Jocelyn Hett > Recent Status Updates

What happened to Tully and Livia? Why aren't they speaking? That part has confused me. This whole story really went in a different direction than I expected.

I'm really enjoying this. It's everything I hoped academy for liars would be (and wasn't). Very similar contemporary magic school, oxbridge-esque boarding school for middle/high schoolers. Different magic system, and different pov.

One bummer: I'm finding the magic a bit under-explained in this. I'm used to Brandon Sanderson's deeply detailed magic systems, or the hard science of any weir.

This has me hooked so far. Came highly recommended from a fellow reader, so I'm going in with high hopes and a positive bias.

So far I find the pov really interesting. How do s the author write a traditional, Christian perspective but make it sound like it's made for everyone else?

Like a progressive story hidden behind an anti-progressive character.

There's a line that puts it really well: they are blessed, that doesn't mean they aren't flawed. It doesn't mean they don't fall prey to their own fears and desires.

This feels like a theme across the series. Everyone is flawed, and has mortal challenges

Author is right, this is a good book to fall asleep to. Audiobook narrator has a calm, almost monotonous voice. Not great for engagement, but nice to have in the background

Deafness, Rom comes and the misunderstandings of half heard convos

Relationship between gossip and anxieties or fears. Specifically, societal fears. Rumors about presidents related to the population's fears of the time.

Urban legends and reality tv

So far, we've only heard how gossip is misunderstood, but mainly it's shown in a neutral or positive light. I'm hoping we cover the negative side, intentional misinformation or tabloids for example.

Another interesting part was about religion. How gossip is treated as equal or worse than other sins. How similar parer and gossip can be. A girl's confusion, guilt and shame.

Enjoying the different angles and themes that are being discussed. Historical, mean girls, dating, para social relationships. Sadly, it's leaving my memory pretty quickly after I listen to it.

Really enjoying. Started a bit slow, hard to track all the different names at first. Now I'm really enjoying the mystery. Not a who-dunnit, but you know you don't have the full picture, and pieces are revealed by different characters over time. Reminds me a bit of anatomy of a fall. Comparing people's assumptions with the truth. And what is truth when it's always coloured from someone's perspective

Interesting to get several perspectives of the same story. You read how someone looked or acted from 3rd person perspective, then hear how their inner thoughts differ from how they appeared

Really enjoying it so far. Kinda spooky. I don't read horror, so this is giving me the creeps at some points. Not too much to continue tho.

Author uses the exact same sentence to describe the same character in 2 parts of the book. Intentional? So far, I can't say. So it just seems weird. What is going on with Blaine, and will we ever find out?

No wonder I had no idea what time of year it was. It's winter break. She's only been there for 1 semester. So it's late December in Savannah Georgia. One minute the air is hot and thick, the next there's an autumn chill. Don't call the chill autumn in December. Maybe this is too critical but it feels lazy to me.

Why is it always storming? I don't remember where the school is, but just stop using a dark and stormy night to set the tone. Find another way.

Also the fact that everyone is gorgeous and rich. The school just happens to supply everyone with 'perfectly tailored' clothes. They talk about the tailoring multiple.times. is it actually that important that everyone is dressed in bougie academic tweed suits?

Almost halfway through this, and I have thoughts. Clearly its engaging, since I'm crushing through the chapters. Took a few to get into. Once it got interesting, it also got more. She isn't questioning more of what's happening, so we don't get much explanation. It's a lot of *waves hand* magic. Which leaves me wanting some logic or rationale after all the Sci Fi and Sanderson I've been reading lately.

The last act has been hard to get through. I realized that I'm tired of katniss, and it's gotten so dark. I liked the other characters, and in the other 2 books, they balanced out her anger, selfish and ineffective inner monologue.

Chapter 3: So far, this is giving fourth wing, but less cringey protagonist and hopefully without the romance.

As I'm nearing the end of the book, it's hard to remember that I almost abandoned it early on.
It's amusing, frustrating, a little misleading (maybe my fault for not paying closer attention the first few chapters) sobering, and absorbing.

Stick with it, I find the story and characters really pick up in the second half.

6:30 is obviously my favourite narrator.