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books_with_caity's Reviews (91)
DNF'd at 70%
This novella was like watching a bad bootleg version of FernGully - in other words it was pretty shit.
I usually love media that has an environmentalist message, but this was so in your face and lacking so completely in nuance that it quickly just became annoying.
The world building, while ambitious and interesting, was so crammed into this short novel that it swiftly becomes messy, confusing, and difficult to piece together. There needed to be more time to build the world up and better explanations of how it all worked. The characters were flat, none of them were very consistent and the mc was so ignorant to the world she was living in it was painful to read. The plot and pacing suffer even worse fates. 70% in and I don't even think I could really tell you what the plot was. The novel feels like a first draft.
Possibly with some more time put into it, and a good few reworks, this novella could have been a great piece of environmentalist speculative science-fiction, but where it currently stands it just isn't holding up.
I would honestly give this one a miss.
This novella was like watching a bad bootleg version of FernGully - in other words it was pretty shit.
I usually love media that has an environmentalist message, but this was so in your face and lacking so completely in nuance that it quickly just became annoying.
The world building, while ambitious and interesting, was so crammed into this short novel that it swiftly becomes messy, confusing, and difficult to piece together. There needed to be more time to build the world up and better explanations of how it all worked. The characters were flat, none of them were very consistent and the mc was so ignorant to the world she was living in it was painful to read. The plot and pacing suffer even worse fates. 70% in and I don't even think I could really tell you what the plot was. The novel feels like a first draft.
Possibly with some more time put into it, and a good few reworks, this novella could have been a great piece of environmentalist speculative science-fiction, but where it currently stands it just isn't holding up.
I would honestly give this one a miss.
It took me a long time to write this review, I had such mixed feeling upon finishing this book that I really had to sit with it for a while before attempting to write anything.
The book starts off with Neva, a 15 year old girl being sent to a home for pregnant teens by her family. When she arrives the woman who runs the Home changes her name to Fern for the duration of her stay. Stripping Neva of her identity. The girls, when they arrive at this home, get told they are there to give birth and give away their babies. While there they are subjected to horrible treatment from the staff, given restricted diets, and subjected to invasive medical exams without consent.
The first 40% of the book is very slow, mostly you are getting to grips with life at the home, and getting to know the 4 main characters, Fern, Zinnia, Rose, and Holly.
Once the witchcraft does kick in there still isn't much of it. I think Hendrix was attempting to show the real horror of the book is how unmarried pregnant girls were treated in the 70s which he does do fantastically. But in a book named Witchcraft for wayward girls, I really wanted a lot more witchcraft.
This book is very dark, sad, and quite honestly a struggle to read. I had to put the book down many times due to graphic birth scenes, descriptions of miscarriage, and just the horrible treatment of the girls in this book.
As much as I enjoyed this book I recommend it with extreme caution. If you enjoy pregnancy horror you may love this but if graphic birth and miscarriage are upsetting for you then definitely give this one a miss.
The book starts off with Neva, a 15 year old girl being sent to a home for pregnant teens by her family. When she arrives the woman who runs the Home changes her name to Fern for the duration of her stay. Stripping Neva of her identity. The girls, when they arrive at this home, get told they are there to give birth and give away their babies. While there they are subjected to horrible treatment from the staff, given restricted diets, and subjected to invasive medical exams without consent.
The first 40% of the book is very slow, mostly you are getting to grips with life at the home, and getting to know the 4 main characters, Fern, Zinnia, Rose, and Holly.
Once the witchcraft does kick in there still isn't much of it. I think Hendrix was attempting to show the real horror of the book is how unmarried pregnant girls were treated in the 70s which he does do fantastically. But in a book named Witchcraft for wayward girls, I really wanted a lot more witchcraft.
This book is very dark, sad, and quite honestly a struggle to read. I had to put the book down many times due to graphic birth scenes, descriptions of miscarriage, and just the horrible treatment of the girls in this book.
As much as I enjoyed this book I recommend it with extreme caution. If you enjoy pregnancy horror you may love this but if graphic birth and miscarriage are upsetting for you then definitely give this one a miss.
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Sad to say I did not like this book.
The way the author bends Greek mythology to better fit the story honestly just frustrated me. I don't mind things being changed in retelling to make them more original to an extent but this felt like it lacked sense and was disrespectful to the original myths.
