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adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Classism
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
The Vanishing Station (2024)
by Ana Ellickson https://ellicksonwriter.com/
Solid urban fantasy! I was invested in the three main characters. Ruby is a recent high school graduate who is a well-rounded fictional character. Her interests, her motivations, and her insecurities are front and center. Ruby's dad and her love interest Montgomery are also well-developed and each has of them has a unique drive. I LOVE the conflict of a young adult who has magic to travel the world, but is 'stuck' in life due to extenuating obligations. Too relatable!
Criticisms: the supporting cast and... the villain? The supporting cast is vast and diverse, but overall shallow in character development. At the moment, this book is a standalone story, but it does have the potential to become a series. Maybe the author will share more of this fantasy world with another character?
About the villain. I'm not sure how to categorize this, but the final confrontation in this story doesn't seem to match what the villain is capable of. Throughout the book, I was enjoying who the villain is and how they're set-up, but in the end, the main characters get away too easily. I felt a similar reaction to Cersi (sp?) in the Game of Thrones TV show. All build-up, "PFFFTT" (blowing raspberries) for pay-off. So, I'm not sure if this is a flaw in the character of the villain or a problem of establishing stakes. The villain's ending just... a head-scratcher.
I'd recommend this to...
- Fans of urban / modern fantasy or anyone who wants to sample that genre
- Someone who knows San Francisco (I'd like to hear what details the author got right / wrong.)
- Romance readers who prefer fade-to-black sex scenes (I liked that it had romance but didn't go into details on the heavy-petting.)
by Ana Ellickson https://ellicksonwriter.com/
Solid urban fantasy! I was invested in the three main characters. Ruby is a recent high school graduate who is a well-rounded fictional character. Her interests, her motivations, and her insecurities are front and center. Ruby's dad and her love interest Montgomery are also well-developed and each has of them has a unique drive. I LOVE the conflict of a young adult who has magic to travel the world, but is 'stuck' in life due to extenuating obligations. Too relatable!
Criticisms: the supporting cast and... the villain? The supporting cast is vast and diverse, but overall shallow in character development. At the moment, this book is a standalone story, but it does have the potential to become a series. Maybe the author will share more of this fantasy world with another character?
About the villain. I'm not sure how to categorize this, but the final confrontation in this story doesn't seem to match what the villain is capable of. Throughout the book, I was enjoying who the villain is and how they're set-up, but in the end, the main characters
I'd recommend this to...
- Fans of urban / modern fantasy or anyone who wants to sample that genre
- Someone who knows San Francisco (I'd like to hear what details the author got right / wrong.)
- Romance readers who prefer fade-to-black sex scenes (I liked that it had romance but didn't go into details on the heavy-petting.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Sexual content, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Ruby is trying to keep things together and pay the bills after her mother passed away, but her father complicates things with his drinking problem. When she finds out that his job was to jump through magic portals on the train system of San Francisco, Ruby volunteers to take over his contract to transport illicit goods.
This was a fun book! I enjoyed the magic, though I wish there was more traveling to different places. It ends in a way that definitely leaves room for a sequel while still wrapping up the story, so I'm hopeful that we will get more! Ruby is a strong protagonist and puts up with so much. I would love to read more about her!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This was a fun book! I enjoyed the magic, though I wish there was more traveling to different places. It ends in a way that definitely leaves room for a sequel while still wrapping up the story, so I'm hopeful that we will get more! Ruby is a strong protagonist and puts up with so much. I would love to read more about her!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Death of parent