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bhookjunkhie's review
5.0
This was everything I wanted❤️❤️❤️ Having this series continue makes everything endurable!
elenajohansen's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I love Julie and Derek, I have always loved Julie and Derek, but the whole complicated mess of this book maybe wasn't justified by the incredibly satisfying "throw every emotion you've ever had at each other" climactic conversation between them. Did I love that scene to pieces? Absolutely. Did I love wading through endless exposition dumps explaining after the fact how Julie became Aurelia? Not really.
Julie's post-Magic Triumphs story is doled out in pieces, and several of those pieces get repeated, yet there are still (what I feel are) giant gaps in that story, so the setup for this book is simultaneously over-explained and woefully thin.
Derek's tale over the same time period is more mysterious, in its way, because Julie rightfully points out in her narration evidence of a radical shift in his personality, yet they speak to each other like they always have, and he reads convincingly as an older, sharper version of his younger serious self. Despite there being so much less of it, by virtue of Julie being the narrator, I think Derek's characterization is better than hers.
Flaws aside, though, I'll keep reading when the next book comes out (eventually...) I want to know why Derek has changed, and I want these two to have their happy ending.
Julie's post-Magic Triumphs story is doled out in pieces, and several of those pieces get repeated, yet there are still (what I feel are) giant gaps in that story, so the setup for this book is simultaneously over-explained and woefully thin.
Derek's tale over the same time period is more mysterious, in its way, because Julie rightfully points out in her narration evidence of a radical shift in his personality, yet they speak to each other like they always have, and he reads convincingly as an older, sharper version of his younger serious self. Despite there being so much less of it, by virtue of Julie being the narrator, I think Derek's characterization is better than hers.
Flaws aside, though, I'll keep reading when the next book comes out (eventually...) I want to know why Derek has changed, and I want these two to have their happy ending.
widdlemun's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
If you have to explain every single thing that just happened to the reader, then you're treating the reader like they're too stupid to understand what just happened. Also what about showing the reader instead of telling us via info dump every other page. The dialogue is so forced at times and made me cringe. The ending didn't feel like an ending at all. Yes it is a series, however the book should still have its own satisfying conclusion. I'm done with this author.
rndecker's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
mikilla's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thinkingbookishthoughts's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
5.0
ktjames's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve read and reread Kate’s story. I can’t wait to read more of Julie’s story and loved this book. The world and magic they have built is absolutely fantastic.
sandyfleener's review against another edition
4.0
Of course it was great.
I love this kind of book, this one of my all time favorite authors and so of course I loved this book. It was lovely to revisit some of my favorite characters. Hope to see more of them again very soon.
I love this kind of book, this one of my all time favorite authors and so of course I loved this book. It was lovely to revisit some of my favorite characters. Hope to see more of them again very soon.