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A Prayer for Vengeance
In a city besieged by monsters and ruled by her perfect sister, plus-size sixteen-year-old Gia grows up desperate to prove her worth. As the powerful temple leader Ennio makes Gia the target of his affection, he uses her to overthrow her sister, and asks Gia to rule at his side. When Ennio turns her sister and any dissenters to stone, Gia turns her sword against him—and he traps her in stone, too.
Centuries later, autistic Milo lovingly tends Gia’s statue. He hopes to earn a place in the temple of Ennio, the immortal protector. When Milo’s prayers free Gia from Ennio’s curse, she awakens to a world that worships the man who betrayed her. Now she must break the city’s faith in Ennio and avenge her sister.
Even if she has to kill his followers to do it. Even if she must hunt the boy who woke her.
Centuries later, autistic Milo lovingly tends Gia’s statue. He hopes to earn a place in the temple of Ennio, the immortal protector. When Milo’s prayers free Gia from Ennio’s curse, she awakens to a world that worships the man who betrayed her. Now she must break the city’s faith in Ennio and avenge her sister.
Even if she has to kill his followers to do it. Even if she must hunt the boy who woke her.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2023
31 people are currently reading
9533 people want to read
About the author
Leanne Schwartz
2 books103 followersLeanne Schwartz is the author of the young adult fantasies A Prayer for Vengeance and To a Darker Shore, as well as the upcoming adult romcom My Kind of Trouble, writing as L. A. Schwartz. She has spent about half her life at either the library or the local theater, where she has played Lady Macbeth, Lady Capulet, and Hera―perhaps one reason she writes such vengeful, murderous girls. When she’s not writing, she can be found baking pizzelle and singing along to showtunes. She lives in California with her family.
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Want to read
July 8, 2022Compared to Strange the Dreamer? Plus-sized lead in a fantasy? Pygmalion vibes? Autistic love interest?
I will not be at rest until this book is in my hands
I will not be at rest until this book is in my hands
September 23, 2023
4.25 stars
Rep: plus-sized FMC and an autistic MMC
This was a fun, fast-paced fantasy with wonderful representation and a truly unique premise.
Gia has spent 1000 years locked in stone when autistic temple ward Milo accidentally frees her with his prayer. Gia is hungry for revenge, and Milo is faced with the realization that everything he has ever believed may just be a hoax—it turns out the miracle Milo’s spent his life venerating is actually a curse that Gia will stop at nothing to break.
I flew through this story. I read it in less than 2 days and I never wanted to put it down. I loved what world building there was. It was so interesting and unlike anything I’ve read. I did have questions about the politics of the world at large, outside of their small country, as well as more information about the beasts and monsters, but for the most part I was immersed in the world. The pacing was a little fast in a couple of sections, but for 90% of the book it was the perfect pace for me.
The only place where I was left a little wanting was in the character department. I just found myself wanting…more. More development, more emotional depth. I really liked the characters, but I was never able to fully connect with them. I felt especially disconnected from their emotions. There was so much potential for emotional turmoil, in Milo questioning everything he believed, in Gia being thrown into a world 1000 years separated from everything she’s ever known, and of course in the romance, but I felt like the book never delved past the surface level of exploring the emotional implications of these aspects.
That said, this was over all a really enjoyable read and a strong debut. I loved seeing an autistic character—and even explicitly, the word autism—in a second world fantasy. I loved the way Milo’s autism was portrayed and the way that he was written. It was clearly #ownvoices representation. Leanne Schwartz is an author to watch. I cannot wait to get my hands on anything else she writes in the future.
CW (provided by author): violence, blood, minor gore, abuse of power by a religious authority figure, one interrupted instance of sexual pressure by an authority figure against another adult, minor ableist bullying, pressuring of an autistic to mask, some internalized ableism, brief mentions of fatphobia
Rep: plus-sized FMC and an autistic MMC
This was a fun, fast-paced fantasy with wonderful representation and a truly unique premise.
Gia has spent 1000 years locked in stone when autistic temple ward Milo accidentally frees her with his prayer. Gia is hungry for revenge, and Milo is faced with the realization that everything he has ever believed may just be a hoax—it turns out the miracle Milo’s spent his life venerating is actually a curse that Gia will stop at nothing to break.
I flew through this story. I read it in less than 2 days and I never wanted to put it down. I loved what world building there was. It was so interesting and unlike anything I’ve read. I did have questions about the politics of the world at large, outside of their small country, as well as more information about the beasts and monsters, but for the most part I was immersed in the world. The pacing was a little fast in a couple of sections, but for 90% of the book it was the perfect pace for me.
The only place where I was left a little wanting was in the character department. I just found myself wanting…more. More development, more emotional depth. I really liked the characters, but I was never able to fully connect with them. I felt especially disconnected from their emotions. There was so much potential for emotional turmoil, in Milo questioning everything he believed, in Gia being thrown into a world 1000 years separated from everything she’s ever known, and of course in the romance, but I felt like the book never delved past the surface level of exploring the emotional implications of these aspects.
That said, this was over all a really enjoyable read and a strong debut. I loved seeing an autistic character—and even explicitly, the word autism—in a second world fantasy. I loved the way Milo’s autism was portrayed and the way that he was written. It was clearly #ownvoices representation. Leanne Schwartz is an author to watch. I cannot wait to get my hands on anything else she writes in the future.
CW (provided by author): violence, blood, minor gore, abuse of power by a religious authority figure, one interrupted instance of sexual pressure by an authority figure against another adult, minor ableist bullying, pressuring of an autistic to mask, some internalized ableism, brief mentions of fatphobia
Want to read
May 29, 2023Yes, I have been emotionally destroyed, thanks for asking!
July 13, 2023
3.5
*Review to come*
*Review to come*
February 13, 2024
A fresh, whirlwind adventure with characters I loved to root for.
December 2, 2024
Entertaining, yet dragged on
"A fictional, Italian-inspired world with a strong Romanesque influence, where a mysterious ancient temple holds a powerful curse that turns people to stone, creating a narrative that explores themes of faith, justice, and the complexities of historical narratives, all within a backdrop of myth and magic."
^If this is something that you are very interested in reading, I highly recommend this book. I had an appreciation for the inspirations that this book came from. The only problem I really had with it was it dragged on and therefore, it took me a long time to read because it just was boring me at times. Eventually, it is full of action and I had a respect for the ending. More of an entertainment type of read while I waited for some other books to arrive in my possession.
"A fictional, Italian-inspired world with a strong Romanesque influence, where a mysterious ancient temple holds a powerful curse that turns people to stone, creating a narrative that explores themes of faith, justice, and the complexities of historical narratives, all within a backdrop of myth and magic."
^If this is something that you are very interested in reading, I highly recommend this book. I had an appreciation for the inspirations that this book came from. The only problem I really had with it was it dragged on and therefore, it took me a long time to read because it just was boring me at times. Eventually, it is full of action and I had a respect for the ending. More of an entertainment type of read while I waited for some other books to arrive in my possession.
December 5, 2023
After being cursed for a thousand years as a stone statue, what’s a girl to do? Seek REVENGE!! I would also be looking for retribution in blood, just saying!
A Prayer for Vengeance has an incredibly imaginative world unlike any I’ve ever read before. The closest comps I can think of are if you mixed The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, Percy Jackson (strictly for the Greek Mythology, but think the Furies), and Disney’s Gargoyles.
But THEN!!!!!!! We have the representation!!! Gia is a plus-size MC and one hella bad b!+ch!! She was giving me Xena Warrior Princess vibes… dunno why. I wasn’t mad at it! NOT AT ALL!! Milo is the adorable neurodivergent love interest who literally prays her back to life. He’s a sweet innocent boy whose world and belief system is completely crumbled in one fell swoop. I love them both!🥰
The book was really quick paced, to the point that I had to go back a couple times in the audiobook to listen again, because I missed something. That, of course, is on me, because I do multiple things while I read. I love the pacing overall, though, because not only did I fall in love with the characters, but with revenge on the brain, we know the story is going to have a quick forward trajectory.
A Prayer for Vengeance has an incredibly imaginative world unlike any I’ve ever read before. The closest comps I can think of are if you mixed The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, Percy Jackson (strictly for the Greek Mythology, but think the Furies), and Disney’s Gargoyles.
