Just couldn't settle into this one. A lot of info dumping at the beginning and it really thrusts us into the action. Not a fan of feeling like we're dropping into the middle of a story at the very start.

Nora was too much of a blank slate character for me. It makes sense that she is the sort of protagonist that you project onto, but I need something a little more meatier than that. It seemed like a repetitive plot, basically return from each alter life scenario slightly disappointed only to wash rinse repeat. 

Have been working my way through the Rick Riordan Presents books and this one definitely breaks the mold. It doesn't focus on any mythic aspects, which makes it seem very out of place considering the other installments in this label, but that doesn't mean it's a horrible book, just one that I wasn't expecting.

Unfortunately for me, it felt like this book wasn't really going anywhere. I got halfway in and it didn't even really feel like we got an inciting incident or really much conflict. It's like a bunch of vignettes put together and connected through its characters. Fortunately, the characters are the strength of this book, as Sal is very charming and lovable and Gabi feels so relatable as that sort of energetic preteen.

It's very much a character driven book, and I don't think that's what I really wanted from a setup like this. The title feels very misleading, as the universe never really feel threatened and really the stakes (when they are present) are more emotional. In the right hands, this is going to be a moving story that is going to entertain and move many readers, it's just not going to be me. 

I would definitely recommend to kiddos that like more fantastical stories with a sci-fi twist to them and that are looking for likeable, funny male leads.

I know I was so close to finishing this one but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. What started off as a very promising dark fairy tale just kind of spiraled into a bumbling mess. It's clear that Albert is drawing a lot of influence from Angela Carter and Grimms Brothers, but the story never really has any teeth to it like those of these authors.

Hell, it can't even commit to killing off a character whose sacrifice would actually weigh on Alice. I don't know if it's trying to be subversive of the typical dark fairy tale, but it just feels spineless.

Alice was such a hard character to follow. She's needlessly antagonistic and, while I know that's supposed to be her character flaw, it leads to really weird situations. The cop scene felt so out of left field, especially with the shoehorned in message about white privilege. It's an important lesson to be sure, but it has no bearing on the actual story or characters, never comes up again, and doesn't serve as anything more than a shallow attempt to touch on real life issues. 

While the pacing in the first hundred pages or so was decent, it slowed down immensely when reaching the halfway mark. So many events could have been condensed or written out entirely. The story just kept spinning its wheels for over a hundred pages before the "bad guys" just happen to catch up and kick the story into gear again.

Was really looking forward to this one, but I just don't have the strength for it.

Found it a bit too slow moving and thought the Oxford storyline wasn't as engaging as the Gutenberg, despite it having time devoted to it. If anything the latter could have been its own story. Blake isn't really investing as a main character since he spends a good bulk of time moping and complaining through the first 1/3 of the book. Too many books to read to keep spending time on this one.

I really don't think I could finish this book after the 50 pages of emotional angst that really could have been summed up in three or 5. It takes about 150 pages for the plot to get going and, even though I was at that point, I really don't think I have the patience for another ~400 pages of a series that I think really fizzled out in the previous installment. Carry On was a great read, but I think these follow ups really have a problem in dragging things out to the nth degree. Sorry no satisfying conclusion for me.

The plot of this book is just walking walking walking more walking ohhhh scary wraiths emotional trauma and then a quick return to walking. I have to say the concept was interesting but so difficult to pull off. You have only two characters in a setting that is designed to be bland and boring so you better make them engaging and interesting. And boy did this book not paint them as such. 

There is no reason for these two getting together other than the plot demanding it. There is no chemistry, no reason that Tristan would suddenly start crushing on this girl after centuries of existence. Was really going to try to finish this one but I lost interest.

The writing style felt a little too fractured, which is surprising given how much I loved The Astonishing Color of After. It was one of my top reads for that year and packed such an emotional punch. But I was constantly fighting to keep any interest in this story.

I will say, it was the writing style of a folk tale, direct, to the point, doesn't really embellish. But it kind of clashed with what the story was trying to be. There were way too many perspectives, and I kept wondering why any of the family's POVs were necessary. I know the family drama was meant to give more conflict, but I really didn't care about this one mob ties or that one's infidelity. The book would have been so much stronger if it was only the two leads. Anything else just felt like dead weight.

Wasn't really in the mood for the style of writing. I probably should have bounced around some of the subject to get a better feel for the collection, but I'm swimming so much in my TBR right now I had to have a break.

Kind of a historical novel masquerading as a fantasy. I would have loved more from the other folk side, but Puck and the rest became an afterthought once the first 50 pages were through. Probably once a great way for kids to learn a bit of history back in the day, but not really what I'm looking for. 

Great voice/writing for Kipling, but I'm ready to move on.