A review by uraveragelesbianreader
Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Came into this book expecting something wildly different than I got but I was more than satisfied anyways. (This book had for some reason been marketed to be as wlw which it was not). It was everything a dark historical fantasy should be with gripping writing, immersive world building and suspense scenes that genuinely made me unable to put this book down. In my opinion the world building of this book is highly underrated, the verbiage used by Ava Reid to describe scenes makes even the most mundane things and actions feel tense as a reader. I think it sometimes became lost in its own sauce so to speak and the plot became a bit muddled and required some suspension of disbelief. For me this is why it was not quite 5 stars but its a fantasy so this is probably more of a personal preference. HEAVY on the TWs for this book it is an uncomfortable read but it is not gratuitous or unnecessary in its use of difficult topics. The twists and turns this book takes all feel earned and satisfying nothing feels thrown at you or dropped at your feet and left. Overall I would recommend this book for someone looking for a darker read or an atypical fantasy story.
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