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rainbowshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
3.75
A good follow up to the Good Luck Girls. I like that they had a bigger group in this and that people really started to work together. Violet will sanction your morally dubious acts and I love her for it. I really enjoyed the characters of Raven and Derrick but adding more characters with so much going on meant other dynamics suffered a bit imo. Would have liked to see more of Clementine & Aster's bond. Also to have a little more time developing the romantic relationship between Aster and [redacted].
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Murder
Minor: War, Sexual violence, Medical content, Transphobia, and Alcohol
thereadingskeleton's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Rep: Black sapphic MC, sapphic LI, predominantly Black main cast, sapphic side characters, trans side character
I finished this book over two months ago, and I still haven’t been able to get a good, coherent review written. Let me just say that I loved it. I loved it, and any flaws fell by the wayside because I loved it so much. I thought it was an exceptional sequel that outdid its predecessor in every way.
I think my favorite part is the ongoing conversation between Aster and Raven about their shared trauma and how it has impacted them.
(In the marked section below, I discuss a character’s sexuality, which is unverified until later in the book. I do not consider people’s identities to be spoilers, but if you don’t wish to know this information before reading, please skip the portion marked as a spoiler.)
I love that Aster has these questions about whether her lack of attraction to men is because of the trauma she’s experienced, and I love it even more that Raven validates both her questions and her identity. As a queer survivor of childhood sexual assault, the conversation is one I identify with, and it was absolutely therapeutic to read.
There are a lot of heavy topics discussed in the book (not to mention the first book in the duology), and while I feel they are handled with care, I would advise caution if you have a low tolerance for the discussion of sexual violence, especially toward children.
That being said, I highly recommend this duology if you enjoy found families, soft & slow-burn romance (btw, I’m so satisfied that my prediction about this was correct), social commentary, and kickass girls ensuring evil men get what’s coming to them. I’m HERE for these righteously angry girls destroying a system that exploited them. Burn it all down, girls. Glory to the Reckoning.
I finished this book over two months ago, and I still haven’t been able to get a good, coherent review written. Let me just say that I loved it. I loved it, and any flaws fell by the wayside because I loved it so much. I thought it was an exceptional sequel that outdid its predecessor in every way.
I think my favorite part is the ongoing conversation between Aster and Raven about their shared trauma and how it has impacted them.
(In the marked section below, I discuss a character’s sexuality, which is unverified until later in the book. I do not consider people’s identities to be spoilers, but if you don’t wish to know this information before reading, please skip the portion marked as a spoiler.)
There are a lot of heavy topics discussed in the book (not to mention the first book in the duology), and while I feel they are handled with care, I would advise caution if you have a low tolerance for the discussion of sexual violence, especially toward children.
That being said, I highly recommend this duology if you enjoy found families, soft & slow-burn romance (btw, I’m so satisfied that my prediction about this was correct), social commentary, and kickass girls ensuring evil men get what’s coming to them. I’m HERE for these righteously angry girls destroying a system that exploited them. Burn it all down, girls. Glory to the Reckoning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexism, Blood, Death, Slavery, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
Minor: Transphobia
There is no on-page depictions of the sexual violence/assault, but it is an integral part of the characters' lives and world. If you are sensitive to those topics, you may have a tough time reading.melaniereadsbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
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
4.25
Thank you to Tor Teen and Netgalley for an arc of this book!
A few months after the events of The Good Luck Girls, Aster is helping the Lady Ghosts smuggle Good Luck Girls across the border to Ferron. But new developments with the Welcome Houses and the reappearance of Violet make Aster decide she needs to get things done faster than the Lady Ghosts are willing. The gang from the first book are back along with a few new faces as the Reckoners fight for the good of dustbloods everywhere.
I really loved this sequel! I thought it picked up in a good place--not too far from the ending of the original, but far enough that it warranted a separate book. I loved a particular relationship that happened that I can't say because spoilers, but I am VERY pleased with it. I thought the plot of this one was exciting and loved all the characters and the revolution!
I think this book could have benefitted from alternate pov's. While I love Aster, there were times when the pace of this book felt significantly slowed down because the main action was happening with someone else. If there had been a few pov's from other people it would have been able to keep the tempo going!
I also felt the ending wasn't paced greatly...It drug out for a while and then ended very abruptly. I did like how it ended and the resolution, just didn't love the pacing. I also wasn't a huge fan of the epilogue because I almost never like those, but this one wasn't too bad!
The strongest points of this duology are definitely the world-building, fantasy-western hybrid setting, and the themes. Davis does a wonderful job alegorizing slavery and indentured servitude here and I think the parallels between America's history and what is happening in Arketta are so well done. I loved this duology and definitely recommend it!
Pub date: August 10, 2021
A few months after the events of The Good Luck Girls, Aster is helping the Lady Ghosts smuggle Good Luck Girls across the border to Ferron. But new developments with the Welcome Houses and the reappearance of Violet make Aster decide she needs to get things done faster than the Lady Ghosts are willing. The gang from the first book are back along with a few new faces as the Reckoners fight for the good of dustbloods everywhere.
I really loved this sequel! I thought it picked up in a good place--not too far from the ending of the original, but far enough that it warranted a separate book. I loved a particular relationship that happened that I can't say because spoilers, but I am VERY pleased with it. I thought the plot of this one was exciting and loved all the characters and the revolution!
I think this book could have benefitted from alternate pov's. While I love Aster, there were times when the pace of this book felt significantly slowed down because the main action was happening with someone else. If there had been a few pov's from other people it would have been able to keep the tempo going!
I also felt the ending wasn't paced greatly...It drug out for a while and then ended very abruptly. I did like how it ended and the resolution, just didn't love the pacing. I also wasn't a huge fan of the epilogue because I almost never like those, but this one wasn't too bad!
The strongest points of this duology are definitely the world-building, fantasy-western hybrid setting, and the themes. Davis does a wonderful job alegorizing slavery and indentured servitude here and I think the parallels between America's history and what is happening in Arketta are so well done. I loved this duology and definitely recommend it!
Pub date: August 10, 2021
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Transphobia
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