Josh

CAWPILE SCORE

C- 9

A-6

W-9

P-8.5

I-8

L-9

E-9

TOTAL-8.36/10

<spoiler>

CAWPILE

Characters

Galaxy

Darlington

Dawes/Pammie

Dean Sandow

Bridgegroom

Houses

Belbaum

Hellie

Tara Hutchins

Atmosphere

Interesting, I never go the school feeling I was hoping for. But the spookiness and the vibes were perfectly what was needed for this book.

Writing

Adult book, I was expecting a little less, because of other books by Leigh Bardugo, but this was not the same.

Very good writing, perhaps a little long, but I’m not complaining. Epigraphs didn’t grip me or bore me.

The movement between past and present was a good way to bring Darlington into the story.

Plot

Girl is murdered and the house that watches the other houses investigates. Bad things happen

Alex investigates what has the spirits up and working

Investment

My investment waxed and waned, but mostly waxed? It was good, just took a bit more to get started when reading it.

Left with wanting more, but being perfectly satisfied

Logic

Very logical and consistent. It was a little out of nowhere for the end of the book, but not so much that it was a dues ex. I knew belbaum had something to do with everything and I was suspicious of the Dean

Enjoyment

Misc

So many powerful scenes

The ending scene, in the deans office

The 1st working we see

Her first incident with the Grays what happened to allow that?

She’s a Wheelwalker. He’s a demon. Can I make it any more obvious here.

Merity Tara

</spoiler>

I will be talking about it on Libromancy https://libromancy.podbean.com/

I know its a Fantasy Romance and I like that, but I felt end wrapped up way too fast and way too cleanly.

Still a fun book.

CAWPILE SCORE

C-9

A-10

W-9

P-8

I-9

L-8

E-10

TOTAL-9/10

Absolutely love this book, the characters were amazing. I love the romance.

I’m so glad it turned out the way it did. Jude is so relatable. And my emotions were all over the place when I was reading this book.

<spoiler>

CAWPILE

Characters

Jude

Areceli

Pru

Maya

EZ

Atmosphere

This book carried my emotions all over the place I was with it the whole way. Loved the romance and his descriptions of his romance. When Ari and Jude KISS vs when Jude and Maya kiss.

Writing

Simple straightforward writing that was well done. I like the way the book talks to me, but I’m glad it was not every page referencing me. Just enough to keep some humor and destress a little bit. Love the comics in the book, just a personal thing, but I don’t’ like songs written, because I can’t get the tune. Its not bad to have, just not a bonus for me.

Plot

Great plot, different than what I was expecting. I wish I got more epilogue, but it was a perfect spot to end it.

Investment

I barely put this book down when I was reading it.

Logic

I was once a teenage boy and yes I’ve felt similar things to Jude about similar people like Maya. So it was very consistent to me. Love that he calls himself out for not doing more with his luck when he had it.

Enjoyment

Absolutely love this book. Definitely going back to read book 1.

Misc

Both the kiss scenes.

Aceing his test and winning the tickets. Only to mess it up and ask maya.

Lunchroom scenes

The slow but sudden realization of loving Ari

Whats the point of winning if its all luck no skill

Ari’s songs are great

You’re the one with your nose in a book right now.

Just everything was great in this book.

</spoiler>

I will be talking about it on Libromancy https://libromancy.podbean.com/ on 8/4/24

C-9

A-9

W-9

P-9

I-9

L-8

E-9

TOTAL-8.86/10

<spoiler>

CAWPILE

Characters

Mouse and Bongo

Tomas

Foxy

Enid

Cotgrave

Loved the character of Mouse and Bongo. Foxy was Foxy, was good at points, but a little too much at others.

Atmosphere

Very well done. I was shaking while reading. I twisted myself like the twisted ones. What a Line! The eeriness of the effigy just watching and the Click click click. Chills everytime

Writing

Good writing, I enjoyed that it’s a “found story” also that it has a found story in it. I thought it played well with the narrative of not knowing if any or who survives.

Plot

Good plot plenty of twists

Investment

Heavily Invested in seeing where this ended up. And what is going on.

Logic

Great consistency, I just wish I knew more, but then it wouldn’t be horror but sci-fi.

Why did they avoid the Grandma, why and what mostly.

Also Mouse at the first sign of getting freaked out. You needed a metal bat for some bone breaking. That’s my only – here. No weapon for mouse

Enjoyment

While I don’t usually enjoy Horror, I really enjoyed this book, very creepy, with enough breaks to keep me feeling ok.

Misc

Whole lives hinging on Linoleum

Anna Fakeout- I thought she had kidnapped him maybe, until literally just before like 1 sentence before

Real world vs fake world distortion

Horny Stone

Click Click Click, caused by the effigy’s stones

Mouse’s editorializing Cotgraves’ book

Dog humor on Point. Watch the serial kill kill me

I made faces like the faces on the rocks, and I twisted myself about like the twisted ones, and I lay down flat on the ground like the dead ones.

</spoiler>

CAWPILE SCORE

C-5

A-7

W-6

P-7

I-8

L-7

E-8

TOTAL-6.86/10

Great Prologue, good worldbuilding and I like the way the magic is set up. Interested to see where it goes from here.

Sometimes power levels felt a bit inconsistent, good plot. Nice atmosphere

<spoiler>

CAWPILE

Characters

Raysha is a great character. Strong drive.

Hlaya and Octavian seem to have inconsistent power levels or it feels like they do.

Atmosphere

Good, interesting to have out

Writing

Good

Plot

Investment

Logic

Nothing felt out of place for me

Enjoyment

I did enjoy this book

Misc

</spoiler>

CAWPILE SCORE

C-7

A-8

W-8

P-9

I-8

L-8

E-8

TOTAL-8.14/10

<spoiler>

CAWPILE

<b>Characters</b>

Meido the land

Shinigami and the Yokai

Madeline

Owen- Drama play

Dax the yokai, very interesting after you know his secret and go back and look at his chapters

Ian

Emerson Shut herself in

Interesting way they all took Ian’s “Death”

<b>Atmosphere</b>

Just the right amount of creepiness in beginning for me.

Doesn’t change from horror to fantasy, but I felt less scared the farther I went.

<b>Writing</b>

I complete fell for all 3 twists, this should be the book of twists

Ian is the Oni, Tests are not positive not don’t show fear, but show fear. And Dax is a Demon and that the empress wants to destroy the world, which isn’t a huge twist.

<b>Plot</b>

Good plot, lots of twists none of which I saw coming except empress at very end is getting out.

I like that at the end. Their lives aren’t magically fixed, they are still where they were, but now without guilt.

<b>Investment</b>

Sucks you in fast. Invested in figuring out what’s happening. What exactly this new world is.

<b>Logic</b>

Internally consistent with what little I know of Yokai Lore.

<b>Enjoyment</b>

I don’t normally enjoy horror, but I did like this book perhaps because its YA.

<b>Misc</b>

Dax luring more and more people into the game. As a yokai. Getting his engimono. Getting it stabbed back into him.

Tests of loyalty. Fear. Cowardice. Lies. Wounded hearts. Honor. And finally, bravery

Debut Novel

</spoiler>

I will be talking about it on Libromancy https://libromancy.podbean.com/

David Foster Wallace wrote what he wanted to write, sometimes its great, most times its incredibly tedious and long.

Needs to learn how to use a period.

I respect his ability, but think its over hyped and definitely not for me