Thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars!
If you take Hogwarts, make it into a summer school, and add etiquette lessons and fancy dresses, you’ve got this book. And honestly, I didn’t love it. I feel like the writing could’ve been a bit more… polished? It just felt unfinished in some places. But, full disclosure, I read and uncorrected ARC. So some things will change before its publishing date.
I feel like conversations were stilted at times and didn’t really flow right. The romance feels like a mix of forced and insta-love (not my favorite).
There’s also a lot more focus on etiquette than magic, and a lack of character descriptions. We get bits and pieces, but not a full view of what anyone looks like.
But I think my biggest issue was that Quell leaves her mom and barley thinks about her again. Feels very unrealistic. If I was in her shoes, I’d be trying to get to my mom! I wouldn’t be worrying if I was sitting straight enough. But that what Quell does.
A lot of the book is her worrying about her magic and if she can get it to “behave”. It gets kind of boring. I personally would prefer stronger relationships and dialogue to go with them. I would like to see what happens next in the story and if a second book shows more of the magic side of things.
3.5 stars!
If you take Hogwarts, make it into a summer school, and add etiquette lessons and fancy dresses, you’ve got this book. And honestly, I didn’t love it. I feel like the writing could’ve been a bit more… polished? It just felt unfinished in some places. But, full disclosure, I read and uncorrected ARC. So some things will change before its publishing date.
I feel like conversations were stilted at times and didn’t really flow right. The romance feels like a mix of forced and insta-love (not my favorite).
There’s also a lot more focus on etiquette than magic, and a lack of character descriptions. We get bits and pieces, but not a full view of what anyone looks like.
But I think my biggest issue was that Quell leaves her mom and barley thinks about her again. Feels very unrealistic. If I was in her shoes, I’d be trying to get to my mom! I wouldn’t be worrying if I was sitting straight enough. But that what Quell does.
A lot of the book is her worrying about her magic and if she can get it to “behave”. It gets kind of boring. I personally would prefer stronger relationships and dialogue to go with them. I would like to see what happens next in the story and if a second book shows more of the magic side of things.