Felicia

3.5 stars. I wanted to love this more than I did, but it was still very well done. For some readers, there will be many unexpected twists. The world building over the real world was complex and believable. There were some lines that were my favorites in 2019. But overall, something just fell flat for me.

2.5 stars
I'm honestly surprised I stuck this one out. Molly read like an Amelia Bedelia walking stereotype of an autistic woman. When are we going to stop calling women quirky, off-beat, and unforgettable (all from reviews on the cover) and start naming the neurodiversity? It reinforces the belief that autism is something limited to men and children, and perpetuates ableist beliefs about how autistic women present. We have an entire missed generation of women either misdiagnosed or completely undiagnosed, walking around being labeled as the weirdo and maybe labeling it for what it is would help towards more understanding.
That said, the story kept me going. I appreciated how there were those around Molly who truly came to understand her by the end. It was fairly predictable, but had a couple of twists. As a librarian, I understand why it has a wide readership and has continued as a series. Just not one I'll be continuing.

I think this book will appeal to many readers, but to me personally, it fell flat. I appreciated the diverse representation throughout the book, especially in how it didn't feel at all forced or unnatural. I think this will especially appeal to readers who want a fantasy or science fiction book, but do not want to commit to a series.