This novel felt like existential escapism (not sure if that is a thing, but that is how I am describing it).

It wasn't a good idea to start reading this at night. 

I’m not incredibly familiar with thrillers as a genre. But this was quite an experience. Gentrification is complicated and has real life consequences. To read it in a thriller? Terrifying.

I don’t even want to review this. All I feel is pain. 

Sigh. The ending was perfect to me, even though I desperately wished their fates were different. Rin, Kitay, Nezha, Venka—all people we’ve gotten to know through these three books. Their story is not just about the individual, but consequently the sacrifices they’re willing to make in a brutal war. Simultaneously, it asks how is a dictator born?

Though, I had some issues the second act. It really needed more buildup for it to be effective.

I think the best thing about this book is the writing. It is very whimsical; it set the tone of the book and is atmospheric. My misgivings with this novel comes mostly from the characters. I wanted more depth to our main character, to really understand her past and how it is affecting her now. We’re told a lot of things but not shown it. It felt like Lark didn’t have much of a personality either. I wasn’t fully convinced with the romance. The power dynamic between the two main characters is so strange, and I found myself wondering if Lark really was in love with Tiras or if that’s just the only person she knows? I still enjoyed the book and I might read the second one.

Mortal Remains is a Young Adult Fiction novel written by Mary Ann Fraser following Lily, a morticians daughter, as she gets to know the strange happenings around her and her former childhood friend, Adam. 

Unfortunately, though the premise sounded interesting to me (gothic! Mystery! Former friend-to-lovers plot?) it really didn’t deliver on any aspect. The start of the novel was relatively strong. However, it didn’t take long for the pacing to slow to a stop. The characters would do something and it felt more like I was supposed to be reading a slice of life novel than a mystery. I started wondering, “okay, what’s the point of all this?” at several different parts. It has a relatively action packed ending, but it also feels jumbled. Mostly, because it’s hinging on the haphazard plot building the author set 20% until the book ends. It’s too rushed at the end. Though it was interesting, it fails to come down with any feeling because there was not enough tension built in the chapters before it. 

Besides the pacing, the characterization also suffered from the authors tell-don’t-show writing. I never felt connected to these characters. Mostly because I felt like anyone could act out of character at any moment. I could tell the author was trying to create a complex family, but it fell pretty flat. Instead of reading about a family that owns a small business where all hands are on deck and thus, their relationship to each other is very nuanced, maybe strained, but still interestingly written, we instead get a story about an 18 year old who quite literally runs this mortuary, who doesn’t get paid or compensated in any actual substantial way, and whose good nature is taken advantage of by her father, and STILL gets blamed for every failure of the business. We’re supposed to want her to take over the family business? She’s literally had no other choice but to run the family business and deal with her horrid family her whole life! That is indentured servitude!

I feel like I’m going on about this for too long. There were other issues I found with this novel, but it mostly had to do with the aforementioned issues I brought up earlier. I did actually find Lily and Adam interesting. I think with a little - okay, a lot - more brushing up in terms of writing and characterization, I could root for them. However, this was a bust for me.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm putting this on the higher side of 3.5-3.75/5 stars. I really enjoyed this book. In Hench, Superheroes and Supervillains are a Thing. It just so happens that Anne, our protagonist, happens to work for the bad guys. After a devastating incident with a Superhero leaves her injured, Anne becomes determined to calculate the cost of "justice" in society. In doing so, her journey to true villainy begins.

I really was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, but this was a thoroughly entertaining read for me. It doesn't work like a typical superhero novel; Anne is not the go out and fight type. She prefers to crunch numbers in her spare time. Anne's wit and tenacity (even when she made some morally reprehensible choices) really brought the story to life. However, one thing I wish this novel did better was deeper characterization for some of the people we get to know. I really feel like we just barely scratched the surface of these characters. I really wanted to know more about them. I felt like I kinda understood the goal for our protagonists but not enough ABOUT THEM. At times, they fell a little flat.

I also really enjoyed the themes this novel explored - the nature and cost of justice, morality, etc. Walschots crafted this story where the line between right and wrong are blurred. She allows us to see monsters of heroes and empathize with the villain. In the process, abandoning the dichotomy of good vs. evil, and instead letting us dwell in the pit of morally gray. Ah, sweet home. Though the themes are definitely heavy, the banter and tone of the novel created an atmosphere not unlike a Marvel movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as well as the writing.

ALSO, that ending. Please tell me there will be a second book!? I need it. I need to know what happens next.