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khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
therainbowshelf's review against another edition
The writing style just wasn't working for me. So many awkward sentences and weird bits of forced dialogue... It kind of reads like a middle grade book, as well, which felt a little weird for the main character and topics pondered over in narration. It was nice having some pan rep, though.
riahwamby's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
jmontg18's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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? It's complicated
3.25
knizni_velicenstvo's review
4.0
I loved this. I wish to have my own magic forest like the one in here.
It was a wonderful adventure and I hope to come back soon into this world with fabulous Lydia and Eden and their lovely journey.
It was a wonderful adventure and I hope to come back soon into this world with fabulous Lydia and Eden and their lovely journey.
numinousspirit's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
judeinthestars's review
5.0
4.5⭐️ – When she told her grandma she hoped to visit soon, sixteen-year-old Lydia meant it in a polite way, not in an I’ll-be-there-next-week way. Her grandmother was so happy though that when her mother drives her from Chicago to the tiny town of Fairbrooke, Wisconsin, Lydia vows to make the most of the week. Even without other people her age, even without wifi and with crappy cell service. Despite everything her mother – who couldn’t leave town fast enough – told her about the forest next to her grandmother’s property, Lydia can’t help being curious. The woods don’t look as dangerous as her mom insisted and she feels strangely safe there. When she meets Eden, a mysterious girl her age, who invites Lydia to join her on a treasure hunt in the forest, the week suddenly looks a lot more exciting.
I don’t know what I expected when I opened this book but it kept surprising me. It’s told in first person from Lydia’s point of view and I simply loved her. She’s both your typical teenager and not. She’s a rebel and she’s kind, she’s fierce and impulsive, she’s sassy, she’s flawed, she’s adorable. She’s out and proud and definitely not afraid of being loud about it… until a pretty girl catches her attention. She then has unexpectedly shy moments and she’s terribly cute. She’s the kind of well-adjusted girl (despite what others might think) who says stuff like “And okay, she’s super cute and I’m a useless pansexual who sort of likes the idea of helping a damsel in distress” and how could you not love her? The chapter titles sum up her thoughts in the most perfect way. They’re funny and loud.
There’s Magic Between Us begins as a light YA story, funny in a sarcastic kind of way, full of energy and enthusiasm. Pretty soon, Lydia – and the reader with her – realises that things aren’t what they seem at all. Keeping an open mind when you’re a blasé teenager is easier said than done, but Lydia soon learns that magic is real and that Eden’s treasure hunt is a lot more serious and a lot more dangerous than she expected.
The story gets darker and darker, progressively. Fear not, there’s a happy ending. To get there though, Lydia and Eden will have to be strong, smart and brave.
I don’t want to say too much about Eden, it would be easy to spoil, and I loved being surprised. Suffice it to say I liked her character a lot. The single POV makes sense for this story but I would love to know more about how she feels about everything. If the author ever decides to write a sequel to this book, maybe it could be told from her side. Lydia and Eden also have this way of talking about things that feels so normal and yet mature but not unbelievably so.
Among the secondary characters, my favourites are Lydia’s grandmother, her mother (I would have loved a bit more of her too) and the genderfluid fae I won’t discuss further because, again, spoilers.
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it a lot. I liked the style, the tone, the pace and, most of all, the characters. When I finished reading, I was going to give this book 4⭐️ because it’s really good. But now, two days later, as I reread this review, I realise how much I love Lydia, even more than I thought while reading. I’d love to read more in her voice. So I guess that’s more than just really good. Maybe I’m overrating it a little, maybe I’m not. Read the book, decide for yourself.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I don’t know what I expected when I opened this book but it kept surprising me. It’s told in first person from Lydia’s point of view and I simply loved her. She’s both your typical teenager and not. She’s a rebel and she’s kind, she’s fierce and impulsive, she’s sassy, she’s flawed, she’s adorable. She’s out and proud and definitely not afraid of being loud about it… until a pretty girl catches her attention. She then has unexpectedly shy moments and she’s terribly cute. She’s the kind of well-adjusted girl (despite what others might think) who says stuff like “And okay, she’s super cute and I’m a useless pansexual who sort of likes the idea of helping a damsel in distress” and how could you not love her? The chapter titles sum up her thoughts in the most perfect way. They’re funny and loud.
There’s Magic Between Us begins as a light YA story, funny in a sarcastic kind of way, full of energy and enthusiasm. Pretty soon, Lydia – and the reader with her – realises that things aren’t what they seem at all. Keeping an open mind when you’re a blasé teenager is easier said than done, but Lydia soon learns that magic is real and that Eden’s treasure hunt is a lot more serious and a lot more dangerous than she expected.
The story gets darker and darker, progressively. Fear not, there’s a happy ending. To get there though, Lydia and Eden will have to be strong, smart and brave.
I don’t want to say too much about Eden, it would be easy to spoil, and I loved being surprised. Suffice it to say I liked her character a lot. The single POV makes sense for this story but I would love to know more about how she feels about everything. If the author ever decides to write a sequel to this book, maybe it could be told from her side. Lydia and Eden also have this way of talking about things that feels so normal and yet mature but not unbelievably so.
Among the secondary characters, my favourites are Lydia’s grandmother, her mother (I would have loved a bit more of her too) and the genderfluid fae I won’t discuss further because, again, spoilers.
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it a lot. I liked the style, the tone, the pace and, most of all, the characters. When I finished reading, I was going to give this book 4⭐️ because it’s really good. But now, two days later, as I reread this review, I realise how much I love Lydia, even more than I thought while reading. I’d love to read more in her voice. So I guess that’s more than just really good. Maybe I’m overrating it a little, maybe I’m not. Read the book, decide for yourself.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
linked_soul's review
5.0
I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for a review, so here it is!
First, I literally devoured the whole book in one reading. The voice of this book? Unmatched. Unparalleled. I kept on sending quotes to my friends because I found them so fucking funny. To start with the title of Chapter 14, "Good to know a lack of heterosexuality runs in the family." BRILLIANT. Lydia is an amazingly voicy and FUN narrator and I'd read a whole series with her at the MC in a heartbeat.
She's also a really compelling and fun main character, who takes rash decisions and dives into things head first and takes everything in stride. It's never STATED that she has ADHD but she.... 100% has ADHD. I love it. From her spur on the moment decisions to her moods and the way she deals with everything, she's extremely fun and interesting and endearing. She's messy and flawed and so very human it's an absolute pleasure to see her grow into a better, more mature person through the various events of the book. She's impulsive and sassy and I love her for it. She strikes a good balance between spunky and endearing: I was never annoyed at her flaws or her antics, because she just felt like... a normal ADHD teen with problems and emotions and stuff, and also because her voice is just so fun and original.
Her romance with Eden??? 10/10. Eden is such a good balance for Lydia: calm and composed, more withdrawn and a little socially awkward and it's such a delight to see them interact and banter and grow to like each other. I loved seeing Eden's first reaction to Lydia (pure confusion) gradually turn into real fondness, to see Eden opening to Lydia little by little as they meet up and go on adventures together. They really are ADORABLE together and I truly love that they don't shove the issues that come up under the rug. They DEAL with the stuff, eventually. It's part of the plot itself. The romance truly weaves itself into the adventure plot, because it's Lydia's interest in Eden or feelings about Eden, good or bad, that spurs her to do things or move the plot into a certain way. TMBU has an amazing balance/combo of adventure and romance which means I wanted the characters to get to the end of the plot AND to get together at the same time. They also have plenty of little moments together that further their relationship and might not further the plot itself, but allow for exposition or character development (and definitely serve the romance development).
The pacing itself might seem like it starts slow because of that, but the beginning is still filled with adventures - not necessarily action, but adventures and shenanigans that also teach you more about the characters, their lives, and the city and history of Fairbrooke and its magic. I honestly thought it was really well-done and kept on reading and reading just because... I wanted to see more of the characters together and see where everything was going to go. I read the whole book in one sitting even though I wanted to go to sleep after the midpoint so.... yeah, the pacing's definitely good in my opinion. TMBU is the opposite of boring. I let my eyes get dry for that book and I'd do it again *blinks furiously*.
I also loved the focus on family there is in TMBU, like Lydia's fierce protectiveness for her mom, or just... the relationship between Lydia and her grandma? I loved Dorothy as a grandmother, she's kind and determined and FUN and her relationship with Lydia is true friendship. There's no distance due to age or a generational gap, they're both close and complicit and I'm kinda happy to see that kind of relationship in books (especially as someone who is NOT close to her grandparents at all). It's just so interesting and sweet and leaves you with plenty of fuzzy family feeling. It's so nice to see this kind of same "found family" closeness with actual family? And there is family conflict but it's not about the relationship between its different members but what happened to them, the secrets they have, etc. They're all supportive of one another and pushing one another forward. Overall I loved the positive family relationship and the importance it has in the book.
