aksh ✮'s Reviews > Waysider

"If you go wandering through the dark, you’re going to find things you don’t like."

Waysider is a paranormal narrative that follows the story of the Ryan twins - Cassandra and Cal. Due to an unfortunate and mysterious incident, Cal is robbed of his life whereas Cassandra survives a near death experience. This results in a newfound power that was granted to her where she is able to see ghosts (revenants) and is identified as a voyant who is offered to attend the most prestigious school called Else & Bellows for people like her. The story trails along Cassandra navigating her way through the new school unraveling cold cases, old mysteries, and dangerous secrets while Cal accepts the blatant fact that he is a revenant and learns to adapt to the new way of life.

I absolutely adore the twins duo. Cal being calm, collected, perfect child and the embodiment of sunshine whereas Cass being the exact opposite - a wildfire that’s chaotic, reckless and fearless. The addition of one being a ghost and one being a living human being was an interesting plot line, as the inseparable twins encounter and discover revelations, they are not ready for. I loved how though they were growing distant, keeping secrets to protect one another and still adjusting to the sharp, unexpected turn that evening took, they never strayed far from each other and were always there to have each other's back. Their relationship was portrayed in such a raw yet heartwarming way I absolutely loved their bond.

if you think about the people in the world who everyone remembers, the people who actually made something of themselves? They aren’t usually known for sticking to the status quo or following in someone else’s footsteps. Maybe being the black sheep just means we’re supposed to make our own legacies 💜

I’ve never read a S.K. Sutton book before, but I've grown fond of her writing style. I love how it's fast paced and uncomplicated yet encapsulates the right emotions in every letter written. It also gives a feel of reading a children's book not by the standard but simply makes me feel giddy and nostalgic from the thrill and fun. There were quite a few subplots in this book, and I love how she seamlessly weaved each other together, having a sense of flow in every one of them that by the end of it you can see it coming together and forming art itself. The plot line was captivating leaving many questions unanswered and I couldn't be more hyped to continue this series and relish in Cass and Cal’s journey of mysteries and surprises.

The romance was a beautiful incorporation, and it was admirable how well it ran alongside the plot line without one overpowering the other. From what I have gathered there is three potential love interests and usually I hate reverse harems but since the author went ahead and made all of them breathtaking, I have decided to give one to Cass, give one to my bestie Kenz and take one for myself (let me be delulu hush). Overall, I had a pleasant time reading this! I can’t wait to see who Cass ends up with and how the rest of the series unravels.

“If she was chaos and night, Cal was calm and sunlight.”

⊹ many thanks to the author for providing the arc in exchange for a honest review !! ⊹