I truly loved this book, and I think it was very close to being a 5-star for me. It had everything I love about Albert's "The Hazel Wood" along with, I believe, some better character work and a deeper well of meaning. There's magic, generational trauma, female empowerment. I think if it had not been for the at times unwieldy use of swapping POV's and time periods, it would definitely be among some of my favorites. We often went so long without hearing from Ivy that I felt her story became b-plot around the middle of the book. That's not to say I didn't love the story from Dana's perspective, I did, but I would've loved to see more development of Ivy, and I think that brought this book down a star for me.

Still, overall a great read. I got the audiobook ARC of this from NetGalley, and the swapping narrators definitely helped me distinguish between POV's. I'm gradually falling more and more in love with this brand of darkly magical storytelling. If Melissa Albert continues to improve between novels, I'm very much looking forward to her next story! ( )

Great book but definitely not something I would have read on my own. ( )

Gr 9 Up—Past and present are side by side as Ivy navigates the occult happenings that creep ever closer to
home—and her mother's past. Subtle foreshadowing, ominous supernatural elements, and nuanced relationships
propel this character-driven novel.

Bargain books 15/01/2024

The Craft meets Twin Peaks.