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j_day's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Blood, Suicide, Alcoholism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Alcohol, Sexism, Self harm, Grief, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Animal cruelty
deadbelle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
The beginning is hard to get through and I must admit I struggled to like it at first as it does read very much as a blatant YA book. Its also predictable and cheesy at times, but once you get used to it the writing style is quite endearing and overall an easy and enjoyable read.
Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Infidelity, and Animal death
alisylvi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
Graphic: Death of parent and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug abuse, Death, Medical content, and Suicide
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Classism, Vomit, Grief, and Sexual content
dovahkiin_freyja's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This story is full of ghosts and murder, with a surprising romantic aspect to it.
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Terminal illness and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
tuhkasirius's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Child death, Death of parent, Vomit, and Terminal illness
Minor: Animal death
xtsukix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
katievallin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Grief, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual content, and Sexism
Minor: Classism, Body shaming, Infertility, Child abuse, and Pregnancy
nutmegandpumpkin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.25
I’ll give credit where credit is due: the murder mystery was done really well and was the only reason I kept reading & wanted to finish the book (Blythe being at the center of it and being a favorite character of mine also helped me finish the book). I genuinely had fun trying to solve the mystery occurring at the Hawthorne Estate but sadly I was too often overcome with a rage at the cons the book had that the fun never lasted long.
First off, I did not care AT ALL about Signa. I found her to be an annoying, boring halfwit of a protagonist. Which is confusing because surely a character who cannot die, can speak to death & spirits, AND has powers wouldn’t be boring. But alas. There were also so many instances where I found myself rolling my eyes at Signa’s decisions; I didn’t understand her complete idiocy when things felt so obvious they were staring her right in the face. Because I didn’t care about Signa, anything that didn’t have to do with the murder mystery such as her debut into high society or her interaction with her love interest(s) made me want to rip my hair out. Okay that’s dramatic, I just was uninterested and wanted the plot to get back to the murder mystery portion. Other than Blythe, I enjoyed the characters of Lillian, Thaddeus, and the Apothecary woman (mostly side characters).
Second, Death and Signa’s relationship gave me the ick. Like I can often overlook immortal beings that are thousands of years old with a 19 yr old but the way Adalyn Grace writes their relationship feels so gross and weird. Death first meets Signa when she’s just been freshly birthed and then watches her grow up and then gets into a sexual/intimate relationship with her. Normally I would mark this as a spoiler but it is SO obvious from the start that they will eventually be hot for each other. Not only does Death first lay eyes on Signa was she is a wee little baby but Adalyn Grace MULTIPLE TIMES MIND YOU describes Death as speaking to Signa as “if she were a child.” It just made me so uncomfortable and I’m sure I cringed through all their scenes together.
Third, one of the supposedly biggest reveals (other than the murder mystery) was extremely obvious. So obvious that I predicted it by Chapter 3, page 24. The actual reveal wasn’t until Chapter 43, page 372.
I was majorly disappointed with this book. I was hoping for more ghosts and a more likable protagonist but didn’t get either.
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Animal death
Minor: Suicide attempt, Child abuse, and Medical content
moonchild_cos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Murder, Chronic illness, Child death, and Sexual content
Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, and Animal death
roses_posy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Death and Vomit
Moderate: Animal death