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jennyfer's review against another edition
5.0
Emory Ainsleaf is a student at Aldryn College - a prestigious magic school for those blessed, by the Tides and the lunar cycles at their birth, with magic. Emory is a Healer, born under a New Moon. Or is she? When her best friend, Romie and three others go missing during a failed initiation ceremony that killed four other students, Emory discovers mysterious other abilities that should only be accessible to those born during an eclipse. Torn between Romie's brother Baz and Kieran, the most popular guy at Aldryn finally noticing her, she soon finds herself at the centre of a conspiracy to wake the gods and destroy all Eclipse-born.
Curious Tides is a YA dark-academia novel, filled with magic, mythology, teen dramaz, youthful angst, conspiracies and much more. It is dark - it opens with the four deaths, and does contain drug references ("synths") , forced medical treatment and the occasional sexual reference (one fade-to-black sex scene)
Overall, this was an utterly spellbinding read, with *different* magic - no wand-waving here, rather they called on the tides and the different lunar cycles amplified the different powers. The concept of Collapsing - drawing too much power and going supernova - was one I havent come across before, and provides natural consequences - and laws, through the Regulators - for the use of magic. The focal point of all the magic is a mysterious tidal cave called Doveremere - a theoretical portal between words and the location of the climax of the story.
The characters were all well written takes on the common teen drama tropes: Emory's makeover from mediocre Healer to popular Tidecaller ; bookish Baz, scholarly and carrying a torch for Emory; Kieran, smooth, charming from an influential rich family; Liziveta the cool, uber-popular queen bee,and so on.
But calling Curious Tides "just" a YA novel, or"just" a teen drama is selling this short - its an incredible tale, and I look forward to reading book 2!
NOTE: I purchased the audiobook so I could listen concurrently with reading this book. The narrators read it well, doing the voices and infusing the story with emotion. Highly recommend both the print and the audio versions.
~ Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Australia for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review ~
Curious Tides is a YA dark-academia novel, filled with magic, mythology, teen dramaz, youthful angst, conspiracies and much more. It is dark - it opens with the four deaths, and does contain drug references ("synths") , forced medical treatment and the occasional sexual reference (one fade-to-black sex scene)
Overall, this was an utterly spellbinding read, with *different* magic - no wand-waving here, rather they called on the tides and the different lunar cycles amplified the different powers. The concept of Collapsing - drawing too much power and going supernova - was one I havent come across before, and provides natural consequences - and laws, through the Regulators - for the use of magic. The focal point of all the magic is a mysterious tidal cave called Doveremere - a theoretical portal between words and the location of the climax of the story.
The characters were all well written takes on the common teen drama tropes: Emory's makeover from mediocre Healer to popular Tidecaller ; bookish Baz, scholarly and carrying a torch for Emory; Kieran, smooth, charming from an influential rich family; Liziveta the cool, uber-popular queen bee,and so on.
But calling Curious Tides "just" a YA novel, or"just" a teen drama is selling this short - its an incredible tale, and I look forward to reading book 2!
NOTE: I purchased the audiobook so I could listen concurrently with reading this book. The narrators read it well, doing the voices and infusing the story with emotion. Highly recommend both the print and the audio versions.
~ Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Australia for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review ~
books_of_joy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.75
Love the moon tattoos and the magic, but not as much the selfish and toxic behaviour of wanting to be special or feeling inferior. She did reflect but I’m scared she’s gonna get a god complex now.
myromantasyempire's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Emory is the lone survivor of an incident in the spring at Dovermere caves which claimed the life of her best friend Romie and 7 other students. She returns to Aldryn College for Lunar Magics in the fall, hoping to move on, but finds that she can’t let anything go.
The story is dual POV between Emory and Baz, who is Romie’s older brother. The magic and world building is interesting, the vibes are dark academia mixed with forbidden magic and sleepy seaside quaintness. Everyone is sleep deprived, the relationships are messy, the FMC is always making bad decisions, the confidence levels are varying because no one really knows what they’re doing. But it’s lyrical and atmospheric, with imperfect characters trying to figure out themselves and the world around them.
I’m looking forward to the next book which is out in November!
The story is dual POV between Emory and Baz, who is Romie’s older brother. The magic and world building is interesting, the vibes are dark academia mixed with forbidden magic and sleepy seaside quaintness. Everyone is sleep deprived, the relationships are messy, the FMC is always making bad decisions, the confidence levels are varying because no one really knows what they’re doing. But it’s lyrical and atmospheric, with imperfect characters trying to figure out themselves and the world around them.
I’m looking forward to the next book which is out in November!
starlitlullaby's review against another edition
tried to comeback for the gays; made it further than last time but emery annoyed me and the whole thing is so thickly written i couldn't bear to wallow through another hundred pages, waiting for the story to get good.
sorry, kai.
sorry, kai.
kimmykelly's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
2.5
goldie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
suburbiam's review against another edition
2.0
Actual rating 2.75/3.
This book has one of the most interesting magic systems I've encountered in fantasy so far and contributed to the majority of the stars I've given this book. Unfortunately this system and its surrounding is presented in a whole lot of info-dumping, especially in the first part of the book.
