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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
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
This book had magic and mystery and Hollywood glamor and a sprinkling of twilight zone vibes. So obviously I loved it.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5⭐️
This book was excellent with the mystery. You never knew who was trustworthy and it was hard to pinpoint a villain. The magic was fun but bland in my opinion. Because of the mystery of all the characters (except for Holland) there wasn’t much depth with any of them. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and I found myself getting bored. The ending wasn’t what I expected but I found myself feeling a little let down about it. I feel like there are questions I still have that never got answered.
It wasn’t a bad read by any means but it didn’t have enough of the juicy details or plot twists for me. It’s a nice fast read for the fall.
This book was excellent with the mystery. You never knew who was trustworthy and it was hard to pinpoint a villain. The magic was fun but bland in my opinion. Because of the mystery of all the characters (except for Holland) there wasn’t much depth with any of them. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and I found myself getting bored. The ending wasn’t what I expected but I found myself feeling a little let down about it. I feel like there are questions I still have that never got answered.
It wasn’t a bad read by any means but it didn’t have enough of the juicy details or plot twists for me. It’s a nice fast read for the fall.
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
No
Liked the story and the characters, but not a very satisfying ending.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Rating: 4.25/5
Spice: Could’ve been YA (minimal intimacy)
ARC courtesy of Flatiron Books, thank you for the early copy!
This book felt very immersive, a high-stakes treasure hunt through a magical Los Angeles filled with secret. We follow Holland St. James, who believes in magic and that belief becomes survival when the Watch Man tells her she’ll die at midnight unless she finds the Alchemical Heart. What follows is a fast-paced scavenger hunt full of myths, betrayals, and a lot of “who can I really trust?” moments.
The structure gave me Caraval vibes—a missing sister in the background, a magical environment, and a sense that nothing is ever quite what it seems.
The romance aspects of this story lost me a bit. Holland crosses paths with multiple men who were mysterious and somehow connected to her. It sometimes felt like a tennis match of shifting dynamics without enough depth to latch onto. The story happens in a short span of time, which didn’t leave much room for real connection.
The worldbuilding and mystery elements were the strongest parts. I loved the magic-meets-modern setting. The book that kept me hooked the majority of the time. The pacing sometimes felt slower, but not in a "let me catch my breath" type of way.
This didn’t feel drastically more “adult” than Stephanie's YA series, but it definitely carried slightly darker undertones.
Spice: Could’ve been YA (minimal intimacy)
ARC courtesy of Flatiron Books, thank you for the early copy!
This book felt very immersive, a high-stakes treasure hunt through a magical Los Angeles filled with secret. We follow Holland St. James, who believes in magic and that belief becomes survival when the Watch Man tells her she’ll die at midnight unless she finds the Alchemical Heart. What follows is a fast-paced scavenger hunt full of myths, betrayals, and a lot of “who can I really trust?” moments.
This didn’t feel drastically more “adult” than Stephanie's YA series, but it definitely carried slightly darker undertones.