Beattz
Man. This book was a ride. I read it as part of a list challenge and only knew a little bit about the premise of the book. I still haven’t read the blurb, but if it gives anything away, it would have ruined the experience.
I fully considered quitting after the first third of the book. The MC is unbearable. The plot/premise of the story revolving around social media/the world of influencers is of zero interest to me. I honestly can’t tell you why I kept going, other than the completionist beast that lives inside me.
However- I’m glad I kept going. There were still definitely parts that made me grit my teeth but all of that was part of the story. The ending was absolutely appropriate and well played. I don’t want to give anything away, but if you’ve been considering checking this out from the library, go ahead and do it and then send me a message so we can chat about it.
Man. This book was a ride. I read it as part of a list challenge and only knew a little bit about the premise of the book. I still haven’t read the blurb, but if it gives anything away, it would have ruined the experience.
I fully considered quitting after the first third of the book. The MC is unbearable. The plot/premise of the story revolving around social media/the world of influencers is of zero interest to me. I honestly can’t tell you why I kept going, other than the completionist beast that lives inside me.
However- I’m glad I kept going. There were still definitely parts that made me grit my teeth but all of that was part of the story. The ending was absolutely appropriate and well played. I don’t want to give anything away, but if you’ve been considering checking this out from the library, go ahead and do it and then send me a message so we can chat about it.
This was a blast. I had a great time. Steven Pacey's narration was impeccable. It was funny, it had action, there were real consequences. Each character was unique, had deep backstories and growth throughout. It was neat how Abercrombie would shuffle the party around at different times to see how each would interact with and learn from the others. For a longer book, this never felt stale to me, which is important. No wasted words/time. Based on the ending, I'm not really sure what to expect from the sequel, but I know it's going to be great.
This was a blast. I had a great time. Steven Pacey's narration was impeccable. It was funny, it had action, there were real consequences. Each character was unique, had deep backstories and growth throughout. It was neat how Abercrombie would shuffle the party around at different times to see how each would interact with and learn from the others. For a longer book, this never felt stale to me, which is important. No wasted words/time. Based on the ending, I'm not really sure what to expect from the sequel, but I know it's going to be great.
This was exactly what I wanted in the moment, I'm so thankful my Libby hold came through when it did! All the vibes you get from the cover of this book are exactly what you find in it's pages. It's cozy, it's picturesque, it has fantastical creatures and hidden magics. The relationship that buds between the FMC and her neighbor is just the sweetest thing in the whole world, transparent with all the initial fumblings and struggles to be who you are unapologetically, but also learning to be accommodating and make room for someone else in your life, especially when it's wholly unexpected. Complete with sentient plant sidekick, this fantasy is a delight from start to finish.
This was exactly what I wanted in the moment, I'm so thankful my Libby hold came through when it did! All the vibes you get from the cover of this book are exactly what you find in it's pages. It's cozy, it's picturesque, it has fantastical creatures and hidden magics. The relationship that buds between the FMC and her neighbor is just the sweetest thing in the whole world, transparent with all the initial fumblings and struggles to be who you are unapologetically, but also learning to be accommodating and make room for someone else in your life, especially when it's wholly unexpected. Complete with sentient plant sidekick, this fantasy is a delight from start to finish.
October 2020
It was outstanding. Really. The first time since The Night Circus that I've had to force my self away from a book, to be able to savor the magic just a bit longer. The pendulum swung at just the right moment, every time. A supremely well crafted story, full of detail and whimsy. Go read it. Go appreciate it.
August 2025 Re-read
Turns out, I still love this book. All in all, not surprising. But I love it for different reasons this time around. The first time I read it 5 years ago I was completely wrapped up in the magic of the story - Of how the cursed worked and how Addie and Henry learned to move in the spaces left for them. This time, however, it was the characters that sunk their hooks into me so sharply. I'm not typically a “self-insert-er” when it comes to books/characters, but when I tell you that every interaction from Henry's POV left me gasping for air, trying not to choke on my tears, I am not exaggerating.
Last time I parceled out the story, savoring the beauty and the otherness it presented. This time, after getting to 50%, I strong armed myself to the end because I just needed the emotional torture to be over. I cried for like 90 pages straight. I had to put a cold compress on my face this morning before work so I wouldn't show up to the office looking like I'd had a terrible allergic reaction that caused my eyes to swell shut. Honestly, I can't wait to read it again in 5 years and see what it does to me then.
TL;DR: I am not a masochist and I love this book anyway.
October 2020
It was outstanding. Really. The first time since The Night Circus that I've had to force my self away from a book, to be able to savor the magic just a bit longer. The pendulum swung at just the right moment, every time. A supremely well crafted story, full of detail and whimsy. Go read it. Go appreciate it.
August 2025 Re-read
Turns out, I still love this book. All in all, not surprising. But I love it for different reasons this time around. The first time I read it 5 years ago I was completely wrapped up in the magic of the story - Of how the cursed worked and how Addie and Henry learned to move in the spaces left for them. This time, however, it was the characters that sunk their hooks into me so sharply. I'm not typically a “self-insert-er” when it comes to books/characters, but when I tell you that every interaction from Henry's POV left me gasping for air, trying not to choke on my tears, I am not exaggerating.
