Are You Listening by Tillie Walden

Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden
Published September 10th, 2019 by First Second
Source: Publisher
Genre: contemporary fantasy, graphic novel
Goodreads
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Are You Listening? is an intimate and emotionally soaring story about friendship, grief, and healing from Eisner Award winner Tillie Walden.

Bea is on the run. And then, she runs into Lou.

This chance encounter sends them on a journey through West Texas, where strange things follow them wherever they go. The landscape morphs into an unsettling world, a mysterious cat joins them, and they are haunted by a group of threatening men. To stay safe, Bea and Lou must trust each other as they are driven to confront buried truths. The two women share their stories of loss and heartbreak—and a startling revelation about sexual assault—culminating in an exquisite example of human connection.

This magical realistic adventure from the celebrated creator of Spinning and On a Sunbeam will stay with readers long after the final gorgeously illustrated page.

Trigger warnings for off-the-page sexual assault mentioned and parental death mentioned

I haven't read any of Walden's previous work but I can say that after reading this, I need her entire backlist. The art was beautiful, the characters even more so, and the story hit lots of buzzwords for my particular reading taste.

Are You Listening? follows Bea and Lou as they journey across Texas. There are some surreal elements, like the people who are tailing them and the semi-magical cat, but really this story is about piecing yourself back together. There is trauma in here, which is hard to read, but nothing graphic or on the page at all, just mentioned. I don't usually gravitate toward queer pain but this was made beautiful by two queer women holding each other up and helping to heal one another. I just absolutely love that. I love the idea of an older queer woman taking a younger queer girl under her wing and supporting her. We need more LGBT+ elders in our fiction, please! The friendship between these two women was cathartic for me to read about. I loved everything about their relationship.

I read an ARC copy of this, so only the first couple of pages were in color. I can't wait to get a finished copy so I can see the whole thing as it was intended, because the color pallette in the beginning was just gorgeous. I loved the art style as a whole though a few frames felt rushed and unfinished when it came to the details, particularly the character's faces.

I knocked the book down one star because I felt it could have been longer. I love the breezy pace of the graphic novel, but there were some loaded, heavy topics that could have used more pages to flesh out. Some of Lou's decisions in particular seemed rushed, and even though I know the book was mainly from Bea's point of view, I think more clarity about Lou's mindset could have helped.

All in all I really loved this and if you're ready to see more queer elders and wlw supporting each other, you need to pick this up! You'll fall easily for Diamond and the end will leave you in awe.

Seven Settings I'd Like to See More

 Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week we're talking about settings we want to see more often. I always feel like this topic is a self-call out lol. I'm so sure there are lots of settings like the ones I'm about to mention, it's just that I'm unaware of the books or I just haven't read widely enough. Anyway, let's just get to it.

1. Mountains. I read Even the Darkest Stars around the time it came out, and I loved how involved the setting was with the story. The main characters are making treacherous climbs through harsh terrain, and I hadn't really seen anything like that before. I also would love to see some small mountain towns. I live in the Smoky Mountains in a very small town and I think it'd be a great setting for a YA contemporary. 

2. New York City. Almost in complete contrast with the previous point, I want to see NYC more often. Lots of books set in cities are usually made up cities in UF books. But I want some contemproary YA there, or some magical realism/fabulism. I'd even take some futuristic sci-fi, or even break my dystopian ban for that genre set in NYC. 

3. Space. Somehow almost all the sci-fi I read is more set on Earth or even on some other planet instead of in space ships. I want more space traveling in my life. I'm aware there are plenty of these and when I see them, they catch my eye. But like Ariel, I want more.

4. Non-US contemporary. Particularly not even about American characters. I want characters who live in countries that aren't the US. Or characters with dual citizenships. 

5. Islands. I love islands of all kinds! Shipwreck survival islands, contemporary vacation islands, fantasy floating islands, claustrophobic thriller islands. Give me all the islands you've got. I know you heard me say "give me a lot of islands" but I really do mean to give me all the islands you've got.

6. High fantasy cities. I LOVE me some high fantasy cities! I can only really name one and it's not by an author I even like lol. I'm used to small villages or like, never even leaving the palace. I want high fantasy port cities and hubs of culture. I know there are authors out there with this in them, let it out.

