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1462 reviews
Octopus Moon by Bobbie Pyron
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety my entire life, but I didn’t know that’s what it was until I was about 28 and read another middle grade novel (Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand) that made me suddenly realize what I’d been experiencing my whole life. I wished when I read that book that I had been able to read it when I was much younger and wondered how my life might have looked different. This is another one of those books. It’s good for people who know they have depression, want to understand depression a little better, or maybe those who don’t know they have depression yet.
Depression is a complicated topic, and it has stigmas associated with it that aren’t true. That is all handled with the nuance and delicacy it deserves. There are characters who express misunderstandings about depression and how they think it’s not a real illness, and Pearl has to work through that to help them understand. She has people confused because she doesn’t have a good “reason” to be depressed. I also appreciate how she isn’t cured but it given helpful steps to help her deal with the depression, even though she’ll still have hard days. I’ll be trying out some of those ideas myself.
I tend not to like books in verse and struggle to connect with them, but this book is an exception to that. The format worked well for the mental state Pearl is in, and it reflects her interest in poetry. There were also parts that I had to highlight because of how deeply I connected to them from my own experiences with depression. There are many gems worth repeating when dealing with depression such as, “depression lies” and gems for life such as “love is a verb.” Others that perfectly expressed how I feel with depression included, “What is there to say that hasn’t already been said by those mean voices in my head?” and “Easy is getting harder every day.”
The cast of characters is interesting. Pearl and her friends are different individuals, but it makes sense why they’re friends. The adults in the book are complex while still fitting the way someone Pearl’s age would see them.
Overall, this is a good read, especially for people wanting to see a nuanced and helpful representation of depression.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
Depression is a complicated topic, and it has stigmas associated with it that aren’t true. That is all handled with the nuance and delicacy it deserves. There are characters who express misunderstandings about depression and how they think it’s not a real illness, and Pearl has to work through that to help them understand. She has people confused because she doesn’t have a good “reason” to be depressed. I also appreciate how she isn’t cured but it given helpful steps to help her deal with the depression, even though she’ll still have hard days. I’ll be trying out some of those ideas myself.
I tend not to like books in verse and struggle to connect with them, but this book is an exception to that. The format worked well for the mental state Pearl is in, and it reflects her interest in poetry. There were also parts that I had to highlight because of how deeply I connected to them from my own experiences with depression. There are many gems worth repeating when dealing with depression such as, “depression lies” and gems for life such as “love is a verb.” Others that perfectly expressed how I feel with depression included, “What is there to say that hasn’t already been said by those mean voices in my head?” and “Easy is getting harder every day.”
The cast of characters is interesting. Pearl and her friends are different individuals, but it makes sense why they’re friends. The adults in the book are complex while still fitting the way someone Pearl’s age would see them.
Overall, this is a good read, especially for people wanting to see a nuanced and helpful representation of depression.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
A Winter Dictionary: A Collection of Words for the Festive Season by Paul Anthony Jones
5.0
If you love words, both nearly extinct and ones that you could add to your vocabulary for a cold winter morning, this is a delightful book. While some of the words aren’t particularly useful, there’s a sense of whimsy and wonder that comes from seeing such a large collection of wintery words.
My favorite thing about this dictionary was the breadth of time periods, countries, cultures and experiences the words come from. I would have enjoyed seeing some more words from other languages, but I loved the ones I got in the book. I love etymology, so I enjoyed the word origins and the humorous way some of the words were explained.
This is a fun book to just browse through or to look through more deeply.
My favorite thing about this dictionary was the breadth of time periods, countries, cultures and experiences the words come from. I would have enjoyed seeing some more words from other languages, but I loved the ones I got in the book. I love etymology, so I enjoyed the word origins and the humorous way some of the words were explained.
This is a fun book to just browse through or to look through more deeply.
Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee, Fonda Lee
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this considering I’m not particularly enthusiastic about martial arts or fight-to-the-death style tournaments, but I enjoyed this a lot. It’s different from a lot of what I read, and it’s interesting to read something based on a concept by Bruce Lee’s daughter. For someone who has never seen an entire Bruce Lee movie and doesn’t know much about Chinese folklore, I still found this book engaging.
My biggest thought going into a book like this is that the fighting in the tournament could get boring or repetitive, but the book kept things interesting, weaving in different world-building, character moments and different fighting elements to keep things interesting. The descriptions of different fighting styles kept my interest even though martial arts isn’t something I care much about. The only minor complaint I had was that maybe the fights seemed a little bit too easy at times.
The parts I enjoyed most about the book was how it resisted trends and instead focused on its unique story. I liked the build from Jun just wanting to win for his own legacy and happiness to needing to refocus for the greater good. I also appreciated how there wasn’t a romance and how Jun isn’t one of the special people. He’s not a chosen one or someone with an extraordinary power like is so common in YA books. He’s an underdog who actually has reason to distrust people who do have special powers. He has to work hard with no additional help.
The book did feel a little bit like it was for younger readers at times. The stakes never feel as intense as they should be, and even with all the fighting, it sometimes felt more middle grade because of how the characters acted and very pointed morals. The characters are world had some interesting ideas, but there wasn’t as much depth as I would have hoped for.
Overall, I’m excited for the sequel to this. I think the world and character relationships have a lot of potential, and it was a fun, fast-pasted read.
The Edge of the Silver Sea by Alex Mullarky
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
Some books turn people off if they feel like there’s a heavy-handed message, and this book goes in that direction by establishing that the main character is an activist and considers activism one of her top priorities. However, if readers who might be initially unhappy about that keep reading, they might find out how well that works with this story. The place she lives in the perfect intersection of Scottish folklore and Blair’s passions for activism, and her passions make the island and her actions make sense and work together seamlessly. While climate change and climate activism have a key part of the book, those issues are blended well with character growth, folklore, strong characters, and a magical setting.
Blair goes through a lot as a character. She’s very unhappy about being pulled away from her friends and the causes she cares about to an island she knows nothing about. In her frustration and focus on the things she cares most about, she makes some selfish and short-sighted decisions. She doesn’t always think things through, and she at times doesn’t care about how her words and actions will affect other people because she thinks she’s right. However, she grows a lot and learns how to think more broadly about the things and people she cares about.
This is a fun read for both young climate activists and people who enjoy stories about folklore. It also deals with how family relationships can be complicated sometimes and growing up is hard. While this book won’t be for everyone, it’s an enjoyable book for learning about both Scottish folklore and climate change.
Blair goes through a lot as a character. She’s very unhappy about being pulled away from her friends and the causes she cares about to an island she knows nothing about. In her frustration and focus on the things she cares most about, she makes some selfish and short-sighted decisions. She doesn’t always think things through, and she at times doesn’t care about how her words and actions will affect other people because she thinks she’s right. However, she grows a lot and learns how to think more broadly about the things and people she cares about.
This is a fun read for both young climate activists and people who enjoy stories about folklore. It also deals with how family relationships can be complicated sometimes and growing up is hard. While this book won’t be for everyone, it’s an enjoyable book for learning about both Scottish folklore and climate change.
The Encanto's Curse by Melissa de la Cruz
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I had mixed feelings about the first book, mostly that it had a lot of potential but wasn’t as good as it could have been. This book was more enjoyable for me, with a more engaging plot and interesting developments, but it still wasn’t as good as it could have been.
The characters in this book are more fully developed than they were in the first book. Many of the main characters are dealing with complex emotions
The biggest weakness in my opinion is how fast everything happens. A relationship goes from like to hate in sentences. A relationship goes from hate to allies in a paragraph. The big dangerous thing that she’s dealing with the entire plot is resolved in minutes and she skips away with it no longer being a problem. The massive international issues are resolved almost immediately. Because of how quickly things happen without development, I finished the book feeling unfulfilled.
