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theequestrianslibrary's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the eARC edition of The Vermilion Emporium in return for a fair and honest review!
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**Disclaimer: The content list below may/may not include all content warnings for The Vermilion Emporium. Warnings are marked brief or graphic as needed.
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Firstly, if you describe a book as being inspired by Howl's Moving Castle, I am already sold. I clicked "Read Now" faster than I'd like to admit. I am very, very happy with this book, so if my review sounds flooded with praise, that's because it is!
To start, thank you so very much to the author for creating an independent, and SASSY, feminine protagonist. From the very beginning of her chapters, Quinta has been a powerful character who doesn't take crap off of anybody. She's determined, driven, and even when her opinions start to change later on, she is still just as resolute in her decisions regardless of what team she is fighting for. Additionally, I was THRILLED to see that she was canonically bisexual. Gorgeous! Many times, the sarcastic remarks that Quinta would make to Twain would make me laugh or run to tell my friends what she just said, simply because I was so enamored with her.
Twain, on the other hand, is exceptionally charming, and I loved him to bits. I appreciated that his traumas weren't swept under the rug as soon as a pretty girl came into his life, and that they were referenced consistently whether Quinta was in the scene or not. This goes for Quinta's traumas as well. He is an endearing character who was written as a womanizer without being insufferable. Definitely giving me some Howl vibes. He's a determined character who is clearly very passionate about the things he cares about, whether it was Quinta, his violin, or any other purpose he may have had or wanted.
I think the writing was lovely. It was a steady pace, and maybe a touch long for a YA, but I was happy to sit and enjoy the book for as long as it wanted to take me. There were the occasional spelling mistakes, mostly words being switched in place, for example something like: "the in book" instead of "in the book." (That wasn't directly taken from the book, but just as an example of what sort of very minor typos that most readers like myself would gloss over anyway since we read quicker than our brains can process.) The chapter set up was very pretty, very clean, and it's obvious that the author put a lot of time and care into the book and its characters.
The description of the Emporium was whimsical as it was magical, and I loved reading the different scenes where the main pair went into different rooms. The variety of enticing magic was a breath of fresh air aside from the general tropes, and how the mystery of the Emporium and how it gathered its wares, wonders, and items was never frankly answered. Some questions were tied up there at the end, but I think I am happier NOT knowing all the nitty-gritty about a place that is supposed to be wondrous and mysterious all at the same time.
The side characters were all quirky in their own rights and I enjoyed them all, though some less so for the obvious villainous streak that some had. There was an instance where you could definitely see something come pretty obviously, but it was well-deserved, so I'm not mad about it.
The romance was cute and warm right from the get-go, with a very clear desire and want for each other from the moment they meet. But, I, too, have a soft spot for snarky fems that could beat me up if they wished. The connection both felt in such a short amount of time was definitely enjoyable, and I liked the protectiveness they both had of each other, much like Howl and Sophie. They agreed to disagree sometimes if it was needed, but it was also nice to just see two characters that clicked together well without the constant butting of heads and friction.
The ending made me happy. It didn't feel rushed, but rather felt like a steady decline into something comforting for the characters' lives. A solid end, and there were a few twists there towards the end that I, didn't see coming, but maybe others will.
Addendum, kudos to the author for a canonically lesbian interracial couple! That was lovely to read, and I was thrilled to see it.
Overall, I give this one a 5/5 and will DEFINITELY be purchasing to keep on my shelf. I will also reread this one, which says a lot since I typically do not reread books. Good on the author, I look forward to any additional books they may come up with!
--
**Disclaimer: The content list below may/may not include all content warnings for The Vermilion Emporium. Warnings are marked brief or graphic as needed.
--
Firstly, if you describe a book as being inspired by Howl's Moving Castle, I am already sold. I clicked "Read Now" faster than I'd like to admit. I am very, very happy with this book, so if my review sounds flooded with praise, that's because it is!
To start, thank you so very much to the author for creating an independent, and SASSY, feminine protagonist. From the very beginning of her chapters, Quinta has been a powerful character who doesn't take crap off of anybody. She's determined, driven, and even when her opinions start to change later on, she is still just as resolute in her decisions regardless of what team she is fighting for. Additionally, I was THRILLED to see that she was canonically bisexual. Gorgeous! Many times, the sarcastic remarks that Quinta would make to Twain would make me laugh or run to tell my friends what she just said, simply because I was so enamored with her.
Twain, on the other hand, is exceptionally charming, and I loved him to bits. I appreciated that his traumas weren't swept under the rug as soon as a pretty girl came into his life, and that they were referenced consistently whether Quinta was in the scene or not. This goes for Quinta's traumas as well. He is an endearing character who was written as a womanizer without being insufferable. Definitely giving me some Howl vibes. He's a determined character who is clearly very passionate about the things he cares about, whether it was Quinta, his violin, or any other purpose he may have had or wanted.
I think the writing was lovely. It was a steady pace, and maybe a touch long for a YA, but I was happy to sit and enjoy the book for as long as it wanted to take me. There were the occasional spelling mistakes, mostly words being switched in place, for example something like: "the in book" instead of "in the book." (That wasn't directly taken from the book, but just as an example of what sort of very minor typos that most readers like myself would gloss over anyway since we read quicker than our brains can process.) The chapter set up was very pretty, very clean, and it's obvious that the author put a lot of time and care into the book and its characters.
The description of the Emporium was whimsical as it was magical, and I loved reading the different scenes where the main pair went into different rooms. The variety of enticing magic was a breath of fresh air aside from the general tropes, and how the mystery of the Emporium and how it gathered its wares, wonders, and items was never frankly answered. Some questions were tied up there at the end, but I think I am happier NOT knowing all the nitty-gritty about a place that is supposed to be wondrous and mysterious all at the same time.
The side characters were all quirky in their own rights and I enjoyed them all, though some less so for the obvious villainous streak that some had. There was an instance where you could definitely see something come pretty obviously, but it was well-deserved, so I'm not mad about it.
The romance was cute and warm right from the get-go, with a very clear desire and want for each other from the moment they meet. But, I, too, have a soft spot for snarky fems that could beat me up if they wished. The connection both felt in such a short amount of time was definitely enjoyable, and I liked the protectiveness they both had of each other, much like Howl and Sophie. They agreed to disagree sometimes if it was needed, but it was also nice to just see two characters that clicked together well without the constant butting of heads and friction.
The ending made me happy. It didn't feel rushed, but rather felt like a steady decline into something comforting for the characters' lives. A solid end, and there were a few twists there towards the end that I, didn't see coming, but maybe others will.
Addendum, kudos to the author for a canonically lesbian interracial couple! That was lovely to read, and I was thrilled to see it.
Overall, I give this one a 5/5 and will DEFINITELY be purchasing to keep on my shelf. I will also reread this one, which says a lot since I typically do not reread books. Good on the author, I look forward to any additional books they may come up with!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Drug use, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Suicide, Torture, and War
Brief War Themes, Mentions/Depictions of Blood & Wounds, Graphic Violence, Classism, Murder, Non-consensual Drugging, Kidnapping/Imprisonment, Mentions of Suicide, Death of a Brother, Death of Mother/Father, Death of Family Member (non-spoilered), Casual implications of sex, Depictions of Self-Inflicted Wounds/Sickness, Mentions of Drinking/Alcoholism, Verbal/Emotional Abuse from Family, Mentions of Gambling
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