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youarethelibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was just meh, middle-of-the-road young adult fantasy. The magic system was based on eye color but wasn’t explained well, and the main character was out of it for half of the book due to substance abuse. Because of that, I thought the side characters were much more interesting than her. This book is also the first in a duology, but would have been fine to stand on its own. Not sure why a second book is needed, and maybe it should have been a companion novel about Valoria instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Addiction, and Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
yellow_ylugbug's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, Death, and Death of parent
frantically's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
I don't know what the author was trying to achieve with this but I don't think it was creating the most sympathetic villain I've ever read about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Grief, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Death of parent
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5
I'm so glad I reread this!! Loved it so much.
Rep: Bisexual female MC, male love interest, sapphic female love interest (lesbian coded), gay male side character, achillean male side character, BIPOC side characters.
CWs: Addiction, blood, death, death of partner, drug abuse, fire/fire injury, grief, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, suicidal thoughts, violence. Moderate: alcohol consumption, body horror, confinement, cursing, gore, forced withdrawal from drugs.
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3.5/5
I'm still like super conflicted about this book. I did enjoy it, but I am having a hard time rating that enjoyment. This was an enjoyable book, I liked the world and the characters. However, the narrator really sucked at male voices and they sounded so weird. But I loved her voice for everyone else.
I liked Odessa for most part, except when she drowned her grief in calming tonics. And she was like I'm fine, I'm fine as she has constant delusions. Yeah okay girl. I loved that the supporting cast had some extra diversity as well. I really loved Simeon. Valoria was such an amazing character and friend to Odessa--which she probably didn't deserve but that's because Valoria is precious. I loved how she was an inventor and how she wanted to explore magic for science.
The plot was a bit predictable after about 50%, but I still enjoyed the story. I think the characters and world-building made up for it. I'm really curious as to what the sequel could be about since this wrapped up pretty nicely.
I'm so glad I reread this!! Loved it so much.
Rep: Bisexual female MC, male love interest, sapphic female love interest (lesbian coded), gay male side character, achillean male side character, BIPOC side characters.
CWs: Addiction, blood, death, death of partner, drug abuse, fire/fire injury, grief, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, suicidal thoughts, violence. Moderate: alcohol consumption, body horror, confinement, cursing, gore, forced withdrawal from drugs.
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3.5/5
I'm still like super conflicted about this book. I did enjoy it, but I am having a hard time rating that enjoyment. This was an enjoyable book, I liked the world and the characters. However, the narrator really sucked at male voices and they sounded so weird. But I loved her voice for everyone else.
I liked Odessa for most part, except when she drowned her grief in calming tonics. And she was like I'm fine, I'm fine as she has constant delusions. Yeah okay girl. I loved that the supporting cast had some extra diversity as well. I really loved Simeon. Valoria was such an amazing character and friend to Odessa--which she probably didn't deserve but that's because Valoria is precious. I loved how she was an inventor and how she wanted to explore magic for science.
The plot was a bit predictable after about 50%, but I still enjoyed the story. I think the characters and world-building made up for it. I'm really curious as to what the sequel could be about since this wrapped up pretty nicely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, and Forced institutionalization
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