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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
I'm leaving this story... a little confused. Don't get me wrong, this tale was fascinating and magical and great, I'm just having some mixed feelings.
So much of the language used is poetic and stunning, but anytime love or feelings or attraction is mentioned, specifically from Bennie's perspective, the writing becomes juvenile and repetitive.
I loved all the characters, but they all felt somewhat 1 dimensional to me? I wanted to learn more about them, but what we got felt very surface level.
And the pacing was so weird for me? Like the very first page is immediately into the action, and then the main conflict ends maybe 2 pages before the book itself does? It felt like short story formatting versus novel formatting.
But I also fully acknowledge that a lot of this could be deliberate choices/my taste!
So much of the language used is poetic and stunning, but anytime love or feelings or attraction is mentioned, specifically from Bennie's perspective, the writing becomes juvenile and repetitive.
I loved all the characters, but they all felt somewhat 1 dimensional to me? I wanted to learn more about them, but what we got felt very surface level.
And the pacing was so weird for me? Like the very first page is immediately into the action, and then the main conflict ends maybe 2 pages before the book itself does? It felt like short story formatting versus novel formatting.
But I also fully acknowledge that a lot of this could be deliberate choices/my taste!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for approving me for this eARC!
What I did enjoy about this book was the emphasis on strong female protagonists. Bennie and Motheater (Esther) both were extremely headstrong and stood by their convictions which I really appreciated. They did not feel the need to change their being for others around them even when they were not well received. I think too often we read about characters who feel the need to adapt to others for love or friendship while these two loved each other simply for who they were. I also found the plot to be incredibly unique. It is clear that Codega did their research about the landscape, historical implications, and language, this novel seemed quite authentic. The setting was also very magical and immersive which I appreciated. I felt like I was along for the ride. Jasper and Esther were my standout characters favourites.
My criticisms of this novel are not many but they are aspects that play a bigger role in my ratings usually. The grammar and spelling. At first I thought this was just a character and language choice, but as I kept reading, even the plot development paragraphs were littered with errors. This book needs another thorough glance by the editor please and thank you. I also felt the romantic subplot was unnecessary. Their relationship would have been just as effective without any sexual tension. I tend to feel that way about books in general. I think unless the romance seems organic, I just do not care for it. I did appreciate Bennie's character growth which I think did depend on her coming to terms with aspects of her sexuality however, I feel the relationship could have been left as an unspoken yearning and would have been just as impactful.
Overall, 3.5/5 stars for me and I would look forward to reading more from this author!
What I did enjoy about this book was the emphasis on strong female protagonists. Bennie and Motheater (Esther) both were extremely headstrong and stood by their convictions which I really appreciated. They did not feel the need to change their being for others around them even when they were not well received. I think too often we read about characters who feel the need to adapt to others for love or friendship while these two loved each other simply for who they were. I also found the plot to be incredibly unique. It is clear that Codega did their research about the landscape, historical implications, and language, this novel seemed quite authentic. The setting was also very magical and immersive which I appreciated. I felt like I was along for the ride. Jasper and Esther were my standout characters favourites.
My criticisms of this novel are not many but they are aspects that play a bigger role in my ratings usually. The grammar and spelling. At first I thought this was just a character and language choice, but as I kept reading, even the plot development paragraphs were littered with errors. This book needs another thorough glance by the editor please and thank you. I also felt the romantic subplot was unnecessary. Their relationship would have been just as effective without any sexual tension. I tend to feel that way about books in general. I think unless the romance seems organic, I just do not care for it. I did appreciate Bennie's character growth which I think did depend on her coming to terms with aspects of her sexuality however, I feel the relationship could have been left as an unspoken yearning and would have been just as impactful.
Overall, 3.5/5 stars for me and I would look forward to reading more from this author!
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
I really enjoyed the atmosphere and lore here, the witch and the deep mountain magic. The characters were delightful as well, but I thought the romance was a little out of place with all the other things going on.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Wonky world bending narrative. Honestly not sure who I was rooting for at the end. Lots of random witchy references. You need to have a strong biblical background to fully appreciate it. Two peppers.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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
Very strong theme and characters, but some minor pacing issues. The prose is beautiful and the magic is very alive!
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:
Yes