I'm really glad this book exists, that it can be used not just as a great story but as a window to people and cultures. I thought the book really picked up the pace about 60% in, and after that there was no putting it down. I love how the magic system and the gods worked. The descriptions where vibrant and horrifying when they needed to be. However, in the beginning I felt a little disappointed that it read so much as a YA novel (this sounds silly, let me explain). I knew coming in that this novel was YA, but I was hoping for a more mature voice. The text tended to repeat themes and ideas two or more times on a single page, as if rearranging the words to try to attain a word count. The repetition felt juvenile, but I also just finished reading an 800+ page adult historical fiction novel, so perhaps my reading palate was tainted by that experience.
Despite that small critique I'm thrilled that this will become a series. I cannot wait to see where this magic and these characters take us next!

I definitely did not expect this to happen, but there is no denying the fact that I've become obsessed with this series. I thought I could be okay just reading the first novel, but after a week of thinking about the characters and the world non stop (to the point where I H A D to watch the TV show on STARS) I ended up picking up the second book.
The beginning was a shock to the system. I also found, just like with the first novel, a few problematic parts that created visceral reactions and threw me for a loop. However, I do think these scenes (etc) are a product of the setting and time period, and I'm trying not to hold it against the novel as a whole.
My overall attitude towards this series is that I know I'm hooked...but I'm also taking this chapter by chapter. If something upsets me enough, I keep telling myself I'll just put the book down and try something else. I knew about 20% into this novel that it would definitely piss me off and make me sad, and by the end I did shed a few tears.
Here's to hoping Voyager keeps me wanting more. ;)

Ugh. Okay. Maybe I burned myself out reading the first and second novels in less than two weeks. Maybe I have a moral dilemma trying to accept the characters past and present actions. Or maybe this book just went way off track from the first two? Regardless of what camp you come from in your beliefs, here is my review...

I think...I might give this a 2.75 star rating. I just had a lot of problems with how characters treated each other, and an even bigger problem with following this novel linearly. This novel did N O T need to be 1000+ pages long... There were so many characters and plots and random tid-bits of information that just didn't advance anything. Sure, in pure Gabaldon style we may see these characters or have them referenced in future books, but I didn't need pages upon pages discussing spiders, or fungus, etc. The woman (Gabaldon) is clearly a genius, and while I applaud her vast knowledge on boundless subjects it really detracted and distracted from the 'story' trying to be told.

I also just got incredibly frustrated with how Claire and Jamie treated each other and everyone else in their lives? I completely understand that in 20 years they will have changed, but for Claire to be this unfathomable love that comes back into Jamie's life, I'd expect him to maybe, oh I don't know...be honest with her? And I'd expect Claire to be a little less cold-hearted and closed off to everyone in her life. I was so frustrated with the characters, that it made me lose interest in their story. Why should I care about these people anymore? It made finishing this novel a grueling task, and a chore, instead of the thing I most looked forward to doing every day.

I really felt like the events in this novel were wildly and vastly outrageous. Sure...all of those things would have happened in that time period. But not all at once, and not to the same person/people. It was like seven plots of different novels all smashed together into one novel to make it thrilling and exciting. Except I wasn't thrilled or excited every time a (SPOILER ALERT) boat crashed, or a storm came, or they were separated from each other, or someone was murdered. I was bored by the repetition of the, pardon my pun, outlandish narrative we were being force fed.

If you've gotten this far into the review and are thinking, wow being kinda harsh huh? I'd say yes, I am being harsh because I was so passionate about this story and these characters. It's all I could talk about to friends and coworkers, and I feel extremely let down. The characters I knew and loved barely existed in this novel. I feel like I've been ghosted by a book!

I'll t r y reading the next one, but don't hold your breath. The DNF tag exists for a reason.

"...but if Eve continued to put the kibosh on Ashline's appetite, she might just slim down to a size four in time for the masquerade ball."

Yikes.

Okay. Full disclosure, I picked up this book (literally) during one of my nightly cleanings at the library. It had been misplaced and when I picked it up I began reading the blurb on the back. It piqued my interest, and when I flipped to the inside cover for a more detailed synopsis I knew this book would either be a trash heap or amazing and life-changing incredible.

The premise of the book is like every YA troupe imaginable shoved into one novel: boarding school, cheating boyfriend, evil sister, PTSD, magical powers, Gods & Goddesses, older boyfriend, and a group of teenagers who feel out of place but end up together.

I would feel more comfortable giving this book a pass if it didn't have so many themes/words/general morals that I so strongly disagree with, not only for myself, but for the targeted audience. I can see how this is appealing to high schoolers...but as a previous high school coach, I would NEVER teach my students that if their boyfriend cheats on you it's the GIRLS fault.....There's a line between relating to your audience and teaching your audience right from wrong. This novel more often than not lands on the wrong side of that line, and for me it came to a breaking point at the quote posted above. I wanted to give this a chance and power through this novel, but I kept being let down by the choices this author used. This could have been an edgier Percy Jackson-esque story, but this is not something I would recommend to impressionable teenagers.

The one redeeming quality that kept me going (aside from the representation and POC in this novel, YAY!!!! MORE OF THIS PLEASE), was that the new love interest (he's a PARK RANGER IN COLLEGE dating a h i g h school s o p h o m o r e) is rejected by our main character in the beginning, and she even calls him out for being creepy. Yet she easily dismisses this and dates him anyway. Okay...it's a fantasy for teenage girls to date an older guy...cool...but it's also cool to explain through your fiction WHY this is wrong? WHY they should date someone their own age. Why this isn't safe, and in many states i l l e g a l.

I just. Have a lot of issues with this. Was it well intended? I honestly don't know. If this is the kind of behavior or people the author hung out with at this age I pray they found better people to associate with as an adult. And if it is really just a fantastical realm of really awful people doing and saying and thinking awful things, well I guess getting it out in writing is a safe way to express yourself...but maybe don't market it at teenagers who don't know the difference yet...

For the record I got to page 268 before I stopped reading. I felt that was enough of a taste into the novel to still qualify to give a review. The fact that I didn't finish it and still had these many issues is slightly alarming.

This was a solid 3.75 stars read!

It was exactly what I needed, and when the author wrote a foreword explaining that she only writes happy endings: Yes. Please. Sign me UP!

I really enjoyed both of the main characters, and how well developed they both felt. It definitely felt like unique and different voices when the POV switched, which can be a pet peeve of mine in novels with multiple POVs (if all the characters sound the same). I also really enjoyed the slow build of the romance. While the chemistry was instant the characters didn't allow that to drive the story into a frenzy, but instead took their time acclimating to one another.

For how slow the burn was, I felt the ending was rather abrupt! I wanted more time in that moment that we had been waiting for, and I guess...something about it just didn't sit right with me? I obviously can't go into too much detail but I was a little disappointed by the end of this novel, which is one of the reasons this didn't get a higher rating from me.

This was also one of my first attempts at intentionally reading a romance novel, and I'm just not sure how to rate them yet? I have specific guidelines when it comes to fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, and romantic fiction is new ground...but I guess this got a lower than 4 star rating (for reviewing purposes, not actual star purposes...confusing, sorry) because there wasn't a whole lot of substance? Boy meets girl, girl meets boy, they simmer, they fall in love. Tada. Which is exactly what I wanted, so no complaints but...is this what romance novels all look like? I guess I'll find out.

Finally, a book to pull me out of my streak of not-so-good reads!

This was one of the first middle grade novels I've read as an adult, and I've got to say it was an incredible first choice! The world this novel is set in is incredibly transformative, unique, and enthralling. Our main character is self aware of moral ideals, of her role in the world, and is someone the reader will instantly connect with and root for. There were just enough characters fleshed out to create a nice little society and reliable relationships. The plot itself was executed excellently, and the world building was vast yet vivid.

I almost forgot to mention how INCREDIBLE the writing and use of language was! Oh my gosh, I kept being amazed at how loquacious but elegant the writing was. It's one of the reason I think I was so attracted to this novel...aside from the plot. The writing wasn't held back for the intended age group (although I do believe that age group could pick this book up and understand it with little to no issue at all) and I was constantly amazed at the assortment of words and ideas proposed by Townsend in this novel. Bravo.

Aside from the few times this novel reminded me of other stories (which is going to happen, so this is barely a complaint just something I noticed) I couldn't find anything I disliked even if I tried! This book is just so so good, and I'd recommend it to anyone at any age.

I'm having a hard time writing this review because I have mixed feelings, and I'm not sure why...(use your words Sasha).

I really liked this novel! I really liked the magic, I really liked the society and political turmoil, and I really liked the honesty in the author's writing voice.

I was initially turned off by the footnotes, only because they were the bane of my existence in Undergrad. X_X But as the novel went on, I found myself dipping into the footnotes every now and again for a little background story. On the whole I ignored them as much as I could, but I understand how they would be incredibly useful for a super fan or someone who wants to devour as much of this story/world as possible. I'd maybe have preferred them to be released in a special edition of the novel, but then again maybe I'm missing the point and should have read the footnotes. However, I did not and here we are. A minor blip in my review.

I enjoyed how vast our cast of characters were, but did have trouble keeping track of who was who in some instances. Some characters were so vivid and fleshed out while others left me with little recognition at the mention of their name.

Once I got to page 200 I didn't put this novel down. I was sucked into the ride and wouldn't get off until it was over. I'm not sure the ending had the impact I wanted, but I'm definitely curious about the future. I'd say this novel gets at times a 4 and at other times a solid 4.5 rating. So I guess 4.25 to average it out.

What a cool collection of facts and information! I especially loved the little snippets into JK's mind and thought process of writing the Harry Potter novels, through the included pieces of her notes and rough drafts. Those were enthralling.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much information was cultivated to create this piece! There were so many vast topics, all in some way relating to the world JK created, and the ancient texts and references were fascinating to me. I loved the art throughout, as well as how this flowed overall.

I didn't know what to expect diving into this novel (I actually thought this was going to be the actual History of Magic (sort of like Quidditch Through The Ages/Tales of Beedle the Bard), and ended up really enjoying myself. I'd say this is a 4.5 star rating, but not quite the 5 wow factor for me.

I think I'm still in a little bit of shock from what this book became. I didn't look too deeply into the synopsis or into friends reviews, I only knew everyone said this was their best book of 2018. I went into this read with trepidation, worried the high praise would spoil my perspective.

I love how different this book was from anything I've read before. Maybe that's my own fault, for having a 'type', but it really allowed this story to take me on a ride. The format switched between present day, flashbacks, and article clippings. It allowed the story to not only flow, but to fly by.

The author created a main character who is likable and hate-able. While I was often rooting for her, I could sit back and judge her actions towards other people. The great thing is that, at this point in the characters life, she's self aware of her short comings. I'm not sure if that cultivates a redemption arc, but it was nice to see such a fleshed out, well rounded, and intelligent character.

I have to say I didn't get as emotionally trapped by the ending as I've seen others have, because I definitely saw the plot twists coming. The first plot twist I expected, but it was used in a way I should have expected and didn't. Kudos. The second plot twist, which honestly was a bold move having two huge twists within the last twenty pages, I saw coming from the first few pages of the novel, and was slowly preparing myself for.

Overall, I wasn't sure what to rate this. It's a novel so different from what I usually read, but I can't deny how utterly enraptured I was by this story, and this fictional woman's life. I think this has some really important messages and themes throughout, which helped boost my rating. I'm left wishing, in some ways, that Evelyn was a real person. Who knows, maybe she's out there. Maybe Evelyn represents a side of Hollywood we haven't explored until now. Either way, the things I learned from her life, her message about true love, I'll take with me everywhere.

Wow! The art inside and outside of this novel is breathtaking. I fell in love with this story the moment I heard of it's inception. Seeing the world from a whale's perspective, the ocean becoming the sky, I was hooked (honestly no pun intended there).

I loved how quickly I acclimated to this narrative, and how steadily I flowed through the prose. I finished this novel in about an hour and anticipate this being a book I pick up whenever I need to cleanse the palate.

This story was dark, heartbreaking, and oddly introspective. With the art included as visual aid, this depressing story was somehow made beautiful. I'm genuinely impressed.