I also didn’t think the romance in this book was particularly satisfying. The attempted love triangle doesn’t work well, and I didn’t like when two of the characters continued to have an unfaithful relationship. In the end, it’s made “okay” because of extenuating circumstances (being vague because of spoilers), but I still don’t think those circumstances that were revealed later made their actions acceptable.
It was a fun book overall, and I appreciate having a Filipino YA fantasy book. I wish the romance and relationship shifts have been done better, but it’s an enjoyable read.
The characters in this book are more fully developed than they were in the first book. Many of the main characters are dealing with complex emotions
The biggest weakness in my opinion is how fast everything happens. A relationship goes from like to hate in sentences. A relationship goes from hate to allies in a paragraph. The big dangerous thing that she’s dealing with the entire plot is resolved in minutes and she skips away with it no longer being a problem. The massive international issues are resolved almost immediately. Because of how quickly things happen without development, I finished the book feeling unfulfilled.
I also didn’t think the romance in this book was particularly satisfying. The attempted love triangle doesn’t work well, and I didn’t like when two of the characters continued to have an unfaithful relationship. In the end, it’s made “okay” because of extenuating circumstances (being vague because of spoilers), but I still don’t think those circumstances that were revealed later made their actions acceptable.
It was a fun book overall, and I appreciate having a Filipino YA fantasy book. I wish the romance and relationship shifts have been done better, but it’s an enjoyable read.
Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Enjoyment rating: 2
Quality rating: 3
I realized about halfway through this book that this wasn’t my kind of book and I wasn’t the right audience for it, but I’ll try to be otherwise as objective as possible.
In the beginning of the book, the vibes were immaculate, as the kids say. The book had a rich academic atmosphere full of mystery and intrigue. The description of the library alone had me convinced this was THE book for me. The dark academia elements were right on, and Page trying to find her way in a new school with her classmates from different worlds is well done. I loved the references to classic literature, and I enjoyed the fact that I had to pull out a dictionary and Google more than once to brush up on my vocabulary or references to Greek mythology. That doesn’t happen very often, and it’s exactly what I’d hope for in a dark academia book. I wish some of the references had more depth to the story instead of just showing how educated the characters are, but they’re fun regardless. It was perhaps trying a little too hard, but I was here for it.
Things got weird when it moved from dark academia boarding school with super rich kids to the magical elements. What was working really well was lost in trying to develop and explain what was going on. There are a lot of complex explanations, fast action scenes that are hard to follow, and a lot of confusing events. To be completely fair, I’m not into demons or body swapping as concepts, but I also had a hard time following what was happening — or figuring out why I should care. There are a lot of weird things going on, and I found it more gross and disturbing than enjoyable in any way.
The character development started out well, but several characters had big moments later in the book that didn’t hit for me because their development had paused. I sometimes had a hard time remembering which character was which, which got even worse when body swapping came into the picture. It seems like found family was supposed to be a key element of this, but there were characters that never seemed to have a relationship built with Page herself except for just being part of the friend group automatically.
It also seemed like there wasn’t a lot of development in the overall effects of what happens in the book and how this school and the actions of it have been going for so long. What happens after the events in the book? What kind of impact did this have in the world? How closely connected is the mythology of this book to the real world? I never could figure it out. There’s a big need not to ask too many questions to get through the book, and I found myself not wanting to ask them because I didn’t really want more details about this weird world anyway. I did wonder why all of these students for generations didn’t ask those questions though. The kids that go to this school are supposed to be smart, but oh boy are they willing to be oblivious about some really weird stuff.
Overall, this wasn’t a book for me. I just don’t like gruesome elements, demons, or body-swapping much. If I read something with those elements, I need the book to be well-written to convince me to stick around anyway. This book didn’t do that. However, I think dark academia fans looking for a dark magic story may enjoy this a lot.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book for purposes of review. My opinions were not influenced by this at all.
Quality rating: 3
I realized about halfway through this book that this wasn’t my kind of book and I wasn’t the right audience for it, but I’ll try to be otherwise as objective as possible.
In the beginning of the book, the vibes were immaculate, as the kids say. The book had a rich academic atmosphere full of mystery and intrigue. The description of the library alone had me convinced this was THE book for me. The dark academia elements were right on, and Page trying to find her way in a new school with her classmates from different worlds is well done. I loved the references to classic literature, and I enjoyed the fact that I had to pull out a dictionary and Google more than once to brush up on my vocabulary or references to Greek mythology. That doesn’t happen very often, and it’s exactly what I’d hope for in a dark academia book. I wish some of the references had more depth to the story instead of just showing how educated the characters are, but they’re fun regardless. It was perhaps trying a little too hard, but I was here for it.
Things got weird when it moved from dark academia boarding school with super rich kids to the magical elements. What was working really well was lost in trying to develop and explain what was going on. There are a lot of complex explanations, fast action scenes that are hard to follow, and a lot of confusing events. To be completely fair, I’m not into demons or body swapping as concepts, but I also had a hard time following what was happening — or figuring out why I should care. There are a lot of weird things going on, and I found it more gross and disturbing than enjoyable in any way.
The character development started out well, but several characters had big moments later in the book that didn’t hit for me because their development had paused. I sometimes had a hard time remembering which character was which, which got even worse when body swapping came into the picture. It seems like found family was supposed to be a key element of this, but there were characters that never seemed to have a relationship built with Page herself except for just being part of the friend group automatically.
It also seemed like there wasn’t a lot of development in the overall effects of what happens in the book and how this school and the actions of it have been going for so long. What happens after the events in the book? What kind of impact did this have in the world? How closely connected is the mythology of this book to the real world? I never could figure it out. There’s a big need not to ask too many questions to get through the book, and I found myself not wanting to ask them because I didn’t really want more details about this weird world anyway. I did wonder why all of these students for generations didn’t ask those questions though. The kids that go to this school are supposed to be smart, but oh boy are they willing to be oblivious about some really weird stuff.
Overall, this wasn’t a book for me. I just don’t like gruesome elements, demons, or body-swapping much. If I read something with those elements, I need the book to be well-written to convince me to stick around anyway. This book didn’t do that. However, I think dark academia fans looking for a dark magic story may enjoy this a lot.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book for purposes of review. My opinions were not influenced by this at all.
The Ripple Effect by Rebecca Caprara
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Enjoyment rating: 2
Quality rating: 3
This is a cute story but doesn’t bring a lot to the table. It’s not particularly bad or particularly good. Some readers will connect with it, but it’s fine overall. It’s predictable and the characters aren’t the most developed, but it’s lighthearted and has a good message.
The general message about spreading kindness and thinking about others is fine but not executed in a particularly special or notable way. It’s the kind of thing you’ve heard stories of people doing before, so the concept of the ripple affect and what she learns isn’t unique.
I didn’t think that the multiple POVs worked well. Instead of rounding out the story, it got harder to follow the different characters and what they wanted. I get that the different POVs were supposed to show how the main characters actions affected the people around her, but having them bogged down the story and made it take a long time for anything notable or important to happen. Zella’s growth would have been more apparent and impactful if the book had stuck to her POV instead. It takes a long time for the prank going wrong to happen, and most of the book’s important action happens too quickly at the end instead of being distributed well throughout the book because of those POVs.
That said, I do like the growth that Zella goes through. Part of growing up is learning to take responsibility and recognizing how what you do and say influences other people. Unfortunately, she also comes across as stupid and selfish for the majority of the book, and it’s hard to put past her actions just because of a grand conclusion. It is nice to have a prankster character dealing with big issues of growing up, friends’ interests changing and tough life concepts like a grandfather with dementia.
