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The Shutouts
Gabrielle Korn
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The Monstrous Kind
Lydia Gregovic
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Sem (Unexpected, #2)
Cora Rose
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Colin (Unexpected #6)
Cora Rose
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Emery (Unexpected, #3)
Cora Rose
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Whit (Unexpected, #1)
Cora Rose
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Kiss the Villain (Legacy of Gods)
Rina Kent
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A Theory of Dreaming (A Study in Drowning, #2)
Ava Reid
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Heir (Heir Duology, #1)
Sabaa Tahir
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A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is a dark academia-esque novel that was both interesting and entertaining, though it takes a while to pick up. The first 40% of the book feels slow before the story truly becomes engaging. One of the strongest aspects of the book was Effy’s character. She was incredibly relatable, especially in her struggle against a world designed to work against her. The moments where misogyny and sexism were acknowledged and challenged felt validating. However, I didn’t appreciate the light references to Effy being bigoted toward Argant. While there was some self-reflection on her part, it was brief and didn’t feel necessary to the story. Her falling in love with someone of a different race doesn’t magically erase her racism—it definitely doesn’t work like that. This isn’t an enemies-to-lovers situation because the dynamic is fundamentally different. I also found the world-building somewhat underutilized. For example, the Sleepers were introduced as an intriguing concept but barely played a role until the very end—and even then, their presence felt abrupt and underdeveloped. It felt like a missed opportunity to integrate them more meaningfully into the plot. That said, the writing style was hauntingly beautiful, like a Renaissance painting capturing moments of grief. Reid’s prose was poetic and immersive, making for a truly lyrical reading experience. Despite its flaws, the novel had a unique and atmospheric quality that stayed with me.
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Step into the Cosmere... Listed in the order that Brandon Sanderson recommends to new readers of his work in 2024.
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The Familiar
Leigh Bardugo
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