wosoimagines

[wosoimagines]

Trump is probably going to remove the TikTok ban shortly after his inauguration and secure a chunk of the youth vote.

[wosoimagines]

today is a terrible, terrible day.

[wosoimagines]

The Dark Tide

Book 5/25

Started on January 8th, 2025

Finished on January 18th, 2025

317 pages.

Paperback.

Favorite quote: "Eva shaped the flames she'd caught into a band, a shifting, dancing circlet of fire that she set on Lina's head. A crown of light to match her dark one."

Every year, Caldella's Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the tide happy. Without it the island will sink. Lina Kirk is convinced that her brother is going to be chosen this year. She does everything in her power to keep him home, but when it isn't enough she goes after him. The mysterious Thomas Lin, the boy she secretly loves, goes to help her. But Thomas draws the attention of the queen and is chosen in place. Lina attempts to save Thomas from the Witch Queen, Eva, but ends up offering herself in his place. Lina and Eva wait for the full moon together, drawing closer the nearer it gets. The dark tide comes for its sacrifice early to force Lina and Eva to choose who to save: themselves, each other, or the island.

Rating: 3.75/5

Up next: Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

SPOILERS BELOW

I wanted to enjoy this book so much more than I did. It wasn't bad by any means, but just didn't live up to the expectation that I had of it. There were days that I would only read a chapter because it just wasn't grabbing my attention more than talking with my friends before work. I will say, it started to grab more of my attention around chapter 14 and that was when I really started to get more into it.

I thought it was diverse. I think Lina is good representation of someone coming to realize that they're bisexual because while she falls in love with Eva she's still interested in boys. Eva isn't shown to be interested in anyone other than Lina. Lina has two moms. Ethnicity isn't explicitly stated but skin tones are described.

I found these characters likeable, but not loveable? It was kind of hard to connect to either of them for me.

Lina has a twin brother Finley and a rather large family that they seem close with. Their moms are sailors and are out at sea which explains their absence throughout the book. Lina's a dancer who recently had broken her ankle and it's still healing. I applaud her willingness to do whatever she can to save the boy she cares about even as she realizes that she doesn't really know him and falls out of love with him and into love with Eva. I do find it weird that she can't swim when her moms are sailors. I thought that it was a very weird thing to not know.

Eva has all of this pressure on her as her first two sacrifices have failed. I do really like that she gave Lina the choice to take Thomas' place or not and that she encouraged Lina to be selfish. I do wish we could have seen the two falling for each other a bit more. The idea that these Witch Queens are falling in love with a new person every year within a month is kinda insane to me. I like that Eva didn't fall in love with the first two boys she sacrificed because it showed a more real part of how relationships happen. It's also very apparent that Eva is still mourning the death of her sister, Natalia.

Although, I hate both Finley and Thomas if I'm being honest. Finley was such a cunt to go to the revel knowing that there was a good chance he'd be chosen even when Lina was pleading with him not to go. I don't even know if Thomas knows how to love someone. He manipulated Natalia into sacrificing herself in his place by lying to her at the end and I'm not sure he ever had any feelings for Lina. He also ran away when Lina took his place and didn't show the first time to try and help save her. His only redeeming spot is when he shows up to help save her at the very end.

But the biggest fucker of them all is Marcin. He's supposed to be this almost brother-like figure to Eva, and he just stabs her in the back. Like I felt so bad for Eva when his true nature showed. He was going to let her drown just like Natalia had and I don't think he really ever had much trust in her as a leader. He also was such a bitch to be pissed that she would take tithes from him considering he had attacked her sea serpent and fought her on saving their home. Marcin fought her on everything and at some point, she's gonna have a breaking point.

I did really like that Marcin ended up being the sacrifice she gave to the tide. I think it probably went a really long way with the islanders to show that Eva is dedicated to no longer bowing to the tide. But also, it shows that the tide doesn't just need someone that the Witch Queen falls in love with as a romantic partner but someone she cares about.

I did find that the end of the book was actually satisfying for me. It didn't leave me wanting for more.

