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A review by ambers_book_cave
Of Blood and Aether by Harper Hawthorne
4.0
"Of Blood and Aether" by Harper Hawthorne left me torn. It's one of those reads that I wasn't really sure how to feel about it...
Hawthorne did a great job crafting a world and magic system that were genuinely intriguing. The slow-burn romance between the main characters was an odd mix of slow burn + insta-lust, but their banter throughout the book was enjoyable. The representation of disabilities and LGBTQ+ characters was a nice added bonus.
However, the pacing of the book felt sluggish. I feel like this could have been greatly improved if the book were 25% shorter. Important plotlines and mysteries seemed to get lost amidst the relationship dynamics and philosophical musings. It wasn't until the final stretch of the book that things really picked up, leaving much of the story feeling underdeveloped.
Hawthorne did a great job crafting a world and magic system that were genuinely intriguing. The slow-burn romance between the main characters was an odd mix of slow burn + insta-lust, but their banter throughout the book was enjoyable. The representation of disabilities and LGBTQ+ characters was a nice added bonus.
However, the pacing of the book felt sluggish. I feel like this could have been greatly improved if the book were 25% shorter. Important plotlines and mysteries seemed to get lost amidst the relationship dynamics and philosophical musings. It wasn't until the final stretch of the book that things really picked up, leaving much of the story feeling underdeveloped.