Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for an ARC of Slip in exchange for an honest review.

Slip follows the story of a high school girl named Jade. After an event that pulls her away from her best friend, she's reluctant to go to the Art Farm, a one month program to help young artists build their portfolio. Yet, she doesn't have much of a choice, and is left to grapple with what's happened while she's away. Jade struggles to make her art and develop it in a meaningful way while processing these new and overwhelming emotions.

Jade, at the center of the story, is learning how to function without her best friend, and doesn't know how she can support that friend during a difficult time in her life. She also feels as though she's leagues behind the other artists she's in the program with, and has to combat these feelings of inadequacy (seemingly) alone.

This is such a gripping story about the complicated nature of relationships (of all types). Especially when you feel as though there are a million other parts of your life vying for attention. The book also touches on how to wrangle complex topics into your artistic work, without letting those emotions consume you or destroy you.

Beautifully written, impactful illustrations. Just awesome, all around <3 A must read for any young artist or creative.

Vaguely spoiler-y content warning:
This book does deal with themes of suicide, and I think it can potentially be a tough read for those who experience suicidal thoughts. On the other hand, we are seeing the story through the eyes of someone who feels helpless to be there for their friend who has attempted this. I've personally been there, and I think that this can be a helpful book for someone who is processing those emotions.

This was a really nice collection, and I loved how the stories all connected with each other in this intricate way. You can tell a lot of care was poured into this. I really found myself rooting for each of the characters, and their respective love stories. And the Blackout theme added a nice quality—a scenario like that really would cause everyone to stop and examine what’s in front of them, especially if they’ve been avoiding it. I know that’s how the pandemic/lockdown felt for me.

Some stories were stronger than others, as is typical of anthologies. Here is my ranking though, from most enjoyable to least, in my opinion.

1. Made to Fit by Ashley Woodfolk
This was just a really sweet sapphic story about two really big-hearted girls. I’m not usually an Insta-love fan (funny, since my spouse and I were literally Insta-love), but I found their relationship very honest. They hype each other up and remind each other of the exceptional parts of themselves they kinda forgot long the way. This one was just very special to me.

2. Seymour and Grace by Nicola Yoon
Another “Insta-love” that was just super sweet. Definitely a fan of their ride-share meet cute. The Ship of Thesus undertone was also a profound way to set the tone. Both characters, in a way, were struggling to navigate shifting relationships. And in that way, they helped each other to see how they’ve grown and changed in good ways, and appreciate that about one another.

3. No Sleep Till Brooklyn by Angie Thomas
A story about a girl caught in between two love interests, one of which she’s been in a relationship with for some time. And she wonders if maybe she’s missing out on something. I know that yes, it’s emotional cheating, but so also believe that it’s relatable for young people who are still figuring themselves out. I know as a teen I was caught up in something similar, and it’s really difficult to navigate something like that. Ultimately, I love that Kayla chose herself, and decided to take some space from both to learn more about herself.

4. All the Great Love Stories…And Dust by Dhonielle Clayton
A cute story about two lifelong friends with a competitive streak. I loved the characterization of Lana, and how she had this interesting way of seeing the world. And the footnotes were awesome. I found myself a bit confused about the “bet” between her and Tristán—to find the best book ever. If he’s as competitive as she says, why would he concede to her? Because this is the type of beg that isn’t exactly objective, like a bike race or something. It’s really Lena’s plan to confess her feelings for Tristán, who is apparently a serial monogamist. The conclusion of the story was cute, I just think that if we had spent a little time in Tristán’s mind it would have been better.

5. The Long Walk by Tiffany D. Jackson
This story was interspersed between the other stories, in 5 parts. I honestly really enjoyed the way this story wove in and out of the others, like we were dropping in to see how the walk was going (as they basically trekked from one end of the city to another). And I found myself most interested in the end, when we see the characters connect in a real way. But to me finding out that the whole thing was a big miscommunication annoyed me just a little. Tammi, Kareem’s ex, thought he was dating someone else during the whole walk, and he didn’t correct her until the very end. Then said, “What didn’t you know?” Obviously not, when Tammi continued to make comments about the girl she thought you were dating, Kareem. Apart from the miscommunication, I did think there story was sweet, I just really don’t enjoy that plot point in general.