[wosoimagines]

omg i also loved loved loved afterlove

literally the only part i had a problem with was the ending. like i needed a definitive ending and didn’t get it

[wosoimagines]

Afterlove

Book 3/25

Started on January 4th, 2025

Finished January 6th, 2025

383 pages.

Paperback.

Favorite quote: "Maybe we'll burn bright for a few weeks then collapse in on ourselves, but that's how galaxies are made anyway.

Ashana Persaud meets Poppy Morgan and its love at first sight basically. Ash hasn't had much luck when it comes to girls, but Poppy's different. The two start to see a future together but all good things must come to an end. Ash's life ends on New Year's Eve before it ever really begins. As the last person to die before midnight though, Ash becomes a reaper. Now she's tasked with finding lost souls and helping them cross over. To those who aren't close to death she looks totally different than she did when she was alive. But for those close enough to death she can be perceived. When Ash runs into Poppy, and Poppy recognizes her, they aren't sure what to think. Could it be a second chance or were they just doomed for tragedy from the start?

Rating: 5/5

Up next: The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska

A note. I am rereading the Harry Potter series to reanalyze it. I will not be posting book reviews for those (because fuck J.K. Rowling) so if you notice a skip in book numbers on the year that it why.

SPOILERS BELOW

This was a book I had a hard time putting down. It was really well written, and I did enjoy it a lot. It was another book that moved fast to me so that was a huge bonus to keep me from putting it down.

Literally the worst part about it, to me, was the epilogue. But I've also been reading stories where the epilogues are vague and leaving me feeling as if the reader isn't getting the closure to the end of the story. With this epilogue, Ash gives up being a reaper to cross over in the afterlife, but we have no idea if Ash and Poppy find each other in the afterlife. And for me that's very frustrating because I need the definite ending.

But I do think that this was a bit different than most of the other books I've read so far. This was the first book that was character driven instead of plot driven. It was actually nice.

I do feel like this book was very diverse. Ash, the main character, is an Indo-Guyanese British girl. It does explore Ash's family a little bit which was really nice to see. Then obviously we have Ash and Poppy who are both queer.

I love Ash. It was really easy to connect with her as someone who has also gone through the whole worrisome thoughts of has this parent who knows I'm not straight told my other parents that won't take to it as well. Ash is also just real. Like she isn't some unachievable standard person. She's very normal and there isn't much in this story that changes it. It was nice to go from reading mostly fantasy books last year where there was a hero to this where the main character can just be an average everyday character. Also, if I too died on New Year's Eve and was told that I'd become a reaper I'd have reacted the same way.

Poppy is written in a similar fashion. Her parents are smart and wealthy but she's still down to Earth. She's also just normal. Maybe a much different normal than I'm used to, but it wasn't like she was hiding some big secret or anything.

It really was refreshing to just see normal characters.

I also really loved Esen and Dev. Both of them are opposites and I wish I could get a story on the two of them before Ash becomes a reaper. I do really think it'd be interesting to explore the two coming to terms with being reapers because both do seem to enjoy the job. The two being willing to support Ash as she got what little time she had left with Poppy was nice to see as well.

I was seriously pulling for a much happier ending to be honest. Like I wanted the two to be reapers together. It was nice to be given the hope that they found each other, but I was hoping it wouldn't be a tragedy.

[wosoimagines]

PSA

sorry for getting behind on my book reviews (especially because i finished Afterlove a hot minute ago) but work has been oddly busy. like we are supposed to be in slow season, and it has not been (except for like the 2 nights a week it is but i literally close those nights and it drains me how slow they are).

i wanted to let you guys know, it will also be a reminder on the next book review though, that i am re-reading the Harry Potter series to reanalyze it now that i am not a fourth grader reading the series for the first time. i'm saying this because i will not be writing reviews for those books (cause fuck J.K. Rowling) since i do not want anyone to ever give money to the author ever again.

[wosoimagines]

Her Royal Highness

Book 2/25

Started January 2nd, 2025

Finished January 2nd, 2025

274 pages.

Paperback.

Favorite quote: "No, what surprises me is the sudden, jolting, and undeniable realization that even though I didn't want to, I've fallen for an actual princess."

Millie Quint gets into the school of her dreams in the Highlands of Scotland but makes excuses not to go. After all her summer has gone pretty well. She's got no problems with her family. Her best friend is now kissing her, but they aren't labeling it. Too bad her best friend didn't get the memo to be exclusive. Millie changes her mind and applies for a scholarship to her dream school, and she gets it. It's a total dream for her to be part of the first class at Gregorstoun's that girls are a part of. The only problem with her new school? Her roommate. It makes total sense for the school to decide that the one American in the school shares a room with the literal Princess of Scotland. After all, what does Millie have to fear from Flora? It isn't like she's a subject of hers. As the two navigate being roommates they learn that the other isn't so bad after all. Tropes of "and they were roommates" and "enemies-to-lovers" will be found here.

Rating: 5/5

Up next: Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

SPOILERS BELOW

I am super biased about this book. It was the first book I ever read with lesbian representation, and I finished it in 24 hours the first time as well. This is one of the only books that I will ever rate purely on how much I love it. I had never been one for fluffy romance and then I read this and realized I wasn't one for straight romance. I would not take it to heart if you did not feel the same, but I feel the need to explain why I give it a 5.

A lot of the chapters are shorter which is in part what makes this such a fast read for me. I seriously can finish books so much faster if the chapters are shorter because I feel like I'm making so much more progress. I will say that the ending is a bit rushed. Like they go from getting into a relationship to being in love pretty fast. I also would have loved fleshing out other characters more, but I do really like that it takes me less than 6 hours to read this book.

Is it diverse? I didn't find it to be. It's set in Scotland with nobility. Millie is bisexual and Flora is a lesbian. We also are introduced to both Millie and Flora's exes who are queer. But that's about all we get. I didn't think it was super clear about the description of some characters, so it isn't entirely clear (also I did not read the first book, so I have no idea about characters who were introduced there). I'm also very bad about paying attention to character descriptions to be honest. It's one of the things I want to improve on as I go along doing these.

I love Millie and Flora together. The banter that they have. The buildup to becoming friends and then to how their relationship starts. The Willy Wonka references being their thing. It's all adorable.

I love how we slowly get to learn that not everything is sunshine and rainbows for Flora even though she's a princess. She isn't ever sure who to trust and it must be frightening to think that your own relationship could end up like your parents who can't even sleep in the same wing of the castle. Millie can be a bit of "woe is I" at times and do nothing but fanboy over Scotland but it is cute to see her not wanting to open herself to a relationship after she finally got to act on her crush on Jude only to discover Jude hadn't moved past her last boyfriend. Millie is pretty focused on her future which is also a nice contrast to Flora who isn't as worried since her future is pretty secure.

Saks is definitely my favorite side character. It does seem that she sees Millie as a bit of a charity case so I wish we would have seen their friendship develop a little more, but at least we did get to see her realize that she had her own love story right in front of her with Perry.

Sebastian is another character I would have loved to see more of. It wouldn't make much sense of how we would see more of him considering he no longer attends Gregorstoun's, but I really wished we could have seen more of his relationship with Flora or even becoming friends with Millie.

Honestly, I felt like this book ended in a really good way. Millie apologizes and makes a big romantic gesture, and it works out for the two of them. I am a bit surprised that there is no third book in the series focused on Sebastian though.

[wosoimagines]

The Wicked Unseen

Book 1/25

Started January 1st, 2025

Finished January 1st, 2025

261 pages. I included the historical endnote because I believe it's important to read.

Paperback.

Favorite quote: "This is what Mom meant when she said that's real horror. People in this town are so obsessed with demons and Satanic rituals: the wicked unseen, an invisible danger. The terrible things in their own lives don't even register. Hot sauce held in your mouth for saying oh my god. Left in the middle of nowhere—vulnerable to everything from drunk drivers in the twilight to crimes of opportunity—to walk home bloody-footed. The horror of it is invisible to Ryan, the very person it happened to."

Audre, her parents, and her younger sister, Volga, move to rural Pennsylvania when Audre's mom inherits a funeral home. She will never fit in. Her father studies the occult and has a Ouija board collection. Her mother is a mortician who values the rituals of putting the dead to rest. Volga is obsessed with bats. And Audre? Her nose ring and obsession with horror movies are enough to make her stick out. Add her crush on the preacher's daughter, Elle, and it was cleared she wouldn't fit in this new town. When Elle goes missing after seeing Audre last, signs point to the rumored Satanic cult in the woods. But the police start harassing Audre's family leading Audre to dig into Elle's disappearance herself. Things get weird. Was Elle really the victim of a Satanic ritual, or is the town's obsession with the church covering something else?

Rating: 5/5

Up next: Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

SPOILERS BELOW

I seriously enjoyed this book so much. I really did have a hard time putting this book down. I've never been one for horror, but it was honestly amazing. I think a great perk of it was that it moved pretty fast to me. Chapters weren't super long, which I always appreciate.

I felt like how short and focused the story was and with the time period, it was kind of diverse. Obviously, your main character is a lesbian. But also, her new best friend, David is gay. David is also Puerto Rican. Audre's best friend from her childhood is Hispanic, although we never get to meet her. Also, Audre's mom is queer, we don't get a label, but we are told that she believes in falling in love with a soul not a gender.

I found Audre and her family very loveable. I think it's because I see myself in her now at where I am in my life because I used to be Elle. My biggest irk about Audre is that she couldn't wrap her head around how people could devote themselves to the church the way many people in their town did, but I can understand how hard that is when you aren't the one who grew up in that. The flip side is that I see myself in her because she is constantly questioning everything to do with the church and how no one in the church is even trying to help find Elle.

I feel so sorry for Elle. I understand the religious trauma and how she can be blinded by her upbringing to not realize that it's insane to live the way her father wants her to. I also could never imagine my father abusing me though if I didn't blindly follow his teachings though. I also completely understand what it's like to be so confused when you've been raised in the church and to realize you are not straight.

On that note, fuck Ryan and Elle's dad. I understand that Ryan doesn't realize until the end how fucked up everything is, but, God, do I hate him. He's a sad tragedy thanks to Elle's dad. Elle's dad is absolutely the worse. He's abusive and a good representation of what's wrong with Christianity in the opinion of someone who grew up with the religion and still considers themselves a Christian today (although I'd argue I'm more spiritual than religious). Both Ryan and Elle's dad are really captured as how a religion can be a cult.

I will say, the plot twist of Elle never being kidnapped or harmed really did surprise me, but I'm also gullible. I was so sure that either Ryan or Elle's dad had kidnapped or even killed her that to find out Elle's mother had helped hide her at the battered women's shelter was a shock. The length that Elle's mom went to make it look like a Satanic ritual and that she had died was crazy and kind of fucked up when you realize that she was just going to let Audre's dad take the fall for it, but it's also understandable when you realize just how much abuse she had also been through. For Elle's dad to have lured bears to attack Elle and her mom, to cutting the breaks on the car when Elle's mom wanted a divorce causing her to drive off a cliff (not confirmed but heavily implied), to starting a fire that not only destroyed his own house but also Ryan's and killing Ryan's mom and brother, orchestrating a cross nearly falling on top of him during a sermon (also not confirmed but heavily implied) all so that he could claim that God was saving him and his family while the devil was out to harm him.

Even creepier is when Elle's dad realizes that she's alive and just breaks into Audre's home. Like I was genuinely terrified for Audre because I am pretty sure that Elle's dad could have killed her and would have gotten away with it. Also, he survived a shotgun point blank. When he got back up, I would have been pissing myself. But at least Ryan did end up killing him.

