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gbrds762's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Blood, Death, Cannibalism, and Colonisation
gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.25
I loved this book. I kept wondering how these two would end up together. All the interactions between Marynka and Zosia range from cute to chaotic fun when they are battling each other.
I thought the plot was really well done and there was multiple amazing side characters. I would love to see short stories of Beata and the white Jaga, and I would love to see a story for Prince Józef and Kajetan. I think they would have an amazing story.
The ending was very cute and well done.
I thought the plot was really well done and there was multiple amazing side characters. I would love to see short stories of Beata and the white Jaga, and I would love to see a story for Prince Józef and Kajetan. I think they would have an amazing story.
The ending was very cute and well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
shaipanda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book didn’t grab me for some reason but idk if that’s cause I genuinely didn’t enjoy it that much or because I just finished one of the best books I’ve ever read
I did love that it was gay tho cause obviously lol and I enjoyed it overall but it was still a kinda meh read for me
I did love that it was gay tho cause obviously lol and I enjoyed it overall but it was still a kinda meh read for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Physical abuse and Murder
Minor: War and Abandonment
fanboyriot's review against another edition
adventurous
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
A sapphic fantasy where two women who work for witches and take hearts of princes, what more could you ask for?
Strongly recommend for anyone into more lighter fantasy books. This was really easy to read, and there was even a page telling you how their names were pronounced. It was lovely. The Polish history sprinkled in through the story was done so well and worked surprisingly well with the rest of the plot. With the romance there was such good tension between the rivals and soon blended into yearning and the realization that they might have been after each other’s heart. It was so good!!
Sapphic
Villain x Villain
Fairytale Magic
Pronunciation Guide
Angst with a Happy Ending
Strongly recommend for anyone into more lighter fantasy books. This was really easy to read, and there was even a page telling you how their names were pronounced. It was lovely. The Polish history sprinkled in through the story was done so well and worked surprisingly well with the rest of the plot. With the romance there was such good tension between the rivals and soon blended into yearning and the realization that they might have been after each other’s heart. It was so good!!
Sapphic
Villain x Villain
Fairytale Magic
Pronunciation Guide
Angst with a Happy Ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide, War, and Abandonment
cateemma's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Violence
luckykosmos's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
- 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
Adored this, and it centers Jasinska as one to watch. The dynamic between Marynka, Zosia, and Beata was delightful, and the parallel between Marynka/Zosia and Jozef/Kajetan added extra depth to all involved. On a personal note, I loved seeing a Polish-centered Slav fantasy that also acknowledged the diversity of Poland at the time - Selim's Muslim representation was a pleasant surprise, even if his role was slight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: War and Child death
nutm3g's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
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
5.0
The Midnight Girls was an exciting and entertaining read, where the villains were given the chance of a romance story for once. The sapphic enemies to lovers felt fully hashed out and believable, exploring the thin line between love and hate (as well as how quickly it can shift between the two). I enjoyed that the author did not set out to write a story where they would be "redeemed" or turn good, but rather let their love and story unfold while they remained true to themselves. While set in a semi-real historical backdrop where Poland and its people grappled for freedom from their oppressors and their right to maintain their identity we see Zosia (Midnight), Marynka (Midday), and even Beata (Morning) grapple with the same ideas of freedom and identity. It was an enjoyable read, with wonderful magical world-building.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Gun violence, War, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Genocide, Grief, Torture, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent
nicolemattingly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska 🎧
CW: blood, gore, violence, murder/death, parental abandonment, servitude, hint at sexual assault (doesn’t happen), brief mention of suicide, childhood trauma, abusive guardians, animal death, avalanche, torture, cannibalism
Recommended by Sammie @booksdogsandcoffee1991
I had been falling into a slump when Sammie recommended this book to me. I immediately found it on Scribd and started listening. I had liked The Dark Tide (also by Jasinska) so I was curious on this new world and wanted to be drawn in. And I was.
A sapphic, witchy YA read with an interesting comment that resembles the stepmother of Snow White. Three monster servants to three witch sisters are on a hunt for the prince’s heart but not for love.
I do feel like the friendship/flirting came up a little quick. They had traveled together for days but we only got a couple glimpses of interactions between them so we miss the bonding between them. That being said, majority is high level tension of wanting together but competing against each other and that I loved!
Tropes:
Enemies/Rivals-to-lovers
Forced proximity
Slow burn
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Gore, Blood, Body horror, War, Cannibalism, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Suicide and Sexual harassment
abbyschalupa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Gore, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Abandonment, Child abuse, and Suicide
allisonwonderlandreads's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Sapphic rivals-to-lovers make villainy look fun in this ya fantasy standalone. Inspired by late-18th century Poland, the world is brimming with dark forests hiding heart-eating witches and towns and cities hosting a religious milieu of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. External imperial forces may vie for control of the area, but there are internal magical threats to fear, as well. Our story centers on three monsters created by the Jaga sisters in the forest. These monsters are teenage girls honed into weapons that steal princes' hearts. All flavors of heart are fair game for our predators, but the story follows them as they seek out the ultimate prize: a pure heart. Marynka and Zosia have always been rivals, but this is a competition like no other, one with higher stakes and fewer secrets between them.
It's a furious, action-packed standoff as our monsters try to outperform one another and win the prize. They are unapologetically vicious and powerful as they pass through the upper echelons of society to get close to his royal highness. The tension between the two is palpable and fraught as they come to understand one another as something other than the competition. The third monster, Beata, creates an interesting counterpoint, not caught up in the mutual frenzy.
The world-building here is decadent and festive even with the dark patina of magic and the looming imperial threats. The sapphic romance is chaotic and heartfelt, with an equally resounding mlm love story at the periphery. While the hunt for the heart is resolved by book's end, it still leaves us with a bit of an open ending regarding how these girls will move forward and stake a claim on their own future. I enjoyed the read, especially appreciating the anti-imperialist sentiment, even if our monstrous girls don't exactly take up the cause.
It's a furious, action-packed standoff as our monsters try to outperform one another and win the prize. They are unapologetically vicious and powerful as they pass through the upper echelons of society to get close to his royal highness. The tension between the two is palpable and fraught as they come to understand one another as something other than the competition. The third monster, Beata, creates an interesting counterpoint, not caught up in the mutual frenzy.
The world-building here is decadent and festive even with the dark patina of magic and the looming imperial threats. The sapphic romance is chaotic and heartfelt, with an equally resounding mlm love story at the periphery. While the hunt for the heart is resolved by book's end, it still leaves us with a bit of an open ending regarding how these girls will move forward and stake a claim on their own future. I enjoyed the read, especially appreciating the anti-imperialist sentiment, even if our monstrous girls don't exactly take up the cause.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Blood, Cannibalism, Sexual harassment, and War