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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.sarah984's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
This is everything I wanted from a sequel to The Good Luck Girls. It feels like the author read my mind.
This book takes the world created in the first book and expands it, showing the systemic issues underneath and all the groups trying to stop them. The Good Luck Girls was a group of scrappy teens fighting for survival, this is them teaming up with other downtrodden people to change the world.
I enjoyed the western trappings (the bar brawl was so fun), the new characters were great, and while I did feel the romantic drama in the middle dragged a bit, I like how it ended up.
If you liked the first one I would definitely recommend this.
This book takes the world created in the first book and expands it, showing the systemic issues underneath and all the groups trying to stop them. The Good Luck Girls was a group of scrappy teens fighting for survival, this is them teaming up with other downtrodden people to change the world.
I enjoyed the western trappings (the bar brawl was so fun), the new characters were great, and while I did feel the romantic drama in the middle dragged a bit, I like how it ended up.
If you liked the first one I would definitely recommend this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Homophobia, Rape, Transphobia, and War
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