Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Mirror Season

PLEASE check content warnings before reading this book.

I cannot explain the connection and feeling this book gave me. I would highly recommend everyone look to up see if they will feel comfortable enough to read this book. The book will have uncomfortable moments no matter what, but as long as nothing will lead you to be in a bad headspace based on the trigger warnings, I think everyone should read this.

Description: Graciela (Ciela) has the magic of knowing exactly what pastry someone wants when they step into her store. However, after a sexual assault, Ciela lost her gift and gainst the sight of mirrored shards all around her. The mirrored shards appear small at first and Ciela hides them. But soon they're getting harder to hide. While she was being assaulted, so was a boy in the next room. Once that boy (Lock) enrolls in her school, she has to navigate what happened to her and him that night. Once she begins to unravel her emotions, her gift begins to come back, but the mirrored shards are still around. Will Ciela ever get her full gift back and be scared of the shards, or will the memories of that night haunt her with no resolution?

ALL the goodies:
- Again, this is the most emotion and feeling I've felt in this book. I think because the author explains that their story mirrors this one, I could feel each individual emotion the author laid out: sadness, hope, anger, etc.
- I liked Lock and Ciela as characters, and Ciela's best friend.
- The magic was accessible and easily digestible as metaphors (to me).
- Fast paced book, could NOT put down.

Overall: If you check the content warnings and feel comfortable reading, read ahead!

Content Warnings

sunny_pipes's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book hurt to read, both because of the subject matter and how it impacted the lives of the characters.

The Author' Note at the end made me cry both because it is awful that it's like that, but also because the "Does" are so powerful for reclaiming what was always theirs.

This also has pansexual representation, which I've found to be so rare. Usually characters identify as bisexual or queer, and as a pansexual it is so affirming to see a well written pansexua main character.

Content Warnings