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spellboundreader's review against another edition
adventurous
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
“Girls like her don’t get to dream. Girls like her get to survive. Most days, that’s enough. Today, she doesn’t think it is.”
*
For fans of ‘The Scorpio Races’ and other cozy YA fantasies.
*
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Every year a magical creature called the hala brings chaos and violence wherever it wanders. Every year there is a competition to capture and kill the beast. Only the wealthy enter the hunt. The wealthy and the desperate.
A boy whose downtrodden family is in need of the prize money. A girl who needs the corpse of the ancient creature to salvage what is left of her family. What will come of them if they work together? If they fail, they lose more than the competition… but if they win, it could change everything.
*
*
Wow. Let me start my saying that I adore these characters. Margaret and Wes’ growth throughout the story was amazing to watch. They are so flawed, yet complement each other so well. TBH they are probably one of the healthiest YA relationships I’ve read in ages. So many green flags!
The actual hunt itself takes up a small portion of the read. We spend most of the book prepping for the actual event. So lower your expectations when it comes to the competition aspect of the story. The few characters where the hunt actually takes place are action packed, but there is a lot of buildup before that point.
The world building could have been a bit more fleshed out. I wouldn’t mind learning more about their folklore and religions. The world is so similar to ours in every way, except for the existence of alchemy and magical creatures.
The ending of this book 🤌🏼 was perfection. Without spoiling anything, characters cutting toxic people out of their lives is a trope we need to use more often.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism, Antisemitism, Classism, and Religious bigotry
elodiethefangirl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Animal death, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual content
chellyfishing's review
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Antisemitism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
erinreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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
4.5
I liked the character-focused storyline of this book—I found both main characters very compelling and I like that the reader is given a lot of time with them to truly know them before they fall for each other, which makes their happy ending all the more believable and rewarding . Some of the worldbuilding is a little vague (the different religious sects, the rules/history behind the hunt, etc.) which was a bit distracting at times but didn’t detract hugely from my enjoyment and investment in the story.
Read if you like satisfying, emotional, character-based romance.
Read if you like satisfying, emotional, character-based romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Grief
ctara2123's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Abandonment, Death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, and Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, and Sexual content
edamamebean's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
Wow, wow, wow I really loved this book. I truly did not want it to end, and I will be reading all of Allison Saft’s other books. I honestly think this would make a perfect Studio Ghibli movie—it’s so atmospheric and the characters are lovable. The only reason I haven’t rated this book 5 stars is because it becomes kind of clear while reading that their world is analogous of our own. The religions are sloppily painted over versions of Protestantism, Judaism, and Catholicism and the result was kind of jarring to read. Not only was it confusing, but it was also a little frustrating that the mental labor was put on me as the reader to fall back on my own knowledge of world religions instead of on her as the author to create a world that was unique to the story. That being said, I understand what she was trying to say about anti-immigrant and antisemitism in America and I can appreciate it. It’s easy to forgive when the rest of this book was an absolute delight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Religious bigotry, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Child death, Alcohol, and Abandonment
naomidanae's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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? No
4.5
There's a lot to love about this book. The world building is well rounded—an economy built around alchemy, religious points of view on alchemy's consequences, and a built history around a cultural hunt. There are plenty of real-world analogues to the religions, which does prove to be an interesting discussion point. There's a clear connection between the Yu'adir and Judaism, the Sumic religion and Catholicism, and Katharists and Protestants. It offers a timely discussion of antisemitism. The romance felt believable and slowly developed through the course of the book.
I think my only issue with this book is how unclear the time period of the book is. There are phones and cars and all, but then 25 cents is apparently a lot of money. And the rifle has a magazine? Otherwise, this is a great book.
A few quotes:
"Love is not the sharp-edged thing she’s always believed it to be. It’s not like the sea, liable to slip through her fingers if she holds on too tight. It’s not a currency, something to be earned or denied or bartered for. Love can be steadfast. It can be certain and safe, or as wild as an open flame. It’s a slice of buttered bread at a dinner table. It’s a grudge born of worry. It’s broken skin pulled over swelling knuckles."
"All I know for sure is that if God or the truth or whatever you want to call it is out there and we can reach it, we’re not going to find it in that box. We’ll find it in other people.”
“Loneliness is a terrible thing. Maybe the most terrible thing.”
I think my only issue with this book is how unclear the time period of the book is. There are phones and cars and all, but then 25 cents is apparently a lot of money. And the rifle has a magazine? Otherwise, this is a great book.
A few quotes:
"Love is not the sharp-edged thing she’s always believed it to be. It’s not like the sea, liable to slip through her fingers if she holds on too tight. It’s not a currency, something to be earned or denied or bartered for. Love can be steadfast. It can be certain and safe, or as wild as an open flame. It’s a slice of buttered bread at a dinner table. It’s a grudge born of worry. It’s broken skin pulled over swelling knuckles."
"All I know for sure is that if God or the truth or whatever you want to call it is out there and we can reach it, we’re not going to find it in that box. We’ll find it in other people.”
“Loneliness is a terrible thing. Maybe the most terrible thing.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
kristinallard's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
alexijai98's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
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
4.0
Solid YA romantasy! Give me more stories with a scary girl and her sad wet bf!
Be warned, this is definitely a ROMANtasy. The fantasy aspects are throughout the whole book, but the action mostly revolves around the protagonists’ romance - which I didn’t mind because I loved them both! Reading this made me feel fuzzy inside, the way it felt to read a stunning fanfiction back in 2014 (you know the ones with the titles in all lowercase, don’t pretend not to!). There is also some heavy-hitting Mommy Issue content in here that had my feeling some kind of way, so keep that in mind!
Be warned, this is definitely a ROMANtasy. The fantasy aspects are throughout the whole book, but the action mostly revolves around the protagonists’ romance - which I didn’t mind because I loved them both! Reading this made me feel fuzzy inside, the way it felt to read a stunning fanfiction back in 2014 (you know the ones with the titles in all lowercase, don’t pretend not to!). There is also some heavy-hitting Mommy Issue content in here that had my feeling some kind of way, so keep that in mind!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Religious bigotry, Violence, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Abandonment, Animal death, Classism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Colonisation
bohemianhermit04's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Alcohol