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camiclarkbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.25
One of my dearest friends gave me “Flowerheart” for Christmas so it moved to the top of my TBR. She said that it was a charming, cozy standalone and I’m happy to report that she was right (she always is)!
“Flowerheart” was a fun YA fantasy that gave serious cottagecore vibes but did have some spooky elements to it. It reminded me of a lighthearted “Sorcery of Thorns,” which is one of my favorite books.
Bakewell definitely leaned on the vibes of the book, but the characters were sweet and the plot was engaging. I love an element of mystery and a deadline from higher forces and “Flowerheart” featured both!
As much as I enjoyed the book, I wasn’t totally satisfied with the ending. I’m not able to say much more without spoiling anything, but there were some consequences and decisions that everyone was distressed by until the end when they appear to have forgotten everything.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Abandonment, Addiction, and Drug abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Mental illness
smiti_nathan's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
3.25 - listened to this as an audiobook and narration was okay.
I appreciated this as a quick low stakes listen. The flower descriptions were nice. The premise of the book was intriguing, but I felt like it lacked in tension. There was a build up to this big revelation and I was left feeling, “…and…”. I appreciated the seamless LGBTQIA+ representation and modeling of romantic consent; however, some of the characters felt quite one-dimensional. There was whimsy, which was nice. Other aspects were quite repetitive. Also, there was this whole aspect of the council, its shortcomings, and what it meant to be a part of it that was glossed over in my opinion.
I appreciated this as a quick low stakes listen. The flower descriptions were nice. The premise of the book was intriguing, but I felt like it lacked in tension. There was a build up to this big revelation and I was left feeling, “…and…”. I appreciated the seamless LGBTQIA+ representation and modeling of romantic consent; however, some of the characters felt quite one-dimensional. There was whimsy, which was nice. Other aspects were quite repetitive. Also, there was this whole aspect of the council, its shortcomings, and what it meant to be a part of it that was glossed over in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, and Fire/Fire injury
blacksphinx's review
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is a puff of cotton candy. Light, sugary, quickly consumed.
This book has a strong "fanfic author's first original fic" vibe. There is very little world building in this novel, and things you might think warrant an explanation (like the magic system) are glossed over, like we're already supposed to know. It's partially centered around a variation on a fanfic trope - hanahaki disease - and there's a small scene lifted directly from Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle movie. In fact, our protagonist's two-syllable name, her light blue and light green dresses, her long hair plaited into a braid, and our wizard love interest's black hair kept me wondering... If this started life as a HMC's fanfic I would not be surprised.
Overall, this is a book that comfortably fits in the YA section and would probably be a delight in most middle school or high school libraries. (This book also needs an LGBT+ tag on here, it's a queernormative setting.)
This book has a strong "fanfic author's first original fic" vibe. There is very little world building in this novel, and things you might think warrant an explanation (like the magic system) are glossed over, like we're already supposed to know. It's partially centered around a variation on a fanfic trope - hanahaki disease - and there's a small scene lifted directly from Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle movie. In fact, our protagonist's two-syllable name, her light blue and light green dresses, her long hair plaited into a braid, and our wizard love interest's black hair kept me wondering... If this started life as a HMC's fanfic I would not be surprised.
Overall, this is a book that comfortably fits in the YA section and would probably be a delight in most middle school or high school libraries. (This book also needs an LGBT+ tag on here, it's a queernormative setting.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Mental illness
I want to list a brief content warning for an emotionally abusive relationship betweennutmegandpumpkin's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
A cozy fantasy that still has stakes and dark moments perfect for spring (also it gives off major Ghibli vibes which is always a plus)
✿
Overview
Writing Quality: 5/5
Pace: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Description: 5/5
Ease of Reading: 5/5
Ending: 5/5
Personal Enjoyment: 5/5
✿
✿
Overview
Writing Quality: 5/5
Pace: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Description: 5/5
Ease of Reading: 5/5
Ending: 5/5
Personal Enjoyment: 5/5
✿
Something about this book emanated comfort for me. It felt like going outside after too much time spent inside, feeling the sun on your face and taking a deep inhale. I’d also like to add that the description was ✨scrumdiliumcious✨
I was immediately into the story from the start which is very rare for me. There were a lot of aspects to the story that I was pleasantly surprised by such as a sensitive & nervous male love interest, a plus-sized bi main character, and mental health rep through the magic.
I would classify it as a cozy fantasy that still has stakes and dark moments. The entire time I was reading it I imagined that it took place in the same universe as Howl’s Moving Castle.
I think that this book is not everyone’s cup of tea, but based on the lower rated reviews I’ve seen, most of them are due to expectations being largely different from the reality of what this book is. It is not a fantasy story that dives deep into worldbuilding, characters, or a complex plot. This is not to say these things don’t exist, they’re just much more subtle and Bakewell allows things to be left unsaid.
I found it to be a great light read that doesn’t get bogged down by larger-than-life concepts while still having an enjoyable plot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Body horror, Mental illness, and Vomit
Minor: Drug abuse, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury
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