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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
slow-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great audiobook, read with different voices. I thought I had figured it out halfway through and was glad I hadn’t. Definitely a fun fall “read” complete with apples and magic, plus romance and murder.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a very dark and fun read. The tone is set so beautifully in the way the atmosphere is described, and I found myself romanticizing a life away from the city and in a small town where the cold air is biting and the small town is constricting.
My only real complaint would be that the pace was a bit slow for my taste, but not enough for me to stop.
This is a great read for anyone who believes in old magic handed down between generations of a matriarchy. The diverse age group was also a very nice part of the story. I will definitely read more from this author.
My only real complaint would be that the pace was a bit slow for my taste, but not enough for me to stop.
This is a great read for anyone who believes in old magic handed down between generations of a matriarchy. The diverse age group was also a very nice part of the story. I will definitely read more from this author.
Tutto 'sto troiaio per un frutteto di merda?? mi prendete per il culo dai...
I'm sure someone is going to really like this book, but personally I thought it was unbearably boring. It's not just slow, it's repetitive.
Didn't care for any of the characters, everyone is either forgettable and bland or straight up annoying, the main couple gave me nothing, these two are in their 30s and still act like stupid teenagers.
The only thing that made me finish this book was solving the mystery of Lily's death which, admittedly, was not super-interesting right from the start because everyone and their dog knew August was innocent, he needed to be our main girl love interest, Of Course he was a good boy all along.
Turns out that I should have dnf'd it halfway, because the thing that brought Lily to an early grave was a whole lot of clownery, a parade of unadulterated foolishness, and I regret staying for it.
Edit: I listened to the audiobook and the voice actors were great, no complaints from me here.
I'm sure someone is going to really like this book, but personally I thought it was unbearably boring. It's not just slow, it's repetitive.
Didn't care for any of the characters, everyone is either forgettable and bland or straight up annoying, the main couple gave me nothing, these two are in their 30s and still act like stupid teenagers.
The only thing that made me finish this book was solving the mystery of Lily's death which, admittedly, was not super-interesting right from the start because everyone and their dog knew August was innocent, he needed to be our main girl love interest, Of Course he was a good boy all along.
Turns out that I should have dnf'd it halfway, because the thing that brought Lily to an early grave was a whole lot of clownery, a parade of unadulterated foolishness, and I regret staying for it.
Edit: I listened to the audiobook and the voice actors were great, no complaints from me here.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Over two hours into this book and literally nothing has happened. The author uses so many adjectives in every sentence it comes off very unnatural. Takes me right out of the story. How is this a best seller? It was described as a magial murder mystery and there's been no magic at all.
Would not recommend.
Would not recommend.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I will forever love a romance wrapped up in a mystery, but add just a touch of fantasy and I am sold for life! That is what Adrienne Young brings us in Spells for Forgetting.
What initially hooked me was the setting. Not only does the story take place in the Pacific Northwest–where I live–it more specifically takes place on a small island in Puget Sound. I grew up visiting my grandparents on the small island of Orcas in Puget Sound, and while Young's island of Saoirse is fictional, it was so reminiscent of all the small, secluded islands up in the Sound.
The isolation of the island provides a different type of small-town feel. We get the classic characteristics of the trope–main streets with little shops, everyone knows everyone, childhood sweethearts–but we also get a much stronger presentation of the town having a law unto itself as well as the interdependence of the town’s people. With the ferry being the only access to the mainland, the people of Saoirse have no choice but to depend on and– to some extent–trust each other. In the book, the characters comment on how they are different from people on the mainland, and Young does an excellent job creating an Environment that supports that sentiment.
Now for the characters. I love a second chance romance, and Emery and August were no exception. However, they fell into the same trap as many second chance romances in that, after years of not even talking, they fall right back together as if nothing at all has changed. Even still, I rooted for them, especially since none of the other characters were.
This story was told both in multiple viewpoints as well as dual timelines with the present Timeline being the more prominent one. While Emery and August occupy the majority of the points of view, Young utilizes several other characters’ perspectives to tell this story. while this Was effective in doling Out pieces of the mystery, it made it hard at Times to get A true sense of some of the characters since we only get one or two chapters in their heads. There were also some loose ends that didn't get tied up, one in particular regarding Emery's dad, that would have provided vital information for understanding the characters and their motives. Without more insight, some Of the characters behaved in ways that felt extreme and a bit unbelievable.
The mystery itself was compelling if not a tad predictable. Even though I guessed much of what happened In regards to the mystery, I still felt the suspense leading up to the characters’ discovery of the truth. I appreciated that while there were opportunities for red herrings, Young was subtle about them. She didn't have the characters jumping to wild conclusions and accusing every which way. She let the readers wonder with her mild suggestions and inferences. It made the mystery feel more realistic and less obvious.
As for the fantasy–the part that sets Adrienne's books apart–I had mixed feelings. For a decent chunk of the book, the fantasy felt like An afterthought, something thrown in to make the island and its inhabitants unique but otherwise not pertinent to the story itSelf. However, in the end, the magic came together in the story and added an interesting facet to the mystery.
On a whole, while there were elements I thought could have been improved, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience. I was drawn in quickly and kept there by the unraveling mystery And the characters surrounding it. I have once more confirmed that Adrienne Young is a must-read author for me!
What initially hooked me was the setting. Not only does the story take place in the Pacific Northwest–where I live–it more specifically takes place on a small island in Puget Sound. I grew up visiting my grandparents on the small island of Orcas in Puget Sound, and while Young's island of Saoirse is fictional, it was so reminiscent of all the small, secluded islands up in the Sound.
The isolation of the island provides a different type of small-town feel. We get the classic characteristics of the trope–main streets with little shops, everyone knows everyone, childhood sweethearts–but we also get a much stronger presentation of the town having a law unto itself as well as the interdependence of the town’s people. With the ferry being the only access to the mainland, the people of Saoirse have no choice but to depend on and– to some extent–trust each other. In the book, the characters comment on how they are different from people on the mainland, and Young does an excellent job creating an Environment that supports that sentiment.
Now for the characters. I love a second chance romance, and Emery and August were no exception. However, they fell into the same trap as many second chance romances in that, after years of not even talking, they fall right back together as if nothing at all has changed. Even still, I rooted for them, especially since none of the other characters were.
This story was told both in multiple viewpoints as well as dual timelines with the present Timeline being the more prominent one. While Emery and August occupy the majority of the points of view, Young utilizes several other characters’ perspectives to tell this story. while this Was effective in doling Out pieces of the mystery, it made it hard at Times to get A true sense of some of the characters since we only get one or two chapters in their heads. There were also some loose ends that didn't get tied up, one in particular regarding Emery's dad, that would have provided vital information for understanding the characters and their motives. Without more insight, some Of the characters behaved in ways that felt extreme and a bit unbelievable.
The mystery itself was compelling if not a tad predictable. Even though I guessed much of what happened In regards to the mystery, I still felt the suspense leading up to the characters’ discovery of the truth. I appreciated that while there were opportunities for red herrings, Young was subtle about them. She didn't have the characters jumping to wild conclusions and accusing every which way. She let the readers wonder with her mild suggestions and inferences. It made the mystery feel more realistic and less obvious.
As for the fantasy–the part that sets Adrienne's books apart–I had mixed feelings. For a decent chunk of the book, the fantasy felt like An afterthought, something thrown in to make the island and its inhabitants unique but otherwise not pertinent to the story itSelf. However, in the end, the magic came together in the story and added an interesting facet to the mystery.
On a whole, while there were elements I thought could have been improved, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience. I was drawn in quickly and kept there by the unraveling mystery And the characters surrounding it. I have once more confirmed that Adrienne Young is a must-read author for me!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes