Reviews with content warning for Violence - Small Favors

I loved the entire experience of reading this book.

It gave me the same feelings I often had reading books as a child. I cannot remember the last time I felt so well immersed. It did a good job of dropping red herrings do I couldn't quite figure things out whilst also giving me enough crumbs that my fairy story loving brain was a buzzing!

I found parts of it quite dread inducing but in a fun way. Like it was surprisingly scary, I didn't expect it!

I connected a lot with the characters and some over arching themes about what desperation and bad luck can do to us.

Just genuinely very well done.

Content Warnings

courtneyfalling's review

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I love Erin Craig's writing style so much, this mysterious and dreamy, dark and fairytale-inspired historical fiction with struggling eldest daughters growing into adulthood. The only reason I didn't give this higher than 4 stars is that the ending felt pretty sudden—like I wanted more with the final confrontation

Spoiler

between Ellerie and the Dark Watchers' queen

, with Ellerie and Whitaker, with Ellerie's parents and family. But I will 100% auto-read anything Erin Craig publishes now after both Small Favors and House of Salt and Sorrows.

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vexed_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

5.0

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kelanor's review

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dark hopeful mysterious slow-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? No

5.0

Slow, creeping dread. Nail-biting tension, yet still maintains a dreamy, fairytale feeling. I loved this book.

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enchantedtoreadyou's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Best book of 2021, hands down.
This story was so twisty and turvy. I didn't know who to trust, who was good or bad. Sometimes I even had doubts about Ellerie, our main character.
I absolutely adored Ellerie. She was thrust into a position of responsibility over her family when her mom and dad had to leave. She states she wasn't ready for it, but she tackled it and did the best she could. She was a strong, resilient character.
Whitaker, the male MC. Man, what can I say. I went back and forth with him! I loved him and hated him and hated to love him. All the while I was rooting for he and Ellerie, even though I wasn't sure if there could be a good outcome.
Most of the supporting characters were great and had their own voice. They were easy to stand out from each other. I did get confused with the elders and the preacher of the town. The four of them were just too similar to me.
This is a story about resiliency, hope, and putting your hive's needs above your own. If you want a story that keeps you guessing until the very last page, please pick this one up.

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greeneggsandsam's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-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? No

5.0

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elderflower's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I was expecting a sweet, historical romance, but got a horror novel instead. Horror novels are not my thing and this one was definitely creepy. It wasn’t necessarily a bad horror novel, but the advertising did not communicate the fact that it was a horror novel. It was a bit predictable and cliché though.
Songs:

Chelsea by Phoebe Bridgers- this one doesn’t fit very well, but I got the same vibes from this song and this book
august by Taylor Swift- for Rebecca and Sam
Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson- for Ellerie