cielosiluminado's reviews
367 reviews

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

this story is one of those that is easy to get transported into because it had me so hooked. i quickly felt a connection to the characters, inesa and melinoë, and i wanted to protect them so badly. the action scenes had me sweating enough to keep reading and not stop.

“We all do what we have to do in order to survive.”
— Chapter 15, p. 170

i do wish we could’ve gotten more background history on how their world came to be. the concept of new amsterdam is so intriguing and the history buff in me wanted more.

although cute, the romance was doomed from the start. the ending… it’s so open-ended. aren’t romances supposed to end in happily-ever afters? hm.

I know that flowers grow most brilliantly from ashes.
— Chapter 30, p. 319

there was a lot of great topics this could’ve delved more into—objectification, particularly of young girls and women, overconsumption and unnecessary consumerism by the overworked, beaten down lower-and-middle classes, impossible to compete with beauty standards, dehumanization and apathy—but this is a young adult novel; so it had to be an easy to digest commentary of said topics for the target audiences.

Feeling nothing is true cowardice.
— Chapter 34, p. 346

all that being said, i truly believe capitalism will be the end of the world, and with the increasing rise and demand for more AI tech, this dystopian world isn’t so far-fetched than we think. this was a great cautionary tale.

special thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins / HarperCollins Children’s Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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⊹ ࣪ post-read thoughts ♡

dates read — 03/10/2025 to 03/11/2025

this was a 3.5 to 4 stars for me. but i refuse to be too generous in my rating this year!

———

⊹ ࣪ pre-read thoughts ♡

approved on 10/11/24

I GOT THE ARC!!!

Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve by Drew Afualo

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funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

"Some people may say I'm being contrarian, but I say better to be contrarian than die a thousand little deaths of disrespect."

i want to be more like drew

Spiral by Bal Khabra

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3.0

Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

endearing main characters, insufferable supporting characters

Savage by Ella Frank, Brooke Blaine

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4.0

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ali hazelwood books haven’t missed for me ! they always leave a fun impression !! i go in with no expectations and i’m always left feeling entertained.

[pre-release - 6/22/24]

sports romance is the current fad in the book community… kinda overused tbh especially since not many can actually write it well… super interested to see ali’s take on it…

The Goal by Elle Kennedy

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3.0

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced