Rowan's Bookshelf (Carleigh) > Recent Status Updates

Now I like that they're planning! Making things happen! I appreciate Rune being so hesitant and straight up scared, what's happened to her is finally catching up - the jealousy w/ Abbie I can do without. I do think Gideon's change of heart has been too fast, but I like it now that it's here.

Noah is also a nothing character just there so Gideon doesn't have to denounce Nicholas after he did so much for him - fascism isn't bad just because suddenly you don't like who's doing it G!! Having Noah be a jealous ass is a cop out for Gideon to turn on the red guard!!

Aaaannd a good scuffle in the dark and a "who did this to you?" makes me not care about all my complaints!

This is just crazy fast. Like the author knows there would be plot holes so they're just waved away without previous explanation. "Oh magic just know if the blood was in self defense it's not corrupting" it was in book 1?? She stabbed G in self defense but was still scared??
"Oh Cressida just happened to look the other way. Oh Harrow just decides she trusts Rune. Ghostwalker on everything. Laila just lets G go" psh

I really wish this spent some more time with other characters like Juniper, Seraphine. The boat part was all jealousy and repetition of their feelings (pretend to hate you but love you) that tbh I didn't feel that strongly anyway. I want more Seraphine! More Cressida! Even more Soren! They don't feel like characters they feel like plot devices

I see characters are just doing what the plot needs them to do now lol

Wish there was more time to show Gideon's change of heart once he finds out the truth, but I guess the thought of Rune at Cressida's mercy is bad enough. Rune also took Gideon's sacrifice extremely well lmao

Man if I have to read how much they CANT trust each other again 😭
Also claps for the most obvious reveal in history but rolling my eyes so hard at why Rune doesn't know either

Mh prayers are answered and the plot has started again yay! Idk why Rune doesn't think Gideon won't just kill the Roseblood as soon as they find them. But Aurelia is an interesting character

Man I hope they get off of this ship soon! I hate the jealousy going on and Rune is acting like she's helpless!

This boat sequence is going on a bit too long... And Rune honestly getting jealous of some rando Abbie is bad 😭 like nothing else could be happening right now??

Rune is much less clever than the first book - i'm going to blame the alcoholism? Desperation? Her plan with Gideon has some holes, she shouldn't really believe that he won't immediately betray her besides the assumption that Soren will wage war to avenge her

oh my god there was only one bed
I don't see how pretending to be husband and wife helps Rune get back to the Republic when she had no trouble buying the tickets by herself? But I supposed we'll see how docking in goes

idk if Rune is just stupid or has something else actually planned but MAN is Gideon obviously going to betray her - how does she think this is going to work??

I feel like the time skip should be more than two months, maybe that's why I don't really believe the truce thing? Like I don't get why Soren cares that much for Rune to make her such a lynchpin in the plot. Obviously Cressida wants her because (the spoiler is so obvious) but I don't know why Soren gives a shit

This pace is FLYING by lol days past in a sentence. I do love "pulling Gideon into the dressing room" with her though, very steamy. This Truce is on the THINNEST of ices lol
G is going to smuggle R into the Republic and "give" her the hostage? Because now publicly Soren has pledged to Cress, but that should only keep Gideon from killing her, not helping her?

JUICY! Rune "I'm saving for Alex" OKAY GIRL SURE they're both down soooo bad and Gideon just uncomfortably going along lol
The Soren character is a bit Nothing so far but he's just a pawn right now. Cressida is delightfully evil

Guess what was put out early on the shelf 😁
Oh this is so JUICY. Gideon coming to kill Rune but he just CAN'T. Rune really thinking she's all alone so she goes with Cress bc at least then witches won't be tortured and killed. Gideon immediately back in Cress claws 😭 plus Rune forced to be a silly girl again and drinking to survive just like G did

whoo whoo!! New Years Kiss!! After some fun swimming "training" they're so cute

aaahhh this is so good! Charlie is so cute with her crush and you can really tell Alexis is warming up to her and getting feelings. And the party where harlie "rescues" her while too drunk and resulting in a hockey match for honor lol so cute!

I like that Charlie is a JOCK jock lol they're both assertive girls and I love that!

Got a little spicy there and cute! I still wish there was more hockey like AT ALL but it's cute

Finn is cute and interesting. Not enough hockey! But their slow burn is pretty good

I wish this focused on the MYSTERY moreso than her job and just. day to day life and her whatever little kid. Not a romance or a mystery which it needs to really focus

The audiobook narrator's voice for the daughter and the main PTA mom is TERRIBLE they sound like they're 2

Megnha is doing backflips to justify her hate of Rani, most of it made up in her head from leaping to conclusions.
Also she should be IN JAIL for the laxatives thing

This should be called Rani Choudhury has the Patience of a Saint!! All she wants is to be a good daughter and she's so aware of Meghna feelings, and open to the changes to HER app

So Rani wants to up show Zak at the competition before dumping him which is reasonable and cute. Megnha wants to show up Zak and screw over Rani because she's mean

Definitely getting into that repetitive realm lol would appreciate if there were some scenes that weren't just them thirsting over the other

Very flirty and fun 😊 writing is a bit plain and the characters are pretty forward with everything, but I'm having fun!