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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Was a decent story line, only one smut scene. A lot of typos/grammatical errors as well.
This book is trying to do far too much and it makes what could have been a cute story into an unfocused slog where nothing is properly developed. We have a mystery, the development of a friend group, a romance, a family reconciliation plot, and the main character learning about her newly discovered magic, but none of these elements tie together in a functional manner. They're completely separate plot threads each of which could be its own story.
To make matters even more annoying, the book is told in split perspectives between the romantic leads. That would be fine if this was a pure romance or if the male lead was tied into the other plot threads, but it's not and he isn't, so his chapters feel out of place as the romance is the least interesting thing going on here by far. It's very cookie cutter and should not be getting more development than the magic elements that are clearly supposed to be the central plot of the series. The romance should have been saved for a later book and this one should have focused on setting up the world. As-is, I struggled to finish it and have no interest in finding out what happens next. The characters and world were too underdeveloped for me to care.
It's too bad because I do think there's a good story here. I liked pretty much every idea the book introduced. Those ideas just needed room to develop and breathe. If this same story was told over two or even three books, then I probably would have enjoyed it! As is, I will not be continuing the series. I need more than good ideas. I need fully developed ideas that let me fall into the world of the story.
If the premise interests you and you have an audible subscription, then feel free to give it a listen. All three books in this series are free right now and the writing of the individual scenes isn't bad save for one, just know that the story is incredibly surface level and lacks any meaningful depth since most of the desperately needed character and plot development happens off screen.
To make matters even more annoying, the book is told in split perspectives between the romantic leads. That would be fine if this was a pure romance or if the male lead was tied into the other plot threads, but it's not and he isn't, so his chapters feel out of place as the romance is the least interesting thing going on here by far. It's very cookie cutter and should not be getting more development than the magic elements that are clearly supposed to be the central plot of the series. The romance should have been saved for a later book and this one should have focused on setting up the world. As-is, I struggled to finish it and have no interest in finding out what happens next. The characters and world were too underdeveloped for me to care.
It's too bad because I do think there's a good story here. I liked pretty much every idea the book introduced. Those ideas just needed room to develop and breathe. If this same story was told over two or even three books, then I probably would have enjoyed it! As is, I will not be continuing the series. I need more than good ideas. I need fully developed ideas that let me fall into the world of the story.
If the premise interests you and you have an audible subscription, then feel free to give it a listen. All three books in this series are free right now and the writing of the individual scenes isn't bad save for one
Spoiler
incredibly awkward sex scene
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Now I wish I had an overprotective British ghost butler father figure.
Find yourself on the quaint island town of Starfall for story of found family and ghosts as Riley Everett unexpectedly inherits the mysterious Shaddow House from a long lost aunt. And if the stress of inheriting a large Victorian house on an island off Michigan wasn’t enough, this one comes with a whole slew of haunted objects and their ghosts to look after. With the help of new friends - and new love? - can Riley excel at the house’s new steward.
This book was a cozy read that would be excellent for a fall day. I loved the ghosts that were introduced in this first book and cannot wait to see what Tiley and her other ghostly roommates get up to in following books in this series. I certainly found myself wanting to hear more about the main conflict of the series - the Welling locks - but I imagine that we will hear much more in following books. For a first book it did a good job of piquing my interest and getting me invested - especially in some of the ghosts stories.
Thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this book.
Find yourself on the quaint island town of Starfall for story of found family and ghosts as Riley Everett unexpectedly inherits the mysterious Shaddow House from a long lost aunt. And if the stress of inheriting a large Victorian house on an island off Michigan wasn’t enough, this one comes with a whole slew of haunted objects and their ghosts to look after. With the help of new friends - and new love? - can Riley excel at the house’s new steward.
This book was a cozy read that would be excellent for a fall day. I loved the ghosts that were introduced in this first book and cannot wait to see what Tiley and her other ghostly roommates get up to in following books in this series. I certainly found myself wanting to hear more about the main conflict of the series - the Welling locks - but I imagine that we will hear much more in following books. For a first book it did a good job of piquing my interest and getting me invested - especially in some of the ghosts stories.
Thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this book.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
