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torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, and Self harm
Minor: Cursing, Animal death, Confinement, Vomit, Alcohol, and Child abuse
sarah_sedai_blueajah's review
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
_marycappiello3's review
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Kidnapping
starlit_pathways's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Violence
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Alcohol
j_the_human's review
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I started this book and thought it’d be a four. Then halfway through thought it’d be 4.5. And then got to the end and went “what the fuck was that” so it’s back to a 4. (I will be reading book 2 but honestly WHAT)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Murder
abigailrosalynn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Oh my god this was SUCH a fun and cozy and engaging read. It felt nostalgic to some of my faves from middle grade and YA, such a fun run through my memory collection of species of fae and the otherworldly folk. I love love love Emily and I love Wendell and the other cast of characters (POE!) and I can't wait to continue the journey. The world building was *chef's kiss* and I think that Heather Fawcett does a great job of the "flesh out what you know and the audience won't notice what you don't" fundamental building blocks of fantasy. It's been a while since I've read something that rang so true to my type of book. While I've really enjoyed some books recently, they were chosen by others for bookclub and surprises for me. This is exactly the type of book I needed 🩵 AND it was a perfect book to read in one day while the power is out!
Content Warnings
Minor: Kidnapping, Ableism, Cursing, Abandonment, Blood, Mental illness, and Classism
valjeanval's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Well, it was short. For me, the narrator is the sort of really tiresome, "Oh I just can't relate to people because I love academia so much" trope that just rubs me the wrong way. The setting too is a sort of romanticized version of the turn of the century without any sexism or homophobia which, you know, that would've been nice but using just the aesthetic without any of its challenges just reads weirdly to me.
Essentially, it's a romance book with a loose fantasy dressing which is just never going to be my cuppa.
Essentially, it's a romance book with a loose fantasy dressing which is just never going to be my cuppa.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Blood
maradf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Animal death
thecandiegirl's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Violence, Confinement, and Kidnapping
kgreer's review
adventurous
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I didn’t know what I was going to rate this book until after I finished it and reflected in the entire journey.
The book is very slow until the Emily’s colleague/friend-enemy comes to stay. Some people loved the beginning but it was just not my cup of tea.
You know that feeling when you get second hand anxiety or embarrassment? Well the first half of the book, Emily continually gave it to me. I couldn’t grasp how she was supposed to be a leader in her field (which included getting close to the communities tied to the fae) and why she was struggling so much with the townspeople.
I have seen some discussion about her potentially being a woman with autism. As a fellow neurodivergent, I love when authors just write the experience of the character and don’t feel like they have to announce the “disorder” with an ton of bells and whistles and make a big deal out of it.
This discourse about Emily and her potential neurodivergent brain really expanded how I read the book and honestly how I’ll read any book moving forward.
What saved this book for me was the glimpses of Fae politics, Emily interacting with the fae, and of course the romance between Emily and her friend-enemy. These elements made the book a 3 star read but an extra star is well earned for how well the book was written as part diary and part academic notes. I am a sucker for academia themed plots.
The book is very slow until the Emily’s colleague/friend-enemy comes to stay. Some people loved the beginning but it was just not my cup of tea.
You know that feeling when you get second hand anxiety or embarrassment? Well the first half of the book, Emily continually gave it to me. I couldn’t grasp how she was supposed to be a leader in her field (which included getting close to the communities tied to the fae) and why she was struggling so much with the townspeople.
I have seen some discussion about her potentially being a woman with autism. As a fellow neurodivergent, I love when authors just write the experience of the character and don’t feel like they have to announce the “disorder” with an ton of bells and whistles and make a big deal out of it.
This discourse about Emily and her potential neurodivergent brain really expanded how I read the book and honestly how I’ll read any book moving forward.
What saved this book for me was the glimpses of Fae politics, Emily interacting with the fae, and of course the romance between Emily and her friend-enemy. These elements made the book a 3 star read but an extra star is well earned for how well the book was written as part diary and part academic notes. I am a sucker for academia themed plots.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping