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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
'The Midnight Girls' follows the main character, Marynka, who is the apprentice of a witch. For as long as she's been an apprentice, she has thrived on competing against a rival apprentice. A girl she's never met. A girl she calls Midnight. The story focuses on three apprentices viying for the pure heart of a noble Prince.
I found this book to be okay at best. I DNF it, and only got a third of the way through. It gets better as you continue to read, but I honestly cannot see how or why this story is so long.
The book is in the format of multiple perspectives, this being of Marynka and Zosia. However, although I found Zosia to be a likeable and misunderstood character. The character of Marynka is someone I would personally enjoy hitting with a frying pan. This is ultimately the reason I didn't finish the book; as she was so boisterous and irritating, and just so, so big headed. I couldn't stand her.
Rated 2 stars - Solely because I liked the idea of the story, and the world building was incredible.
Thank you to netgallery for allowing me to read this intriguing fantasy novel.
I found this book to be okay at best. I DNF it, and only got a third of the way through. It gets better as you continue to read, but I honestly cannot see how or why this story is so long.
The book is in the format of multiple perspectives, this being of Marynka and Zosia. However, although I found Zosia to be a likeable and misunderstood character. The character of Marynka is someone I would personally enjoy hitting with a frying pan. This is ultimately the reason I didn't finish the book; as she was so boisterous and irritating, and just so, so big headed. I couldn't stand her.
Rated 2 stars - Solely because I liked the idea of the story, and the world building was incredible.
Thank you to netgallery for allowing me to read this intriguing fantasy novel.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Like come on a sapphic story about two enemies to lovers type of schtick and they’re also anti-hero, it had potential—but it didn’t turn out so well 😅
Marynka and Zosia compete in winning the pure heart of the prince, quite literally, during a festival. The whole thing is about Marynka finally getting one over Zosia, while Zosia doesn’t really see her as actual competition she somehow starts to fall in love with her... From right there the competition and feelings kinda seem imbalanced to me. Especially since they turn on each other so easily.
Also Marynka seemed very immature about her feelings and spent most of the book in denial.
Then there’s the unfinished/implied relationship between the prince and Kajten 🫤 are they in love or not???
The ending too!!!!
So much left unsaid and unfinished.
Marynka and Zosia compete in winning the pure heart of the prince, quite literally, during a festival. The whole thing is about Marynka finally getting one over Zosia, while Zosia doesn’t really see her as actual competition she somehow starts to fall in love with her... From right there the competition and feelings kinda seem imbalanced to me. Especially since they turn on each other so easily.
Also Marynka seemed very immature about her feelings and spent most of the book in denial.
Then there’s the unfinished/implied relationship between the prince and Kajten 🫤 are they in love or not???
The ending too!!!!
So much left unsaid and unfinished.
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
The book begins with Marynka, who’s 12 years old and is on her first mission to bring a heart of a prince to Grandmother, the Red Jaga.
The book has some sort of witches but they’re more like monsters with claws and pointy teeth and each of them got different powers and is nicknamed Midnight, Midday, Morning – each one of them is unique on their own appearance and also what they’re capable of.
I really enjoyed a couple of tropes touched into this book such as: enemies to lovers but the sapphic version, the grumpy/gloomy type, anti-heroine all these elements in the book made the book even more interesting. I really enjoyed the competition between Zosia and Marynka and the fact the girls were the monsters going after the guy's hearts and not the way around – this was definitely a new change in between my reads. I also enjoyed the friendship between Beata and Marynka, I found Beata to be different than the other two girls almost like quiet and shy type but so powerful once tested.
As much as I enjoyed the book there were also a couple of things I felt were missing. I really wanted to feel more chemistry between Zosia and Marynka especially since this is a sapphic book, I felt that part of it was missed. In the beginning, there was some chemistry between them but after that just died down and I couldn’t feel anymore the tension, the chemistry their enemies to lovers heat – it felt platonic.
Their powers also aren’t really explained properly how they work, if they have any limitations or if they can actually lose their powers, we just know that the three girls all have been requested by a Jaga (Red, Black, White) and they gave the girls a new chance to live and also powers but other than that this subject hasn’t been touched that much, and I felt it is a shame because their powers were amazing and we needed to know more about it.
The character development I don’t think there was any. From the beginning, the girls considered themselves monsters and until the end, their minds hasn’t changed, and neither them, they didn’t grow up to be better or to do any changes for themselves and considering the things they went through with the Jaga’s I would’ve thought they want to change something for themselves.
There was also a really interesting subject that has never been explored, the relationship between Kajetan and Jozef, it was just quickly mentioned they’re soulmates and that was it, which I really, really wanted to know more because that would’ve been such a taboo subject considering Jozef was a prince and loving his enemy. You also get some more diverse characters in the book but they’re just quickly mentioned and that’s it, they’re not actually part of the plot of the story.
Overall the book has been interesting and captivating, I only felt some things were missing in order for this book to be 5 stars in my opinion.
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The book begins with Marynka, who’s 12 years old and is on her first mission to bring a heart of a prince to Grandmother, the Red Jaga.
The book has some sort of witches but they’re more like monsters with claws and pointy teeth and each of them got different powers and is nicknamed Midnight, Midday, Morning – each one of them is unique on their own appearance and also what they’re capable of.
