This installment was great, but I especially enjoyed the month in Derbyshire. The descriptions of Islington's country estate were evocative, and I liked the introduction of the new characters. The

dead twin reveal

was handled fairly well, even though it is somewhat cliché. Brower did it again with a cliffhanger ending...it's going to be hard to wait to hear about the next segment of Emma's adventures!

I almost stopped reading this early on because the subject matter was so intense. It got more palatable and actually moving rather than just heartbreaking. However, I didn't like the implication that one week was enough time to dramatically shift so many relationships at the same time, including Melanie/Juice's relationship with herself, just because Phoebe exists - like the protagonist is magically able to create profound change with simple conversations. And Lila is so obsessed with every detail being perfect for the wedding, from the car to the palate cleanser, but doesn't get concerned that

the maid of honor not being able to come will ruin the wedding because she can just slot in this suicidal stranger instead? That was a hard plot line to accept. Same with the ex-husband dramatically arriving and wanting her back. I also didn't like the story pushing us to want Lila and Jim AND Gary and Phoebe to be together. 

Overall, this had some meaningful moments but didn't have the plot direction I wanted. My favorite moments were her discussions of her dissertation/book research in Jane Eyre. I probably would've liked reading that book better lol.

We got to see more background on the faeries and Elias' childhood, which was interesting. I would've loved more husband-wife interaction; Elias and Dora's relationship was very much in the background here.

Essentially all of the information in this prequel could be inferred or was directly explained in book one of the main series, but it did show that their in-the-trenches existence wasn't overly simplified, which was good.

This book really showed Emma's age and personality well - her reactions were very believable, and the tropes were done well - like the time it takes for them to have a conversation is intentionally frustrating and makes sense in the story. I wish I had 1000 more pages of backstory and banter. Cannot wait for the next!

This is a fun version of a Regency world with magic that also delved into class privilege and the difficulty for veterans to reintegrate into society. The balance of fun and serious was usually good. Some parts were delightfully predictable while others were intriguingly unexpected. I wished there was more depth on the other female characters besides our protagonist. We spent a lot more time with the two male characters, and there was also a bonus in the back that gave us even more of their war-time backstory, and I would've loved similar page time for the other girls. 

Wow, I definitely was not expecting that ending! Even one-off entries like the cousin's tambourine acquisition were just so much fun. I was sometimes frustrated with Emma's choices in his one, like how she was sometimes overly rude or taking for granted all her good friends; more importantly, coming of age seemed to not change her circumstances or mindset at all. But this was overall still a great read and fun time.

These books are so good! The realistic portrayal of grief is perfect. The easy camaraderie of Emma with her friends is a delight. A yellow chair and a dictionary missing a letter being given as Christmas gifts to another heroine might feel odd at best, but here it makes complete sense and even enhances the narrative. St. Crispian's is such a fun setting, and we get more depth in each book. 

Another great addition to the series. Emma's reaction to being with Maxwell's family was so believable and authentic, and Pierce's interactions with her were amazing throughout but especially during that time. I love how Emma captures the boys' attention but only as a friend (so far?) - it's light and fun and exciting! I wish we got more page time with some of the other girl characters. Oh, and I did love Jack's brief appearance in this one!

Inhaled this book in one sitting - I couldn't help it! The characters and the setting are both delightful, as is the journal presentation. I was obsessed with the hunt for the play tickets - so fun! I was surprised to hear that Pierce is a friend of Emerson's - having such a well-known historical figure pop up as a minor character was unexpected, but it did make Emma's world feel almost more real with the insertion. If I had to put money on it, I'd bet on Pierce as Emma's love interest, but if I were choosing for her, it would definitely be Young Hawkes!