Take a photo of a barcode or cover
hopeful
sad
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Forced institutionalization, War
emotional
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Medical content
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death
emotional
mysterious
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:
Complicated
I'm reminded that 'but whyyy thoooo' type stories (especially those with some kind of fantasical element) are heavily my thing and typically a guaranteed speed read to quell my burning curiosity as quickly as possible.
Solid plot twist. All questions answered. Loved the writing, loved the mystery, loved the heartbreak, loved the love.
Solid plot twist. All questions answered. Loved the writing, loved the mystery, loved the heartbreak, loved the love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Cancer
emotional
mysterious
sad
Damn, I was supposed to be asleep 6 hours ago but instead it's 4:30 am and I had to stay up to finish reading this. So, you know, one of those books. Would give 10 out of 5 stars if I could. I want to clutch this book to my heart. It's probably one of those that will stick with me forever. Also, lovely LGBT+ rep in its reincarnation plot, as they're always reincarnated in different bodies with no pattern to gender, and have a brief discussion about whether they feel like a girl or a boy that was really well done. Highly recommend this book if you're a hopeless romantic like me who loves ages-spanning, fated love stories with a queer twist.
Content warnings: death & murder, references to domestic abuse, medical trauma, some period-typical homophobia.
Content warnings: death & murder, references to domestic abuse, medical trauma, some period-typical homophobia.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, War
Minor: Cancer, Colonisation
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
✨I should've DNF'd this✨
I did not enjoy this and I was relieved to finally be done with it. This may end up being a harsh review, so apologies in advance. While I could appreciate the prose within this book, the story just fell so incredibly short to me. The mystery revolving around Arden murdering Evelyn before turning 18 very quickly lost its shine and soon became a strong annoyance. This book was repetitive and it felt shallow to me. With how often this story jumped between lives and time periods, I found it extremely difficult to feel any sort of connection to these characters. Not to mention, I stopped caring about when, where, or who we were with each jump. It was challenging to keep my mind from wandering while working through this story.
This reminded me of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and I honestly didn't care much for that story either yet it was a lot better than this one. The romance did absolutely nothing for me. I think the inability to develop a connection to these characters played a huge part in that sentiment. The minute I felt like I was getting comfortable with where the story was headed, we were thrown into another life and time period and all of that progress went back to 0. This turned into a massive slog for me.
When the motivations behind Arden's murders were finally revealed, I found myself unable to care. I just wanted to be done reading.
Beautiful writing, but the structure and characters really did not work for me at all. I heard such great things about this book and desperately wanted to give it a chance but I should've saved myself the trouble.
Here's to hoping that my next read is leagues more enjoyable than this one.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7366091847
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/7dd18eb6-ee01-4f98-a1bd-ac9d0c716f72/share
I did not enjoy this and I was relieved to finally be done with it. This may end up being a harsh review, so apologies in advance. While I could appreciate the prose within this book, the story just fell so incredibly short to me. The mystery revolving around Arden murdering Evelyn before turning 18 very quickly lost its shine and soon became a strong annoyance. This book was repetitive and it felt shallow to me. With how often this story jumped between lives and time periods, I found it extremely difficult to feel any sort of connection to these characters. Not to mention, I stopped caring about when, where, or who we were with each jump. It was challenging to keep my mind from wandering while working through this story.
This reminded me of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and I honestly didn't care much for that story either yet it was a lot better than this one. The romance did absolutely nothing for me. I think the inability to develop a connection to these characters played a huge part in that sentiment. The minute I felt like I was getting comfortable with where the story was headed, we were thrown into another life and time period and all of that progress went back to 0. This turned into a massive slog for me.
When the motivations behind Arden's murders were finally revealed, I found myself unable to care. I just wanted to be done reading.
Beautiful writing, but the structure and characters really did not work for me at all. I heard such great things about this book and desperately wanted to give it a chance but I should've saved myself the trouble.
Here's to hoping that my next read is leagues more enjoyable than this one.
Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7366091847
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/7dd18eb6-ee01-4f98-a1bd-ac9d0c716f72/share
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven is a beautifully told story that might be good for those who loved the Letters of Enchantment duology by Rebecca Ross, due to all the historical aspects of the story.
Looking forward to reading this authors’ adult debut this year called Silvercloak. It has a fantastic premise!
Looking forward to reading this authors’ adult debut this year called Silvercloak. It has a fantastic premise!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, War
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
Je pense que c’est honnêtement un des meilleurs livres que j’ai jamais lu et une des plus belles histoires d’amour écrites.
J’ai à peine les mots pour décrire ce livre car tout était parfait du début à la fin, en 350 pages ce livre m’a complètement retourné.
