I liked it, but the magic felt kind of useless to me. Old Hollywood is horrific and mystical on it's own, you don't really need monsters.I liked it, but the magic felt kind of useless to me. Old Hollywood is horrific and mystical on it's own, you don't really need monsters....more
The writing was horrendous (the term 'Wattpad writing' is overused in a way that makes me think that some of you have never even opened Wattpad, but aThe writing was horrendous (the term 'Wattpad writing' is overused in a way that makes me think that some of you have never even opened Wattpad, but as someone who was very on Wattpad at a point, this writing style is literally identical to some of the stories on there. I am appalled that this book got published with such sloppy, poor writing), the worldbuilding is completely nonsensical, the characters are dull and sometimes laughable with how cliche they are, and it the plot is soooooooo boring.
In conclusion: terrible, poorly written garbage and probably the worst book I've read this entire year. Was I expecting much else though?
Pre-read:
...
look at what I got my grubby lil hands on...
Everyone I've ever trusted on GR is rating this one star and I just want to revel in it...more
A narrator makes or breaks an audiobook and unfortunately, I couldn't do this because the narration really bothered and distracted me :( wilDNF @ 15%
A narrator makes or breaks an audiobook and unfortunately, I couldn't do this because the narration really bothered and distracted me :( will probably read this physically...more
This book reads like all of the characters and plot beats were taken straight out of a fourteen year old's Wattpad story and given to a semi competentThis book reads like all of the characters and plot beats were taken straight out of a fourteen year old's Wattpad story and given to a semi competent writer with little to no creative control. Every single person in this book is ridiculously, super model levels of beautiful (especially the main character), the dialogue is awful, and the way the characters talk about sex is incredibly juvenile.
I get that the main character is meant to be unlikeable and I appreciate that because this would of been insufferable otherwise, but I can't help but get the sense we're supposed to like Alim and think he's this great but flawed guy even though he's flirting and eventually sleeping with his son's girlfriend who is half his age and is in a direct position of power over. (view spoiler)[AND HE ALSO CHOOSES HER OVER HIS CHILDREN!! RIDICULOUS!! (hide spoiler)]
I'd heard about this book before, but when I found out it was supposedly bi4bi I was sold immediately. Sadly, this book failed me in this aspect too. The main character is bisexual but only in the way that her attraction/relationships to women are mentioned once and are completely irrelevant to the rest of her character. I fucking hate this type of bi "rep" and I see it so often in books written by cishets and even non-bi queer people. I'm not asking for everyone to write books about The Bisexual Experience, but if you're going to add a trait to your character that would be central to their identity, y'know, make it apart of their character. The love interest's bisexuality is handled only slightly better since he seems to be actually effected by his past relationship with a man and has a lot of complex feelings about opening up to a relationship because of it, but these feelings are swiftly abandoned within 50 pages and this interaction on its own is to further his sexual tension with a woman.
Oh, and the smut wasn't even that good. Give us nothing.
Two stars for prose which was kind of nice and the fact this was short so I didn't have to suffer long....more
The writing was pretty juvenile, but the fucking magic system centered around tea is just *chef's kiss*The writing was pretty juvenile, but the fucking magic system centered around tea is just *chef's kiss*...more
The A Little Life comparisons have been made, and while I don't think any novel can reach the bleak and hollowness of A Little Life, they are appropriThe A Little Life comparisons have been made, and while I don't think any novel can reach the bleak and hollowness of A Little Life, they are appropriate. Just about everything bad ever happens to Mungo but somehow the ending still feels wildly out of character. Kind of disappointing considering the fact this was one of my most anticipated read for 2022. ...more
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