aurelia reads

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Hi!! My name is Aurelia, I'm 18 and from Melbourne, Australia.

This account is mostly my reading journal :)

My current read(s): The Jasad Heir by Sarah Hashem My current watch: The Mandalorian

My recent reads have included the This Woven Kingdom series by Tahereh Mafi and the Once Upon a Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber. Find my expanded masterlist/booktracker here!

Just a warning before you venture through my page (assuming you haven’t already and figured this out yourself) my reviews are less review and more long winded rant about my experience reading the book, but I will try to always leave a tldr down the bottom.

Also my posts usually won't contain spoilers, but if they ever do there will be a warning!

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

For anyone that is interested, my interests other than reading include: • Dungeons and Dragons, my 18th birthday was D&D themed! I also am currently watching the second Critical role campaign! • Game of Thrones (and all things dragons). I adored House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (If you can't tell from my bio). • Formula 1/Motogp (OP81/MM93) are both interests of mine but honestly I'm out of the loop with the current seasons I won't lie. • Video games (Baldurs Gate 3 and Valorant are two current faves). • I'm a bit of a superhero nerd so anything DC or Marvel I love, I have a small comic collection and have been keeping up with the newest Batman run by Matt Fraction and am loving it. I also loved Supergirl (the movie) Woman of Tomorrow is my favourite comic so I was super excited for the film and I really enjoyed it (don't listen to the misogynistic haters the movie is great). • I also am a big Star Wars fan! I loved Star Wars as a kid and have recently gotten back into the universe! (Hot take the sequels are my favourites and reylo is extremely serious to me).

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

P.S: My asks are always open!!

Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (4.75/5)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

I genuinely don’t know how I’m going to make it to the release of the next book. WDYM APRIL 2027 TAHEREH.

I hardly have words for how much I loved this book, Every Spiral of Fate is by far my favourite of the series. It feels almost ridiculous to say it but I was genuinely moved by this book, I love reading and spend so much time completely immersed in fantasy worlds and enamoured with characters but its rare that I get chills when reading, however there were moments in ESOF that, again, genuinely moved me.

I think I’ve probably said this in every review of the TWK series so far but the writing is incredible and so beautiful. I found that this book jumped a little more than I would’ve liked, there were many times that a scene would simply end sooner than I wanted and it would suddenly be a new chapter and the next day. Even so, this doesn’t detract from the plot progression at all I don’t think, its more of a personal preference.

I feel like this is so short but I really don’t have anything to say other than I truly loved this book, the woven kingdom series has become one of my favourites and I’m so invested in Cyrus and Nara now. I can’t wait for the fifth book, I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself in the meantime.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

TLDR

This series is incredible, if you needed a sign to read it PLEASE take this as that sign.

P.S. I might come back to this review later with more to say once I’ve fully digested the story, but I wanted to post this before I started anything new xx

Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

I loved this, it did feel somewhat like a filler book, especially since it was probably the slowest paced out of the last 3 in the series, with I’d say the least plot progression (although my memory is struggling while writing this so I can’t be certain), however I really don’t mind the pacing of this series. I know some people take huge issue with how slow moving TWK feels but I actually enjoy it most of the time I feel like it allows for so much more description and imagery which I loveee in books. Although it can feel a little dragged out at times, for example, Cyrus’s dream got a whole chapter to itself.

Kamran is pissing me off and I’m almost can’t believe that I genuinely really liked him in the first book, he was alright in the second book but I hated having to read his chapters and I’m soooo glad he was phased out of All This Twisted Glory with like no chapters toward the end because I can’t bring myself to gaf about his POV.

Cyrus was great in this and I’m really enjoying and interested in where Tahereh is taking his story, but I am dyinggg to know the details of his deal with Iblees and am praying we get some sort of inkling in Every Spiral Of Fate (Book 4) because I don’t want to wait for TWK #5 to find out what is up with Cyrus and Iblees AND why Cyrus killed his dad, im realising writing this I have so many questions omg.

Anyway, fantastic as usual thank you very much Tahereh Mafi. I will be back hopefully soon after finishing Every Spiral Of Fate, which I may have already started before posting this.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

TLDR

This series has genuinely been incredible so far and I would really recommend it to anyone who enjoys slower paced romantasy.

Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (4.25/5)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Forget anything I’ve ever said about Kamran immediately, I formally retract any statement I’ve made placing Kamran superior to Cyrus. I am also on my knees praying for a Cyrus POV in the next book because omg?!?! are you kidding????

This book is yet another reminder of why I love Tahereh Mafi, and her thing for writing truly miserable “wretched” men, as much as I do. I also am loving her writing style for the This Woven Kingdom series, its so different to Shatter Me (at least what I can remember of the Shatter Me series because its now been years since I read it) but I am ever happier for the change, the writing is so beautiful in these books. Preferences for writing styles are obviously personal and completely subjective but Tahereh’s writing is definitely in my goldilocks zone, as in its just right.

This is so short but honestly I don’t have much else to say, I loved These Infinite Threads just as much as This Woven Kingdom, if not a little more. I was slow to read it but truthfully I think I was just in a mini reading slump. Anyway, read this series pleaseee its so good!!!

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (4.25/5)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

I’ve finally finished reading something again!

This Woven Kingdom took me like 2 weeks to read because university kept getting in the way, but I’m finally on break and have had the time to finish the last half on TWK, and let me say I am almost mad I didn’t read this earlier.

I figured I would like it since 15 year old me would’ve promised Tahereh Mafi my first born child in thanks for writing the Shatter Me series, and I was absolutely right, I loved this book so much.

I approached this series knowing already about Cyrus, having seen fanart and posts about him and Alizeh, and I’m still obsessed with Kamran. It actually reminds me somewhat of Jacks when I was reading the Caraval and OUABH series, I spent a very long time curious as to how Stephanie Garber was going to turn Jacks into the love interest people described him as online and I spent this book, and will probably spend at least some of the next books wondering how Tahereh Mafi is going to spin Alizeh away from Kamran and towards Cyrus.

I also really enjoyed the different writing style, this book was written so differently to Shatter Me that I was almost shocked reading the first few pages, I thought the writing was beautiful and also didn’t struggle at all with mental imagery, I’m not sure if its a coincidence but all the Tahereh Mafi books I’ve read have inspired my imagination so well that even years later I can still remember the way I imagined Shatter Me in my head.

Anyway I’m off to read These Infinite Threads because I refuse to be left on a cliff hanger for more than the 30 minutes I took to write this.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

TLDR:

This book was fantastic, the writing was lovely and super engaging, and idk how I’m going to be swung from team Kamran to team Cyrus (although I’m confident I will be).

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

The first university semester of the year is coming to a close, winter break is fast approaching, and with it my chance to read more than I have in months.

My (temporary) freedom is only a week and one research essay away so, as the truly unemployed individual I am, I’m making this list to share what I have planned to read over my winter break!

I do have to say i’m appreciating Australian universities closing over the June-July period because it means I don’t have to slog across campus in the cold and the rain. And thankfully, I’m yet to make my transition from the arts faculty into the science degree I plan to move into, so I don’t have exams! Huzzah!

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Anyway, here is my current winter TBR list (not my entire existing TBR, just what I plan to read over winter!):

• This Woven Kingdom (Tahereh Mafi) • These Infinite Threads (Tahereh Mafi) • All This Twisted Glory (Tahereh Mafi) • Every Spiral of Fate (Tahereh Mafi) • An Enchantment of Ravens (Margaret Rogerson) • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Heather Fawcett) • Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Heather Fawcett) • Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (Heather Fawcett) • The Sun and the Starmaker (Rachel Griffin)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

PS: I just ordered an Enchantment of Ravens because it was recommended by one of my favourite book influencers thejayceelane, if you like fun book recommendation content I highly suggest checking her Insta or TikTok out!!

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

I loved these books, they feel like stepping into a fairytale (a cursed fairytale at times but a fairytale nonetheless).

I originally wanted to review these books individually after I finished them, but I was so enthralled by the story that I couldn’t put the books down for long enough to write the actual reviews. And I honestly think thats telling enough for you to know how much I loved these books, I don’t even need to write the rest of the review.

This series was such a rollercoaster ride so I figured I would rate each book individually as well as rate the series as a whole, however its difficult to review a book individually after reading the whole series so I’ve just copy pasted what I managed to write before starting the next book.

!! (really)mild spoilers!!

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Once Upon a Broken Heart

Individual rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

After being one of my highly anticipated reads of this year, OUABH did not disappoint me.

This book picks up directly from the week of terror which is mentioned in Finale so reading this right after finishing Finale was great as it leads right on but still manages to establish its own story.

I loved this so much, I read this book in two sittings over two days, I only really took a break to sleep.

Once Upon a Broken Heart ranks higher than any of the Caraval books for me immediately and I’m so excited to read the rest of the series (I’m writing this with The Ballad of Never After sitting next to me)

Also I’m kinda onboard with Jacks regarding Luc because wdym “sexy scars”, that’s cringe as hell.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

A Ballad of Never After

Individual rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

Genuinely what the fuck.

That book may have changed my life Stephanie Garber we need to talk.

That is by far the favourite book I’ve read all year.

I don’t know if it’s related but i’m having heart aches after finishing it.

God that book just got more and more heart wrenching as it went.

This better end happily for Eva and Jacks in A Curse for True Love or i’m suing Stephanie Garber and seeking compensatory damages for emotional pain and suffering.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

A Curse for True Love

Individual rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

You know when you finish a book or a series and genuinely don’t know what to do with yourself, or what to say? Yeah, thats me right now. The whole OUABH series was insane but a curse for true love might have changed my life.

Evajacks broke me I can’t even lie.

This book is battling with A Ballad of Never After for one of my favourite books of the year.

I’m nearly speechless, I don’t even have the words to fully describe how reading that book felt.

I’m so glad it was a happy ending though, the last 30 pages had me so stressed.

The memory loss felt like it was resolved quicker than it should’ve been but it doesn’t detract hugely and the scenes at the Inn were still heart breaking.

This book was gut wrenching but at the same time was so magical, all the books were. I don’t think I’m ever going to get over this series.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

The series overall

Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

This is my favourite series I’ve read in a while. Going in I knew that it would be different from Caraval and that I would probably like Evangeline but I fell so inlove with this story and its characters.

I absolutely love a fairytale, I always have, and these books reminded me of that. They all felt so magical that I could barely put them down. Every aspect made me feel like I had been swept away into a world where princesses and magic was real.

I also love Evangeline, having read the OUABH series and the Caraval series, I definately feel like there is a character for everyone. Some people will love Tella, some will love Scarlett or Julian, some Legend or Jacks. And while I love all of those characters, I relate to Evangeline on a deeper level, as a fellow hopeless romantic with a love of fairytales and a flare for feminine dresses Evangeline made me feel seen. At no point was I annoyed by her, or questioning why she made a certain choice, there were moments when she would do something and I would make suggestions as to what she should be doing (out loud to myself, alone in my room, of course) only to turn the page and find that she was doing exactly that. I think out of the Stephanie Garber characters I’ve read, Evangeline is the most loveable and deserving of them all.

I will say I do think it was worth reading Caraval before the OUABH series, Jacks has so much more depth when you read both, and god Stephanie Garber does a magnificent job of his character arc. When I finished Finale I truly doubted that he would ever become an understandable love interest but by the end of A Curse for True Love he was the only blonde man I could ever put up with. He becomes such a great character by the end, I love him!

God this series was great, please read it, even if you can’t be bothered to read Caraval this is so worth your time!

Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (3.75)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

When I say I didn’t even have to read a word of the book and it was already my favourite in the series I’m not lying, because why the hell did I open to the title page of my copy of Finale (that is second hand mind you, like I bought my copy for literally only 12 dollars) to find none other than Stephanie Garber’s signature. Like, hello? How the hell have I ended up with a signed copy of Finale?

Anyway, the book being signed aside, I really loved it. I can confidently say this story is my favourite out of the trilogy. I was super hooked on finding out what happened to each of the characters and how their relationships played out, I accidentally spoiled it for myself with fanart (hot tip: DON’T look up Caraval fanart if you don’t want spoilers) but the story and writing itself was engaging enough that I was still grabbed.

Stephanie Garber has continued to be able to trip me up with her plot twists, just like in Caraval, every time I thought I had a twist figured out I would be wrong. This is something I enjoy, I think the unpredictability of the twists help the story to maintain some of the mystique and unique magical feel the first book had, especially because Legendary and Finale are not based “within” a Caraval so that whole magical circus vibe isn’t there, it almost feels slightly fairytale?

Again, like the first two books, the book picked up in the second half and toward the end. However, I was more engaged at the start of Finale than I was with Caraval and Legendary, but I think this is mostly because Legendary leaves you on the edge of your seat a little. Now trust me when I say you don’t sit back fully until the last page of Finale. The story maintains the characteristic of always changing, it can feel like a little much at times but I don’t think it got too out of hand.

Scarlett and Tella are really enjoyable in this book and I appreciate that Scarlett feels like she matured over the course of the books, this does remind me though of the one thing that really bothers me with these books but especially Legendary and Finale. It’s that Scarlett and Tella do not AT ALL feel like teenagers, when Legendary ended and we’re reminded that Tella is yet to be 17 it feels like a slap in the face or something because she does not feel like a teen at all, I’m not sure how it reads to an actual adult but as someone the same age as Scarlett (18), Tella especially feels completely out of character and both Julian and Legend feel like adult men (makes sense since they are ageless) but I think the whole dynamic makes Tella and Scarlett seem like they should be much older. But honestly I wouldn't let it put you off, it doesn’t truly retract from the books much as age is only mentioned once or twice, I just found myself having to imagine them as older while reading.

But apart from the age issue these books are so much fun! I really enjoyed them, enough that I plan on buying Spectacular (the novella that comes after Finale) even though I didn’t originally intend to.

ALSO! How the hell is Jacks going to redeem himself in OUABH, because I fully intend on reading that series and I really want to like him and his story with Evangeline but how the hell is Stephanie going to spin it so that he seems like a decent love interest?

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

TLDR

Finale is by far my favourite of the trilogy. Legendary and Finale both lose that mystical mysterious circus feel but it doesn’t detract from the story I don’t think. The characters, their dynamics, and their stories peak in this book as well. Genuinely an enjoyable read!! Thank you Stephanie Garber!! (≧◡≦)

Overall rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Okay this review is going to be short and sweet because instead of writing this my review after I finished Legendary I read Finale (the last book in the series, and the book after Legendary, if you are unfamiliar).

I had a similar experience reading Legendary as I did reading Caraval. The ending was probably the best part of the book, the first half proved slow to grab me while the book definitely picked up in the second half and closer to the end.

I will say this book made me wonder how the hell Jacks is going to redeem himself in OUABH because I know people love him. Speaking of love, I loved Dante so much and was majorly rooting for him and Tella, their story is my sole motivation for reading Finale asap.

I ended up enjoying this book just as much as Caraval overall, although Legendary (and Finale) don't have the same mystical circus energy and feel less unique in that way. The story was still really engaging, especially in the end, i think an element of this is the pressure Tella’s necessary choice provides. The stakes managed to feel higher than in Caraval even though it was life or death in Caraval as well. Legendary also made me like Tella a lot more, she didn’t annoy me as much as Scarlett did in Caraval.

I’m also writing most of this post reading Finale so trying to remember my thoughts prior to finishing the series is difficult, however I will say that this is definitely a really enjoyable book, I enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed Caraval! I may come back with more opinions later and edit this post but for now you guys are going to have to put up with this lackluster review, sorry ┐('～` )┌.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

TLDR

This book is heaps of fun and keeps up with Caraval well! Donatella's character is explored much further which makes her more likeable and her story is easy to become invested in. Definitely worth the read.

Overall rating: ★★★★☆

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Ali Hazelwood I fucking love you.

I devoured this book cover to cover, as in I read all nearly 200 pages without so much as getting up for water.

This book was so good, when I bought it I thought it was just going to be a happy little novella that I could read in one afternoon. I was wrong, like I knew I was going to enjoy it because I really enjoyed the Love hypothesis but holy moly, Ali Hazelwood I promise I will never underestimate you again.

Also another note for Ali Hazelwood, I would give you my first born for more Jesse Andrews. Maybe I just have a thing for gamer nerds but he's so incredible and the bonus chapter (It came included with my physical copy, so if you’re curious I’m not sure which versions include the bonus chapter) was just the chocolate sprinkles on top of the whole story and Jesse’s character. I love him so much, its kind of bad the amount of giggling and kicking of feet I was doing reading his chapter.

This book is genuinely so enjoyable, its the perfect little package to read in an afternoon, or a day, or however long it takes you to read almost 200 pages.

I will say that the blurb markets the book as enemies to lovers and I wouldn’t describe it that way - more than anything its miscommunication, which makes sense of course, actual enemies to lovers would be a lot to unpack in under 200 pages. But the short span does not take away from the quality of the story, it’s definitely predictable at times but it never came close to falling short of my expectations, I bought Two can play expecting a comfy cliche winter romance and it served me that plus an insanely hot nerd mentioning D&D and Baldurs Gate 3 in an internal monologue, like what is not to love??? And Viola isn’t boring or infuriating, she is your classic skinny petite brunette fmc and she definitely makes a choice or two that made me sit up and say “what the hell are you doing” out loud, she can also feel a bit like a self insert but that certainly didn’t take away from my enjoyment whatsoever.

Also, I think Ali Hazelwood has a thing for the word furtive.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

TLDR

Anyway TLDR is read this please you all need Jesse Andrews in your life.

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

❀ Currently reading: • An Enchantment of Ravens (Margaret Rogerson)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

❀ Recently read (+link to my review!): • Every Spiral of Fate (Tahereh Mafi) • All This Twisted Glory (Tahereh Mafi) • These Infinite Threads (Tahereh Mafi) • This Woven Kingdom (Tahereh Mafi)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

(side note: if you notice some series on my TBR include all the released books/completed series, and some series are only one or two of the books, it’s because I keep a strict rule that the only books that go on my TBR are ones I own!)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

❀ Full TBR (To be read): • Love on The Brain (Ali Hazelwood) • The Martian (Andy Weir) • The Bridge Kingdom (Danielle L. Jensen) • The Traitor Queen (Danielle L. Jensen) • The Inadequate Heir (Danielle L. Jensen) • The Endless War (Danielle L. Jensen) • The Twisted Throne (Danielle L. Jensen) • The Stolen Heir (Holly Black) • The Prisoner's Throne (Holly Black) • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Heather Fawcett) • Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Heather Fawcett) • Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (Heather Fawcett) • This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Ilona Andrews) • Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) • Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo) • Crooked Kingdom (Leigh Bardugo) • Shadow and Bone (Leigh Bardugo) • Siege and Storm (Leigh Bardugo) • Ruin and Rising (Leigh Bardugo) • Warcross (Marie Lu) • One Dark Window (Rachel Gillig) • Two Twisted Crowns (Rachel Gillig) • The Knight and The Moth (Rachel Gillig) • The Sun and The Starmaker (Rachel Griffin) • Assassin's apprentice (Robin Hobb) • Fireborne (Rosaria Munda) • The Jasad Heir (Sarah Hashem) • Spectacular (Stephanie Garber) • Find Me (Tahereh Mafi) • Watch Me (Tahereh Mafi) • Release Me (Tahereh Mafi)

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

Books (and series) I've read and enjoyed: • This Woven Kingdom (Tahereh Mafi) • Once Upon a Broken Heart series (Stephanie Garber) • Project Hail Mary (Andy Weir) • The Caraval series (Stephanie Garber) • China Rich Girlfriend (Kevin Kwan) • The Cruel Prince (Holly Black) trilogy • The Shatter Me series (Tahereh Mafi) • Two Can play (Ali Hazelwood) • The Love Hypothesis (Ali Hazelwood)

Overall rating: ★★★☆☆

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

!!No Spoilers!!

I really enjoyed Caraval, enough so that I drove all the way to Chadstone and bought the second in the series even when I had to pay more at a proper bookstore instead of buying it at Kmart or Big W like the broke reader I am, because for some reason Kmart stocks Caraval but not the rest of the series.

However, the first 1/4 of this book had me bored, I can't lie. I picked up the book because people (by people I mean one or two posters on reddit) had suggested it would be a good idea to read the Caraval series before reading Once Upon A Broken Heart (I'll share my opinion once I finish both trilogies). I had seen so many people rave about Caraval so I figured it would be worth my time, and while that turned out to be completely true, for the first 80 pages or so I was unconvinced. But, I had faith it would pick up, and pick up it certainly did. It took me a few days of reading 10 pages here, 10 pages there, to hit the 100 page mark, but once I got there I was fully immersed in the book. So much so I completely ignored my university assignments and read 300 pages in one sitting, which for someone coming out of a reading slump was quite an accomplishment.

One thing I think Stephanie Garber did incredibly well was keeping the story unpredictable. There were moments that I swore up and down I knew exactly what was going to happen (see: my close friends Instagram story) and I'll admit now, I was wrong. Every. Single. Time. Maybe I'm simply not as astute as I believe but one of the major strengths of Caraval is that it is constantly keeping its readers guessing and the story is always being flipped on its head, from the start all the way till the last page. While this can sometimes make for a confusing read I think the unpredictability lends itself to the immersion of the book. The book itself is unpredictable, the same way no one can predict the magical game of Caraval.

In terms of characters, I didn't fall in love with Tella, but I also couldn't grasp whether we were supposed to care about her? I know the next book (Legendary) is focused on her more, so maybe I'll come around. I enjoyed Julian, mostly because of his story arc. I'm not going to name him worlds best mmc but I found him to be a fun read. Now I've seen people complain Scarlett is naive and that makes the book intolerable but honestly I had no issue overlooking it. I understand that naivety can be frustrating especially as a reader but I don't feel that it is overly out of line for her character to be acting the way she does. Generally, I didn't have an issue with Scarletts personality although she does lack in depth (similarly to Tella), she was interesting enough to hold me and I definitely had no issue rooting for her.

Yet, with all my love for the book, as a high fantasy fan with hyperphantasia, the world building wasn't anywhere near enough for me. Majority of my love for books comes from the fact that I can see everything vividly in my minds eye, so the fact I often had to make up what things looked like, or it took me multiple pages to create a full image in my head was definitely disappointing. I can imagine for people who struggle to visualise what they are reading it might not be as enjoyable, but thats all up to personal preference.

The book was really good, obviously, I'm not judging how good it was on Stephanie Garber's writing ability, or the character development. I'm judging it the same way I judge all the books I read, whether I enjoyed it, and I certainly enjoyed Caraval!

༻ ❀ • ❀ • ❀ ༺

TLDR

Slow start, picks up around 80-100 pages in. The last few chapters are super engaging. The story is unpredictable, which makes for really fun and shocking plot twists (and there are quite a few). Characters are interesting, Tella doesn't spark much emotion from me but I had no issue rooting for Scarlett. Definitely worth the read and I will be reading the rest of the series.