The pacing of the book is incredibly slow, almost too slow to make me care about and remember the main plot points. Every time the pace seemed to pick up, it would slow back down again. Only from 70% on did the plot pace actually pick up, and even then, did the climax feel rather anti-climatic and the plottwists not plottwist-y enough. The romance also really did not add any exciting element and was poorly executed in my opinion.
Overall, it was a solid idea for a book but a not so solid execution.
This book has one of the most interesting magic systems I've encountered in fantasy so far and contributed to the majority of the stars I've given this book. Unfortunately this system and its surrounding is presented in a whole lot of info-dumping, especially in the first part of the book.
The pacing of the book is incredibly slow, almost too slow to make me care about and remember the main plot points. Every time the pace seemed to pick up, it would slow back down again. Only from 70% on did the plot pace actually pick up, and even then, did the climax feel rather anti-climatic and the plottwists not plottwist-y enough. The romance also really did not add any exciting element and was poorly executed in my opinion.
Overall, it was a solid idea for a book but a not so solid execution.
poolo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
evaeviux's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.25
aj_1984's review against another edition
4.0
This book was nothing short of enchanting and intriguing, encompassing everything I could ever want in a dark academia. The intricacy of the school, the different moon houses, the academic halls, the magic system and how everything is based off the phases of the moon and the tides to go with it was amazingly imagined and deliciously complex. The basis of the magic in the moon was incredibly original--I've never seen or read anything like it. It also awakened the inner witch in me (although there are no actual witches in this book, not in that concept, anyway).
For me, this was not an easy, walk in the park read to chase a bubbly, sunshine feel. This book was a dark maze to plunge into and is perfect for a reader eager to dive into an in-depth mystery. While I do agree with some of the other reviews, the first few parts were on the slower side, with lots of information to digest. At first, the plot seemed to focus on specific details and topics I couldn't fathom how they would relate to the matter at hand. But if you start this book and feel this way, please push forward. Turns out, everything that made the first half slow was a set up to make the plot twists punch later on, the plot came full circle and it was worth the wait. Had Lacelle not taken the time to really put the details into that first half, the second half would not have blossomed as beautifully.
I felt like the characters had absolutely fantastic arcs. Emory was well written, her flaws evident but for some reason (at least not for me) annoying in any way. Everyone can relate to the fear of being mediocre, the need to be seen and the wish to be the hero in a story, just once. Baz, I could connect with his lonely soul, yearning for more but fear ever more powerful. Watching their stories unfold was satisfying, but despite the POV swapping between the two of them alone, I found myself falling in love with the other characters too. Romie was alluringly written, beautiful and magnetic and somehow fully fleshed out despite the fact her character is pretty much completely built up from Emory's memories and flashbacks. I have never felt such connection with a side character who was introduced and written this way and the way Lacelle does it is so artful, it has left me in absolute awe. Kai was another wonderfully written side character I didn't know I would love, his entire concept is alluring and I almost wish we could have a full book on him only.
There is a romance, but not an easy one. It is heavily written, as hidden in this maze of a plot as the other twists (true, it is somewhat predictable due to how obvious which two POVs are used, but stay tuned, the Lacelle takes you for a ride despite the predictability).
Overall, this book was riveting despite the pacing and I can't wait to finish this duology to see where all the characters end up.
For me, this was not an easy, walk in the park read to chase a bubbly, sunshine feel. This book was a dark maze to plunge into and is perfect for a reader eager to dive into an in-depth mystery. While I do agree with some of the other reviews, the first few parts were on the slower side, with lots of information to digest. At first, the plot seemed to focus on specific details and topics I couldn't fathom how they would relate to the matter at hand. But if you start this book and feel this way, please push forward. Turns out, everything that made the first half slow was a set up to make the plot twists punch later on, the plot came full circle and it was worth the wait. Had Lacelle not taken the time to really put the details into that first half, the second half would not have blossomed as beautifully.
I felt like the characters had absolutely fantastic arcs. Emory was well written, her flaws evident but for some reason (at least not for me) annoying in any way. Everyone can relate to the fear of being mediocre, the need to be seen and the wish to be the hero in a story, just once. Baz, I could connect with his lonely soul, yearning for more but fear ever more powerful. Watching their stories unfold was satisfying, but despite the POV swapping between the two of them alone, I found myself falling in love with the other characters too. Romie was alluringly written, beautiful and magnetic and somehow fully fleshed out despite the fact her character is pretty much completely built up from Emory's memories and flashbacks. I have never felt such connection with a side character who was introduced and written this way and the way Lacelle does it is so artful, it has left me in absolute awe. Kai was another wonderfully written side character I didn't know I would love, his entire concept is alluring and I almost wish we could have a full book on him only.
There is a romance, but not an easy one. It is heavily written, as hidden in this maze of a plot as the other twists (true, it is somewhat predictable due to how obvious which two POVs are used, but stay tuned, the Lacelle takes you for a ride despite the predictability).
Overall, this book was riveting despite the pacing and I can't wait to finish this duology to see where all the characters end up.