I received a copy from the publisher and my review is voluntary and honest.

I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't make myself finish it.  Somebody who doesn't get too caught up in the characters' anxiety would probably enjoy this book more than I did. Also, might help if you enjoy YA books - see my last note.

I liked the way polyamory was normalized in this future world, and I really loved Lane's relationship with her sister, her little flashbacks about cooking together and such. Those were nice.

The book is very diverse sexuality-wise and racially, although that diversity was sometimes introduced strangely. As one example: "that was before she had transitioned, just like X and Y", which was a pretty convenient but kind of weird way to reveal 3 characters as trans at once? Similar sentences to this happened with other marginalized characters.

Mostly though, I had to put this book aside because the constant frustration was affecting me. Most of this book is Lane's grief, anxiety, insecurities, and most of all her constant conflicts and frustrations with her parents. And it was just... not fun to read, I'm sorry. The sci-fi plot is really dwarfed in comparison to the (largely negative) emotions and inter-personal conflicts.

I was also annoyed by the part where I felt Lane used racial diversity as a weapon. No, actually, I don't think "it's weird that you're targeting a Black guy and his mixed girlfriend" is a good comeback when you literally also agree that the girl was acting suspicious.

As a last note, I imagine this is due to the protagonist being only 20 and quite sheltered, but emotionally and conflict-wise this felt a lot more like a YA book than an adult book. I don't believe YA books are inherently worse, but that wasn't what I was led to expect from this one.

i picked this up by mistake without realizing it's middle grade, so that's on me.

I am very bored unfortunately

everyone in this book is miserable. that's not even my problem though, it's just long and I'm bored.

just... bored

I like this book, but it's just too slow-paced for me and doesn't hold my attention. It would be great for people who like slow-paced queer epic fantasy with past lives and reincarnation. You get a F/F and a M/M ship for the price of one!

I received an advance reader's copy for free in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I feel like this book was misrepresented by the tags. First of all, I didn't even get halfway, but in the parts I read there is absolutely no horror, except maybe the prologue. Also, I had to check several times that this wasn't labelled as YA anywhere, because it definitely reads like a YA fantasy romance. There is nothing wrong with YA fantasy romances, but that is not what this book was advertised as, and not what I thought I was signing up for.

I'm disappointed because I really liked the concept, but the book itself just isn't holding my attention. I would have expected it to pick up more by now, or just be generally creepier for something that is tagged mainly as Horror.

One compliment: I do appreciate the inclusion of content warnings in the book, which I hope becomes common practice. This book also does it in my preferred way, with a more general note at the beginning and a detailed note at the end of the book.

i might be too old for this book. the main character's style is kind of obnoxious

I gave this book a fair chance, but I found the main characters and the writing style both obnoxious, and the plot is far too slow-paced. I feel like I spent most of it waiting for things to happen, and I just can't read several hundred pages like that.

content warnings: in the part I read, there was a very graphic rape scene and a graphic murder

doesn't spark joy