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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’ve lived this author since hoodwinked and have tried to consume everything she’s written. I’m currently waiting to see what happens at DCU next.
Loved loved loved this. Now….. honestly when I started in October, reading through my kindle, I struggled to both have time and also have my interest peaked enough to get past the first few chapters..:. BUT the audio just came out and with the voices to the characters I couldn’t stop listening!!! Magical is an understatement and I love the fact that all of this magic happens at an underground HBCU… dope. On to the next
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is all character - SO MUCH amazing character! I love these characters - and I think a bit of a love letter to HBCUs with a bit of a creative spin. There are all sorts of deeper cultural and historical commentaries in the text if you know to see them, but they are also easily read past if it’s not your thing. Like they won’t even really blip. I don’t think anyway?
If you read for plot this book is not for you. Don’t even try it. There are just too many brilliant teasers of things that COULD be plot but end up not being anything. Those shenanigans I mentioned earlier. Always the most interesting stuff but then everyone just wanders off to go drink about it and NOT talk about it, and then they have a normal day then ahhh! A new shenanigan, which is incredibly realistic honestly. So it’s a wasteland of plot threads and no weaving. And just a rude unnecessary cliffhanger. Everyone who made it to the end was reading just to hangout by then anyway and would have read book two to continue on.
I won’t actually read any of the others bc I have realized there was MEANT to be a plot and it is going to take at least three books for the author to figure out how they want to plot their plot and nah, I’m not here for that. But I know some people will love the draw out.
Only other info of import is there is a lot of vulgarity. Mostly the kind of language that was in mass media pop culture back in the 1990s so corse sexual speaking and misogyny. Which makes the book seem dated - not that it is in there, but that no one pushes back on it in community - that language certainly still exists and flourishes but - womanism and pushing back against misogyny and misogynoir are absolutely conversations that are happening both on and off college campuses among people of all genders. There is a bit of women holding each other accountable in a why are you being vicious all of a sudden? Sort of way. The only man who is ever held accountable is only done so by women never by other men and then the story again goes in a very realistic way that I HATE.
The last thing I hate about this book that I otherwise quite enjoyed- Most of the sexual relationships are toxic at best and there are many discussions of and some on page depictions of captivity, child torture (non-sexual), and so much SA, and rape.
If you read for plot this book is not for you. Don’t even try it. There are just too many brilliant teasers of things that COULD be plot but end up not being anything. Those shenanigans I mentioned earlier. Always the most interesting stuff but then everyone just wanders off to go drink about it and NOT talk about it, and then they have a normal day then ahhh! A new shenanigan, which is incredibly realistic honestly. So it’s a wasteland of plot threads and no weaving. And just a rude unnecessary cliffhanger. Everyone who made it to the end was reading just to hangout by then anyway and would have read book two to continue on.
I won’t actually read any of the others bc I have realized there was MEANT to be a plot and it is going to take at least three books for the author to figure out how they want to plot their plot and nah, I’m not here for that. But I know some people will love the draw out.
Only other info of import is there is a lot of vulgarity. Mostly the kind of language that was in mass media pop culture back in the 1990s so corse sexual speaking and misogyny. Which makes the book seem dated - not that it is in there, but that no one pushes back on it in community - that language certainly still exists and flourishes but - womanism and pushing back against misogyny and misogynoir are absolutely conversations that are happening both on and off college campuses among people of all genders. There is a bit of women holding each other accountable in a why are you being vicious all of a sudden? Sort of way. The only man who is ever held accountable is only done so by women never by other men and then the story again goes in a very realistic way that I HATE.
The last thing I hate about this book that I otherwise quite enjoyed- Most of the sexual relationships are toxic at best and there are many discussions of and some on page depictions of captivity, child torture (non-sexual), and so much SA, and rape.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny
Minor: Blood
adventurous
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
This book is infuriating. The way of how they just gloss over important topics like it’s nothing is crazy. The victim blaming is crazy. The writing is CRAZY . The pacing is CRAZY. Like the whole thing is a mess. Omg I think I actually truly hate this book. Disgusting.
I have NEVER fully read or enjoyed fantasy until this book. I loved every character and the chaos that came with them. I will say there’s a lot of editing errors, but the content was SO good that none of that mattered. READ THIS BOOK! That’s the review.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
I’ve read a ton of books by this author and I’m never disappointed! I’m obsessed with the world created in this book though, I can’t even tell you my fav character because I love so many of them. If you’re debating this read I vote READ ASAP!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
We were in think 30% in and it was just 30ish women acting like freshmen in college and nothing actually happening. There were so many POVs that seemed like they weren't needed.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There was a lot going on in this book that honestly left me confused at times 😬 I had to reread so many times in here, it’s not even funny 😭
Honestly not sure how I feel about the characters, they were a mess. Not gonna lie Asha pissed me off so many times in here like I understand her being standoffish but literally not even attempting to get to know her people was crazy to me and how she talked to people but then felt some type of way about people jot approaching her, girl its you!
I did love the premise, an HBCU for magical beings, sign me up!
Will be reading the next book especially since it ended on a cliffhanger. Hopefully the next one is a five star read!
Honestly not sure how I feel about the characters, they were a mess. Not gonna lie Asha pissed me off so many times in here like I understand her being standoffish but literally not even attempting to get to know her people was crazy to me and how she talked to people but then felt some type of way about people jot approaching her, girl its you!
I did love the premise, an HBCU for magical beings, sign me up!
Will be reading the next book especially since it ended on a cliffhanger. Hopefully the next one is a five star read!