A very low 3.

I wasn't expecting this book to be this short. I don't know if it would've been better if it was longer but either way I think a lot of the horror elements fell flat.

Either it was too mystical to be creepy (the "brightness"? the nonsense words on the walls?) or there wasn't enough explanation. Like I know sometimes it's creepier when you don't really know what the cosmic horror is, but in this case it just felt confusing.

I feel like all the concepts were cool in theory but the execution just wasn't there.

I was so excited for this book to come out but it just didn't live up to all of T. Kingfisher's other books. Or maybe my expectations have been exacerbated after being such a big T. Kingfisher fan, idk haha

The way Halla kept describing herself I couldn't help but imagine her as a doudy old woman for most of the book and so the romance between her and Sarkis felt very odd lol. I had to keep forcing myself to remember that she's just about 30 and curvy, not wrinkled and hunched.

Speaking of the romance, Halla and Sarkis's chemistry felt very lustful and I didn't feel much of an emotional spark between them. Like I intellectually understood where I should've felt that emotional spark but it felt very tell-y and not show-y.

Also the conflict at the very end PISSED ME OFF. I thought Sarkis's secret was going to be so much worse than it ended up being, and Halla's reaction was similarly blown out of proportion. And then she did the stupidest thing which led to so much unecessary conflict like UGH

Despite all my qualms this book is still a nice enough read to pass the time. Nothing spectacular, but enjoyable enough.

DNF

I feel like this book would've worked way better as a movie. I went into this looking for creepy vibes and lesbian tension but honestly 75% of this book was just technical climbing descriptions. I don't need to know where you're placing anchors or what direction the current is moving. It just hurt my brain trying to visualize everything.

I picked up this book mostly because I LOVE this author's "Murderbot" books.

Not gonna lie, this was pretty hard to get into at first, in large part due to the book's completely lack of margins and line spacing lmaooo Could they have formatted this book any worse? 😭

There was also a lot of names and world building right at the beginning and I had to read the first few pages very slowly.

Once I got into it though, it turned out to be a pretty good book.

I think the concept was really unique and refreshing in a currently literary world full of assassin warrior princesses becoming the chosen among faeries / vampires / dragons.

I liked reading about everyone's relationships with each other, and it felt like we were learning about Raksura group dynamics along with our main character Moon.

The one thing I wish was different was how the Fell were portrayed. They felt very much like one dimensional villains; being evil just for the sake of it. I wanted a deeper purpose to the harm they caused.

I migghhhtt continue with the series but probably not until I've run out of everything I have to read haha.

(I forgot to write a review for this book and it's almost been a year... lol)

This is one of those horrors where the real horror is how abusive the family dynamics were. I hated Astrid's entire family and also Dora's (?) dad.

The execution of the actual horror elements were pretty creepy, but not creepy enough for me personally especially considering how much of the abuse I had to wade through.

The reveal was a bit anticlimactic and I feel like the solution to the problem was very rushed.

It's also weird that this book is a standalone because in my opinion, it was very much set up for a sequel. Without the promise of a sequel the ending just feels unfinished.

(Another book where I waited a year to write a review, oops lol)

I think the premise of this book was more interesting than its execution. Because Lauren kept switching husbands, every husband character felt very superficial. I liked the inclusion of the one husband who was actually in the same switching predicament as her, but I don't know how I feel about the conflict that ended up happening between them.

The ending felt rushed and the very dramatic conflict that happened felt very unnecessary. I understand the purpose of the conflict as a plot device, that Lauren had to eventually stop switching husbands and just be content with her life as is even if it's not perfect, yada, yada, yada, but it felt a bit abrupt and sloppy.

UGH I DON'T WANNA WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!

You know what would've ATE? If this book was dual POV. Oh man I wanna get into Sebastian's head SO BAD especially with how the ending was so vague on his feelings.

Cute wholesome fun adventure, would definitely recommend!