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essjay's Reviews (635)
Do I feel bad for judging this book by its cover? Yes, but in my defense, that cover is terrible and makes this look like any of the many terrible self-published paranormal romances disguised as paranormal cozies that I normally ragequit after said romance shows up.
This is NOT a romance, and Hester Digitalis Wishbone would never wear that hat, but I'm going to stop harping on the cover now because this book was a fucking delight.
I genuinely had a huge grin on my face while reading, and even got a little weepy a few times. I loved Hester's voice, her familiar, the surprising group of friends she accumulated, the magical bureaucracy (a personal weakness of mine), and the well-developed magic system.
I don't necessarily see myself re-reading, but would love to read more in this world and will be attempting to force this on others for a long time.
This is NOT a romance, and Hester Digitalis Wishbone would never wear that hat, but I'm going to stop harping on the cover now because this book was a fucking delight.
I genuinely had a huge grin on my face while reading, and even got a little weepy a few times. I loved Hester's voice, her familiar, the surprising group of friends she accumulated, the magical bureaucracy (a personal weakness of mine), and the well-developed magic system.
I don't necessarily see myself re-reading, but would love to read more in this world and will be attempting to force this on others for a long time.
Things that bothered me on the first few pages:
- "There was a fat man wearing a silver lamé unitard" is the beginning of the first sentence. The narrator is then horrified to learn the fat man looks just like him. He repeatedly mentions how horrified he is at how terrible this other him looks in the unitard and keeps mentioning his weight over and over.
- North American incorrect usage of "nonplussed" which is a major pet peeve of mine.
- A description of a spaceship as a "shimmery cosmic scrotum of an old man."
- "Oh not another one. Another cis?" "Do you mean heterosexual? Yes, I guess I am." Uhhhh.
- Back to the unitard "do you mind if I [...] put on something less flaming?" Wut.
- "I'm wearing your funereal suit."
And that was where I tapped out. Literally still at 1%.
What a delight this was.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence
I have decided to stop reading when the MC lusts after a cop. Happened particularly quickly this time.
The book opens with the main character vomiting more than once, scratching his balls several times, then visiting the outhouse. Couldn't possibly imagine spending more time than I already did in his head.
I had to keep checking to make sure this wasn't YA bc of how simply it was written and how young the MC seemed (she was 30, but acted much younger).
I hated that this was just 💫v i b e s💫 for 85% and then something finally fucking happened, but it was too late and I don't care enough to read the rest.
