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runes_reads's review against another edition
challenging
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? Yes
4.75
The cover art and art within the book was gorgeous just like the first one. This takes place directly after All Our Hidden Gifts, with a lot of similar themes. There are some differences in the content warnings, so I would look at them.
There are a few storytelling differences between this and the first book. I feel like this one didn't focus on character flaws as much, but it still was a pretty big focus. We got some more lore/knowledge about the magic in this one, which I really liked. I felt that the protagonist, Maeve, had less character development than in the first. This wasn't a bad thing, she still had a lot.
I'm very excited to read the third book in this trilogy!
Most of the characters are in the equivalent of United States senior year of high school in the story. There's a recurrent worry for them about change and the future, something any teenager can relate to. Please look at the content warnings for this story, it's a YA, but a heavy one. I'd recommend it for ages 15+, so upper YA, verging on New Adult but not quite there.
I read this one in one day, I couldn't put it down! (Also it was a library book so I had a time limit, lol). I haven't decided on a star rating, definitely 4 stars at minimum. I think it's a 4.75 for me, there's nothing wrong with it, and I would highly recommend it. It just wasn't life changing for me personally. It was a great read, and I'll definitely remember it.
There are a few storytelling differences between this and the first book. I feel like this one didn't focus on character flaws as much, but it still was a pretty big focus. We got some more lore/knowledge about the magic in this one, which I really liked. I felt that the protagonist, Maeve, had less character development than in the first. This wasn't a bad thing, she still had a lot.
I'm very excited to read the third book in this trilogy!
Most of the characters are in the equivalent of United States senior year of high school in the story. There's a recurrent worry for them about change and the future, something any teenager can relate to. Please look at the content warnings for this story, it's a YA, but a heavy one. I'd recommend it for ages 15+, so upper YA, verging on New Adult but not quite there.
I read this one in one day, I couldn't put it down! (Also it was a library book so I had a time limit, lol). I haven't decided on a star rating, definitely 4 stars at minimum. I think it's a 4.75 for me, there's nothing wrong with it, and I would highly recommend it. It just wasn't life changing for me personally. It was a great read, and I'll definitely remember it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Sexual content, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Cursing, Confinement, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Deadnaming, and Death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Vomit
meganpbell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
This series is just so fantastic at capturing the feelings and growing pains and interpersonal challenges of the teen years, all while fighting religious fundamentalism with witchcraft, queer love, and the power of friendship. This installment especially excels with representations of queer, racial, neurodivergent, and disability marginalization—and with portraying the suffering so often behind the worst actions—and it’s just a fun ride!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Self harm, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Deadnaming, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, and Death
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content
rinku's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
The beginning of The Gifts That Bind Us was so great that I was ready to give it five stars but sadly, the focus of the main plot shifts later to the aspects that didn’t interest me so much and it becomes a bit too irritating for my taste.
Lily is now back, and all our characters got some kind of magical power: Maeve can now read minds and emotions of other people, Fiona has healing powers, Roe can open doors, and Lily is able to control electricity. Weird things start to happen, and the friends have to find out what causes them before it’s too late. If I’m being honest, I was more invested in the coming-of-age-elements of the story since it’s the last year of school and Maeve is not totally sure what she wants to do after school and struggles with dealing with all the changes happening around her.
What I still love about this novel is how fantasy elements get combined with social justice issues, like queer rights or classism, though I wish the Children and their influence on the town would’ve been thematized more. I’ve said it before, but this plot point still really reminds me of the Engelsfors series. This is probably coincidental but when comparing the two series, Engelsfors is just better in showing how a cult can slowly take over a whole town and manipulate it. Another similarity of both novels is that the school is some kind of magically important place .
Towards the ending though, the story just got a bit weird, and I didn’t fully understand what was happening at the end. It was so obvious from the beginning that Heather was evil. The story gets quite creepy towards the end which I liked but it’s so weird how Maeve suddenly owns the school ?
What I appreciate about the characters is that they are a realistic portrayal of teenagers and that there’s a big focus on the friendship between them. At first, there’s jealously between them since Lily is back and mixes everything up between Maeve and Fiona. This creates a kind of tense dynamic between them. In the course of the story, we see how Lily and Maeve get closer to each other again which was great . What I appreciate about Maeve is that her feelings are quite relatable and that she messes up because she isn’t hundred percent a good person. Aaron is still an interesting character but I’m not sure what I should think about his redemption arc. He was a great villain before, and I don’t know about the new villains . I furthermore have to admit that I totally forgot that Lily and Roe are siblings since we barely see them interact as such.
Besides some of the critique I had about The Gifts That Bind Us, I’m still curious how the story will end and if I will be happy about the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Deadnaming, Self harm, and Transphobia
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Toxic relationship
osladek's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Transphobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault
josb's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Decided to read this one because I wanted something to pull me in and the first book had no problem doing that. Despite this one mostly focusing on the Children of Brigid slowly taking over the town, I found it was not as tough a read as I was expecting. Yes there are scenes of homophobia, gender policing, and slut shaming, but there is also a big problem the characters are trying to solve while they try to avoid the "scary" cultists. There are scenes where they have to interact with the cultists, but the reader is not subjected to unnecessary awful descriptions just for the sake of it.
This book in the series is very "dark forest" where our characters are not okay after the events from the first book and are trying to piece themselves together. Note that there is mention and descriptions of self harm.
I appreciated that the author went with a 3 book series, I can't imagine squishing all of this content into a duology. The end of this book got me really excited for book 3 so the setup was certainly there. There are certainly enough reveals in this second book that I don't feel it was too stretched out.
If you like darker YA's I highly recommend. The worldbuilding is interesting enough and the chapters are written in a way that hooks you and makes you curious to continue. Unfortunately, the "big bads" are complete pricks and manifest themselves as hard core old testament Christians which means there can be triggering content for some readers.
This book in the series is very "dark forest" where our characters are not okay after the events from the first book and are trying to piece themselves together. Note that there is mention and descriptions of self harm.
I appreciated that the author went with a 3 book series, I can't imagine squishing all of this content into a duology. The end of this book got me really excited for book 3 so the setup was certainly there. There are certainly enough reveals in this second book that I don't feel it was too stretched out.
If you like darker YA's I highly recommend. The worldbuilding is interesting enough and the chapters are written in a way that hooks you and makes you curious to continue. Unfortunately, the "big bads" are complete pricks and manifest themselves as hard core old testament Christians which means there can be triggering content for some readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Transphobia, Self harm, Homophobia, and Deadnaming
canopicfemme's review against another edition
5.0
this was soooo fiona made me miserable and maeve continues to be just like me fr
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Transphobia, Death, and Sexual content
Minor: Deadnaming
const_elle_ations's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Deadnaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content
mcdal's review against another edition
4.5
Not enough Roe. Could’ve been another 5/5 if there was more Roe. Aside from that, I have no notes, only incoherent screaming
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Confinement
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Biphobia, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Stalking and Ableism
bookish_paws's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Religious bigotry, and Homophobia
Minor: Deadnaming
queergoth_reads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
4.5
This book was soo good. I really loved the first one but this one really got into some of the things that were bugging me in first one. The characters are very well written in my opinion (sometimes annoyingly so but they are 16/17 so it makes sense). I really loved the discussion of pronouns and gender and the witchy plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Deadnaming and Transphobia