6. Mask Off by Nic Stone
I enjoyed the story about two boys harboring secret crushes on one another. I also enjoyed the exploration of masculinity and male bisexuality. I think these are really important topics to explore. I also love that J.J. is attentive when it comes to Tremaine’s claustrophobia. I just wasn’t as into this story as the others. Some parts seemed tacked on in an awkward way, like especially JJ’s fixation on public breastfeeding. Not in a creepy way…but I also don’t think the way it was written was realistically how a teen boy would think about it? I’d imagine it would be more of a nod and a “right on,” than a whole tangent about it. Anyway, I think it is an important story, just of the bunch it wasn’t my favorite.

2⭐️ (The more I dwell, the more I had to revoke the half a star. I know, I know.)

I guess this book just didn’t live up to my expectations. I thought there were interesting elements to the story, but the world building and plot left something to be desired (imho).

What I expected: a rich, atmospheric, slow-burning gothic novel.

What I got: a half-fleshed out dark fantasy with Insta-attraction. (And while Leta may be demisexual, I feel as though that left something to be desired because she barely knew Rowan and felt drawn to him instantly…idk)

I feel like this was incorrectly billed as a work of gothic lit, which to me has very specific conventions. Some of those were present in this story, but they really took a backseat to the “cure the corruption plot.”

(Edited to add: As someone else mentioned, the gothic conventions used were like window dressing. But there was no substance to them. We’re TOLD that there’s a gloomy estate full of mystery, but really there’s no mystery. A few other critical elements of the gothic genre are also absent. It just should have been labeled differently.)

Speaking of corruption, that also seemed to leave something to be desired. The “solution” to curing the corruption was solved prior to Leta and her brother’s arrival at Lakesedge. They were simply pulled in to the thick of it to supply extra firepower. Though there were some struggles with their ability to perform the ritual, there was no real need to create a “new” solution. They just needed to practice? Be more powerful? The magic could have used more attention.



The bottom line is that I kept thinking of ways the story could have played out differently, incorporated more gothic elements, been more fleshed out, or otherwise improved. It was all show and little tell, the plot was repetitive, and the descriptions were so adverb heavy, which is a personal pet peeve of mine. Overall, this is just not how I want to feel as the reader.

You may be wondering what I liked…

I thought the romance elements were well done. Consent was abundant, and I think this is so important, especially in YA stories. Especially when you have a character generally regarded as rude or monstrous, yet still ultimately desirable or dateable—if they can still respect consent, that’s phenomenal. We need more of that in books with grumpy boys, lest young people learn to accept less. The found family was a nice touch. I enjoyed the characters most of all (Violeta least of all lol), and would have liked to spend more time with them.

I’d definitely like to read the next one when it releases and see how it compares.

A fantastic debut, and an incredible fantasy retelling of one of my favorite stories.

What really brought this to life were the characters, and I absolutely adored the life that Blackwood breathed into Magnus and Andromeda. Their relationship, the tension, and the banter continued to make me giddy in the same ways as the original Jane and Mr. Rochester. Yet they still felt unique and completely their own characters. Especially Magnus, who was less of a brooding jerk and more of a tortured yet sheltered/pampered boy who was alone in the world due to his father…so he didn’t really know how to be in the world. Not an excuse, but an explanation, and we get to watch Magnus grapple with a person who doesn’t put up with it, and he becomes a better person for it.

To those saying it’s hardly Jane Eyre…did we even read the same story?

First, I have to ask: do you expect all retellings to be carbon copies? And if so, why? I love the story, and I love how Blackwood reimagined it without breaking the spirit of the thing. Just because some elements have shifted does NOT mean it’s not a Jane Eyre story.

Let’s review:

* Plain woman takes a job out of desperation
* Said job is one that others could scarcely withstand due to the insufferable master of the house. Not to mention the troublesome “ward,” in this instance the Evil Eye
* Woman at first cannot stand Mr. Rochester, but loves her job and cares about the outcome
* Woman has also come from an abusive upbringing that has led her to believe she’s ultimately unimportant. Though she desires more for herself (including to be loved), and she won’t be caged, she also does not feel she deserves the love shown to her.
* Her fears are confirmed when she learns that this man has been promised to another (in this case only bethrothed, rather than married) — Essentially, Kelela is like Blanche Ingram and the wife combined…
* So, she more or less runs away and agrees to go back to her old life, or a version of it. Something she believes she “deserves,” or is fitting of her station. But it’s what she’s been conditioned to accept. Also, both women from both stories learn a horrifying truth and run away, because it’s hard to cope with what they’ve seen. The curse in this case can also represent the wife in some ways.
* Mr. Rochester insists that he is not truly bound to the other person. It’s questionable, but turns out to be true. In the case of the curse, Mr. Rochester is also a victim. (This parallels how we’re supposed to think of him in the source material, with his mentally ill wife, though victim seems wrong.)
* Finally, the woman fears for the desperate situation of Mr. Rochester, and returns to save him.
* Also, there’s a house fire.

In conclusion, just because there isn’t an “almost wedding” and a wife in the attic does not mean it’s not a good Jane Eyre retelling. But I’m also of the mind that retelling a SHOULD vary from the source material, otherwise what’s the point?

Anyway, I thought this was amazing and captivating, and I loved the Ethiopian elements of the story. I would have loved to see even more details woven throughout. Looking forward to reading more of Blackwood’s books going forward!

Just an all around satisfying romance novel. It’s like a cross between Pride & Prejudice and Bridgerton. I loved the backdrop of women’s suffrage, as well as the characters. Dunmore is also phenomenal at building sexual tension/yearning.

Was it basically Insta-love? Maybe, but it felt very believable anyway.

Side note: so many mentions of the smell of wool. Does wool have a smell??? I kinda get it, but I also now feel the urge to go to a craft store and sniff wool

Sigh. I just spent half an hour typing a very in depth review on my phone, only to accidentally swipe down and delete everything.

Maybe I’ll find the will to fully rewrite my thoughts, but here’s a truncated summary.

Tropes I loved: enemies to lovers, one bed, bad boy with a heart of gold, heiress meets the real world.

I think the Hattie haters aren’t seeing the big picture (AKA, that we have more knowledge of Lucien and his intentions than she does). Hattie’s feelings are valid, even if her actions are not always justified. For starters, she’s been raised to have a very particular view of the world—and when push comes to shove, she grows into a better person. And when she advocates for people, she doesn’t simply do what she thinks will help, she takes time to think about potential consequences and asks people directly. She has a tremendous character arc that I can appreciate. She’s not perfect, but she comes a long way.

Those who say Lucien “hands his balls” to Hattie make me feel sorry for them. She helps him become more vulnerable, and I love the way that he loves her. I do agree that it would have been nice for Hattie to empathize more for her husband than she does. That’s really my biggest qualm, and as the reader we have WAY more context for his life than Hattie does (which I wish would have been remedied, or addressed). But while Hattie isn’t always in the right, her wanting him to let go of his vengeance is not a bad thing. Though when all is said and done, it’s Lucien that really made this book shine. I love his character SO much.

Overall, I love that they help each other to be better people. And I truly adored basically everything that happened while they were in Scotland.

Now, let’s talk ending, which I know is taboo. Do I KINDA wish that last little bit just didn’t happen? Yes…I was especially mad that Lucie was still so hostile to Lucien (like did Hattie not tell her friend she loved him?). However, I can come to accept the ending.

Only because in some ways I think it speaks to Hattie’s maturity. I don’t LOVE that she left, but it has the same bittersweet feel of a Bronte or Austen novel (which are frequently referenced and used as parallels in the book). She’s spent her whole life sheltered and used, and she knows her resentment for how her marriage began would continue to fester. She needed to know she could rely on herself, and that’s okay. She needed to be confident that she could trust herself to love him without lashing out. And I think their reunion was so sweet.

ETA: I guess really my problem with the ending is that it was too little too late. I mean the book simply could have concluded where it was with three chapters to go, but the author threw in a big ol wrench. Even if it felt like something Hattie would do, I resent that it was done so quickly and carelessly and I would have preferred a slightly more HEA. The epilogue was fine though :)

This book worked for me in ways the second book sometimes did not (and it was a LOT steamier). Overall, I just really enjoy this series and this writer SO much.