TMBU is such a fun, endearing and compelling book I can only recommend it. It has sweet, tropey, piney (and interracial because Eden is Asian!) sapphic romance, the most amazing voice ever, plenty of adventures and events to keep you hooked, interesting characters and great character dynamics. It's also great ADHD rep and has lot of queer stuff... and lots of queer jokes. The amount of queer jokes IS a selling point. Like find yourself another book that includes the quotes:
"I do my best not to put the pan in panic"
"Does she mean that in a gay way?"
"I'm a useless pansexual who sort of likes the idea of helping a damsel in distress. Sue me."
"It's enough to turn me into a queer conspiracy theorist."
So please treat yourself and give TMBU a read: I promise you won't regret it.
First, I literally devoured the whole book in one reading. The voice of this book? Unmatched. Unparalleled. I kept on sending quotes to my friends because I found them so fucking funny. To start with the title of Chapter 14, "Good to know a lack of heterosexuality runs in the family." BRILLIANT. Lydia is an amazingly voicy and FUN narrator and I'd read a whole series with her at the MC in a heartbeat.
She's also a really compelling and fun main character, who takes rash decisions and dives into things head first and takes everything in stride. It's never STATED that she has ADHD but she.... 100% has ADHD. I love it. From her spur on the moment decisions to her moods and the way she deals with everything, she's extremely fun and interesting and endearing. She's messy and flawed and so very human it's an absolute pleasure to see her grow into a better, more mature person through the various events of the book. She's impulsive and sassy and I love her for it. She strikes a good balance between spunky and endearing: I was never annoyed at her flaws or her antics, because she just felt like... a normal ADHD teen with problems and emotions and stuff, and also because her voice is just so fun and original.
Her romance with Eden??? 10/10. Eden is such a good balance for Lydia: calm and composed, more withdrawn and a little socially awkward and it's such a delight to see them interact and banter and grow to like each other. I loved seeing Eden's first reaction to Lydia (pure confusion) gradually turn into real fondness, to see Eden opening to Lydia little by little as they meet up and go on adventures together. They really are ADORABLE together and I truly love that they don't shove the issues that come up under the rug. They DEAL with the stuff, eventually. It's part of the plot itself. The romance truly weaves itself into the adventure plot, because it's Lydia's interest in Eden or feelings about Eden, good or bad, that spurs her to do things or move the plot into a certain way. TMBU has an amazing balance/combo of adventure and romance which means I wanted the characters to get to the end of the plot AND to get together at the same time. They also have plenty of little moments together that further their relationship and might not further the plot itself, but allow for exposition or character development (and definitely serve the romance development).
The pacing itself might seem like it starts slow because of that, but the beginning is still filled with adventures - not necessarily action, but adventures and shenanigans that also teach you more about the characters, their lives, and the city and history of Fairbrooke and its magic. I honestly thought it was really well-done and kept on reading and reading just because... I wanted to see more of the characters together and see where everything was going to go. I read the whole book in one sitting even though I wanted to go to sleep after the midpoint so.... yeah, the pacing's definitely good in my opinion. TMBU is the opposite of boring. I let my eyes get dry for that book and I'd do it again *blinks furiously*.
I also loved the focus on family there is in TMBU, like Lydia's fierce protectiveness for her mom, or just... the relationship between Lydia and her grandma? I loved Dorothy as a grandmother, she's kind and determined and FUN and her relationship with Lydia is true friendship. There's no distance due to age or a generational gap, they're both close and complicit and I'm kinda happy to see that kind of relationship in books (especially as someone who is NOT close to her grandparents at all). It's just so interesting and sweet and leaves you with plenty of fuzzy family feeling. It's so nice to see this kind of same "found family" closeness with actual family? And there is family conflict but it's not about the relationship between its different members but what happened to them, the secrets they have, etc. They're all supportive of one another and pushing one another forward. Overall I loved the positive family relationship and the importance it has in the book.
TMBU is such a fun, endearing and compelling book I can only recommend it. It has sweet, tropey, piney (and interracial because Eden is Asian!) sapphic romance, the most amazing voice ever, plenty of adventures and events to keep you hooked, interesting characters and great character dynamics. It's also great ADHD rep and has lot of queer stuff... and lots of queer jokes. The amount of queer jokes IS a selling point. Like find yourself another book that includes the quotes:
"I do my best not to put the pan in panic"
"Does she mean that in a gay way?"
"I'm a useless pansexual who sort of likes the idea of helping a damsel in distress. Sue me."
"It's enough to turn me into a queer conspiracy theorist."
So please treat yourself and give TMBU a read: I promise you won't regret it.