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2treads's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I really enjoyed this debut featuring sisters. The twining of a contemporary world with a fantastical one was also well done, especially the disability rep.
In both worlds we see Laine struggle to take care of her sister who has been severely injured/cursed after their parents are taken. She barely has time for herself or romance and feels guilty for even thinking that she could find someone for her own. On the flip side, Alyssa is concerned about how her condition is hampering Laine and only wantsto be able to communicate both her love, appreciation, and fear.
The way Moreau uses the parallels of the contemporary and fantasy worked really well as readers are able to draw connections between the worlds. The infusion of her cultural folklore also made this read even more enjoyable.
In both worlds we see Laine struggle to take care of her sister who has been severely injured/cursed after their parents are taken. She barely has time for herself or romance and feels guilty for even thinking that she could find someone for her own. On the flip side, Alyssa is concerned about how her condition is hampering Laine and only wantsto be able to communicate both her love, appreciation, and fear.
The way Moreau uses the parallels of the contemporary and fantasy worked really well as readers are able to draw connections between the worlds. The infusion of her cultural folklore also made this read even more enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Grief
Minor: Death and Death of parent
instalovewithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This was a wild ride. I listened to it on audio, and I highly recommend it in audio! The narrators are brilliant, and it fully immersed you into the story.
The two timelines/realities was such a interesting take on a horrifying story. There are some TW's that you must be aware of before starting it, and the ending isn't what you're going to think it is.
I wished Moreau made the two realities a bit more clear, but it was good to have some confusion on which reality might be the right one.
The two timelines/realities was such a interesting take on a horrifying story. There are some TW's that you must be aware of before starting it, and the ending isn't what you're going to think it is.
I wished Moreau made the two realities a bit more clear, but it was good to have some confusion on which reality might be the right one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Medical content
Minor: Gun violence
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
I think I would have preferred reading this via ebook or physical copy because Jasmin Walker and Marlo Su were great narrators but, I just think with first-person, present-tense writing, it personally works better for me as I read the ebook copy. Truly no disrespect to the narrators — I genuinely enjoyed their voices and narration! The way the POV was written just felt distracting sometimes. I almost wish the prose was just a bit more flowery if that makes sense.
Anyway, this was a curious new adult fantasy novel! The concept of two sisters one year post-trauma, and living in completely different realities, was quite fascinating. I did struggle with the voice/writing at times, like I mentioned above, but the plot was intriguing enough for me to follow. The worldbuilding felt a bit soft at times, with me not fully understanding how characters could jump between planes of reality. I wanted to comprehend the magic system and curses a bit more, but ultimately, I was pulled to the sisters' story in reclaiming their lives, and recovering after the events of a year ago (parents kidnapping and the curse enacted). I would love to hear ownvoices reviews about the representation of Alyssa as a disabled main character. I'm not entirely satisfied with the ending, so I'd love to hear more from my disabled friends on Alyssa's character and ending in particular.
Overall, I would try to read another book by Moreau, and I think it could be fruitful for her to try writing fantasy for younger readers too (many authors write across ages, and I think she could be one of them).
Thank you for Libro FM for the ALC - I'm sharing this honest review voluntarily.
cw: death of parents, sexual assault of a disabled person, anxiety, panic attack
I think I would have preferred reading this via ebook or physical copy because Jasmin Walker and Marlo Su were great narrators but, I just think with first-person, present-tense writing, it personally works better for me as I read the ebook copy. Truly no disrespect to the narrators — I genuinely enjoyed their voices and narration! The way the POV was written just felt distracting sometimes. I almost wish the prose was just a bit more flowery if that makes sense.
Anyway, this was a curious new adult fantasy novel! The concept of two sisters one year post-trauma, and living in completely different realities, was quite fascinating. I did struggle with the voice/writing at times, like I mentioned above, but the plot was intriguing enough for me to follow. The worldbuilding felt a bit soft at times, with me not fully understanding how characters could jump between planes of reality. I wanted to comprehend the magic system and curses a bit more, but ultimately, I was pulled to the sisters' story in reclaiming their lives, and recovering after the events of a year ago (parents kidnapping and the curse enacted). I would love to hear ownvoices reviews about the representation of Alyssa as a disabled main character. I'm not entirely satisfied with the ending, so I'd love to hear more from my disabled friends on Alyssa's character and ending in particular.
Overall, I would try to read another book by Moreau, and I think it could be fruitful for her to try writing fantasy for younger readers too (many authors write across ages, and I think she could be one of them).
Thank you for Libro FM for the ALC - I'm sharing this honest review voluntarily.
cw: death of parents, sexual assault of a disabled person, anxiety, panic attack
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Ableism, and Death
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