⋆.ೃ࿔࿐ྂfaith & fantasy⋆.ೃ࿔࿐ྂ discussion

Angela, how would you like to proceed with this? I'm new to buddy reads, this is my first one. I glanced at the first page, and I'm really excited about this book! On weekdays, I can read for about an hour, and I can dedicate a few more hours on weekends. However, I'm happy to go slower if you want.

Cool! Yeah it's pretty much whatever/ however we want! I'm really excited too ☺️ it's been on my tbr for a while, even without knowing much about it.

Just curious, I know you mentioned getting your copy from the library, is it a physical copy? I've got a hardback, just wondering so we could reference specific pages in discussion and such.

But yeah I was thinking check in at least once a week and share where we're at and thoughts so far. Maybe chapter number if page numbers are different? I just flipped through a little and it looks like most chapters are pretty short.

I usually read about an hour every evening, so that sounds like a good pace for me to start with ☺️

Thanks so much for doing this with me, I hope it's an enjoyable read!!

Mine is a hardcover, and the last page is acknowledgments page 444. (ooo scary number 😂 ) I agree these chapters are pretty short. However, I did see parts, and it looks like 6 is the last section, so that would be like 70ish pages per section. Sorry, I'm going into work mode, if you start today, let me know how far you made it and I'll just match ur pace 😉

And no problem, I am getting back into reading after life gets too hectic, and I'm overwhelmed by my want-to-read list, yet I keep adding more, so anything to help me focus is welcomed. Plus, nothing can be worse than 'Warcross', I don't even know why my mom recommended it. I think she just wanted to complain about how terrible it was with someone.

I can start on Saturday, I should be done with my other book by then.

Haha okay great mine is hardcover too! I did start last night, I'll double check the page number but I think I got to chapter 5 or something of part 1. Didn't have a chance to read today at all.

Girl I so relate to that! I was burning through books around/after Christmas then slowed down a ton... Haha my friend asked me to read a book she knew I wouldn't like, but she gave me a heads up first!

Okay so I got to page 56 tonight.

Wow the writing is so whimsical and sad! I have so many thoughts already! Let me know when you hit or pass this point ☺️

I just caught up—I was one chapter behind.

Where to start? I really like it so far, it took me a while to get used to the writing style. I'm not used to switching from 3rd to 1st so seamlessly in a paragraph, but now that I'm acclimated, I'm enjoying the flow. The Toby plot line is so heartbreaking the more chapters I read. I keep asking myself, can it get worse for her? Yes, always, yes.
I'm glad they answered the money and food questions, but I find it interesting how she finds ways to have 'meaningful' relationships by choosing who to spend money on. She steals everything but pays for the coffee, returns the books,, and leaves a muffin. I don't know if you have ever seen I Am Legend with Will Smith, but it reminds me of the main character in the movie and his mannequins. They help anchor him to reality even though the relationships are not real.

I have to know your opinion on the 'deal'! I don't know what I expected, but it was so much better than I had thought. Then the whole ring thing. I'm kinda pumped for this book. The only thing I find strange is the seven-star references all the time, but maybe they're setting up something. It is on every chapter heading, cover, and writing. But, like, seven freckles, a lot of people have them.

Yeah I'm really excited too! The writing took a minute to get used to for me, too, so I can't be too tired when I sti down to read, but its really.. sweet? Cozy? I like it.

Thats so interesting you say that about I am Legend. I've seen the movie, and yeah I didn't think of it at first but that sense of loneliness and longing and just doing what you can to make it work in the meantime...

The deal. I was really surprised because usually the characters like this shadow guy are ready to pounce when the person in need says "I'll do/give anything". It was a clever twist that he was like "forget it, you don't know what you want, yet." Makes him more complex and clever, more interesting to me.

My heart really went out to her, not as much in the beginning when she was talking about Toby, but on p. 56 when she says the rise isn't worth the fall. That says to me that she really really likes this guy, but its agony him not remembering her. Shows how deeply it hurts.

I'm curious if Toby will continue to show up in the book or if that's the last we'll see of him. Its fun to wonder where the author will take us, I feel like it could go in so many directions.

I really liked that too, the answering the food, clothing ect questions, and how Schwab did it, too.

I can't wait to sit down and read tonight!!

I'm assuming you are also a cat fan (going off your profile pic) so I about died when I read that the cat's name was Toby too. I looked at my cat, who wedged himself between the book and me, and said "that was smart I should have named you after me" 😂 I mean I already call him my husband, kids, or my parents names. The next cat I get is getting named after family. 😆

Haha yeah I thought that was great "so he could talk to himself" 😂

Thats such a good idea too!! 😂

Just finished part 1 👀

I gotta say It think its fun how she knows enough details toix into her lies to be able to buy herself enough time to slip away. I guess after 300 you get good at lying but still

I'm a bit behind on the reading; it's finals week for me. I'm hoping to submit everything by Wednesday night, so please update me on your latest page, and I will catch up!

No worries! I'm a couple chapter into part 2! Let me know when you have a chance to read some more cuz I was a little bummed at the turn of events.

Made it to page 114, chapter 4.
Okay, question.

When she is on these dates, like with James, what happens when someone has to go to the restroom? If when a door closes, they forget her, or when they are more than x feet away, or can't see her for a long enough time, how is she spending even an evening with these people? They will forget her already if they go to get a bottle of wine. I don't know; it's a plot hole that is bothering me.

Okay part 2
Man, that was a major change of pace. I was all excited for Henry, and she made him into such an unlikable character in like 2 pages. The relationships are getting really loose really fast. I figured she would be a prostitute at some point in the book, even at the beginning with Toby. Is it a fine line bc she does take his money, so he kinda did pay.... but I won't harp on that since I think he would have genuinely dated her long-term if it was an option. I guess STDs aren't a problem since she self-heals or whatever 😂
I'm losing interest in the historical chapters, I am not overly invested in her bird story; I thought there would be more dialogue with the evil guy thing. I hope it gets back to the actual story soon.

I completely agree! I keep wondering about what happens when someone goes to the bathroom, does she follow him in there?? Its even more glaring because of how detailed other aspects of the curse are.

I knowww!!! Henry had so much promise! I didn't see the prostitute thing coming, but I started to hope it wouldn't go that direction once people started to turn her away because they thought she wasn't one.

Yeah I agree I really hated the details when she turns to prostitution and I kinda wanted to skip to the modern stuff. I got to page 133 and she had an interesting interaction with the evil guy.

I just get really annoyed and I'm so over how casual modern writers treat intimacy these days. Makes me loose interest because ai feel like they're trying so hard to be different but end up all sounding the same.

Anyway, hope that we're past that for the most part (but my antenna is up extra sharp 😂) and can get to more fun things.

💯 I think writers are so desperate to be edgy that they end up in the swamp of noise.
I made it to part 3. I definitely was trying to push through to the actual storyline. I think 80% of part 2 could have been cut or at least reworked. I liked getting to know more about the shadow man and his games.

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I'm glad we got back to Henry; u definitely stopped right before the story picked up. But Again, no bathroom breaks ALLLLLLL afternoon/night 😂 like I can't even imagine it. My 2-year-old has clogged one of the toilets, so maybe I'm just extra sensitive about it since I am now missing a toilet till Monday 😆. So my theory is Henry also has some kind of deal with the shadow man or something, so their "effects" don't work on each other? Although I don't understand what his effect really is. Everyone loves him? or he is really attractive... I don't get it.

one thing that mostly confuses me still is the author will switch from Addie's thoughts and then say "she says" I'm always lost on who is talking. Especially the whole Sam scene. It took me 3 rereads to figure out who was talking.

ok I don't know how Goodreads works. the <<>> was a warning I was talking past page 133

Ok I've definitely fallen behind, still on page 143 but will have a chance to read some tonight.

I am enjoying Henry a little more too. Hahaha what is wirt that!? Haha aw I'm sorry about your toilet. Hopefully all good to go now?

Yeah it gets confusing. I enjoy the poetic style but I have to go back and reread to make sure I'm getting the picture right.

I am really curious as to why Henry can remember her. I kind of expected more of a reaction from her, going to coffee felt a little forced. "i stole a book from you, sorry, go out with me so I can make it up to you" instead of offering to pay for the book. I know it said later she didn't have much money but she could have said something along those lines. Just me

Oooo okay random thought: what if somone esle cursed Henry? A being that wants to get back at the shadow for something? 👀🤷‍♀️

oooooooooo! Yes, we don't really know a lot about the shadow. Maybe they have a whole Mount Olympus vibe going? Let me know when u are on part 3; I keep eyeing the book 😆 This week is spring break, so I'm hoping to get in some good reading time. I guess I should start this month's BOTM I always forget until the last week -.-

That'd be cool!!

Ak I am so sorry I've been so slow! I finished chapter 1 of part 3 last night!

I try to read the BOTM, its hard to every time though. This one is really good so far! ☺️

I just want to apologize for all the vivid spice scenes. I had no idea there were so many in this book 🙈

you must be further than me 😆 I'll just skim read and hope there isn't anything super important in them. let me know what page u made it to and I'll catch up.

okay I made it to part 4. finally back to the story 😃

I'm sorry I have company in town this week and haven't been able to read very much. But! Yeah the plot is pretty slow moving,

I'm glad we finally got the bathroom question answered though!!! 😂

Right! I thought I was going to have to find an interview with the author to answer that question 😂
No worries. Work has gotten... interesting? So I'm falling behind. I hope you are having fun with the company in town!

Thank you! We had a lovely time ☺️

I know how that goes!

I got to chaoter 7 of part 4, page 253. Up to somewhere around this point it kind of seemed like Addie only liked Henry because he remembered her. Their relationship is starting to develop a little more and I'm liking that.

No pressure to catch up if you're busy, I'll update as I go along ☺️

So I finished it 😂 the plot really sped up toward the end!

Have you gotten to read any of it lately?

I made it to page 286 tonight. my work decided we all need to go in the office without warning so coordinating schedules was a bit rough last week.
So far not loving part 4- I find the whole 2013 sequence uninteresting. He is kinda whiny 😂 I'm not a fan of overly sensitive men I guess, and find it weak that drugs are his answer. But like that they are bringing back the art topic! and of course we are back to the seven stars.

He is a very feminine man 😒 I'm disappointed there's no acknowledgement of he knows what he's doing is wrong its just his vice. But thats pretty much the whole book.

Yes, those stars. I've heard the imagery of freckles being like a constellation before so the over usage of it in this one really falls flat.

Yikes, sorry to hear that. That can really be a struggle to flip your whole routine around with no warning too

ok about to start part 5!
u said it perfectly, we are just supposed to be okay with the fact they are both kind of terrible people... I was hoping for more commentary on right and wrong but maybe I've been reading too many Christian novels 😆 I'll update where ever I finish tonight.

I made it to 356. I think I like the story about the shadow man the best. I think the author could have made this story so much better and cut out part 3 & 4. I have no idea how this book is going to end and that is pretty exciting.

Okay, I finished!

I'm so glad the ending was better than the middle. Seriously, she could have cut about 40% of the book. This would have been a good 250-page book.

My favorite character was Luc. He was the least cringe-inducing person, and any scene he was in was a solid read.
I'm kinda on the fence about the ending. I liked her deal with Luc but I just don't like that it was for Henry. I kind of grew to dislike him so much. she should have let him die. he is not worth it, he didn't have any remorse for his terrible choices, he was only afraid of dying. BUT I like that he wrote the book for her and all. soooo I don't know... the book was good read most of the time. something I would have never picked up otherwise.

I agree 💯, a lot of the book could have been cut. Some parts felt so repetitive where nothing really happened. I was hoping with some of the historical chapters in Addie's life that we'd get to see her witness cool stuff that happened in history, but that was never a focus.

Haha yeah, we're spoiled with our Christian fiction ☺️ I was thinking most of the time that Addie didn't seem to be in love with Henry or like anything about him except for the fact that he remembered her. Can't blame her on one hand, on the other it felt foreign and strange that she suddenly made this extreme deal on his behalf in the end.

I thought it was interesting when her and Luc "dated" for a while. There was potential for redemption for Luc or something to happen, but when she realized he betrayed her.... Daaaang. 😂

I agree I was most interested in Luc, I was hoping more 'old gods' would show up, it'd have been really interesting if a good one tried to help Addie out of her situation or something. Kind of missed potential I felt.

Yeah, I'm not sure what to think about the ending either. I mean, is she in that much of a different place than the beginning of the book? I like that she's still fighting and hasn't given up emotionally.

Thank you so much for reading it with me! I was expecting something completely different, maybe more fantasy driven or historical as I said above, but the writing was beautiful despite all the skewed morals.

I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts! Thanks for making the time to read it with your work getting crazy and everything ☺️

I really wish the author would have done something with the historical events! the spy section was so interesting and we just saw her in jail... so many missed opportunities.

I'm glad to read this with you! Nothing I would ever pick up myself so I enjoyed the completely different genre. definitely reach out if you have another book adventure in the future!
Work is a once in a lifetime event 😂 hopefully they will get enough desks for everyone soon. it is just awkward when you have 800 seats and 1000 people trying to sit... don't even ask about the lunch hall situation 🫣
Thanks for letting me join you on this book journey!

Yes! Exactly!

Yeah this was really fun, thanks for taking a leap with me 😂 will do, and same here! Let me know, I like reading all kinds of stuff.

Haha oh my goodness. Well yes I hope it clears up for you soon!