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Recommended by Karla

😢

For the rest of my life I will live with my hands outstretched for things that are no longer there.

... Last update (and I think I'm actually on page 96)
Jenna said there is a lot of character growth throughout the series. Maybe the inconsistencies and contradictions are intentional, meant to highlight her flaws and leave plenty of room for growth. Maybe she will be less annoying if I read it from that perspective.

...
In chapter 4, she completely lacks guile. She is too stupid to realize that blatantly probing for information after hours of silence is not subtle, no matter how casual she tries to be. She initiated the hours of silence when responding to the prince's questions about the dogs were beneath her.

Continued ranting...
Never allowed herself to taste fear (chapter 1), but felt felt sickness in her stomach at the realization that she might be on her way to her execution. That sick feeling? That's fear.
She won't be humiliated by being dirty (chapter 2), but then in the span of a page she is feeling shame about wearing rags. Then she blushes because she looks like a gutter rat in front of a handsome prince. ...

I'm having a hard time with this book. The main character is inconsistent. Her decisions, lack of resilience, reactions, and attitude in general directly contradict the many reminders the narrator has to give about what a bad ass she is. Trained as an assassin since she was eight, but can't breathe in a corset or focus when her shoes are uncomfortable? How did she blend in?

"Well, that glove's fulla vaseline."
"Vaseline? What the hell for?"
"Well, I'll tell ya what - Curley says he's keepin' that hand soft for his wife."

I was in the eighth grade the first time I read this. Even then, I couldn't imagine a woman wanting a man with soft, girlie hands. Give me rough, blue-color hands all day.

Recommended by my bestie. It's her Roman Empire.

This is a Reddit recommendation. I bought it to help my 8 year old process her grief. She's had a lot of loss in her life - 2 beloved pets, 2 great grandparents, and my mom.