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rsugg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I listened to the audiobook and my only criticism is that I sometimes found myself needing to repeat parts because the narrator didn’t really distinguish the voices of the different characters, so sometimes it was hard to follow who was saying what until I listened over again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Murder
abby_can_read's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
January 2024-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📱
I enjoyed this book. I liked the writing style and the plot kept me engaged. Overall, I liked the characters and their relationships.
October 2022-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked this book. The ending had me wanting the sequel.
📱
I enjoyed this book. I liked the writing style and the plot kept me engaged. Overall, I liked the characters and their relationships.
October 2022-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked this book. The ending had me wanting the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Classism, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Suicide
Minor: Animal cruelty
mattyroh07's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Death
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
smaciew05's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
This is the first book I’ve picked up since middle school, trying to get into reading, and it was a little bit disappointing. It had its moments but overall it was very meh, and the ending was very VERY confusing. Definitely am not going to reread, very turned off from reading the second book coming out soon :(
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Suicide, Death of parent, and Death
renaaria's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Classism, and Body horror
bimess_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I've been struggling to read this book for a minute. At first, it felt like it was going nowhere. The beginning of it slow like it was trying to find its footing? I don't know how to better describe it. Though, that's what the story was at first. Filled with descriptions that pushed me away.
I'm someone that grows tired of that. When you spend too much time describing something that with a few sentences was enough.
But I picked the book right up and finished it. It gets better after page 269? Around there. Which is disappointing to me. However, as the story got where it should've been before, I saw myself enjoying it. It got better and better at the end. I wish that it didn't take till the last minute for the story to actually begin.
the characters: I loved the fact but her relationship with her love interest didn't make any sense. Not one that was properly told. By the end of the book you kinda get the gist but it didn't really made me feel anything. The timeline for their relationship also bothered me.
The other characters? I loved them all to be honest. I wish we had more of them. But we were all stuck inside the head of our fmc.
Overall, I'm not going to lie. I love this book. I have my own issues with it but I loved it. I will be getting the second book when it releases next month.
For those who wish to read it or about to give up: Keep in mind that the story is slow. And that the relationships won't make sense but it's worth it. Those final chapters? Had me at the edge of my bed.
I do hope the second book's storytelling is much faster. Less focused on the descriptions of the world around them. More focused on their connections. That's my hope for it.
I'm someone that grows tired of that. When you spend too much time describing something that with a few sentences was enough.
But I picked the book right up and finished it. It gets better after page 269? Around there. Which is disappointing to me. However, as the story got where it should've been before, I saw myself enjoying it. It got better and better at the end. I wish that it didn't take till the last minute for the story to actually begin.
the characters: I loved the fact but her relationship with her love interest didn't make any sense. Not one that was properly told. By the end of the book you kinda get the gist but it didn't really made me feel anything. The timeline for their relationship also bothered me.
The other characters? I loved them all to be honest. I wish we had more of them. But we were all stuck inside the head of our fmc.
Overall, I'm not going to lie. I love this book. I have my own issues with it but I loved it. I will be getting the second book when it releases next month.
For those who wish to read it or about to give up: Keep in mind that the story is slow. And that the relationships won't make sense but it's worth it. Those final chapters? Had me at the edge of my bed.
I do hope the second book's storytelling is much faster. Less focused on the descriptions of the world around them. More focused on their connections. That's my hope for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Classism, and Suicide
celey's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.75
An incredible magical world with unforgettable, flawed characters making their way through mysterious, fantastical and real challenges. I was wrapped up in magic and diving into the depths of very-human grief, longing, desire, and hope. I cannot wait for the sequel!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, and Violence
darbysbookland's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sunya Mara has really done something fantastic in this book. She clearly put her heart into writing it, because it's been awhile since I've read a book that has captivated me so much, that has held my attention from the very beginning to the very end, and that has made me question whether I know where any of it is going while still feeling like it all made sense looking back afterwards.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, and Death of parent
fromthefoxhole's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This fucking book, okay?
