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inkandplasma
DNF @ 25% - this was like watching a bad movie but in book form
Thanks to HarperCollins for the audiobook ARC of this book. It has not affected my honest review.
THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES by C.J. Cooke is a thrilling page-turner steeped in gothic atmosphere. Set on a remote Scottish island, the setting of this book was a perfect backdrop for the unnerving story that unfolded throughout the book. There are three timelines threaded together throughout the book, which I did initially find confusing in the audiobook, however they came together in a very satisfying way once I'd finally worked out what was going on. I found the ending of this book incredibly bittersweet and emotional, and I couldn't have predicted where it was going to end. Every single theory I had throughout the story was absolutely wrong.
I found myself feeling genuinely on edge at several points throughout the book, and with storming winds outside I felt like I was following closely along with the characters as they tried to uncover the hidden history of the island. I loved Luna best, which meant I wasn't *super* invested in all the other POVs, but they were a really powerful way of telling each part of the story - and let me start furiously piecing together what was really going on in the book.
THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES by C.J. Cooke is a thrilling page-turner steeped in gothic atmosphere. Set on a remote Scottish island, the setting of this book was a perfect backdrop for the unnerving story that unfolded throughout the book. There are three timelines threaded together throughout the book, which I did initially find confusing in the audiobook, however they came together in a very satisfying way once I'd finally worked out what was going on. I found the ending of this book incredibly bittersweet and emotional, and I couldn't have predicted where it was going to end. Every single theory I had throughout the story was absolutely wrong.
I found myself feeling genuinely on edge at several points throughout the book, and with storming winds outside I felt like I was following closely along with the characters as they tried to uncover the hidden history of the island. I loved Luna best, which meant I wasn't *super* invested in all the other POVs, but they were a really powerful way of telling each part of the story - and let me start furiously piecing together what was really going on in the book.
I'm rating this 3.5 stars but honestly I think the first half is 3 and the second half is 4. It was much stronger near the end.
Criticisms: The SFX in the audiobook are UNBEARABLE. They make listening to this an absolute chore, I'm slowly getting closer to giving up on Star Wars audiobooks all together. At points in this book the SFX were so much louder than the narrator that I actually couldn't follow the dialogue. In an audiobook. There's no excuse for that. And more generally, I think I prefer the YA and MG arcs of High Republic because they actually have characters I can get behind and get attached to. The scope of the adult High Republic novels are just too wide. There's a million characters to try and keep track of and I think it means I'm less attached to them all as a whole than with the other stories. In this book it was still Lorna Dee, Vernestra and Imri that jumped out to me - because I've read books focused on them specifically.
Criticisms: The SFX in the audiobook are UNBEARABLE. They make listening to this an absolute chore, I'm slowly getting closer to giving up on Star Wars audiobooks all together. At points in this book the SFX were so much louder than the narrator that I actually couldn't follow the dialogue. In an audiobook. There's no excuse for that. And more generally, I think I prefer the YA and MG arcs of High Republic because they actually have characters I can get behind and get attached to. The scope of the adult High Republic novels are just too wide. There's a million characters to try and keep track of and I think it means I'm less attached to them all as a whole than with the other stories. In this book it was still Lorna Dee, Vernestra and Imri that jumped out to me - because I've read books focused on them specifically.
this was so freaking interesting