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genieinanovel's Reviews (752)
I adored this book so much that I don’t think I’ll be able to do the book justice. This was one from my 10 Books on my Summer TBR list, and quite a few of you commented saying that this book was amazing, so I prioritized it. And I’m so glad I did. I didn’t mean to read the book as fast as I did, but I just couldn’t put it down either!
Grace, Maya, and Joaquin wormed their way into my heart. Each of them were flawed, but so, so loveable. Maya’s sarcasm had me giggling, Grace was just so lost after giving up her baby, and Joaquin needed all the hugs in the world. What they all had in common, aside from dipping their fries in mayonnaise (maybe I’m related to them too?), was that they were all self-sabotaging in some way. It’s as if they felt like they didn’t deserve to be fully happy, and just always waited for the other shoe to drop. This wasn’t so much Grace as much as it was Maya and Joaquin, but I know it was somewhere inside of Grace that she felt like she didn’t deserve happiness after giving up her child.
As far as side characters go, Rafe was by far my favorite and he deserved some more page time when he was hanging out with Grace. He was a great companion for her when she really needed a friend as she was going through all these emotions and meeting her bio-siblings.
What I loved with these three was that they felt a familial bond with one another right away, and when each of their secrets were revealed, they only bonded more. Yet, that didn’t stop them from trying to keep one another at arm’s length at first, which is understandable, but I just loved how accepting they were with one another and didn’t let their secrets get in the way of their growing relationship. I was very happy when Maya and Joaquin joined Grace to look for their birth mother, and I wasn’t all surprised with the outcome of it.
Again, I’m not even sure how to explain how much I enjoyed this book. I think my only complaint is that I didn’t want this book to end, so I wish it had been longer. I would have loved to see more of these siblings with each other and their families. I highly recommend this book, and thanks to everyone who basically recommended it to me!
Grace, Maya, and Joaquin wormed their way into my heart. Each of them were flawed, but so, so loveable. Maya’s sarcasm had me giggling, Grace was just so lost after giving up her baby, and Joaquin needed all the hugs in the world. What they all had in common, aside from dipping their fries in mayonnaise (maybe I’m related to them too?), was that they were all self-sabotaging in some way. It’s as if they felt like they didn’t deserve to be fully happy, and just always waited for the other shoe to drop. This wasn’t so much Grace as much as it was Maya and Joaquin, but I know it was somewhere inside of Grace that she felt like she didn’t deserve happiness after giving up her child.
As far as side characters go, Rafe was by far my favorite and he deserved some more page time when he was hanging out with Grace. He was a great companion for her when she really needed a friend as she was going through all these emotions and meeting her bio-siblings.
What I loved with these three was that they felt a familial bond with one another right away, and when each of their secrets were revealed, they only bonded more. Yet, that didn’t stop them from trying to keep one another at arm’s length at first, which is understandable, but I just loved how accepting they were with one another and didn’t let their secrets get in the way of their growing relationship. I was very happy when Maya and Joaquin joined Grace to look for their birth mother, and I wasn’t all surprised with the outcome of it.
Again, I’m not even sure how to explain how much I enjoyed this book. I think my only complaint is that I didn’t want this book to end, so I wish it had been longer. I would have loved to see more of these siblings with each other and their families. I highly recommend this book, and thanks to everyone who basically recommended it to me!
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This book was what I needed and I didn’t even know it. It’s fun, serious, and fluffy all in one and in all the right places. It’s easy to love the characters and fall in love with Vivi and Jonah’s story. The writing style is easy-going, which makes this book quick to devour in a short time, but not where you don’t remember anything about it. It’s a book that sticks with you when you’re done.
This is a book where the characters made the story. Vivi is a spitfire, and it’s hinted right from the start that she’s bipolar, though through most of the book she refuses to take her meds to prevent hypomanic episodes from occurring. She’s in love with life and wants to live it – not just exist and feel like she’s drowning under the influence of medication. However, her adventures become a bit dangerous – mainly to herself – which in turn gives a scare to her mother and Jonah. Vivi learns that it’s not a bad thing to be in control of her bipolar disorder, but it might take some time and trial and error to get it more under control. Aside from that, she’s a dreamer and she’s great with all of Jonah’s family – which is so adorable – as well as the residents of Verona Cove.
