This was so good! I had such a good time reading this book. The story was super compelling and interesting, things went really badly really fast by the end, and I couldn't stop reading! I was totally not expecting all those twists and where the story was going lol
I also really like both MCs, they were really similar in some ways, but also had very different ways of thinking and different morals, that it truly made me think about our human consciousness. It kinda made me have an existential crisis!
I loved the chemistry between Damianos and Rickter, and their relationship was so interesting. I'm really looking forward to a next book! (maybe? PLEASE!) The ending felt like it could have a sequel, but it could also just be an open ending. I just really want to read more about this world and characters!
This really felt like a villain origin story, and I loved it!

We were meant to change the world together. Where’d it all go wrong?

Well now I don’t know what to do with myself.
This was utterly captivating. The characters were perfection, the setting fantastic and the plot just kept evolving in a way that added depth to the premise.
It was so unlike anything I’ve ever read.

Rickter and Damianos are such incredible characters. The way they complimented each other’s journey and shared so much of their psyche and opinions only to be foil characters was exquisitely done.

The exploration of the metaphysical through the lens of a cynical mind was fleshed out so well. I think it’s definitely going to garner some strong opinions in the review field but for those that are curious about the what’s and whys of the universe are going to eat this up.

I wish I could delve into so much more of the plot in this review but I want to leave it as spoiler free as possible! The title reflects the contents in such a perfect way.

I can’t even make up my mind about which side I would choose after finishing this. There are strong pros and cons for both arguments.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy of this work. This is my honest opinion.

2.0

Setting: Pennsylvania
Rep: queer protagonists, Black author

This concept has so much potential but this book is a really poor execution. The writing left a lot to be desired - it needs to be edited heavily - and there's a LOT of repetition. I got very tired of the characters constant ranting about being brought into this world without consent. The main characters were very similar and difficult to distinguish and the side characters had no fleshing out at all. Despite being set in a university, we only see about 2 classes and for the most part it's big time jumps and long conversations. There was little chemistry between the boys, and the two sex scenes came out of nowhere and were poorly written. This needs SO much work. Also, the end was just stupid and way too rushed.

Vana Elaire's writing style is incredible. I read the book in one sitting, and nothing could have made me put the book down before I was done with.

My review won't be too detailed, on purposed, because I think discovering this story without knowing much is the best way to appreciate it. This is a dark academia novel, exploring profound themes such as human consciousness, out-of-body experiences, sleep paralysis, and metaphysics. It also tackles complex questions about religion, existence, the purpose of life, and the limitations of the human mind—all executed with remarkable depth and precision.

Some parts were a bit hard to follow, especially for someone like me who isn't used to read such books, but I don't think the author made it complicated to the point of making it inaccessible.

The two main characters were perfectly written. They both felt REAL. It was easy to relate to them and fall in love with them. The side characters are only included for the sake of the plot; each one has a purposeful role in the story. In addition to their contribution to the main narrative, they are also fascinating in their own right, with their personal struggles and beliefs adding depth to the overall experience. Vana Elaire created conflict and had the characters debating various subjects without ever sounding condescending or judgmental, which can be hard to do when you tackles religion and similar topics.

AND THE ROMANCE? GOD. The romance. The chemistry between Damianos and Rickter is out out his world. Their relationship evolves in such a way that you can't help but need more and more and more. They have such an unique dynamic and complete each other perfectly and as their bond deepens, it becomes impossible not to crave more.

Thank you NetGalley, Rose & Ink Publishing and Vana Elaire for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Rated 4.5/5 stars for The Storygraph and 4/5 for Goodreads.

As an avid fan of Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six and M.L. Rio’s If We Were Villains (comparable to The Secret History), I was beyond excited to pick this book up. Now, when I tell y’all I devoured this shit… I mean, I obliterated my sleep schedule to finish this book. My friends have seen me do this before–I’ll stay up until like 8 in the morning finishing a book just to wail about how it’s over.

This time, I said, “I swear to fucking god, if there isn’t a second fucking book, I’m going to start a fucking fire.”

Vana Elaire is an incredibly talented author. Her way of writing is captivating and fun, and it’s easy to tell that she really lets herself get into the minds of her main characters. Their narrative voices feel so real and unique to them; Damianos and Rickter felt wholly individual and alive.

I can comfortably say that I definitely saw some things coming. This was at least a tiny bit predictable. However, I can also comfortably say that I didn’t see T H A T coming. You’ll know what if/when you read this. I like to think that I’m pretty damn good at predicting where things will go in a book, but I think Elaire does an amazing job of making sure that you aren’t expecting the ending. It left me with my head in my hands and a need for MORE.

Overall, I genuinely loved these characters (save Tobias and… others…) and cannot wait to see what Elaire does with them in the future. I had such a fun time reading this, even if it made me a bit existential here and there (it absolutely did–I feel like I will never stop thinking about consciousness and humanity and–).

Thank you to NetGalley, Ink & Rose Publishing, and Vana Elaire for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.