i really wish i had loved this one, it had elements that i've been loving lately: heroine from a non-european country coming to europe for business/fai really wish i had loved this one, it had elements that i've been loving lately: heroine from a non-european country coming to europe for business/family responsibility and being a girl boss, hero who's obsessed with the heroine, premarital sex (a weird thing to call out in contemporary but this is a historical so ooo scandal lmao)
but the plot and the chemistry between hero/heroine just didn't do it for me. i was mostly bored :(...more
so transparently, i've been putting off reading this. i've carved out a lil niche for myself on the internet where i read lists that goodreads cobblesso transparently, i've been putting off reading this. i've carved out a lil niche for myself on the internet where i read lists that goodreads cobbles together & then make videos about my thoughts and feelings. and if this book is featured on a list, i find reasons to skip it.
this time, i did not. and i'm not sure if that was the best decision.
certainly, this book is a dark and raw attempt to document the life of someone affected by grooming from a pedophilic teacher. in the way it handles that material, i think it's skillful.
but not to be flippant, this ruined my day? i don't think that this gave me anything new to consider on a topic i've read about before. and i doubt that's really the point. but in some ways it reminded me of why i can't seem to finish A Little Life. seemingly unending sadness with nothing profound to gain.
regardless, the book is read. and i can add it to my list of recommendations for people who like indulging in sadness....more
i'm always more generous with my reviews when i listen to an audiobook in its entirety when i'm outside enjoying the sunshine. and that's the case heri'm always more generous with my reviews when i listen to an audiobook in its entirety when i'm outside enjoying the sunshine. and that's the case here as well, but genuinely, i don't think this book is as bad as the reviews will have you believe.
it's just marketed awfully
the cover and the description are giving fairly simple contemporary witchy sapphic romance. it is decidedly not that. this is a multi-pov adult fantasy with one of those POVs having a sapphic subplot. you've got a magical location that is slowly dying along with the people in it. and the desperate witches who are trying to save the town by essentially kidnapping and indoctrinating people with latent magical abilities.
so... not a light hearted story. lol.
that being said, the world was interesting and so were the character motivations. i didn't like the romantic storylines but i enjoyed the rest. i'd be tentatively interested in continuing with the series....more