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3.18 AVERAGE
3.18 AVERAGE
I so wanted to like it, but there was too much going on to connect with it.
The premise had promise, but I struggled to finish this. It was slow to start, slow in the middle and slightly less slow at the end. I didn't understand the mechanics of magic at all, nor did I really follow the storyline. I don't know if this is just me not vibing with the author's style or if it was just not written particularly well. The romance was bland and unnecessary. So overall, good ideas but just not the best execution.
Loved the story and loved the imagery. Kept me glued to the book. There were some parts where I was a little confused as to what was going on, but I'm willing to take the blame on that one.
At first I though “Meh”; I couldn’t connect to the story but as I read it drew me in & the last 3rd of the book was not what I was expecting. I did think the blending of the library of the lost & the curse over Wile Isle were too much to be in one book. It got a little confusing who could do what when etc… but I liked it how it got better as you went.
Persephone May grew up awkward, alone, and unlucky. She’s aware that she has a strange power that she doesn’t understand and can’t control so it’s always just a matter of time before she causes something terrible to happen and she has to run away and start over somewhere new. When she runs out of options, she reluctantly takes up an offer to see her only friend Hyacinth on Wile Isle. And that’s where it all really begins. She finally learns about where she came from, who her family is, and about her magical powers.
Overall this was a very detailed and inventive story that’s full of magic, time travel, and different worlds and dimensions. Definitely more on the fantasy spectrum than your regular witches and wizards tale. Looking back on it I feel like it kind of dragged even though there was so much going on. A solid three stars for me.
Overall this was a very detailed and inventive story that’s full of magic, time travel, and different worlds and dimensions. Definitely more on the fantasy spectrum than your regular witches and wizards tale. Looking back on it I feel like it kind of dragged even though there was so much going on. A solid three stars for me.
I read a review stating they chose this book for the beautiful cover and seasonally appropriate topics, but that it was slow and leaned too far into fantasy and I could not agree more. At first I liked that this was a unique witch book with - even though the witch-who-doesn’t-know-she’s-a-witch trope has been done -the island and the sisters and the curse were different and the touches of Greek mythology were right up my alley… but it felt slow and a little too far out with the other worlds and time jumping. I found myself confused. I also felt annoyed as every sentence started with “Persephone said” “Persephone did” “Persephone felt.” The writing seemed immature for such a long novel… a simplified YA version probably would have gone over better. I’d still recommend it to fans of witchy themes and family dramas, but also those more into fantasy with magic.
4.5 stars. This was such a mesmerizing, magical, wonderful read. My heart broke for Persephone May (great name) over and over and over again. This book is like Practical Magic meets The Night Circus, with a dash of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and a sprinkling of Harry Potter and The House in the Cerulean Sea for good measure.
And I just wanna say FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I CLOCKED HYACINTH AND ARIEL AND ELLISON. I feel vindicated and would like a pat on the back because I basically never can predict plot points. Of course I didn’t predict everything, I just had a general feeling/vibe about all the characters and I was proven right!!! My favorite character was definitely Moira — she was like a roasted marshmallow, crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. I was like I SEE HOW PERSEPHONE IS SNEAKING HER WAY INTO YOUR HEART, MOIRA, I see what’s happening here
And I just wanna say FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I CLOCKED HYACINTH AND ARIEL AND ELLISON. I feel vindicated and would like a pat on the back because I basically never can predict plot points. Of course I didn’t predict everything, I just had a general feeling/vibe about all the characters and I was proven right!!! My favorite character was definitely Moira — she was like a roasted marshmallow, crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. I was like I SEE HOW PERSEPHONE IS SNEAKING HER WAY INTO YOUR HEART, MOIRA, I see what’s happening here
I really wanted to like this book but I found it very slow and rather boring.
The cover and the title are what caught my attention in the first place but the story was lacking.
I'm sorry to the author but this is my honest opinion...I won't share this review with Amazon or Barnes and Noble...only here and NetGalley!
Again I'm sorry...
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy. All opinions are my own
The cover and the title are what caught my attention in the first place but the story was lacking.
I'm sorry to the author but this is my honest opinion...I won't share this review with Amazon or Barnes and Noble...only here and NetGalley!
Again I'm sorry...
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy. All opinions are my own
I'm sad to give this one only 3.5 stars because I really enjoyed the story and the themes, but found the writing to be unnecessarily wordy. I get setting up a scene and the ambiance of it, what I don't get is taking several paragraphs to do it in.
The magical journey Persephone goes on to find the place where she belongs is wonderfully full of twists, turns, and revelations that really make you want to follow along with her story. The people she meets along the journey are interesting and have very well-defined personalities and histories of their own. The magical island and other locations where the action takes place are memorable and great additions to the storytelling. Alas, the author's attempt to sound magical and mysterious through word count failed to work its magic with me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the read!
The magical journey Persephone goes on to find the place where she belongs is wonderfully full of twists, turns, and revelations that really make you want to follow along with her story. The people she meets along the journey are interesting and have very well-defined personalities and histories of their own. The magical island and other locations where the action takes place are memorable and great additions to the storytelling. Alas, the author's attempt to sound magical and mysterious through word count failed to work its magic with me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the read!
I requested this book for review on NetGalley (Thank you!!) for the cover and the title. Witchy books intrigue me so I was excited to delve right in. My heart broke for Persephone as soon as she was introduced to us in the story. It does start a little bit slow as we learn about Persephone and the world she is in. It picks up as soon as she steps foot on the island. There is magic, mystery, family secrets, romance and more. Pick it up! It's about a 4-5 hour read, which is my ideal length.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.