mysterious