originsofstars's reviews
317 reviews

I loved this! This book reminds me of the type of book I’d read as a preteen, except infinite times better because it revolves around research and not some stupid misogynistic bet. Holly McCulloch has written a cast of loveable characters, and I truly love Atlas and Gem together - they are so cute!!
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I really enjoyed this. I’ve easily rated this 4.5 stars, because literally my only complaint is that there’s not a dog in the book (mention of dog, but no scene) and I love a good animal scene!! 
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Reading Atlas and Gem’s love story was so sweet - and I do love that he is literally the embodiment of golden retriever energy. Also, Shanti and Gem starting the clothing business?? Atlas and Gem going travelling?? Both amazing. I need her mum to start dancing again and everything will be perfect.

This was so good. I think it’s going to be my top March read. 

Lauren Wilson has created a story which, realistically, could actually be a true story. And I am obsessed with it. Impeccable 

I can’t formulate articulate thoughts right now beyond “this was brilliant”. So twisty and such a fun read

This book reminds me why I enjoy ARC reading, and I am so grateful to have had the chance to read this !! 

This was so fun. I loved Tasha and immersing myself into her world, and I was really enjoying Leo’s character. 

I saw one of the twists coming, but there were so many twists at the end !! This was fantastic. I enjoyed this world so much - suspense, backstabbing, murder. I don’t usually reach for Mafia books but I could feel that I’d love this one - and I’m so glad I trusted my gut. 

Oh my god. 

Ava Reid. This may be one of my new favourite books. Sapphic, hunger games inspired?? This is such a beautiful exploration of survival, grief and hope in a dystopian world, and I think this book may haunt me forever. 

This is easily my favourite book of Ava’s, and I am dying to read more. 

I adore sapphic characters, and I  fell hopelessly in love with Melinoe and Inessa, and this book has absolutely devastated me. 

This book. I first discovered Connie when she posted videos as Noodlerella.  She released The Rosewood Chronicles, and I loved them. They were the very first books that | go to see sapphic/wlw love in, and they are so precious to me - and The Cursed melodies captured that feeling. It feels nostalgic, and comforting, and magical. I want to read it again for the first time and my heart breaks a little that I can't. 

Connie has created such a wonderful, magical, and unique magic system - music for spells. I love this concept so much, and it’s incredibly well executed in The Cursed Melodies. 

The Cursed Melodies felt like … coming home, after being away for so long, and being homesick. It felt like I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Like all the tension left my body. 

I cannot wait to read the next book! 

Thank you to House of YA for my advanced copy of this book. I hold it dearly and will treasure it forever. 

4.5 Stars. This would’ve been five stars because the story was amazing, I loved the characters, the suspense, EVERYTHING. But, there was one little bit that took me out of the story and really irked me. Everything else was amazing and I devoured this, but I had to put it down for a while because of this line. 

spoiler:
I took off a half star for this: When the paramedic tells Kay “you’ve fractured your ankle - but its not a break”. Because… thats just straight up wrong. A paramedic can say “you’ve probably fractured your ankle” but I can’t think of any medical staff that can confirm a fracture without a scan - XRAY. So they really can’t say that. Second thing - a fracture IS a break. They’re the same thing, people seem to think theres a difference, but there really isn’t. I think the idea is people think a break is right through the bone, and a fracture is just a little bit. But they’re BOTH breaks and so this line just really bothered me, especially when Kay then jokes that she told Nikki she’s not break her leg falling off the roof …. Because she broke her ANKLE (which, most people would refer to as leg) falling off the roof.

I loved this. Sleeping beauty was my favourite story growing up, so I jumped at the chance to read this retelling, and I am so glad I did. 

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK IVE READ THIS YEAR AND I NEED TO READ THE NEXT ONE.