Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Oof. I wanted to like this so badly, but it felt super disjointed, with a plot I couldn't quite wrap my head around and characters I felt nearly no connection to. Kudos to the author for featuring a gay main character, but this book did not work for me.
I struggled through this book. It just wasn’t for me. The world building was very fast-paced and jumpy, so I found myself confused a lot. I love the concept and I like the characters, especially Posey.
I almost wish this was a series instead of a stand-alone, that way there would be more time to draw the story and world(s) out instead of them feeling rushed.
I almost wish this was a series instead of a stand-alone, that way there would be more time to draw the story and world(s) out instead of them feeling rushed.
Kane has lost most of his memory after being in a bad accident. He is chased by a creature and realized all is not as it seems.
I feel harsh rating this book so low. But it was just a slog to get through. I didn’t want to pick it up. And I was always quick to put it down. I know that writing books is hard. I know that usually your first book isn’t necessarily your best book. But boy did this book just irk me. Mainly, because it has such a cool premise. A group of high schoolers goes up against a villainous drag queen. Waking dreams called reveries sweep through the town of East Amity and the dreams take you from a Victorian garden party infested with jeweled bugs to a futuristic city where rebels fight to maintain history. It’s such a cool concept and it could go in so many amazing directions. But it just... doesn’t. La Sala utilizes beautiful prose but to the detriment of not understanding what’s actually going on. He fails the job of the writer by not communicating his plot, concept, and arc effectively. I still don’t understand the point of the Reveries or the laws by which Reveries function. Or why the Others need to maintain them. I don’t know why Kane, our MC had to have amnesia - it was utterly pointless. The Others distrusted each other the *entire* time, which got really boring to read about. Kane made stupid decisions to save his sister because he never trusted his friends to be able to function as living, breathing people who might also be inclined to save his sister. It just was a whoooole mess.
This book felt like it was an early draft. Good in concept, but still highly in need of developing. Every page had a typo. I mean. Come on.
This book felt like it was an early draft. Good in concept, but still highly in need of developing. Every page had a typo. I mean. Come on.
DNF (about 40%)
I wanted to like this book. I loved the premise. And the fact it was an LGBTQ book that was something other than a romcom or tragedy. But it just didn’t deliver.
I didn’t find myself caring about the characters, least of all Kane. And the whole dream world coming alive was just… bizarre. But not enough to make me care.
I wanted to like this book. I loved the premise. And the fact it was an LGBTQ book that was something other than a romcom or tragedy. But it just didn’t deliver.
I didn’t find myself caring about the characters, least of all Kane. And the whole dream world coming alive was just… bizarre. But not enough to make me care.
Storyline was decent. I did NOT like the narrator's voice though and that might have impacted things a big. The ending was a little too happy and clean.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At times a little hard to follow. Villain was superb and the magical elements felt unique. Enjoyable, quick read.
I liked the reveries and the overall story, but could have done without Kane's extreme mood swings that had no consequences.