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leahrosereads's Reviews (1.04k)
Pretty strong debut! Loved the world building. The world itself felt massive, and I loved the setting. The characters were well written and pretty fleshed out. Some inconsistencies here and there (namely around the romance), but overall, it didn't matter to me. And boy did this conflict work so incredibly well here. Definitely looking forward to seeing where this story goes!
This had two tropes that I don't normally enjoy - enemies to lovers (which I DID enjoy here) and miscommunication (which I STILL disliked here), but none of that mattered because this story was fantastic! And I flat out refuse to give it less than 5 stars for some messy drama nonsense.
I absolutely loved the representation here and will 100% be picking up another book by this author and in this series.
I know it's only February, but did I really just read one of my favorite books of the year? Very possible.
I absolutely loved the representation here and will 100% be picking up another book by this author and in this series.
I know it's only February, but did I really just read one of my favorite books of the year? Very possible.
This definitely had a slower start, and I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the story, especially since reading verse is harder for me. But, once Baba Yaga made an appearance, this story really became something special.
I loved how modern society and something old and enchanting were interwoven here. It was beautiful and dark and magical.
I loved how modern society and something old and enchanting were interwoven here. It was beautiful and dark and magical.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't believe I've never reviewed this (and then didn't notice on my prior re-read), but here we go. This is a fine first book, but I definitely got bored a few times and wished the characters were a bit more interesting. The world building isn't great for this being a fantasy, but that's rarely a deal breaker for me. I get more disappointed by character development than plot or setting points.
The upside for this book and it's sequels is that it reads so fast. I can fly through stories like these, so even if it's not the best, it's entertaining for what it is.
The upside for this book and it's sequels is that it reads so fast. I can fly through stories like these, so even if it's not the best, it's entertaining for what it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief
From start to end, this was a great book with well rounded, interesting characters and a premise that I absolutely adored. I loved the side conflicts and how the author touched on bullying, family dynamics, and something a bit more literally magical than we usually see in life.
I picked this up from my library, read it in under an hour, and cried for maybe just as long.
It affected me so strongly that I've bought a copy to reread (daily hopefully, weekly if not)...and then I picked up two more Jason Reynolds books to have more of his incredibly profound writing in my life.
Insta-buy author discovered.
It affected me so strongly that I've bought a copy to reread (daily hopefully, weekly if not)...and then I picked up two more Jason Reynolds books to have more of his incredibly profound writing in my life.
Insta-buy author discovered.
This was a lot better than I remembered. While I still didn't love the characters' decisions, on re-read they made more sense. Feyre is never gonna be a favorite character of mine, but Rhysand makes up for her.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a fine conclusion for this initial trilogy. I liked how it all wrapped up and liked most of the characters better this round (aside from Nesta). This re-read really cemented that I don't plan to continue with Nesta's story. She's just not interesting in any way to me.
Technically sound writing with some fun moments but overall, I didn't like a lot of the characters here.
I liked Gavin until I didn't, Thea irked me throughout the book, Liv was awful, the Bros were OK, and the daughters seemed aged up for some reason.
The idea behind this felt really unique, which I liked, but I needed something more compelling, more heartfelt, and just more dynamic than what this ended up being.
I liked Gavin until I didn't, Thea irked me throughout the book, Liv was awful, the Bros were OK, and the daughters seemed aged up for some reason.
The idea behind this felt really unique, which I liked, but I needed something more compelling, more heartfelt, and just more dynamic than what this ended up being.
What an amazing and enlightening novel. It's my first time reading a fictional book where a character had HIV and the research that went into this novel absolutely shows. It was informative but never dull, and it really drove home a lot of facts about HIV and shed light on the ignorance surrounding it.
I loved Simone. She was fun and so freaking smart and knew exactly who she wanted to be (or definitely had a pretty clear idea anyway). I really liked seeing her interactions with her friends, dads, and Miles. She was such a genuine MC, and I loved the following this story through her eyes.
Honestly, every character was a pleasure to meet (for the most part), and I think they all brought something important and necessary to this novel.
Definitely looking forward to reading anything and everything by this author in the future.
I loved Simone. She was fun and so freaking smart and knew exactly who she wanted to be (or definitely had a pretty clear idea anyway). I really liked seeing her interactions with her friends, dads, and Miles. She was such a genuine MC, and I loved the following this story through her eyes.
Honestly, every character was a pleasure to meet (for the most part), and I think they all brought something important and necessary to this novel.
Definitely looking forward to reading anything and everything by this author in the future.