lailams's reviews
106 reviews

A friend recommended this book to me when I was going through a very transient time in my life, and I wasn't feeling so good about myself. It was a really tough read for me because of it but I'm glad I finished it. It put me in the headspace that I needed to be in by the end. I have a feeling this is a book I'll look back on fondly for a very long time. I'll treasure it on my bookshelf. 

It was a little predictable, and the last chapter that wrapped up her thoughts on the situation felt almost cheesy to me but it felt very sincere and faithful to the story that it didn't really bother me. Even if I knew where it was going, the ending was very impactful. Definitely for me, it was the type of book that you finish and have to sit down and stare into space in silence while you digest.

Feel good, lighthearted, I will without a doubt be rereading this when I want a good cozy read. Emily is such an interesting main character, and I adore her and everyone else. Easy 5 stars! Thoroughly recommended, I have nothing but praise for this series so far. One of the few series where the second book absolutely lives up to the the first one, and then some. I am SO excited to see where the next book takes us.

Extremely interesting magic system/lore! The main character is a teenager and acts like one, which normally puts me off YA books (and it uses the small plot holes that most YAs use, including why the hell are all of these adults putting a teenager completely in charge of a murder case?? I mean she's talented and has unique skills, but she's still a teen). But the worldbuilding and conflict were so compelling that it didn't bother me too much. I wish the main love interest got a little more personality -- their banter was super cute and endearing, but there could have been more build-up. We learned about him through the flawed perspective of the MC who was infatuated with him before she even met him, so there was precious little of 'falling in love', and a lot of 'I'm already in love'. I'm sure he's as good as she wants him to be, I just wish there was more of an opportunity for him to show it. TBH she praises him for very small things -- the bar is on the floor for her. Still enjoyable to read, though! I will be waiting on the edge of my seat to read the next one. Absolutely did not expect it to grip me like it did.

Very slow going, but feels very realistic to what a life on the road would actually be like - slow, a little scary, following your gut because what else are you going to do?, and falling into the next thing on the road to survive. Tess has a reason to be on the road for maybe half of the book, but her destination took a back seat to her figuring out what she was running away from, and what she was running towards. There is some excitement in this book, but I wouldn't come into this book expecting jam-packed action. It's introspective, and follows her character arc just as much as her journey arc.

Tess is a flawed character, without a doubt, but her headstrong and defiant attitude despite/because of what she's been through is admirable -- I  disliked her sometimes, but mostly, I really liked her! 

I don't read books about mothers all that often, but the comparison between the way Tess and Pathka both interpreted motherhood (both very traumatic in their own rights) was so interesting. Tess's evolving understanding of family/love was really wonderful to watch. 

Towards the end of the book, there's a character that sort of recounts her own journey back to her from an outsider's perspective, and you get a wonderful sense of how her journey not only affected her, but every person she met and every life she touched. It was the absolutely best way to end this book. I recommend it if you're someone who likes a good character-driven fantasy book. 

The miscommunication trope was done pretty well. When it popped up, I found that I enjoyed the story and the characters enough that I didn't even mind it, and it made sense to their characters. I enjoyed most of the book, but several more miscommunication snafus happened towards the end which left me a little annoyed. I do love a fake dating scenario though. SO good!

An absolute hit. Had me kicking my feet and giggling. Both main characters are extremely witty and have very relatable arcs. Trope-y, but in a very self-aware way and I Loved It! Julia Whelan is SUCH a good voice actress it's insane.