I did enjoy the epilogue too. I would honestly love to see a second book built off the epilogue even. I know it's very unlikely to ever happen, but I'd love to see Elle dealing with her thoughts and feelings after this ordeal while seeing a Chrisitan therapist. I'd also love to see Ryan's POV with him being on trial for Elle's dad's murder (I would obviously assume that he gets off considering it was self-defense and any jury with at least one semi sane person would have sympathy for him when it would be revealed that Elle's dad had started the fire that killed his mother and brother). I think it'd be interesting to see one leave the church and one to not be able to get away from it. But that's wishful thinking on my part.

[wosoimagines]

Book Review Format

I thought it would be nice for me to actually let you guys know how I would format my book reviews for this year, so you know what to look for and kind of what information I'll give you.

The title of the post will be the book title. Follow right below a picture of the cover I personally read.

I'll let you know what book number of the year this is for me, and it will include my goal of 25 so if I surpass it, you guys can see that. Followed by when I started the book and when I finished it. I'll also let you know how many pages the actual book is and then the edition I read (paperback, hardback, audiobook). Then I'll give a favorite quote or one that resonates with me (it will just always be under favorite quote).

I'll give a summary of the book and try to give a little more than what's on the back without spoiling anything. Then I'll give my rating out of 5. Also, what I'll read next.

I will make a "spoilers below" header because under the keep reading there will be spoilers. I will indulge how easy I found to read the book (i.e., if I struggled getting through chapters and how fast paced it was). I'll talk about how diverse I think the book is. I'll talk about the main characters. Characters that I love. Characters that I hate. Plot twists. I'm gonna talk about the ending. I'll also make note of if the book ending was satisfying or not/if there was a sequel what I would love to see out of it.

But please, for the love of all things holy, if you don't want spoilers DO NOT click keep reading. Seriously, I don't want you guys in my inbox complaining about spoilers if you keep reading.

[wosoimagines]

I would love book recommendations/reviews because one of my goals this year is to try and improve my attention span that I’ve ruined with social media (and to try and limit the doom scrolling I’m sure I’ll be doing). I used to churn out fantasy books but now my attention span is so bad that I’m just so slow at the start with all the world building

i feel you. i’ve definitely been doomscrolling more lately so being able to read is nice. i’ve also been trying to make sure that i read an hour before bed instead of watching tv or being on my phone. i’ll definitely get started on reviews for the books i’ve already read when i get home tonight.

[wosoimagines]

i quit starbucks and in a lot of my free time i’ve been reading. like genuinely i’ve been just writing random things and then reading lately with my free time. also, my goal is 25 books this year.

i do really like fantasy but honestly so long as it’s sapphic i’ll give it a go since i’ve never seen much representation of myself. i’m honestly trying to read a lot of my tbr that i’ve never touched which is a mix of romance and fantasy (i think every 10 books i read i’ll allow myself to buy a new book/series).

genuine question

i’ve already read three books this year (my goal is 25). would you guys be interested in me doing kind of a book review? was thinking about rating them, letting you guys know how long it took for me to read the book, a favorite quote, a short summary. and then under the cut, deep diving into it so if you wanna skip spoilers you can.

[wosoimagines]

genuine question

i’ve already read three books this year (my goal is 25). would you guys be interested in me doing kind of a book review? was thinking about rating them, letting you guys know how long it took for me to read the book, a favorite quote, a short summary. and then under the cut, deep diving into it so if you wanna skip spoilers you can.

[wosoimagines]

kinda related i guess? it’s an update on life at least.

i recently left one of my jobs (fucking finally tbh). on top of that, i am about to start helping lead a writing club at my job. i’m hoping it will actually help me to get back into writing especially with more free time.

[wosoimagines]

[wosoimagines]

Guys, I’ve very much have loved reading Malice and Misrule by Heather Walter. If you guys have recommendations that are similar I would love to hear them.

[wosoimagines]

if you come into my inbox to try and say shit about other writers, especially under anonymous, you are getting blocked. i have too much going on in my life to be dealing with everything that was going on this past weekend.

[wosoimagines]

2 goofs