Jonah is such a sweetheart. He’s still dealing with the loss of his dad and is helping his elder siblings to take care of their three younger siblings. Their mom is still alive, but is in a depression after losing her husband, and while Jonah and his siblings need their mom, they don’t want to push her to move on if she’s not ready to. Jonah doesn’t even resent his mom for not taking care of the household; he just does his part and it’s forced him to grow up a little faster than his peers. They way he is with his younger siblings is so sweet and makes you love his character so much. He comes out of his shell a bit when Vivi comes to Verona Cove, and he immediately falls for her and her passion for life. They both came into each other’s lives when they needed each other the most.
I really enjoyed Jonah’s family. The siblings were such a tight-knit bunch and yet each had their own personality. I’m an only child, but if I were to have siblings, then these were the siblings I wish I’d had. In fact, I wish I lived in a community like Verona Cove. They’re all so close (kind of like Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls) and are ready to help each other when needed.
Going back to Vivi’s bipolar disorder – I love that there’s a representation of that mental illness in this book and that there was no stigma attached to it. The stigma of bipolar and depression was discussed by some of the characters (as more than one went through depression) and how it’s okay to get help. I’m honestly just a sucker for books that deal with mental illnesses and use characters to portray them in different ways – because everyone is different, so these disorders don’t always look the same in each person. It was pretty fitting that I read this book during mental health awareness month.
Between the book’s characters, setting, and focus on mental health, I couldn’t help but love it entirely. It was a quick, easy read that still gave me time to fall for the characters and their story. As I mentioned, it’s one that will stick with me and I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. And because of the setting, I definitely recommend it as a summer read!
This is a book where the characters made the story. Vivi is a spitfire, and it’s hinted right from the start that she’s bipolar, though through most of the book she refuses to take her meds to prevent hypomanic episodes from occurring. She’s in love with life and wants to live it – not just exist and feel like she’s drowning under the influence of medication. However, her adventures become a bit dangerous – mainly to herself – which in turn gives a scare to her mother and Jonah. Vivi learns that it’s not a bad thing to be in control of her bipolar disorder, but it might take some time and trial and error to get it more under control. Aside from that, she’s a dreamer and she’s great with all of Jonah’s family – which is so adorable – as well as the residents of Verona Cove.
Jonah is such a sweetheart. He’s still dealing with the loss of his dad and is helping his elder siblings to take care of their three younger siblings. Their mom is still alive, but is in a depression after losing her husband, and while Jonah and his siblings need their mom, they don’t want to push her to move on if she’s not ready to. Jonah doesn’t even resent his mom for not taking care of the household; he just does his part and it’s forced him to grow up a little faster than his peers. They way he is with his younger siblings is so sweet and makes you love his character so much. He comes out of his shell a bit when Vivi comes to Verona Cove, and he immediately falls for her and her passion for life. They both came into each other’s lives when they needed each other the most.
I really enjoyed Jonah’s family. The siblings were such a tight-knit bunch and yet each had their own personality. I’m an only child, but if I were to have siblings, then these were the siblings I wish I’d had. In fact, I wish I lived in a community like Verona Cove. They’re all so close (kind of like Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls) and are ready to help each other when needed.
Going back to Vivi’s bipolar disorder – I love that there’s a representation of that mental illness in this book and that there was no stigma attached to it. The stigma of bipolar and depression was discussed by some of the characters (as more than one went through depression) and how it’s okay to get help. I’m honestly just a sucker for books that deal with mental illnesses and use characters to portray them in different ways – because everyone is different, so these disorders don’t always look the same in each person. It was pretty fitting that I read this book during mental health awareness month.
Between the book’s characters, setting, and focus on mental health, I couldn’t help but love it entirely. It was a quick, easy read that still gave me time to fall for the characters and their story. As I mentioned, it’s one that will stick with me and I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. And because of the setting, I definitely recommend it as a summer read!
Initials Thoughts - 1/27/2022
The absolute best book of the series. I never wanted to put it down, though I might have thrown the book at one point (not too hard, I'm not a monster). Full review to come.
But first, I need time to process this amazing ending to the series.
Full Review - 2/4/2022
The ending of this series did not disappoint in the least! Before this book, the third one, The Last Ever After, was my favorite and now it’s tied with One True King. In fact, this one might be the best of the series, in my opinion. The pacing was perfect; there were no sluggish parts at all. If I could have, I would’ve read this book in one sitting because I was hooked!
The tournament to choose the real true king of Camelot was a great twist instead of having Tedros just slay the false King Rhian. It added an element of suspense because each new task was a race for Tedros to try to get ahead. It also makes him wonder how his father knew to set up this tournament to give him a chance to prove he’s the true king. The main thing that keeps Tedros going is that his dad left him the Ring of Camelot, not anyone else. And it’s with that confidence that Tedros ends up making some bold decisions, and for once, leaves Agatha out of his plans.
I don’t even need to go into detail about my love for Agatha and Hort. I have always loved them and always will. They both have key roles in Tedros’s race to be the king, but I won’t go into detail on that. I only wish there were more moments of Agatha and Hort together to become actual friends, rather than Hort getting upset every time Agatha gets in the way of his trying to be with Sophie (but I also get it because I ship Sophie and Hort).
The real surprise of this story, for me, is that this was the first book which I actually liked Sophie’s character. She wasn’t annoying at once and I even felt bad for her at times. She started believing that maybe because of her Evilness and past that she doesn’t deserve a happy ending. That she’s meant to be alone – if she doesn’t die while trying to help Tedros. She and Tedros even finally start to respect each other and become real friends. And if that isn’t character development, than I don’t know what is.
My heart was honestly racing as the stakes in this book got higher. I expected character deaths, and there were, because why wouldn’t an author kill off characters? (Seriously, is it like a requirement for fantasy?) I do love that this book had the thrill to keep me on the edge of my seat and not wanting to stop reading until the end. There were a few times I had to stop, close the book, and say, “I did NOT just read what I think I did!”
I even threw the book at one point.
It’s been a while since I’ve done that.
So again, this was by far the most I’ve enjoyed reading this series. It redeemed the slow pacing of some of the other novels, and gave me a bittersweet ending in that I wanted more of these characters, but also happy with the end (though the actual end is bittersweet, be warned). I highly recommend this series if you love fantasy novels, magic schools, and stories that focus on friendship.
The absolute best book of the series. I never wanted to put it down, though I might have thrown the book at one point (not too hard, I'm not a monster). Full review to come.
But first, I need time to process this amazing ending to the series.
Full Review - 2/4/2022
The ending of this series did not disappoint in the least! Before this book, the third one, The Last Ever After, was my favorite and now it’s tied with One True King. In fact, this one might be the best of the series, in my opinion. The pacing was perfect; there were no sluggish parts at all. If I could have, I would’ve read this book in one sitting because I was hooked!
The tournament to choose the real true king of Camelot was a great twist instead of having Tedros just slay the false King Rhian. It added an element of suspense because each new task was a race for Tedros to try to get ahead. It also makes him wonder how his father knew to set up this tournament to give him a chance to prove he’s the true king. The main thing that keeps Tedros going is that his dad left him the Ring of Camelot, not anyone else. And it’s with that confidence that Tedros ends up making some bold decisions, and for once, leaves Agatha out of his plans.
I don’t even need to go into detail about my love for Agatha and Hort. I have always loved them and always will. They both have key roles in Tedros’s race to be the king, but I won’t go into detail on that. I only wish there were more moments of Agatha and Hort together to become actual friends, rather than Hort getting upset every time Agatha gets in the way of his trying to be with Sophie (but I also get it because I ship Sophie and Hort).
The real surprise of this story, for me, is that this was the first book which I actually liked Sophie’s character. She wasn’t annoying at once and I even felt bad for her at times. She started believing that maybe because of her Evilness and past that she doesn’t deserve a happy ending. That she’s meant to be alone – if she doesn’t die while trying to help Tedros. She and Tedros even finally start to respect each other and become real friends. And if that isn’t character development, than I don’t know what is.
My heart was honestly racing as the stakes in this book got higher. I expected character deaths, and there were, because why wouldn’t an author kill off characters? (Seriously, is it like a requirement for fantasy?) I do love that this book had the thrill to keep me on the edge of my seat and not wanting to stop reading until the end. There were a few times I had to stop, close the book, and say, “I did NOT just read what I think I did!”
I even threw the book at one point.
It’s been a while since I’ve done that.
So again, this was by far the most I’ve enjoyed reading this series. It redeemed the slow pacing of some of the other novels, and gave me a bittersweet ending in that I wanted more of these characters, but also happy with the end (though the actual end is bittersweet, be warned). I highly recommend this series if you love fantasy novels, magic schools, and stories that focus on friendship.
I really need to learn that when I’m reading a series, it’s best to just binge it if all the books are out and I have them all available to me. Even a month break between had me a little discombobulated with who some of the newest characters were and what exactly happened in the previous book. Anyway, that’s my pre-ramble. Onto my thoughts about the book!
More is at stake now that there’s a false king on the throne of Camelot, and with all her friends being held captive, Agatha is on her own to figure out how to save them. Not to mention she’s being hunted by Rhian’s army and the kingdoms around Camelot. And she needs to do it before Rhian takes Sophie as his wife and destroys the Storian for good.
This is probably the first book where I’ve liked Sophie. She’s come a long way since the first book and is finally starting to show selflessness and wanting to do the Good thing. I feel for her because she’s stuck in Camelot’s castle as Rhian’s wife-to-be, but she knows what a monster he is. So she needs to outwit him and his Snake counterpart in order to escape and help her friends. Then she eventually has a choice to make, and she knows it will affect how everyone sees her, but she knows it’s the right thing to do.
A main theme of this book, and series really, is the friendship between Agatha and Sophie. Good and Evil… can they really remain best friends? These girls believe so. And even when it seems like Sophie is choosing Evil over Good (which, she has a few times, let’s be real) Agatha is there to pull her back because she knows her best friend. Agatha trusts her completely even when Sophie makes a few questionable choices in this book.
Tedros on the other hand, keeps on believing the worst in Sophie. I mean, he’s valid in this thinking considering his past with her, but at the same time if he really loves Agatha, he’ll believe that she trusts Sophie for a reason. Then again, no one but Sophie and Agatha seem to really understand each other the way that they do. I do like his banter with Sophie, though, when the three of them are together. He also grows a little in learning that this is his fight and he needs to go the right thing to claim his throne back from Rhian.
There’s really just a lot that goes on in this book and it’s hard to give it a review it deserves without too many spoilers. So, I’ll leave it at this… A Crystal of Time is a great lead into what I believe will be a great conclusion to this series. I’m a little worried about the end of One True King, but that’s why I picked it right up after finishing this one.
After all, it does end on a cliffhanger.
More is at stake now that there’s a false king on the throne of Camelot, and with all her friends being held captive, Agatha is on her own to figure out how to save them. Not to mention she’s being hunted by Rhian’s army and the kingdoms around Camelot. And she needs to do it before Rhian takes Sophie as his wife and destroys the Storian for good.
This is probably the first book where I’ve liked Sophie. She’s come a long way since the first book and is finally starting to show selflessness and wanting to do the Good thing. I feel for her because she’s stuck in Camelot’s castle as Rhian’s wife-to-be, but she knows what a monster he is. So she needs to outwit him and his Snake counterpart in order to escape and help her friends. Then she eventually has a choice to make, and she knows it will affect how everyone sees her, but she knows it’s the right thing to do.
A main theme of this book, and series really, is the friendship between Agatha and Sophie. Good and Evil… can they really remain best friends? These girls believe so. And even when it seems like Sophie is choosing Evil over Good (which, she has a few times, let’s be real) Agatha is there to pull her back because she knows her best friend. Agatha trusts her completely even when Sophie makes a few questionable choices in this book.
Tedros on the other hand, keeps on believing the worst in Sophie. I mean, he’s valid in this thinking considering his past with her, but at the same time if he really loves Agatha, he’ll believe that she trusts Sophie for a reason. Then again, no one but Sophie and Agatha seem to really understand each other the way that they do. I do like his banter with Sophie, though, when the three of them are together. He also grows a little in learning that this is his fight and he needs to go the right thing to claim his throne back from Rhian.
There’s really just a lot that goes on in this book and it’s hard to give it a review it deserves without too many spoilers. So, I’ll leave it at this… A Crystal of Time is a great lead into what I believe will be a great conclusion to this series. I’m a little worried about the end of One True King, but that’s why I picked it right up after finishing this one.
After all, it does end on a cliffhanger.