Take a photo of a barcode or cover
cloreadsbooks1364's reviews
486 reviews
The Wicked Remain by Laura Pohl
4.75
The Grimrose Girls is a YA fantasy duology featuring four girls in a fancy boarding school in which students' lives are tethered to fairy-tales, cursing them all to perish tragically.
This review is mostly spoiler free, there will be no massive spoilers of the plot :).
I first read The Grimrose Girls in January 2024, but last week I reread it and immediately began the sequel, The Wicked Remain. These books quickly drew me in with the intriguing plot and diverse cast of characters, and I unquestionably enjoyed reading them from beginning to end.
This duology is set in Grimrose Académie, an elite boarding school in the mountains of Switzerland. It's a literal castle, with towers, dungeons, stables, even an aviary. It of course provides its privileged students with every club under the sun, including fencing, horse riding, ballet. But a dark secret lurks inside this dream-like institution....
The curse that our protagonists fight to break ties students to fairy-tales, dooming them to die like the characters. There's a black book containing the dark endings of the tales, which the girls discover when it's left by their friend Ari upon her sudden death, but (SPOILERS) *also a white book with the happy endings.* I enjoyed seeing how the characters compared to the stories they were tethered to, such as Ella leaving the ball at midnight, Yuki's stepmother having a giant mirror, and Rory being sent by her overprotective parents to a boarding school in which the students are overlooked by three old ladies. I will say that I found the dramatic climax in the second book a bit too extreme compared to everything before it.
The highlight of this duology was of course the four protagonists.
I'll begin with Ella, whose story is that of Cinderella. She lives in a nearby town with her abusive stepmother and her twin stepsisters Silla and Stacie, and attends the school on a scholarship. Sharon, the stepmother, forces her to complete endless chores, cooking and cleaning every day. She also doesn't allow her to use WiFi, and sold all of the books collected by Ella and her father before his death. Ella had been diagnosed with OCD and anxiety, which was mentioned throughout the books through her constant worrying about everyone and her using counting as a coping strategy when distressed. She is the most loyal friend you could ever hope for, and appeared so optimistic every day despite being physically hurt often by her guardian. My heart ached for her, and I was so glad when Freddie, a cheerful boy, began to care for her. I loved watching Ella realise that she could save herself, that she was strong.
Yuki, our second protagonist, was linked to Snow White, which was obvious due to her pale complexion, dark hair, and red lips. She constantly forced herself to be perfect, dependable, calm, because her stepmother Reyna was the school principal and perfection seemed expected. She learns that she is powerful, she can be herself and let that power free. Her friends will still love her. I loved seeing an aroace protagonist who had already figured out her sexuality!
Rory, connected to Sleeping Beauty, was a very strong character, both physically and mentally. She had a chronic condition called fibromyalgia, which causes pain, fatigue and sudden cramping. This led to her parents considering her to be fragile, hiding her away in fear of her being hurt, as she was the second in line to a throne. Rory knew she was strong, she could endure the pain and still be one of the two best fencers at Grimrose. The other fencing champion was Pippa, with whom Rory had a slow-burn romance. SPOILERS*I adored how instead of needing to be woken by a true love's kiss, Rory woke herself up with determination. *
Nani, the final protagonist, spent the books learning to let her walls down, letting people know who she is. Forced to leave her grandmother in Hawai'i by her absent father gifting her a place in Grimrose, she soon realises that she should make the most of her time there and accept the kindness of her new friends. She quickly falls for Svenja, the gorgeous and fun-loving ballerina, and escapes the castle in her mind. If you haven't guessed, her story was Beauty and the Beast, SPOILERS*I realky liked how it turned out that she herself was both beauty and beast, trapping herself in a metaphorical castle.*
I had a lot of favourite moments in this duology, including the Winter Ball in the first book, where every character's outfit somehow resembled their fairy-tale, and when Ella and Freddie ate weird ice cream flavours on a date.
My least favourite moment was at the end of the second book when a character broke the 4th wall, I won't say more due to spoilers but it was strange.
Overall, I always enjoy a good retelling and this duology was so many of them in one.
Would I recommend it? Yes, to people who like found family, close friendships, diverse characters, magic, castles, and so much more.
Queer rep:
2 Lesbian protagonists (Rory and Nani)
Bisexual protagonist (Ella)
Aroace protagonist (Yuki)
Transgirl sc (Svenja)
Bi sc (Freddie)
Sapphic sc (Pippa)
TWs: death, murder, blood, suicide, child abuse, emotional abuse, parent death, transphobia, deadnaming, physical abuse, cancer, confinement, fatphobia, abelism
This review is mostly spoiler free, there will be no massive spoilers of the plot :).
I first read The Grimrose Girls in January 2024, but last week I reread it and immediately began the sequel, The Wicked Remain. These books quickly drew me in with the intriguing plot and diverse cast of characters, and I unquestionably enjoyed reading them from beginning to end.
This duology is set in Grimrose Académie, an elite boarding school in the mountains of Switzerland. It's a literal castle, with towers, dungeons, stables, even an aviary. It of course provides its privileged students with every club under the sun, including fencing, horse riding, ballet. But a dark secret lurks inside this dream-like institution....
The curse that our protagonists fight to break ties students to fairy-tales, dooming them to die like the characters. There's a black book containing the dark endings of the tales, which the girls discover when it's left by their friend Ari upon her sudden death, but (SPOILERS) *also a white book with the happy endings.* I enjoyed seeing how the characters compared to the stories they were tethered to, such as Ella leaving the ball at midnight, Yuki's stepmother having a giant mirror, and Rory being sent by her overprotective parents to a boarding school in which the students are overlooked by three old ladies. I will say that I found the dramatic climax in the second book a bit too extreme compared to everything before it.
The highlight of this duology was of course the four protagonists.
I'll begin with Ella, whose story is that of Cinderella. She lives in a nearby town with her abusive stepmother and her twin stepsisters Silla and Stacie, and attends the school on a scholarship. Sharon, the stepmother, forces her to complete endless chores, cooking and cleaning every day. She also doesn't allow her to use WiFi, and sold all of the books collected by Ella and her father before his death. Ella had been diagnosed with OCD and anxiety, which was mentioned throughout the books through her constant worrying about everyone and her using counting as a coping strategy when distressed. She is the most loyal friend you could ever hope for, and appeared so optimistic every day despite being physically hurt often by her guardian. My heart ached for her, and I was so glad when Freddie, a cheerful boy, began to care for her. I loved watching Ella realise that she could save herself, that she was strong.
Yuki, our second protagonist, was linked to Snow White, which was obvious due to her pale complexion, dark hair, and red lips. She constantly forced herself to be perfect, dependable, calm, because her stepmother Reyna was the school principal and perfection seemed expected. She learns that she is powerful, she can be herself and let that power free. Her friends will still love her. I loved seeing an aroace protagonist who had already figured out her sexuality!
Rory, connected to Sleeping Beauty, was a very strong character, both physically and mentally. She had a chronic condition called fibromyalgia, which causes pain, fatigue and sudden cramping. This led to her parents considering her to be fragile, hiding her away in fear of her being hurt, as she was the second in line to a throne. Rory knew she was strong, she could endure the pain and still be one of the two best fencers at Grimrose. The other fencing champion was Pippa, with whom Rory had a slow-burn romance. SPOILERS*I adored how instead of needing to be woken by a true love's kiss, Rory woke herself up with determination. *
Nani, the final protagonist, spent the books learning to let her walls down, letting people know who she is. Forced to leave her grandmother in Hawai'i by her absent father gifting her a place in Grimrose, she soon realises that she should make the most of her time there and accept the kindness of her new friends. She quickly falls for Svenja, the gorgeous and fun-loving ballerina, and escapes the castle in her mind. If you haven't guessed, her story was Beauty and the Beast, SPOILERS*I realky liked how it turned out that she herself was both beauty and beast, trapping herself in a metaphorical castle.*
I had a lot of favourite moments in this duology, including the Winter Ball in the first book, where every character's outfit somehow resembled their fairy-tale, and when Ella and Freddie ate weird ice cream flavours on a date.
My least favourite moment was at the end of the second book when a character broke the 4th wall, I won't say more due to spoilers but it was strange.
Overall, I always enjoy a good retelling and this duology was so many of them in one.
Would I recommend it? Yes, to people who like found family, close friendships, diverse characters, magic, castles, and so much more.
Queer rep:
2 Lesbian protagonists (Rory and Nani)
Bisexual protagonist (Ella)
Aroace protagonist (Yuki)
Transgirl sc (Svenja)
Bi sc (Freddie)
Sapphic sc (Pippa)
TWs: death, murder, blood, suicide, child abuse, emotional abuse, parent death, transphobia, deadnaming, physical abuse, cancer, confinement, fatphobia, abelism
D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins
4.0
A reality show where strangers have to fake an engagement? Sounds entertaining, doesn't it?
D'Vaughn & Kris Plan a Wedding
By Chencia C. Higgins
4/5⭐️
The premise of this adult contemporary romance is a reality show called "Instant I Do", where contestants are paired and have 6 weeks to plan their dream wedding without telling anyone thar the engagement is fake, being filmed the whole way. Each week, they receive tasks to complete, such as "find a dj" or "find a venue". At the alter, the winning couple must choose between $100,000 or actually getting married. Kris is on the show to find love, D'Vaughn as a way of finally coming out to her mother.
When I saw that this one had a total of 16 chapters in 300 pages, I expected it to be a slow read. Thankfully, I sped through this book and enjoyed it very much.
Usually when reading rom-coms, scenes can be quite amusing. But the ones in this book far surpassed all past rom-coms I've read, especially Kris's family when she introduced D'Vaughn to them.
The dialogue flowed so well, which pleased me a lot.
My favourite characters were, shockingly, not the protagonists. While Kris and D'Vaughn were amazing, the many different members of their families stole the show completely. I unfortunately found myself becoming bored as I awaited their reappearance.
But the protagonists were both great. They had a lot of chemistry from the start, and I was pleased with the absence of the typical arguments or miscommunications that temporarily break relationships in most books like this.
A fun concept, with a successful execution. I recommend this one to romance-lovers.
Queer rep:
Lesbian protagonists
Achillean scs
Lesbian sc
TWs: homophobia, cursing, sexual content, religious bigotry, racism, lesbophobia, pregnancy
D'Vaughn & Kris Plan a Wedding
By Chencia C. Higgins
4/5⭐️
The premise of this adult contemporary romance is a reality show called "Instant I Do", where contestants are paired and have 6 weeks to plan their dream wedding without telling anyone thar the engagement is fake, being filmed the whole way. Each week, they receive tasks to complete, such as "find a dj" or "find a venue". At the alter, the winning couple must choose between $100,000 or actually getting married. Kris is on the show to find love, D'Vaughn as a way of finally coming out to her mother.
When I saw that this one had a total of 16 chapters in 300 pages, I expected it to be a slow read. Thankfully, I sped through this book and enjoyed it very much.
Usually when reading rom-coms, scenes can be quite amusing. But the ones in this book far surpassed all past rom-coms I've read, especially Kris's family when she introduced D'Vaughn to them.
The dialogue flowed so well, which pleased me a lot.
My favourite characters were, shockingly, not the protagonists. While Kris and D'Vaughn were amazing, the many different members of their families stole the show completely. I unfortunately found myself becoming bored as I awaited their reappearance.
But the protagonists were both great. They had a lot of chemistry from the start, and I was pleased with the absence of the typical arguments or miscommunications that temporarily break relationships in most books like this.
A fun concept, with a successful execution. I recommend this one to romance-lovers.
Queer rep:
Lesbian protagonists
Achillean scs
Lesbian sc
TWs: homophobia, cursing, sexual content, religious bigotry, racism, lesbophobia, pregnancy
The Borrow a Boyfriend Club by Page Powars
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is a sweet contemporary YA novel about an elite club of boys who rent themselves out to be dates for people.
The Borrow A Boyfriend Club
By Page Powars
4/5⭐️
This book stars Noah Byrd, who transfers schools in the hopes that people will see him as what he is, a boy. He applies for the most boyish-sounding club immediately, and discovers that it's a cover for the Borrow a Boyfriend Club, an elite club with many rounds to becoming a member. Noah becomes determined to join this club, and soon becomes close with the complicated president, Asher.
From the get-go, I found the concept intriguing. Each boy in the club having a type? Something I've certainly never read about before. (I found the page where it listed each boy's name and type very useful.)
Noah was a sweet protagonist, though maybe not developed enough. Why did he neglect his good friends from his old school completely? Noah hid his Trans-ness in fear of being treated differently to the other boys. He also hid his talent and love of dance. His parents called him N instead of the much-preferred Noah, let him think he has to pay for his official name change, and just had an overall lack of communication with him.
The reason this isnt a 5-star review is that the only character I felt a connection to was Noah. Since he is the protagonist, he is the most important one to connect with, but I felt a lack of interest in Asher. I should have been rooting for him and Noah, but I just couldn't care about him at all.
My favourite side character was definitely Lenny, he just seemed so boisterous!
Queer rep:
Transboy protagonist
Bi love interest
TWs: transphobia (past), homophobia (past), abandonment
The Borrow A Boyfriend Club
By Page Powars
4/5⭐️
This book stars Noah Byrd, who transfers schools in the hopes that people will see him as what he is, a boy. He applies for the most boyish-sounding club immediately, and discovers that it's a cover for the Borrow a Boyfriend Club, an elite club with many rounds to becoming a member. Noah becomes determined to join this club, and soon becomes close with the complicated president, Asher.
From the get-go, I found the concept intriguing. Each boy in the club having a type? Something I've certainly never read about before. (I found the page where it listed each boy's name and type very useful.)
Noah was a sweet protagonist, though maybe not developed enough. Why did he neglect his good friends from his old school completely? Noah hid his Trans-ness in fear of being treated differently to the other boys. He also hid his talent and love of dance. His parents called him N instead of the much-preferred Noah, let him think he has to pay for his official name change, and just had an overall lack of communication with him.
The reason this isnt a 5-star review is that the only character I felt a connection to was Noah. Since he is the protagonist, he is the most important one to connect with, but I felt a lack of interest in Asher. I should have been rooting for him and Noah, but I just couldn't care about him at all.
My favourite side character was definitely Lenny, he just seemed so boisterous!
Queer rep:
Transboy protagonist
Bi love interest
TWs: transphobia (past), homophobia (past), abandonment
The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Witch King is a book in which Fae live hidden from humans. Amongst the Fae are Witches, who are born from the Fae but are still discriminated against mercilessly. Wyatt, a Witch, left Asalin three years ago after a catastrophic accident. Now living in the human world with his best friend Briar, Emyr, the Fae Prince who bonded with Wyatt as his fated mate as children, comes to him for help.
The Witches' treatment was very similar to how Queer kids are treated in our world, some Witch kids are even kicked out by their parents, considered lesser, hated by many for something that wasn't their choice. These quotes show the similarities:
Briar: "I don't understand the hatred for the witches. /It's not as if they're a different species. They're your children, your siblings, your cousins. They're your neighbors and, for some of you, your friends. Why this divide?"
Emyr: "It is an old prejudice. There are people who will hate anything that's different from them. The witches are something different. That's all."
Wyatt, our protagonist, was sarcastic, brave, and very angry. He was certainly a morally grey character, making some very bad decisions with understandable motives.
Emyr, the love interest, was a boy who had been preparing for a lot of responsibility. Even before I opened this book, I looked at Emyr on the cover and thought "wow, that's a cool character design".
I found Emyr and Wyatt's relationship slightly rushed, but I liked their constant bickering.
Briar was enthusiastic, loyal, lovable. I did finding myself enjoying her character less and less as the book progressed.
I liked how everyone had energy around them in unique colours, and how Fae had unique horns and wings!
The world building was top tier, and I will certainly be returning to Asalin in the sequel!
Rep:
Gay Transboy protagonist
Achillean love interest
Biromantic Asexual sc
Nonbinary Lesbian sc
Other Queer scs
The Witches' treatment was very similar to how Queer kids are treated in our world, some Witch kids are even kicked out by their parents, considered lesser, hated by many for something that wasn't their choice. These quotes show the similarities:
Briar: "I don't understand the hatred for the witches. /It's not as if they're a different species. They're your children, your siblings, your cousins. They're your neighbors and, for some of you, your friends. Why this divide?"
