Hannah
I stayed up until 2 am reading this on valentines day, that always guarantees a 4+ star for general vibes. I loved the fairy tail retelling set in a steampunk setting and the "clean" romance element provided a satisfying slow burn. While steam is all and well, I appreciate the detail paid to the small moments in these type of books - the hand splayed across a back, the brush of a thumb, the tightened grip of fingers on an elbow.
I stayed up until 2 am reading this on valentines day, that always guarantees a 4+ star for general vibes. I loved the fairy tail retelling set in a steampunk setting and the "clean" romance element provided a satisfying slow burn. While steam is all and well, I appreciate the detail paid to the small moments in these type of books - the hand splayed across a back, the brush of a thumb, the tightened grip of fingers on an elbow.
A stream of consciousness narrative following the last year of undocumented Catalina's time at Harvard. Catalina's voice is poetic and wise and full of nonsense and dramatic and loving and selfish and heartbreaking. She was always vulnerably and unforgettably herself even as she barreled towards a future where she knew she would be forgotten. There was not bright future or dream job in her prospects without papers and you fluctuate with her from anger and angst to humorous nihilism and detachment about the cliff she's about to be pushed over, the friends and lovers who will soon leave her behind. Catalina is a book I'll be thinking about for a long time. I also was initially upset but eventually understanding about the ambiguity of the ending. Why should we have closure and certainty when Catalina must live in a constant state of uncertainty.
Mira Catalina, you are never going to have to ask a man for money. You are never going to have to extend your hand and ask for a coffee or a sanitary napkin or a home. You have to promise me
I want to sell out and work for a hedge fund like everybody else
It's a powerful thing to be an object, but it's boring. All you have to do is sit there. His affection lasted only as long as I remained silent.
A stream of consciousness narrative following the last year of undocumented Catalina's time at Harvard. Catalina's voice is poetic and wise and full of nonsense and dramatic and loving and selfish and heartbreaking. She was always vulnerably and unforgettably herself even as she barreled towards a future where she knew she would be forgotten. There was not bright future or dream job in her prospects without papers and you fluctuate with her from anger and angst to humorous nihilism and detachment about the cliff she's about to be pushed over, the friends and lovers who will soon leave her behind. Catalina is a book I'll be thinking about for a long time. I also was initially upset but eventually understanding about the ambiguity of the ending. Why should we have closure and certainty when Catalina must live in a constant state of uncertainty.
Mira Catalina, you are never going to have to ask a man for money. You are never going to have to extend your hand and ask for a coffee or a sanitary napkin or a home. You have to promise me
I want to sell out and work for a hedge fund like everybody else
It's a powerful thing to be an object, but it's boring. All you have to do is sit there. His affection lasted only as long as I remained silent.
Very silly, but in the best way. Had a very specific trope I search for where the love interest initially snubs the FMC only to realize he was wrong, slowly grow to respect her, and do some groveling.
Very silly, but in the best way. Had a very specific trope I search for where the love interest initially snubs the FMC only to realize he was wrong, slowly grow to respect her, and do some groveling.
This was delightful! It gave me all the vibes of Disney's Tangled movie with a modern twist and a mystery element. If fit exactly the vibe I'd been searching for at the moment. Our Rapunzel is open-hearted Ren, raised on a remote homestead to be brilliant and self-sufficient, but always alone and with a major case of Stockholm Syndrome. I love her and Edward together, with their relationship growing through forced proximity at a slow burn pace (my catnip).
She's also truly, deeply nice. Nice in the way that initially makes you worry, like the steel-toed boots of the world will surely stomp it out of her.
This was delightful! It gave me all the vibes of Disney's Tangled movie with a modern twist and a mystery element. If fit exactly the vibe I'd been searching for at the moment. Our Rapunzel is open-hearted Ren, raised on a remote homestead to be brilliant and self-sufficient, but always alone and with a major case of Stockholm Syndrome. I love her and Edward together, with their relationship growing through forced proximity at a slow burn pace (my catnip).
She's also truly, deeply nice. Nice in the way that initially makes you worry, like the steel-toed boots of the world will surely stomp it out of her.
The first 50-60% of this was a five star read. The grief and father-son strained relationship was heartbreaking and had me flipping the pages to see both Emmet and our protagonist find their worth. The slow burn gave space for building a deep friendship that made you believe in their ability to join their families. My issue is that we just went on too long and both the plot and the writing loosened up to the point where I grew border and started waiting for the end. Then all of a sudden a bunch of plot is thrown in at the end and I had whiplash as we went from plot to slice of life to PLOT with very little build up before the final conflict. I did still enjoy this and loved all the characters.
The first 50-60% of this was a five star read. The grief and father-son strained relationship was heartbreaking and had me flipping the pages to see both Emmet and our protagonist find their worth. The slow burn gave space for building a deep friendship that made you believe in their ability to join their families. My issue is that we just went on too long and both the plot and the writing loosened up to the point where I grew border and started waiting for the end. Then all of a sudden a bunch of plot is thrown in at the end and I had whiplash as we went from plot to slice of life to PLOT with very little build up before the final conflict. I did still enjoy this and loved all the characters.
A five chili pepper romance, typically not my style, but there was a surprising amount of such great emotional and romantic build up among the erotica that I really enjoyed this. The communication between all parties involved was a real strength.
A five chili pepper romance, typically not my style, but there was a surprising amount of such great emotional and romantic build up among the erotica that I really enjoyed this. The communication between all parties involved was a real strength.
The world building here is just perfect. The idea of magic as visible threads (to some) allowing control of a portion or all elements with four Londons that used to me connected until one of the London's magic grew contaminated had me captivated. While we follow multiple perspectives across the London's, my favorite perspective was Tes - a tinkerer and teenage girl in hiding from her family who can manipulate the threads of magic to fix and modify their spells. The was the most pure headspace among a whole cast of morally grey characters who are at times difficult to love.
I did have a feeling while reading that there was so much backstory and history that you could fill a whole earlier novel in the series only to discover after reading that this book is indeed set in the same world as a whole other series, Shades of Magic. I would read that series first if I were to do a re-read.
The world building here is just perfect. The idea of magic as visible threads (to some) allowing control of a portion or all elements with four Londons that used to me connected until one of the London's magic grew contaminated had me captivated. While we follow multiple perspectives across the London's, my favorite perspective was Tes - a tinkerer and teenage girl in hiding from her family who can manipulate the threads of magic to fix and modify their spells. The was the most pure headspace among a whole cast of morally grey characters who are at times difficult to love.
I did have a feeling while reading that there was so much backstory and history that you could fill a whole earlier novel in the series only to discover after reading that this book is indeed set in the same world as a whole other series, Shades of Magic. I would read that series first if I were to do a re-read.
A light-hearted fantasy heavy on the romance and light on the world-building. I had a good time!
A light-hearted fantasy heavy on the romance and light on the world-building. I had a good time!
This gets five stars for the impact on my life after reading it. The joy that McDougall communicates meshed with his tremendous skill as a story teller had me itching to get out and run. It makes you wish you were one of them, racing trails and somehow smiling 50 miles into a race. I want a bottle of that strength and endurance. I've since worked my way up to a 10k and have a half-marathon scheduled for next year! This is on my list of books to read when I need to get inspired.
This gets five stars for the impact on my life after reading it. The joy that McDougall communicates meshed with his tremendous skill as a story teller had me itching to get out and run. It makes you wish you were one of them, racing trails and somehow smiling 50 miles into a race. I want a bottle of that strength and endurance. I've since worked my way up to a 10k and have a half-marathon scheduled for next year! This is on my list of books to read when I need to get inspired.
This was a re-read and I actually really enjoyed my first read through of the whole magiford series. Either I'm older and grumpier or was just caught up in the fun on first reading, but I just couldn't ignore the writing quality and holes / lack of depth in both the plot and the characters.
This was a re-read and I actually really enjoyed my first read through of the whole magiford series. Either I'm older and grumpier or was just caught up in the fun on first reading, but I just couldn't ignore the writing quality and holes / lack of depth in both the plot and the characters.
To quote a review for this book on goodreads - "complete fluffiest fluff". Adorable comfort read.
To quote a review for this book on goodreads - "complete fluffiest fluff". Adorable comfort read.
I was riveted by this entire reading journey, and the ending sent me on a spiral reviewing every prior interaction hinting at the twist. This was so very good. The imagery was horrifying and the writing was beautiful. The ambiguity of the ending really stuck with me - we don't know if either Dover or Thomas were real. We don't know if they were fighting monsters or Andrew was on a crazed murder spree. We don't know if Andrew saved Thomas or murdered him in a horrible way.
Andrew though about slipping his fingers into Thomas's cut. Taking hold of his rib and breaking it. Pulling the soft crumbling bone from his chest and sewing it into his own. They'd be forever together, rib against rib, fused into gore and bone and adoration.
I was riveted by this entire reading journey, and the ending sent me on a spiral reviewing every prior interaction hinting at the twist. This was so very good. The imagery was horrifying and the writing was beautiful. The ambiguity of the ending really stuck with me - we don't know if either Dover or Thomas were real. We don't know if they were fighting monsters or Andrew was on a crazed murder spree. We don't know if Andrew saved Thomas or murdered him in a horrible way.
Andrew though about slipping his fingers into Thomas's cut. Taking hold of his rib and breaking it. Pulling the soft crumbling bone from his chest and sewing it into his own. They'd be forever together, rib against rib, fused into gore and bone and adoration.
