Grace

Just... wow!

This books clears a lot of things about Mische that were big question marks for me in the past books, that were just crumbs leading to to this amazing book, I just can't have enough!

My biggest ccomplaints in the books 1 and 1.5 were towards world-building and this book just delivered it perfectly! I could feel like I was there, and picture all the scenes thanks to the great description so thanks Carissa!

Also this book is more in the traditional quest style, in contrast with the past 3 books were there was a goal that branched out into others. Not saying one is better than the other but I get why some people got bored with this one, I personally enjoyed it way more because of it. The quest was clear, the journey was full of obstacles that mixed both the MCs fears and regrets, and each stage closer to the goal became harder and deeper (in contrast with the past books that kept a steady pace throughout the story).

The character development is beautifully depicted, both the FMC and MMC learned and grew from their starting points, and Mische's trauma that didn't make much sense on how it was incorporated in book 2 was greatly explained that now it makes total sense if I were to re-read Ashes and the Star-Cursed King.

Some parts of the book were a bit slow, but you cannot have a continuous crescendo, you need nuances in the pacing and cadence. I just loved it!!!

It started out nice, sweet even, of course without the backstory one thinks they've known each other for so long and had mutual crushes but didn't want to admit it.... but then...

Who can even think a fling with the guy you saw as a newborn and have met your whole life, pretty much as your younger brother, would be right, or hot romance? Like BIG red flags everywhere in the book:

1. That is not hot at all
2. The guy doesn't take a NO for an answer
3. The guy acts like a patient, but he is definitely not
4. He is more on the creepy side of things
5. The FMC is a wreck, and I thought "well, at least she sees this is by no means hot", but then she admits she's got the hots for him too, so..... no thanks

Sorry but not Christmas-y at all

I loved it!!! I think this is my favorite read of the year

Very heartwarming, light read. Perfect to start your holiday reading 📚

This story follows Sadie, the new girl in a rather dull town that hasn't celebrated Christmas in 10 years. She feels off place by being new and having her parents busy and overwhelmed with the chores that need to happen with a recent change of residence.

After finding lost letters from 25 years ago under a floorboard with hopes and dreams of a little girl that used to live in the house Sadie is living now, she decides to remind everyone of the Christmas spirit and find the author of those letters.

This book is amazing!!! I deeply enjoyed it, the tension, the anger, the joy, the romance, even the nice family moments... ALL OF IT!

I have so many favorite moments of this book but I don't want to spoil anything. The story follows mainly Allie Rousseau, a world-class ballet dancer, and both sides of her: her past in Cape Cod and her present as part of the Royal family of dancers (her mother and her 3 sisters are well known in the ballet industry).

Yes, her mother is shitty, and the dynamics in her family are messy, but I think it is pretty real (families can be that dramatic i real life, too).

There's also the POV of her love interest / childhood best friend Hudson, who is a sea rescuer and THE book boyfriend we all want: he is hot, dreamy eyes, tall, very understanding, caring, great uncle, he puts Allie's needs over his every time, not pushy even when he clearly wants Allie with him (he even mentions standing purposely next to a wall where she wouldn't feel trapped and have access to the exit shall she wanted to leave), and apparently he also f*cks like a Greek god.

The whole cast around them is very enjoyable too, each with their own personalities that make the story so relatable (we all know someone as straightforward as Kenna, or as protective and anxious as Caroline, as motherly as Mrs. Ellis or as silly as Gavin).

My only two notes to say, but this is just my own opinion about the story itself, no critique in any way to the perfect writing Yarros delivered:

1. I think the whole side of finding Juniper's dad is hard to follow, like everyone was so stressed about the effects and it shows when Allie is explaining what happened, but it adds to the feeling of overwhelm as a reader, I just wanted to get it clear bc it was so confusing.
2. I didn't like Allie, to me she was very over the place, she wanted something then she changed her mind, and then she didn't know what else... she was too much and then too little. I understand the trauma she went through and the uncertainty of the events around the accident, the way her mother treated them and the pressure she was under... but she WAS very entitled, she felt with the right to judge everyone and to know everything, and if she didn't know the moment she wanted then that person was shut down of her life just like that... she took way too long to get to a conclusion she told Hudson at the end of the book that everyone was screaming at her (metaphorically) from the very beginning and that she even mentioned a few times throughout the book as well... I loved when Kenna told her to cut the BS and stay out of her own way (like fr, she was her own demise in her misery)

I know people that do that and it is very frustrating, but Hudson's love is real if he stayed notwithstanding.

So this is my review, it is a romance so there's no spoiler in saying it does have a happy ending, and also it doesn't need a complex plot nor a huge backstory, but it is still very emotional and connects with the reader in any level they are, so I loved it.