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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
All I gotta say is the library better hope the second book I reserved today is there when I get to work in the morning lest they feel my wrath
This book was addictive and amazing and intense and beautiful and so much more. Roman & Iris are my favorite rivals to lovers EVER and I need more immediately and I have so many hopes for the second book I PRAY I am not let down by it
This book was addictive and amazing and intense and beautiful and so much more. Roman & Iris are my favorite rivals to lovers EVER and I need more immediately and I have so many hopes for the second book I PRAY I am not let down by it
4.5 rounding up to 5 because I loved it. I could have done without Roman and Iris getting married towards the end (they are 18 and 18!). Also once Roman got to the war front, we lost his POV. But I was enchanted at the “You’ve Got Mail/Little Shop Around The Corner/Parfumerie” of it all.
Quick, fun YA read following Iris and Roman—rival reporters at the Oath Gazette who also happen to be connected through magical typewriters. I actually was fully invested in the central romantic relationship for much of the book, but my biggest complaint is that it suddenly started progressing too quickly in a way that didn't feel believable (to me).
5 ⭐️ Rebecca Ross, you owe me compensation for that ending. How dare you. No spoilers in this review because I went into this book completely blind & honestly so should everyone else.
This was so beautiful written—I have no other word but lyrical?? So wonderfully evocative, so emotionally visceral. Some books suck you in and it plays like a movie, but this one was as all-encompassing as a dream. Iris & Roman are such beautifully real characters, the setting and mythology of this world are so interesting, and I really just wanna live in these pages forever. Attie is my spirit animal. Found family trope off the charts with Marisol & everyone else. Bury me with my FairyLoot copy like I am a pharaoh of old. December cannot come fast enough for the next book. I’m gonna be in an emotional spiral for days.
This was so beautiful written—I have no other word but lyrical?? So wonderfully evocative, so emotionally visceral. Some books suck you in and it plays like a movie, but this one was as all-encompassing as a dream. Iris & Roman are such beautifully real characters, the setting and mythology of this world are so interesting, and I really just wanna live in these pages forever. Attie is my spirit animal. Found family trope off the charts with Marisol & everyone else. Bury me with my FairyLoot copy like I am a pharaoh of old. December cannot come fast enough for the next book. I’m gonna be in an emotional spiral for days.
I really liked this book. Giving it a 4 / 5 because it kept me captivated enough to stay up past midnight to finish. However, while the “one way mirror” effect of the magical letters was wonderfully written, I think once the *big reveal* happened (trying to hide spoilers) it was almost rushed and too chaotic. I feel the last four or so chapters could’ve been drawn out a bit more and I wouldn’t have been mad about that. Felt the end got wrapped up far too quickly. Overall would recommend this book to anyone and am excited to read the second one!
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
First reread and I still throughly enjoyed this book. I’m not typically a fan of historical fantasy but this had just enough romance, banter, and interesting world building to keep me engaged.
this was fire. i ate this up like nothing else i finished it in like a day and a half and couldn’t focus on anything until i finished it. they’re literally so cute i love them, they’re mom and dad! the way she did the world building through their letters was so creative and was i kinda confused a tad throughout the book as to where things were occurring and general context for a lot of stuff? well yes! that’s lowkey what reading fantasy books is like and when u have a fantastic enemies to lovers plot line going on u can sacrifice some world building. idgaf why we’re in kilometers when this book is supposed to be entirely in a made up world because she just saved his life and now they’re having a tension filled moment and i want them to kiss bro.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have nothing interesting or clever to say because I’m not really sure how I feel about this book, but I feel like I’m committing a crime when I give low ratings to a book that everyone loves. Am I the problem? Don’t answer that.
ROMANCE:
Initially, I was rooting for this because I love books where the love interested are rivals and they’re teasing/being rude to each other: I EAT IT UP. Irl, I wouldn’t like enemies to lovers because I could never and would never want to like anyone I hate. But banter in books (which this book did have) has me like 😏.
Unfortunately for me, I don’t think they hated each other for long enough.
Their letters lacked depth and so did they (Romeh and Irmiss)
This wasn’t exactly insta love, but I don’t think there was enough tension. I didn’t buy their deep love for each other. Besides circumstances, I don’t see what reason they had to get married so soon.
PLOT:
Not much substance - just like me ig.
I hate high fantasy (SJM, Tolkein, faes and goblins), but I don’t mind light fantasy (as seen in book) and magical realism. I enjoyed the unique concept of the magical typewriter.
That being said, I didn’t love the myths/God aspect. I found it weak and uncompelling.
This started off strong, but I grew bored when Iris went away to work for the other magazine. I found that whole side of the plot very weak. But then I started to enjoy it again, when Roman came. And then I found it cringe and annoying when they got all lovey. I’m sorry: I have high standards.
TL;DR: Sometimes yeah, sometimes meh, sometimes bleh. (I’m so poetic. Give me a Pulitzer Prize already, please xox).