E.C.

this is one of the best books I've ever read. I'm new to portal fantasy but it is perfect. we have the perfect mix of modern inner monologue humor without it going overboard - it provided just enough levity to break up the very serious high stakes of this fantasy world.

I love that Maggie is shrewd and knows this world so well so she takes every advantage of her knowledge of events yet to pass, but she also proves to be a skilled tactician. the one thing I will say that could have been stronger is that her modern life seems to have not prepared her to be this good this fast so that felt a bit like a stretch but it's such an enjoyable story that I got over it.

people keep calling this like a finalist for the book of the year but I'm thinking it's more like the book of the decade. like 0 notes, nailed it.

You know that gif of the little crab running across the ocean floor going "nope nope nope nope"?

That's how I feel about this book.

The first 20% of this book has a plot. Is it messed up? Yup, but at least it's a story.

The next approximately 75% of this book is just straight up porn. Not even erotica - porn. Then in the last 5% of the book, it's like the author went "oh right, the plot!" So we have about 14 pages of a "wrap up" that has got to be one of the laziest endings to a book and sore excuse of a "cliffhanger" I've maybe ever seen.

Also not to yuck anyone's yum in what they like in sexy stories but there was lot of stuff in the spicy scenes that were very much not for me.

I think the author tried to make this quest to stop the wedding as noble as they could out of concern for Puck's friend but like it just didn't land that way. it all seemed really superficial rather than a genuine "I'm concerned for you".

for how forward thinking this book is, it certainly has major sensitivity blindness. inviting someone who is supposedly your best friend who is in recovery on a party bus where you suggest everyone play a drinking game is ultimate cringe.

that being said there are some really insightful parts to Puck's character and I liked the overall menace and Fool figure adaption from BillyShakes.

This book is f*cking unhinged.

Be prepared for a type of psychopathy that you never knew existed.

It's funny, it's self-aggrandizing, it's smart yet belittling, it's a parody of intersectionality, I think?

Honest to God what the hell did I just read.

I wanted to like this book more than think I actually did. Fans of ali hazelwood's Mate will like this one - the romance is cute but the plot and paranormal lore left something to be desired.