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simonlorden's Reviews (1.38k)
I read this book in one sitting thanks to rivetedlit.com's 24 hour challenge. It was difficult, but definitely worth it.
There aren't many words I can describe this book in other than "amazing". The world building, the characters and the plot were all amazing. I got really attached to the team, especially the two main characters, Zhou and Daiyu.
I was a little too sure that all of them would make it out alive, so the character death towards the end definitely hit hard.
I was worried that the book might end on a cliffhanger since it's a first one in a series, but it had a clear epilogue and a nice closing. It is only the beginning, and yet the story was complete enough in this book that I didn't feel cheated by it.
Overall, I loved this book and I am looking forward to the sequel.
There aren't many words I can describe this book in other than "amazing". The world building, the characters and the plot were all amazing. I got really attached to the team, especially the two main characters, Zhou and Daiyu.
I was worried that the book might end on a cliffhanger since it's a first one in a series, but it had a clear epilogue and a nice closing. It is only the beginning, and yet the story was complete enough in this book that I didn't feel cheated by it.
Overall, I loved this book and I am looking forward to the sequel.
original review from years ago below
Jack deserves so much better, y'all
--
It is difficult to rate a book when you are absolutely furious with one of the protagonists.
Down Among the Sticks and Bones is more of a prequel than a sequel - it tells the story of Jack and Jill from their birth up to the point where they have to leave their found home.
The Characters
Jack was one of my favourites in the first book, and she kept that title throughout this one. I've also grown attached to her chosen master. The bigger problem was with Jill: I didn't care much for her in the first book, and her behaviour in this one certainly didn't help matters. I tried to understand Jill, and maybe I do, somewhat, but understanding doesn't mean sympathy or affection.
The Plot
Since this is a prequel and the girls already talked about being cast out in the first book, in a way I already knew what was going to happen, where it was all leading up to, but reading it was still different.
The first part of the book is about the girls' childhood at home with their parents - their frankly horrible parents who are emotionally abusive and unfit to be parents, which is made clear enough in the book. This part was mostly neutral for me.
Once in the Moors, Jack's and Jill's POVs divide more. It's no secret that I enjoyed Jack's more, partly because of the included f/f romance, which doesn't get much "screentime" but is still an important part of the story.
Overall
I feel like this review comes off as more negative than I intended. It's true that I enjoyed this book less than the first one, and there are some parts I'm angry at, but it still deserves the whole five stars and goes on the favourites shelf. I love the worldbuilding.
Jack deserves so much better, y'all
--
It is difficult to rate a book when you are absolutely furious with one of the protagonists.
Down Among the Sticks and Bones is more of a prequel than a sequel - it tells the story of Jack and Jill from their birth up to the point where they have to leave their found home.
The Characters
Jack was one of my favourites in the first book, and she kept that title throughout this one. I've also grown attached to her chosen master. The bigger problem was with Jill: I didn't care much for her in the first book, and her behaviour in this one certainly didn't help matters. I tried to understand Jill, and maybe I do, somewhat, but understanding doesn't mean sympathy or affection.
The Plot
Since this is a prequel and the girls already talked about being cast out in the first book, in a way I already knew what was going to happen, where it was all leading up to, but reading it was still different.
The first part of the book is about the girls' childhood at home with their parents - their frankly horrible parents who are emotionally abusive and unfit to be parents, which is made clear enough in the book. This part was mostly neutral for me.
Once in the Moors, Jack's and Jill's POVs divide more. It's no secret that I enjoyed Jack's more, partly because of the included f/f romance, which doesn't get much "screentime" but is still an important part of the story.
Overall
I feel like this review comes off as more negative than I intended. It's true that I enjoyed this book less than the first one, and there are some parts I'm angry at, but it still deserves the whole five stars and goes on the favourites shelf. I love the worldbuilding.
Still my favorite book in the series, probably because it focuses on my favorite little foursome. None of the later characters really grabbed me like these kids did. Jack and Nancy and Christopher are all so great in their own morbidness, and Kade is delightful.
--
1) I would die for every member of the Jack-Chris-Nancy-Kade group
2) putting up with Jill is so much harder when I already know what happened and I'm kinda pissed at her
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1) I would die for every member of the Jack-Chris-Nancy-Kade group
2) putting up with Jill is so much harder when I already know what happened and I'm kinda pissed at her
This was the most wonderful thing I've read in a while.
Referred to as a magical realism fairytale for trans boys, this short story was truly magical. I can't really say much about it without revealing a twist, but damn, that twist/solution to the problem was really clever and amazing.
Likeable characters, likeable families, sapphic parents, a Jewish protagonist, gay trans boys in love, this story had so many beautiful things I can't even count.
Basically worth every penny, please read it.
Referred to as a magical realism fairytale for trans boys, this short story was truly magical. I can't really say much about it without revealing a twist, but damn, that twist/solution to the problem was really clever and amazing.
Likeable characters, likeable families, sapphic parents, a Jewish protagonist, gay trans boys in love, this story had so many beautiful things I can't even count.
Basically worth every penny, please read it.
A really down-to-earth, sweet f/f short story with fandom references.
I didn't like it as much as I could have, but it was still nice.
I didn't like it as much as I could have, but it was still nice.
I didn't realise this was by the author of The Dark Wife until the end. I've been trying to track that book down but it's been unavailable on Book Depository since forever. :(
The Witch Sea is a wonderful f/f short story with a bittersweet ending. It's about a witch who dedicate her life to keeping alive the magic her grandmother and her mother started, until something makes her question whether she should be doing this at all.
I'm too tired to make words happen so this isn't really a good review, but I really enjoyed this story and I recommend it to everyone. I think it's still free on Amazon.
The Witch Sea is a wonderful f/f short story with a bittersweet ending. It's about a witch who dedicate her life to keeping alive the magic her grandmother and her mother started, until something makes her question whether she should be doing this at all.
I'm too tired to make words happen so this isn't really a good review, but I really enjoyed this story and I recommend it to everyone. I think it's still free on Amazon.
This is way darker than I remembered - and rereading my old review, I made the same mistake twice. I should have expected it, but the Disney version of the tale lives so vividly in our minds I think that I forgot where it came from.
The story is fascinating. It really feels more like science fiction than fantasy, the "mermaids" in this world being more like an alien species. As intelligent as humans, with their own culture and science (instead of magic), and very different biologically. I liked that the protagonist is a scientist studying atargati but there is still so much she didn't know, because her knowledge was limited to what one group of atargati was willing to share.
But also wow, it hurts.
The story is fascinating. It really feels more like science fiction than fantasy, the "mermaids" in this world being more like an alien species. As intelligent as humans, with their own culture and science (instead of magic), and very different biologically. I liked that the protagonist is a scientist studying atargati but there is still so much she didn't know, because her knowledge was limited to what one group of atargati was willing to share.
But also wow, it hurts.
( actual rating: 3.5 )
I... okay.
I probably should have read some of the reviews to know what to expect before jumping into this and then we both would have been better off, but I didn't.
This book contains two Halloween romance stories between two women, which is why I picked it up (also, I simply adore the cover).
The first story is a sweet, sad, melancholy ghost story, but the second one caught me completely off guard and I was not okay with the contents of it. It's not you, it's me, but it turned my stomach and I mostly just skimmed over it.
Overall, I'd rate the first story 5 and the second 3 at most, which averages at 4.
I... okay.
I probably should have read some of the reviews to know what to expect before jumping into this and then we both would have been better off, but I didn't.
This book contains two Halloween romance stories between two women, which is why I picked it up (also, I simply adore the cover).
The first story is a sweet, sad, melancholy ghost story, but the second one caught me completely off guard and I was not okay with the contents of it. It's not you, it's me, but it turned my stomach and I mostly just skimmed over it.
Overall, I'd rate the first story 5 and the second 3 at most, which averages at 4.
I loved this so much that I stopped a few pages in to buy the Chameleon Moon sequel (and a few short stories) that I've been putting off.
Everything Chameleon Moon-related is guaranteed to have loveable, amazing and diverse characters, and this short story is no different. Regan was one of my favourite characters in the first book, and while I didn't know Rowan before this, I'd love to learn more about them.
I'm definitely not used to seeing "asexuality" written in a sci-fi/fantasy/any fiction story honestly, so to have a short story with two asexual characters talking about their places on the sexuality spectrum and how they relate to each other was Amazing.
This story doesn't have much plot - it's really just a discussion between a couple about consent and boundaries, but it honestly gave me so much hope. That things can be like this. That both real life and fiction can be like this.
Man, I love RoAnna Sylver.
Everything Chameleon Moon-related is guaranteed to have loveable, amazing and diverse characters, and this short story is no different. Regan was one of my favourite characters in the first book, and while I didn't know Rowan before this, I'd love to learn more about them.
I'm definitely not used to seeing "asexuality" written in a sci-fi/fantasy/any fiction story honestly, so to have a short story with two asexual characters talking about their places on the sexuality spectrum and how they relate to each other was Amazing.
This story doesn't have much plot - it's really just a discussion between a couple about consent and boundaries, but it honestly gave me so much hope. That things can be like this. That both real life and fiction can be like this.
Man, I love RoAnna Sylver.
Warning for rape mention in the story.
Damnit.
This is a very short read, and it ends abruptly - although I suppose that is the point. Still, even these few pages are enough to get you attached to the characters, and I really wished the story had a happy ending.
At least it ends abruptly enough that I can still pretend everything is alright. I wish I could read more about these two boys.
Damnit.
This is a very short read, and it ends abruptly - although I suppose that is the point. Still, even these few pages are enough to get you attached to the characters, and I really wished the story had a happy ending.
At least it ends abruptly enough that I can still pretend everything is alright. I wish I could read more about these two boys.