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susanatherly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Classism, Drug use, Confinement, Murder, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
I was swept away with the magic, the mystery of Dovermere Caves and the drowned students, the secret societies and the delicious DRAMA between the main cast.
This is what a dark academia fantasy should be. Honestly, what a good set of two tats you see coming and some you don’t.
Emory is frustrating but I understand why she makes the decisions she slides in the name of a chance to save her best friend Romie. And Romeo’s brother Baz is so sweet and wholesome and I want to give him a big hug with all he goes through.
The prose is magnetic.
Lots to say here: it’s a dense fantasy, leans a little older on the YA scale (honestly I would have thought it was solidly New Adult), and had a lot if very good concepts and characters to sink into.
This is what a dark academia fantasy should be. Honestly, what a good set of two tats you see coming and some you don’t.
Emory is frustrating but I understand why she makes the decisions she slides in the name of a chance to save her best friend Romie. And Romeo’s brother Baz is so sweet and wholesome and I want to give him a big hug with all he goes through.
The prose is magnetic.
Lots to say here: it’s a dense fantasy, leans a little older on the YA scale (honestly I would have thought it was solidly New Adult), and had a lot if very good concepts and characters to sink into.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Gaslighting
Self harm was the applicable tag, but with a caveat: magic in this world works by bloodletting when once’s lunar alignment is not in the sky. It’s not done with self-hatred in mind, but it is prevalent in the storybibliofrog's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Curious Tides has everything I love in a book-- a magical school setting, exploration of female friendships, a diverse cast of characters, a textured and interesting romance, and heaps and heaps of whimsy. Pascale Lacelle managed to include well-loved tropes while writing a book that feels fresh and unpredictable.
To start, the magic system in Curious Tides is so well thought out and compelling. The moon and the tides hold power over the character's magic. This system works for me in two big ways. First, intangible magic being tied to something tangible in the book's universe rather than just being an inexplicable ability makes the whole magic system and world at large feel more real and plausible. Second, the limits to the magic characters are able to wield at any given moment keep the plot and characters grounded and the stakes of the book believable. Too often in fantasy, characters (especially protagonists) are able to access limitless stores of power, giving them the upper hand in every battle and making every obstacle they face obsolete. This was not a problem in Curious Tides, as even after Emory uncovers her greater tidecaller powers and Baz discovers the truth about Eclipse-Born, there are still limitations to how much power they can wield.
Now, about the setting. It's clear that Pascale Lacelle set out to write a dark academia book that would scratch that itch for those of us who simply cannot get enough of that genre, and she executed it wonderfully. The descriptions of the commons and libraries made me feel so warm and at home, which balanced perfectly with the sense of foreboding coming from the nearby caves and rising tides. The result is a beautifully atmospheric campus that I can so vividly picture myself walking through at this very moment.
Each character in Curious Tides was given the grace and time to become rounded individuals. This is rare, especially with side characters. Of course some characters are more explored than others, but I really felt a sense of understanding of each side character. Kai, Virgil, and Jae are some of my favourite side characters that I've read in a long time. Even Romie, who for the majority of the book is revealed to us through flashbacks and memories, feels like a friend I've known my whole life. The exploration of Emory and Romie's friendship especially felt very personal and real to me. I think the complications of female friendship-- oscillating between fierce love and shameful jealousy-- is a very common experience for women and Lacelle hit that bittersweet feeling right on the nose. The love triangle is the only thing that I had reservations about, since that's a trope I don't usually love (despite my formative Hunger Games obsession), but I actually ended up quite enjoying it here. I think it illustrated really well how power-hungry men often take advantage of women's love in order to get what they want, and the shame and regret that comes with realizing you've been taken advantage of by someone you trusted. I slightly suspect Kieran's betrayal but found myself questioning my judgement often while in Emory's POV chapters as he continuously lied to her to get his way. And Baz-- I'm not sure if I can put into words how much I love his character. He is so sweet and curious and good. I cannot wait to read more of these characters in the next book (please, please, let there be a next book!!!)
