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adelle_bookworm's review against another edition
3.0
Upřímně, nedostala jsem od toho, co jsem čekala. Pořádně se to rozjede až v půlce, má to takový nenápadný styl vyprávění, který mě kdovíjak netáhl k tomu zjistit, co se stane dál - navíc dost toho bylo jasné už předem. Hlavní hrdinky strašně sebelítostivé, prakticky žádný vývoj a k romantické lince dojde spíš jen proto, aby si to mohlo říkat „LGBTQ+ fantasy". V tomto ohledu to je trochu zklamání, ale nemůžu zas říct, že by to byla úplná hrůza; místy je to vtipné, číst se to dalo a po té půlce už to bylo fajn.
max05's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
ignited_redqueen75's review against another edition
3.0
This was okay, I just felt that it was missing something, like some parts seem to go from point A to point z and it left me feeling like I missed something. The concept was good but the overall execution fell flat for me. To be fair I was generous in giving this a 3 star rating, 3 stars for me is I will most likely read again and recommend. I will most likely never read this again.
asreadbykat's review against another edition
3.0
True Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
It's very rare that I manage to find a sapphic fantasy that doesn't end in the "Doomed Lesbian" trope. I picked this up in the hopes that I could avoid that kind of ending, and thankfully, I did! "Sweet & Bitter Magic" is a story of the intricacies of love (both platonic and romantic), and how important it is to accept not only who you are, but who others are as well.
That's easily what I enjoyed the most about this story: the themes behind it. This is the kind of book I wish my high school self could have read; the me who always pushed down my own feelings and interests for other people. The overarching messages in this novel are very important for young adults today, so I'm glad it's out there for them to find.
The novel's biggest pitfall, in my opinion, is the romance itself. While it isn't quite insta-love, it does feel very rushed -as does the climax and conclusion. The book is very introspective of the characters, so things such as the journey or the actual "adventure" are skimmed over. We get the bare minimum of a journey, and then we're in the thick of things, and then it's over. This would have been okay if the characters had actually interacted more in that time, but as I said, the novel is "introspective." Most of the time our two characters are together is spent with them stuck in their own heads, rather than actively interacting, so the romance does feel rushed and almost forced. They're sweet together, but I would have liked to see more actual interaction, and not just thoughts.
I also, personally, wasn't a fan of the ultimate conclusion of the adventure. Trying to avoid spoilers, it very much felt like a "Happy Bandaid" being slapped on in an effort to avoid a sad or bittersweet ending. Bits of the conclusion had never been hinted at and seemed to come out of nowhere, so it, like the romance, felt rushed and almost forced into the Happy Ending category.
Overall I did enjoy the story, and I'm definitely going to keep an eye on the author's future books to see how their writing improves over time.
TL;DR Great themes and conversations to be had, but the relationship and ending feel rushed and a little forced. Still would recommend!
It's very rare that I manage to find a sapphic fantasy that doesn't end in the "Doomed Lesbian" trope. I picked this up in the hopes that I could avoid that kind of ending, and thankfully, I did! "Sweet & Bitter Magic" is a story of the intricacies of love (both platonic and romantic), and how important it is to accept not only who you are, but who others are as well.
That's easily what I enjoyed the most about this story: the themes behind it. This is the kind of book I wish my high school self could have read; the me who always pushed down my own feelings and interests for other people. The overarching messages in this novel are very important for young adults today, so I'm glad it's out there for them to find.
The novel's biggest pitfall, in my opinion, is the romance itself. While it isn't quite insta-love, it does feel very rushed -as does the climax and conclusion. The book is very introspective of the characters, so things such as the journey or the actual "adventure" are skimmed over. We get the bare minimum of a journey, and then we're in the thick of things, and then it's over. This would have been okay if the characters had actually interacted more in that time, but as I said, the novel is "introspective." Most of the time our two characters are together is spent with them stuck in their own heads, rather than actively interacting, so the romance does feel rushed and almost forced. They're sweet together, but I would have liked to see more actual interaction, and not just thoughts.
I also, personally, wasn't a fan of the ultimate conclusion of the adventure. Trying to avoid spoilers, it very much felt like a "Happy Bandaid" being slapped on in an effort to avoid a sad or bittersweet ending. Bits of the conclusion had never been hinted at and seemed to come out of nowhere, so it, like the romance, felt rushed and almost forced into the Happy Ending category.
Overall I did enjoy the story, and I'm definitely going to keep an eye on the author's future books to see how their writing improves over time.
TL;DR Great themes and conversations to be had, but the relationship and ending feel rushed and a little forced. Still would recommend!
harleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
Very middle of the road. Had many elements that I liked, but also had many that I didn’t like or that weren’t fully developed.
slushysands's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
sad
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? Yes
3.25
poison_frogs's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.0
janagaton's review against another edition
4.0
"Witchy sapphic romance where one of them is incapable of feeling love" is all I needed to hear to be intrigued by this book when I heard about it at the end of 2020. I bought it as soon as it released, and I'm so happy I picked it up in a semi-timely manner because I LOVED IT. First of all, the anxiety/mental health rep was so well-done. The atmosphere was so well-crafted with such vivid imagery and descriptive language. Loved the magic system. Loved our main characters, their dynamic, and their growth throughout the novel. You could definitely tell this was written in 2020 because of all the COVID-related references with the plague, mouth coverings, cats getting it, etc. which I thought was super clever. There was just a little something missing that didn't make it a 5-star for me, but I can't pinpoint it. I'm leaning towards it being that the ending kind of dragged on just a smidge after all the big reveals and action scenes. Obviously I still loved it regardless.
bornfromtheashes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
3.0