But THEN!!!!!!! We have the representation!!! Gia is a plus-size MC and one hella bad b!+ch!! She was giving me Xena Warrior Princess vibes… dunno why. I wasn’t mad at it! NOT AT ALL!! Milo is the adorable neurodivergent love interest who literally prays her back to life. He’s a sweet innocent boy whose world and belief system is completely crumbled in one fell swoop. I love them both!🥰
The book was really quick paced, to the point that I had to go back a couple times in the audiobook to listen again, because I missed something. That, of course, is on me, because I do multiple things while I read. I love the pacing overall, though, because not only did I fall in love with the characters, but with revenge on the brain, we know the story is going to have a quick forward trajectory.
September 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this book for what it was! I found it simple to read, the pacing was a little quick from time to time, but really enjoyable otherwise. The plot was fun and cute, nothing that gripped me too intensely, but I still found myself enjoying the book and sitting on the edge of my seat as I read right to the end.
This book is a YA fantasy, and reads as such. That being said, I really liked it and found myself enjoying the characters and plot. It was simple, easy, and overall so enjoyable!
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
This book is a YA fantasy, and reads as such. That being said, I really liked it and found myself enjoying the characters and plot. It was simple, easy, and overall so enjoyable!
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
October 2, 2023
2.5/5
I really struggled with the world-building in this book and the dire lack of context clues. I wanted to like it—I liked the main characters—but the plot was slow, too, until the last quarter.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
I really struggled with the world-building in this book and the dire lack of context clues. I wanted to like it—I liked the main characters—but the plot was slow, too, until the last quarter.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
May 5, 2024
Actual rating: 4.25 stars
I adored both the plus size rep and the autistic rep, and I thought Gia and Milo worked really well as a couple. I also loved the sister angst, which got a nice amount of tears out of me.
The premise is very interesting, but the story is slow paced and I was just having a normal time in the first half, but the second part is where it gets great!
Sometimes I felt like it would have worked even better as an adult book instead of young adult.
Representation: plus size fmc, autistic mmc, sapphic side characters
Content Warnings: violence, murder, blood, gore, toxic relationship, sexual harassment, torture, ableism, fatphobia, death of parents
I adored both the plus size rep and the autistic rep, and I thought Gia and Milo worked really well as a couple. I also loved the sister angst, which got a nice amount of tears out of me.
The premise is very interesting, but the story is slow paced and I was just having a normal time in the first half, but the second part is where it gets great!
Sometimes I felt like it would have worked even better as an adult book instead of young adult.
Representation: plus size fmc, autistic mmc, sapphic side characters
Content Warnings: violence, murder, blood, gore, toxic relationship, sexual harassment, torture, ableism, fatphobia, death of parents
December 5, 2023
This book was beautifully crafted and gorgeously written. I love Milo and I will protect him at all costs.
September 20, 2023
I am always down to read a book by a debut author! Some of my favorite reads have been by one. I thought that the pink was really nice on the cover and the blurb sounded really good.
The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Milo and Gia. The beginning prologue starts off with Gia’s and sets the scene for how everything came to be before Milo was ever around. It was definitely a very intriguing beginning that had me hooked.
I thought both characters were good. Gia is a plus size girl and I always enjoying seeing the rep. It’s hard to find books with it, but more and more are coming out. She is strong-willed and will do anything to redeem herself. I liked that she strived to fix everything she had done for a man and bring her sister back. Sisterly bonds are important to me and I love to see them in books. I could definitely relate to Gia when it comes to being swayed by a man who talks sweet nothings only for them to get their way and move on. Milo is a very studious guy and felt very much like a cinnamon roll. Their relationship grows over time and was sweet.
I did feel like at times the book dragged on and left me needing just a bit more action to keep me invested. I also wanted more from the religious aspects because I didn’t quite understand how it all worked.
Overall, this was a nice debut!
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary arc to review! All opinions are my own.
The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Milo and Gia. The beginning prologue starts off with Gia’s and sets the scene for how everything came to be before Milo was ever around. It was definitely a very intriguing beginning that had me hooked.
I thought both characters were good. Gia is a plus size girl and I always enjoying seeing the rep. It’s hard to find books with it, but more and more are coming out. She is strong-willed and will do anything to redeem herself. I liked that she strived to fix everything she had done for a man and bring her sister back. Sisterly bonds are important to me and I love to see them in books. I could definitely relate to Gia when it comes to being swayed by a man who talks sweet nothings only for them to get their way and move on. Milo is a very studious guy and felt very much like a cinnamon roll. Their relationship grows over time and was sweet.
I did feel like at times the book dragged on and left me needing just a bit more action to keep me invested. I also wanted more from the religious aspects because I didn’t quite understand how it all worked.
Overall, this was a nice debut!
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary arc to review! All opinions are my own.
May 23, 2023
I may have gotten myself over excited for this one because of the representation but found the writing style kinda boring? this whole book dragged for me even the fighting scenes I was fighting to keep my eyes open. There is a cute cat in this book and I liked the overall story just wish it had moved muchhh faster. there’s also queer rep that I was happy to see too but couldn’t connect to the main romance
September 26, 2023
A Prayer for Vengeance by Leanne Schwartz is a story about a girl turned to stone, and an autistic boy who accidently revives her. I couldn’t wait to read this one, as autism rep in a fantasy story is quite rare. But this book is so much more than just autism, there are so many good things! The main character Gia is fat, and she has her issues with that but also learns to love herself. She is also a fierce warrior, and really badass if a bit rash. She was turned to stone by Ennio, who she adored, but Ennio betrayed her and her sister who ruled at the time, and turned them and their companions into stone. Fast forward a while, and Gia gets out of the stone because of Milo, and she sees that the world has changed entirely and the truth has been buried underneath religious lies – lies that Milo has learned all his life and believes with a passion. You can see the parallels with today’s society, and I loved that!
But now, about the autism rep since that is why I requested this book: I loved it. This is how autism rep should be done! It just exists inside this fantasy story, but not as the main focus. You can really see the ‘tism in Milo’s thinking, and how he responds, and it’s amazing how you can look inside his head. I could really identify with him, and he is very likeable, a cinnamon roll that learns how to be brave and make his own decisions. Sometimes I wished the autism was a little more visible in the form of maybe stimming or a meltdown/shutdown (as quite distressing things are happening), but to have it just exist in the story is enough for me.
The relationships are the strongest thing in this book for me. Sisterly love, queer love on the side, and lots of friendship. I love how Gia en Milo’s relationship grows. And their characters have quite a bit of growth too, I love how Gia grows to see the bigger picture.
Plotwise, I have to say it took me a while to get into this book. The beginning felt really slow, while the end for me was a little too fast. This book seems to be fast paced and action packed, yet it feels slow to read? I don’t know how to explain it exactly. I did love the story quite a lot and kept reading, so it isn’t that big of a deal, but I have to say something felt off. The story was amazing, very layered and lots of action. Love the villain! The world was very much centered around religion, and not so much explored, but I’m ok with that. The ending was amazing… I love how there’s accountability for everyone’s actions including the good guys.
I give this book 4 stars as I really enjoyed it. The autism rep and the relationships were the strongest part for me, and I loved the characters.
I received a free e-arc through Netgalley but it hasn’t influenced my opinions.
But now, about the autism rep since that is why I requested this book: I loved it. This is how autism rep should be done! It just exists inside this fantasy story, but not as the main focus. You can really see the ‘tism in Milo’s thinking, and how he responds, and it’s amazing how you can look inside his head. I could really identify with him, and he is very likeable, a cinnamon roll that learns how to be brave and make his own decisions. Sometimes I wished the autism was a little more visible in the form of maybe stimming or a meltdown/shutdown (as quite distressing things are happening), but to have it just exist in the story is enough for me.
The relationships are the strongest thing in this book for me. Sisterly love, queer love on the side, and lots of friendship. I love how Gia en Milo’s relationship grows. And their characters have quite a bit of growth too, I love how Gia grows to see the bigger picture.
Plotwise, I have to say it took me a while to get into this book. The beginning felt really slow, while the end for me was a little too fast. This book seems to be fast paced and action packed, yet it feels slow to read? I don’t know how to explain it exactly. I did love the story quite a lot and kept reading, so it isn’t that big of a deal, but I have to say something felt off. The story was amazing, very layered and lots of action. Love the villain! The world was very much centered around religion, and not so much explored, but I’m ok with that. The ending was amazing… I love how there’s accountability for everyone’s actions including the good guys.
I give this book 4 stars as I really enjoyed it. The autism rep and the relationships were the strongest part for me, and I loved the characters.
I received a free e-arc through Netgalley but it hasn’t influenced my opinions.
September 15, 2023
What an apt title. Gia wanted to find her out way out from her older sister Lena’s shadow, but older Ennio betrays her.
Really, Ennio sees a mark- a vulnerable teen who’s mistreated because of her size, and he manipulates her into helping overthrow her sister, a beloved ruler.
Of course, Mia catches on but it’s too late- she and her sister are turned to stone.
That is, until Milo accidentally sets her free. Mia discovers so much corruption that Ennio, still alive 1000 years later, has warped his citizens’ beliefs for the sake of power.
The truth is just dust on the wind, and isn’t that absolutely terrifying? Because who would know better?
Gia does. Now she has to team up with an unsure Milo to try and save her sister and fix the mess that Ennio made— righting so many wrongs that it’s hard to keep count.
Holy cow, does this author write well. This was *prose* and not only did it make a mythical world vividly accessible, it was stunningly gorgeous to read.
And the characters. Gia never really meant harm, with her hair-trigger temper and stab-them-now-apologize-later mentality. Well, until she means vengeance, and then it’s deserved.
I loved seeing her strength and moral core, and watching her soften toward Milo even when she could have been overcome by rage.
Milo is gentle and kind, saving even those who may not deserve it. He balances Mia so well, showing his own bravery and strength at every turn.
I adored his faith and the unlikely love that blossomed between him and Mia.
The autism representation with Milo was excellent. I’m neurodivergent, and I related so much with him and his relationships. I need to see more characters written like Milo!
Which means I’ll happily be reading more of this author’s books. All of my stars!!
This is what you’ll want to read for an epic new YA fantasy romance that will make you want to pick up a sword.
Really, Ennio sees a mark- a vulnerable teen who’s mistreated because of her size, and he manipulates her into helping overthrow her sister, a beloved ruler.
Of course, Mia catches on but it’s too late- she and her sister are turned to stone.
That is, until Milo accidentally sets her free. Mia discovers so much corruption that Ennio, still alive 1000 years later, has warped his citizens’ beliefs for the sake of power.
The truth is just dust on the wind, and isn’t that absolutely terrifying? Because who would know better?
Gia does. Now she has to team up with an unsure Milo to try and save her sister and fix the mess that Ennio made— righting so many wrongs that it’s hard to keep count.
Holy cow, does this author write well. This was *prose* and not only did it make a mythical world vividly accessible, it was stunningly gorgeous to read.
And the characters. Gia never really meant harm, with her hair-trigger temper and stab-them-now-apologize-later mentality. Well, until she means vengeance, and then it’s deserved.
I loved seeing her strength and moral core, and watching her soften toward Milo even when she could have been overcome by rage.
Milo is gentle and kind, saving even those who may not deserve it. He balances Mia so well, showing his own bravery and strength at every turn.
I adored his faith and the unlikely love that blossomed between him and Mia.
The autism representation with Milo was excellent. I’m neurodivergent, and I related so much with him and his relationships. I need to see more characters written like Milo!
Which means I’ll happily be reading more of this author’s books. All of my stars!!
This is what you’ll want to read for an epic new YA fantasy romance that will make you want to pick up a sword.
October 3, 2023
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE was a fantastic fantasy debut about curses, beasts, and monsters, with a girl out for vengeance at the center of it all. There were so many things I loved about this book and it’s one I started, intending to read just a few chapters, but it hooked me so quickly that I couldn’t put down until I turned the last page. I loved the world-building and the politics that rule in this small town, and I loved Milo’s role as temple ward and the tasks that come along with his job. A few things I loved about this book were:
➽ Plus sized FMC
➽ Neurodiversity/fantastic autistic representation
➽ Greek mythology
➽ Curses and Magic
➽ The mythology of the town and the beasts
➽ Sweet romance between Milo and Gia
➽ Religion gone wrong
➽ Delightful characters
Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a fast-paced fantasy with wonderful characters and an immersive, engaging storyline. 4.5 stars.
➽ Plus sized FMC
➽ Neurodiversity/fantastic autistic representation
➽ Greek mythology
➽ Curses and Magic
➽ The mythology of the town and the beasts
➽ Sweet romance between Milo and Gia
➽ Religion gone wrong
➽ Delightful characters
Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a fast-paced fantasy with wonderful characters and an immersive, engaging storyline. 4.5 stars.
September 22, 2023
“What did you pray for?”…
“Bravery. The strength to stand forth and do the right thing.”
Courage is a hard virtue to have especially when fear is present in our daily lives. Fear of retaliation, fear of the fall out, fear of never having enough time, fear of death.
While this story highlights Gia and her vengeance, I feel this story is more about Milo, our autistic cinnamon roll, who learns to be brave in the face of adversity.
A strong novel representing diversity and inclusion. This is a must read for all readers who want inspiration to go past your comfort zones in order to do the right thing. You don’t want to live life regretting what you didn’t do because you weren’t brave enough to take that stand.
“How many times had the truth been churned under? With the blood and bones of those trying to bring it to blossom feeding the soil?”
Thank you so much to @tbrbeyondtours and @pagestreetya for having me in this tour! Follow along at www.tbrandbeyondtours.com for more reviews on this epic adventure!
#aprayerforvengeance #leanneschwartz #pagestreetya #tbrbeyondtours #yafantasy #yafantasybooks #yabooks #yabookstagram #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booksofinstagram #igreads #bookworm #bibliophile #autism #diversereads #prettybooks #newrelease
“Bravery. The strength to stand forth and do the right thing.”
Courage is a hard virtue to have especially when fear is present in our daily lives. Fear of retaliation, fear of the fall out, fear of never having enough time, fear of death.
While this story highlights Gia and her vengeance, I feel this story is more about Milo, our autistic cinnamon roll, who learns to be brave in the face of adversity.
A strong novel representing diversity and inclusion. This is a must read for all readers who want inspiration to go past your comfort zones in order to do the right thing. You don’t want to live life regretting what you didn’t do because you weren’t brave enough to take that stand.
“How many times had the truth been churned under? With the blood and bones of those trying to bring it to blossom feeding the soil?”
Thank you so much to @tbrbeyondtours and @pagestreetya for having me in this tour! Follow along at www.tbrandbeyondtours.com for more reviews on this epic adventure!
#aprayerforvengeance #leanneschwartz #pagestreetya #tbrbeyondtours #yafantasy #yafantasybooks #yabooks #yabookstagram #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booksofinstagram #igreads #bookworm #bibliophile #autism #diversereads #prettybooks #newrelease
September 26, 2023
i’ve needed this book for so long.
i saw myself so much in gia. she is a bigger girl, and full of rage and tired of being seen as just a bigger girl who feels too much. she fought hard and loved harder. and i’ve never related to a character as much as Gia. As a bigger girl, it’s refreshing and inspiring to read about one being a main character. I’ve dealt with a lot of hate internally with my body and wishing it were different. that i was different. but reading about Gia and her story just made me so happy to get that representation. i am so happy i got to read this and experience this - genuinely might cry over it later.
i saw myself so much in gia. she is a bigger girl, and full of rage and tired of being seen as just a bigger girl who feels too much. she fought hard and loved harder. and i’ve never related to a character as much as Gia. As a bigger girl, it’s refreshing and inspiring to read about one being a main character. I’ve dealt with a lot of hate internally with my body and wishing it were different. that i was different. but reading about Gia and her story just made me so happy to get that representation. i am so happy i got to read this and experience this - genuinely might cry over it later.
September 29, 2023
This book is stunningly gorgeous in every way; I have never read a book with such beautiful prose in a long time and it was such a treat to read. The world-building is vivid and the characters are created with such deep creativity. Gia is hell-bent on revenge, but I loved how Milo softened her fury.
“I don’t want to wake up in a world without you.”
*cries*
Their friendship was sweet and organic. Oh and shout-out for the neurodivergent rep in Milo. It made me connect with him on a deeper level. I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled for the author’s next books because if they’re anything like this one, I will forever be a fan.
“I don’t want to wake up in a world without you.”
*cries*
Their friendship was sweet and organic. Oh and shout-out for the neurodivergent rep in Milo. It made me connect with him on a deeper level. I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled for the author’s next books because if they’re anything like this one, I will forever be a fan.