Finally, the plot. I was kept on my toes the whole time and by the end of the book there were enough questions answered to satisfy me, but enough left up in the air that I am itching to get my hands on a sequel to find out. As soon as I see any announcement of a sequel ARC I will surely be first in line to request it.
I will absolutely be hand-selling this book to every customer I see lingering in the YA section, every person picking up other dark academia and romantasy reads (The Atlas Six, Fourth Wing, etc), and babbling on about it to my co workers until they have no choice but to read it too. This has been one of my favourite reads of the year and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read the ARC before release.
Curious Tides has everything I love in a book-- a magical school setting, exploration of female friendships, a diverse cast of characters, a textured and interesting romance, and heaps and heaps of whimsy. Pascale Lacelle managed to include well-loved tropes while writing a book that feels fresh and unpredictable.
Now, about the setting. It's clear that Pascale Lacelle set out to write a dark academia book that would scratch that itch for those of us who simply cannot get enough of that genre, and she executed it wonderfully. The descriptions of the commons and libraries made me feel so warm and at home, which balanced perfectly with the sense of foreboding coming from the nearby caves and rising tides. The result is a beautifully atmospheric campus that I can so vividly picture myself walking through at this very moment.
Each character in Curious Tides was given the grace and time to become rounded individuals. This is rare, especially with side characters. Of course some characters are more explored than others, but I really felt a sense of understanding of each side character. Kai, Virgil, and Jae are some of my favourite side characters that I've read in a long time. Even Romie, who for the majority of the book is revealed to us through flashbacks and memories, feels like a friend I've known my whole life. The exploration of Emory and Romie's friendship especially felt very personal and real to me. I think the complications of female friendship-- oscillating between fierce love and shameful jealousy-- is a very common experience for women and Lacelle hit that bittersweet feeling right on the nose. The love triangle is the only thing that I had reservations about, since that's a trope I don't usually love (despite my formative Hunger Games obsession), but I actually ended up quite enjoying it here. I think it illustrated really well how power-hungry men often take advantage of women's love in order to get what they want, and the shame and regret that comes with realizing you've been taken advantage of by someone you trusted. I slightly suspect Kieran's betrayal but found myself questioning my judgement often while in Emory's POV chapters as he continuously lied to her to get his way. And Baz-- I'm not sure if I can put into words how much I love his character. He is so sweet and curious and good. I cannot wait to read more of these characters in the next book (please, please, let there be a next book!!!)
Finally, the plot. I was kept on my toes the whole time and by the end of the book there were enough questions answered to satisfy me, but enough left up in the air that I am itching to get my hands on a sequel to find out. As soon as I see any announcement of a sequel ARC I will surely be first in line to request it.
I will absolutely be hand-selling this book to every customer I see lingering in the YA section, every person picking up other dark academia and romantasy reads (The Atlas Six, Fourth Wing, etc), and babbling on about it to my co workers until they have no choice but to read it too. This has been one of my favourite reads of the year and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read the ARC before release.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
In the world of Curious Tides, the moon phase of your birth determines the type of magic you possess. Not everyone is powerful enough to study magic in college, but Emory and her best friend, Romie—a prodigy—made it in. But after a mysterious ritual turns deadly, Emory must do whatever it takes to get Romie back. As death haunts school grounds, Emory’s magic, once-lacking, changes into something much more powerful—even dangerous. The desire to be special and the need to find her friend lead Emory to a cult-like society and into the arms of its magnetic leader. Meanwhile, Romie’s brother, Baz, of the ostracized House Eclipse, is determined to uncover the mystery that stole his sister and to save Emory before it’s too late. This atmospheric, gripping debut is sure to appeal to fans of astrology and moon magic!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Alcohol, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Gaslighting, Confinement, Death of parent, and Bullying
Minor: Vomit, Sexual content, and Abandonment
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