An underwhelming sequel. Yes, it satisfied the ending and tied all the loose ends left by the first book, but I expected more. The magic feels like an afterthought, underdeveloped and unnecessary to the plot. The characters are annoying and the new characters introduced feel like a forced addition without a purpose. The main couple is apart for much of the book and their moments together do not include any further development of their relationship. There were too many different storylines that were poorly strung together. The conclusion to the curse that prompted this entire story was incredibly rushed and disappointing. This book felt half-baked.

Aside from the clunky dialogue and descriptions due to translation from the original material, this book was very good. The worldbuilding is super interesting and the plot twists are engaging and not too predictable. I could do without the constant reminder every other page of how skinny and petite Anne is, but I very much enjoyed this story. I’m looking forward to reading the next volume.

This book is quite far out from the typical genres I stick to. I received it in my April 2023 FairyLoot adult subscription and I participated in the read-along on the FairyLoot Community website. Were it not for that, I doubt I would have picked up this book. But I am so glad that I did.

In the Lives of Puppets is an enchanting Pinocchio retelling in a future version of our world after robots have taken over the planet. Victor is a human who lives deep in the forest with the three robots that he calls family, until they come upon a deactivated android in the scrap yards and it changes their lives forever.

This book is thought-provoking, full of heart, and absolutely hilarious. The character interactions are among the best I’ve ever read. The side characters didn’t really do it for me, but I truly fell in love with each of four characters that make up the main cast. I really enjoyed the queer representation. This is a great read for pride month.

The world-building is definitely intriguing, but I wish there was more. I felt that we didn’t get to see enough. This book takes place in two primary locations hundreds of miles apart from each other. I would have liked to see more of what came in between.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys enemies to lovers, dual perspectives, fairy tales, destined soulmates, strong female protagonists, found family, and just a dash of cliché. I have not read any of Kiera Cass’s other books, but I very much enjoyed her writing style.

The characters are complex, imperfect, and wonderful. The plot is engaging and interesting, but the first half is paced rather slow and took some effort to get through. Once I got past that midpoint, the second half went by very quickly. I don’t agree with other reviews that claim the ending felt rushed. The ending was rather perfect.

My favorite in the series so far. This book has a touch more storytelling to it that isn’t directed solely by spice. I also really enjoyed the “grumpy x sunshine” character dynamic. But my favorite part is that in this book, the characters choose to be together and love each other even without having resonance. In the other books, the resonance drives the relationship and forces them together. In this one, the couple comes together on their own. It’s a refreshing change of pace.

This series seems very cute and sweet. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story progresses. I really enjoy the concept of a sensible adult protagonist, it’s definitely a refreshing breath of fresh air from most other manga series.

This final volume was a perfect conclusion to a lovely and comforting series. All of the little plot hints that were scattered about the first four volumes finally come to light in this thrilling finale. Tsukina and Il’s wedding also takes place, and it’s so wonderful to see these awkward little bookworms finally having their happily ever after. I really loved this little series and I’m sad it’s over so soon.

As someone who enjoys any story to do with the Chinese and Japanese zodiac animals, I really loved the world behind this story. I noticed some slight variations in the animal species though, so I wish it was a bit more explained. I definitely want to see more of the different zodiac princesses, as we only see the rat and cat princesses in this volume.

The romance wasn’t anything to write home about. We only believe the king is in love with the protagonist because the text says he is, we don’t see it. But from the sneak peek, I believe this will be developed further in the next volume.

Ruiying is one of the most adorable protagonists I have met in a while. She is soft and sweet and so very pretty. Plus she loves books and dark, quiet places. I absolutely adore the way the artist draws Ruiying. Her hair looks so fluffy. The art style of this whole volume is gorgeous!

If you enjoyed Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, you’ll enjoy this series. The world-building and magic system are very similar without being a carbon copy. This is definitely a darker, more mature take on that story. Tropes include: rival kingdoms, slow burn enemies to lovers, touch her and die, chosen one protagonist, mysterious ancient prophecy, he falls first, and much more.

The pacing was a bit slow at times. Some of the characters felt flat. The romance is very slow burn and can be boring. All of that said, overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am definitely planning on reading the next two in the series upon their release. This book does not read like a debut novel, and I am floored that this is the author’s first published work. The bonus chapter featured in FairyLoot’s special edition was a very nice touch and a necessary recover from that heartbreaking epilogue.

This book shoves spice so far down your throat that you can’t taste anything else. This story could have been told within four chapters if the characters didn’t stop to ogle each other every two paragraphs. The murder mystery is predictable. I figured it out long before the end, and it was annoying watching the characters circle around the truth without ever getting there.

Don’t even get me started on this completely unresolved side plot with the brother. I do not get the point. Why include it in the book at all if you’re not going to resolve it? It would have changed hardly anything to leave it out. It felt like a half-baked thought the author just forgot to execute.

If all you’re looking for is spice and half a story, this book is for you. Cheers.