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clovelatte's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
ajthequeen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Torture
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Drug use
zoecrepp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
Minor: Rape
lainiereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Okay, this book is confusing. But, in a good way, I think? Like I really enjoyed reading it, and I can't wait for the second one, but man I had no idea what was going on the whole time. The writing has the perfect dark academia fanciness, which created a large amount of confusion- but it's also what made me still enjoy reading even when I was completely lost. Olivie Blake's writing makes it so easy for the readers to feel like they are also in some mysterious private "school" and are learning about some crazy complicated magic.
Speaking about magic, that was also very hard for me to understand- but once again, in an enjoyable way. It felt a lot like reading about philosophy, but instead of being all theoretical, it was about the magical abilities that they had. It was very interesting to learn about, although I absolutely understood none of it (like actual philosophy). If anyone enjoys that kind of abstract thinking, then this book is 100% for you. If you don't like that kind of thing though, don't worry, it's still enjoyable when you don't understand it.
Now for the best part of the book: the characters! They were all so complex! And their dynamic with each other?? Also complex! It was so hard to figure out what was going to happen next because there were so many layers to each person. It felt like every chapter, my perception of each character was completely changed! My personal favorites would probably be Nico and Libby, who I can't wait to see more of in the next book (psssst Olivie Blake, please give me more Libby and Nick content in the next one, that's all I want). They both try to be morally good but find themselves struggling with doing the right thing at times. Libby especially questions her beliefs a lot, which made me connect to her a lot more than others who just did crazy things for fun (though I also love those characters too).
This book includes many morally gray characters, fancy dark academia vibes, and a complex storyline- what's not to like? Everyone go read it so we can all discuss the ending and wait patiently for the next one :)
Speaking about magic, that was also very hard for me to understand- but once again, in an enjoyable way. It felt a lot like reading about philosophy, but instead of being all theoretical, it was about the magical abilities that they had. It was very interesting to learn about, although I absolutely understood none of it (like actual philosophy). If anyone enjoys that kind of abstract thinking, then this book is 100% for you. If you don't like that kind of thing though, don't worry, it's still enjoyable when you don't understand it.
Now for the best part of the book: the characters! They were all so complex! And their dynamic with each other?? Also complex! It was so hard to figure out what was going to happen next because there were so many layers to each person. It felt like every chapter, my perception of each character was completely changed! My personal favorites would probably be Nico and Libby, who I can't wait to see more of in the next book (psssst Olivie Blake, please give me more Libby and Nick content in the next one, that's all I want). They both try to be morally good but find themselves struggling with doing the right thing at times. Libby especially questions her beliefs a lot, which made me connect to her a lot more than others who just did crazy things for fun (though I also love those characters too).
This book includes many morally gray characters, fancy dark academia vibes, and a complex storyline- what's not to like? Everyone go read it so we can all discuss the ending and wait patiently for the next one :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Chronic illness, Violence, and Grief
nicole_m's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
This was a good book. The theme was dark academia. Wonderful read for the fall. <Spoiler> I would have like for their to have been more action. For instance, at the end I was like that’s it, but in almost a good way . Overall, nice book and I recommend to those who like what is stated above.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, and Terminal illness
If the warnings above trigger you then i don’t recommend this book. If not give it a try if you like and enjoy!lessthelonely's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
OK, this one was a long time coming. Thanks BookTok for the recomendation.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was skeptical of it - and you might think it's because the book is self-published, but nope! -, mostly because the chapters weren't tagged in the contents of the eBook, somehow, so I assumed that the book only had 8 chapters. I was delightly surprised it wasn't true.
I actually went beyond wanting to read this book to actually reading it only because many people raved about it being MLM, WLW and also having heterossexual relationships. I get why that was said, but I was highly dissappointed to know that the LGBTQ+ content was mostly a sex scene and an I love you scene that was really intense but felt kind of flat for me: I believed this book was going to go a very certain way, it being with 3 pairs of closed emotional and romantic relationships but with added openness, as in... polyamory.
I was all in for that, and the thing is I was sort of right? There are very defined relationships here, but I don't think any of them actually reached what I was hoping, which is fine, if the sequel takes it from here. I guess I was just hoping to feel highly depressed about these 6 blaring attractive characters that were painfully my type (Nico de Varona, I'm specially looking at you, you little shit; Callum, you're second) just be happy, because their flaws could make me feel loveable, which is something I haven't been feeling a lot.
This book is PACKED with text. And I'm usually awfully skeptical of books who go for the mysticism and pretty words, but this book does it right. It's a lot of information and a lot of wandering, but it's always beautiful. One thing I noticed is that many chapters happened to follow a certain technique: we start at a point B, and right at the beginning the character focuses on something that happened before B, so A, after which they go back to point B and finish that little thread. I noticed it being used quite a few times, but it never deterred from the experience.
Other thing I feel like I must say is that even though I loved all these characters, there were some that felt a bit lacking at times, namely Reina, whose flaws weren't as explored as, for example, Libby's, Parisa's, Nico's or even Tristan's. Secondly, Tristan's problems seemed highly convoluted, and there's a scene that basically leaves him totally bare. I suspect that this was done to tell us there's more to him than this. If that's not the case, I'm going to be extremely sad.
Finally... Callum. I really liked Callum but he caused me severe emotional distress because No way you're that cynical without it having some real toll on you. I'm expecting that Book 2 will go into his actual flaws, because I didn't seem like we saw any flaws or vulnerability from him this book: what I got from what he's been through is that he's a victim and product of his own environment which... ouch, that hits close to home, but at the same time, I was always on constant edge reading his thoughts and feelings. It was highly distressed because it seemed like he's always on the verge of letting himself feel and be a bit truer to his own humanity, but that didn't really happen, not in this book.
Either way, that's the only reason I won't give this book 5 stars. Read it. It's dark, it's mystic, it's absolutely fantastic and it deserves the hype that follows it. Ms. Olivie Blake, thank you for your service.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was skeptical of it - and you might think it's because the book is self-published, but nope! -, mostly because the chapters weren't tagged in the contents of the eBook, somehow, so I assumed that the book only had 8 chapters. I was delightly surprised it wasn't true.
I actually went beyond wanting to read this book to actually reading it only because many people raved about it being MLM, WLW and also having heterossexual relationships. I get why that was said, but I was highly dissappointed to know that the LGBTQ+ content was mostly a sex scene and an I love you scene that was really intense but felt kind of flat for me: I believed this book was going to go a very certain way, it being with 3 pairs of closed emotional and romantic relationships but with added openness, as in... polyamory.
I was all in for that, and the thing is I was sort of right? There are very defined relationships here, but I don't think any of them actually reached what I was hoping, which is fine, if the sequel takes it from here. I guess I was just hoping to feel highly depressed about these 6 blaring attractive characters that were painfully my type (Nico de Varona, I'm specially looking at you, you little shit; Callum, you're second) just be happy, because their flaws could make me feel loveable, which is something I haven't been feeling a lot.
This book is PACKED with text. And I'm usually awfully skeptical of books who go for the mysticism and pretty words, but this book does it right. It's a lot of information and a lot of wandering, but it's always beautiful. One thing I noticed is that many chapters happened to follow a certain technique: we start at a point B, and right at the beginning the character focuses on something that happened before B, so A, after which they go back to point B and finish that little thread. I noticed it being used quite a few times, but it never deterred from the experience.
Other thing I feel like I must say is that even though I loved all these characters, there were some that felt a bit lacking at times, namely Reina, whose flaws weren't as explored as, for example, Libby's, Parisa's, Nico's or even Tristan's. Secondly, Tristan's problems seemed highly convoluted, and there's a scene that basically leaves him totally bare. I suspect that this was done to tell us there's more to him than this. If that's not the case, I'm going to be extremely sad.
Finally... Callum. I really liked Callum but he caused me severe emotional distress because No way you're that cynical without it having some real toll on you. I'm expecting that Book 2 will go into his actual flaws, because I didn't seem like we saw any flaws or vulnerability from him this book: what I got from what he's been through is that he's a victim and product of his own environment which... ouch, that hits close to home, but at the same time, I was always on constant edge reading his thoughts and feelings. It was highly distressed because it seemed like he's always on the verge of letting himself feel and be a bit truer to his own humanity, but that didn't really happen, not in this book.
Either way, that's the only reason I won't give this book 5 stars. Read it. It's dark, it's mystic, it's absolutely fantastic and it deserves the hype that follows it. Ms. Olivie Blake, thank you for your service.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Violence
luxvestravitae's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Murder, and Terminal illness
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
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