simonlorden's Reviews (1.38k)

I received an ARC through NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.

Phil is far from a hardened criminal, but with her father's debt and illness hanging over their head, she needs money, fast. So when her hacker friend gets an offer to steal a priceless orchid from a botanical garden, what can she do?

The real shining light of this book for me is Phil and her father's relationship. I really felt the desperation and anxiety of having to be a parent to your parent, of having to be the 'adult' in the room and carry all that weight for them too. And the shame on the part of her father, who also knew this wasn't right. It was a very real and interesting dynamic. Every time when Phil wanted to back out, she stayed in for her father.

Of course, I also loved Phil and Lily's relationship, and as an extension Phil's genuine growing interest in the gardens and their history. Basically, I just think Phil was a great character and her character arc was amazing to read.

The side characters like Chaz and HG also shined, and I'm very fond of them.

So, I probably would have loved this when I was 15. But now as an adult it feels kind of shallow. It reminds me of when I was 13 writing my first stories, and everything had to be SO COOL. Silver-eyed devil! Violet-eyed witch! Mysterious castle! Everything is so cool and mysterious!! Also there's a lot of sex. No idea what they LIKE about each other, but they're very devoted and the sex is good, I guess.

I actually liked the mystery with the disappearances and suicides at the castle, but the romance didn't convince me.

A sweet and short historical romance story. Reed and Marigold have to marry for Reasons, immediately, but they end up genuinely liking each other, etc. There isn't room for huge plots or character arcs, but they are both sweet and I liked their romance and this was overall a good lighthearted book.

I've been waiting for Isaac's book since book 1. I liked that this book switched up the dynamic a bit - the two main characters have known each other for years, and mutually pining, but convinced the other doesn't return their feelings. This is also the only book where the familiar doesn't bond with "his own" witch.

I liked how Isaac's trauma and Billy's family situation was explored, and how it was shown that for familiars it's also bad if they stay in human shape too long, because both forms are part of them.

And Peter's fiancée is just the best.

A bit rushed and the writing quality feels weaker than usual, but it continues the theme from the last book about "dangerous" familiars having less rights legally.

I'm very much here for this book and series. Malachi and Owen are so good, and I liked the side characters as well. (Shout out to Nathan, I love historical trans characters.)

We learn a bit more about how familiars treated, and it's kind of fucked up, but makes for an interesting story. I'm also very curious about Nick's and Isaac's stories.

I wasn't sure what to think of this book in the beginning, but it got better with every twist. The characters are complex and not quite good or bad, but there's still a clear side that I'm rooting for. Humans were the real monsters all along, etc.

Lots of racism, women surviving on their own, and there's also a lesbian and a transgender sideplot.