A review by kaulhilo
Darker by Four by June CL Tan

4.0

i liked this so much! the first thing i noticed was the writing, which is incredibly even and flows together so very well, you’ll forget you’re in the middle of a book slump. true story. the plot, in turn, is engaging and crazy extensive, and worked very well together with some of the nicest, most endearing characters i’ve come across in recent ya. rui and zizi are such joys to read about, from their initial connection to mismatched banter to hesitant confessions, and every single page with them had me jumping for joy. and the end reveal! i’m going to be honest and say i’m not always the biggest fan of this particular trope, but i’m literally at the edge of my seat waiting to see which way it’s going to go in the sequel. need it rn!!!
the only thing besides i can say is i do wish this were written more sharply and detailed better, and the book veered maybe just a little bit towards unpredictability, if only to keep the ending just slightly more staggering. all in all, however, this is an adorable book and i’m so excited for the sequel i cannot imagine waiting another year until i have it.

thank you to harperteen for the arc!