Not at all what I was expecting. An interesting story, great character development, and a wild ride. 

The discussion of academia (specifically graduate studies) was VERY on the nose and had me angry the whole time. The treatment of the main character, her treatment of others, and how everyone interacts feels almost more like real life than reality does.
Didn’t realize until after I read it that it was satire (I know 🙃) but it just made everything more perfect. The lives we’re living right now feel so ridiculous and absurd that it feels satirical. Everything about this is real life AND not.

This feels like it could be a real story (looking at Rachel Dolezal - especially at the end)

Loved this book and definitely got me out of my reading slump. So many complex themes - would be perfect for a book club.

Only “critique” is that the pacing felt off. Certain parts in the middle felt like they dragged on but the beginning and end were a rush.

Everything you’d want out of a cheesy lesbian YA romance

Not bad, better than the first in certain ways. I wish the characters (old and new) were a bit more fleshed out. I wanted to know more about them as people outside of the story. I was also hoping for more character development. I’ll definitely be reading the 3rd when it comes out in hopes of more development but I’m not betting on it.

I didn’t see the ending coming though, which was nice (crazy) surprise.

Not bad - very dramatic but overall whatever. Something to read to pass the time. If you like PLL or Gossip Girl, I think you’d like this bc of its theme.

Hated the way the characters talked/interacted, but maybe I’m just removed from what high schoolers sound like now? Which would explain why I hated the dialogue so much.

Overall not bad if you want mindless and overly white/cishet, but not something you can really engage with.

Predictable, poor character development, and nothing to keep me drawn to the story. The only reason I didn’t DNF was bc it was short, I was 60% through, and I wanted to know specifics to see if it became more interesting (it didn’t). Also, Ik the age gap of the MC and the ex’s GF isn’t ~technically~ pedophilic, but come on. It’s disgusting and pedophilic and I cannot move past that!!!

I really like the premise of this book but almost the whole story was about the journey to the answer. I think there needed to be a bit more of a build up instead of waiting around for an answer.
Other than the girls’ school aspect, the story was almost exactly like an XFiles episode - which was fun, but it also left me wanting/expecting more. Nothing felt new or exciting.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. However, I can’t give it a 5 because it dragged on toward the later third of the book. Big plot pieces had happened so soon and it seemed as if things weren’t coming together at a comfortable pace. Parts really dragged on and others seemed to skip right over. Perhaps this is to wrap us into the mind of Jane? Even so, I was hoping for either a quicker wrap up or more of a build up until we got to bigger plot points. Lastly, I *know* it’s how the character is, but toward the end I was really on the fence if I cared about Jane or not.

Yes, it’s the madness making her drawn to the magic and wanting to dive back in. But it felt shallow and I wanted more from her and from those around her

8/27/23:
Overall I really loved the book and will probably reread again in the future but I wish the ending wasn’t so slippery and I actually had something concrete to hold onto. Butttttttttt, I do love a messy and weird ending for the sole purpose of making you feel how the world felt so I can’t be too mad about it. 3.5/5

If you liked Pizza Girl, you’ll love this.

What an interesting narration. Somehow this scattered, obsessive, internal dialogue puts into words such common and scary worries that no one verbalizes. I wish it was three times as long. My only gripe is that the ending came WAY too quickly - I need more - but perhaps that’s exactly the point.

Would I ever read it again? Did I like the characters? Did I care about the the characters? Do we learn enough about the characters? Was the ending NOT flat? All answers are a no. But I did enjoy the story and was moderately entertained. Some parts were spicy which is a fun sexy time but also… sounded boring? (maybe bc of the emotionality? Maybe bc it’s not necessarily what I would do? I dunno).
A lot of parts of the story needed more time spent on it and some parts dragged on. Maybe that’s to be expected in a book centered on romance, but it would be nice to have rounded characters and stories.
I also really hated the way it was written. Nothing wrapped me in - it felt more like I was being talked at rather than drawn into the story. Additionally, there was a lottttttt of writing about “cis straight white man,” which, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan. However, all main characters and most side characters? Were? Cis white people, and *two* trans+ characters, all presumably white? It felt like the author was just throwing around girl boss feminist phrases. Additionally, to always include “women and nonbinary” people as a monolith felt gross. I know it wasn’t the intent, and YES you can be a lesbian and be attracted to women and non-men, but as a non-cis person, the phrasing (always saying “women and nonbinary people” or “women and femmes” felt washy, shallow/careless, and white feminism. Just say non-men.