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mirandyli's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Cute sequel but the plot is kind of all over the place. I'm still not quite sure what's going on. Maybe the last book will explain everything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Blood, Cursing, Death, Animal death, Death of parent, and Homophobia
reinik's review
adventurous
funny
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, Cursing, and Mental illness
Minor: Gore and Confinement
seraphimgt's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A re-read. The world building, once again, carries the story. And Shepard. I do like Shepard. That being said, I don't remember Simon and Penny being this irritating during my first read through. I get that they're Going Through It™ and that their flaws make them more realistic, but still... Their hard-headedness is not nearly as endearing in the sequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia
daffodilcherry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was such a fun sequel to Carry On. Simon has defeated the great evil, he's gotten his vampire boyfriend, but he's lost his magical powers, his mentor, and his sense of purpose. I love the "so what?" continuation of this book from the typical "chosen one" narrative. Simon's and Baz's relationship is so fragmented and torturous, they both love each other but they are falling apart... It made me want to bite somebody. I enjoyed the fun take on the American magic society, and the creatures who were introduced. A++
Wheelhouses: so you saved the world, now what; roadtrip, roadtrip to rediscover yourselves, extension of the magical world, silicone valley vampires.
Favourite quotes: [[ I touch Simon Snow like he's made of glass. Like he'll explode if I cross the wrong wires.
He touches me like he can't decide whether to push or pull me, and he's settled on both. I go where he wants. I take what I can get.
"Can I?" he asks.
Can you what, Simon? Kiss me? Kill me? Break my heart? I touch him like he's made of butterfly wings. ]]
[[And I resist demanding an explanation.
Why now, what's the key? How do I get back here tomorrow? Promise to let me back in.
Sometimes Simon kisses me like it's the end of the world, and I worry he might believe that it is.]]
Wheelhouses: so you saved the world, now what; roadtrip, roadtrip to rediscover yourselves, extension of the magical world, silicone valley vampires.
Favourite quotes:
He touches me like he can't decide whether to push or pull me, and he's settled on both. I go where he wants. I take what I can get.
"Can I?" he asks.
Can you what, Simon? Kiss me? Kill me? Break my heart? I touch him like he's made of butterfly wings. ]]
[[And I resist demanding an explanation.
Why now, what's the key? How do I get back here tomorrow? Promise to let me back in.
Sometimes Simon kisses me like it's the end of the world, and I worry he might believe that it is.]]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Violence, Gun violence, Death, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
leonormsousa's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Blood, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
eetishmeh's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
[This review was written after reading the entire Simon Snow trilogy. It doesn't contain spoilers of the last book.]
A great bridge book*!
But a bridge book all the same.
(*Sometimes, 2nd books in series—especially triolgies—tend to drag a little, and act more as a bridge between the 1st and 3rd book than as a book in itself, so I call them bridge books. Not all bridge books are horrible—this one certainly isn't!—but they still don't feel as fulfilling as the 1st or 3rd books.)
I was gonna rate this 4.5 stars then remembered all the Simon and Baz moments and pulled the rating up by 0.25 stars. What can I say—I'm biased.
Here's some thoughts I had while reading:
I will forever be 10% activated. Or less.
An excessive amount of vampires. Excellent!
Interesting to know that Simon is the more jealous one...
Started to understand the pop culture references more in this one. I didn't get most of the ones in the 1st book. Probably because I was like 8 when it was published and am neither British nor American
Also, truth be told, I was worried Shepard was only going to be along for the ride just to be a rebound from Micah. I suppose I've been rendered paranoid after so many YA romance stories with this trope... Anyway, he grew on me!
I like how this book addresses the toll our main characters took on after the events of the first book. I didn't really like the plot that much, but it was all right. Also, loving how it started with an epilogue and ended with a prologue! All endings are beginnings, vice versa and all that! Overall a very good read!
A great bridge book*!
But a bridge book all the same.
(*Sometimes, 2nd books in series—especially triolgies—tend to drag a little, and act more as a bridge between the 1st and 3rd book than as a book in itself, so I call them bridge books. Not all bridge books are horrible—this one certainly isn't!—but they still don't feel as fulfilling as the 1st or 3rd books.)
I was gonna rate this 4.5 stars then remembered all the Simon and Baz moments and pulled the rating up by 0.25 stars. What can I say—I'm biased.
Here's some thoughts I had while reading:
An excessive amount of vampires. Excellent!
Interesting to know that Simon is the more jealous one...
Started to understand the pop culture references more in this one. I didn't get most of the ones in the 1st book. Probably because I was like 8 when it was published and am neither British nor American
I like how this book addresses the toll our main characters took on after the events of the first book. I didn't really like the plot that much, but it was all right. Also, loving how it started with an epilogue and ended with a prologue! All endings are beginnings, vice versa and all that! Overall a very good read!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Death, and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent
Please look up warnings for this book before reading! I likely missed a few tagsajsterkel's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
I highly recommend this series because it's hilarious.
Simon Snow is a parody of the fantasy genre that follows a group of friends who have recently graduated (or dropped out) of wizard school. In this book, they decide to go on a road trip across the US because they need a vacation from constantly saving the wizarding world. Of course nothing on the trip goes as planned.
This series is brilliant because of how average the characters are. They're normal people in their early 20s who just happen to be wizards. They mess up their relationships and make impulsive decisions. They're insecure. They're not very good at saving each other from danger. It's a refreshing take on the genre. These characters aren't heroes. They're just kids with magic. And dragon wings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Gun violence, and Death
ameliaj_adams's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.25
I loved this book! It does an excellent job of building on the characters and world from the previous book, and the adventure is just so much fun!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Blood, and Gun violence
emilyg0663's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book is dark! Be prepared to be at the edge of your seat the whole time, and be desperate for the third book afterwards.
Wayward Son shows Simon, Baz and Penelope in a new light, and a completely different world! If the first book, Simon and Penelope have magic and can hold their own in a fight, Baz too. But here, they are completely unmatched but extremely lucky!! Every situation, every fight, they are either completely defeated or won but beaten up to exhaustion. They are broken and depressed and dragging their feet as they travel through this book, which made me feel helpless. Even the finale was crazy because they completely got lucked out with the Talkers just randomly showing up. It wasn’t completely random as it’s all Agatha was talking about in the book, but damn! They are all bleeding and in pain at the end, which doesn’t make it feel like a victory at all!!
This makes me extremely nervous for the characters, as they are not good heroes anymore. They can’t do anything right, and even Penelope has no plan which is completely a left field! I actually don’t feel as strongly attached to the characters anymore compared with the first book. <Spoilers> Penelope is an arrogant ‘know it all’ who actually is just a child who knows nothing, Simon is a broken human who has lost his reason for life but is brash and jumps into trouble every second he can. I was absolutely furious with Simon for this, wanted to smack him and tell him ‘sit down!’ And Baz did the most growth as to finding about more about himself, but he’d tided down to my most hated troupe; strained relationships over miscommunication……..
Other thing that stressed me out was the fact that every group hates eachother for biases that they created. Everyone is doing wrong things and blaming the other groups for their misfortunes. It made me realised that there is no good guy in these books, that I don’t root for the vampires, the mages orange creatures. I don’t even root for Simon!
I can’t wait for book 3
Wayward Son shows Simon, Baz and Penelope in a new light, and a completely different world! If the first book, Simon and Penelope have magic and can hold their own in a fight, Baz too. But here, they are completely unmatched but extremely lucky!! Every situation, every fight, they are either completely defeated or won but beaten up to exhaustion. They are broken and depressed and dragging their feet as they travel through this book, which made me feel helpless.
This makes me extremely nervous for the characters, as they are not good heroes anymore. They can’t do anything right, and even Penelope has no plan which is completely a left field! I actually don’t feel as strongly attached to the characters anymore compared with the first book. <Spoilers> Penelope is an arrogant ‘know it all’ who actually is just a child who knows nothing, Simon is a broken human who has lost his reason for life but is brash and jumps into trouble every second he can. I was absolutely furious with Simon for this, wanted to smack him and tell him ‘sit down!’ And Baz did the most growth as to finding about more about himself, but he’d tided down to my most hated troupe; strained relationships over miscommunication……..
Other thing that stressed me out was the fact that every group hates eachother for biases that they created. Everyone is doing wrong things and blaming the other groups for their misfortunes. It made me realised that there is no good guy in these books, that I don’t root for the vampires, the mages orange creatures. I don’t even root for Simon!
I can’t wait for book 3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, War, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Minor: Kidnapping
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Alcohol, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Cursing