Ce livre est concentré sur une timeline en particulier : 2022 en Écosse mais tout au long de l’histoire il y a des flashbacks de leurs vies antérieures, qui nous transportent à travers le temps et les époques. L’autrice a su me faire voyager dans une dizaine de pays, que ce soit en Sibérie, au Peru, en Chine, au Vietnam, aux États-Unis, en France mais aussi à travers toutes les époques et civilisations. Les protagonistes ont vécues milles vies, ils ont étés pauvres, riches, dans la famille royales, soldats, voleurs, pirates, expéditeurs et j’en passe. Les chapitres ont beaux êtres courts j’ai vraiment été transporté et j’ai l’impression d’avoir vécues ces choses avec eux.
Dans leurs différents vies ils ont étés hommes et femmes, parfois deux hommes, parfois deux femmes, parfois un homme et une femme, leur amour a travers n’importe quels genres. J’ai beaucoup aimé cette aspect là car ce sont bien plus que deux corps genrés : ce sont deux âmes qui se retrouvent à chaque fois.
La plume de l’autrice est magnifique, j’ai plusieurs fois été bouleversée par des citations car il y a des réflexions sur la vie, la mort, le deuil, l’amour, le bien, le mal et l’existence.
« life gives us grief like mounds of wet clay,
ripe and heavy beneath our reluctant hands,
and with it we can do one of three things.
we can carry it with us wherever we go,
stooped beneath its awful weight,
we can shove it back of a wardrobe,
buried beneath an old waxed coat,
or we can make something beautiful,
and let it live on beyond us »
Leur histoire amour est absolument magnifique, malgré tout les obstacles ils finissent toujours par se retrouver. J’ai à peine les mots pour décrire la beauté de leur amour, si beau et pur.
Je pense que la meilleure manière de décrire Evelyn c’est par cette citation :
« The Evelyn I know… they love over and and over and over again, even thought it can only ever end in tragedy. Even though they’ve lost everyone they’ve ever loved, and they miss them in the next life, and the next, and the next. Never have they developed hard edges, like I have. Never have they tried to protect themselves from that pain. They love softly, and fiercely, and openly, and it’s the bravest thing I know. The most human thing I know. »
Evelyn aime entièrement dans chacune de ses vies, même si elle sait que ses proches vont finir par mourir et qu’elle aussi va finir par mourir, elle n’a pas peur du deuil alors qu’Arden s’est construit une carapace au fil des siècles, pour se protéger contre toute cette souffrance, existence après existence et j’aime beaucoup ces deux aspects de ces personnages.
« My heart feels like an open wound. I don’t understand how everyone just… walks around with the knowledge that everyone they love will soon be dead. I look at my sister, my mum, and it’s all I can see. Inevitable loss »
Comment parler de la fin ? De ce plot twist qui m’a retourné le cerveau ? De cette décision impossible ? De la tristesse que j’ai ressentie même si elle est mêlé a beaucoup d’espoirs…
« Then again, I had always found a way to live with the grief of the loves I had lost - to carry them inside me like candles that never blew out, until the slow tide of time eventually extinguished the memories »
Tout dans ce livre était absolument incroyable, c’est le parfait cocktail : un one shot relativement court, des chapitres concis, une histoire d’amour belle et tragique, des personnages attachants et torturés, un univers qui nous fait voyager, des plot twists, une touche de fantasy et une fin qui accroche aux tripes.
J’ai à peine les mots pour décrire ce livre car tout était parfait du début à la fin, en 350 pages ce livre m’a complètement retourné.
Ce livre est concentré sur une timeline en particulier : 2022 en Écosse mais tout au long de l’histoire il y a des flashbacks de leurs vies antérieures, qui nous transportent à travers le temps et les époques. L’autrice a su me faire voyager dans une dizaine de pays, que ce soit en Sibérie, au Peru, en Chine, au Vietnam, aux États-Unis, en France mais aussi à travers toutes les époques et civilisations. Les protagonistes ont vécues milles vies, ils ont étés pauvres, riches, dans la famille royales, soldats, voleurs, pirates, expéditeurs et j’en passe. Les chapitres ont beaux êtres courts j’ai vraiment été transporté et j’ai l’impression d’avoir vécues ces choses avec eux.
Dans leurs différents vies ils ont étés hommes et femmes, parfois deux hommes, parfois deux femmes, parfois un homme et une femme, leur amour a travers n’importe quels genres. J’ai beaucoup aimé cette aspect là car ce sont bien plus que deux corps genrés : ce sont deux âmes qui se retrouvent à chaque fois.
La plume de l’autrice est magnifique, j’ai plusieurs fois été bouleversée par des citations car il y a des réflexions sur la vie, la mort, le deuil, l’amour, le bien, le mal et l’existence.
