Scan barcode
carlyboone's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
mjk1221's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this. The mystery is the main story while being in a fantasy world with a fake relationship tossed in.
Marlow was interesting and reminded me of Veronica Mars a lot. In fact, the reference to Veronica Mars was pretty spot on. The mystery of what happened to her mother was interesting and the main reason she decided to help Adrius, but Adrius’s curse was also a mystery. The magic system was so-so for me, but it really comes down to a magical “family” system so those tend to be less “detailed” in ways since we need to unpack the politics and the families.
The romance was so-so for me. It’s a little bit miscommunication trope and it’s not my favorite. Marlow gets pointed out WHY she refuses to open up later on and it’s spot on for her, but it’s just a bummer in ways since you can see Adrius is trying in his own way.
The end, though, was really interesting…How much is truth and how much isn’t will definitely be a big deal in the next book.
Marlow was interesting and reminded me of Veronica Mars a lot. In fact, the reference to Veronica Mars was pretty spot on. The mystery of what happened to her mother was interesting and the main reason she decided to help Adrius, but Adrius’s curse was also a mystery. The magic system was so-so for me, but it really comes down to a magical “family” system so those tend to be less “detailed” in ways since we need to unpack the politics and the families.
The romance was so-so for me. It’s a little bit miscommunication trope and it’s not my favorite. Marlow gets pointed out WHY she refuses to open up later on and it’s spot on for her, but it’s just a bummer in ways since you can see Adrius is trying in his own way.
The end, though, was really interesting…How much is truth and how much isn’t will definitely be a big deal in the next book.
sarayo2001's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
azkollath's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
ummm if you don’t like cliffhanger endings don’t read this book LMFAO what the fuck. uhhhh im a sucker for fake dating so that was good but the world building felt messy and not properly thought out. no map at the beginning either so it was really hard to remember things and places and whatnot. lots of loose ends in b-plots but also like why would you leave a huge major cliffhanger like that???? it wasn’t even a long book and the whole premise is that the male mc i can’t remember his name has like roughly a month before this curse is permanent. the last two-ish chapters are like a week before the deadline so… why did we not finish it. honestly the timeline is what’s pissing me off the list bc i think if it wasn’t a matter of DAYS that they had to solve everything it would fight right. but a week?????? bffr
aliraff's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
shorouk97's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't expect to like this novel that much but I am pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the world and actually want to know more about it. The friendships + the plot are what made this book for me. The romance was good but I am glad that it didn't overshadow the plot. The writing style was good (note: I listened to this on audio). Nothing surprised me that much but no moment was boring so I am very interested in reading the next book. This is my first read of the author so I might check her other series.
readingis4me's review against another edition
3.0
A nice tangle of characters with romance and actual action. The magic was very well thought out.
prested's review against another edition
4.0
Marlow Briggs left the Evergarden's upper society after her mother's disappearance to live in the Marshes, making a name for herself as a cursebreaker in the dregs below.
When an old friend comes knocking at her door asking for her help breaking a curse, Marlow sees an opportunity to finally learn what really happened to her mother.
------------------------------------------------------------
This book was so much fun to read! I love a good fantasy noir.
Marlow is such a fun protagonist to follow along. She reminded me a lot of Veronica Mars.
The romance was cute and I enjoyed the banter. I love the fake dating trope so it was fun!
I really liked how the mystery unraveled and how everything tied into each other.
The only thing I had issues with was the worldbuilding? I wish Pool explained a little bit more the world? It was so strange how sometimes she would explain how characters were connected pages after the initial introduction. It wasn't like the main character didn't know, Marlow did and it wasn't like shocking reveals. I don't get why it wasn't mentioned when those characters were introduced.
I also don't have a good grasp of the world? I get that it's a city but is it a city state ruled by the Five Family or are they just the ones with the most power? There were references to other places but I just didn't have a good grasp of the world and how it functioned.
The magic system was pretty cool and unique. I like the usage of cards.
It was a fun read and I can't wait to read the next one.
When an old friend comes knocking at her door asking for her help breaking a curse, Marlow sees an opportunity to finally learn what really happened to her mother.
------------------------------------------------------------
This book was so much fun to read! I love a good fantasy noir.
Marlow is such a fun protagonist to follow along. She reminded me a lot of Veronica Mars.
The romance was cute and I enjoyed the banter. I love the fake dating trope so it was fun!
I really liked how the mystery unraveled and how everything tied into each other.
The only thing I had issues with was the worldbuilding? I wish Pool explained a little bit more the world? It was so strange how sometimes she would explain how characters were connected pages after the initial introduction. It wasn't like the main character didn't know, Marlow did and it wasn't like shocking reveals. I don't get why it wasn't mentioned when those characters were introduced.
I also don't have a good grasp of the world? I get that it's a city but is it a city state ruled by the Five Family or are they just the ones with the most power? There were references to other places but I just didn't have a good grasp of the world and how it functioned.
The magic system was pretty cool and unique. I like the usage of cards.
It was a fun read and I can't wait to read the next one.