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bree_h_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This is definitely a book with a lot of potential, I just think it needed some more polishing to be really good.
To start, out of the three main characters only two felt compelling and like they were properly attached to the plot. Taylor and Jamie were easily the strongest characters with the best connection to the main plot. Taylor as a witch who’s connecting with her supernatural abilities despite her father’s disapproval and feels a call to the house, and Jamie as the person trapped in the house with a ghost trying to uncover its secrets to escape. Theo…was there. He did stuff relating to the plot, but I didn’t find him compelling or interesting as a character. It very much felt like he was just there to be the love interest. Which is fine! It just didn’t feel like we needed his POV and his discoveries could have been done by Taylor or Jamie. Taylor and Jamie also had the strongest character dynamic. I felt like they played off each other and I bought into their friendship in a way I couldn’t buy into Taylor and Theo’s friendship and Jamie and Theo’s romance.
I think my issues buying into Theo’s relationship with the other characters is the early book having an issue with trying to speed run the development of character relationships and telling the reader things instead of showing them. It skips over all the establishment of friendship and romance and tries to explain it was by being obsessed with each other one at first sight. I felt so lost and just couldn’t buy into the being friends, despite the book TELLING me about how they were close friends now and developed a close bond. I never SAW that happening on page because it was skipped over. This also made the pacing feel really off, there were several instances I thought the pacing felt weird and the most common reason was it felt like the book was rushing itself.
I think those compounded into a book I just didn’t care about and had minimal interest in. I think it has potential, again, it just needed some more work. If you check it out I hope you enjoy!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Confinement, Death, Abandonment, and Cursing
Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Grief, Medical content, and Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse
chris_reads's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Abandonment, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood, Medical content, and Child abuse
Minor: Racism, Cursing, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
maeverose's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Blood and Cursing
imstephtacular's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Abandonment, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Cursing
Minor: Murder, Grief, Homophobia, and Violence
trippyotter's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
4.0
A haunted house in the woods? Yes, please!
Jaime has felt lost his entire life, and the day he comes across the dilapidated house in the woods is no different. To his absolute shock, he finds himself trapped in the house and not able to leave. For the first time, Jamie finds himself having to depend upon someone to help him escape. But will they be able to save him before it's too late?
While our trio is uncovering the past, they'll forge a friendship rich in self-discovery, acceptance, and love. Their path won't be easy, but they'll have each other to lean on, something Jaime had never allowed himself before.
The second half of the story is truly what grabbed me. In many ways, I find myself connecting with each character. Don't get me wrong, I was wrapped up in the story from the first chapter, but their individual struggles and willingness to accept each other are what really captured me.
We've all struggled with something in our lives, and having someone there for you, even someone you just meet - without judgment - is everything.
I really can't go into the "struggles" without giving the plot away, so I'll just say, read the book! You won't be sorry. It's an amazing blend of personal and social struggles that will give you all the feels.
Jaime has felt lost his entire life, and the day he comes across the dilapidated house in the woods is no different. To his absolute shock, he finds himself trapped in the house and not able to leave. For the first time, Jamie finds himself having to depend upon someone to help him escape. But will they be able to save him before it's too late?
While our trio is uncovering the past, they'll forge a friendship rich in self-discovery, acceptance, and love. Their path won't be easy, but they'll have each other to lean on, something Jaime had never allowed himself before.
The second half of the story is truly what grabbed me. In many ways, I find myself connecting with each character. Don't get me wrong, I was wrapped up in the story from the first chapter, but their individual struggles and willingness to accept each other are what really captured me.
We've all struggled with something in our lives, and having someone there for you, even someone you just meet - without judgment - is everything.
I really can't go into the "struggles" without giving the plot away, so I'll just say, read the book! You won't be sorry. It's an amazing blend of personal and social struggles that will give you all the feels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Confinement, Animal death, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content and Confinement
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