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828 reviews by:
olivialandryxo
Fifth book of booktubeathon!
This was such a raw, emotional, and wonderful story. I loved all of the characters in their complexity and realistic personalities. I sympathized with Grace and Eva, and I loved their romance, and Grace's friendship with Luca. I loved that even though she had a lot of issues, Maggie was still present and that Emmy tried to step in as a mom whenever she could. I didn't like Maggie for various reasons, but in the end I grew to respect her. I admired Grace's perseverance and her growing ability to stand up for herself. And most of all, I loved Grace and Eva's romance. I already said that, but it's true. Also, this the first book I've read with f/f sex, and even though I don't really care for those scenes I'm glad there was one in this book.
If you like pianists, ballerinas, amazing m/f friendships, slow-burn f/f romances, complicated family dynamics, and emotional stories, read this book. I promise it's worth it. ❤️
(This has been one of Liv's Lazy Reviews™.)
This was such a raw, emotional, and wonderful story. I loved all of the characters in their complexity and realistic personalities. I sympathized with Grace and Eva, and I loved their romance, and Grace's friendship with Luca. I loved that even though she had a lot of issues, Maggie was still present and that Emmy tried to step in as a mom whenever she could. I didn't like Maggie for various reasons, but in the end I grew to respect her. I admired Grace's perseverance and her growing ability to stand up for herself. And most of all, I loved Grace and Eva's romance. I already said that, but it's true. Also, this the first book I've read with f/f sex, and even though I don't really care for those scenes I'm glad there was one in this book.
If you like pianists, ballerinas, amazing m/f friendships, slow-burn f/f romances, complicated family dynamics, and emotional stories, read this book. I promise it's worth it. ❤️
(This has been one of Liv's Lazy Reviews™.)
4.5 stars
Seventh/final book of booktubeathon, even though I didn't finish in time for it to count.
This was such a fun read! Cinderella was one of my favorites growing up, so I knew I'd love this retelling. I especially loved the nerdy references, which I recognized all of despite being in only one of the fandoms. Thank you to my mom and sister for that one. Elle and Darien were great characters, and Sage and Cal grew on me too. Franco is the best. I loved seeing the similarities and differences of this book compared to the Disney story I know, although at the same time that was the one thing that ruined it for me. I knew the Disney version so well, this story was mostly predictable. But I enjoyed it nonetheless! 🤗
(This has been one of Liv's Lazy Reviews™.)
Seventh/final book of booktubeathon, even though I didn't finish in time for it to count.
This was such a fun read! Cinderella was one of my favorites growing up, so I knew I'd love this retelling. I especially loved the nerdy references, which I recognized all of despite being in only one of the fandoms. Thank you to my mom and sister for that one. Elle and Darien were great characters, and Sage and Cal grew on me too. Franco is the best. I loved seeing the similarities and differences of this book compared to the Disney story I know, although at the same time that was the one thing that ruined it for me. I knew the Disney version so well, this story was mostly predictable. But I enjoyed it nonetheless! 🤗
(This has been one of Liv's Lazy Reviews™.)
This was such a cute book and more people need to read it! I thought Meg was a bit too pushy sometimes, but otherwise I really enjoyed this. ❤️
I think everyone should read this, but especially if you like:
- sweet, innocent friendships
- cute, awkward gay boys
- drama club
- Star Trek and other sci-fi/fantasy fandoms
- lots of coffee
- quick, fluffy contemporaries
(This has been one of Liv's Lazy Reviews™.)
I think everyone should read this, but especially if you like:
- sweet, innocent friendships
- cute, awkward gay boys
- drama club
- Star Trek and other sci-fi/fantasy fandoms
- lots of coffee
- quick, fluffy contemporaries
(This has been one of Liv's Lazy Reviews™.)
Wait, the book is over? I want more. *Ariel gif*
I've read many books rather quickly over the past few weeks, between booktubeathon and the extra free time summer has given me. But I think QOG is the first book I read in one sitting, with only Goodreads updates in between reading, in a while. I read this in a few hours, and I loved every page.
I was convinced I'd love this book by page 16. That's all it took, and each chapter after that made me love it more. This was such an amazing, diverse contemporary, and it's definitely a new favorite.
One thing I really liked about this book is that it talked about serious issues while still maintaining its fluffiness; anxiety, panic attacks, body image, societal standards, empowerment, intersectionality, sexuality, bigotry. One of my new favorite quotes is on page 182-83, in a conversation between Taylor and Charlie, and if I wasn't lazy I'd type it out. It's in one of my status updates. Basically, it's saying that as long as you're happy and comfortable with yourself, f*ck society, and I couldn't agree more.
Another thing I absolutely loved is Charlie, Taylor, and Jamie's friendship. They understand each other, they're genuine, and they always help one another. Taylor and Jamie were there when Charlie had fan/paparazzi problems. Charlie and Jamie were supportive of Taylor's anxiety and gave her space or talked her down, depending on what she wanted. I live for these kinds of friendships in books. So sweet, so pure. Yes, please.
And the romances? Yessss! Both Charlie and [name redacted, for intrigue] and Taylor and Jamie were so cute. Both relationships were slow-burn and I loved them so, so much. I can't even with any of them.
I loved the characters by themselves, too. I'd think that's clear after the gushing I've done, but I thought I'd clarify. Charlie has hot pink hair, and she's Chinese-Australian. I've NEVER seen that in a character before. Ever. In general, I don't really see Australian characters in books, unless it's Aussie YA like this one. I need to remedy that. But all of these characters were just so freaking lovable. I want to give them all hugs. Except Reese, because he's the worst. He can go away, and everyone else can get hugs. 🤗
Oh, and let's not forget how awesome it was to read a book set at a convention! I've only been to BookCon, which is obviously about books, nothing centered around general fandoms. I love the idea though, and would totally attend one if given the chance. So reading about it was a lot of fun! Especially since one of the characters was a star that was trying to enjoy the con with her friends and meet her fans.
Okay, I think that's everything. To end, I'll just say once more that I absolutely adored this book, and that you totally need to read it if you haven't. ❤️
(Fun fact: Taylor is almost exactly like my older sister. Seeing the resemblance as I read was both fun and a little strange. 😆)
I've read many books rather quickly over the past few weeks, between booktubeathon and the extra free time summer has given me. But I think QOG is the first book I read in one sitting, with only Goodreads updates in between reading, in a while. I read this in a few hours, and I loved every page.
I was convinced I'd love this book by page 16. That's all it took, and each chapter after that made me love it more. This was such an amazing, diverse contemporary, and it's definitely a new favorite.
One thing I really liked about this book is that it talked about serious issues while still maintaining its fluffiness; anxiety, panic attacks, body image, societal standards, empowerment, intersectionality, sexuality, bigotry. One of my new favorite quotes is on page 182-83, in a conversation between Taylor and Charlie, and if I wasn't lazy I'd type it out. It's in one of my status updates. Basically, it's saying that as long as you're happy and comfortable with yourself, f*ck society, and I couldn't agree more.
Another thing I absolutely loved is Charlie, Taylor, and Jamie's friendship. They understand each other, they're genuine, and they always help one another. Taylor and Jamie were there when Charlie had fan/paparazzi problems. Charlie and Jamie were supportive of Taylor's anxiety and gave her space or talked her down, depending on what she wanted. I live for these kinds of friendships in books. So sweet, so pure. Yes, please.
And the romances? Yessss! Both Charlie and [name redacted, for intrigue] and Taylor and Jamie were so cute. Both relationships were slow-burn and I loved them so, so much. I can't even with any of them.
I loved the characters by themselves, too. I'd think that's clear after the gushing I've done, but I thought I'd clarify. Charlie has hot pink hair, and she's Chinese-Australian. I've NEVER seen that in a character before. Ever. In general, I don't really see Australian characters in books, unless it's Aussie YA like this one. I need to remedy that. But all of these characters were just so freaking lovable. I want to give them all hugs. Except Reese, because he's the worst. He can go away, and everyone else can get hugs. 🤗
Oh, and let's not forget how awesome it was to read a book set at a convention! I've only been to BookCon, which is obviously about books, nothing centered around general fandoms. I love the idea though, and would totally attend one if given the chance. So reading about it was a lot of fun! Especially since one of the characters was a star that was trying to enjoy the con with her friends and meet her fans.
Okay, I think that's everything. To end, I'll just say once more that I absolutely adored this book, and that you totally need to read it if you haven't. ❤️
(Fun fact: Taylor is almost exactly like my older sister. Seeing the resemblance as I read was both fun and a little strange. 😆)
Early copy courtesy of Penguin Teen. This doesn't affect my opinions or my review.
Dnf, page 137. 50%.
I was skeptical going into this because I dnf We Were Liars when I read it last year. I wasn't actually going to read this at all if I hadn't gotten an early copy. But I did, so I gave it a try. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing read. The story had potential but was, ultimately, boring. I fell asleep while reading, something I've never done before today. I found the story confusing, and Jule came off as fairly plain. Sometimes she was Jule and others she was Imogen, and I couldn't keep up. Also, this book helped me realize that books that start with one event and then go backward are just not for me. I made sure to get to halfway, but that was really just for formalities. I had a feeling I wouldn't finish this and I ended up being right. I'll stop here since I didn't read the complete book. I think E.'s books just aren't for me.
Dnf, page 137. 50%.
I was skeptical going into this because I dnf We Were Liars when I read it last year. I wasn't actually going to read this at all if I hadn't gotten an early copy. But I did, so I gave it a try. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing read. The story had potential but was, ultimately, boring. I fell asleep while reading, something I've never done before today. I found the story confusing, and Jule came off as fairly plain. Sometimes she was Jule and others she was Imogen, and I couldn't keep up. Also, this book helped me realize that books that start with one event and then go backward are just not for me. I made sure to get to halfway, but that was really just for formalities. I had a feeling I wouldn't finish this and I ended up being right. I'll stop here since I didn't read the complete book. I think E.'s books just aren't for me.
My first book for Tome Topple!
Tw: domestic violence, alcoholism, epilepsy, ableism, sexism, racism, suicide ideation, homomisia, bimisia, gore, graphic injury. (There might be more that I missed but I think I covered everything.)
After seeing how much everyone loved this, I went in with very high expectations. I wasn't disappointed. I absolutely freaking loved this book!
Monty, Percy, and Felicity are all imperfect, amazing characters. I loved the sibling banter and relationship between Monty and Felicity, and how it grew into something more genuine. And omg, I loved Monty and Percy so much. Their slow-burn romance was awkward and adorable, although sometimes I wish they would've talked their issues out and kept kissing. But everything was resolved, so that was fine in the end! 😉
Monty is one of the most flawed characters I've seen in a long time, and I appreciated it. He's very witty but favors drinking and sleeping around, and deals with his father's and basically everyone else's disapproval. But over the course of the story he realizes his mistakes and tries to fix them, sometimes succeeding and others making bigger mistakes. Underneath it all he's a sweet, awkward boy and I love him so much. ❤️
Points to Percy for always coming back to Monty and being the sweetest friend (and more 😏) ever, and to Felicity for her perfectly-timed quips and determination to shape her own future.
I didn't go into this book expecting fluff, exactly, but I did expect a humorous, generally lighthearted read. And that it is not. There are times where that's fitting, but it's also a historical adventure, and there are darker twists throughout. I liked the spin they put on the story, and that it was one more way to keep me turning pages at every opportunity.
For those of you interested, my favorite scenes were Versailles, the moments Monty and Percy had before they got messed up one way or another, the trio with the pirates, and the ending. That is to say, I thought the end was really cute in its awkwardness and resolution, not that I was glad for it to be over. I would've liked an epilogue just to see what happened a few months later, but altogether it was still perfect.
So if you couldn't tell, I really enjoyed this book. If you can handle the content, you should definitely read it. And bring on Felicity's book! (Hopefully with a lot of Monty and Percy.) 😍
Tw: domestic violence, alcoholism, epilepsy, ableism, sexism, racism, suicide ideation, homomisia, bimisia, gore, graphic injury. (There might be more that I missed but I think I covered everything.)
After seeing how much everyone loved this, I went in with very high expectations. I wasn't disappointed. I absolutely freaking loved this book!
Monty, Percy, and Felicity are all imperfect, amazing characters. I loved the sibling banter and relationship between Monty and Felicity, and how it grew into something more genuine. And omg, I loved Monty and Percy so much. Their slow-burn romance was awkward and adorable, although sometimes I wish they would've talked their issues out and kept kissing. But everything was resolved, so that was fine in the end! 😉
Monty is one of the most flawed characters I've seen in a long time, and I appreciated it. He's very witty but favors drinking and sleeping around, and deals with his father's and basically everyone else's disapproval. But over the course of the story he realizes his mistakes and tries to fix them, sometimes succeeding and others making bigger mistakes. Underneath it all he's a sweet, awkward boy and I love him so much. ❤️
Points to Percy for always coming back to Monty and being the sweetest friend (and more 😏) ever, and to Felicity for her perfectly-timed quips and determination to shape her own future.
I didn't go into this book expecting fluff, exactly, but I did expect a humorous, generally lighthearted read. And that it is not. There are times where that's fitting, but it's also a historical adventure, and there are darker twists throughout. I liked the spin they put on the story, and that it was one more way to keep me turning pages at every opportunity.
For those of you interested, my favorite scenes were Versailles, the moments Monty and Percy had before they got messed up one way or another, the trio with the pirates, and the ending. That is to say, I thought the end was really cute in its awkwardness and resolution, not that I was glad for it to be over. I would've liked an epilogue just to see what happened a few months later, but altogether it was still perfect.
So if you couldn't tell, I really enjoyed this book. If you can handle the content, you should definitely read it. And bring on Felicity's book! (Hopefully with a lot of Monty and Percy.) 😍
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I would've given it 5 stars, except I wasn't truly invested in the story and I thought Hattie depended on Ramona a bit too much. Now, I don't know much of anything about being pregnant, and I'm aware that most of the time family is likely to pitch in. But Ramona was ready to essentially give up her life before she lived it to help her older sister with her baby, and I just don't think that's right.
My favorite thing about this book is that Ramona was questioning her sexuality. I don't know if I've ever seen a character in YA that doesn't know what they identify as. I appreciate Julie for writing Ramona this way, because sexuality is fluid and yet books don't show that. I know I'm ace, but I don't know my romantic identity; bi, pan, or maybe aro. Reading this made me feel like I was reading about myself, at least a little bit. ❤️
I also liked that throughout the story, heavier, important topics were included without weighing it down. This book talks about growing up poor, being poor, a mother-to-be with a questionable boyfriend, living through natural disasters, and like I said, questioning sexuality.
The biggest and arguably most important part of this story is the family aspect. Ramona has a different relationship with her father, mother, and sister. Freddie has his grandmother. Their friends have varying families and relationships with them as well. It's also explored and built on as the story progresses. ❤️
Other things I liked include the increased significance of swimming, making your own path, experiencing and moving on from a breakup, Ramona and Freddie's romance, the fact that Ramona was actually tall, and Ramona's blue hair. More protagonists need to be tall and/or have wild, dyed hair. Just saying.
I know this book has a decent amount of negative reviews, but I was surprised by it and would definitely say it's worth the read. Despite the flaws, I really enjoyed this story and these characters. I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed this book. I would've given it 5 stars, except I wasn't truly invested in the story and I thought Hattie depended on Ramona a bit too much. Now, I don't know much of anything about being pregnant, and I'm aware that most of the time family is likely to pitch in. But Ramona was ready to essentially give up her life before she lived it to help her older sister with her baby, and I just don't think that's right.
My favorite thing about this book is that Ramona was questioning her sexuality. I don't know if I've ever seen a character in YA that doesn't know what they identify as. I appreciate Julie for writing Ramona this way, because sexuality is fluid and yet books don't show that. I know I'm ace, but I don't know my romantic identity; bi, pan, or maybe aro. Reading this made me feel like I was reading about myself, at least a little bit. ❤️
I also liked that throughout the story, heavier, important topics were included without weighing it down. This book talks about growing up poor, being poor, a mother-to-be with a questionable boyfriend, living through natural disasters, and like I said, questioning sexuality.
The biggest and arguably most important part of this story is the family aspect. Ramona has a different relationship with her father, mother, and sister. Freddie has his grandmother. Their friends have varying families and relationships with them as well. It's also explored and built on as the story progresses. ❤️
Other things I liked include the increased significance of swimming, making your own path, experiencing and moving on from a breakup, Ramona and Freddie's romance, the fact that Ramona was actually tall, and Ramona's blue hair. More protagonists need to be tall and/or have wild, dyed hair. Just saying.
I know this book has a decent amount of negative reviews, but I was surprised by it and would definitely say it's worth the read. Despite the flaws, I really enjoyed this story and these characters. I highly recommend it.
Out Sept. 12th. Early copy borrowed from my friend Ellie, who got it at BEA. This in no way affects my opinion or review.
After loving Legend and finding The Young Elites mostly average, I wasn't sure what to expect from Warcross. But now that I've read it, I can officially say it's my favorite book Marie has written. I haven't read The Midnight Star yet, but I'm pretty sure it's not as good as this.
This. Was. Amazing.
If I had had the time, I easily would've binged all 353 pages of this on Friday. Which, by the way, is there more content in the finished copy? The hardcover edition here has 416 pages but mine is 63 short. The ending doesn't seem like a cliffhanger, but there can't possibly be that much extra content, can there? I'll have to get a fc and find out.
But anyway. The story was gripping and intense, and unique too. A teen boy turned into a billionaire when he creates a set of glasses called NeuroLink that allows wearers access to virtual reality, specifically games called Warcross. A dropout hacker is struggling to make ends meet after her father dies. She hacks into a big event, and is then given an undercover player and spy position by the creator to catch a suspicious figure. I never knew what to expect. Every twist was a surprise, and part of a brilliant bigger story that completely shocked me.
The world of Warcross, virtual and otherwise, is absolutely stunning. Most of the book was set in futuristic Tokyo, with a great blend of modernity and technological advances. The Warcross arenas were wonderfully creative and practically exuded competitiveness. The Dark World was palpably bloodthirsty. I could imagine every real and coded place, and it definitely added an extra element to the story.
Emika and Hideo are two of my new favorite characters. Both are driven by loss and complex inner desires, loving and hopeful under a cool, collected façade. Neither recoils from difficult situations, and at times could easily be described as morally ambiguous. Though it's likely obvious, Hideo is the aforementioned billionaire and Emika the hacker. I really liked everything about them as individuals; their pasts, their motives, their personalities, all of it.
And then there's the romance. This is where any semblance of professionalism in my review disappears, because it was just so cute. Despite the way they act in front of crowds, they're both shy and unsure when it comes to their feelings for each other. They were so genuine and sweet when they were alone together, and I loved their dates. This was definitely a slow-burn romance and it was so cute. I ship them so much, I can't even. 😍
Another great thing about this book is how diverse it is. I knew parts of it beforehand, but more was revealed as I read. Emika is Chinese-American*, Hideo is Japanese, Asher is in a wheelchair, and Roshan and Tremaine are both either gay or bi.** There are also a bunch of minor characters of other ethnicities due to the international reach Warcross has.
*I'm going off of what other people have said here. I know this is true, but I don't remember seeing it on page. My bad.
**I don't think it was specified. I might've missed it, but I think it was left open. If you know for sure how they identify, let me know and I'll edit that. 😊
I think I've covered just about everything. I loved this book to pieces, and I'm excited for the sequel even though this one isn't out yet. After that ending, I'm hoping for a lot more moral ambiguity in the second book, and given Marie's recent trilogy I think it's likely. Warcross is definitely a new favorite, and I'll be recommending it to everyone. 😁
If you like thrilling sci-fi books, check Warcross out when it releases!
After loving Legend and finding The Young Elites mostly average, I wasn't sure what to expect from Warcross. But now that I've read it, I can officially say it's my favorite book Marie has written. I haven't read The Midnight Star yet, but I'm pretty sure it's not as good as this.
This. Was. Amazing.
If I had had the time, I easily would've binged all 353 pages of this on Friday. Which, by the way, is there more content in the finished copy? The hardcover edition here has 416 pages but mine is 63 short. The ending doesn't seem like a cliffhanger, but there can't possibly be that much extra content, can there? I'll have to get a fc and find out.
But anyway. The story was gripping and intense, and unique too. A teen boy turned into a billionaire when he creates a set of glasses called NeuroLink that allows wearers access to virtual reality, specifically games called Warcross. A dropout hacker is struggling to make ends meet after her father dies. She hacks into a big event, and is then given an undercover player and spy position by the creator to catch a suspicious figure. I never knew what to expect. Every twist was a surprise, and part of a brilliant bigger story that completely shocked me.
The world of Warcross, virtual and otherwise, is absolutely stunning. Most of the book was set in futuristic Tokyo, with a great blend of modernity and technological advances. The Warcross arenas were wonderfully creative and practically exuded competitiveness. The Dark World was palpably bloodthirsty. I could imagine every real and coded place, and it definitely added an extra element to the story.
Emika and Hideo are two of my new favorite characters. Both are driven by loss and complex inner desires, loving and hopeful under a cool, collected façade. Neither recoils from difficult situations, and at times could easily be described as morally ambiguous. Though it's likely obvious, Hideo is the aforementioned billionaire and Emika the hacker. I really liked everything about them as individuals; their pasts, their motives, their personalities, all of it.
And then there's the romance. This is where any semblance of professionalism in my review disappears, because it was just so cute. Despite the way they act in front of crowds, they're both shy and unsure when it comes to their feelings for each other. They were so genuine and sweet when they were alone together, and I loved their dates. This was definitely a slow-burn romance and it was so cute. I ship them so much, I can't even. 😍
Another great thing about this book is how diverse it is. I knew parts of it beforehand, but more was revealed as I read. Emika is Chinese-American*, Hideo is Japanese, Asher is in a wheelchair, and Roshan and Tremaine are both either gay or bi.** There are also a bunch of minor characters of other ethnicities due to the international reach Warcross has.
*I'm going off of what other people have said here. I know this is true, but I don't remember seeing it on page. My bad.
**I don't think it was specified. I might've missed it, but I think it was left open. If you know for sure how they identify, let me know and I'll edit that. 😊
I think I've covered just about everything. I loved this book to pieces, and I'm excited for the sequel even though this one isn't out yet. After that ending, I'm hoping for a lot more moral ambiguity in the second book, and given Marie's recent trilogy I think it's likely. Warcross is definitely a new favorite, and I'll be recommending it to everyone. 😁
If you like thrilling sci-fi books, check Warcross out when it releases!
3.5 stars
I have conflicting thoughts.
» First, it's problematic. I heard prior to starting that there's racism and queer-baiting. I noticed the latter in parts five and six, but I found the world wasn't fleshed out enough for me to notice the former. That's not to say it isn't there, as I could've missed it. Are Black Witches also black? I think it was mentioned that Nathan is biracial since he's half White and half Black, but I'm not sure.
» It was a slow and ultimately not very engaging story. There wasn't enough action or explanation, and the ending wasn't even a cliffhanger. At the moment I have no real desire to read book two, though I might later. I enjoyed reading this, but it was just really plain.
» Gabriel was the only good character and he deserves more. If I read the second book, I hope to find that he's more important and gets the love he deserves. Nathan, his family, Annalise, Mercury... they all felt plain. Nathan also had anger issues. None of them except Gabriel felt very real or unique. Oops.
» Talk about anticlimactic. 350 pages of moral ambiguity, journeys, and escaping antagonists, for that? I feel like there should've been more. And why was Annalise brought back into the story? What was the purpose of being introduced to Ellen? I even put up with a bit of second person narration because I was intrigued by this book. It didn't deliver.
I know I was critical, but I did enjoy this book. I didn't enjoy the extremely slow pace, plain characters, anticlimactic ending, or queer-baiting. My explanations of why I liked this book were pathetic, I know, but it's almost 10:30 pm so yeah. Good concept, lots of potential, questionable execution.
Currently unsure if I'll bother with the sequel. It could be good, it could be as meh or worse than this one. I don't know yet. If I do, it'll be from the library. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I have conflicting thoughts.
» First, it's problematic. I heard prior to starting that there's racism and queer-baiting. I noticed the latter in parts five and six, but I found the world wasn't fleshed out enough for me to notice the former. That's not to say it isn't there, as I could've missed it. Are Black Witches also black? I think it was mentioned that Nathan is biracial since he's half White and half Black, but I'm not sure.
» It was a slow and ultimately not very engaging story. There wasn't enough action or explanation, and the ending wasn't even a cliffhanger. At the moment I have no real desire to read book two, though I might later. I enjoyed reading this, but it was just really plain.
» Gabriel was the only good character and he deserves more. If I read the second book, I hope to find that he's more important and gets the love he deserves. Nathan, his family, Annalise, Mercury... they all felt plain. Nathan also had anger issues. None of them except Gabriel felt very real or unique. Oops.
» Talk about anticlimactic. 350 pages of moral ambiguity, journeys, and escaping antagonists, for that? I feel like there should've been more. And why was Annalise brought back into the story? What was the purpose of being introduced to Ellen? I even put up with a bit of second person narration because I was intrigued by this book. It didn't deliver.
I know I was critical, but I did enjoy this book. I didn't enjoy the extremely slow pace, plain characters, anticlimactic ending, or queer-baiting. My explanations of why I liked this book were pathetic, I know, but it's almost 10:30 pm so yeah. Good concept, lots of potential, questionable execution.
Currently unsure if I'll bother with the sequel. It could be good, it could be as meh or worse than this one. I don't know yet. If I do, it'll be from the library. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Tw: abuse. Maybe I'm just not reading the right reviews, but I haven't seen any mention of this. Scarlett and Tella's father is physically abusive. Be aware of that if you read this.
I enjoyed this book. It was unique, magical, and fun, but with a darker, suspenseful undertone. I'm sure I would've flown through it if not for school.
That being said, Scarlett was the only character I really liked. She was both strong and vulnerable, and she was extremely dedicated to her sister Tella. She was levelheaded and a quick thinker. I admired her a lot throughout the book.
Everyone else, not so much. Julian was too cocky and Tella was, to be honest, kind of a spoiled brat. Even though both of them had decent character development, I just couldn't get past how bad they were in the beginning. I mean, they teamed up to kidnap Scarlett and take her to Caraval (not a spoiler, in the synopsis). How is that okay?! I don't care what their intentions were.
Also, in the end Scarlett tells Tella that she loves her and Tella replies, "I know you do." It's a complicated situation, yes, but she didn't even return the sentiment. I know Tella loves Scarlett, but I don't think she says those words once. Personally, I don't see how people like her (though Julian might be growing on me slightly) or how people praise their sisterly relationship. Oops.
The end was full of twists and turns that kept me hooked. I had a feeling a couple of things would happen, but then those lead to more events I never expected. The whole book was wild, but the last chunk was especially so. And the epilogue has me completely intrigued. I'll definitely be reading the second book, even though I know nothing about it.
So all in all, this was a really good book. It had some problems, but I enjoyed it. If you like magic and suspense, definitely check this one out. It surprised me and could surprise you too! 😁❤️
I enjoyed this book. It was unique, magical, and fun, but with a darker, suspenseful undertone. I'm sure I would've flown through it if not for school.
That being said, Scarlett was the only character I really liked. She was both strong and vulnerable, and she was extremely dedicated to her sister Tella. She was levelheaded and a quick thinker. I admired her a lot throughout the book.
Everyone else, not so much. Julian was too cocky and Tella was, to be honest, kind of a spoiled brat. Even though both of them had decent character development, I just couldn't get past how bad they were in the beginning. I mean, they teamed up to kidnap Scarlett and take her to Caraval (not a spoiler, in the synopsis). How is that okay?! I don't care what their intentions were.
Also, in the end Scarlett tells Tella that she loves her and Tella replies, "I know you do." It's a complicated situation, yes, but she didn't even return the sentiment. I know Tella loves Scarlett, but I don't think she says those words once. Personally, I don't see how people like her (though Julian might be growing on me slightly) or how people praise their sisterly relationship. Oops.
The end was full of twists and turns that kept me hooked. I had a feeling a couple of things would happen, but then those lead to more events I never expected. The whole book was wild, but the last chunk was especially so. And the epilogue has me completely intrigued. I'll definitely be reading the second book, even though I know nothing about it.
So all in all, this was a really good book. It had some problems, but I enjoyed it. If you like magic and suspense, definitely check this one out. It surprised me and could surprise you too! 😁❤️