December 18, 2023
Let's get my biggest complaint out of the way first: there weren't enough stabby cats. I expected more stabby cats.
Okay, now that that's out of the way, I loved this book because Milo and Gia are amazingly written characters. I thought the world-building could have been a little clearer at the beginning because I was having a hard time keeping track of the goddesses, the templars, and the sancts until probably halfway through the book (or basically when Gia explained things to Milo). But Gia and Milo, both as individuals and especially together, are really the heart of the book and hands down the best part.
Okay, now that that's out of the way, I loved this book because Milo and Gia are amazingly written characters. I thought the world-building could have been a little clearer at the beginning because I was having a hard time keeping track of the goddesses, the templars, and the sancts until probably halfway through the book (or basically when Gia explained things to Milo). But Gia and Milo, both as individuals and especially together, are really the heart of the book and hands down the best part.
November 20, 2023
This book was so cool and wholesome, with a unique premise and wonderful rep (plus sized MC and autistic MC!! who have the most chaotic and martyr-y romance 😭), and a truly chaotic cat <33 I loved the relationship and trust development between the MCs sm!
-- ty to the author and the publisher for an advanced copy!
-- ty to the author and the publisher for an advanced copy!
September 2, 2023
Received an arc from work!
This wasn’t quite what I expected it to be and while the pacing was a little perplexing at the beginning, I ended up enjoying it a lot. The magic was neat and I’m a huge fan of justifiably angry heroines!
This wasn’t quite what I expected it to be and while the pacing was a little perplexing at the beginning, I ended up enjoying it a lot. The magic was neat and I’m a huge fan of justifiably angry heroines!
April 30, 2024
3.5/4 stars
I did it y'all. I finally finished one and it was good!
I did it y'all. I finally finished one and it was good!
April 11, 2024
I really did not vibe with this book and found myself mostly being unengaged the entire way through, which is a shame because I had genuinely been looking forward to reading it because the premise sounded interesting. But I didn’t really get much of anything from it at all.
First, a lot of the writing just felt really clunky and the wording at times just came across as strange and sometimes confusing. I also found a lot of the figurative language to just be… strange. Like this, for example:
“This was war. If you didn’t choose a side, a side would choose you.
And a choice was like a knife.”
This could just be entirely a me problem, but I have no idea what exactly I’m supposed to be getting from this phrase.
Also, I found the writing to just feel very impersonal and unemotive when it came to the characters, which made it impossible for me to connect with them. It rarely felt like they were feeling what they should have been feeling in response to certain situations—like Milo learning that the guy who he’d practically worshipped was a fraud and everything that he believed in was a lie—and that their emotions just shifted whenever the plot required for them to be feeling a certain way. I feel like this was an attempt to show character development, especially in Gia, but it just felt like the characters jumped from one place to another without ever really needing to do any self-reflection or have any introspection because the plot required their characters to be at certain points during certain times in the story. I liked the idea of the characters, but I felt like they lacked depth and personality, especially Milo.
I especially felt this way when it came to the romance between Milo and Gia. It just felt really forced and I didn’t feel any development of their feelings in their relationship.
The plot felt very generic—just a typical rebellion against a villain—and even worse because everything just felt so shoddily described. The magic system and mythology all remained vague and unexplained throughout the entire story, even though the characters frequently bring it up, and I understood very little of the world or the setting. After reading this, the only things that I could tell you about the world is that it’s set in some sort of ancient time period, the templars are connected to some random gods somehow and do magic, and there’s monsters. The entries from the Book of Invocations added nothing of value to the story and very little to my understanding of the world.
Overall, this was not an enjoyable read for me.
First, a lot of the writing just felt really clunky and the wording at times just came across as strange and sometimes confusing. I also found a lot of the figurative language to just be… strange. Like this, for example:
“This was war. If you didn’t choose a side, a side would choose you.
And a choice was like a knife.”
This could just be entirely a me problem, but I have no idea what exactly I’m supposed to be getting from this phrase.
Also, I found the writing to just feel very impersonal and unemotive when it came to the characters, which made it impossible for me to connect with them. It rarely felt like they were feeling what they should have been feeling in response to certain situations—like Milo learning that the guy who he’d practically worshipped was a fraud and everything that he believed in was a lie—and that their emotions just shifted whenever the plot required for them to be feeling a certain way. I feel like this was an attempt to show character development, especially in Gia, but it just felt like the characters jumped from one place to another without ever really needing to do any self-reflection or have any introspection because the plot required their characters to be at certain points during certain times in the story. I liked the idea of the characters, but I felt like they lacked depth and personality, especially Milo.
I especially felt this way when it came to the romance between Milo and Gia. It just felt really forced and I didn’t feel any development of their feelings in their relationship.
The plot felt very generic—just a typical rebellion against a villain—and even worse because everything just felt so shoddily described. The magic system and mythology all remained vague and unexplained throughout the entire story, even though the characters frequently bring it up, and I understood very little of the world or the setting. After reading this, the only things that I could tell you about the world is that it’s set in some sort of ancient time period, the templars are connected to some random gods somehow and do magic, and there’s monsters. The entries from the Book of Invocations added nothing of value to the story and very little to my understanding of the world.
Overall, this was not an enjoyable read for me.
November 19, 2023
Not my cup of tea. My first impression of the writing was that sentences were kind of awkward and I had to reread many of them a few times to parse them correctly. The prologue seemed either too long or too confusing in that it didn't explain anything about the world or its terminology. In my opinion, a prologue should be short and suspenseful, or be something that offers bits and pieces to the reader to allow them to make their own inferences about the setting and happenings.
The beginning of the book also used the em dash in a weird way too often -- sentences would just end abruptly and then move on to the next as if the first was dropped and forgotten, instead of interrupted.
Also the usage of 'tits' as a swear word in this setting didn't seem fitting to me.
The other thing that I didn't really find worked in this book was Milo's supposed struggles due to being autistic. At one point he says he often has trouble with interpreting things, but I didn't really think this was shown or evident at all. Now, I'm not trying to argue whether he is autistic or not, because autism is a spectrum and people can present anywhere on it with varying degrees of being affected, but it's more about the fact that he states he struggles with this issue, and yet there wasn't a fitting example throughout the novel.
I'm sure the type of fantasy and story might appeal to some, but the first impressions really kind of turned me off and it took quite a while for me to get through this.
The beginning of the book also used the em dash in a weird way too often -- sentences would just end abruptly and then move on to the next as if the first was dropped and forgotten, instead of interrupted.
Also the usage of 'tits' as a swear word in this setting didn't seem fitting to me.
The other thing that I didn't really find worked in this book was Milo's supposed struggles due to being autistic. At one point he says he often has trouble with interpreting things, but I didn't really think this was shown or evident at all. Now, I'm not trying to argue whether he is autistic or not, because autism is a spectrum and people can present anywhere on it with varying degrees of being affected, but it's more about the fact that he states he struggles with this issue, and yet there wasn't a fitting example throughout the novel.
I'm sure the type of fantasy and story might appeal to some, but the first impressions really kind of turned me off and it took quite a while for me to get through this.
January 17, 2024
2.5⭐️ This had such a cool concept but I spent about 80% of this book confused and the other 20% not caring. Every conversation felt forced. Magic system was never really explained well. A lot of the magical aspects were done solely out of plot convenience. The romance was... nonexistent and yet they fell in love? They say the word "autism" once in a Roman-esque type of setting with no modern technology and then never really bring it up after that. Again, interesting concept. I just didn't care.
May 21, 2024
2.5 stars and I rounded up. The characters in this book were interesting, but I struggled to finish this. You're thrust into a world with no proper explanation and context of how it functions, and it really showed throughout.Milo and Gia's dynamic was surprisingly lovely and I did really enjoy the ending chapters (much better action sequences and faster pace).
Read
August 2, 2024DNF at 30%. I just don't see myself coming back to this. Every time I think about it a great boredom sweeps over me and I look for something else instead. I wish it had kept my interest better because at least one of the characters is intriguing, but the other was just so....blah, and the plot was doing nothing for me.
June 6, 2023
This book is an absolute joy from start to finish. It's somehow an ode to softness (Milo) while also celebrating Gia's strength. It's absolutely gorgeous. I stayed up all night to finish it. I can't wait until everyone gets to read it.
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