I really wanted to love this book but sadly, it didn't quite leave a lasting impression.

The story itself was only mildly interesting, the plot having felt like it had been done before. There were actually two different storylines, one being the ghost itself and the other a separate domestic one that felt more dramatic than anything. There was little that really pulled me in regarding the plot.

Unfortunately, the characters were also very basic, teens from the forties that are good girls and boys. They weren't so much flat as they just again, felt unoriginal and very basic.

Overall, this was just a very average, run of the mill, YA ghost story that wasn't even spooky. It was more mystery than anything, but the twists and reveals weren't even all that dramatic. While I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this book, I also wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it.

best. manga. ever.

This was an absolute joy to read. Not only did it have all the coolest plants and creepy crawlies, but it had a fun story with a couple of twists to go with it.

The world that Schlote-Bonne created was so fantastic. The thought and potential research that went into the plants and their properties as well as the creativity in creating the voidlings and fiends was A+! I wish there was a little more gore, but the bit we got was lots of fun.

The plot itself was fascinating, especially the lore that went into it all. The characters weren’t as great as the plants and creatures, but Petra and Jade were at least a little interesting. The suspense surrounding the characters was great though and the author did a good job building that up. There were also points where you questioned everything and started to suspect everyone and those are the best mysteries.

The writing quality was good, but not great. Things flowed well enough, but it could be a little smoother, a little more flowery, especially with all of the horrors in this world.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of botanical and fantastical horror (a little bit of body horror too). This is my first Schlote-Bonne book, but it definitely won’t be my last! BRB, gonna pre-order the sprayed edges edition of this.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC.