Reviews with content warning for Blood - Beneath the Sugar Sky

I agree with other users that there was too much about Cora's weight. I love the diversity in the books but I would've liked to see more character growth from Cora. She never seemed to grow more confident.

The defeat of the queen also seemed really rushed. I actually thought they would have to fight her again ("that can't have been the real battle right?") but nope, that was it.

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alibrarymouse's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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? No

4.5

So far, none of the Wayward Children books have been set up to disappoint. They’re beautifully written worlds within worlds within worlds imparting meaning and messages without being pretentious or telling people they need to be anything aside from what they are.

I loved Rini’s quest to save her mother, and the way McGuire builds her world in every book. I think what I love most, though, is that McGuire’s world doesn’t need the same rules and doesn’t have the same expectations. It’s one full of hope; kindness; and the ability to be lost, found, and understood.

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maeverose's review against another edition

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3.75

I’m really reading slumpy at the moment so it’s hard to rally my thoughts and feelings about this book. I didn’t really care for Confection as a world or Rini (or Sumi) as characters, so being as that was kinda the main focus it automatically meant I wasn’t gonna enjoy this one as much, but weirdly enough I think I liked it more than the second book (which was the world I was most interested in). This had much more of a plot than the second book, and more world building (even if that world building felt a little info dumpy and forced at times, I don’t tend to mind that too much and it was cool to learn more about how the doors and worlds work). I like Kade, Cora and Christopher and am excited to get to see their worlds at some point (hopefully).

I am a bit unsure about some of the various rep in this book though (fat, disability, and hijabi in particular). A lot of it felt performative. I’m not fat or Muslim so I can’t really speak on those, and I’m not disabled in the way this character is, but the fact that she’s somewhat magically ‘fixed’ in her world bothers me a bit). The trans rep with Kade is the only thing I can really say feels pretty well done.

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heli1403's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

4.0

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schnaucl's review

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adventurous fast-paced

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

3.5

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two books in the series but I think that was more about me than the story. I think I would be more at home in in a Logic rather than Nonsense world (though I appreciated it was more Reason than Rhyme).

But I liked learning more about how the worlds were interconnected and I liked Cora. Her experiences and fears as a fat girl felt very real to me.

There seems to be an idea that the person who comes through the door is supposed to save the world in a way I don't think we saw in the first two books but maybe that's a Nonsense world feature? Certainly its sounds like Kade and Sumi were expected to save the world. The girl with superior eyesight (whose name escapes me), too. But while Jack and Jill were eventually expected to replace the powers in their portion of the Moors, I don't think they were expected to save the Moors, nor was Nancy expected to save her underworld.

It's interesting (and understandable) that Kade doesn't want to go back through his door, although McGuire has talked about people wanting Kade to find his door. I don't know if that would be a door to a different world (which I didn't really think was a thing, but I'm sure I have lots to learn about the rules) or the same door but on the other side of the fantasy kingdom/goblin war, or if something changes in the next few books.

It was nice to revisit Nancy.

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rachelunabridged's review

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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