Emyr: "It is an old prejudice. There are people who will hate anything that's different from them. The witches are something different. That's all."
Wyatt, our protagonist, was sarcastic, brave, and very angry. He was certainly a morally grey character, making some very bad decisions with understandable motives.
Emyr, the love interest, was a boy who had been preparing for a lot of responsibility. Even before I opened this book, I looked at Emyr on the cover and thought "wow, that's a cool character design".
I found Emyr and Wyatt's relationship slightly rushed, but I liked their constant bickering.
Briar was enthusiastic, loyal, lovable. I did finding myself enjoying her character less and less as the book progressed.
I liked how everyone had energy around them in unique colours, and how Fae had unique horns and wings!
The world building was top tier, and I will certainly be returning to Asalin in the sequel!
Rep:
Gay Transboy protagonist
Achillean love interest
Biromantic Asexual sc
Nonbinary Lesbian sc
Other Queer scs
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
We Could Be So Good
By Cat Sebastian
5/5⭐️
This is an adult historical romance set in New York, 1958. Nick Russo is working as a news reporter for the Chronicle paper, when Boss's privileged son Andy Flemming is dumped into his office to prepare for taking over the paper upon his father's upcoming retirement. Nick takes Andy under his wing, and they are soon close friends, and then they become more. They must figure out how to live in relative safety as a Queer couple in a discriminative society.
This book contained popular romance tropes such as best friends to lovers, the protagonists living together before their relationship, one is grumpy the other is joyful, and it's a workplace romance.
It also includes some mutual pining, heartwarming banter, bonding through a shared hatred of a baseball team, and cooking for each other.
Oh, and if you're not convinced already, there's a CAT! A silly cat who doesn't seem to know how to survive, but still a cat!
Andy was the literal human version of a labrador. He was clumsy, funny, attention-seeking, and overall just so lovable. He was aware of his privilege, of having a LOT of money, and made sure to not let it affect his relationships with his colleages who were also hus future employees. His journey of discovering his sexuality was so pure.
Nick was cautious, more experienced at surviving as a gay man in a heteronormative world, but also brave, grumpy, afraid to admit his feelings or show any vulnerability. Watching him learn that he can have a long term relationship, and a group of friends who he can trust enough to tell them about his sexuality, was wonderful.
Simply, their relationship was beautiful.
Queer rep:
Gay protagonist
Mspec protagonist (unlabelled)
TWs: bullying, homophobia, sexual content, violence, police brutality.
By Cat Sebastian
5/5⭐️
This is an adult historical romance set in New York, 1958. Nick Russo is working as a news reporter for the Chronicle paper, when Boss's privileged son Andy Flemming is dumped into his office to prepare for taking over the paper upon his father's upcoming retirement. Nick takes Andy under his wing, and they are soon close friends, and then they become more. They must figure out how to live in relative safety as a Queer couple in a discriminative society.
This book contained popular romance tropes such as best friends to lovers, the protagonists living together before their relationship, one is grumpy the other is joyful, and it's a workplace romance.
It also includes some mutual pining, heartwarming banter, bonding through a shared hatred of a baseball team, and cooking for each other.
Oh, and if you're not convinced already, there's a CAT! A silly cat who doesn't seem to know how to survive, but still a cat!
Andy was the literal human version of a labrador. He was clumsy, funny, attention-seeking, and overall just so lovable. He was aware of his privilege, of having a LOT of money, and made sure to not let it affect his relationships with his colleages who were also hus future employees. His journey of discovering his sexuality was so pure.
Nick was cautious, more experienced at surviving as a gay man in a heteronormative world, but also brave, grumpy, afraid to admit his feelings or show any vulnerability. Watching him learn that he can have a long term relationship, and a group of friends who he can trust enough to tell them about his sexuality, was wonderful.
Simply, their relationship was beautiful.
Queer rep:
Gay protagonist
Mspec protagonist (unlabelled)
TWs: bullying, homophobia, sexual content, violence, police brutality.
Protection Spells for Press Buildings by Sarah Wallace
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
A short and sweet book that adds some background to "Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms" as to how Torquil's infamous gossip column began.
Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Adiba Jaigirdar
Four Eids and a Funeral
By Adiba Jaigirdar and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
4.75/5⭐️
This YA contemporary romance stars Said and Tuwa, former best friends who now hate each other. Reunited after the death of their friend, a local librarian, they work together to save the town's Islamic Centre after it goes up in flames.
My first impression of Said was that he's considerate. Of Tiwa, it was that she was probably going to be a very lovable character. As like most protagonists, they had challenges of their own to face alongside the main concern of saving the Centre. Tiwa struggled with losing the Centre that she spent so much time volunteering in, alongside missing her father abroad. There was also the never ending issue that a lot of people assumed she wasn't Muslim because she was Black and chose not to wear a hijab.
Said, who spent his time at a fancy boarding school, faced his parents' ambitious assumptions about his future, and how to tell them that what he wants (art) is not what they dream of for him (medicine).
The side characters Julian (Said's buddy from school) and Safiyah (Said's sister, and Tiwa's best friend) were both entertaining, especially watching Safiyah's relationship with Ishra (a very nice girl) develop.
The three past Eids were told in third person, while the chapters set in the present were told from first person, switching between Said and Tiwa. I found the story moved extremely smoothly, it didn't feel anywhere near as long as it was.
I absolutely devoured this funny, sweet, heartfelt book, and highly recommend it!
(The best character was obviously Laddoo, the affectionate sweet-loving ginger cat co-parented by Said and Tiwa 🐈)
Queer rep: Lesbian sc (Safiyah)
TWs: fire, racism, child death, grief, death, animal death 🐟, car accident
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Four Eids and a Funeral
By Adiba Jaigirdar and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
4.75/5⭐️
This YA contemporary romance stars Said and Tuwa, former best friends who now hate each other. Reunited after the death of their friend, a local librarian, they work together to save the town's Islamic Centre after it goes up in flames.
My first impression of Said was that he's considerate. Of Tiwa, it was that she was probably going to be a very lovable character. As like most protagonists, they had challenges of their own to face alongside the main concern of saving the Centre. Tiwa struggled with losing the Centre that she spent so much time volunteering in, alongside missing her father abroad. There was also the never ending issue that a lot of people assumed she wasn't Muslim because she was Black and chose not to wear a hijab.
Said, who spent his time at a fancy boarding school, faced his parents' ambitious assumptions about his future, and how to tell them that what he wants (art) is not what they dream of for him (medicine).
The side characters Julian (Said's buddy from school) and Safiyah (Said's sister, and Tiwa's best friend) were both entertaining, especially watching Safiyah's relationship with Ishra (a very nice girl) develop.
The three past Eids were told in third person, while the chapters set in the present were told from first person, switching between Said and Tiwa. I found the story moved extremely smoothly, it didn't feel anywhere near as long as it was.
I absolutely devoured this funny, sweet, heartfelt book, and highly recommend it!
(The best character was obviously Laddoo, the affectionate sweet-loving ginger cat co-parented by Said and Tiwa 🐈)
Queer rep: Lesbian sc (Safiyah)
TWs: fire, racism, child death, grief, death, animal death 🐟, car accident
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Animal death
The Girl in Red by Christina Henry
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is a dystopian horror novel, set in a world where a pandemic has hit and decimated the population, the military are sending any survivors to contamination camps, and a woman is alone in the woods...
Red is trying to get to her grandmother's house, armed with only an axe in a place full of dangers. As a protagonist, I found her so lovable! She was wary, but kind. Cautious and prepared, so I never felt the urge to scream at her, unlike most protagonists. She had a prosthetic leg, but didn't let it hold her back from anything, including the months-long trek to grandmother, who might not even be alive by the time she arrives.
I read this book very quickly, the story scooped me in with its fast pacing, the jumps from past to present every few chapters, the changes in setting every so often. The pandemic storyline was very interesting, I would honestly read a whole book about where the virus came from, how the American government reacted, how people rebuilt society afterwards (if it stops at all). And if course I'd love to know what that thing was (readers will know what I mean by 'thing', I don't want to spoil).
I highly recommend this one!
