4.5! This was great!!

I really enjoyed this one! The world was really interesting and I liked how the magic was portrayed (though I don't think I fully understand how Sirscha's magic functions). The characters were great. I loved Sirscha and Saengo and their friendship. Side characters like Phaut, Meilek and Theyen were all interesting and likable. The plot was entertaining and some of the plot was just perfectly creepy! I'm not sure how romance is going to play into the next books, but fingers crossed that it goes in the direction I'm hoping because I think there was some great groundwork laid! I'm also really interested to see where the politics and war plays into the rest of the series. Really fun series opener!

This was fantastic. I tried to stick with only reading one or two chapters a day so I could really focus and not rush through it, and I think it worked in my favor. I sometimes find it difficult for a nonfiction book to hold my attention, but Oluo frames all of her chapters through a narrative style which was super helpful and interesting! Her writing is very direct and honest. She covers a lot of different subjects throughout the book, many of which are very hot-button topics right now, and it was very useful for me to educate myself more on these subjects.

There's so much great information in this, both statistical and personal. Oluo includes a lot of very helpful guides, such as talking points for difficult conversations or how-tos to navigate racial conversations at home or in the workplace. Her experiences alone really bring to light how these national news stories are daily occurrences in the lives of people of color. There are chapters that made me reflect on ways in which my prejudices have affected others, and though it is sometimes jarring, it is also very important. Super super valuable. I wish I could successfully convince my whole family to read this, but for now I will try to evoke Oluo's suggestions into my daily life and conversations.

Working my way through as much of Nic Stone's work as I can because I just love her writing! This one was no exception, though I think it might've been a bit too young for my current tastes. It was still really enjoyable though!

There are fun illustrations scattered throughout this book that enhance the story and I thought it was a great touch. The plot definitely held my attention and it was quick and easy to get through it, but I was a bit jarred by the abruptness of the ending and the fact that there seemed to be little resolution to all the reveals about the grandma. But I liked Scoob a lot and the story was entertaining!

3.5! So cute!!

“You are not weak. There is steel within you.“
*
Wow, I adored this! I’m not sure if it’s because I went in with no expectations, but this was a really special book. There’s the five-star reads that I just completely blow through in hours, but there’s also the slow five-star reads that I can really savor, like this one.

The relationships in this book was what really captured my emotions. First and foremost, the sisterhood between Evadne and Halcyon was so touching and was definitely the strongest throughout. But there was also the relationship between the girls and their parents, which were both equally heartwarming. The romantic relationship between Evadne and Damon was so so sweet. Finally, Halcyon’s comradeship with her legion and especially the Commander was absolutely gutting. The emotional ties between characters had me tearing up multiple times and by the end I was a crying mess.

I enjoyed the plot of this as well. It was entertaining but I also didn’t feel like I had to rush through it. I enjoyed the plot twists that are sprinkled throughout, and I thought the worldbuilding with the relics was fascinating. The way magic worked was really cool, I especially liked how the finger a mage’s ring was on denoted their magical strength. I thought the ending was fantastic and emotional and perfectly fitting for the book. Super super happy with this one!