The execution of the message is a little too trite for the audience. Kids are smart, and this book seems to try to be deep and meaningful (particularly with its inclusions of things like dementia and divorce), but it also dumbs a lot of things down. The story itself probably would have worked better as a shorter book for younger readers with less attempts to hammer in the message.
Overall, the end message is sweet about how to make the world a better place and it’s cute at times, but the book overall isn’t likely to leave much of a ripple effect on readers or the world. It ends with warm, fuzzy feelings and may inspire readers to try their own pay it forward type efforts to make their communities a better place.
The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Enjoyment rating: 5
Quality rating: 4
What if everything I didn’t like about Divine Rivals was fixed and made into a different book? That is The Otherwhere Post for me.
I loved Divine Rivals for the *vibes*. Typewriters connecting people who fall in love? Adore it. But I didn’t love some of the darker elements or some of the plot issues. I wished there was something else that gave me academic, bookish type vibes without those issues. And boy, did The Otherwhere Post deliver for me.
I loved the magical writing elements, the school and the aspect of trying to avenge her father/trying to find out the truth of what happened with her father. The characters were delightful, the mystery was fun and the magic elements made sense. The imagery in the writing made me feel like I was really in the world. I adored the magic coming from writing — what bookish person wouldn’t?
The slow burn between Tristan and Maeve is well done. It didn’t feel like it switched from strangers to lovers too quickly, and they had some great banter. Overall, I adored the romance between them. Tristan easily could have gone into the too cliche to like category with his background, but it’s unique enough and he’s sweet enough that it works well.
I did think the ending was just a little too abrupt, but otherwise I enjoyed the pace. I wish it had been just a little bit longer for more time for the climax and for just a little bit more slow burn.
If you want a magical dark academia setting with a fun magic system and great banter, I recommend picking this one up.
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Enjoyment rating: 5 stars
Quality rating: 5 stars
Ohhh this book!
I very rarely cry because of a book. This book not only made me cry, but I read some of the final passages to my husband so he could cry too. This is the kind of book that cements my belief that middle grade is where the best books are being published.
That all said, this isn’t a book for every kid. It’s about death, grief, and loss — but also about friendship, unselfishness, and love. It’s about our deepest fears and the greatest parts of life. That might sound like hyperbole for a book about an undead fox, but I promise it’s not.
The characters are far from perfect, but they’re lifelike and lovable. Every side character and even the narrator have complex, memorable things about them. The characters had more depth than many characters I read from books for older audiences. Clare has a lot of insecurities and worries in a way that makes him so lovable and someone you want to root for, even when those traits are causing problems for him and the characters around him. He has a lot of growth that develops in a natural, gentle way that feels like getting a warm hug after processing your own feelings of inadequacy.
.
The writing was also poetic and beautiful. The setting comes to life with vibrant descriptions and creative elements. There is humor and sparkle throughout.
I don’t think I can truly write a review that captures how beautiful and special this book is. Just go read it. It’s magical, and I hope people will be reading this book one hundred years from now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Capitana by Cassandra James
adventurous
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? Yes
2.5
I read this book before I found out about the controversy with this author. I would recommend anyone considering this book to research the author themselves to make an informed decision on if this is an author they wish to support. I agreed to review this book before I was aware of the controversy.
I love pirates. I love academic stories. This book should have been all of my wildest dreams coming true. And while I did enjoy it while I was reading it, the second I finished it and started thinking deeper about it, it fell apart.
The world-building is weak. There are mentions of religions and pirates and even a historical figure, but it’s not clear how all of those things fit together. Is there magic that can reincarnate someone? That never seems to be clear, even though the main character seems to think it’s possible. I was never certain why things worked the way they did.
The pirates are theoretically the good guys, but their systems seem just as rigid and cruel in some ways as the empire is. It’s supposed to be a democracy where people are equal and free, and yet they don’t seem any safer or free from inappropriate use of power. I also don’t know why the cazadores are the way they are or what life looks like for most people in this world. I couldn’t figure out how the government is run, which seems like a pretty important detail if we’re supposed to discover how bad this regime really is.
Ximena is an intensely frustrating main character. She’s supposed to change her mind throughout the book, but it is so mind-numbingly slow. She sees example after example of the cazadores being awful and wrong and she flat-out refuses to change her mind. Her character arc of why she wants so badly to become a cazadore also falls flat when her backstory is revealed. It just doesn’t make sense. She’s so hopelessly stubborn until she has to change her mind for plot reasons. She also has a terrible attitude and is awful to people. She also doesn’t really have character growth.
Similarly, the romance is weak. He’s a nepo baby bully who cares about nothing but somehow decides he’s wildly in love with her, in spite of her aforementioned stubbornness. I have no idea why these two change their mind about each other. I have no idea why Ximena doesn’t stick to her morals and turn him in over and over again. At least Dante shows slightly more of a nuanced character than Ximena even if it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
I also didn’t like some of the writing itself. The random Spanish felt like it was more for color than anything else. The timeline doesn’t completely make sense (how is she being bullied by Dante the whole time in the same classes if she’s skipping years constantly?) There were descriptions of things that didn’t entirely make sense. There were some issues with how disabilities were portrayed, and I was troubled by the only people who were not white being described as being uncivilized.
Generally, the characters were annoying and irredeemable. The world systems don’t make sense. The writing had some issues. Overall, this book could have used another few drafts before it was fully developed. I wish it had been as fun as the cover had made it look.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review of the book.
I love pirates. I love academic stories. This book should have been all of my wildest dreams coming true. And while I did enjoy it while I was reading it, the second I finished it and started thinking deeper about it, it fell apart.
The world-building is weak. There are mentions of religions and pirates and even a historical figure, but it’s not clear how all of those things fit together. Is there magic that can reincarnate someone? That never seems to be clear, even though the main character seems to think it’s possible. I was never certain why things worked the way they did.
The pirates are theoretically the good guys, but their systems seem just as rigid and cruel in some ways as the empire is. It’s supposed to be a democracy where people are equal and free, and yet they don’t seem any safer or free from inappropriate use of power. I also don’t know why the cazadores are the way they are or what life looks like for most people in this world. I couldn’t figure out how the government is run, which seems like a pretty important detail if we’re supposed to discover how bad this regime really is.
Ximena is an intensely frustrating main character. She’s supposed to change her mind throughout the book, but it is so mind-numbingly slow. She sees example after example of the cazadores being awful and wrong and she flat-out refuses to change her mind. Her character arc of why she wants so badly to become a cazadore also falls flat when her backstory is revealed. It just doesn’t make sense. She’s so hopelessly stubborn until she has to change her mind for plot reasons. She also has a terrible attitude and is awful to people. She also doesn’t really have character growth.
Similarly, the romance is weak. He’s a nepo baby bully who cares about nothing but somehow decides he’s wildly in love with her, in spite of her aforementioned stubbornness. I have no idea why these two change their mind about each other. I have no idea why Ximena doesn’t stick to her morals and turn him in over and over again. At least Dante shows slightly more of a nuanced character than Ximena even if it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
I also didn’t like some of the writing itself. The random Spanish felt like it was more for color than anything else. The timeline doesn’t completely make sense (how is she being bullied by Dante the whole time in the same classes if she’s skipping years constantly?) There were descriptions of things that didn’t entirely make sense. There were some issues with how disabilities were portrayed, and I was troubled by the only people who were not white being described as being uncivilized.
Generally, the characters were annoying and irredeemable. The world systems don’t make sense. The writing had some issues. Overall, this book could have used another few drafts before it was fully developed. I wish it had been as fun as the cover had made it look.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review of the book.