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wrongdecision's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Hm, this one I had to think about longer to rate it properly.
The book leads strongly with great humor, snappy and interesting conversations and a general good grasp on its characters.
I read the first few pages and already had to stop and read out multiple sections to my Mom, who was in the same room, because they were too good not to share.
Character wise I see no proper flaws, they each have their set personalities that run throughout the book pretty consistently.
I love them all a lot and the shenanigans they get up to are great!
The romance however was a little lacking, specifically for Gwen and Bridget.
While I could see Gabriel and Art getting along and having this pull of 'we should but we will anyways' it fell a little flat with the female leads.
I would've liked more conversations, more common interests between Bridget and Gwen because, as they point out around the end, they barely do anything but kiss.
It does feel more like a celebrity crush from Gwen's side and Bridget just doesn't feel like she had a real reason to like Gwen back. She just started flirting back and that was that.
Gabe and Art talk a lot more to each other about themselves and wishes for the future or general dreams so it's easy to see how they could find themselves falling for each other.
I think the book would have benefitted with the focus on only one main couple instead of two.
The pacing was also too slow for me.
The start was great and fun and gave me all the right pointers to plot and future set ups and then it just... dissipated at some point.
There were a few chapters that had me so bored I thought of leaving the book unfinished because nothing really happened or the same things that were spoken about before just got repeated.
There could have been many more hints toward what happens at the end, some investigating maybe even or just general mentions because the one we got were so sparse and always overshadowed by other concersations that I find them lacking.
When the plot picks back up again it's great!
I sped through the last few chapters hungry to know what happens.
Just the middle part could've been cut shorter.
Generally this was a fun read, i might reread it again and just skip a few chapters in between.
The book leads strongly with great humor, snappy and interesting conversations and a general good grasp on its characters.
I read the first few pages and already had to stop and read out multiple sections to my Mom, who was in the same room, because they were too good not to share.
Character wise I see no proper flaws, they each have their set personalities that run throughout the book pretty consistently.
I love them all a lot and the shenanigans they get up to are great!
The romance however was a little lacking, specifically for Gwen and Bridget.
While I could see Gabriel and Art getting along and having this pull of 'we should but we will anyways' it fell a little flat with the female leads.
I would've liked more conversations, more common interests between Bridget and Gwen because, as they point out around the end, they barely do anything but kiss.
It does feel more like a celebrity crush from Gwen's side and Bridget just doesn't feel like she had a real reason to like Gwen back. She just started flirting back and that was that.
Gabe and Art talk a lot more to each other about themselves and wishes for the future or general dreams so it's easy to see how they could find themselves falling for each other.
I think the book would have benefitted with the focus on only one main couple instead of two.
The pacing was also too slow for me.
The start was great and fun and gave me all the right pointers to plot and future set ups and then it just... dissipated at some point.
There were a few chapters that had me so bored I thought of leaving the book unfinished because nothing really happened or the same things that were spoken about before just got repeated.
There could have been many more hints toward what happens at the end, some investigating maybe even or just general mentions because the one we got were so sparse and always overshadowed by other concersations that I find them lacking.
When the plot picks back up again it's great!
I sped through the last few chapters hungry to know what happens.
Just the middle part could've been cut shorter.
Generally this was a fun read, i might reread it again and just skip a few chapters in between.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, and Death of parent
vr_alyssa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? No
3.75
Yesterday, I decided to spend a couple hours disappearing into this book - which turned into spending a large part of the day, evening and night with it until it was finished.
I really enjoyed the elements of Arthurian legends, England's history, as well as (of course) the romance. Sometimes I found the back and forth between POV's a bit distracting at times, but it was also enjoyable to witness the story from two perspectives (I don't think it would've worked otherwise).
The characters were easy to connect to, despite their stubbornness at times. It was easy to root and feel sad for them as the story progressed. The last 100 pages or so threw me for a spin.
All in all, an enjoyable 'light' read, couldn't put it down. I'd say: a Sunday well spent.
I really enjoyed the elements of Arthurian legends, England's history, as well as (of course) the romance. Sometimes I found the back and forth between POV's a bit distracting at times, but it was also enjoyable to witness the story from two perspectives (I don't think it would've worked otherwise).
The characters were easy to connect to, despite their stubbornness at times. It was easy to root and feel sad for them as the story progressed. The last 100 pages or so threw me for a spin.
All in all, an enjoyable 'light' read, couldn't put it down. I'd say: a Sunday well spent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Cursing
Moderate: Violence
Minor: War, Child abuse, and Bullying
seventhswan's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
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
3.25
April's read for book group: I don't think I ever would have picked this book up of my own accord, as YA isn't a genre I tend to gravitate towards, but I found plenty to like about it. The characters were endearing without being overly irritating and the main storyline, while nothing new or groundbreaking, kept me invested. Everything was fairly tropey and predictable, but as a lighthearted, escapist romance, this worked.
Where this book fell down for me was the final few chapters. The story moved away from romance to more serious depictions of battle, which were well-written but didn't really fit with the tone of the first two-thirds of the book, and meant the conclusions to the romance storylines didn't get properly finished. I wonder if perhaps the author was trying to leave the door open for a sequel? The pacing in general was a bit off, too - to start with I wished the plot would move along faster, and then the ending felt rushed.
Delighted to see not only lesbian, bisexual and gay representation in this story but also characters with a range of disabilities and of various races! I tend to be wary these days of reducing books to good/bad Representation TM, but in books for children and teenagers it does feel more objectively important, for reasons I can't fully articulate.
Where this book fell down for me was the final few chapters. The story moved away from romance to more serious depictions of battle, which were well-written but didn't really fit with the tone of the first two-thirds of the book, and meant the conclusions to the romance storylines didn't get properly finished. I wonder if perhaps the author was trying to leave the door open for a sequel? The pacing in general was a bit off, too - to start with I wished the plot would move along faster, and then the ending felt rushed.
Delighted to see not only lesbian, bisexual and gay representation in this story but also characters with a range of disabilities and of various races! I tend to be wary these days of reducing books to good/bad Representation TM, but in books for children and teenagers it does feel more objectively important, for reasons I can't fully articulate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism
btorsi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
i'm not going to lie and say the beginning wasn't slow af. i almost didn't get through the first hundred or so pages. and the summary on the jacket isn't very accurate -- it boasts a fun arthurian romance, but this book was so much more than a romance. in fact, the romance was staggeringly less than i expected, especially between gwen and bridget. but the characters were lovable, the dynamics were so fun, the dialogue was funny as hell, and the plot sure did heat up. by the end i was the one in love. but it's not 5 stars bc of the slow beginning.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, War, Death, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse
pynklaady's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I preferred the first 3/4 of the book hence the raiting - not so much a fan of the last 100 or so pages though I did find the *very* end sweet
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Gore, Child abuse, and Homophobia
dananana's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, and War
wildflowerragdoll's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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? Yes
4.75
Liked it, loved the characters. Needed a stronger lesbian story that wasn't just using the masc as a stoic silent prop for kissing. Really hard to stop laughing every chapter this author is phenomenal at last sentences
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Child abuse
knockoffrainbow's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Cursing, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Vomit, War, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, Grief, and Gore
dinosaurari's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, War, Hate crime, Homophobia, Blood, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism and Emotional abuse
Minor: Body horror and Child abuse
gillian_aftanas's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Cursing, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and War
Moderate: Homophobia, Vomit, Misogyny, Addiction, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Sexism
Minor: Mental illness, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts