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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
No
As someone who has read many fantasy novels with intricate world-building and complex plots, I found this book difficult to follow—not because of its complexity, but due to a lack of clarity and attention to detail. Critical information about the past was often dropped in randomly, shifting the narrative perspective in jarring ways. This lack of foundational world-building left me feeling lost and disconnected.
The premise of the book was excellent, and the author’s writing shows promise, but the story needed more time and care. The main character felt inconsistent, with her actions and intentions shifting erratically, making her feel unreliable. Many of her awkward attempts at seduction or flirting felt out of place, as though they came from a different character entirely. Without context, these scenes were confusing. For example, her sudden attempts to seduce the vessels seemed random until it was later revealed that she was supposed to be trying to manipulate them for her father’s betrayal. By that point, her behavior had already undermined her credibility. What could have been a compelling character arc instead felt disjointed and inconsistent.
Even the sentence structure was occasionally confusing. In one scene, someone holds out a photo for the main character to view. The photo is described, there's dialogue, and then suddenly, the main character drops their hand and lets the photo fall to the ground. I reread this passage multiple times, trying to figure out when the main character actually took the photo—it’s never mentioned. Similarly, the setup for her dorm is vague. She references roommates but only describes a single bedroom and a bathroom. Is the bathroom an en suite? Is there a shared living space? If these details aren’t relevant to the story, why not make all the dorms single rooms? Small inconsistencies like these appeared often enough to repeatedly pull me out of the story.
The ending was a chaotic whirlwind, with one shocking revelation after another, but it was too rushed to fully process or appreciate. The inclusion of past trauma felt like an afterthought, added for dramatic effect rather than woven meaningfully into the narrative. Additionally, the witches and their powers were underdeveloped. Where did their powers come from? If they originated from the Black Witch, how did others acquire theirs? What exactly are their powers, and how do they use them? These are fascinating elements that deserved far more exploration.
A good editor working closely with the author could have elevated this book significantly. Expanding on key moments and fleshing out the world and characters would have added depth and clarity. With another hundred pages dedicated to building the narrative and answering these questions, this could have been a much stronger book. As it stands, the potential was there, but the execution fell short.
The premise of the book was excellent, and the author’s writing shows promise, but the story needed more time and care. The main character felt inconsistent, with her actions and intentions shifting erratically, making her feel unreliable. Many of her awkward attempts at seduction or flirting felt out of place, as though they came from a different character entirely. Without context, these scenes were confusing. For example, her sudden attempts to seduce the vessels seemed random until it was later revealed that she was supposed to be trying to manipulate them for her father’s betrayal. By that point, her behavior had already undermined her credibility. What could have been a compelling character arc instead felt disjointed and inconsistent.
Even the sentence structure was occasionally confusing. In one scene, someone holds out a photo for the main character to view. The photo is described, there's dialogue, and then suddenly, the main character drops their hand and lets the photo fall to the ground. I reread this passage multiple times, trying to figure out when the main character actually took the photo—it’s never mentioned. Similarly, the setup for her dorm is vague. She references roommates but only describes a single bedroom and a bathroom. Is the bathroom an en suite? Is there a shared living space? If these details aren’t relevant to the story, why not make all the dorms single rooms? Small inconsistencies like these appeared often enough to repeatedly pull me out of the story.
The ending was a chaotic whirlwind, with one shocking revelation after another, but it was too rushed to fully process or appreciate. The inclusion of past trauma felt like an afterthought, added for dramatic effect rather than woven meaningfully into the narrative. Additionally, the witches and their powers were underdeveloped. Where did their powers come from? If they originated from the Black Witch, how did others acquire theirs? What exactly are their powers, and how do they use them? These are fascinating elements that deserved far more exploration.
A good editor working closely with the author could have elevated this book significantly. Expanding on key moments and fleshing out the world and characters would have added depth and clarity. With another hundred pages dedicated to building the narrative and answering these questions, this could have been a much stronger book. As it stands, the potential was there, but the execution fell short.
dark
mysterious
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:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really felt like I went through the journey with Willow, because she has a plan and we know what her plan is. And when the plan goes sideways we are confused with her, we are surprised with her and we truly learn secrets with her because we are both on the same place as far as information goes. I wasn’t mad about it
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
fast-paced
It was definitely better than the previous Harper L. Woods book I read but I still found that while I speed through it, I wasn’t hooked to the plot or the I don’t even want to call that a romance to be honest. I liked Willow as a character though, she was tough and she was a powerful witch dedicated to old ways. She had guts telling powerful people what she truly thought of them, even when they threatened her.