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simonlorden's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was pure magic. The descriptions are lyrical, and the magic is everywhere, in the redwoods and the water and the earth all around. I love how all the girls are witches in their own way, but Danny's power and her searching is the best of all.
Also, this book is just really, really delightfully sapphic. And the final twist is darker than I expected.
Also, this book is just really, really delightfully sapphic. And the final twist is darker than I expected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Murder
runes_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-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
No spoiler review!
4.5/5 Stars. It would've been four stars, but the ending blew me away. I couldn't put it down for the last bit. It's mostly slow paced up until the end, with lots of POV switches and flashbacks The characters were lovable with realistic flaws and good character growth. TONS of found (queer) family, which I love. Lots of mystery and some really suspenseful parts, with twists and turns that I would've never guessed, but were foreshadowed wonderfully. It's main cast is in high school, a great YA book.
4.5/5 Stars. It would've been four stars, but the ending blew me away. I couldn't put it down for the last bit. It's mostly slow paced up until the end, with lots of POV switches and flashbacks The characters were lovable with realistic flaws and good character growth. TONS of found (queer) family, which I love. Lots of mystery and some really suspenseful parts, with twists and turns that I would've never guessed, but were foreshadowed wonderfully. It's main cast is in high school, a great YA book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Drug use, Homophobia, and Grief
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Cursing, Bullying, and Alcohol
strange_little_ranger's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, Drug use, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Murder, and Sexual content
jazdono's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. The writing style was refreshingly unique, and it was filled with beautiful descriptions and ideas. Switching between perspectives and time periods gave the book a whimsical and timeless feel that perfectly matched the content of the story. Finishing this book was the first in a long time where I have been wholly heartbroken to not have more of the story.
In terms of the romance, everything was handled perfectly. Having grown up in a world where queer was treated like a curse (much like Danny’s world in Michigan), this book was everything I needed. Platonic and romantic love were weaved together in the truly inseparable way it should be. I was a bit worried when it seemed like the author was weaving a love triangle between Danny, Rush, and Imogen, but the romance was resolved so beautifully.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Death of parent
krys_kilz's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn't connect with the characters and thus was not very invested in the story. Some of the description in this book felt a little off to me - there were parts with a lot more telling than showing that made the narrative fall a little flat in places.
I did love the relationship between the witches - their love for one another and openness - and it was amazing to have such an unapologetically queer story. I just wish the characters and world building were a bit more robust so I could fully immerse myself in the story.
I did love the relationship between the witches - their love for one another and openness - and it was amazing to have such an unapologetically queer story. I just wish the characters and world building were a bit more robust so I could fully immerse myself in the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Homophobia, and Drug use
Minor: Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, and Eating disorder
caitlinjadams's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-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
I picked up this book because I read something about how it made you feel you were actually in a redwood forest, and it absolutely does. This is above all a sensory and sensual book. Yes, there’s a plot, and on the whole it’s a plot I enjoyed, but what I loved was floating through the writing and all the senses. An excellent ~spooky season ~ read for someone like me who does not do scary.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Infidelity
Minor: Death and Injury/Injury detail
alatarmaia's review
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
I will do my best to do this without spoilers.
Lost Coast SOUNDS intriguing, but unfortunately it doesn't follow through. I agree with other reviewers who say that while the plot picks up later, in the beginning it's too ~mystical~ and confusing to be easily followed. It took me until 40 pages in to realize the Greys were not related to each other.
In addition, the ~mystical~ energy and often changing POV/temporal setting make the plot extremely difficult to follow. I often had to double back a little and reread certain parts to make sure I understood what was supposed to be happening. A hallway scene in a high school during a passing period featured only two characters present, somehow. I wouldn't realize characters were skipping school until they explicitly stated they were.
The characters' dialogue does a lot of the heavy lifting as well. How do we find out Rush is fat? How do we find out how each of the Greys identifies in terms of sexual/gender orientation? They go around in a circle and take turns telling Danny. How do we find out what kind of magic they practice? They tell Danny (Imogen, Danny, and Rush are the only witches whose particular skills seem to be important enough to actually be displayed). In short, there's a lot of TELLING, and flowery detail, while I wish there was more showing. These characters are a lovely group, but I don't feel like I actually know them, understand their motivations, or understand much about them at all — and that goes double for anyone else in the book, particularly the younger sister of the missing girl, Imogen.
In addition, the Greys and Danny often get into trouble, but the book seems to go out of its way to avoid having them face consequences for their actions. They go to detention once, but quickly sneak out; Danny's mom gets mad at her, but despite Danny constantly worrying about breaking her strict mom's rules, they never actually STOP her, and "mom will get mad" is a threat completely without weight or impact.
Despite all of this, I did finish Lost Coast. It reminds me of the work my classmates are producing, right now, during our college senior projects in creative writing. There is skill present here. There is a good plot present somewhere in here. But this book could use a LOT more work and editing for clarity before it gets to the point where it's one I would seriously recommend to others (this is without getting into the scene where the Greys insist that Danny practice "skyclad", aka naked, something they are so embarrassed about despite doing regularly that they make her Google what it means instead of telling her — Wicca in general is not my cup of tea, but this book is explicitly using a Wiccan magic system ).
In short, I don't understand people who like this book or frequent comparisons to The Raven Cycle, but YMMV, and maybe I just haven't reread TRC recently enough to understand. I did read the whole thing, but I spent the entire time making fun of each new puzzling development over chat to my friend.
Lost Coast SOUNDS intriguing, but unfortunately it doesn't follow through. I agree with other reviewers who say that while the plot picks up later, in the beginning it's too ~mystical~ and confusing to be easily followed. It took me until 40 pages in to realize the Greys were not related to each other.
In addition, the ~mystical~ energy and often changing POV/temporal setting make the plot extremely difficult to follow. I often had to double back a little and reread certain parts to make sure I understood what was supposed to be happening. A hallway scene in a high school during a passing period featured only two characters present, somehow. I wouldn't realize characters were skipping school until they explicitly stated they were.
The characters' dialogue does a lot of the heavy lifting as well. How do we find out Rush is fat? How do we find out how each of the Greys identifies in terms of sexual/gender orientation? They go around in a circle and take turns telling Danny. How do we find out what kind of magic they practice? They tell Danny (Imogen, Danny, and Rush are the only witches whose particular skills seem to be important enough to actually be displayed). In short, there's a lot of TELLING, and flowery detail, while I wish there was more showing. These characters are a lovely group, but I don't feel like I actually know them, understand their motivations, or understand much about them at all — and that goes double for anyone else in the book, particularly the younger sister of the missing girl, Imogen.
In addition, the Greys and Danny often get into trouble, but the book seems to go out of its way to avoid having them face consequences for their actions. They go to detention once, but quickly sneak out; Danny's mom gets mad at her, but despite Danny constantly worrying about breaking her strict mom's rules, they never actually STOP her, and "mom will get mad" is a threat completely without weight or impact.
Despite all of this, I did finish Lost Coast. It reminds me of the work my classmates are producing, right now, during our college senior projects in creative writing. There is skill present here. There is a good plot present somewhere in here. But this book could use a LOT more work and editing for clarity before it gets to the point where it's one I would seriously recommend to others (this is without getting into the scene where
In short, I don't understand people who like this book or frequent comparisons to The Raven Cycle, but YMMV, and maybe I just haven't reread TRC recently enough to understand. I did read the whole thing, but I spent the entire time making fun of each new puzzling development over chat to my friend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child death
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