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bree_h_reads's review against another edition
22% DNF
I hate to say it but this felt like SUCH a downgrade from The Bone Spindle. It felt like all the banter and chemistry I liked in book one was completely gone. And this didn’t help when the book was trying to advance the romances and I could only think about how forced it felt.
The prose too also felt…not quite purple prose but like they were trying too hard to sound fantasy-esque and fancy.
Also nothing happened. The book dragged and it felt a million times slower than it needed to be. I was 22% in an it just felt like it was dragging and the one character not in a romance was conveniently MIA all the time so ✨romance✨ could happen. Just such a bummer.
I hate to say it but this felt like SUCH a downgrade from The Bone Spindle. It felt like all the banter and chemistry I liked in book one was completely gone. And this didn’t help when the book was trying to advance the romances and I could only think about how forced it felt.
The prose too also felt…not quite purple prose but like they were trying too hard to sound fantasy-esque and fancy.
Also nothing happened. The book dragged and it felt a million times slower than it needed to be. I was 22% in an it just felt like it was dragging and the one character not in a romance was conveniently MIA all the time so ✨romance✨ could happen. Just such a bummer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Self harm
loubles93's review
adventurous
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.0
jillsandwich's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lucy_eiliab's review
Wished there was less chapters from Red's POV. Would really have loved chapters from Perrin. Not as intrigued in Red's story but it took up so much of the book.
annamickreads's review against another edition
4.0
Once again we are back at it with the intricately laid traps (and the best laid plans that go awry).
Also, I was fully prepared to start writing this review like "hey why do we have so little info on these loose ends leading up to the last chapter" without realizing that it's NOT a duology, but in fact a trilogy, so that's on me. Looking very much forward to seeing how this series ends!!!
There were a lot of interesting things happening in this book; we learned (finally) more about Red's backstory, we meet new friends, we start to unravel (key word: start) Fi's Butterfly Curse. Once again I have to say the world building for me was one of the strongest parts, there was always a new trap to solve or a ruin to investigate and I love that so, so very much. Fi and Shane's partnership has clearly grown since the last book and it's nice to see them working in tandem even when their attentions (read: their romantic affections) pull them in different directions.
Speaking of romances, it's still a YA so I have to forgive the insta-love but in this book in particular, while I appreciated Briar and Red's POV, I was a bit worried when Perrin showed up that we would end up in love triangle territory. Thankfully I seem to have been proven wrong twice today!
Some things I am looking forward to/hoping we get answers to in the last book: the Spindle Witch's origins (if she's ancient, where did she come from? Why is she seemingly faceless except for her red lips/why does she wear a veil), Briar's journey to de-monsterfication, the Butterfly Curse, the Butterfly WITCH, maybe a Shane reconciliation with her family, more about the Paper Witch honestly!!
Also, I was fully prepared to start writing this review like "hey why do we have so little info on these loose ends leading up to the last chapter" without realizing that it's NOT a duology, but in fact a trilogy, so that's on me. Looking very much forward to seeing how this series ends!!!
There were a lot of interesting things happening in this book; we learned (finally) more about Red's backstory, we meet new friends, we start to unravel (key word: start) Fi's Butterfly Curse. Once again I have to say the world building for me was one of the strongest parts, there was always a new trap to solve or a ruin to investigate and I love that so, so very much. Fi and Shane's partnership has clearly grown since the last book and it's nice to see them working in tandem even when their attentions (read: their romantic affections) pull them in different directions.
Speaking of romances, it's still a YA so I have to forgive the insta-love but in this book in particular, while I appreciated Briar and Red's POV, I was a bit worried when Perrin showed up that we would end up in love triangle territory. Thankfully I seem to have been proven wrong twice today!
Some things I am looking forward to/hoping we get answers to in the last book: the Spindle Witch's origins (if she's ancient, where did she come from? Why is she seemingly faceless except for her red lips/why does she wear a veil), Briar's journey to de-monsterfication, the Butterfly Curse, the Butterfly WITCH, maybe a Shane reconciliation with her family, more about the Paper Witch honestly!!
sweetlittleredw's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.5
Much better than the first. I still want to see more development of briar’s powers. Loved seeing what Red and Shane had in store, and I cannot wait for more character development. I’m quite liking the retelling of multiple different princesses/fairytales. Fi (I’m in audiobook so that could be totally spelled wrong idk) has started to grow into herself, but I think with this final book, we will see her full character arc which I am super excited for. All in all, I have enjoyed this story, and despite it not having a ton going on, I like the pace of the plot.
hermoonreads's review against another edition
4.0
After being completely obsessed with book 1 I was so excited for this, and it was so so worth the wait!! I love my badass, treasure hunting, axe wielding smart women!!!
I love the adventure/Indiana Jones vibes that we get while Fi and Shane discover all the ruins and hidden passage ways and traps, I can only imagine how cool it would be to see it play out in live action! And I was glad to see that even though we found Brair in book 1 that there was still plenty of adventuring left to go.
I begged for more Red after Bone Spindle and we got it!!! Who doesn't love a morally grey villain with a horrible past that makes their 'evilness' completely valid
I love the adventure/Indiana Jones vibes that we get while Fi and Shane discover all the ruins and hidden passage ways and traps, I can only imagine how cool it would be to see it play out in live action! And I was glad to see that even though we found Brair in book 1 that there was still plenty of adventuring left to go.
I begged for more Red after Bone Spindle and we got it!!! Who doesn't love a morally grey villain with a horrible past that makes their 'evilness' completely valid
hj2023's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
brittvdjx's review
adventurous
challenging
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
3.5
avybear_16's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-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