Crafted exquisitely, written wonderfully. Perfect balance of tense and tender moments, incredibly vivid (humanly flawed) characters, all illustrated with a narrative voice that breathes fresh life into familiar tales. Complex conflicts, breathtaking setting, thoroughly-developed romance, and a healthy dose of magic: this is what a story should be.

"It was a huge mistake, and also great for views."

All this could only have come from the mind of Hank Green. Even setting aside his distinctive sense of humor and enthusiasm for learning, it's a fantastic blend of "writing what you know" (Internet fame + science) and pure imagination, special real-world knowledge and wackiness. Also, I was already a fan of Hank and his digital presence, but the acknowledgments were really awe-inspiring — it's clear how much care he puts into each of the many, many things he does, and this book is no exception.

While a lot of people probably find April May unlikable — which, to be clear, is not inherently a bad thing! — I actually feel like I really connected with her in a way that I don't always connect with protagonists. Perhaps it's because she's so honest in owning up to her mistakes; it's also possible that I just relate too much because I'm a bad person in many of the same ways. In any case, she's so nuanced and thoughtful and vulnerable; not to totally undermine the messages of this book but I love her.

On a technical level I had some issues with the writing, particularly some of the dialogue and turns of phrase which felt awkward, but there was also some really interesting figurative language and descriptions. And I definitely still enjoyed several crucial, bigger-picture components:

What is reality except for the things that people universally experience the same way?
- Insights about humanity. This might be the most important one, which is why it's listed first. For me it's hard to find the balance between what I call "philosophizing" / preaching and actually thought-provoking discussion, but the way Hank incorporates it really works for me. Which really shouldn't have come as such a surprise since, again, I'm familiar with and fond of his other work.

- Representation. I'm a supporter for non-ownvoices authors writing diverse characters whose identity/-ies aren't central to the plot, and that's what we get here. April May's bisexuality affects the plot beyond the romances, but it's not the focus; there's mention of the experience of being Black in America, but it's not April May's (or Hank's) story so it's not explored in detail.

- Foreshadowing. It's there, and it's so brilliantly subtle that I didn't even pick up on it when it happened. I only realized when I was going back through my notes and highlights to write this review, at which point so many moments made me go "How did I miss that?!"

Not to pressure Hank or anything because I'm sure he's super busy as always, but I really really need the sequel. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

content warnings:

Spoiler

on-page major character death, graphic violence & gore (with in-text warning at beginning of chapter and right before it happens!), bi erasure (challenged in-text)

rep:

Spoiler

bisexual MC (both male and female love interests!) with anxiety, Black WLW secondary character

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(As a side note, I'm glad that I've switched over to a more empirical rating system; my initial instinct was to give this 4 or 4.5 stars, but I'm happy with all my category scores and I'm not mad that it came out to 5 stars!)

CONVERSION: 13.8 / 15 = 5 stars

Prose: 9 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 9 / 10
Emotional Impact: 9 / 10
Development / Flow: 10 / 10
Setting: 7 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 5 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 5 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 5 / 5

It’s been way too long since I last fell so deeply in love with a book. I adore stories about Faerie courts, and the juxtaposition with the human world (especially from the perspective of the sisters’ sort of dual citizenship) is delightfully discomfiting. The exploration of family bonds and individual definitions was also really striking — twin sister, (half) sister, adoptive father, adoptive (step?)mother, baby brother — and fascinated me throughout the book. Disagreements between the characters expanded the themes and aligned with their worldviews, rather than just creating petty conflict; each and every player on the board had clear value in the game. Also, shoutout to the matter-of-fact treatment of Vivi’s bisexuality.

Of all the major plot twists, I only foresaw the most obvious one (the endgame romance), but they all made sense and had proper buildup rather than the abrupt, shock-over-logical-progression twists other books pull just to surprise the reader. The ending note is situationally similar to some other books (Red Queen and A Court of come to mind), but I’m more excited to read this sequel than I have been in a good while.

ADDENDUM (2019): Just because the endgame romance(s) is predictable doesn't mean I condone it; rereading it with that canonical knowledge has influenced how I see certain scenes, but it's definitely not a healthy relationship as it currently stands.

As someone who's been interested in tarot for a while but never really knew where to begin, this is an awesome entry-level kit. The art is gorgeous, of course, and the descriptions in the book shine with that inimitable Stiefvater style: conversational, confiding, humorous. Ultimately I'm left with the takeaway that tarot is highly personal and can only be mastered through practice — and I'm so excited to do my first reading.

I can't remember the last time I finished a book this quickly or this promptly, but I absolutely could not bear the thought of having it spoiled so here we are.

As someone who is all too often let down by series finales, let me tell you that this one exceeded my wildest hopes. (It probably helped that there was no

Spoiler

Big Boss Battle of the kind that tends to appear at the climax of these finales,

of which I have never been a fan!)

Where to even start? Holly Black has done it again: brilliant characters with sharp weapons and wits, strategic and moral dilemmas, a masterfully woven plot that keeps characters and readers alike on their toes. It's so satisfying to watch all the threads coming together, long-term plans bearing fruit, characters and relationships transforming before your eyes — a fittingly high reward for the high risk that is emotional investment in this series.

(I could wax poetic about this book for much longer, but I think I'm just going to reread a few favorite scenes and bask in its awesomeness. As you do.)

content warnings:

Spoiler

child negligence, child abuse (physical/psychological), physical mutilation, some violence, blood, non-graphic/explicit on-page sex,

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CONVERSION: 13.67 / 15 = 5 stars

Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 10 / 10
Emotional Impact: 8 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5

aaaaaaaaa mutual pining, the only circumstance under which I will accept lack of communication as a source of conflict

also why can't all boys accept rejection so graciously, damn. (this includes other manga/anime boys who take "no" as a challenge even when they know she clearly likes someone else - if you really like someone you should want them to be happy even if it's not with you, but I'll resist climbing on the soapbox here)