« life gives us grief like mounds of wet clay,
ripe and heavy beneath our reluctant hands,
and with it we can do one of three things.
we can carry it with us wherever we go,
stooped beneath its awful weight,
we can shove it back of a wardrobe,
buried beneath an old waxed coat,
or we can make something beautiful,
and let it live on beyond us »
Leur histoire amour est absolument magnifique, malgré tout les obstacles ils finissent toujours par se retrouver. J’ai à peine les mots pour décrire la beauté de leur amour, si beau et pur.
Je pense que la meilleure manière de décrire Evelyn c’est par cette citation :
« The Evelyn I know… they love over and and over and over again, even thought it can only ever end in tragedy. Even though they’ve lost everyone they’ve ever loved, and they miss them in the next life, and the next, and the next. Never have they developed hard edges, like I have. Never have they tried to protect themselves from that pain. They love softly, and fiercely, and openly, and it’s the bravest thing I know. The most human thing I know. »
Evelyn aime entièrement dans chacune de ses vies, même si elle sait que ses proches vont finir par mourir et qu’elle aussi va finir par mourir, elle n’a pas peur du deuil alors qu’Arden s’est construit une carapace au fil des siècles, pour se protéger contre toute cette souffrance, existence après existence et j’aime beaucoup ces deux aspects de ces personnages.
« My heart feels like an open wound. I don’t understand how everyone just… walks around with the knowledge that everyone they love will soon be dead. I look at my sister, my mum, and it’s all I can see. Inevitable loss »
Comment parler de la fin ? De ce plot twist qui m’a retourné le cerveau ? De cette décision impossible ? De la tristesse que j’ai ressentie même si elle est mêlé a beaucoup d’espoirs…
« Then again, I had always found a way to live with the grief of the loves I had lost - to carry them inside me like candles that never blew out, until the slow tide of time eventually extinguished the memories »
Tout dans ce livre était absolument incroyable, c’est le parfait cocktail : un one shot relativement court, des chapitres concis, une histoire d’amour belle et tragique, des personnages attachants et torturés, un univers qui nous fait voyager, des plot twists, une touche de fantasy et une fin qui accroche aux tripes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Car accident
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Admittedly, I may not have been the target market for this book. I purchased it as part of my BOTM because it was billed as Fantasy. And in all honesty, time travelling fantasy did pique my interest. However, it turns out I’d been bamboozled by a YA title.
If you like YA tropes of flowery writing, one-note characters that are very earnest in their SUPER SERIOUS LOVE, and a somewhat tidy ending, this may be a good choice for you. As far as I was concerned it was hyper dramatic, overly demonstrative, and seemed akin to a kid trying to beef up the word count on a book report.
The pacing on this is egregious. In having single chapter flashbacks we never learn about the intangible elements reincarnated over again and instead just get snapshots. The chapters are somewhat repetitive and they also don’t show this grand cosmic love story. The denouement is practically sprinted through, and the resolution is too straightforward. The author attempts something clever in the twist of why the characters are stuck in this loop, but executes it in a way that’s not even half-baked.
The other thing that drove me nuts was that Arden and Evelyn talk about how transcendant and innate their love is. We are supposed to feel their predestination and how they are truly roped together. But they only ever TELL us this. There is virtually nothing that shows this is anything other than a standard YA love story. In the Wales sections they are completely adversarial and barely even show any tenderness.
I’m glad I tried. It’s definitely my genre to read, so fans of YA may have different experiences. But I guess my thoughts are that it’s definitely not going to be a crossover or mainstream hit that defies genre classification.
If you like YA tropes of flowery writing, one-note characters that are very earnest in their SUPER SERIOUS LOVE, and a somewhat tidy ending, this may be a good choice for you. As far as I was concerned it was hyper dramatic, overly demonstrative, and seemed akin to a kid trying to beef up the word count on a book report.
The pacing on this is egregious. In having single chapter flashbacks we never learn about the intangible elements reincarnated over again and instead just get snapshots. The chapters are somewhat repetitive and they also don’t show this grand cosmic love story. The denouement is practically sprinted through, and the resolution is too straightforward. The author attempts something clever in the twist of why the characters are stuck in this loop, but executes it in a way that’s not even half-baked.
The other thing that drove me nuts was that Arden and Evelyn talk about how transcendant and innate their love is. We are supposed to feel their predestination and how they are truly roped together. But they only ever TELL us this. There is virtually nothing that shows this is anything other than a standard YA love story. In the Wales sections they are completely adversarial and barely even show any tenderness.
I’m glad I tried. It’s definitely my genre to read, so fans of YA may have different experiences. But I guess my thoughts are that it’s definitely not going to be a crossover or mainstream hit that defies genre classification.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent