I'm kinda surprised by how much I liked this? It's a hit or a miss for a lot of people, and I totally understand why, but there was just something about it that clicked with me (and to be fair, I really enjoyed the audiobook too).

Magic for Liars is a murder mystery set in a magic school but with surprisingly little magic. Honestly, this is what made the book miss for a lot of people. There's this expectation of magic, and while it does exist, it's more of a background theme than anything. We're kind of left outside of the magic system because the main character doesn't have magic herself, and it leaves both her, and us as extension, on the outside looking in. I knew this fact going in, that it'd read more like a contemporary than a fantasy, and that made this book not disappoint me in that regard. I was honestly expecting even less magic than there was, so it was a pleasant surprise to see just how much was still in the book. It was also just super interesting and theoretical, more sciencey than spiritual, and I would love to see a whole book set in the world to explore more of it, but I'm also happy with the look into the world we got from this book alone. There was just enough to keep me interested.

While some aspects could definitely be seen as predictable, I was constantly engaged with the story anyways, and personally didn't find it too predictable overall. I really liked the mystery itself, and all the pieces that became woven into it, as it seemed to span across so many characters and personal stories. It was enough standard murder mystery for me to find comfort in the common tropes, but the touch of magic added a whole new layer that made it really unique to me.

I also just quite liked the flawed characters and dynamic relationships to and with each other. I really liked Ivy as a character, and my friend totally hit the nail on the head when she compared her to Jessica Jones. She was both a good detective and deeply flawed, and she had a lot of baggage that this book only began to sort through, especially regarding her relationship with her sister and magic as a whole. It dealt with a lot of tough topics and feelings without having to set everything right by the end, and I really appreciated that. I also just really liked how the teenagers were done too, as they didn't feel exaggerated or fake at all.

Overall, I really loved this and it's making more excited to read more of Gailey's work! When We Were Magic was such a... confusing? book in terms of how I felt about it, but this book proved that there's more I like about Gailey's writing than dislike.

This was a surprisingly good superhero AND queer book. I have to admit the execution is far from flawless, but it handles the morals of capitalisitic superhero administrations so well? The themes of individual safety vs. group safety, of who should be the heroes and who decides that, and superheroes as not just caped crusaders, but brands to profit off of, are all at play here, and they were executed flawlessly.

If someone presented this story to me as an outline, I'd say there's literally no way this story can disappoint me. And honestly? It totally didn't. This perfectly scratched my superhero itch (though it still lingers), while also touching on a ton of related societal issues without coming off as high-handed or cliche. A large part of this comes from how well the book ended, keeping in mind how the effects of the story would actually impact the characters involved, and showing the variety of ways one can engage with the world of superheroes without being one (this be a large focus due to the title, super 'adjacent'). It also did a great job of showing the flawed and human side of heroes, the lens of the heroes' adjacent loved ones showcasing that well. We got to see the individual side of heroes, both on the saved and the forgotten.

A lot of hero novels show the picture we all want to see, of cheering crowds and heroes saving masses of people at once. This book narrows that focus. We see what happens to those that are saved, how that impacts their life. We get to see the girlfriend of a hero, how the constant hate brings her down and how her boyfriend's dream to save everyone leaves her in the sidelines, forgotten. We see what happens when a hero is no longer wanted, no longer 'profitable'. We get to see heroes become so with a variety of motivations, that not everyone sets out wanting to save the entire world. It gives a much more nuanced view of the superhero world as a whole, from the heroes that save the world and the individuals who save the heroes.

Now I say above the execution wasn't always great. It wasn't. The writing wasn't impeccable, and it felt more like something I had to get through to understand the story. I also found Claire annoying at first til she gained more and more depth, but that's mainly due to how her character is constructed. It's extremely realistic because she just actually is kind of annoying in her obsession. Additionally, I can't fault the writing too much because at the same time, the two POVs were extremely distinct. You could tell who you were reading at all times, even if you went and removed all the names.

All in all, I did really enjoy this even though I can't say the book is the best book ever. The superhero aspect of the novel is just done SO well, and to be honest, that's the most important part.

For some reason it feels impossible to review this book beyond just saying "I really really loved this" 500 times but... I will try.

I loved this. This book was exactly what I need and was honestly such a breath of fresh air in terms of world/setting/characters/magic etc., which is even more astounding because this book is far from 'recent,' and therefore easily could've just been filled with tropes (that are only just now becoming cliche). But no! This book just read like one of those classic fairytales except everything was new.

My love for this book probably isn't as loud or all-encompassing like it is for some books ( The Starless Sea, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, as a few exmaples), to the point where my heart just hurts from thinking about them. This book holds more of a soft, steady love, one built more on comfort, and that's honestly what this entire book felt like. It was just such a cozy read? It felt like sitting at a warm fire with a cup of tea listening to your parents tell you a story, and I can definitely see myself coming back to this time and time again (whether it be the novel or the film, though I did like the novel quite a bit more).

Also these characters??? I just loved them all so much and they felt soo far from characters I've been reading lately. Like Sophie?? There's just something about a character who both accepts what has been done to her yet doesn't give in to it. She never lets it bring her down and just continues on except now she's old, but at the same time she's so strong and persistent. I just loved following her story. Howl was fantastic too, and I loved the layers that he had. He was so much more than just one person, and I feel like this book even barely scratched the surface (and this is largely why I wished the resolution would've dragged on longer, since that went by so fast).

Honestly I loved this and really wished I had read this when I was younger, though I think a different sort of appreciation comes from reading it now. Will definitely be reading the others! (Both because I want to and because I already own them haha)

I had high expectations for this and honestly, it ended up meeting them! It admittedly took me a while to really get into it, as I wasn't the biggest fan of the main character of the first story. However, each story became increasingly intertwined in the lives of the characters we already knew, and I liked each story more and more!

Spoiler

"The Lovers": I think this story did a really good job of establishing the rules and limits of the time travelling, even though I wasn't always the biggest fan of Fumiko. I also loved the idea that while you cannot impact the past to change the present, you do still have the power to change the future based on what you learn in the past. I think it set up the themes of the book really well, and I still found the story cute!

"Husband and Wife": We got a glimpse at Kohtake and Fusagi in the previous story, but this story focused on their relationship (as a married couple) and revealed the struggles they were currently facing (Fusagi was slowing losing all his memories due to his illness, and the story takes place on the day that Fusagi forgets her completely. Honestly, this story was a real tearjerker but I loved how it impacted Kohtake and gave her a new, positive outlook on the situation. It gave her the strength she needed to keep going on.

"Sisters": I had guessed this story was going to delve deeper into Hirai and her relationship with her sister and her family, but I didn't realize just how sad it would be! It really makes you rethink your actions toward your own family, and I love that Hirai ended up going home to live out her sister's dream, or as much as she could.

"Mother and Child": This was definitely the most heartbreaking story, and I think the one I loved the most. The story had been building up the idea of Kei's pregnancy and that things weren't entirely going well there. It turns out there's a large chance of Kei dying during childbirth due to her heart condition, and they're not even sure the child will make it. Kei chooses to use her one chance at time travel to go to the future in hopes of seeing her child. Their interaction, as well as Kei's choice to continue on with the pregnancy even if it will most likely kill her, was hard to read, but I loved learning more about her Kei and her optimistic outlook on life. In the end, her travel gave her peace and happiness, and I loved it.

“There was the potential for evil everywhere, and the only way to combat it was if more people chose goodness. If more people chose heroism.”

Stars (Out of 10): 8/10 Stars

Favorite Character: I honestly really liked both Nova and Adrian, and how they didn’t just fully represent a villain or a hero!

Spoiler Free: I’ve been wanting to read this book since it came out, since I was such a fan of the Lunar Chronicles, and I finally got the chance too! Overall, it met my expectations from Marissa Meyer, and while her writing style isn’t the most beautiful or compelling (overall is good but fairly simple), I still really enjoyed the story!

One of the things I like most about Meyer’s stories is usually her characters. I fell in love with all of the Lunar cast, and the same was true in this story! While there was definitely way more characters to love, I did end up liking most of the ones that had focus within our story (Adrian, Nova, Dread Warden (forget his real name, there are too many!), Ruby, Dana, Oscar, etc.) The only problem I had was liking some of the Anarchists, since some felt too over the top at points (Honey), or hard to like.

I also really enjoyed the plot! It captivated me, and this book went by much faster than most books of this size do! I was hooked on every line, and constantly living in fear of the cliffhanger I heard so many mention! (It was a good one!) I also really enjoyed the inner conflict we saw our two protagonists facing, on whether what they were told as they were growing up was really true, or if both sides of the war have their pros and cons.

I also liked the world that was built, and how even with superheroes in charge (the “perfect” idol), there were still tons of issues in the world. It kinda goes to show that having powers doesn’t fix everything, as the world is much more complex than that.

My only issue with the book was a part of the beginning. We were drowned in names in the first quarter of the book, as we had to learn the superhero name, their real name, and their powers, and I still get confused when council members are called by their first names! However, this did get better as time went on, and we learned who was important to remember and who we could forget.

Reread Review
While this was a reread, I honestly forgot almost all of the plot/twists except for the final one, and all I remembered character wise was

Spoiler

not to fully trust Ingrid

. I reread this book in order to prepare for finally reading the series in its entirety, and I'm honestly really glad that I reread book 1 before continuing on! I was reminded just how much this book focuses on morality and the positioning of good and evil, and what happens when one is entirely in power. This book sets up the series extremely well in my opinion, as there's so much at stake (personal freedom vs. the common good, the often blurred lines between good and evil, are superheroes qualified to be actually in charge?, etc.). The cast of characters also fit these themes extremely well, as the main characters both have such a personal bias to either side yet are still open to questioning the 'truths' that have been fed to them. They're smart enough to think through what they see and not just believe everything they're told (though they are definitely dumb in other ways haha).

I'm still not necessarily super on board with the romance but that might just be because I find everything else about the book so much more interesting! All in all, I really love where this book left the cast, story, and world, and I can't wait to continue right into [b:Archenemies|35425827|Archenemies (Renegades, #2)|Marissa Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1526668679l/35425827._SX50_.jpg|56802959] !

This was a super fun read/listen while still touching on tons of meaningful topics! (I also think I enjoyed the audiobook a lot because of the accents, as it was easier to remember that the location was London/the UK, and it made the slang less jarring).

I wasn't sure if this would be my book because while I've been in some fandoms over the years, it was all book-based ones, not ones where you obsessed over real people (whether actors or musicians), and even then, never so obsessively. However, this book does a really good job of showing the extremes of fandom without making it overwhelming/offputting (except of course when it's meant to be, such as

Spoiler

the mobs and attacks/assault

). I feel like the book was thus able to explore the relationship between both fan and fandom (in Angel's story) and fan and idol quite well, and it avoided making any overarching general statements about fans/fandoms/celebrities. It also helped that the two perspectives varied so much, and remained quite separate for most of the story. We get to see how Angel views both herself and other fans as well as 'her boys,' and we synchronously see how Jimmy sees himself/the band and their fans (as well as how the other members feel about the fans). I also loved that the story allows us to see what happens when those expectations aren't met (Angel not being a rabid fan, Jimmy not being a perfect, charismatic superstar).

I also really loved the wide range of diversity this story had, without necessarily forcing labels onto everyone. Angel obviously doesn't have herself figured out because she hates thinking about herself/her life, but seeing her opinions on love and how she views the people around her (in terms of attraction) was refreshing, especially the fact that she doesn't end up magically dating one of the members of the band. Jimmy's identity was much more explicit but it's also mentioned that's because he was forced to come out as trans, and he more obviously feels attraction (or not) for men around him. There was also a large diversity in terms of race and cultural background, though the latter is more important to the story. This book is honestly a shining example of the fact that diversity does not have to be forced, and that these aspects of people's identities are far from the entirety of their identities.

Religion was also worked into this story really well. I generally strongly dislike religion, whether explicit or implicit, in the books I read because I'm far from a religious person myself. This book was frank about the character's beliefs in God with frequent mentions of God, praying, etc., but it did so in a way that wasn't preachy or overbearing. It was just another aspect of these characters identities and set of beliefs, and in the end it did make it easier to understand them and served to make them more fleshed out.

All in all, I really enjoyed this even though this was the Oseman book I thought might be least 'for me,' and I'm really excited to read the others!

This book made me feel such a full range of emotions, except at all at the exact same time. Rage, heartbreak, pride... it was overwhelming in the best way, especially by the end.

This book was a hard read but a good one, though please be mindful of the triggers (rape, sexual assault, etc.). I loved how this book tackled the subjects, and I loved the characters that were used to tell the story. While the main characters were Rosina, Erin, and Grace, we still had access to the experiences and lives of so many girls due to the novel's unique storytelling, and I loved that this served to unite the girls even more than the plot already did. They were still all individuals with different thoughts and feelings, but they were still united in this cause, this fight.

There were so many fantastic scenes in this book from start to end, yet was still heartbreakingly realistic. The girls didn't magically succeed in getting the boys locked up when they first went to the police, which served to further highlight the sexist structures existent in our society. And even though the book seemed to end on a good note, Lucy's final chapter served to

Spoiler

point out that while hope is possible, that change is possible, there are still moments happening right now (referencing a case that occurred in our own world) that show that that change is still necessary, that things aren't perfect right now.

It left me feeling angry and wanting to change the world, not content with how things are right now, which is what I think the book was trying to do.

This book feels so so necessary right now, in a world where girls as young as 13 are called 'sluts' and 'whores' just for what they're wearing while shopping, in which victims are still blamed as doing it for attention, where the man's story is still privileged. I honestly just wish everyone would read this (who feels comfortable doing so of course), because this book just rings true on so many levels.

This book also just touches on a lot of other issues (present in the US at least), such as certain aspects of religion, xenophobia, homophobia (lightly), and prejudice against those who are different, and I feel it handled all of that tactfully, and it only added to the main narrative of the novel in my opinion. It served to show the intersection of all these parts of identity, and it only made the unification of these girls across all these lines of identity more uplifting.

I dont think I'll be giving this a rating. It feels too slippery of a book, and I don't think I'd be able to settle on a number.

I think I overall enjoyed this? Focus on "I think" because I'm honestly still unsure and it's been a day since I've finished. If you broke down the story into it's parts, the short stories that make up the book, I'd clearly be able to point out which stories I loved, which I liked, and which I disliked, but as a whole? I don't know what to say about it.

I enjoyed the general vibe of this book and I have to say it did feel quite 'Floridian', even if a lot of narrators were Florida born (like the recurring mother character). There was the constant mention of the heat and the snakes and the alligators, but beyond those obvious details reminding you that the book was in Florida, there was this vibe that came with each story, it seemed to hang over the book like Floridian humidity. The pace was also fitting, and everything read like a slow-moving haze. It felt like Florida turned into a feeling, and somehow each story seemed to carry it, even when the characters found themselves in not-Florida.

Overall though, this book had a few underlying messages (like the perpetual worry of the end of the world, generally through climate change) but honestly? Almost nothing actually happens. This isn't a book you read for excitement or thrill, it's an experience and I cannot say if it's a good one. Many stories feel like they're on edge of a breakthrough the entire time, the second before you reach clarity and understanding, and then they end, leaving you without it. I both liked and hated this.

On an individual level, I generally liked all the stories. They were slice-of-life stories, with some hints of what would happen to these characters later, but generally focused on the now. I honestly ended up really loving the one recurring character, a mother who actually gets to use the 'I' term when narrating (the rest are narrated in third-person). There was only one story that I actively disliked but mainly because I didn't get it, and spent too much time trying to figure out if it was the same mother character (due to the use of 'I') even though nothing lined up between this story's narrator and her. I still don't know what to make of it honestly.

Overall, I think I liked this, and I would probably give another one of the author's works a try if the premise interested me, but I don't think I'll ever come to a concrete rating on this specific book.

I don't think this a book that I'd usually pick for myself, but I ended up really liking it. My mom was the one to buy this book, and after reading and enjoying it, she gave it to me to read next. It probably would've stayed on my physical tbr for quite a while longer if it hadn't perfectly fit this reading challenge I'm a part of this month.

This book is overally extremely intense and depressing. Almost everything goes wrong in Jules' life, and even when his life is finally on the upswing, tragedy strikes again. However, the book somehow manages not to be too melancholic, there's also this hope for a good ending, for life to get better for Jules. Part of this comes from the way the story is told, we're introduced to Jules after the events of the book have taken place already, and we know he had a wife and kids, though not much more than that. While this doesn't necessarily mean he's happy now, it at least gave me some hope for his future, even when some parts of his story made it seem like that was impossible.

I liked the honesty of this book, and the fact that so many things remained clouded even by the end. This is especially true for the parents, who die early on in the book. They're shrouded in mystery to both Jules and the reader, and these mysteries never really get solved. It works to comment on the relationship between children and their parents, and Jules becomes more and more aware of this relationship as he grows older and has kids as well. Additionally, I loved the other family relationships in this story, especially between Jules and his siblings. Their relationship with each other is a tumultuous one, where they are constantly moving in and out of each other's stories. However, they always find their way back to each other, and are able to grow closer as they start to be honest with each other. I especially loved Liz, her way of living life and I enjoed seeing her deal with the pressure of being the oldest, the one supposed to look out for everyone. I also really loved Jules' and Alva's relationship, from friendship to strangers to more. There were always so many layers to the pair, caused both by Jules' and Alva's tough childhood as well as the advice Jules' father gave him early on in life, that there's one true friend out there for you and to never let them go.

Overall I really enjoyed this, even though it was a hard read at times. I think I'll definitely try to read more books like this!

I... don't know. This is such a 2 stars for me, but I feel like it should be rated higher because the last story I read that focused on this trio (Gotham City Sirens) was so dry and shallow and sexist that at least this was a bit better?

The thing I generally love most about the superhero genre is the ability to explore morality, the blurred lines between good and evil, and that comes from attempting to upset the stark contrast between heroes and villains that the superhero genre generally perpetuates. I happen to be reading a series right now that is doing this wonderfully ([b:Renegades|28421168|Renegades (Renegades, #1)|Marissa Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494896884l/28421168._SX50_.jpg|48526305]), so it made it more obvious that this book didn't really upset it. Sure, there's a slight romance between the hero and villain, Catwoman is seen trying not to kill and only focuses on stealing from rich, horrible people, but there is still the constant distinction of her as villain and Batwing as hero. It somehow had all the parts it needed to subvert these tropes, yet never actually did it.

I also don't think I would've gotten through the book had I not bought the audiobook on libro.fm. I own the hardcover and intended to just sit down and read it (with my eyes!) but I was tired and the first 20-50 pages were not gripping me at all. This book seemed to have none of the actual characteristics of Maas's writing I actually like, what makes her writing enjoyable and easy to read. It was also just slow? Like things were building up constantly, I was under the impression that the story must be going somewhere, but reader's weren't given access to Catwoman's actual goal.

Spoiler

We knew she was hoarding money, that she was on the run from the League, but we didn't know that all of that was because Maggie was struggling and would die soon, and Catwoman didn't want that to happen. Instead, Lazarus pits are randomly thrown in there, Catwoman is suddenly interested, and later we finally learn why.

I also felt like there was a lot of social justice stuff just thrown in for the fun of it. We have racism, classism, 'eco-terrorism', etc. and literally none of it was done well. Race was only sometimes mentioned by Luke in passing, where he pondered what people would say if they found out Batwing was black, mentioning how much harder his mother had to work because of her race, being pulled over by cops, etc etc. But Maas never actually did anything with this, just pointed it out (which I guess is also good? But I don't know, it felt cheap). There was also the constant class issue, and readers were under impression from the beginning (or at least I was) that Catwoman's motivation was to upset the power structures in Gotham City so people like her and her sister no longer had to struggle. And sure, at the end

Spoiler

she gave money to a children's hospital to pay the bills of families who couldn't afford treatment, she also just straight up mentioned not desiring to upset the balance of the city now that her sister was surviving and thriving in it

. The worst was probably the environmental issues, because I loved Poison Ivy's determination to save the world, to steal in order to rebuild forests, but she was constantly looked down upon by both Catwoman and Harley Quinn for this aspect of her personality. She was a 'fanatic' and a 'freak' for those beliefs, and even her veganism was put down by the duo. This especially grated me because while I'm not vegan, I know vegans, and the hatred towards them is entirely unwarranted. (Also, Harley shitting on vegan food really bugged me because it can very often either taste the same, or great in its own way).

Admittedly while reading I didn't have that many issues, but I was kinda just listening and along for the ride. But the more I think on this book, the less I'm finding that I like.