7. Snowy wintry settings. Especially historical or fantasy, though I'm not opposed to avalanches or blizzards in my contemporary either. I just love the aesthetic, the potential for forced cuddling for body heat, and just the simple magic that comes with the first snow of the season.

Can you recommend any titles with these settings?

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Her Royal Highness (Royals #2) by Rachel Hawkins
Published May 7th, 2019 by Penguin
Genre: contemporary romance
Pages: 304
Source: Scribd
Goodreads
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Millie Quint is devastated when she discovers that her sort-of-best friend/sort-of-girlfriend has been kissing someone else. And because Millie cannot stand the thought of confronting her ex every day, she decides to apply for scholarships to boarding schools . . . the farther from Houston the better.

Millie can't believe her luck when she's accepted into one of the world's most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Everything about Scotland is different: the country is misty and green; the school is gorgeous, and the students think Americans are cute.

The only problem: Mille's roommate Flora is a total princess.

She's also an actual princess. Of Scotland.

At first, the girls can barely stand each other--Flora is both high-class and high-key--but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. Even though Princess Flora could be a new chapter in her love life, Millie knows the chances of happily ever afters are slim . . . after all, real life isn't a fairy tale . . . or is it?

This was soooo good. I had no idea I needed a contemporary lesbian princess in Scotland story until I read those words all in a sentece together for the first time. I knew I needed it immediately. And oh my goodness, the cover. I am so happy to say this delivered on all its promises!

HRH is the enemies to lovers, tropey, boarding school f/f delight that we all have been waiting for. It's just so much fun to see queer girls getting their chance at stories that are just happy. There are some sad or heavy moments in this book (particularly surrounding Flora's family who are obviously not the most accepting of her sexuality.) But for the most part, these girls are out, happy, enjoying themselves, and experiencing all the awesome romance tropes that straight couples have been getting for years.

I loved Millie and Flora's first interatcion, how the disdain was instant and deep.  Millie has no idea who Flora is, and immediately judges her as, well, a princess. And Flora sees Millie as a problem to get rid of. Watching them grow to like and trust one another was just so great. Particularly the "wee camping trip" and the stag and the river, all the silly shenanigans that brought them closer. I absolutely LOST IT during a couple romantic moments; we're talking stopping what I'm doing, gasping, holding my breath, and literally squealing. The big romantic gesture that Flora did? FORGET ABOUT IT.

My only real gripe with this book was that the Big Conflict around the end seemed manufactured and could have easily been solved with some communication. It wasn't necessarily a miscommunication plotline (thank god, those are the worst) but it didn't feel real or organic. It felt like Millie was making up excuses but with her characterization, it didn't make any sense. The problems the couple had were easily solved, in my opinion.

I listened to the audiobook and it definitely heightened the experience. Now, I'm not great with language or placing accents, so I don't actually know how accurate they were. But I really liked the narrator and her different voices for each character. I was afraid the many Scottish, English, and even Southern accents would be distracting or awful (they usually are) but this narrator was excellent. I easily fell into the story and got swept away with the romance and I do think the narrator had a lot to do with this.

I am loving the string of happy, fun queer romances that have been coming out this year. This was so much fun, the perfect f/f princess escapsim I needed when I read it. I also highly recommend the first book in this companion series, though this one was definitely better.

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi
Published on June 11th, 2019 by Feiwel & Friends
Genre: contemporary romance
Pages: 320
Source: LGBTQReads Patreon
Goodreads
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Sana Khan is a cheerleader and a straight A student. She's the classic (somewhat obnoxious) overachiever determined to win.

Rachel Recht is a wannabe director who's obsesssed with movies and ready to make her own masterpiece. As she's casting her senior film project, she knows she's found the perfect lead - Sana.

There's only one problem. Rachel hates Sana. Rachel was the first girl Sana ever asked out, but Rachel thought it was a cruel prank and has detested Sana ever since.

Told in alternative viewpoints and inspired by classic romantic comedies, this engaging and edgy YA novel follows two strongwilled young women falling for each other despite themselves.

I loved this! I absolutely flew threw it the day I got it. That hardly ever happens anymore but I actually sat down and read this cover to cover while only stopping a few times to pump or eat. I was immediately taken by Sana (though I had a harder time getting to like Rachel) and I couldn't put it down.