I'm an unfortunate sucker for the chosen one girl in a YA trope (thank you, Katniss) and this one really hammers that into you.
1. Vesper (like even the name, come on!!)
2. lives in an area affected by The Storm, and her Region™️ is the last one on the outskirts closest to it, and it's the poorest region.
3. she's not trained in the Magic System™️ but she loves it
4. there's a rich boy who takes pity on her bc of something having to do with the Government™️
5. she has a family tie that creates a vengeance arc so she finds her way to the Capital™️
7. circumstances arise that lead to her working with the rich boy (she thinks that maybe she underestimated him)
8. they're thrown into the Gauntlet™️
9. Alliances are formed and broken, promises are stretched thin, betrayals - how could I ever love someone like You™️?
10. One of them either dies/falls into a coma and the last thing they see is their Enemy?™️
It's like, everything that is tired and we're supposed to hate. BUT- Truly I'm not sure if I'm just, like, giving the book more grace than it's due. BUT-
I think I always give more leeway to a first book, knowing that the author likely has planned arcs over the multiples rather than the individual, so I wanted to suspend my belief, y'know? I didn't mind the questions I had about the magic system, or the politics, etc. I felt like this book very intentionally only gave us the pieces that were given to Vesper. We're *supposed* to feel a little lost in a world we don't fully understand, because that's how Vesper feels in the Ven. I found myself tabbing something as important, then coming across a related thing and running back to the note like, proud of myself that I had called it. It was rewarding to piece things together with Vesper.
I ate up her friendship with the boys,like, so much so that I was in tears at work towards the end of this book . It reminded me of my own friends that I would kill or die for. She was infuriating and rash and impetuous, but she's a 17 year old chosen one! That's her job description.
Something about the writing, the fluidity of the story, drew me in and held me for the two full days it took me to read this. Any time I had to stop reading, I found myself counting the minutes until I could pick it back up. I was fully entranced the entire time. Freaking witchcraft.
I'm an unfortunate sucker for the chosen one girl in a YA trope (thank you, Katniss) and this one really hammers that into you.
1. Vesper (like even the name, come on!!)
2. lives in an area affected by The Storm, and her Region™️ is the last one on the outskirts closest to it, and it's the poorest region.
3. she's not trained in the Magic System™️ but she loves it
4. there's a rich boy who takes pity on her bc of something having to do with the Government™️
5. she has a family tie that creates a vengeance arc so she finds her way to the Capital™️
7. circumstances arise that lead to her working with the rich boy (she thinks that maybe she underestimated him)
8. they're thrown into the Gauntlet™️
9. Alliances are formed and broken, promises are stretched thin, betrayals - how could I ever love someone like You™️?
10. One of them either dies/falls into a coma and the last thing they see is their Enemy?™️
It's like, everything that is tired and we're supposed to hate. BUT- Truly I'm not sure if I'm just, like, giving the book more grace than it's due. BUT-
I think I always give more leeway to a first book, knowing that the author likely has planned arcs over the multiples rather than the individual, so I wanted to suspend my belief, y'know? I didn't mind the questions I had about the magic system, or the politics, etc. I felt like this book very intentionally only gave us the pieces that were given to Vesper. We're *supposed* to feel a little lost in a world we don't fully understand, because that's how Vesper feels in the Ven. I found myself tabbing something as important, then coming across a related thing and running back to the note like, proud of myself that I had called it. It was rewarding to piece things together with Vesper.
I ate up her friendship with the boys,
Something about the writing, the fluidity of the story, drew me in and held me for the two full days it took me to read this. Any time I had to stop reading, I found myself counting the minutes until I could pick it back up. I was fully entranced the entire time. Freaking witchcraft.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, War, Violence, Classism, Grief, Confinement, Blood, and Body horror
kbairbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I really didn’t really care for this read, unfortunately. It’s not very helpful but I don’t feel like going further with my explanations as to why. I don’t have anything nice to say other than the concept had possibility.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, War, Blood, and Death of parent