cedence's reviews
109 reviews

Paused.
I liked some of it but it's also kinda boring. I don't want this to remind me of book twitter. 

The unlikeableness of the main character is clearly intentional since this is satire. But I need more, something out of the ordinary or some more emotional stakes that feels like what happens actually matter to the main character where we aren't only told they do (or don't). It lacks feeling for me and I prefer more of that in the books I read. 

I am still interested in finishing the book. It still got something about it that makes me want to turn the page. However, I have other books waiting that I will read beforehand. 

Don't have enough space on my phone for the bookbites download so will have to continue later. 

This is my favorite book about writing stories so far!
The previous ones I've read have focused on plot structure, but this one is filled with information about how to write the story via the lense of the characters. Aka, adding the "why it matters" to the "what" is happening", and how to build a plot that makes sense from the background of your character(s) and cause-and-effect. 

It helps you take a vague idea into concrete specifics that is tailored to your story.
How to use scene cards to outline all the plots in your story.
Filled with "assigments" after each part of the chapter so you can apply what you've just learned to your work right away. It helped deepen my WIP right away. I still have quite a few "assignments" to complete, but doing them seems soo neccesarry to create strong bones for your work!

Indispensable. If you know little about structure beforehand (like me) and need a dive into it to begin wrapping your head around it, this book is it! Great! 

will continue later when I have the time and energy to do the exercises it includes.

will continue later, just not aiming for it right now.

Loved this series. Divine Rivals is my favorite one of the two, but this one grew on me as I got more into it. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but it got much better. 

Very cute and romantic tho
Love the magical typewriter so much

Will continue later. 

Not for people with Arachnophobia.
 This review contain spoilers.

Atticus seeks out the love witch in the marsh for a spell to help his sister, only to find the witch gone, and Corliss, a necromancer, at the hut. Insisting they can make the potion, Atticus agrees and must stay with Corliss for three nights while the potion brews. On the third, they have to give each other "pleasure at soul reaching depths" (aka sex) to successfully finalise the potion. 

Characters 
I liked the characters. They were very charming and made the setting come alive. Infused the universe with a sense of mystery and grittier horrors that could have been further expanded on had the book been longer. It's odd in that same way. Because I do not read horror but most of the elements that could have horrified me was turned into... Charming and quirky and cute. Cozy. Would have stayed longer if I had the chance. 

Character list (characters that show up on-page):

I picked up this book due to the ace representation I hear was going to be in it, and I've been struggling about what to say about it so other people who may want to read it for that may find it helpful. You alresdy know the ace character is not the main character.
 
* There's not one set experience entailing the entire ace spectrum, so saying something is wrong would make no sense. I'll just tell you what your in for if you pick up this book instead.
* You will not find a sex-averse asexual character. However, they show little interest in it initially - rather taking refuge in their books, tea, and cat to avoid the issue. They do however warm up to each other over the days Atticus stays with Corliss.
* The asexual character had a previous relationship. 
* Explicit content-wise, the intimacy scene is not very detailed. Instead, it left me rather confused about what was going on. I think some was because you don't get to know anything about Corliss assigned gender at birth so there are no specifics. They embrace and kiss and make love but a lot is left to the imagination.  

Other thoughts
- I didn't really like the "we must have sex for x" trope

- Atticus seems to be crushing on Corliss after, and I don't get why? Why did he suddenly feel so intensely about them (a part of me is thinking they messed up the potion somehow, but also not), wanted so much for someone he didn't know three days earlier? It wasn't really built up enough throughout the three nights for me to be believable, but these may be some allosexual thing I just don't understand. Or something about the characters that I missed. 

- I've been rereading this book for this review and I still got no idea about if Lydia is the sister (as stated on page 7) or a the crush/best friend of an old friend (as suggested on page 11.) or both, but how? These background character mostly confuses me since I can't keep up with who's who. 
- Lenght-wise this book is 43 kindle pages (for me) and a quick read, which I really need right now. 
- The line "a guy in advertising" gets me chuckling every time. A highlight. 

Giving it 3 stars for the cozy and charming parts. Don't really know how to feel about some other things.