The queer rep also fell flat for me. Manto, a non-binary character, was given next to no personality and was only there for a handful of chapters. They felt like nothing more than a token queer character. Danae, the main character, is also apparently bisexual, this really isn't shown at all other than occasionally sharing some longing looks withs Atalanta. Danae spends the entire book ogling male side characters and eventually sleeps with one. I wouldn't be so mad about Danae eventually ending up with a man if her attraction to women was better developed. Alas she felt like another token queer.
The first 40% of the book was so slow paced it was honestly painful to get through And if you do manage to make it through that the next 60% jumps from event to event at a rapid pace but still somehow leaves you feeling like nothing is actually happening. Once you finally make it to the end, it is rushed, anti-climactic, and just generally boring.
It is safe to say I will not be picking up book 2 when it comes out.
The way the author bends Greek mythology to better fit the story honestly just frustrated me. I don't mind things being changed in retelling to make them more original to an extent but this felt like it lacked sense and was disrespectful to the original myths.
The queer rep also fell flat for me. Manto, a non-binary character, was given next to no personality and was only there for a handful of chapters. They felt like nothing more than a token queer character. Danae, the main character, is also apparently bisexual, this really isn't shown at all other than occasionally sharing some longing looks withs Atalanta. Danae spends the entire book ogling male side characters and eventually sleeps with one. I wouldn't be so mad about Danae eventually ending up with a man if her attraction to women was better developed. Alas she felt like another token queer.
The first 40% of the book was so slow paced it was honestly painful to get through And if you do manage to make it through that the next 60% jumps from event to event at a rapid pace but still somehow leaves you feeling like nothing is actually happening. Once you finally make it to the end, it is rushed, anti-climactic, and just generally boring.
It is safe to say I will not be picking up book 2 when it comes out.
A beautifully heart wrenching YA Gothic Fantasy, that follows our protagonist Hazel from birth throughout her entire life.
I loved this book, it was quite slow paced but it was hard not to live Hazel as a character.
At times this book broke my heart and could be quite dark but there was moments that made me incredibly happy too.
The eventual romance did feel quite Instalove which I am never a fan of. I wish we could have seen more interactions between Hazel and her love interest and the romantic relationships were more developed.
Other than that though I loved this story and woulf highly recommend it.
Warning though, bring tissues.
I loved this book, it was quite slow paced but it was hard not to live Hazel as a character.
At times this book broke my heart and could be quite dark but there was moments that made me incredibly happy too.
The eventual romance did feel quite Instalove which I am never a fan of. I wish we could have seen more interactions between Hazel and her love interest and the romantic relationships were more developed.
Other than that though I loved this story and woulf highly recommend it.
Warning though, bring tissues.
A conclusion to the Foul Days! Dimova's writing is fun, fast paced, and steeped in Bulgarian folklore! I would highly recommend this duology as a winter fantasy read.
I was unsure if this would live up to the hype and was extra nervous about a man writing a novel from the POV of a 16 year old girl but I think Brandon Sanderson has done a fantastic job!
Vin felt at many times like a real 16 year old girl. She was stubborn, didnt listen to orders, and sometimes acted a bit silly over a boy (all things I definitely did at 16).
The magic system is incredibly interesting and detailed. I loved learning about then throughout the book. The world building was also great, while it did feel like an alternative earth gone wrong, it also fell unique from other fantasy I have read.
Overall this is a great read that does live up to the hype!
Vin felt at many times like a real 16 year old girl. She was stubborn, didnt listen to orders, and sometimes acted a bit silly over a boy (all things I definitely did at 16).
The magic system is incredibly interesting and detailed. I loved learning about then throughout the book. The world building was also great, while it did feel like an alternative earth gone wrong, it also fell unique from other fantasy I have read.
Overall this is a great read that does live up to the hype!
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I am not a fan of romantasy but I loved this! The romance between Brishen and Ildiko felt genuine.
The world building was really interesting. I really liked the descriptions of the Kai.
The plot was easy to follow, with a heartfelt friends to lovers romance at the forefront with a high stakes political intrigue going on in the background.
The epilogue was especially interesting and seems like book 2 will branch away from the romance plot line quite a bit!
Excited to see where it goes next!
The world building was really interesting. I really liked the descriptions of the Kai.
The plot was easy to follow, with a heartfelt friends to lovers romance at the forefront with a high stakes political intrigue going on in the background.
The epilogue was especially interesting and seems like book 2 will branch away from the romance plot line quite a bit!
Excited to see where it goes next!