Red is trying to get to her grandmother's house, armed with only an axe in a place full of dangers. As a protagonist, I found her so lovable! She was wary, but kind. Cautious and prepared, so I never felt the urge to scream at her, unlike most protagonists. She had a prosthetic leg, but didn't let it hold her back from anything, including the months-long trek to grandmother, who might not even be alive by the time she arrives.
I read this book very quickly, the story scooped me in with its fast pacing, the jumps from past to present every few chapters, the changes in setting every so often. The pandemic storyline was very interesting, I would honestly read a whole book about where the virus came from, how the American government reacted, how people rebuilt society afterwards (if it stops at all). And if course I'd love to know what that thing was (readers will know what I mean by 'thing', I don't want to spoil).
I highly recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This YA fantasy is set in a Jamaican-inspired world, and focuses on two very powerful sisters.
Faron is the Childe Empyrean, 5 years ago she used her ability to channel the gods' power to defeat the dragon-riding Langish forces and free her small island nation, San Irie. Then, at the international peace summit, her sister Elara is shocked to bond with a Langish dragon, Zephyra, and her rider Signey. Faron must figure out how to break the bond and bring her sister home, alongside discovering shocking secrets that could harm everyone.
I liked Elara from the start. She was strong, caring and so lovable. I found myself becoming impatient to return to her pov during the alternating chapters where Faron had her pov. She quickly accepted the bond with Zephyra and fit in well in Hearthstone, the dragon riding school, and I'd have loved to see more of her there.
Faron was very brave, she always spoke her mind, and made very rash decisions. As the Childe Empyrean she was worshipped, which she was quite tired of.
Reeve, the son of the Langish commander, who helped win the war 5 years ago by telling the Iryans his father's plans, was a very studious, calm, character, who thought before he acted (something I think Faron should've learnt). I enjoyed him as a character.
Signey was a character I liked immediately. Sharp, funny, trustworthy, and loyal, I enjoyed the slow-burn romance between her and Elara immensely.
Zephyra, the sweet sage dragon, was amazing, as most book dragons tend to be.
Aveline, the young Queen of San Irie, was such a strong character!
The magic in this book included the Langish dragon powers, the Iryan ancestor-summoning, and the Iryan drakes (flying machines that combat dragons.
I loved this book and will certainly read the sequel upon its release!
Queer rep:
Demisexual mc (Faron)
Sapphic mc (Elara)
Sapphic sc (Signey)
TWs: possession, bullying, death, violence, war, colonisation, racism, blood.
Faron is the Childe Empyrean, 5 years ago she used her ability to channel the gods' power to defeat the dragon-riding Langish forces and free her small island nation, San Irie. Then, at the international peace summit, her sister Elara is shocked to bond with a Langish dragon, Zephyra, and her rider Signey. Faron must figure out how to break the bond and bring her sister home, alongside discovering shocking secrets that could harm everyone.
I liked Elara from the start. She was strong, caring and so lovable. I found myself becoming impatient to return to her pov during the alternating chapters where Faron had her pov. She quickly accepted the bond with Zephyra and fit in well in Hearthstone, the dragon riding school, and I'd have loved to see more of her there.
Faron was very brave, she always spoke her mind, and made very rash decisions. As the Childe Empyrean she was worshipped, which she was quite tired of.
Reeve, the son of the Langish commander, who helped win the war 5 years ago by telling the Iryans his father's plans, was a very studious, calm, character, who thought before he acted (something I think Faron should've learnt). I enjoyed him as a character.
Signey was a character I liked immediately. Sharp, funny, trustworthy, and loyal, I enjoyed the slow-burn romance between her and Elara immensely.
Zephyra, the sweet sage dragon, was amazing, as most book dragons tend to be.
Aveline, the young Queen of San Irie, was such a strong character!
The magic in this book included the Langish dragon powers, the Iryan ancestor-summoning, and the Iryan drakes (flying machines that combat dragons.
I loved this book and will certainly read the sequel upon its release!
Queer rep:
Demisexual mc (Faron)
Sapphic mc (Elara)
Sapphic sc (Signey)
TWs: possession, bullying, death, violence, war, colonisation, racism, blood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Violence, Colonisation, War