For the YA Book Club August Reading Challenge:
Read a book one of your friends on Goodreads has given 5 stars.

*Updated with trigger warnings added*

Overall a very nice book; I didn't expect to like it so much as it's a lot closer to horror than I usually read, but the horror -- the ghosts, the serial killers, the torture -- is balanced out with an almost sappy love story, amazing characters, lovely writing, and a deep, excellently handled backstory.

I especially liked how it handled mental health issues, abuse, and addiction so sensitively. I'm definitely going to read the sequel, A Hymn in the Silence!

>> TRIGGER WARNINGS: Sexual abuse, drug abuse, violence and torture, murder, PTSD, anxiety <<

*Updated with trigger warnings added*

The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters
Genre: YA feminist historical fantasy
My rating: 4.75/5
Short Summary: Olivia Mead is a suffragist, but her alcoholic dentist father doesn't approve, to say the least. When the new hyptoninst arrives in town, Olivia's father hires him to 'cure' Olivia of her 'unladylike' ambitions.
>>TRIGGER WARNINGS: Emotional abuse, alcoholism, sexism<<

My thoughts:
Plot: 5/5
This is a fairly quiet story, but it sure packs a punch. There is no action, but it's fast-paced. There is no violence, but it's ever-so-slightly disturbing -- and rightly so. The feminism is spot-on. The ending is perfect, probably one of my favorite endings ever.

Characters: 5/5
I love every single character in the book except Olivia's father, but even he I can sympathize with.

Writing: 5/5
The writing style is so beautiful.

Setting: 3/5
The magic system needed a little more detail to be more believable, and the setting itself isn't very detailed either, but these are fairly minor quibbles.

Do I recommend it? Yes! To everyone! Whoever is reading this, you must read it!