Rowan's Bookshelf (Carleigh) > Recent Status Updates

hrrrrrrr i know the twist so easily and it's bothering me. also all they talk about is food. Curse old lady book club

This is almost entirely drama-free and I keep forgetting what's happening lol

yesss Stevie woo her!!!

Iris baby noooo don't be afraid of love lol

Love the vulnerability from Iris about the secretly married ex girlfriend, and the little confrontation with Stevie's ex was GOOD

They are already my sweethearts <3
Iris is so fun and flirty but secretly stressed, love it!! And Stefania is basically a squonk, I love her

I think i am simply too old to care about online shipping drama like this

Good addition to conversations including "whataboutism" and the rise of people like Andrew Tate, along with exploration of why trans men do XYZ - other than that its not super revolutionary

Not really anything new so far, and more of a wake up call for men who are trapped in too rigid of a masculine standard (but why would they pick this up then??) but it is concise and queer inclusive. toxic masculinity doesn't only hurt women but confine men, why we see the loneliness epidemic today

The protagonist is really. Really dumb. Like it's so frustrating to read and moreso that she keeps stumbling her way through the whole thing. Not all of this is bad, but idk if there's a single GOOD thing either

This is somehow a ton of exposition, but I don't get how the magic works and the heists aren't really explained lol
Also the prize of an "unbreakable lie" doesn't really make sense. It could easily be a trick since no one would know when the lie was used, they would just think it's the truth like anything else. Or it would make everyone instantly distrust whoever did win forever

She's weirded out enough to ask about the crystals that track her moods/vitals or something, but another woman literally straps her down and fingers her and she's like "ig this is okay"

Written almost apathetically to everything going on, very simple emotions

My guy has Prince Charming from Shrek as a roommate

This girl is soooooo dramatic lol and probably autistic but we love that. Super cute! Like the movie theater crew a lot

author doing a great VA job, very animated. but i feel like i don't really have a feel of the characters or their personality. They SAY they loved each other soooo so much but I don't really get it

Something with this terrible Hallmark script better happen bc its just annoying. The plot is also ridiculous and not in a cute way, but in a "do you think I'm stupid to fall for this?" way. I at least like the feeling of "always the bridesmaid never the bride" that Ellie feels, but it's not like it's doing anything original or that good with the concept

ooohhhh my god this was written by a 15 year old i swear - everything is spelled out, explicitly, no room for interpretation whatsoever. Which normally a silly romcom can get away with, but I just feel like I'm being talked down to
Also the shitty hallmark christmas movie we keep cutting to?? hate it. forced assimilation ass

Kim is such a BITCH but I kind of still love her. The messy drunk ex-wife is such a red herring I really think she wants what's best, she's just too jealous lmao

It says it's sapphic but there's already been two straight sex scenes and Ellie is fawning way too hard over rental guy

Cannot believe Nightmare let Beth get ATE without trying to ruin it LMAO
Also poor Emory, I want to hug that boy

Love the market day sequence, though some of the action isn't clear from the writing. You get the idea at least. I LOVE Elm too, real loveable drunk grump

Miss Gillig said "actually a ghost is coming to cock block you" and I loved it tbh

Nice to see the creepy effect of the Mist. Fun scene all around with the ambush, Erik being there and the Prince getting hurt by Nightmare. Seems like they are merging together more And more. I can't remember if it was explained why the other cards glowed when R showed them to E in the chamber. Maybe the Twin Alders wasn't a fake? Just didn't glow?

I.will say I want more characterization for Jespyr and the parents, Fenir and Morette. Their in on the plan to save Emory but I don't really know them at all?

Bro this is SO GOOD. I love the writing, clear and concise and effective as hell. The romance is also greatly downplayed, they have an obvious connection without it being EXPLICITLY written. The magic system is great, there's secrets upon secrets with Ravyn though I do hope that doesn't go on forever.

"it's the nice ones you should look out for"
"What about you Captain? Are you too nice for your own food?"
"No, Miss Spindle...I'm not nice at all "
Very simple yet very effective

Also really like the repetition in the little cards at the beginning of each chapter. Something something symmetry AND Ravyn has two dogs guarding his hidey hole which reminds me of the Moon tarot card - Beth is def entering into something dark and unknown here

It is telling that Elspeth doesn't ask Ravyn for literally anything?? Protects her family and her own secret, but she's not even tempted for literally anything, she doesn't strive for anything at all?

Hope I don't have to remember ALL of these names lol so many trees
Love the vibe of this so much. MC is also great, quiet and weird but not stupid or cruel. Doesn't see herself as better or worse than anyone. And thank Christ it's a fantasy with a BALL and I don't have to read how much she hates dresses and makeup. Idk what she even wears really GOOD