aprildiamond's reviews
144 reviews

A somewhat unexpected 5 stars. While I was reading there wasn’t a point when I thought “oh this is definitely a 5 star book” it was just like I got to the end and thought about it and it was the obvious decision.

A bunch of things I liked in this book:

The best types of villains are
1) Well-developed with a great redemption arc
2) Creepy ass bitches
We got the second one. And yeah, they were lowkey terrifying. I mean, you stick a huge thin stick man with incorrect finger joints on page 6 of a book, as he’s pretending to be nice but is instead threatening and who doesn’t know how to smile right, what do you expect me to do? Not be creeped out?

I really liked how the book was written. Also nothing was ever boring. It’s a long book but it’s kind of like a TV show. Things are always progressing, and we see the long term development of the characters as opposed to seeing them for only a short period of time. Definitely a different reading experience than what I’m used to.

Speaking of characters, yes. Because I love Horace and I (really) love Chloe but most of all I love their relationship because it is so dang wholesome. At the end I felt like I really knew them in real life. Glad this is a series because I could read about them for a long time.
More on characterization: Very interesting stuff going on with the mentor figures. Usually these roles are portrayed as very trustworthy and as people the main characters can always turn to. But here, they get called out for their shit and I don’t automatically trust them because we see that they’re human and make mistakes. I don’t know yet what their intentions are and I wonder if this is going to come back at some point

reread 4/28/21: Ah-Puch trying to pretend he doesn't care abt Ren/finds her annoying and then it being very obvious the opposite is true

Almost gave this book 3/3.5 stars because I was just Not Vibing with Natalie:
-victim blaming (in this case women who get cheated on), which is not cute ever
-acting like her mom helping said women out in their divorces is a bad thing, when it literally is not
-being weird about her mom taking care of other kids
-yelling verbal abuse at her mom, who really did not deserve it (dude she was so nasty I felt bad and I wasn’t even the target. She definitely crossed the line of “acceptable mother-daughter arguments”)
But she seemed like she was coming around later on, and then with the ending maybe we'll see her get better in future books idk. At least she was acknowledging everything that her mom did for her and how much she cared. So since she started recanting I decided that the book earned its fourth star back.

Other than that I really liked the storyline, the mystery, and the Greystone kids. Especially Emma.
REALLY liked the part when their mom teaches Emma that there's nothing wrong with liking things that other girls like. Love seeing the “not like other girls” trope dying out.
Anyway Emma was a logical/scientific/mathematic queen and she honestly did not take anyone’s shit. Whenever anyone tried to tell her she couldn't do something she was just like

we have no choice but to stan her

pros(+) and cons(-) of this book
(+) Jonah's comeback
(-) Somewhat toxic ideas about how one should deal with a stressful event
(-) Main character fight
(+) Jonah's redemption arc
(+) Best scene award aka the iconic Mount Everest scene

3 (+), 2 (-)
This book passes the vibe check

was not emotionally prepared for that scene...

rip Lester I loved him :(((

also the twist during the final chapters?? stan madeleine cahill

Another crazy fun quest!

Brynne and Aiden are great additions to the crew, Aiden as the artiste mom friend and Brynne as the cooking-obsessed bi fighter. We love to see it.
The main four clicked really well and just had so much chemistry together.

I also liked how morally gray the two sides of the conflict were this book. The antagonists weren't fully evil, and the protagonists find out that the gods/heroes haven't always done the right thing. (Foreshadowing for later books?? Who knows)

Best Scene Award:
I don't know why, but something about fighting a monster by playing Despacito just really works for me.

In the second book of the Greystone Secrets series, our four main characters, Finn, Emma, Chess, and Natalie, have to go back into the alternate world in order to rescue the adults that they were forced to leave behind previously.

First I just want to say that Natalie absolutely redeemed herself early on so yay for that.

Anyway, having the characters go back to the other world and immediately be trapped in the lion’s den set everything up really nicely. Just like the kids, I couldn’t tell who they could trust or not, which side all the characters were on, or where anyone’s loyalties lay. The entire thing was suspenseful and full of twists. Plus, there were some good action scenes near the end that I think surpassed the first book.

I’m not sure if the next book is the last one but either way I’m excited. (unfortunately we have to wait almost a year...)

p.s. this is another appreciation post for Emma who is still killing the game 2 books in a row

every single plot twist in this book (and there are a lot of them) gives me whiplash

Overall I enjoyed this book, though the first half of act 2 wasn't the strongest. It was kinda slow and I felt confused about the personalities of the main characters sometimes. (this got better later!)
But it's a fun mystery with some serious Series of Unfortunate Events vibes (except like... less depressing) and very likable characters.

why did I get ASOUE vibes? here's the evidence:
-the narration at the start is very Lemony Snicket-esque
-setting is an ocean town in the off season (book 3)
-alleged sea monster (book 11)
-harpoon guns and a quirky hotel (book 12)
-the pervasive mystery surrounding literally everyone in the town

4.5 stars
this book did not have to go this hard, but it did and i loved it