Last time I parceled out the story, savoring the beauty and the otherness it presented. This time, after getting to 50%, I strong armed myself to the end because I just needed the emotional torture to be over. I cried for like 90 pages straight. I had to put a cold compress on my face this morning before work so I wouldn't show up to the office looking like I'd had a terrible allergic reaction that caused my eyes to swell shut. Honestly, I can't wait to read it again in 5 years and see what it does to me then.
TL;DR: I am not a masochist and I love this book anyway.
They had us in the first half. Not gonna lie.
I was all aboard for a time travel adventure. This is super light when it comes to the “science” in the fiction. Time travel technology exists, secretly, of course, but we don't know how it works and even it's origins are vague. That's fine. I'm good as suspending belief. The premise seemed kind of half baked. Pull some not to be missed persons from the past and bring them to the future, acclimate them, then turn them into Ministry assets. Why they couldn't have just invested in current persons to train as assets, I have no idea. Well, other than that's not much of a story to read, I suppose. Each time traveler, of which there are six, is paired with a handler referred to as a “bridge”, and the story is told from the POV of one such Bridge, partnered with an Arctic explorer from 1847. We never learn the narrator's name, only that she's female, half Cambodian and daughter of a refugee immigrant, and wants nothing so much as to be a good cog in the machine.
The story progresses for the first half of the book as you think it should. You're introduced to all the players, get some back story on them, see the rumblings of what will become the conflict. All good and well. And then. And then they insert what feels like a very forced and awkward and unnecessary romance. And that becomes the focal point for the next 40%. Which is lame. Then the conflict comes to a head and it's all so very disappointing. It's over relatively quickly, with a sense of disbelief because, 1, that can't be all, 2, it might not even have worked, and 3, the apparent consequences that did exist might just come undone.
If the story had continued as it started, this could have been a great book.
They had us in the first half. Not gonna lie.
I was all aboard for a time travel adventure. This is super light when it comes to the “science” in the fiction. Time travel technology exists, secretly, of course, but we don't know how it works and even it's origins are vague. That's fine. I'm good as suspending belief. The premise seemed kind of half baked. Pull some not to be missed persons from the past and bring them to the future, acclimate them, then turn them into Ministry assets. Why they couldn't have just invested in current persons to train as assets, I have no idea. Well, other than that's not much of a story to read, I suppose. Each time traveler, of which there are six, is paired with a handler referred to as a “bridge”, and the story is told from the POV of one such Bridge, partnered with an Arctic explorer from 1847. We never learn the narrator's name, only that she's female, half Cambodian and daughter of a refugee immigrant, and wants nothing so much as to be a good cog in the machine.
The story progresses for the first half of the book as you think it should. You're introduced to all the players, get some back story on them, see the rumblings of what will become the conflict. All good and well. And then. And then they insert what feels like a very forced and awkward and unnecessary romance. And that becomes the focal point for the next 40%. Which is lame. Then the conflict comes to a head and it's all so very disappointing. It's over relatively quickly, with a sense of disbelief because, 1, that can't be all, 2, it might not even have worked, and 3, the apparent consequences that did exist might just come undone.
If the story had continued as it started, this could have been a great book.
This is shaping up to be one of my favorite series of all time. It's just fun. The writing is good, the characters are great. The story? HNM, you got me on this one. Like, that one thing, sure. I saw that coming. You tried to distract me, it worked for a second, but, yeah. Totally. But that other thing? THAT OTHER THING?? Ma'am. And the last thing, you better be prepared to explain yourself for that one.
Look, all I'm saying is that if I have to wait more than a year for the fourth and final book of this series, you may have to institutionalize me, because I am already foaming at the mouth. (Insert Adam Driver MOAR gif here.)
This is shaping up to be one of my favorite series of all time. It's just fun. The writing is good, the characters are great. The story? HNM, you got me on this one. Like, that one thing, sure. I saw that coming. You tried to distract me, it worked for a second, but, yeah. Totally. But that other thing? THAT OTHER THING?? Ma'am. And the last thing, you better be prepared to explain yourself for that one.
Look, all I'm saying is that if I have to wait more than a year for the fourth and final book of this series, you may have to institutionalize me, because I am already foaming at the mouth. (Insert Adam Driver MOAR gif here.)
Added to listBook Club/Buddy Readswith 55 books.
Ignoring the controversy around RPF/publishing what amounts to fanfic -
The storyline was pretty good - I’ve not read any other rock star romances, so I’m not sure how the two mc’s typically meet, but this was done in a believable manner. The characters themselves feel realistic and are written well, although I’m finding that the more romance I read, if the book is going to be in first person, I prefer dual POVs. Having only one POV when the narrator is plagued by whatever flaw they happen to have gets tedious for me after a couple hundred pages.
This book features a singer/songwriter, and so has lots of lyrics sprinkled throughout, as well as poetry. All of that was a miss for me. It was very much an attempt at emulation of a specific voice and it rang hollow - tons of flowery language and that’s not my cup of Barry’s.
All in all, a middling experience.
Ignoring the controversy around RPF/publishing what amounts to fanfic -
The storyline was pretty good - I’ve not read any other rock star romances, so I’m not sure how the two mc’s typically meet, but this was done in a believable manner. The characters themselves feel realistic and are written well, although I’m finding that the more romance I read, if the book is going to be in first person, I prefer dual POVs. Having only one POV when the narrator is plagued by whatever flaw they happen to have gets tedious for me after a couple hundred pages.
This book features a singer/songwriter, and so has lots of lyrics sprinkled throughout, as well as poetry. All of that was a miss for me. It was very much an attempt at emulation of a specific voice and it rang hollow - tons of flowery language and that’s not my cup of Barry’s.
All in all, a middling experience.
SPOILERS FOR REAL
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had some issues, but with this installment, I fully recognize that the series earned the Hugo Award it just won.
This book came out of the gate swinging. I was worried after the disappointment of book 2, but Rebecca knew what she needed to do, and got right down to business. The writing, as always, was spectacular. Our main characters so intense it was impossible to look away from them. The plot itself was a little shakier. A lot of time was spent in some places that didn't seem as necessary, and rushed in others that I would have liked to linger in. For example, we spent a whole lot of time at the the war college w the spearmaiden sovren who ended up being largely unimportant to the plot, other than giving Lord Balam a place to scheme outside of Tova/Cuecola. And, in my opinion, ofc, not nearly enough time with Serapio when he comes face to face with Pogweh, and learns that Balam is his father. That felt like it could have been a confrontation of the century. Something at least as emotional as what he had w Marcal. And yet, he just walks through the shadow gate.
My only other real complaint was the bit about the prophecy, and it showing up so late in the game. Typically that kind of thing would be used in the beginning, then we get to watch it unfold throughout. It was another example of feeling rushed, I guess. I do understand how/why it wasn't present earlier, but I guess I just wanted a smoother transition maybe? Felt a little clunky, especially when Serapio immediately starts to try and manipulate it assuming he knows what it means. Straight into action with barely any forethought, and that's just not part of the Serapio we've gotten to know, who's been very intentional with his actions up to that point.
That being said. I thought the ending nailed it. Xiala just doing Xiala things, kicking ass and not bothering to take names. Esa getting her comeuppance (although I wish that backstabbing captain had gotten his too, but alas). Coyote finally making their presence known, and for the most part, gods back in the heavens, where they belong. The epilogue did make things a little *too* neat, but, I wanted that so bad, I don't even care.
There's so much more I could get into, but I've said enough already. This series was a banger. Check it out.
SPOILERS FOR REAL
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had some issues, but with this installment, I fully recognize that the series earned the Hugo Award it just won.
This book came out of the gate swinging. I was worried after the disappointment of book 2, but Rebecca knew what she needed to do, and got right down to business. The writing, as always, was spectacular. Our main characters so intense it was impossible to look away from them. The plot itself was a little shakier. A lot of time was spent in some places that didn't seem as necessary, and rushed in others that I would have liked to linger in. For example, we spent a whole lot of time at the the war college w the spearmaiden sovren who ended up being largely unimportant to the plot, other than giving Lord Balam a place to scheme outside of Tova/Cuecola. And, in my opinion, ofc, not nearly enough time with Serapio when he comes face to face with Pogweh, and learns that Balam is his father. That felt like it could have been a confrontation of the century. Something at least as emotional as what he had w Marcal. And yet, he just walks through the shadow gate.
My only other real complaint was the bit about the prophecy, and it showing up so late in the game. Typically that kind of thing would be used in the beginning, then we get to watch it unfold throughout. It was another example of feeling rushed, I guess. I do understand how/why it wasn't present earlier, but I guess I just wanted a smoother transition maybe? Felt a little clunky, especially when Serapio immediately starts to try and manipulate it assuming he knows what it means. Straight into action with barely any forethought, and that's just not part of the Serapio we've gotten to know, who's been very intentional with his actions up to that point.
That being said. I thought the ending nailed it. Xiala just doing Xiala things, kicking ass and not bothering to take names. Esa getting her comeuppance (although I wish that backstabbing captain had gotten his too, but alas). Coyote finally making their presence known, and for the most part, gods back in the heavens, where they belong. The epilogue did make things a little *too* neat, but, I wanted that so bad, I don't even care.
There's so much more I could get into, but I've said enough already. This series was a banger. Check it out.
This read kind of like a crazy Arthurian fever dream. Grossman seems to have a penchant for writing MMCs that you want to throttle regularly. (Quentin will forever be my fav character that I love to loathe.) I think my experience was hampered by the audio- the VA’s female voices were either indistinguishable, or, I swear, he actually just plugged his nose for one of them.
This read kind of like a crazy Arthurian fever dream. Grossman seems to have a penchant for writing MMCs that you want to throttle regularly. (Quentin will forever be my fav character that I love to loathe.) I think my experience was hampered by the audio- the VA’s female voices were either indistinguishable, or, I swear, he actually just plugged his nose for one of them.
