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I’m glad I read this, if only to give my reading year some variety. I’d try the author’s “Ten Thousand Doors of January,” but I *am* worried she may not fully be for me.
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Abandonment
Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, Abortion
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing, Classism
Minor: Incest, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Vomit
I buddy read this with @beasleybooks and we had a lovely time getting to know Opal and Arthur in this new adult horror/romantasy. I loved Opal's scrappy nature, how she did what she needed to do (pilfering queen), and cared so deeply for her brother. There is a scene towards the end where she says, "Love wipes every ledger clean," and I think that's a beautiful display of unconditional love.
Arthur is grumpy, mysterious, and brooding - I thought his 3rd person POV chapters were helpful in framing their connection and build up. It helped me to contrast Opal's 1st person POV a lot. I really enjoyed their banter throughout the book, especially the conversation about the hellcat Opal brings to Starling House lolol.
They're both described as ugly, which I mean .... that's a subjective word to me, so are they really? Not to be cheesy, but I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Idk! Anyway, I do appreciate having two leads who are not described as looking like a CW tv show cast regardless.
The way the mystery of the house and the town unraveled was a bit slow to start, but once we began learning more and more revelations, it starts to piece together and is so fascinating. The house is sentient (so I almost wonder if I'd categorize this as paranormal, rather than fantasy, but I'm but a peasant, so ultimately... who cares hahah), and had lots of character/personality lol! This was the perfect October/fall read :)
cw note: the sexual content is on-page, but is not smutty.
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Incest
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Slavery
Minor: Incest, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Sexual content, Alcohol
Minor: Chronic illness, Racism, Slavery, Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Incest, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Alcohol
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Racism, Slavery
Moderate: Gore
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Incest, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol