PositiveUSA Today... slower, more methodical and romantic than {Schwab\'s] previous books, yet still bears her touch of magical realism that has gained her a devoted fan base ... Schwab beautifully explores what it means to be alone for so long that it\'s jarring and terrifying once you are finally seen. The book\'s queer representation is also a plus. Although the main romance is between a man and a woman, both of the main characters have had relationships with people of the same sex. This isn’t addressed in a way that feels tokenized but normalizes queerness in opposite-sex couples. ... However, the book has its downsides. The pacing is slow, and it takes a while for the main characters to finally meet. A lot of establishing is done in the first quarter of the book that feels tedious and sometimes forgetful. But once these characters meet, the pace picks up ... At the end of the day, this is a romance that centers on Adeline. I did wish at times that the book would explore more of her relationships with other women and how she used them to survive ... Nevertheless, Addie is still an independent and fascinating character who manages to make her mark in spite of the odds.
Chelsea Bieker
PositiveUSA TodayIt\'s difficult finding the light in the story at times. There\'s a hint of humor in observations of the town, but the sometimes-gross details of Peaches\' poverty are often more bleak ... not an easy book to read, but it picks up on the nuances of life as a woman. You do not have to survive a cult or even have left a toxic environment to relate to Lacey May – Godshot is about the ways all women are under the patriarchy\'s thumb.
Leigh Bardugo
PositiveUSA TodayFans of Leigh Bardugo\'s young adult work will recognize her artistic prose, cutting and witty characters and dark fantasy world building ... Those not familiar with Bardugo, or even YA literature, will still be delighted by this dark novel ... as much a fantasy murder-mystery as it is an exploration of white privilege, corruption, misogyny and trauma. Bardugo highlights the vast gap between the lower-income neighborhoods that surround the campus and the toxic wealth hoarding of the school\'s most privileged students. New Haven itself is a character in the novel, one that never willingly bends to magic or wealth even as it drastically changes through gentrification ... sometimes loses its characters\' voices in the dense plot. The theme of privilege is so interwoven throughout the story that the book challenges readers to examine their own environment without being overtly on the nose. It helps that Alex is a straight-shooting, instinct-driven character who understands the game she is in more than the gamemakers themselves.
