bibliorama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Perfectly fine, middle of the road story that I mostly used as background noise at work. This could have been closer to a 4 star if we got more of the world and more from some of the side characters. We don't even get a final scene with Macy at the end after everything goes down. I would think after everything it would be important to get Grace's actual family's feelings about the aftermath.
Start - 4
I was down for the beginning. The introduction to the world was interesting and since Grace didn't know the truth of the world going in, it was kind of funny to see her try and rationalize the unhinged parts. I also really liked the descriptions of the school and the cold environment of Alaska.
Characters - 2.5
I like the premise of the characters, but for being over 500 pages, I still feel like these characters are mostly strangers. I feel like they would have benefited from more plot where they could interact more with each other rather all of them mostly interacting with Grace by themselves. Also since most of the time the characters were trying to hide pieces of information from Grace, it was hard to guage who these people really were. I mean for over half the book I was suspicious about Macy (who I still kind of am tbh) even though the surface level interactions we get she's perfectly nice and I quite like her. This is a similar phenomenon that I had with every character outside of Grace.
Atmosphere - 3
Again, I like cold weather. However, there wasn't enough of the school. I mean come on Grace's favorite subject was art and we never even see her in class? What was that about? There was a ton of potential for the school subjects to be wild and unhinged, but it never happens. I also wanted more interactions between the cliques that were setup at the beginning.
Plot - 1.5
Needed less insta-love and more plot. It would have helped everything and built the world up more. I think this story would have been better as a slow burn.
Ending - 3
Interesting for the most part and made sense. It didn't come out of left field which was nice, but the wrap-up was missing a lot of the consequences for what happened. I'm still not over the fact that Grace is almost sacrificed and we don't see her cousin or uncle's reaction to that??? I don't understand.
Style - 3
I really didn't mind Grace's narration. She had a lot of repetitive sentences but it didn't bug me here as it has with some books in the past. Maybe it was because I wasn't super invested and just wanted some entertainment.
Overall - 2.5
Some missed opportunities, that left me wanting more. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series as where it ends isn't the most intriguing. I wish it would have setup the Vampire Queen for the second (I'm sure she'll come up later, but she needed to be teased here more)
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Grief, and Medical content
bashsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
- This author's fixation with being over-the-top tongue-in-cheek about the genre in which she is writing. I have over a dozen quotes noted down where she has the MC mention this is "just like a romance novel" or "just like a horror movie". The worst offender is when the vampire love interest LITERALLY gives the MC a copy of Twilight. I will say, it is funny but perhaps not in the way the author intended.
- Dialogue is poorly-written, this is sometimes also very funny in an unintentional way.
- There is no rhyme or reason to lore, Twilight lore is more internally consistent than this.
- Going off of point #3, the outright fact that vampires are mammals in this universe and that born-vampires exist, but they cannot drink milk. Curious as to what baby vampires subsist on and how they get the mammal classification if their mothers don't feed them with milk.
- I don't want to spoil it but the Plot Twist Reveal about the MC made me cry I laughed so hard. I would call it brave, groundbreaking even, but my friend told me not to.
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Grief, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder, Cursing, Stalking, Medical content, and Car accident
Minor: War and Vomit
frankenkath's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence
blondiesandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, Blood, Murder, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Car accident
hannalizzy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death of parent
paulaks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Characters: Ugh, the main character wanted to be so different that it hurt me as a reader. The background story and her flaws were based around the most basic trope "both of my parents died". Not that this isn't scaring and unrealistic, it's just over used and the easiest way to scar a character. The love interest was actually well down but also uncreative. A postive I want to mention is the diverse cast! She has done a great job at giving a little bit of their ethnicity away and leaving room of interpretation.
Cliché and Tropes: I don't know which category this will fit but I want to talk about the use of clichés. I'm not sure how to put it in words but the book wanted to be "not cliché" so bad but exactly that (a cliché / basic situation) happened over and over. As a reader this is so frustrating!!
The fantasy aspect: I was so amazed by the world building, honestly! It definitely helped to make it feel more cozy, tense, etc.. Where she went completely wrong in my opinion is unwrapping the actual fantasy. The MC is a normal person, so she spents 50%+ of the book discovering these mysterious beings. But why? It's literally so obvious? I don't get it, should it seem more realistic that she doesn't belive in e. g. magic? Which wouldn't make sense since she is a reader herself...
Last but not least, the end build-up: In the last (around) ten chapters it suddenly starts to be so chaotic for no reason!? I was so overwhelmed while being bored since it wasn't authentic anymore. Then, expecting closure it has an open ending-
Now you could think that my rating is too high for ranting that long about it, I honestly need to admit: I'm attached to the characters and the world and can't rate it lower :( Anyway, not gonna continue with the series. It takes to much energy.
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Medical content
bouebooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Murder, Violence, and Death
ashleyvharris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Spoiler
Amka’s note for Flint in the library or Lia and Jackson’s altercation in the gazeboGraphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Grief, Violence, Blood, Cursing, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Gore
Minor: Genocide, Child abuse, Physical abuse, War, Murder, and Car accident
ratplague's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, and Blood
Minor: Genocide, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Murder
roseamillerg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Eating disorder and Genocide