You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
theinquisitxor's Reviews (804)
2.5/5 stars
I was disappointed by this one. It's been on my tbr for a long time, and I want to make more on a effort to read translated books. However, the story and mystery wasn't that engaging and the Male Gaze was particularly annoying. I almost dnf the book, but decided to push through it. It took up until the second half for the action and plot to actually happen.
I was disappointed by this one. It's been on my tbr for a long time, and I want to make more on a effort to read translated books. However, the story and mystery wasn't that engaging and the Male Gaze was particularly annoying. I almost dnf the book, but decided to push through it. It took up until the second half for the action and plot to actually happen.
2.5/5 stars
I so wanted to love this. It has almost everything I enjoy in a story: magical forest, nature, witches, murder mystery. But I did not enjoy the writing style at all, and the insta-love killed me. I think the premise of this story is intriguing, which is part of why I had it on my tbr and got the Owlcrate edition of this book.
But the author writes. Like this. Sentence fragments. Everywhere.
I'm okay with flowery prose, but only when it is done well, and sadly, it's not in this book. The author also tries to dramatize things and little things to be so groundbreaking and extraordinary that it gets old quick. There are also some plot things I didn't understand. The girl, Nora, goes to school. But also apparently not? Sure she's snowed in on a mountain, but she also never thinks about not being able to get to school because of the storm. She talks about how she'll get snowed in for months, but apparently that doesn't hinder her education? Just some little plot things that annoyed me.
I can't stand insta-love and this book has a bad case of it. I could tell from the characters first interactions that they were going to get together, and they sure didn't waste time. Nora also interacts romantically with Oliver when she doesn't even know she can trust him and she worries that he might be a murderer. But sleep with him and kiss him thats fine!!! Totally annoying.
I had hopes for this book, and it was an anticipated release for me filled with a lot of my favorite elements. As I said before, this story and plot had a lot of potential, I just couldn't get past the things that bothered me.
I so wanted to love this. It has almost everything I enjoy in a story: magical forest, nature, witches, murder mystery. But I did not enjoy the writing style at all, and the insta-love killed me. I think the premise of this story is intriguing, which is part of why I had it on my tbr and got the Owlcrate edition of this book.
But the author writes. Like this. Sentence fragments. Everywhere.
I'm okay with flowery prose, but only when it is done well, and sadly, it's not in this book. The author also tries to dramatize things and little things to be so groundbreaking and extraordinary that it gets old quick. There are also some plot things I didn't understand. The girl, Nora, goes to school. But also apparently not? Sure she's snowed in on a mountain, but she also never thinks about not being able to get to school because of the storm. She talks about how she'll get snowed in for months, but apparently that doesn't hinder her education? Just some little plot things that annoyed me.
I can't stand insta-love and this book has a bad case of it. I could tell from the characters first interactions that they were going to get together, and they sure didn't waste time. Nora also interacts romantically with Oliver when she doesn't even know she can trust him and she worries that he might be a murderer. But sleep with him and kiss him thats fine!!! Totally annoying.
I had hopes for this book, and it was an anticipated release for me filled with a lot of my favorite elements. As I said before, this story and plot had a lot of potential, I just couldn't get past the things that bothered me.
3.5 or 4ish stars/
I enjoyed this second book of The Witchlands, although a teeny bit less than the first one. I think it's because this book focuses more on Merik (hence the title, Windwitch) but I was living for all the Aeduan and Iseult sections. I really can't wait to read the third now. I still really enjoyed the plot, characters and world. We also got some more rep in this book, which is always such a refreshing thing to see in fantasy. I hope we get a title and release date for the fourth book soon! (it says 2020 on here) I'm just always afraid that when there is a large wait between books for me that I will lose interest or not enjoy the series as much anymore. But I can see this series having a big, explosive ending so I hope it keeps my attention!
I enjoyed this second book of The Witchlands, although a teeny bit less than the first one. I think it's because this book focuses more on Merik (hence the title, Windwitch) but I was living for all the Aeduan and Iseult sections. I really can't wait to read the third now. I still really enjoyed the plot, characters and world. We also got some more rep in this book, which is always such a refreshing thing to see in fantasy. I hope we get a title and release date for the fourth book soon! (it says 2020 on here) I'm just always afraid that when there is a large wait between books for me that I will lose interest or not enjoy the series as much anymore. But I can see this series having a big, explosive ending so I hope it keeps my attention!
I was a little afraid that I wouldn't like this, but have since been proven quite wrong! I thought this was a fun, fast paced story with interesting characters, world-building and magic system. There are some things a little generic to the story: the plot and the romance could have been stronger, and are just redundant weak spots that seems to happen in YA.
I generally liked the characters. I liked Iseult and Aeduan quite a lot. I think they're both characters with interesting abilities and backstories. I hope, HOPE they become better acquainted throughout the series because this has the potential to be a really good slow-burn enemies to lovers thing. Merick and Safi were just ok characters. I didn't feel particularly attached to them and their insta- love romance was too much.
