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alisonvh'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? Yes
3.5
I think what threw me off is I found it hard to relate to the main character. She’s the type who expects things to go wrong, so she has a tendency to self-sabotage. Although I was able to understand why she was doing what she was doing, it’s so far from who I am that I found it hard to relate to her.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Child abuse
leighmillonig's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Addiction, Death, and Abandonment
handles these topics (abandonment, addiction) with nuance and respect and humanity.littlelizzieborden's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
songwind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Set in a faux-Victorian secondary world, this book has a lot going on for such a face paced story. The POV character, Delly Wells, starts the story just scrambling to stay housed, and completely hopeless. Her life has become a mosaic of drunkenness, scams, and one night stands trying to keep her head above water and make life halfway tolerable while she does so.
One run in with the police and a bit of quick thinking later, and Delly's managed to con herself into a bodyguard job on the strength of her skills as a fire witch. Things quickly escalate and complicate from there. There is a murder plot, bounty hunting, a love con, undead mice, and more. By the end of book, a great many things (and people!) have changed, and more than a few did not go the way Delly Wells thought they would.
Highly recommended.
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
rachtmh'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? Yes
4.5
The characters are brilliant, the plot is explosive, the representation is great, and the ending is pleasing.
You do need to be able to pay attention whilst reading to make the most of the ‘accent’ and language used in the writing/conversation.
I was pleased how the book turned out for most of the characters and didn’t feel like there were any loop holes or obvious loose threads.
Overall very funny and enjoyable.
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Death, Drug use, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, Violence, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Representation: Infertility, LGBTQIA+, mental and physical illness.bobin'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: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Abandonment
Moderate: Suicide
the_lesbrarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Suicide, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death and Classism
willowd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Is this book amazing? No. But was it fun? Certainly.
A bit heavy on the accents, so if that bothers you, skip it. I recommend listening over reading this story, due to the accent & grammar. If you're a non-native speaker, some of Delly's made up words might be more challenging. I found the dialogue very enjoyable to listen to. Oh also - the chapter titles are delightful.
I found the second half a bit drawn out - but I truly warmed up to the old lady and her mouse. The pacing of the second half could have been tweaked, or used another twist.
Now, somehow my book club thought this was marketed as sapphic (Idk where, because I didn't see anything like that? I dunno, I didn't look super hard!) and I want to be clear that it's not. The main character is clearly bi/pan. The main couple is two ladies, but there is sexual content that is not sapphic, and there is no wlw sexual content. However, the sexual encounters the MC has before are fairly glossed over, and honestly, as someone who doesn't love romance novels, was fine by me. I've read too many books with sudden love nonsense! With everything else going on, it sounded too exhausting for a romp.
I think this author has promise, especially in the realm of audiobook. Maybe even a play? I look forward to her next work, and hope that it gets marketed accurately!
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Drug use, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
cozyscones's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug use, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
relin's review against another edition
Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Suicide, Violence, and Medical content
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
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