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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked this book. It was the perfect mix of dark academia and magic. I wish the storyline went deeper, with more witchy elements but all in all it was a great read.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5
this wasn't horrible. i enjoy reading books about girls and women who are fucked up, one of my favorite subgenres if u will, but something about this didn't work for me. the mystery of it all was somewhat interesting and i was engaged some of the time but i was also bored for a lot of it. im not sure if that's partly due to my sick and twisted mind and the fact that im not really in a huge reading mood rn. but i feel like if the book was More than it could've pulled me out of that and it didn't. i didn't find the twist at the end to be all that engaging either bc i feel like there was no other option, like of course that happened. i also didn't particularly enjoy the characterizations of ellis and felicity, even their relationship with each other, it all felt very.........bland. idk that feels mean to say but yea.
this wasn't horrible. i enjoy reading books about girls and women who are fucked up, one of my favorite subgenres if u will, but something about this didn't work for me. the mystery of it all was somewhat interesting and i was engaged some of the time but i was also bored for a lot of it. im not sure if that's partly due to my sick and twisted mind and the fact that im not really in a huge reading mood rn. but i feel like if the book was More than it could've pulled me out of that and it didn't. i didn't find the twist at the end to be all that engaging either bc i feel like there was no other option, like of course that happened. i also didn't particularly enjoy the characterizations of ellis and felicity, even their relationship with each other, it all felt very.........bland. idk that feels mean to say but yea.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Received an arc from netgalley in exchange for a review!
This was honestly the atmospheric witchy book of my dreams.
I don’t want to say to much because it’s batshit in the best way and the last thing I want to do is spoil it but it was great.I loved the atmosphere, the creepiness, the unreliability of it all and I can’t wait to handsell it at work.
The only criticism I have, and it’s not even a criticism really, was the jarring modernity. From all the author’s posts on social media, I had thought this was a period piece and then I got smacked in the face with a Bluetooth speaker. The characters all dress old fashioned and purposely forgo things like cell phones that there would be just enough stretches of time between references to that modernity that I’d...forget? Almost? And I get that that was the VIBE and believe me the vibe worked, I just felt the reminders of the time period maybe could’ve been a little smoother.
But like I said that’s a really small thing because the vibes were in fact impeccable and every time I stopped reading I couldn’t wait to get back to it
This was honestly the atmospheric witchy book of my dreams.
I don’t want to say to much because it’s batshit in the best way and the last thing I want to do is spoil it but it was great.I loved the atmosphere, the creepiness, the unreliability of it all and I can’t wait to handsell it at work.
The only criticism I have, and it’s not even a criticism really, was the jarring modernity. From all the author’s posts on social media, I had thought this was a period piece and then I got smacked in the face with a Bluetooth speaker. The characters all dress old fashioned and purposely forgo things like cell phones that there would be just enough stretches of time between references to that modernity that I’d...forget? Almost? And I get that that was the VIBE and believe me the vibe worked, I just felt the reminders of the time period maybe could’ve been a little smoother.
But like I said that’s a really small thing because the vibes were in fact impeccable and every time I stopped reading I couldn’t wait to get back to it
I wanted to love this one so badly. I couldn’t connect with the main character at all though
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the dark academia vibe of this book, but I didn't realize the characters were in high school?? This book is like if dark academia met the maturity of the teenagers in Euphoria, which is to say that the characters were absolutely unhinged.
Update for 2024 re-read (and where the major spoilers begin):
That was way more unhinged than I remember, I think because I went in knowing that there was no actual magic or magic system in the book? Being aware of the fact that there was no evidence of ghosts or magic from the beginning made the portrayal of Felicity's mental state even less believable. There may have been hints that Ellis was drugging Felicity as well, but this was never confirmed. Our narrator is unreliable, but not in any way that's consistent or interesting.
The conclusion of this book was extremely unfulfilling. Felicity frames someone for murder, kills them, and then lives the rest of her life dating women that she doesn't actually love? Like there's no conclusion, change, or growth? It could be a commentary on the ultra-wealthy, saying how these extremes are normal for the wealthiest people, but that point isn't really made anywhere else in the book?
Overall, there were inconsistent details and a lack of a satisfying ending.
Update for 2024 re-read (and where the major spoilers begin):
That was way more unhinged than I remember, I think because I went in knowing that there was no actual magic or magic system in the book? Being aware of the fact that there was no evidence of ghosts or magic from the beginning made the portrayal of Felicity's mental state even less believable. There may have been hints that Ellis was drugging Felicity as well, but this was never confirmed. Our narrator is unreliable, but not in any way that's consistent or interesting.
The conclusion of this book was extremely unfulfilling. Felicity frames someone for murder, kills them, and then lives the rest of her life dating women that she doesn't actually love? Like there's no conclusion, change, or growth? It could be a commentary on the ultra-wealthy, saying how these extremes are normal for the wealthiest people, but that point isn't really made anywhere else in the book?
Overall, there were inconsistent details and a lack of a satisfying ending.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced