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kirstenf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Murder, Confinement, War, Death of parent, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Animal death and Grief
frantically's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
5.0
Counting down the days to the sequel.
GOD. This was so, so good. I loveee the world building, the characters and especially (because I am a romance reader first and foremost, sue me) the relationship.
Pau Preto creates a magical world with both deep and fascinating history and magical system that still manages to not overwhelm the reader (as so much fantasy has tended to do lately).
I was originally going to write this review being like "I guessed all the twists but it was still fun", I have to admit that while I guessed the major ones (hehe) I actually did *not* guess all the twists. I was very convinced of myself. It was a bit embarrassing. So, unless I'm just dumb, I think even seasoned YA readers will still have some surprises in this! And even if you do guess all of it from the start, for me that wasn't disappointing in the least, the book was still very fun and enjoyable!
Julian and Wren. My babies, my loves, my Romeo and Juliet. These two, you guys, these two. The tension? Unbelievable. The care they have for each other? So high. The constant urge they have to make out even when they're trying to hate each other? Not hidden in the LEAST. They spent a lot of time in the book just with each other (duh) and at times that really felt like a romance novel (with some death involved). They learned to care for the other so quickly, to appreciate and love them and just like them, we were able to forget the outside forces that would tear them apart.
At the end, Julian and Wren and poor ole me were confronted with the real world again and god, did it hurt. Did their choices make sense? ....I guess? doesn't mean I have to like them 😭😭😭😭😭
There's loads of reveals (some of them a bit too convenient for me lmao but that's YA for ya) and Wren's ready for a new chapter in her life – and I'm excited to read it.
GOD. This was so, so good. I loveee the world building, the characters and especially (because I am a romance reader first and foremost, sue me) the relationship.
Pau Preto creates a magical world with both deep and fascinating history and magical system that still manages to not overwhelm the reader (as so much fantasy has tended to do lately).
I was originally going to write this review being like "I guessed all the twists but it was still fun", I have to admit that while I guessed the major ones (hehe) I actually did *not* guess all the twists. I was very convinced of myself. It was a bit embarrassing. So, unless I'm just dumb, I think even seasoned YA readers will still have some surprises in this! And even if you do guess all of it from the start, for me that wasn't disappointing in the least, the book was still very fun and enjoyable!
Julian and Wren. My babies, my loves, my Romeo and Juliet. These two, you guys, these two. The tension? Unbelievable. The care they have for each other? So high. The constant urge they have to make out even when they're trying to hate each other? Not hidden in the LEAST. They spent a lot of time in the book just with each other (duh) and at times that really felt like a romance novel (with some death involved). They learned to care for the other so quickly, to appreciate and love them and just like them, we were able to forget the outside forces that would tear them apart.
At the end, Julian and Wren and poor ole me were confronted with the real world again and god, did it hurt. Did their choices make sense? ....I guess? doesn't mean I have to like them 😭😭😭😭😭
There's loads of reveals (some of them a bit too convenient for me lmao but that's YA for ya) and Wren's ready for a new chapter in her life – and I'm excited to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, War, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Confinement
Minor: Grief, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Death in Childbirth & Infant Death (major spoilers)gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A fun YA fantasy action novel - it was action packed and funny where it needed levity. I think it starts a bit slow but builds up to some big reveals that end in a cliffhanger for the next book.
I liked the characters and their banter a lot. I think that the character work saves this from becoming very generic: while there are some cool worldbuilding bits, I think that the plot is definitely reliant on tropes to carry it through. But! It was an enjoyable story all the same.
I liked the characters and their banter a lot. I think that the character work saves this from becoming very generic: while there are some cool worldbuilding bits, I think that the plot is definitely reliant on tropes to carry it through. But! It was an enjoyable story all the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent and Kidnapping
p_ivy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.75
This was no ordinary forest, after all. This was the Bonewood.
“Death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise.”
They’d gone from fighting each other to hiding together and now… whatever this was.
His frown deepened at her departure, as if unhappy with the sudden space between them, and the incongruous sight of it wormed its way into Wren’s chest. 😍
Nothing made sense anymore, and it seemed the rules no longer applied—to bonesmiths or to the undead.
Leave it to her to find the gift of a used weapon the height of romance, but there it was. 🤣
It was too much. All of it.
And she would defeat the undead.
This was good! Great way to start the new year! This audiobook was really good too.
“Death is as certain as the dawn, and just as a new day will come, so too will the new dead rise.”
They’d gone from fighting each other to hiding together and now… whatever this was.
His frown deepened at her departure, as if unhappy with the sudden space between them, and the incongruous sight of it wormed its way into Wren’s chest. 😍
Nothing made sense anymore, and it seemed the rules no longer applied—to bonesmiths or to the undead.
Leave it to her to find the gift of a used weapon the height of romance, but there it was. 🤣
It was too much. All of it.
And she would defeat the undead.
This was good! Great way to start the new year! This audiobook was really good too.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
blakeandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
supergirled's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent and War
leedolee's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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
This was one of the most entertaining books I've read in a while! I absolutely loved the world created within the pages and everything to do with the magic. The characters were also fun and I greatly enjoyed the plot that unfolded.
I eagerly look forward to the sequel!
I eagerly look forward to the sequel!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Blood, Violence, War, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Cursing, and Murder
peridot_kintsugi's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The first 30 percent is pretty boring; this book, among many others in the fantasy genre, is guilty of infodumping the world building a bit. I found the characters likable and the plot interesting enough to keep reading, and it was immensely entertaining after the initial 30 percent. The plot twists were kind of predictable, but in the way that they are plausible and I simply have too much time on my hands for contemplating it.
The stakes are high, and I am very excited for the sequel.
The stakes are high, and I am very excited for the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gore, and Death of parent
Moderate: Murder, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death, Classism, Confinement, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
lizgriffinwords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Possibly my favorite YA fantasy since Divine Rivals.
If you like Vespertine, The Bone Houses, or the Merciful Crow duology, I am begging you to pick up this book. It has necromancy-school rivalry, a golden (bi??) prince, an exiled broody heir, a haunted landscape with treachery at every bend… and of course, the “we must cuddle for warmth” trope. What more could you ask for??
If you like Vespertine, The Bone Houses, or the Merciful Crow duology, I am begging you to pick up this book. It has necromancy-school rivalry, a golden (bi??) prince, an exiled broody heir, a haunted landscape with treachery at every bend… and of course, the “we must cuddle for warmth” trope. What more could you ask for??
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death and Blood
Minor: Death of parent and Gaslighting
frand's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I love Nicki Pau Preto's pencil work. Her narrative style is just good and quiet difficult to find on a fantasy book.
I read this book because I fell in love with "Crown of feathers" trilogy, and it captured on the first chapter.
Even tho the story might be predictable, I love how the author actually moves on from cliché storytelling and character development.
As for the book itself, I don't really know what to say without spoiling it. I loved the inner turmoil of the characters and how they navigate through the story to make amends with themselves and what they believe.
Can't wait for the sequel.
I read this book because I fell in love with "Crown of feathers" trilogy, and it captured on the first chapter.
Even tho the story might be predictable, I love how the author actually moves on from cliché storytelling and character development.
As for the book itself, I don't really know what to say without spoiling it. I loved the inner turmoil of the characters and how they navigate through the story to make amends with themselves and what they believe.
Can't wait for the sequel.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Death, Murder, and Genocide