sarahthegaymer's Reviews (305)

I have a love-hate relationship with this particular novella in the series, but mostly my beef is with Cora. Like, how DARE she? 

In this novella we're following Cora - if that wasn't obvious - as she decides that Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children is not for her and she requests a transfer to Whitethorn. But how does the saying go..the grass is not always greener on the other side and soon enough Cora realizes everything is not what it seems at this school. With the help of her friends - frickin' love Sumi - they'll work on solving the mystery of what's going on at Whitethorn and try to get back to Eleanor. 

If you read my review on the last Wayward Children's you'll know that one of my biggest issues was the cliffhanger ending - which was promptly resolved in this one which did make me happy! 

Overall I did really enjoy this one but the pacing was sort of slow in areas which is why it's a 4-star and not a 5-star. Can't wait to continue moving forward! 

I'm very sad to report that this is my least favorite in the series so far.

One of my favorite things about the Wayward Children series is that each book is usually following a different character. However, up until this point all of the characters have been students or were students at Eleanor West's school. In this particular story, we're following Regan who is just a beautiful little soul that gets some distressing news from her parents about herself and when she confides in her best friend - and like what an actual twat this girl is - she finds her door and is whisked off to a new world. 

We follow Regan as she lives amongst the Centaurs and they become her family - Chichory is THE CUTEST - but soon she finds that she is destined for more and we follow her on her way to self-discovery. 

While I loved Regan, her world, and the characters, and the story in general; this really just feels like a 'filler' to me. There isn't really much plot, its just all about her finding her found family, which of course we love because duh! 

The ending had me mad as heck and I hope that perhaps she'll return one day so that we can learn more about her, but until then..solid three for me.

I think I might be in my 'time-travel' era because immediately after reading this I went out and bought like 3 more time-travel books. 

This book was a pleasant surprise in that it was incredibly pleasing to read, but also really heavy at some moments but in the most beautiful way. I found myself laughing, crying, kicking my feet and giggling, and just really enjoying myself along the way.

We're following Alex in the year 1995 who has everything he could ever want in the world until a tragic accident happens, and he wakes up the next day to find out that it's not really the next day at all, but many years later and he has no idea how he ended up there. Then he goes asleep, and ends up in another lifetime. And so the story goes..We continue to follow him through every day of his life following the accident, trying to figure out how he can get back to the place and time he knows. Or if it's even possible to do so. 

I think the time-travel aspect of this was done really well, there was always enough information to keep you informed and interested, but never too much where you're bored with what is happening. I also enjoyed most of the characters we met along the way and learning about their own stories in addition to Alex's stories. 

While it started off slow, I eventually became so engaged with the story and couldn't wait to see the outcome, finishing in just one day! I loved that the endless possibilities we're seeing how just one little difference or change can totally alter the way your life works out.

I definitely encourage checking out a few trigger warnings as there are some heavy themes in the book, however; they're necessary, messy, and beautiful all the same. 

If you're looking for a time-travel book that just does it well, I highly encourage you grab this one! 

Below are a few quotes that I positively loved and think just show the beauty I was talking about.

"Love isn't the ability to wake up next to someone every day. It is the unbearableness of not waking up next to that person, every single day." (Page 170)

"The worst our enemies can ever do is turn us into them." (Page 262)

"Perhaps that's one of the great joys about being young: that everyone you've ever loved is still alive." (Page 278)

This  is honestly a high-rating, surprise review that I didn’t see coming.. I had set very low expectations going in but quickly realized (after reading it only a day) that those expectations were wrong. 

The book is set in 1940-50ish Chicago - very noire type setting. We have a magical detective - Elena/Helen - that sold her soul to save her brother from death, gets thrown out of a magical society, and is now working as a freelancer. Though her time on Earth is coming to end due, she’s given one last task before her time evaporates and a chance to maybe change her life’s outcome. But certainly not without a fight. 

Oh, did I mention? It’s also sapphic. *chef’s kiss* Elena is in love with Edith that she met at a secret queer nightclub and Edith has just been offered the couples dream job of moving to San Fran to start a life…but she doesn’t know Elena’s time on Earth is drawing close to an end. And Edith..well, she has a little secret she’s keeping from Elena, too. 

Honestly, I love the relationship between these two women and I see a lot of my own life in their feelings and thoughts for one another. Two quotes in particular resonate with how I feel about my own wife! 

“Edith, oh. Edith. She believed in me, and I could never let her know how badly I needed that.”

“I never told her how she saved me. I told her how she became the dearest friend I’d ever had. I told her I loved her, but never enough. My Edith of the sparrows. My heart. My world.”

While there is a lot of magical stuff happening in this short novel - angels, demons, vampires, etc - there is just enough to explain what’s happening and keep you intrigued without being confused. The pace is pretty good that you move along quickly enough and nothing seems to drag on for too long. The “Acts” also help split up what’s happening as well. 

Overall, I think this was a great time. I definitely can understand where it might not be for everyone, but it was enough for me.

Finished this in one sitting - super cute and I loved the art style and colors! So very pretty! 

One thing I should note is that I do not know anything when it comes to Greek Mythology so I was definitely going..'wait, who TF is that?' multiple times. I also feel that for almost 400 pages of beautiful graphics, there wasn't much dialogue. 

I did really enjoy some of the interactions between characters - I think the favorite for me was when Persephone is driving back to her world and driving Hades vehicle..I don't know why, but it was cracking me up. 

Definitely excited to continue in the series and see where it takes us. 

Also, definitely check the trigger warnings. 

This five-star review comes as a bit of a shock to me. I felt like this story had a lot of mixed reviews and therefore, I went into it with pretty low expectations. But, I'm not ashamed to say that I loved it! 
Super quick, popcorn type read - I read it in basically a day - that had me walking around the house with the book open because I needed to know what was happening next! 

This checked a lot of boxes for me - the main character is an author, we're following an old-world-wealthy family and their drama - and we've got some competition to play, "The Family Game" ..or games.

At times I'll admit there was some things that seemed a bit far-fetched, but I don't mind suspending my disbelief a bit if I'm vibin' with the story. I have been having a lot of books be very middle of the line lately, so I really appreciated something that came together and allowed me to get through it so quickly!

***SPOILERS AHEAD****







Seriously, SPOILERS**********











Three things:
1. I guess I understand that the pregnancy storyline was required for how the story ended, but I literally called it the SECOND she was like "oh why am I still nauseous, hehe!" - and this is coming from someone who NEVER catches what is happening in a story which is why I enjoy them so much. 
2. I did not see the boyfriend being the killer. Again, call me blind, call me naive, did not see it coming and I think I should have - but it wasn't enough to ruin it for me.
3. While the story does rap up - I have so many questions...so. many. questions. 

I love Dark Academia.
I love the idea of a group of elite people battling their way into a secret society.
I love the vibes and the magic and the world and just the aesthetics overall.
I love the characters each in their own, unique, possibly alarming way. 

What I don't love, however, is this book. Or at least, I don't think that I did? I don't really know and I hate feeling that way after finishing a book.

I really enjoyed the first 25% of this book. I personally really enjoy multiple-POV stories so I loved getting to read and learn a little about each of the "Atlas Six" and their magical abilities. It was the middle 50% of the book that I just absolutely could not stand. There was so much repetition and just so much telling but not showing. The things that I wanted to read about weren't there and the things I literally did not care about wouldn't stop..it just kept going on, and on, and on. I was just about to quickly DNF it and then in the last 25% it picked up again and there were a few twist and turns that really had me shook. 

I am not sure I'll continue in the series despite the semi-cliff hanger. So, only time will tell.

I don't know why I loved this so much, but I did and I'm not sorry. 

Like this little ghost, he is the most precious..I want him to come and stay with me. Fucking love him. 

Also, this had me in the feels with grief, depression, and that 'older daughter syndrome' and need to fix things. 

So cute. Can't wait to continue with the series.

This was a cute little graphic novel about a girl, Morgan, who has a plan. That is until she meets Keltie, then that plan starts to fall apart. Super simple, super sweet, cute little graphics and it's Sapphic. 

Loved it enough, but I don't think it'll be really memorable, and I don't think I'll ever re-visit it, so that's why I gave it 4-stars.

Initially I rated this a 3-star upon finishing it. As I've sat longer before coming back to review it, I've bumped it down to a 2-star.

Truthfully, I don't even know what the fuck I read. I don't know if I'm just illiterate, dense, or what the problem is but I literally read like 100-some pages and didn't have a fucking clue what it was talking about. 

You're following the perspective of Red and Blue who work for different time traveling agencies and they fall in love through writing letters to one another in magical and unique ways. The letters are pretty self-explanatory, and the two soon find themselves falling in love. The chapters in between the letters have literally zero-context and I don't understand what was happening or why. 

There was like one twist that happens near the end and I'm like, oh, wow, ok, cool..then I literally just wanted to finish it. I just wanted it to be done so I could sell it and move on with my life. 

So yeah, read if you want.