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jamby4546's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Stalking, Abandonment, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Drowning mentionadalora's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
0.5
It had potential as a premise then quickly falls off. The storyline is a little addicting, but some of the things that happen are unnecessary and extremely off-putting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Drug use, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gore, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
autumnruth's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
This was book kept me entertained and annoyed at the same time. I loved the magical aspects to it, and I liked discovering this new world along with the twins. What I didn’t like was that the main girls in this book kept lusting after the men who tormented them. People described this book as a bully/romance, but really they’re extremely abusive and it shouldn’t be romanticized.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Murder, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I picked this up because everyone seems to be raving about this series, and I was curious.
"The Awakening" follows twin sisters: Tory and Darcy. Tory and Darcy have been in the foster care system since they were orphaned as babies. Now, 18, and kicked out of the system, they are just trying to make enough money to cover rent. But all of those worries seem inconsequential when they find out they are actually the daughters of the Savage King, and they are the rightful descendants of the fae crown. Now they must go through Zodiac Academy to learn about their true home and fight for their birthright.
This book was very fine. There is a lot of violence, nonconsensual acts, and ALOT of bullying, which I had a pretty good idea about before I started reading this. I found the hazing that the other students put Tory and Darcy through to be really off-putting, and the fact that none of the teachers did anything to remotely stop it was disheartening.
This book is definitely HEAVILY influenced by other popular stories, which is fine, but it made the book feel unoriginal.
I do not know if I will continue in this series, but I can now appreciate why everyone seems so enamored with this series.
"The Awakening" follows twin sisters: Tory and Darcy. Tory and Darcy have been in the foster care system since they were orphaned as babies. Now, 18, and kicked out of the system, they are just trying to make enough money to cover rent. But all of those worries seem inconsequential when they find out they are actually the daughters of the Savage King, and they are the rightful descendants of the fae crown. Now they must go through Zodiac Academy to learn about their true home and fight for their birthright.
This book was very fine. There is a lot of violence, nonconsensual acts, and ALOT of bullying, which I had a pretty good idea about before I started reading this. I found the hazing that the other students put Tory and Darcy through to be really off-putting, and the fact that none of the teachers did anything to remotely stop it was disheartening.
This book is definitely HEAVILY influenced by other popular stories, which is fine, but it made the book feel unoriginal.
I do not know if I will continue in this series, but I can now appreciate why everyone seems so enamored with this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Death, Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content
obiterocelot's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Read if you love: enemies to lovers, bullies, cheesy fantasy-romances, will they won’t theys, slow burns, dark and dangerous men, vampires, warewolves, Fae, good dialogues, high school setting but it’s actually more like a university and legal, the forbidden professor student interest.
Avoid if you don’t love: trauma bonding, unlikeable characters, anything to do with zodiac signs, frustrating tension, death, occasional C grade writing, Harry Potter but make it hotter.
———
Seth Capella can burn in every circle of hell imaginable but if it’ll lead to more Orion/Darcy scenes please don’t stop Dog Boy
And despite my usual taste being more Tory/Darius I just can’t bring myself to caring about Tory. But Darcy, the sweet summer child she is, must be protected at all costs
Avoid if you don’t love: trauma bonding, unlikeable characters, anything to do with zodiac signs, frustrating tension, death, occasional C grade writing, Harry Potter but make it hotter.
———
And despite my usual taste being more Tory/Darius I just can’t bring myself to caring about Tory. But Darcy, the sweet summer child she is, must be protected at all costs
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Death
as610's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
Terribly written, but entertaining if you can bear through it. The fist book is the worst of the series, because of all the bullying, but when that goes away it gets easier to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Bullying
hailstorm4's review against another edition
I’m not usually into bully romances, but after seeing this so many times I decided to take a chance on it. Unfortunately, it was not for me and the “bully” part of bulky romance went way beyond bully and into sexual harassment and even assault with lots of non censer moments, and that’s a big no-coming-back-from-this thing for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Toxic relationship
jaded_kitty's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual harassment
savvyrosereads's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Rating: 3/5 stars
Twins Tory and Darcy learn they’re the long-lost heirs to the throne of Solaria—if they can graduate from a magic school where most of the student body wants them dead.
Eh? I was warned that the writing of this series left a bit to be desired, so I went in prepared, but I cannot stress enough that the writing is…not good. If you need top-tier writing to fully enjoy a book series, this is not for you—there are a lot of grammar/punctuation issues, the pacing is bizarre, there are loads of ridiculous cliche phrases (and the use of random out-of-context Spanish words to make sure we realize one of the characters is Latinx). The plot was also a little bonkers, and each of the characters made a series of bad decisions and overall drove me nuts.
That said, the world these books are set in is unique and pretty fun, and I found myself intrigued by the magic system and generally wanting to know what would happen next. My friend Hannah has compared these to movie theater popcorn, and I totally agree with that. Is it the best meal? No. Will you keep eating it if there’s a bowl sitting in front of you? Yes. For that reason, I’m definitely going to continue the series (though I don’t expect to go that quickly, which is why I’m planning to do individual reviews as I go!)
Recommended if you like: books about magic boarding schools, yes including the one you’re thinking of right now; dark/bully romance (I’m told—there was very little romance, dark or otherwise, in this one); popcorn fantasy
CW: Loads of violence/bullying/attempted murder; discussion of death of parents; references to foster care abuse/neglect
Twins Tory and Darcy learn they’re the long-lost heirs to the throne of Solaria—if they can graduate from a magic school where most of the student body wants them dead.
Eh? I was warned that the writing of this series left a bit to be desired, so I went in prepared, but I cannot stress enough that the writing is…not good. If you need top-tier writing to fully enjoy a book series, this is not for you—there are a lot of grammar/punctuation issues, the pacing is bizarre, there are loads of ridiculous cliche phrases (and the use of random out-of-context Spanish words to make sure we realize one of the characters is Latinx). The plot was also a little bonkers, and each of the characters made a series of bad decisions and overall drove me nuts.
That said, the world these books are set in is unique and pretty fun, and I found myself intrigued by the magic system and generally wanting to know what would happen next. My friend Hannah has compared these to movie theater popcorn, and I totally agree with that. Is it the best meal? No. Will you keep eating it if there’s a bowl sitting in front of you? Yes. For that reason, I’m definitely going to continue the series (though I don’t expect to go that quickly, which is why I’m planning to do individual reviews as I go!)
Recommended if you like: books about magic boarding schools, yes including the one you’re thinking of right now; dark/bully romance (I’m told—there was very little romance, dark or otherwise, in this one); popcorn fantasy
CW: Loads of violence/bullying/attempted murder; discussion of death of parents; references to foster care abuse/neglect
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Violence, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Car accident
celine_engel8's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Bullying
Minor: Addiction, Car accident, Alcoholism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Death