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mari1532's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
I listened to this book through my library on Libby.
Brief Summary: Logan is a witch...at least that is what she tells herself. She is hoping that by attending Mesmortes Coven Academy she will learn to better control her powers. What she doesn't expect is that the Red Three (Iris, Jailah, and Thalia) will quickly take her under their wing and show her the ropes.
Iris, a death witch, has designs on breaking the town curse and thinks that befriending Logan might be the key. However, Jailah, the school's most powerful witch, and Thalia, a nature witch, are not so sure that Logan will prove useful. As the girls integrate Logan into their group and work on breaking the town curse, they must also learn who they can trust before events turn deadly.
Thoughts: I realize how annoying it is to start a review by saying I wish a book was longer, but I wish this book was longer, but I am happy that there is a second book in the series. While I enjoyed this book it felt a bit rushed at certain points and wanted more of each character. That being said, Isabelle did an excellent job of weaving multiple main characters and a complex plot into a single book without making anything confusing.
I think that Iris was my favourite of the four main characters. I thought that the way that she was learning to navigate her powers as a death witch as they grew was interesting and I was immediately on board with nearly any plan that she suggested throughout the book. Although, I did find the growth between each of the girls and their friend group the most compelling part of the story.
Also, the mysterious aspect of the town curse added such an interesting layer to this book and it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Isabelle is an excellent writer and I cannot wait to read more of their work.
I would highly recommend this book.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
kingrosereads'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? It's complicated
4.25
The books follows four witches and two “mundanes” as they set to break their town’s hundred year curse. The curse causes an annual “Haunting” where supernatural wolves awaken and spend two moon cycles killing witches and mundanes alike. Our young witches and their mundane friends set out to end the curse once and for all. But with everyone keeping secrets and centuries of animosity between witches and mundanes, can they trust each other and come together to defeat the true evil in their town?
I really enjoyed this book and hope there’ll be another set in this universe. I really liked the magic system and the characters were written well. It feels like we’ve only scratched the surface with this world and these characters though! I was happy to see BIPOC witches just basking in their Witchery while still recognizing that POC have additional struggles. I was disappointed that this was advertised as lgbtqia+ when only one character was identified as queer (it wasn’t specified if she was gay/bi/pan/etc) and she just has a really problematic ex, and there’s also a side character that was non-binary.
I was also disappointed that the build up had inconsistent pacing and the climax and resolution felt rushed.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I REALLY want more! Not at all bad for a debut!
Graphic: Self harm and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
karcitis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Self harm, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Vomit, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism
amberinpieces's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Self harm, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Car accident
Minor: Child death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Alcohol
venetiana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism
changreads'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Gore, Racism, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail