When I started this series I thought it was going to be a new fave. I was hooked from the START! I loved the world, the magic system, the cha3.5 stars
When I started this series I thought it was going to be a new fave. I was hooked from the START! I loved the world, the magic system, the characters. Now, I don't know if it was life or the book but.. it took my nearly two months to finish this, and I feel like if it were absolutely excellent it wouldn't have sat gathering dust in between reads.
That being said, I did really enjoy this one and I'm excited to see what the next books holds.
I'm disappointed to be giving this 3.5 stars. Not that 3.5 stars is bad, but is it the 5 stars I gave the first book? No. After DEVOURING the first boI'm disappointed to be giving this 3.5 stars. Not that 3.5 stars is bad, but is it the 5 stars I gave the first book? No. After DEVOURING the first book in a day, it's safe to say I was hoping / expecting to love this one more, if not the same amount, and there are just things about this one that fell flat for me. And when I say things I mean the plot and world development. Or lack there of. Am I the only one who ended this book feeling confused? Feeling like there was so much ping-ponging going on in Emilia's head about what she was going to do, but didn't actually do that I forgot.. what she was supposed to be doing..?
Whereas the first book felt very action packed to me, with the clear objective of finding out who was killing the witches / who killed Emilia's sister, with lots of scheming and badassry on Emilia's part, this one felt like a lot of... waiting around in House Wrath for everything to fall into place, which is essentially what happens. We wait allllll book for this Feast of the Wolves, dreading when Emilia is going to have her darkest secret ripped from her heart, only to have it all resolved in a few pages before Emilia rushes off to fulfill a subplot that.. had to do with the main plot.. but also.. that Emilia, and therefore I, would sometimes forget about. Which was also solved in a couple of pages.. I also felt like Emilia was privy to things that I didn't know, like she would know something / scheme something / figure something out, but even though I was in her head I wouldn't see her come to this conclusion so I would be left feeling confused.
When it comes to Kingdom of the Cursed I feel like time was spent either lusting over Wrath, we love, or trying to untangle the plot, but never both at the same time and it made the time that Wrath and Emilia spent together feel very separate from the rest of the plot which was... to find out who murdered her sister but I guess who Emilia truly is.. as well? SEE WHY AM I STILL FUZZY ON A PLOT WHEN I JUST READ A 400+ PAGE BOOK ON IT?! A SEQUEL NO LESS!!
The other main spot of disappointment for me was the lack of world development. It's such a cool concept, seven realms of sin, ruled by seven princes of sin, where demons are citizens of the realms of sin in which they prefer, all set in the underworld. HOW COOL. Unfortunately we saw very little besides what was inside of House Wrath and even then.. we saw very little. There are demon citizens. Where do they live? Is there a town..? Also her magic, how does it work exactly? How does the world of the witches work? Is there a coven? Why isn't she more concerned about learning how to wield her magic / when a certain thing happens...
Also the friendships were EXTREMELY underdeveloped. One second Emilia was meeting Fauna and the next they were besties.. hello?
What this installment lacked in plot / world development it made up for in romance, which is how I came to the rating of 3.5. Romance 4, Plot 3. Ugh, hot, tattooed Daddy Wrath is a king with consent not only at the forefront, but verbally discussed and confirmed and this we obviously love. The romance between Emilia and Wrath truly had me giggling and swinging my feet and I loved that this story shifted from YA to NA when it came to the intimacy levels. I couldn't help but swoon over their romance with all of Wraths broody glory and Emilia's take not shit, bad bitch attitude (which mostly stand intact for the whole book, t god).
Overall, I'm disappointed in the plot but loving the romance. I will finish this series, but Kingdom of the Cursed doesn't have me geeking for the next / last book like Kingdom of the Wicked did....more
She is cherry blossoms falling. She is serious moonlight. She is shivering green leaves.
This book is so.. different and I think it will really hit peoShe is cherry blossoms falling. She is serious moonlight. She is shivering green leaves.
This book is so.. different and I think it will really hit people differently depending on who they are, their life experiences, what they’re looking for between it’s pages, and where they are in life when they read it.
While this book didn’t resonate with me (at this moment) the way I’ve seen it resonate with others, I still think it’s absolutely brilliant. Awad’s prose are so lovely and the way she writes loneliness, like a physical weight, and the heartache of wanting to belong, really made my soul ache and made me think of a younger version of myself, yearning for friendships I didn’t yet have. There were parts when I had to tell myself to stop annotating because I could have annotated the entire page, it was written so beautifully.
