Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - My Dearest Darkest

It was okay but at times it was really slow. I didn’t care about the character until the middle of the book . There were so many background/secondary characters that I didn’t bother remembering most of them. A lot of which ended up being relevant later and I had to keep checking back to remember who was who. I enjoyed the ending and the reveal at the end. I think it was the most interesting part of the whole book. That being said it wasn’t for me but I think middle/high school me would have loved it.

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l_e_lavalle's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense 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? N/A

4.25

Would recommend! It's a perfect rainy day read as well as a single day read. I couldn't put it down from start to finish.

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alyxisreading's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.75

I decided to pick this up on a whim since it's spooky season, and I also adore sapphic novels. I genuinely really loved the book and how the author portrayed Finch. It was also an easy read and the characters were enjoyable (except Kyra because c'mon girl). The author doesn't go far into depth in terms of learning more about the characters, which I'm okay with but I probably would have rated this book higher if we got more info. The other reason I didn't rate it 4 stars was that the characters took forever to connect what the antagonist's actual intentions were, and I think that the author could have spent more of that time adding backstory and info about the antagonist/characters (especially the librarian who I honestly think has so much potential) or even clearing up some plot holes (What happened to Victor? Why did the antagonist need to restart herp process when the previous group did most of the work?)

Even with that in mind, I genuinely thought the book had so much promise and while some things lacked, it was still a great and easy read during the spooky season!

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asherz08's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

My Dearest Darkest is a dark paranormal/horror story with a queer twist. This was a great and entertaining read. The concept of the story was very intriguing and unique. It definitely kept me on my toes and I'm not going to lie, there were quite a few times where I was a bit creeped out.

For a debut novel, Kayla has everything you could want in a good paranormal read. Her attention to detail and sucking you in to the world of Ulalume Academy is absolutely fantastic. I definitely recommend picking this up if your looking for a good spooky season read this fall.

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mahitdzmare's review against another edition

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dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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lucyshucy's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious 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? No

4.25

girls, simon, and nerosi (the three genders)

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meleac07's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad 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

5.0

This book was absolutely BRILLIANT!! I fell into this reality with the characters and found myself connected and drawn to each character for all of their quirks and complexities. Each character was unique and so well thought out. I can not put into words the joy I felt from reading this. Coming from a queer person, the representation in this book is such a breath of fresh air. This book put me through a rollercoaster of emotions. From the cheesiest of lines to the most grotesque scenes, I found myself utterly swept away by the beauty and tangibility of Kayla Cottingham’s writing. So excited to read whatever she puts out next.

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