Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
I applied for this ARC because I saw others online saying this book is a mix of cozy gothic vibes, dark academia, and overall just a fantastic atmospheric read. They weren't lying for marketing purposes.
The prose in this novel? I took an arrow in the heart from Cupid himself. I might be in love with Clipstone's writing style.
This book is slow, but if you enjoy really getting to know your surroundings and vivid descriptions, it won't harm the plot for you. There were a few parts that felt like it was dragging, which made it harder to push through, but I'm glad I did. The characters I felt missed a developmental mark, especially Lark.
Romance-wise, I was able to look past the sibling involvement. I'm almost surprised this isn't considered more of a dark romance but YA style. Which is something I actually forgot this book was, it doesn't feel truly YA.
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Lyndall Clipstone for the ARC version of this novel!
The prose in this novel? I took an arrow in the heart from Cupid himself. I might be in love with Clipstone's writing style.
This book is slow, but if you enjoy really getting to know your surroundings and vivid descriptions, it won't harm the plot for you. There were a few parts that felt like it was dragging, which made it harder to push through, but I'm glad I did. The characters I felt missed a developmental mark, especially Lark.
Romance-wise, I was able to look past the sibling involvement. I'm almost surprised this isn't considered more of a dark romance but YA style. Which is something I actually forgot this book was, it doesn't feel truly YA.
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Lyndall Clipstone for the ARC version of this novel!
The vibes of this book are on point and I loved the writing. Some people might think it’s too flowery but I thought it was really immersive and beautiful. I enjoyed the characters and the romance(s) . And I thought the world was really well built and well written given how short it is compared to other fantasy books. Generally a really fun, engaging read!
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
adventurous
emotional
sad
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Even though there wasn't really much going on in this book other than a moody atmosphere, I enjoyed it. My main complaint is that the F/F is severely underdeveloped compared to the M/F, and could have been removed without affecting much of anything. It just felt tacked on in order to make this a little more interesting, but I found it frustrating. I also expected there to be more of an emphasis on art since that's supposedly the MC's passion. All the ocean vibes were perfect though.
Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the advanced copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the advanced copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Such a beautiful story, dark, atmospheric, emotional. Very endearing 💜
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:
Complicated
I really enjoyed this gothic romance.
The prose was beautiful, and perfectly suited the dark, ethereal tone of the book.
The characters were enjoyable as well. Lark is one of the first FMCs I’ve seen that’s not super dominant and witty, but softer, and I loved it. Not only do we see a more gentle FMC, but we still get bravery and selflessness, just without the typical bravado. Her growth was quiet, but not subtle. She felt a bit more damsel in distress at first (IMO), but tightened up and did it the way that best worked for her.
As far as Alastair and Camille, I thought their sibling bond was great, I understood it as someone with a sibling who has a different skill set than me, and it was great to see how they loved Lark differently, but just as strongly as the other.
Romantically, I think this book did a wonderful job of showing a healthy polycule with good communication.
The last thing I enjoyed was the cthonic gods. I’ve never heard of that, but now I want more! I like the lore of it, so I hope the author gives us some of that again.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for any gothic romance fans!
The prose was beautiful, and perfectly suited the dark, ethereal tone of the book.
The characters were enjoyable as well. Lark is one of the first FMCs I’ve seen that’s not super dominant and witty, but softer, and I loved it. Not only do we see a more gentle FMC, but we still get bravery and selflessness, just without the typical bravado. Her growth was quiet, but not subtle. She felt a bit more damsel in distress at first (IMO), but tightened up and did it the way that best worked for her.
As far as Alastair and Camille, I thought their sibling bond was great, I understood it as someone with a sibling who has a different skill set than me, and it was great to see how they loved Lark differently, but just as strongly as the other.
Romantically, I think this book did a wonderful job of showing a healthy polycule with good communication.
The last thing I enjoyed was the cthonic gods. I’ve never heard of that, but now I want more! I like the lore of it, so I hope the author gives us some of that again.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for any gothic romance fans!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse