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sappix's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Murder
Minor: Suicide, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse
Childbirth should be on the list.nevaraven's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
There's nothing quite insane as this book. I thought it was just an ordinary fantasy, fairytale retelling but then things got WILD. It's so crazy and random that it makes sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Body horror, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Sexual content and Rape
This is not a book to read if you suffer from paranoia or derealization. The mc is made to doubt reality and overall being driven to madness is a major theme in the book.sinaprst's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
THE VIBESSSSS.....I CAN'T
also the birth scene was so disturbing, i nearly threw up
recommended reading ambience: https://youtu.be/LJqVftwOIDc?si=bUpnVHgr70JxgERQ
recommended reading ambience: https://youtu.be/LJqVftwOIDc?si=bUpnVHgr70JxgERQ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Blood, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Suicide, and Vomit
isabella_sans_merci's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book wavered wildly back and forth between very well written and just stupid. I think the authorโs characters are quite weak, which contributed to most of the faults, but when plot and worldbuilding are the focus, it is quite strong. I think this story would work great as a videogame tbh, bc that would allow you to skirt around the fact that sometimes the characters are just intolerably stupid
All in all however, I am forced to conclude that I liked it. Also hats off to the audiobook narrator. She did a great job acting
All in all however, I am forced to conclude that I liked it. Also hats off to the audiobook narrator. She did a great job acting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Gore, Child death, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Domestic abuse
veerau's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Felt very... Lukewarm. It had way more dancing than what I would have liked, but considering it is a 12 dancing princesses retelling that's 100% my fault in not digging deeper into the plot ๐
The start is somewhat interesting, but when Cassius appeared I definitely lost interest (it didn't help that Annaleigh was constantly thinking of the guy)
Mid book got so boring I fantasized about dropping it, but alas the ending was way darker that I imagined?? Definitely turned the book around for mebest part being the half uneaten half decomposed lil guy in the lighthouse <3 kinda sad it wasn't more gorey tbh, that would have been so cool
Characters aren't really that well characterized, but considering there are more than a dozen recurring characters the contrary would be mindblowing.
Extra: I did not like the romance like, at all. Why was it there. And why so rushed.I was so hoping that Cassius was the killer but no, evil entity appears... Wishing everything was indeed her own delusion, but no... And then he dies!!! But no he doesn't...? Exhausting man
Also taking more space to mention how much I couldn't stand Annaleigh's name... It should be fine since it is 1st person (I think?? Not 100% sure tbh) but girlie likes introducing herself a lot ๐๐
The start is somewhat interesting, but when Cassius appeared I definitely lost interest (it didn't help that Annaleigh was constantly thinking of the guy)
Mid book got so boring I fantasized about dropping it, but alas the ending was way darker that I imagined?? Definitely turned the book around for me
Characters aren't really that well characterized, but considering there are more than a dozen recurring characters the contrary would be mindblowing.
Extra: I did not like the romance like, at all. Why was it there. And why so rushed.
Also taking more space to mention how much I couldn't stand Annaleigh's name... It should be fine since it is 1st person (I think?? Not 100% sure tbh) but girlie likes introducing herself a lot ๐๐
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Gore, Death, Body horror, and Blood
nut_megg's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Blood, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Stalking
bookreadingelf's review
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage, Gore, and Body horror
stephanieluxton's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I don't read a lot of YA but this is definitely a good one! The gothic, haunting atmosphere of a castle by the cliffside of an island was *chefs kiss*. This book is equal parts fantasy and mystery, but slides towards horror as the story progresses.
Annaleigh was one of 12 princesses living on the island, but after the unfortunate accidental deaths of a few of her older sisters, and her mother, the townspeople believe her family to be cursed. Annaleigh believes the most recent death was a murder rather than a suicide and begins trying to unravel the mystery, with some help from her childhood crush and a handsome stranger she meets in the market. The plot thickens when the sisters go searching for a portal used by the Gods to travel to other regions in hopes of finding love with people who are unfamiliar with the curse. Annaleigh struggles to unravel the mystery of what's happening. Is there really a curse? Who can she trust? Wtf is going on? Also, there's ghosts.
The world-building was well done in this book. We learn about their religion and customs organically without a ton of exposition. It's definitely a world you can get lost in. The only thing that makes this book YA is the lack of smut, which feels authentic to the time period where marriage came first. One thing that wasn't old-timey was the fashion for the balls that the princesses attend. Everything is described in a beautifully cinematic way. As the book slips further into horror, the descriptions are grotesque and you genuinely feel scared for our characters who we've grown to care about.
I'd recommend this book to people who like gothic, ghostly, psychological horror and don't need smut to enjoy themselves.
Annaleigh was one of 12 princesses living on the island, but after the unfortunate accidental deaths of a few of her older sisters, and her mother, the townspeople believe her family to be cursed. Annaleigh believes the most recent death was a murder rather than a suicide and begins trying to unravel the mystery, with some help from her childhood crush and a handsome stranger she meets in the market. The plot thickens when the sisters go searching for a portal used by the Gods to travel to other regions in hopes of finding love with people who are unfamiliar with the curse. Annaleigh struggles to unravel the mystery of what's happening. Is there really a curse? Who can she trust? Wtf is going on? Also, there's ghosts.
The world-building was well done in this book. We learn about their religion and customs organically without a ton of exposition. It's definitely a world you can get lost in. The only thing that makes this book YA is the lack of smut, which feels authentic to the time period where marriage came first. One thing that wasn't old-timey was the fashion for the balls that the princesses attend. Everything is described in a beautifully cinematic way. As the book slips further into horror, the descriptions are grotesque and you genuinely feel scared for our characters who we've grown to care about.
I'd recommend this book to people who like gothic, ghostly, psychological horror and don't need smut to enjoy themselves.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Classism, Suicide, Child death, Pregnancy, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent
This book is more psychological that violent and we generally see the aftermath of violence more than we see violence. There's a few scenes that feel like nightmare sequences that are a bit more intense. The horror sequences were pretty epic for a YA book, but it's definitely not splatterpunk or anything.nofy's review
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Body horror, Murder, and Child death
carrasreadsandthings's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
This was an amazing book! I loved every chapter and couldn't put it down. It was so unpredictable! I highly recommend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Child death
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, and Fire/Fire injury