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You're Not a Real Goth Until You Sack Rome
Death was supposed to be an aesthetic, not a plan for the weekend.
Rae Schwarz spends her lunches at the goth table, her evenings with eccentric loved ones, and her daydreams with poetic inspirations. But family secrets have a way of getting out, no matter how long one is sheltered. Some of the things brought to light are a little too bright for Rae's taste, and some have a darkness and a danger she can fall into all too easily.
Book One of the Gothcraft series, this '90s-era Young Adult fantasy is indirectly connected to Cook & Perkins's Fair Folk Chronicles.
Rae Schwarz spends her lunches at the goth table, her evenings with eccentric loved ones, and her daydreams with poetic inspirations. But family secrets have a way of getting out, no matter how long one is sheltered. Some of the things brought to light are a little too bright for Rae's taste, and some have a darkness and a danger she can fall into all too easily.
Book One of the Gothcraft series, this '90s-era Young Adult fantasy is indirectly connected to Cook & Perkins's Fair Folk Chronicles.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2018
12 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 4, 2019
This marks the start of a series set in the same world as another series by these authors which I absolutely loved so I had high expectations for this book going in. It's set about 20 years earlier in 1995 and did a great job of making the high school experience in it feel like that time period (which I feel safe commenting on since that was the period i was in high school as well).
With all sorts of teenage drama coupled with a peek into a world where your neighbours might secretly be ogres, gargoyles wield swords, and types of witchcraft are described by what type of cooking/baking you do.
Rae as the MC is fun as far as seeing this world reveal itself amidst a massive threat to her and others. The star for me though was her friend Erica who despite being the only fully human involved in the fight still sees herself as everyone's protector and will step up to any challenge no matter how outmatched she may seem to be.
It's going to be interesting to see where the series goes from here as the tease for book 2 at the end definitely hints that the threats are only going to get bigger and more dangerous.
With all sorts of teenage drama coupled with a peek into a world where your neighbours might secretly be ogres, gargoyles wield swords, and types of witchcraft are described by what type of cooking/baking you do.
Rae as the MC is fun as far as seeing this world reveal itself amidst a massive threat to her and others. The star for me though was her friend Erica who despite being the only fully human involved in the fight still sees herself as everyone's protector and will step up to any challenge no matter how outmatched she may seem to be.
It's going to be interesting to see where the series goes from here as the tease for book 2 at the end definitely hints that the threats are only going to get bigger and more dangerous.
November 15, 2021
Another excellent adventure from the Dynamic Duo: Cook and Perkins!!
I loved the characters, the connection to lore and legacy, and the uniquely perilous challenge they face against the dangerous enemy.
Cook and Perkins show their ability to draw from cultural mythology and fashion interesting characters everywhere you look—and if you, like Rae, have ever been made fun of or embarrassed for your personal tastes and choices, or isolated just for the way you are… Read this series!! You are not alone, and you will definitely find yourself in these pages!!
I loved the characters, the connection to lore and legacy, and the uniquely perilous challenge they face against the dangerous enemy.
Cook and Perkins show their ability to draw from cultural mythology and fashion interesting characters everywhere you look—and if you, like Rae, have ever been made fun of or embarrassed for your personal tastes and choices, or isolated just for the way you are… Read this series!! You are not alone, and you will definitely find yourself in these pages!!
February 16, 2021
Overkill on the literary references
I almost stopped reading after somewhere around the 3rd chapter and our Heroine started spouting literary references and poetry at college levels. Maybe Goths in Seattle were like this in 1995... but the ones I knew in Virginia in 1993 were not quite as book-ish and were more music oriented. :)
Overall the book was fine for a YA but a bit much for an adult. The ending was worth muddling through the first half.
I almost stopped reading after somewhere around the 3rd chapter and our Heroine started spouting literary references and poetry at college levels. Maybe Goths in Seattle were like this in 1995... but the ones I knew in Virginia in 1993 were not quite as book-ish and were more music oriented. :)
Overall the book was fine for a YA but a bit much for an adult. The ending was worth muddling through the first half.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews