sarah2438's reviews
1046 reviews

I feel bad about this DNF 😬 obviously it's nothing to do with the quality of the book but I think think this may be more useful for someone unfamiliar with these topics, someone who is in need of more education to better be able to empathize and be motivated to take action locally. I don't think this is really aimed at those who have been working in this field.

This one was a bit of a flop for me. I don't think the serious subject matter was properly given the weight or deserves, and there was no thought of the complexity of that issue. Beyond that, the love interests reminded me of Jess Day and Genzlinger from New Girl, except lacking complexity. It's still entertaining and not bad, but I'm glad to see that Center's writing has improved. I'm having second thoughts about buying up her backlist...

Just stunning.

I'm so sorry but I forgot I read this as soon as I finished it. I was finishing up the audiobook as I sat down with dinner and TV and the book totally escaped my mind as soon as I started my episode of Love is Blind. This is much more of a character study than I was expecting and reminded me a bit of "Little Fires Everywhere," which I also did not like. And I think part of that is that I'm just not a fan of character studies, and part of it just makes me think I'm not the intended audience. This is very much a domestic thriller vibe and it also has a lot to say about motherhood and marriage. (Goes without saying, that is not where I am on my journey...) In the end, I think I'm just not the target audience. I probably should've DNF'd because I know myself but I wanted to give it a shot.

Can't think of a single thing that was missing for me. The characters were complex and flawed. No one made any incomprehensible decisions- they were all in tough spots and did their best in a very relatable, human way. I liked Emma and I understood why she was so torn, even though I had my favorite from the start. Also, I just couldn't stop reading. I sat down on the couch and aside from one bathroom break, I read this one straight through. (This has been such a great long weekend for reading and we're not even halfway through!)

I'm on page 172 of 434 and yet I STILL feel like we're in the exposition.  We're spending a good 50 pages or so per character in the same cycle- minding their business, realizing what's going on, rinse, repeat. Nothing of substance has actually happened yet. Additionally, I think this book may be in some ways too niche. Each character is supposed to embody the characteristics of their borough. For those who are from a more rural area and/or are less familiar with the NYC area, I think a lot of the nuance of the characters is lost on me, making this extended exposition feel extra long-winded. I could push through and have a fine time, but I don't want to read fine books. I think I'm just not the right audience for this one.

I devoured this in all possible forms, given that I received an e-ARC, had my pre-ordered hardcover, and listened to it on Spotify. Because come on, we all knew I'd love this. Full transparency, I haven't even read the description since I first saw it, so I basically went in blind because I just trust S. T. Gibson implicitly after Dowry of Blood. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it, but today's vibe just didn't fit with reading on my kindle. Regardless of the format, this book consumed me.
There are a couple of moments early in the novel where the dark academia is so overdone that it becomes almost comical, like when a character recites Paradise Lost to calm herself, but I found that Gibson quickly hit her stride and left that awkwardness in the dust. The writing is beautiful and even poetic at times. The relationship between Carmilla and Laura was somehow genuinely sweet and romantic despite all the darkness. And honestly, I'd like to have a story all about De Lafontaine, even though I did expect her to be maybe a bit older given the depth of loss that she felt, or for that loss to have been from longer ago than it was. Finally, the ultimate confrontation at the end was a bit underwhelming for me.

It seemed pretty clear all of our MCs were in on it, so I didn't feel any tension there or ever believe De Lafontaine was actually making that sacrifice.

While there are some general shared themes between this novel and the original Carmilla, I would not consider this a retelling, but I don't think it's the author or publisher marketing it as one. 
Also, not that this is relevant at all to the e-ARC, but why is the font in this hard copy HUGE? I had to double-check that I hadn't accidentally ordered the large-print edition.
All this to say, while I absolutely adored this book, I was unfortunately able to see a few flaws. They're nothing that would deter me from recommending it or loving it, but I just can't quite get myself to do 5 stars. This is a 4.5 or, for those platforms that don't have half stars, a very very strong 4/5.

**Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Exactly mid but served its purpose as a palate cleanser after some heavy reads. I wish there was more buildup between the leads; I didn't feel the chemistry.

I have mixed thoughts on this one because while I loved the writing, I thought the author just lost the plot. I see what they were going for with the twists at the end, but it made it feel like so much of the buildup was for nothing. And I think there was also a huge gap in Vera's characterization between her childhood and where she is now, making it feel like she just hasn't changed at all and has just stalled, but I suppose that was probably the intent.