hanna's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Loved this! It took me so time to get back into the world again but after the ⅓-mark, I couldn't put it down. We get loads of revelations and world building in this and it was all really well done and I was so shocked at some of the twists.
Of course, this is still YA, so all the teenagers have to save the world (aka...one little town) but that was still believable in the story and it made sense for them to be the "heroes".
These kids (and adults, too, let's be honest) are all such queer messes and I love them <3 I still don't get why so many novels have to end in ALL the characters have to end up in relationships but I'm fine with how these ended up.
Such a great duology that I can wholeheartedly recommend!
Of course, this is still YA, so all the teenagers have to save the world (aka...one little town) but that was still believable in the story and it made sense for them to be the "heroes".
These kids (and adults, too, let's be honest) are all such queer messes and I love them <3 I still don't get why so many novels have to end in ALL the characters have to end up in relationships but I'm fine with how these ended up.
Such a great duology that I can wholeheartedly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Blood, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Murder, and Death
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
ember's review against another edition
2.0
I can’t believe the cop who literally forcibly removed people’s memories seems to have gotten a redemption bc she? has a girlfriend? maybe stopped emotionally abusing and manipulating her kids? this book made me so angry
perusinghannah's review
3.0
(5.6/10) - ⭐⭐⭐️
Content warnings can be found here
After giving The Devouring Gray only 2,5 stars, the only reason I picked up The Deck of Omens was that I already owned it and might as well try and complete the duology. I also had some hope that book two would feel less scattered, and while this was the case, it didn't help all that much.
I just don't care for these characters. I don't know if it's because the author is constantly pulling her punches, but nothing about their interactions made me feel anything at all. They felt as flat as they did in the first book - built out of cardboard with exactly two personality traits each. All of them bored me, and when that's the case, I'm just never going to end up loving the book.
The plot was fine. Again, it didn't actually interest me that much, but the building blocks were there and apart from it being a little slow I can't really fault it. Had the characters been a little more interesting and the setting better utilized, this would've been an exciting book. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me.
Two decimal points lower, and this had been another 2,5 star book. As it stands, it managed to just scrape together 3. I don't think I'll reach for the author again in the future.
Content warnings can be found here
After giving The Devouring Gray only 2,5 stars, the only reason I picked up The Deck of Omens was that I already owned it and might as well try and complete the duology. I also had some hope that book two would feel less scattered, and while this was the case, it didn't help all that much.
I just don't care for these characters. I don't know if it's because the author is constantly pulling her punches, but nothing about their interactions made me feel anything at all. They felt as flat as they did in the first book - built out of cardboard with exactly two personality traits each. All of them bored me, and when that's the case, I'm just never going to end up loving the book.
The plot was fine. Again, it didn't actually interest me that much, but the building blocks were there and apart from it being a little slow I can't really fault it. Had the characters been a little more interesting and the setting better utilized, this would've been an exciting book. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me.
Two decimal points lower, and this had been another 2,5 star book. As it stands, it managed to just scrape together 3. I don't think I'll reach for the author again in the future.
sannn91's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
breckencromwell's review
3.0
i was a little disappointed with this book. the first one was so good, but this one felt rather predictable and held my attention much less than the first one had. i liked the characters and the ending, but most of the book just felt like it kind of dragged.
mora55's review
5.0
I loved the characters and their arcs and their relationships to each other so much, both in this book alone as well as how they were continued from the first book. They are hands down the best part. I thought the plot was a little less coherent than the first one - pacing felt a bit off at times, and there were a number of important moments that felt contrived (for a variety of reasons, usually to do with the presence or absence of a certain character).
allisonsmith120's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
vera_michele's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5 Stars
The .5 is for Isaac and Isaac alone. Things were way too dramatic, and came out of nowhere for no reason. It was too cliche and too rushed. It was a poor ending of a series in my opinion, and things were added that should not have been added. It was too much into one book.
The .5 is for Isaac and Isaac alone. Things were way too dramatic, and came out of nowhere for no reason. It was too cliche and too rushed. It was a poor ending of a series in my opinion, and things were added that should not have been added. It was too much into one book.