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jen1804's review
adventurous
dark
sad
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
4.25
I very much enjoyed this book. I think there’s still quite a few holes which need filling and the writing style itself is still quite YA with short sentences. Sometimes I find that Evangeline’s thoughts and actions can feel innocent and feeble and I feel myself shoot back to picturing her as just a girl when I want to picture her as a woman. But having said that I do think this book ventured into darker and more grown-up territory in the best ways whilst remaining in YA status. I felt I was able to imagine the characters as older, ✨hotter✨, and a bit more well established than what I imagined in the first book. There’s more flirting, more skin to skin contact, and more ✨feelings✨in this book which I am so here for. I also enjoyed Evangeline’s character more in this book, I felt like she was just better and had a little bit more summin’ summin’ about her, though still needs a bit more development in my opinion. I’m obsessed with Jacks’ character, ugh, I love. Though he has gold hair in this book rather than his midnight blue from book one which I ✨struggled✨ with.
The plot is decent, it kept me engaged, there’s a quest vibe to it which I liked. We get lots of answers in this book but as I said earlier it also opens up lots of unanswered questions and leaves behind holes. Various plot points happen in the story which we just don’t seem to hear about again and I find that annoying. I’m really hoping all the loose ends get tied up in book three as I would be very appreciative of that.
The ending was great and Jacks’ decision of how to use the stones made my little heart extremely happy. The whole thing was left on a cliffhanger which I’m always a sucker for so I enjoyed that a lot!
Overall it was a great read, I just think in terms of writing style, narrative depth and character development I don’t get how so many people give this a 5 star rating.
The plot is decent, it kept me engaged, there’s a quest vibe to it which I liked. We get lots of answers in this book but as I said earlier it also opens up lots of unanswered questions and leaves behind holes. Various plot points happen in the story which we just don’t seem to hear about again and I find that annoying. I’m really hoping all the loose ends get tied up in book three as I would be very appreciative of that.
The ending was great and Jacks’ decision of how to use the stones made my little heart extremely happy. The whole thing was left on a cliffhanger which I’m always a sucker for so I enjoyed that a lot!
Overall it was a great read, I just think in terms of writing style, narrative depth and character development I don’t get how so many people give this a 5 star rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder and Torture
Minor: Death of parent and Gaslighting
leahlovesloslibros's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed this book much more than Once Upon a Broken Heart (#1 in this series). That book felt somewhat disjointed, especially with the vampire section in the middle. This book had plenty of vampire action as well, which I typically don't like, but it actually fit with the storyline so seamlessly that it didn't bother me like it did in OUABH.
I found myself stealing little snippets of time to read as often as possible, and when I could, I would just sit down and devour whole sections, because Stephanie Garber has - yet again - written an absolutely enchanting book.
A few random thoughts: I did not expect Evangeline to be capable of killing someone! I was shocked when she murdered Petra, and I was totally here for the darkness of it all. The Hollow was my favorite area of The Magnificent North, I think. I was so upset when Evangeline took the mirth stone and the magic all disappeared and it essentially went to shambles. I'm still a little confused on the whole, Jacks is the Archer thing. Who was the original Fox? Not Donatella, right?
The slow burn between Jacks and Evangeline was great, and that ending....oof. Can't wait for book 3!
I found myself stealing little snippets of time to read as often as possible, and when I could, I would just sit down and devour whole sections, because Stephanie Garber has - yet again - written an absolutely enchanting book.
The slow burn between Jacks and Evangeline was great, and that ending....oof. Can't wait for book 3!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
justkarlah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Like a lot of the other reviews mentioned, I also had to sit in silence when I finished reading this book. My heart hurt for Evangeline, and broke for Jacks.
I went through so many emotions, I had to put it down a couple of times. There were parts that had me smiling, and parts that made me want to cry. But just like the first book, if was hard not to finish it once I got sucked into the story.
A lot more is revealed about Jacks and his past in this book. It does feel like some of Evangeline's bravery and determination to do things herself flew out the window and she becomes more of a damsel in distress, but it does tie in to the role they play in the curses/prophecies that plague the North. The only other thing that bothered me (and only cause it hurt to read) was how Jacks' way of "keeping her safe" was by pushing her away and being cruel to her instead of explaining anything.
Even after all the things he's done, Jacks continues to be my favorite character.
That ending though. Wow.Jacks screaming? The fact that even when he pushed her away, she was still fated to die? AND she had her memories stolen? I'm broken. Now we have to wait 7 months to know what happens next?
Definitely recomend reading this book if you loved the first one!
I went through so many emotions, I had to put it down a couple of times. There were parts that had me smiling, and parts that made me want to cry. But just like the first book, if was hard not to finish it once I got sucked into the story.
A lot more is revealed about Jacks and his past in this book. It does feel like some of Evangeline's bravery and determination to do things herself flew out the window and she becomes more of a damsel in distress, but it does tie in to the role they play in the curses/prophecies that plague the North. The only other thing that bothered me (and only cause it hurt to read) was how Jacks' way of "keeping her safe" was by pushing her away and being cruel to her instead of explaining anything.
Even after all the things he's done, Jacks continues to be my favorite character.
That ending though. Wow.
Definitely recomend reading this book if you loved the first one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Minor: Death of parent
aplain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
emilia_thereader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Minor: Death of parent
kbairbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
3.0
This was a hard read for me. Not in the way I read it because I did consume it quickly. There’s a whimsy to Stephanie’s writing that is a person with synesthesias dream. But while it’s not described as such her books are horrors. Maybe a fantasy horror but damn dude. The gaslighting and terrible relationships? The betrayal and secrets? The freaking ending? I wanna know what happens after this but I’m also afraid. This book is easily very triggering for DV victims or someone such as myself that has trauma surrounding men. Ugh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
achay91's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent
xoxlululuxox's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
katvou's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief and Violence
Minor: Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Child death, Torture, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual content, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
4.0
I'll admit, I audibly stopped and said "what?" at the end of this book because that's where it's going to end? What the heck. This is why I have been mostly waiting to read series once they are all published. But I digress!
The stakes were risen in this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed the chemistry between Evangeline and Jacks. Between all the running and the curses and the magic, their relationship is growing and changing, even if they don't want to admit it. As readers, you definitely want them to get together. Definitely a will they, won't they kind of situation.
While I still haven't read Caraval (it's on my list, I swear!), I've found I've been able to understand what's going on in this series without much difficulty. So if you're thinking about jumping in without having read the original trilogy, you can do it with this one!
The stakes were risen in this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed the chemistry between Evangeline and Jacks. Between all the running and the curses and the magic, their relationship is growing and changing, even if they don't want to admit it. As readers, you definitely want them to get together. Definitely a will they, won't they kind of situation.
While I still haven't read Caraval (it's on my list, I swear!), I've found I've been able to understand what's going on in this series without much difficulty. So if you're thinking about jumping in without having read the original trilogy, you can do it with this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Toxic friendship, and Death
Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Sexual content