This is "inspired by" Gilmore Girls, a what-if kind of story about Rory and Paris. Now, if you haven't seen Gilmore Girls, you absolutely will not notice the GG references, and the story absolutely stands on its own. You do not need former GG knowledge at all. In fact, if you are as familiar with Gilmore Girls as I am, that may even be detrimental to your reading experience. There were moments I had to run over to my group chat and tell them "Wow! This is STRAIGHT out of an episode of GG." Even the dialogue felt similar in some ways, though definitely not the rapid fire banter of Rory and Lorelai. More like the dialogue between Sana and her father. It felt a lot like Rory and Christopher. Of course there were also the family dinners, the paid-for education, the private school, the "family disappointment" mother, the high expectations, and the tense relationship between the two leads. I think the author did a great job of incorporating all these elements while keeping her characters and story as their own thing, if that makes sense.

Like I said, I loved Sana from the drop. She tried to project this Perfect Girl image because of the high expectations set upon her by her family. This is a character type we see a lot of, but there were some things about her I found genuinely unique and relatable. Sana actually enjoyed a lot of the activities and classes she was "forced" to take on her path to becoming a doctor. Yes there was this huge expectation that she would grow up to be a doctor, but she liked it too. I feel like, very often, this kind of character just hates what they're doing, hates having to impress their family, but Sana loves her family, loves what she does--she just wants more freedom. I also related a lot to her relationship with cheerleading and athletics in general, in a way I never have before with athletic characters.

Rachel was a tougher nut to crack. Our first impression of her is not the best one; her opening scene involves being a total control freak and yelling at the younger students around her. She's been hurt really badly in the past by her mother abandoning her family, and that means she has really high, thick walls built up around her. I get that, but that doesn't mean I like a blatantly mean character all the time. She does eventually soften up a bit, and I did love her by the end. I enjoyed watching Sana niggle at the cracks in Rachel's veneer. There's something to be said about the softy/grump relationship type, that's for sure.

One thing this book had going for it that hardly any other books do: I laughed out loud, multiple times. Usually I can just acknowledge a funny moment and move on. At most you'll get a snort. But I was full on cracking up, a lot, while reading this book. It was so great and so much fun to read. I also loved the feminist messages in here; too often stuff like that can feel very heavy handed or over the top, like inserting a Tumblr post right into the book itself. But with Tell Me How You Really Feel the discussions of women in the workplace, particularly Hollywood, and how women are perceived because of their looks, felt organic and natural. I really loved how many powerful women existed in this little book, and all the different ways they were powerful and strong.

I do with the ending had been a little longer. It wrapped up pretty quickly. But then, I say this about all my romance reads. The couple get over the big conflict, and that's a wrap. I always want just a little bit more.

Anyway, if you're looking for a diverse, feminist, adorable, and funny F/F book, this is for you. It's shippy and tropey in ways F/F hasn't been allowed to be for the most part. Everything about the ship from the "meet cute" to the last kiss was excellent. I also think it would make THE BEST movie. Please @ Hollywood!

Ten Auto-Buy Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week we're talking about our auto-buy authors.

1. Leigh Bardugo. Even though the Grisha trilogy was not my favorite, I decided to give her a second chance with Six of Crows and I'm so glad I did. From now on, I want everything Leigh writes because she just seems to get better and better.

2. Holly Black (with the caveat that she's writing alone, not with Cassandra Clare.) I've been reading Holly Black since I was in middle school and Tithe came out. I've been obsessed since then. When the Folk of the Air books came out, well, you've never seen anyone as excited as I was. All her books in between have been right up my alley also. It's like Holly Black took a peak at my heart and wrote her books just for me.

3. Nova Ren Suma has been a favorite since she released Imaginary Girls. No one writes quite like she does, with her unique voice and even more unique worlds and plots. Her books are so unlike anything else I've ever read and as long as she's writing, I'm reading.

4. Kiersten White writes books that just speak to me. Between her female Vlad the Impaler, her Elizabeth Frankenstein, and now her Guinevere book coming this fall, she's retelling all the things in the new, darkly feminst ways we're all craving.

5. Amie Kaufman. Whether she's writing with Jay, with Meagan, or by herself, Amie's books speak to me. I don't know what it is, but her high concept science fiction books and her soft boy middle grade are wildly different but still hold the same Amie quality she brings to everything she writes.

6. Madeline Miller. After reading The Song of Achilles I knew that I would want to read anything and everything she would ever publish. Of course I still haven't read Circe, but I've got to be in the right head space to be crushed in that particularly Madeline Miller way.

7. Robin LaFevers. Lately she's been publishing His Fair Assassin and the new spin-off books, but even if she quits this series and this world, I know whatever she cooks up next will have a nice little spot on my shelves because HFA is so deeply important to me.

 

8. Caleb Roehrig. I haven't actually read any of his books but I have read all of his tweets and I love him. So yeah, I'm supporting him and buying all his books. It helps that they are definitely my jam and I know I'll love them. Plus the covers are my faves.

 

9. Ngozi Ukazu. I've only read Check Please, and I'm not exactly sure if she's written any other webcomics, but I will find out and read all of them, and then I'll read any new material she puts out. Check Please is THAT GOOD YALL.

 

10. Dahlia Adler. So Dahlia is a friend of mine, OF COURSE, I'm gonna buy her books. ALL of them. But her books are also awesome and feature the beeeest friend groups and the BEST love interest. If you haven't read her romance yet, I HIGHLY recommend reading Last Will and Testament. It's so beautiful and sweet and moving and sexy and funny. 

 

Do we share any of the same auto-buy authors?

The Greek Book Tag

I am obsessed with Greek! It's one of my favorite shows ever, with one of my favorite couples ever. Cappie and Casey 4eva! It's been gone from Netflix forever but finally showed up on Hulu recently and I am living! As I was binge watching season 1 the other day while working on the blog, I thought, I should totally make a Greek-inspired book tag. I had a lot of fun coming up with the questions and I hope you all have fun answering them!

Casey Cartwright

She tends toward sarcasm and witty comebacks and doesn't take crap from anyone. Tell me your favorite snarky heroine.

 For this, I'm going with Rose from Vampire Academy. She has a sarcastic comment for everything, even in the middle of a fight or on the brink of death. 

Cappie

I shipped them right from the beginning and they will always have a place in my little shipper heart. Tell me your favorite couple.

Fresh from reading Finale by Stephanie Garber, I have to say, Jacks and Tella still do it for me. All the love interests in that series are terrible, but he is my garbage prince and I love their chemistry. 

Evan

 Evan is the third side to this love-triangle, a trope I absolutely love. Tell me one of your favorite tropes.

Well, other than love triangles, I really enjoy the lost princess trope. Especially ones who are Back and ready to kick ass to reclaim their throne.

Ashleigh

Ashleigh and Casey are friendship goals. What book features your favorite friend group?

I LOVE the Rampion Crew from The Lunar Chronicles. Each and every one of those characters adds something to the group that would be sorely missing without them there. I love how they came together, I love their absolute faith in one another, and I love their banter. 

Rebecca

You start out hating Rebecca, and with good reason. But as the series goes on, your heart softens to this bad girl. Which fictional character do you think goes through the most character development? 

I think American Panda did an excellent job at this. At the beginning of the book Mei is shy and naive and very much under her parents' thumb. But as the story goes on, she comes out of her shell, learns things about her family she hadn't known before, and breaks out to make choices for herself. She chases her ambitions a bit and learns to put herself first sometimes. 

Rusty

Rusty is Casey's nerdy little brother, and a science major. Recommend a science fiction book.

I just read Wilder Girls and it was amazing. It's not space-focused science fiction. Instead it's more speculative and deals with a strange toxin that is changing the girls at a boarding school located on a mysterious island. They're growing scales and gills and extra spines. It's creepy and gross and gory and perfect.

Frannie

Frannie eventually breaks out on her own and starts her own sorority. What is your favorite spin-off?

I really had to think about this, as I don't read many spin-off series apparently. But it turns out, this is actually easy! Technically, Six of Crows totally counts and that's my answer. It's even better than the Grisha trilogy, in my (and everyone's) opinion and if you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?

Calvin

It was kind of a big deal at the time to have a black, gay main character on TV. What's the last book you read with an LGBT+ main character?

Well, right now I am listening to the audiobook of Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins and really enjoying it! I haven't gotten to the romance yet, but I really like the main character and the friendship dynamics. I also think it's a great depiction of a young bi girl navigating her first relationships.

Dale

Dale is definitely strong in his convictions, and holds onto that part of himself throughout the series, while softening in other regards. Who is your favorite religous character?

I absolutely love Tovah from You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone. I feel like there's a real dearth of faith and religion in YA contemporary, and Tovah is a character who embraces her beliefs and finds strength in her religion. I especially loved her devotion in juxtaposition to her sister's relationship with Judaism.

Beaver

 

 Beaver looks big and scary, but really, he's just a (very hot) teddy bear. Tell me about a character who looks tough on the outside but is actually a cinnamon roll.

Sybella is the first character that came time mind for this. I don't even know if she necessarily looks scary, but she gives off an air of Don't Fuck With Me. But on the inside she's hurting and very soft and wow does she ever LOVE her sisters. 

Jen K

No one suspected Jen K was behind the harsh article attacking the Greeks on campus. What book has the best plot twist? Be sure to avoid spoilers!

Hands down, the best thriller with a twist is Dangerous Girls. The best series game changers? Those belong to The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King. Also I have to say I was SHOOK about the "revelation" in Prince's Gambit.

Heath

The fact that Heath has a sister named Heather cracks. me. up. Who are your favorite fictional siblings?

 

Blanca and Roja from, you guessed it, Blanca and Roja. I love them. I feel like so often when sisters in YA are at odds with one another, it's 100% tocix. And if they're not that, then they're the Best Friends Who Ever Existed. The relationship between Blanca and Roja felt so much more realistic than those stereotypes, even though they were best friends and they were at odds with one another.

 

Teegan

 Teegan is here to get the ZBZ girls in line, and in doing so, fills an antagonistic roll to Casey. Who is your favorite antagonist?

 

I know I said The Lunar Chronicles already for an answer, but when thinking of true villains, with no grey areas at all, Levana is my fave. She's JUST bad. There's nothing to like in her at all. And that's what I like about her, if that makes sense. Meyer didn't try to humanize or sympathize with her. Levana is awful in every way, but she's also terrifying and powerful, too. A great villain with a believable motivation.

 

Max

Max dated Casey for a while, and he was the most likable boyfriend for me. (I liked him as much as I could like someone who wasn't Cappie.) Anyway, when they broke up, he left for Europe. What book do you love that features travel?

This has to go to The Girl With the Red Balloon. There is not only a trip to Berlin, but there is also a trip across time, when Ellie, the main character, grabs a balloon and is transported to 1988 East Berlin and has to get herself home. I love this book, the characters, and the relationships, as well as the magic system! Magic and science coming together always intrigues me.

Katherine

Katherine is far and away one of my favorite characters. She's just so fully herself. And one of her best qualities is her drive, her ambition. She's a total Slytherin. Who is one of your favorite Slytherin characters?

 

This goes to my bad bitch, Lada, from And I Darken. I mean, she's Lada the Impaler, so there's that. But she's ambitious and willing to do whatever it takes, even when the odds are against her, to get exactly what she wants. She pulls together an army from absolutely nothing, and if that's not resourcefulness then I don't know what is. She's everything.

 

Consider yourself tagged! Whether or not you've seen the show (which you should do ASAP) I hope you enjoyed this tag.

 

 
 

Finale by Stephanie Garber

Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber
Published May 7th, 2019 by Flatiron Books
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 478
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
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 A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time—only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

First of all, this review is going to contain spoilers not just for the first two books, but for Finale itself as well. It's impossible to untangle my thoughts and get my points across without spoilers. I'm sorry!

Caraval is always going to hold a special place in my heart. It was the book I was reading when I was in labor with Rosie. I reread it soon after and it was the first book I read after she was born. There's no way for me to look at that book and not remember where I was when I experienced it. I love having visceral memories of reading like these, and this one is particularly special to me.

Legendary was everything I wanted it to be and then some. It was perfection and I won't hear a negative word against it. Tella was bold and brash and exciting, and the love triangle was e v e r y t h i n g. It was like Stephanie had me in mind when she crafted it.

