ghoul_library's Reviews (391)

I’m not even sure what I can say to sum up what I felt about this book. All I can really say is it’s incredibly written, incredibly researched and just…wow…

It took a while to really get going, maybe 200 pages? But I stuck with it because I was just so fascinated by the writing and how eloquent single sentence was and I’m so glad I did! I just finished it like 2 minutes ago with tears streaming down my face. I LOVE this book…I’m in pain  

This was okay, I’m giving it 3 because it wasn’t bad by any means it just wasn’t what I was looking for or expecting!

The writing was good and I enjoyed the concept but I just wish it was executed a little better with a little more explanation?? The premise is really interesting with the time travel, the monster aspect but I just wish there was more of an explanation for some things?? And I wish the term monster was less vague? I feel like I conjured a very different image of what monster meant  when I read the prologue and was just a bit like oh they’re just people w/ a super power when I started reading?? I think there’s a pattern in books I’ve read recently where they feel a little surface level and don’t quite hit the levels of detail I’d want.

It felt like this wrapped up quite well even though I know there’s a sequel coming out so I won’t be picking that up, I feel like 1 book was enough for me! I’m just sad I didn’t like this more because I had high hopes, it was just a middle ground book! 

This genuinely is Interview with the Vampire meets The Witcher in the best possible way. 

We’re not going to talk about why this book took me SO long to finish, I have a habit of getting so entranced in a book that I struggle to let it go and drag it out as LONG as possible, that happened here. When I know somethings going to be a favourite I try to savour every single second out of it I can as you only get to read something for the first time once! Let me tell you now this book is brutal, ruthless, and worth all the pain it’ll put you through!

The dual timelines, the format of the story being told as an account of what happened already…I genuinely can’t express just HOW good this book was for me! Sure there were points that the story lulled as it is quite slow paced (if you don’t like hearing every step of an adventure this one isn’t for you but my god did it work for me!!) but there were also times I wanted MORE from a certain period, like somehow I wanted the book to be even longer, go into even more detail! I think I just didn’t want to let it go in wait for book 2, I’m so attached to the characters and the world and just how epic this is. I genuinely don’t even know how to express how much I loved this book, how much pain it caused me…and just how perfectly to my tastes it was! 5* EASILY from chapter 1! The art inside the book too just added SOOO much to the story! Putting visuals to some of the scenes just ugh I loved it so much! So many scenes in this book especially nearer to the end as the pieces were fitting into place were just…oh my god, this book ruined my life, soul crushing.  

The upside of me dragging this out for so long is that I have a shorter wait for book 2?? It can’t come soon enough, the ending…honestly the last 10% was…oh my god…patience…

I do really like this duology, the characters are fun and the story is really interesting!! Just one thing that icks me is how things are more told then shown?? It’s very “this is this” instead of showing us what the thing is?? Still it was a really fun sequel to the story and I loved the sirens a lot! 

Okay this was fun! I love a good retelling and there’s seriously nobody better to do it than Marissa Meyer. This was fun, spooky and just WILD! I read it really fast too, I’ve never read a rumpelstiltskin retelling before and this was SUCH a wild spinning of the story! 

Okay so the people saying hunger games but with magic we’re SO right and it was delightful! I read through this so fast, it was honestly such a page turner. 

The characters were interesting and complex, morally grey, just generally great! I loved them all a lot especially Alistair! The world building was great too and I really loved how the magic system worked in this one! 

The only reason I’m giving 4.5 and not 5* is because the pacing felt a little off at times? It took a while to get going and for the tournament to start but it was still so great! I’m excited for book 2!

 I say it every time but this one is my favourite so far! It feels a lot different to other entries in the series but Antsy…poor Antsy…wow.

This was chilling and emotional and honestly hit so hard?? Like the author says at the beginning nothing *happens* to her, she runs, but the idea of it? The way it’s written?? Truly so so chilling oh my god!!

Ohhhhh this was…wow! Seeing the other school finally was wild, getting to experience the other side of the children who cone back; the ones who want to forget…I loved this! The fact it tied in Regan as well was so good. I seriously can’t fault this series at ALL I’ve loved every book so far and I could read them forever and ever and ever 

I need this to be a full length novel NOW! The plot…the idea…the way it was written…truly life ruining, heart breaking, show stopping. I didn’t think a 29 page story could have THIS much of an impact but I’m truly obsessed.

(if you liked this read A Dowry of Blood and vice versa if u liked that read this PLEASE!) 

Giving this a 2.5 because it wasn’t BAD I just don’t think it was for me. I enjoyed the premise of the book and was convinced this was going to be an absolute favourite however, it kind of fell flat for me. I felt like there was a really strong idea of what this book wanted to be but the execution landed on too much beautiful writing and not enough substance with too much vagueness? Points for beautifully descriptive writing tho! I did really enjoy the setting and the vibe, the characters were really interesting and I really liked them independently and the flashbacks were super cool. I wish there was more of an explanation to what happened in the book and there was a lot of the time that I spent confused about what was going on, waiting for things to be explained. 

I do recommend this though for anybody who liked Ninth House and that dark academia, school paranormal vibe bc this is exactly that!!