cameronreads's reviews
526 reviews

Everything about this book was genuinely perfection. I couldn’t have asked for a better sequel. The characters, world building, and plot are all so unbelievably compelling. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, so fully invested for these characters (Bree being one of my favourite main characters of all time) and having uncontrollable visceral reactions to plot twists. The conversations that it continued from the first book were excellent and nuanced, and the writing in general was exquisite. I already couldn’t wait for the next book but that ending will have my jaw dropped until I can get my hands on it.

For the first three quarters of this book I was going to rate it two stars; I don’t like the main character, I don’t like the writing style, any of Orion’s character development from the first book was completely scrapped, the romance was dead, the plot didn’t feel cohesive or well structured. But then it completely subverted what I thought the ‘big twist’ would be and actually became really interesting and by the end I was invested, in perfect time for it to land the biggest cliff hanger on me that is possibly the only thing that could make me consider picking up the third book. I don’t know what to do with this now.

I really enjoyed this one! I think the concept and plot was excellent, and the characters and main relationship were compelling and very well written. I liked the mystery elements a lot and I think the magic system was very interesting - a magic based on cradling?? That’s so cool! I really liked both Robin and Edwin and was rooting for them the whole time, and there relationship was truly great. I did want a little bit more out of the side characters as I wasn’t very invested in them however, and I think there was a bit of a reliance on characters having lucky guesses to find solutions, but those are my only gripes. I think this was so much fun, a great historical fantasy!

This book was so unbelievably lovely. I think it’s the first SFF book I’ve read that I’d classify as low stakes and it was just so cozy and comforting. The conversations about personhood and purpose were so interesting and I loved watching Dex on their literal and metaphorical journeys. I also loved the casual queerness in here - Dex uses they/them pronouns and no one bats an eye, which is always so comforting to read about as someone who also uses they/them pronouns. Becky Chambers managed to pack a wonderful and enticing world into so few pages as well as wonderful complex characters and conversations. A great little novella. 

I really enjoyed this book. I think the concept is so interesting and gripping, and I was fully invested the whole time either trying to figure out what on earth was going on or whether my theories were right. I think it was predictable in a way that felt like everything satisfyingly coming into place, with revelations slowly dawning on me allowing for the perfect confirming reveal. I think the characters were compelling and well written, and the book seemed very well research (not that I know anything about history). 

Two half stars were taken off for me - one because the way that time travel was written, although the right way to make the story work, is the one way I hate for time travel to be written. I love it when time travel is more along the lines of what David Lewis theorised as possible, rather than time travellers having the ability to change the future from the past etc. Still, it made for the right kind of story, so only half a star off for that. A second half star off because I wanted just a bit more feeling out of the characters. I think the emotions they were feeling here were so big that they needed a bit more description or emphasis. I wanted to feel the emotions with the characters, and I just didn't really. Mostly I wanted to see more passion out of the main relationship in here, I think just a little more development could have really added to the impact. 

Still, I loved this so much more than I expected to, and I would 100% recommend. 

I’m having such a good time with this series. I love the characters, the world building and the plot. I think it lends itself perfectly to the multi-POV story telling, making the ‘sides’ feel fully fleshed out and each character deliciously morally grey. I cannot wait for the third book.

I think it was abundantly clear that the author of this book was not Jewish. Disclaimer; neither am I, but I think it's important to talk about. As soon as I realised the goblins in this book would be evil characters alarm bells were set off in my head, and since doing some research into the tropes used, I think this book does do harm. There is of course one good goblin, but the general idea is that the goblins are evil and want to hurt people (and eat them on occasion) and have magical blood. All things that are outrageous stereotypes of Jewish people, especially considering goblins have been used as a way to represent and do harm to Jewish people. I'd really recommend looking at some Jewish reviewer's discussions on this. 

My opinions on the plot and characters of this book are rather average. I think the basic idea was there, but something about the pacing and what this book emphasised was off. I wasn't all that attached to the characters, especially because the character we're meant to be saving all through this book is never seen on page until the end. It meant the stakes didn't feel very high. To be honest, I would have read a whole book about one of the point of views (May's) if it had been expanded on and we had got to spend a bit more time with it (and there wasn't such antisemitic themes). 

I do however like the casual queer representation. The main characters are ace and bi respectively, and there's a pan side character, and all of these words are said on page. There's no prejudice against them because of their sexualities, and the main romance is a sapphic one. That was all really nice to see.

I'm really mad about this one - I loved Bovalino's other book and the other goblin market retelling I've read (In An Absent Dream, Seanan McGuire) so I really wanted to love this too. Unfortunate. 

This was a lot of fun, excellent queer witchy vibes. I almost felt like I was reading a dark academia, which is always a good thing. I did feel a little detached from everything though, almost like we needed a bit more time to get to know the characters and to absorb each plot point before moving onto the next, as there was quite a lot that went on in a short space of time, not all of it feeling resolved. I also guessed the big twist very early.

This was simply a very realistic and raw portrayal of what it’s like to be a gender fluid teenager. My heart aches for Riley as they went through awful experiences but also found themself and friends who they deserved. I felt this one. 

Huge trigger warnings for transphobia, homophobia, and suicidal thoughts.

I really really enjoyed this! I thought it was a super fun YA fantasy, one of my new go to recs for the genre. The characters were all realistic and unique, each with very different but believable motives and morals. The plot was compelling with lots of fun puzzles and cyphers. The Indian inspired world building was rich and well done, and has a really interesting and unique magic system. The pacing was also done really well, if anything I could have done a little more time to sit and fully get attached to each of the main characters and would have loved to see them growing to care for each other again a little slower and at different paces.