I wish I could give such glowing praise to Finale but I just can't. Unfortunately, this book just brought into focus the glaring flaws this trilogy has as a whole. It was obvious when reading this one that this story was never meant to be a trilogy and it's my sincere belief that it would have been much better as a carefully constructed duology. Alas.

I really, really liked the first half. It's action-packed and well-paced and very exciting. I loved being back in the world, especially with Tella. Jacks is the absolute love of my life so I had to actually pause what I was doing (working, oops) to really LISTEN when he made his first appearance. I love him dearly and have Thoughts about him that I'll share later. I liked where the story was headed. Overall, I really did enjoy the plot and the characters, but there was some strange and major disconnect between them that I couldn't reconcile. It genuinely felt like the characters were experiencing a whole different plot than the one I was reading. It was disconcerting and surreal at times.

Regarding the relationships, there really was just no good way for any of them to go. To get it out of the way early: Julian and Scarlett were great in Caraval, but the last two books were just meh to me. Julian is a compulsive liar for no good reason, and it's frustrating and unhealthy. But he looks like an absolute dream compared to Tella's two options.

On one hand, we have Dante, who I genuinely enjoyed in the first two books. I was even excited by his reveal as Legend. But in Finale, it was impossible to reconcile the two characters. Dante felt like a character that Legend played, like a mask he put on. Legen still felt like a mysterious figure that no one could really get close to. I couldn't really understand why Tella was so convinced she loved him; she didn't know him. She could be enamored by him and even care for him, but they didn't know one another. He also constantly lied and manipulated her, like all of the time. Jacks, my trash son, was no better, even if he and Tella are my OTP of this series. He was just as manipulative and slimy as Legend/Dante, but he at least had chemistry with Tella and his feelings always felt genuine. He didn't ever lie to her, he was always on her side, and yes he is terrible, but there's something to be said for knowing one's own nature and owning it. All of this is to say, plainly, that there wasn't a single decent love interest in this whole trilogy except for the poor count. (I do have to say major props to the author here for not just killing him to fix Scarlett's love triangle woes.)

The relationship between Tella and Scarlett has always felt kind of off to me, but it was, well, strange in this book. Just like everything else apparently. Scarlett was in mortal peril for basically the entire second half of the book and what was Tella up to? Running around making out with different boys. Worrying about her romantic future instead of the actual possibility that her sister, her friends, and everyone in the Meridian Empire could be DEAD soon. We YA readers like to joke that Now Is Not The Time For Kissing, but WOW can that really be said for this book. Too often the sisters were separated and the one who wasn't about to freaking die would be hooking up with her boyfriend. I know danger does things to our hormones, but damn girls.

Finally: the villain. My problem with this series as a whole is that things don't get introduced until the moment they appear on the page and we're all just supposed to roll with it. This can usually come off as whimsical and magical, but when it's the Big Bad? It doesn't work quite that well. The Fallen Star, the main villain, doesn't even really make himself to be the main villain until like halfway through. His whole thing is that love is his weakness, so he wants Scarlett, HIS DAUGHTER??, to control her powers of emotional manipulation and then use those powers to rid him of the capacity for love. So we're introduced to a few things all in one blow: 1) Scarlett's purple prose is actually a synesthesia thing that's also a magical ability because 2) one of the Fates, the Head Fate if you will, is her biological father. There was no real time given to this revelation, first of all, and second, it felt wildly out of place. Add all of this nonsense to the fact that Jacks is literally RIGHT THERE, with the exact ability the Fallen Star is torturing Scarlett to control, and it's all just ridiculous.

I know all of this talk sounds like a big old gripe about this book, but I did like it. I have overall positive feelings looking back on my reading experience. I like the magic system, the Deck of Destiny, the different Fates and Fated Places and Fated Objects. I really, really loved following Tella to the market and the library. I love Legend as a mystical, magical figure, and I love Jacks more than life itself. The scenes with Tella and Julian unraveling the Fates' schemes were creepy and cool. Stephanie Garber can write a kissing scene like you couldn't believe. The aesthetic, the clothes porn, the layer of gilt and glitter and glamour over the whole book is just decadent. I love so much of it, I really, really do. I wish I could say that Finale stole the show and was the perfect ending I was hoping for. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. But I can't wait to see what this author gives us next because I can see her growth throughout this series and she already has such a talent for creating my perfect kind of character.