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amodernhobbitslibrary's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The premise behind this Rapunzel retelling caught my attention & I had to immediately read the book.
I wanted to hug both Zella & Ryder, and would have done whatever I could to help both of these traumatized teens. They were quite lovable, & I definitely wanted to see them succeed and find happiness.
Unfortunately I feel like the premise wasn’t fully fleshed out. The whole story takes place in a span of a few days, with the vast majority occurring in a single night. I do love the teenage rebellion & romance, but the incredibly short timeline made many of the scenes appear wildly unrealistic.
The digital formatting needs some work, but you could tell the author gave it her best.
The writing style was reminiscent of something I would have read in middle school - so perhaps this book will be more favorable with girls aged 10-18.
The abuse in the book, while nightmarish, wasn’t graphically portrayed & shouldn’t be too traumatizing for teen readers.
I wanted to hug both Zella & Ryder, and would have done whatever I could to help both of these traumatized teens. They were quite lovable, & I definitely wanted to see them succeed and find happiness.
Unfortunately I feel like the premise wasn’t fully fleshed out. The whole story takes place in a span of a few days, with the vast majority occurring in a single night. I do love the teenage rebellion & romance, but the incredibly short timeline made many of the scenes appear wildly unrealistic.
The digital formatting needs some work, but you could tell the author gave it her best.
The writing style was reminiscent of something I would have read in middle school - so perhaps this book will be more favorable with girls aged 10-18.
The abuse in the book, while nightmarish, wasn’t graphically portrayed & shouldn’t be too traumatizing for teen readers.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment and Child abuse
haylethal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-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? Yes
5.0
I received this book as an e-ARC from the author.
Lightkeepers is a modern day retelling of Rapunzel.
Zella is, unknowingly, in a cult and is trapped in a lighthouse. Ryder is a foster kid, being passed a long in the system.
I thought this book was really good! I typically enjoy fairytale retellings and this is no exception. It was an interesting choice to make Zella part of a cult, but it works. This is how her life is and she doesn’t question it…until she does.
I really liked Ryder. I felt so bad for him, he was always second guessing himself and stressed that his foster family was going to tell him to leave at any minute. I also appreciated the information on foster care and the links at the end of the book.
This book was darker than I initially thought it was going to be. There are some wild twists, too! I didn’t realize I was at the end of the book and wanted more!
My only gripe with the book is that the characters “snort” in response A LOT, but that’s probably me being picky.
Overall, great YA book. I laughed, gasped, got teary, and it left me wanting a sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
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