Could Use Some World Building
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.