We’ve all been in Samantha’s shoes, so desperately wanting to belong to something, anything, to feel welcomed and accepted, so much so that we are willing to give up parts of ourselves. Awad’s took those feelings, she manifested them and spun them into a story of cultish mean girls, exploding bunnies, a bone-deep loneliness, and whimsical nights of friendship.
Do I think everyone will love this book? No. Do I recommend it? 100% and highly.
I think this is a book I will revisit many times, one in which my feelings for it will always be shifting....more
I found this very boring and I didn't feel attached to any of the characters.I found this very boring and I didn't feel attached to any of the characters....more
Very confused by what I just read and even more confused by why so many people love this (so many people being nearly all of my friends so I really hoVery confused by what I just read and even more confused by why so many people love this (so many people being nearly all of my friends so I really hope they don't see this). Actually, I can see why some people would love this. The writing is very prose-y in a pretentious, wandering kind of way and I guess that was one of the major problems for me. Now, I'm not one to hate on pretentious, wandering writing, I can even love it but Summer Sons was just too ambiguous for me. I spent so much energy trying to decipher what the author was actually trying to say beneath the flowery writing that I felt completely disconnected from the story. I found the characters, except Riley, absolutely unlikable and disliked their toxic romance even more. Again, I can love fictional toxicity and unlikable characters but these ones just felt so.. try hard. The fast cars, the drinking, smoking, partying, having sex with everything that moved, was just the peak of toxic masculinity and douchbaggery. You guys think you're so badass.. we get it.. Andrew wasted so much of the book being a dick, when so much of that time and energy could have been put into investigating his best friend's murder, which is the entire reason for the book. And when Andrew decided to actually be a somewhat decent human being, the investigation as well as the romance was *snaps fingers* resolved.
The romance.. There isn't much to say about it except it was toxic and unhealthy, and the author didn't even develop it enough for me to love how toxic and unhealthy it was! They seriously went from hating each other to *snaps fingers* "can't live without you". Hello?!
I know that people said this was a slow burn but the ending was so rushed, the character development being nonexistant until the last 50 pages where they changed completely, and left me feeling very unsatisfied.
All in all I liked the concept of this book, but what I think could have been a haunting story and melancholy romance ended up wilting under poor plot / character development, wishy-washy / hard to understand magic and douchbagery....more
There is something so special about Margaret Owen's writing and her stories. Her characters are so delightful, their humor so witty and yet the worldsThere is something so special about Margaret Owen's writing and her stories. Her characters are so delightful, their humor so witty and yet the worlds are so gothic and she covers some pretty dark topics, the contrast is amazing. I immensely enjoy her books and Little Thieves is no different.
Little Thieves is such a fun romp through a world of Low Gods, killing curses, and creatures that go bump in the night. I absolutely loved the imagery, the world that Owen created of Low Gods, and ghastly creatures, of deep woods, bone magic and dark Midwinter nights. A world in which a child is left at a crossroads to be raise by the Low Gods, Death and Fortune. Little Thieves is hauntingly atmospheric, and gave me huge Guillermo del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth vibes.
Vanja is a classic Owen's badass. Life has dealt her shit, and she is not taking it any longer. She is bold, hilarious and flawed, which make her character development so much better. And while she is quite the presence while on page, the secondary characters Emeric, Gisele, Ragne, are so well-developed that they shine just as brightly. Especially Ragne, love her. The romance is sweet and subtle, and lovely. While this is a young adult, and the characters are technically 16/17, the themes and topics covered in this book are more mature, and characters voices read more like early 20s if I'm being honest, and that was a plus for me.
One of my favorite things about Owen's stories is how diverse the characters and worlds are, there are people from different cultural backgrounds, different walks of life, sexual & gender identity, etc,. Her books truly reflect the world around.
Thick with themes of found family, self-acceptance, and forging a path of one's own, Little Thieves was such a delight to read.
Honestly, no one does gothic fantasy like Owens....more
Practical Magic meets Halloweentown minus the creepy, abusive (and dead) ex boyfriend. INSTEAD we have a deviously handsome and WITTY ex, who is made Practical Magic meets Halloweentown minus the creepy, abusive (and dead) ex boyfriend. INSTEAD we have a deviously handsome and WITTY ex, who is made all the hotter by his accent, it's true. This book is seriously everything I'm looking for in a cozy, fun and spoopy Halloween read. Just the town itself is the most picturesque little spooksville. I want to live there. Immediately.
Vivi is hilarious, endearing and relatable. Drowning her sorrows in an extremely lavish bubble bath, overflowing with bubbles and surrounded by candles? Lol, this is a weekly routine for me. Drunkenly casting spells and curses with a bestie? HELLO I FEEL SO SEEN.
But even more hilarious is her cousin. Oh my god, I LOVE Gwyn. Nearly everything out of that woman's mouth had me cackling with mad glee. Then add Aunt Elaine with her Stevie Nicks vibes and they had the most fun little coven.
Plot wise, this was cute and so fun. Again, I have to say seriously perfect for a light and cozy Halloween read. And honestly, from the other reviews I've seen, the plot was a lot better and more creative than I thought it was going to be. Though I will agree that one certain closet scene was a little like... really...? here...? now...? IN THIS CREEPY ASS HOUSE?! But I digress. I would have preferred more emotional development between the two MCs and better sexual tension, but I still loved all their interactions, and their banter was pretty great.
Now I am 100% NOT trying to sound rude, or bitchy, or negative, but what made this romcom stand out IS the Halloween vibes. Would I have rated it 4 stars without them? Probably not (though definitely no less that 3.5). Do I think the cozy Halloween / witchy vibes makes this a completely unique romcom? Yes. Will I reread this every year for Halloween vibes? ALSO YES. So yeah, this is more a 3/3.5 star read but I’m rounding up because of the cozy Halloween vibes.
No regrets. This was perfect for Halloween season, and nearly exactly what I was hoping for when I picked it up....more
The ABSOLUTE AUDACITY people have to rate this so low, y’all don’t know taste or gothic horror. I feel like, as a gothic horror lover, it is my DUTY tThe ABSOLUTE AUDACITY people have to rate this so low, y’all don’t know taste or gothic horror. I feel like, as a gothic horror lover, it is my DUTY to shove this book in everyone’s face.
Not gonna lie, I almost didn’t read this because the GR ratings are so low, but I’m so happy I did because it’s phenomenal?! Idk what the hell is going on here, but this book is gothic horror perfection!! Did I know what was going on the whole time? No. Was I on the edge of my seat, in love with the characters, and creepy ass house up on the hill (not literally on a hill but you get the picture)? Yes. Did I think I was delusional? Yes. Did I think Jane was delusional, hallucinating out of her mind? Yes and then no, and then yes, and finally I DON’T KNOW. But that’s what makes this book so deliciously captivating & creepy as hell.
Jane Shoringfield is a logical woman, a woman who is most at ease with her ledgers and numbers. Being the extremely logical woman she is, Jane decided that she would prefer a more businesslike marriage, as opposed to a love marriage. So what does she do? She compiles a list of the best suitors, as logical women do, and ding ding ding finds herself running to the alter with the town doctor. It ends up being a love marriage and they live happily after LOLLLL. If only.
Turns out Jane bit off a little more than she can chew, in classic gothic horror protagonist fashion, and not only ties herself to the town doctor, but to his creepy manor. A manor in which she is never to visit, and yet she does, and that, my friends, is where all logical packs it’s bags and walks right out the door.
So begins the wild, and absolutely creepy, tale of dark magic, hauntings, and Jane trying to figure out what exactly is going on at Lindridge Hall, and with her husband, and ME trying to figure out if Jane has absolutely lost it, or if she should kill her husband and burn the manor down.
The Death of Jane Lawrence is hauntingly atmospheric, with narration and descriptions that kept me in a constant state of unease and uncertainty, add in spells written in blood, a whirlwind victorian romance and a foreboding gothic manor, and BAM! I have a new favorite, and nightmares… probably some nightmares.
I love when I finish a book thinking “…. what… in the hell did I just read…?” And that’s exactly how I felt after finishing The Death of Jane Lawrence, absolutely Mindfucked and happy about it. I honestly loved everything about this, and I can’t wait to purchase a copy (I rented it from the library :) ) so I can set it right next to my much loved copy of Rebecca.
**Also the blurb describes it as having Crimson Peak, Rebecca, and Shirley Jackson vibes and the answer is YES TO ALL...more
2021 Re-read: I listened to this with the kids I'm nannying, they liked it but not as much as Howl's Moving Castle. I agree. 2021 Re-read: I listened to this with the kids I'm nannying, they liked it but not as much as Howl's Moving Castle. I agree. ...more
Illium and Aodhan, my sweet babies. My most precious ship, that I lovingly bui"All my loves leave me in the winter snow."
3 STARS (**or4/4.5 depending)
Illium and Aodhan, my sweet babies. My most precious ship, that I lovingly built and protected for the last five years. I am so happy for them, I'm so happy for me, I'm so happy for the readers of this series, that we get to see such a beautiful friendship transform into something more.
To say this was my most anticipated read, ever, is an understatement. I’m telling you I PINED for this couple, I saw the signs of their friendship developing into something more and I hoped and hoped that Nalini wouldn’t let them (and me) down by shoving them into some hetero relationship (that would NOT be true to the characters and the development we’ve seen over the years) because The Guild Hunter series has been, until this point, a M/F series. I’m so happy that Nalini didn’t avoid telling this love story, and honestly anyone who is upset about this relationship development can leave the fandom. Trust me, we won’t miss you.
Now, let me tell you, this book is really VERY hard for me to review and I feel like I should put a disclaimer.
**Disclaimer, I feel like this review needs to be taken with two grains of salt: 1. IF this is the first of two books (or more) about Illium and Aodhan, a book to show their past and highlight their friendship, before having a second that focuses more on the development of their romance, THEN I would rate this higher. IF this is the only book we will ever be getting for Illium and Aodhan, which I really hope not, then I can't help but be left wanting.
2.I read this so fast, and maybe on a slower re-read I will see the little pieces I felt were missing.
This, truly, is a book that highlights Illium and Aodhan’s friendship. We, as readers, get to see them grow up not only together, but with other members of Raphael’s Seven. We get to watch all those small, and precious, moments that bonded them. We get to see Illium’s childhood before and after Sharine went into the Kaleidoscope and we get to finally, finally, learn of the horrors that happened to Aodhan centuries ago. We get to see all the things that make them Illium and Aodhan, and Sparkle and Bluebell: dynamic duo. We get to see how their friendship began, endured, and began to fall apart. It was both a heartwarming and heartbreaking reading experience. A reason why it is so hard for me to rate this book is because there are no moments from Illium’s and Aodhan’s past stories that I would remove. Illium and Aodhan’s past is just as important to their romantic development as their present. The flashbacks to their past, the development of their centuries long friendships, and their personal development, were fantastic. And yet…
While I loved Illium and Aodhan’s story, this book was not perfect.
For all the time spent showcasing the growth and foundation of their deep friendship, for all their healing and individual development, there was little, to honestly no, time spent on Illium and Aodhan’s actual romance. I knew this was going to be a slowburn, but having the romance start around 85% was disappointing. And for all those out there screaming, “Aodhan and Illium are just best friends! How could she do this?! There were no signs” and blah-blah-blah, just because their romance didn’t start until 85% doesn’t mean there wasn’t tension, that there wasn’t chemistry, because there was, there just wasn’t as much as I would’ve liked. From the moment I started reading their story I could tell they romantically loved each other (I mean I knew for books and books, and years and years but now I REALLY KNEW), it was just a matter of time before they discovered this. It’s was sweet and slow to unfurl, but it was undoubtedly there. The. entire. book. But sadly, a lot of the book set in the present was spent on a plot, that while good, dragged a bit in the beginning and honestly could have been wrapped up a lot faster than it was, imo. Which, as I said, left little to no time to do the romance the justice it deserved.
I understand that Nalini is writing for an audience that either mostly reads M/f, has never read M/M or who will never read M/M and while I applaud her, I still feel like she shied away. She gave readers just enough to be happy that Illium and Aodhan even GOT a love story, but she didn’t give it the same spice, the emotional development, the angst, drama, and passion as the other couples in her Guild Hunter series, and for that I am disappointed. I didn’t like that multiple times Aodhan and Illium stated that if their romance didn’t work out, they could go back to being best friends and pretend it never happened. I get they were trying to protect their friendship, but THAT felt like a cop out on Nalini’s part. I felt that while they were committed to being in each other’s lives forever, I wanted a more solid commitment to them as a couple. I wanted Nalini to commit to them, I wanted her to scream it from the mountains, to jump and sing that they were two best friends, men, in love, that they would spend the rest of their lives together exploring this love. I wanted her to REALLY piss all the homophobes right out of the fandom. I wanted more talking, more unpacking of their realization of romantic feelings for one another. I wanted to see them, together, living their best lives in New York. I wanted more blushing, more flirting, more emotional and physical intimacies. By the end we don’t even know if/when they will tell their friends, we don’t know what their plan is at all, except that they are going to try.
This is why I feel like there should be, at least, two books dedicated to Illium and Aodhan because, like Nalini said in her Newsletter, this VERY much felt like just the start of their story. Their story is so complex, 500 years in the making, and there's so much to unpack that just one book, especially a book that is so heavily focused on their past and their friendship, just does not do them, nor their romance, justice.
If this IS (hopes) part one of their story than it’s a solid 4/4.5 stars, but if not... it’s a 3 star. It really hurts my heart to think that this is all Illium and Aodhan will get, and that readers will be banished to, once again, experience most of their relationship development through other characters, in the background, or to have it develop off page....more
No one is more sad than me to say that this was disappointing. What I was expecting from Hell Bent was a rollercoaster ride through hell, haunting talNo one is more sad than me to say that this was disappointing. What I was expecting from Hell Bent was a rollercoaster ride through hell, haunting tales of dark magic, and demon possession that took the dark academia vibes to the next level and unfortunately this did not live up. I found most of the story rather mundane and boring, and I kept wondering when the plot would begin. It's not that this story was bad it's just that it wasn't as good as Ninth House. Everything felt less, lackluster and repetitive. I wanted more from Yale and the secret societies, more from Alex, more magic, more stakes, more plot and world development. I feel like that is the only way to describe how I feel about Hell Bent, I was expecting this installment to build off the momentum of Ninth House, but there was an abrupt stop between the end of Ninth House and the beginning of Hell Bent. A momentum that took too long to rebuild and when it did it just.. wasn't the more I was expecting.
I'll finish the series, but unless book three is out of this world great I won't be revisiting.
I will say I did appreciate the development of the secondary characters, and the strengthening of friendships and found family. That was my favorite part of Hell Bent.
3 melancholy stars --------------------- FINALLY FINALLY!! NOT ONLY A COVER BUT A SYNOPSIS?! I love that the cover is low-key gross, it gives it a horror vibe that I am HERE FOR! And that synopsis?! CANNOT WAIT.
My expectations are really high, please please book gods, don't let me be disappointed....more
First things first, El isn't morally grey she's just a raging bitch. Seriously the only character trait that she possessed was being rude as hell. OthFirst things first, El isn't morally grey she's just a raging bitch. Seriously the only character trait that she possessed was being rude as hell. Other than that she was drab and underdeveloped, just like everyone and everything else in this book. Who knew that magic could be so depressing, bleak and boring? I would have DNFed this if I wasn't listening to it on 2.5 speed and trying to blast through for my readathon.
This was one of the most info-dumpy books I've ever read, and yet I knew the bare minimum about the school, the world, the characters. Most of which, I had to piece together myself. El would go on these long ass tirades that in the end would still tell me nothing. The whole book I just felt like she was talking AT me.
I hated the school, I hated that there were no teachers, I hated that the magic didn't feel magical, or fun or cool. DARK MAGIC CAN BE FUN AND COOL, OKAY! I hated that I didn't know what anything looked like, what anyone looked like, that they never went outside or did anything besides go to class, WHICH WE NEVER SAW OR WERE SHOWN HOW CLASSES WORKED, to the bathroom, their rooms, the library or the cafeteria. Almost all the monsters had names but absolutely no descriptions as to their purposes or what they looked like. I still don't understand, even though El over-explained a lot, WHY parents send their kids to that depressing af school, why the world is the way it is, what's the point of life.
I listened to the audiobook, and I was under the understanding that the fucked up comment about magical lice in dreadlocks was removed from the publications of this book, but it was very much still there and very much fucked up and offensive.
This was just the worst, and I will not be continuing with this series....more
“When someone deviates from an accepted norm, they signal a gap in the system. A hole that hasn’t been plugged. The danger with exposi
4.5 S T A R S
“When someone deviates from an accepted norm, they signal a gap in the system. A hole that hasn’t been plugged. The danger with exposing a foundation’s failings is it opens the door to the possibility that it’s a faulty structure altogether and should be torn down and built anew.”
Wow, Lobizona is such an important book. I've never before read the perspective of an undocumented immigrant and their voices need to be heard. They're stories need to be told. Through Manu's eyes we, as readers, are faced with the fears and uncertainties that immigrants live through every day. We are faced with the reality of what it feels like to be told that one is "illegal", unwanted and unprotected.
Manu's story is beautiful and heartbreaking. It's a story about resilience, family, self-acceptance, rebelling against societal norms, and fighting for one's right to exist. Through the eyes of Manu, and surrounded by a world of magic and Argentinian folklore, Lobizona explores some pretty difficult and complex subjects: equity, equality, sexism, sexuality, immigration, and gender identity just to name a few. But the most important thing that Lobizona explores is the boxes that not only society has built around people but that we, as humans, put around each other, and how suffocating they can be. No one is meant to live in a box. How can one grow if they are forever surrounded by four unmoving walls?
Lobizona is a story about uncertainties and hope. It's a story about rebelling against a prejudice system and creating a spot of one's own. It's a story about finding friendships, and love, and magic. It's a story of finding oneself.
And all these things, all these moments of self-acceptance, of epiphanies and rebellions, of finding where one belongs, take place in the most vivid and exciting world. I loved the world of Lobizona so much, and it's now up there with some of my all-time favorites. El Laberinto was a beautiful setting. The way in which the school was written, with the brujas and lobizónes and the different classes, the way in which stories and folklore were woven throughout--it was all so whimsical and so much fun to explore. I seriously could not get enough. I felt the sparks of the love and magic that I felt when I first read Harry Potter. Garber's writing, and use of prose, was beautiful and helped to further enhance that feeling of otherworldliness and magic.
I absolutely a d o r e d Manu. She was such an endearing character and I instantly fell in love with her. I loved being inside her head and discovering this world within a world with her. I loved experiencing her making friends and coming into her own. Manu was alive and so were the other characters. Every single one shone when it was their moment and I loved, loved the cast of secondary characters. Especially a certain lobizón, swoooon.
This would have, hands down, been a five star for me if it weren't for the ending. You know when you're reading a book, and you're loving it and you're like "yes, yes, yes please don't fall apart at the end, we're so close", and yet it does? That's what happened here, not a lot, definitely a little but the end was still... Certain revelations felt really rushed and a little cheesy to me, specifically a certain scene by a lake. I wish the ending had been stronger, but other than that there is so so much to love about this book!
I'm seriously so f r e a k i n g excited for the next book. Like, I need it nowwww. I cannot wait to see what adventures await Manu and her found family, and I'm so excited to delve more into Argentinian folklore and Garber's heritage.
P.S. Be sure to read the author's note at the end!!
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review...more
"I've got you," Jin said in my ear. "Let go; I've got you."
LOVING these very Avatar: The Last Airbender moments between Amani and Ji3.75 S T A R S
"I've got you," Jin said in my ear. "Let go; I've got you."
LOVING these very Avatar: The Last Airbender moments between Amani and Jin. L O V I N G!
What I didn't love was HOW LITTLE JIN WAS IN THIS ONE, half my attention was spent looking for him and hoping he would show up on the next page. WHERE IS JIN?! I constantly screamed in my head. I really do love him so. And while I still loved Amani with all my heart, and really enjoyed this installment, it didn't quite have the same adventurous feel as Rebel of the Sands. Upon starting Traitor to the Throne I was really excited to see Amani interact more with Jin, Shazad, and the rebels, but this story takes her away from them all and deep into the Sultan's Palace, into the harem. I really enjoyed the aspect of the harem, wicked are the ways of women are they not?, and I loved all the politics that Amani had to wade through. While the first book was more of a race against time and the desert, this one was all about scheming and I love me a good scheme.
Hamilton uses Amani's time spent in the palace as a way to expand on the world's folklore, adding in new stories (love me a story within a story, especially when they are tales of mythical beings and magic) and... creatures. I love the folklore and the magic so much, but we already know this from the last one so we won't get into it. I'm very intrigued to see where we go from here because BOY DID IT ALL JUST GO UP IN FLAMES! It was interesting, and a little frustrating, watching Amani having to survive in the palace without all the things that made her so ferocious. She was definitely out of her element and there was some good character growth, and a lot of having to relay on alternative means to an end. But you know what, girl still has attitude and attitude can get you far.
AND THE ROMANCE, though it did not take a huge role in the book, was swoon city when it was around. I absolutely adore the way Hamilton has written Amani and Jin's romance, it's so freaking sweet and Amani and Jin are so committed to each other. I loved that she didn't add a new love interest just for the sake of drama, and instead focused on how Amani felt being away from Jin. How much she missed and yearned for him, and she reflected on how she could be a better partner once they were reunited. I get it girl, I would yearn for him too. I DID YEARN FOR HIM. They really are perfect for each other.
While a lot happened in this book, it's thicc, the pacing was a little.. off... I have this strange feeling that everything happened and also nothing. As the reader I felt like I was mostly waiting around for the rebels, *cough* Jin *cough* to show up and while it was fun I do think it could have been shorter. Hamilton has a lot of great stories, ideas, etc., but the execution could have been a little tighter.
That being said, I LOVED the end. OMG I couldn't decide if I wanted to scream in shock or cry. Twas good. Hamilton continues to introduce complex and interesting characters, as well as building upon already strong and badass women. I loveeeee Shazad and Amani's friendship and how women are at the forefront on the rebellion, kickin' ass and takin' names, and spitting into the face of the patriarchy, as we should be.
This series has been SOOOO fun so far and I can't believe I'm already onto the last one. Here's to hoping it's epic and doesn't destroy my soul!
The last one better be all Jin, ALL THE TIME. ...more
Oh, you mean the "dark, dark wood" that was in literally two seconds of this book? [image]
Winterwood1.5 S T A R S
"Be careful of the dark, dark wood
Oh, you mean the "dark, dark wood" that was in literally two seconds of this book? [image]
Winterwood is a lot of things but "fun", "intriguing", and "engaging" are not any of them. "Repetitive", "convenient" and "try hard" are more like it.
In the 300+ pages of this book not a single exciting thing happened. Not one. 300+ pages and countless hours spent inside Nora's head, which was the thickest btw, while she repeated and repeated and repeated that her Grandma was a dreamwalker, Walker women each had their own special powers (except of course she didn't *eye roll*), don't go into the Wicker Woods, and blah-blah-blahhhhh. To break up the monotony that was Nora's inner monologue there would be pages from her family spellbook, a spellbook that she only used ONCE to make freakin' tea, spread throughout. You'd think this would be fun, but it was the most useless info dump about past Walker women and how they died, which literally had NOTHING to do with the story.
Both Nora and Oliver were extremely two dimensional and there was absolutely, 100% no chemsitry between them. Just like with the rest of the book, the "romance" (HA) read like it was something that was supposed to be included and so it was. This is what I'm talking about when I say this book was "convenient", everything just fell into place. There's supposed to be a villain? Here. A romance? We'll throw that in there too. A betrayal. Check. A climax. Done. And so on and so forth. This read like a monotonous checking of boxes to me and was so predictable. Predictable as in Jess (BR partner extraordinar, is this even a word?) & I both guessed most of the plot "twists" within the first 3 chapters, and pretty much already knew how it would end. We were pretty spot on. Go us.
There are three good things about Winterwood: 1. The cover 2. The concept - this could have been so creepy and witchy 3. The vibe - Ernshaw's writing was very atmospheric, not going to lie, but it just seemed like she was trying so hard. The prose were pretty at the beginning but then started to get into the realm of weird. Like, you're really saying “Lies sift along the floorboards like mice searching for a place to nest"? Um. Okay. But it's not. It's not okay.
I don't know if what I did to get through the last 100 pages of this book could be classified as "reading". It was more like picking out random words that looked important. I'm so glad this is over and now I can move on. I'll be damned if it messes up my Reading Challenge.
If I weren't reading this with Jess, this would have been a hard DNF for me. It's not 1 stars because it didn't truly enrage me. It was just so beige. [image]...more
In Windwitch I was once again taken on an epic adventure, across the continent and through sea battles. I enc*sighs contently* I really enjoyed this.
In Windwitch I was once again taken on an epic adventure, across the continent and through sea battles. I encountered monsters, both of the human and creature variation, dream-walked, and learned more and more about The Witchlands. I loved Iseult, Safi, Merik and Aeduan harder and was delighted by the introduction of new characters. These books have such a fun "The gangs all here" vibe and I am so so into it. I witnessed the development of characters and their moral ambiguity get just a touch grayer. I rooted for my girls and loved the girl power vibes that emanated from the pages. I swooned and waited on bated breath for a kiss.
I was entrapped and loved every second of it.
I also wish I had taken notes because damn... the world is complex and there are still many things to learn. ...more
Hayley ☾ (TheVillainousReader)
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