I really enjoyed a couple of tropes touched into this book such as: enemies to lovers but the sapphic version, the grumpy/gloomy type, anti-heroine all these elements in the book made the book even more interesting. I really enjoyed the competition between Zosia and Marynka and the fact the girls were the monsters going after the guy's hearts and not the way around – this was definitely a new change in between my reads. I also enjoyed the friendship between Beata and Marynka, I found Beata to be different than the other two girls almost like quiet and shy type but so powerful once tested.
As much as I enjoyed the book there were also a couple of things I felt were missing. I really wanted to feel more chemistry between Zosia and Marynka especially since this is a sapphic book, I felt that part of it was missed. In the beginning, there was some chemistry between them but after that just died down and I couldn’t feel anymore the tension, the chemistry their enemies to lovers heat – it felt platonic.
Their powers also aren’t really explained properly how they work, if they have any limitations or if they can actually lose their powers, we just know that the three girls all have been requested by a Jaga (Red, Black, White) and they gave the girls a new chance to live and also powers but other than that this subject hasn’t been touched that much, and I felt it is a shame because their powers were amazing and we needed to know more about it.
The character development I don’t think there was any. From the beginning, the girls considered themselves monsters and until the end, their minds hasn’t changed, and neither them, they didn’t grow up to be better or to do any changes for themselves and considering the things they went through with the Jaga’s I would’ve thought they want to change something for themselves.
There was also a really interesting subject that has never been explored, the relationship between Kajetan and Jozef, it was just quickly mentioned they’re soulmates and that was it, which I really, really wanted to know more because that would’ve been such a taboo subject considering Jozef was a prince and loving his enemy. You also get some more diverse characters in the book but they’re just quickly mentioned and that’s it, they’re not actually part of the plot of the story.
Overall the book has been interesting and captivating, I only felt some things were missing in order for this book to be 5 stars in my opinion.
Follow me on my social media for more than just reviews:
BookBub
Reedsy
Blog
A fun little queer enemies-to-lovers YA fantasy, but with some tonal and worldbuilding issues that are keeping me at a slight distance. The two antiheroines are teenaged assistants to rival witches, tasked with hunting down victims and ripping their hearts out to fuel their mistresses' magic. They clash whenever they're sent after the same target, but strike up a flirty friendship when they meet under cover identities and don't recognize one another right away.
So that's cute, but it's hard to get too invested in the struggles of two adolescent mass murderers who are generally pretty remorseless about their slaughtering. It's also not clear to me, absent fairy tale logic and/or implicit classism, why the witches need princely organs specifically, rather than those of any random peasants. And while I appreciate author Alicia Jasinka's gesture at diversity by periodically mentioning Jews and Muslims in this fictionalized version of 18th-century Poland, I have serious questions about why the church prayers and holy relics are effective protection against the girls. (If Christian rituals are visibly potent as spells, that should have major implications for religious minorities in the area!) Considering those drawbacks, I'm ultimately only lukewarm on this title, but I'm glad that a sapphic teen romance like this -- even a F/F/F love triangle at one point -- has become no big deal in the modern publishing landscape.
[Content warning for gore.]
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So that's cute, but it's hard to get too invested in the struggles of two adolescent mass murderers who are generally pretty remorseless about their slaughtering. It's also not clear to me, absent fairy tale logic and/or implicit classism, why the witches need princely organs specifically, rather than those of any random peasants. And while I appreciate author Alicia Jasinka's gesture at diversity by periodically mentioning Jews and Muslims in this fictionalized version of 18th-century Poland, I have serious questions about why the church prayers and holy relics are effective protection against the girls. (If Christian rituals are visibly potent as spells, that should have major implications for religious minorities in the area!) Considering those drawbacks, I'm ultimately only lukewarm on this title, but I'm glad that a sapphic teen romance like this -- even a F/F/F love triangle at one point -- has become no big deal in the modern publishing landscape.
[Content warning for gore.]
Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
https://patreon.com/lesserjoke
--Follow along on Goodreads here!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6288479-joe-kessler
--Or click here to browse through all my previous reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If you are a reader who lives for enemies to lovers and queer fantasty, this is the hidden gem for you. Two enchantresses are in competition with each other, while they complete their work for sister witches. They gather hearts for these witches - and whether this makes them good or bad, it is what they do for the beings that gave them another chance at life. The overall plot feels incredibly reminiscent of folktales, but blended with classic YA angst and emotion. The romantic relationship is one that crackles with energy, alongside a wholesome and grounded friendship as well.
While reliant on tropes, The Midnight Girls doesn't feel forced in the slightest. The storytelling is natural and engaging. Steeped in magic and a fight for survival, this is a solid fantasy and an author worth keeping an eye on.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
While reliant on tropes, The Midnight Girls doesn't feel forced in the slightest. The storytelling is natural and engaging. Steeped in magic and a fight for survival, this is a solid fantasy and an author worth keeping an eye on.
→ trigger warnings:Spoiler
blood depiction, murder, gore, cannibalism, knife violence, suicide mentioned, fire, self-harm
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Jasinska reads like she's trying to write as many quotable lines as possible. The concepts are great, but they feel underdeveloped, and ultimately disappointing.
adventurous
dark