I liked the world-building and the magic system was suppperr interesting. (even though the world map is very similar to europe?? this annoys me, but the textual world building is good). There could have been less action and more plot by far. I'm not going to get very nitpicky about this, because I had fun while reading it! Looking forward to the next one!
I generally liked the characters. I liked Iseult and Aeduan quite a lot. I think they're both characters with interesting abilities and backstories. I hope, HOPE they become better acquainted throughout the series because this has the potential to be a really good slow-burn enemies to lovers thing. Merick and Safi were just ok characters. I didn't feel particularly attached to them and their insta- love romance was too much.
I liked the world-building and the magic system was suppperr interesting. (even though the world map is very similar to europe?? this annoys me, but the textual world building is good). There could have been less action and more plot by far. I'm not going to get very nitpicky about this, because I had fun while reading it! Looking forward to the next one!
Ok well I flew through this book! Mainly because I was stuck inside almost all day due to an snow/ice storm with nothing else to do except start baking for the holidays. (it is also very quick to read) This is another portal fantasy, which is something I've been trying read more of (since it is one of my favorite tropes after all).
This reminded me a lot of several other portal fantasy books I have read. It draws heavily on The Chronicles of Narnia in so many ways. Magical forest/creatures, a war against invading humans, wwii, siblings, an Aslan figure, etc. Even though this has major Narnia vibes, it asks the crucial question Lewis never explored: what happens after? How do children who essentially 'grew up' in another world, who find themselves back in their childhood body, deal with all of that? Pretty poorly according to Laura E Weymouth. It also reminded me a little of The Wayward Children series in that these children have found the one place they truly belong, but are cast out for whatever reasons. Wayward children also explores the grief and feelings of displacement.
This story is split up into two sections: Evelyn and Philippa. They, along with their brother, James, found themselves in a different world one night after a London air raid. The Great Woods offers sanctuary for the children, but a war of its own threatens. The main story takes place after the children have returned to their own world, but every other chapter is a scene from in the Great Wood. I really liked these parts, just because I always love seeing what a fantasy/portal world is like.
Evelyn is the one who really loves The Great Wood and has been struggling for years to readjust back to normal life. She disappears one day, and it is up to Philippa (and James) to try to figure out if she somehow made it back to the Wood, or if she succumbed to her grief.
The book overall isn't very happy, and is full of sadness and grief of losing one's home. I generally liked the characters and the little relationships were cute. I guess Evelyn would represent Lucy (from The Chronicles) in the way she is the most connected to the Wood, and the Aslan figure, Cervus. Phillipa is more like a Susan figure- she has (tried to) moved on with her life and has become more interested in 'lipsticks and nylons' (I understood that reference lol). I liked Phillipa's section more and her narration was better in my opinion, and her little romance was cute too.
I also liked the poetry and artwork that is discussed throughout the book, I feel like that added more to the story and the depth of the characters. There were parts of the writing style I didn't care much for, and almost all the dialogue was like the characters were trying to say something profound or really deep each time they talked, which was annoying. I also didn't get super attached to the characters or their plights. Other than that, I can definitely see what sources the author pulled from, and her (I'm assuming) deep love for the genre.
This reminded me a lot of several other portal fantasy books I have read. It draws heavily on The Chronicles of Narnia in so many ways. Magical forest/creatures, a war against invading humans, wwii, siblings, an Aslan figure, etc. Even though this has major Narnia vibes, it asks the crucial question Lewis never explored: what happens after? How do children who essentially 'grew up' in another world, who find themselves back in their childhood body, deal with all of that? Pretty poorly according to Laura E Weymouth. It also reminded me a little of The Wayward Children series in that these children have found the one place they truly belong, but are cast out for whatever reasons. Wayward children also explores the grief and feelings of displacement.
This story is split up into two sections: Evelyn and Philippa. They, along with their brother, James, found themselves in a different world one night after a London air raid. The Great Woods offers sanctuary for the children, but a war of its own threatens. The main story takes place after the children have returned to their own world, but every other chapter is a scene from in the Great Wood. I really liked these parts, just because I always love seeing what a fantasy/portal world is like.
Evelyn is the one who really loves The Great Wood and has been struggling for years to readjust back to normal life. She disappears one day, and it is up to Philippa (and James) to try to figure out if she somehow made it back to the Wood, or if she succumbed to her grief.
The book overall isn't very happy, and is full of sadness and grief of losing one's home. I generally liked the characters and the little relationships were cute. I guess Evelyn would represent Lucy (from The Chronicles) in the way she is the most connected to the Wood, and the Aslan figure, Cervus. Phillipa is more like a Susan figure- she has (tried to) moved on with her life and has become more interested in 'lipsticks and nylons' (I understood that reference lol). I liked Phillipa's section more and her narration was better in my opinion, and her little romance was cute too.
I also liked the poetry and artwork that is discussed throughout the book, I feel like that added more to the story and the depth of the characters. There were parts of the writing style I didn't care much for, and almost all the dialogue was like the characters were trying to say something profound or really deep each time they talked, which was annoying. I also didn't get super attached to the characters or their plights. Other than that, I can definitely see what sources the author pulled from, and her (I'm assuming) deep love for the genre.