INCREDIBLE! This is what fiction is for---to remind us that no matter the cost, change is always possible.
"And that's part of our trouble. Thinking thINCREDIBLE! This is what fiction is for---to remind us that no matter the cost, change is always possible.
"And that's part of our trouble. Thinking things are inevitable. Not believing change is possible."
"They will not use my tears for their entertainment."
"If you let them treat you like an animal, they will. So don't let them."
"I don't want to beg," says Maysilee, "Or plead for my life. I want to go out with my head up."
"Maybe we'll lose, but we're sure making a lot of people proud back home."
"First name for a ballad, second for a color."
"Sometimes she cries because things are so beautiful and we keep messing them up. Because the world doesn't have to be so terrifying. That's on people, not the world."
"You stay alive, play your songs, love your people, live the best life you can."
"Public opinion is driven by emotion. People have an emotional response to something, then they come up with an argument for why it logically makes sense."
"Don't let them paint their posters with your blood."
"One of us has to be the worst victor in history. Tear up their scripts, tear down their celebrations, set fire to the Victor's Village. Refuse to play their game." "One of us paints the poster."
"A sister is someone you fight with and fight for. Tooth and nail."
"I have nothing left to live for." "Then you have nothing left to lose. That puts you in a position of power."
"We never really recover. We just move on as best we can."
"You were capable of imagining a different future. And maybe it won't be realized today, maybe not in our lifetime. Maybe it will take generations. We're all part of the continuum. Does that make it pointless?"
"She's not an easy person; she's like me, Peeta always says. But she was smarter than me, or luckier. She's the one who finally kept the sun from rising."...more
Aghhhh this book was incredible! With misty forests, haunted castles, crazy maidens, and riddles, it has everything dark fairytale lovers adore and moAghhhh this book was incredible! With misty forests, haunted castles, crazy maidens, and riddles, it has everything dark fairytale lovers adore and more! Just remember to be weary, clever, and good as you dive into this enchanting world. ...more
Enemies-to-lovers fan, prepare to fall in love with your next obsession! Not in My Book by Katie Holt is sure to steal your heart, make you cry, and lEnemies-to-lovers fan, prepare to fall in love with your next obsession! Not in My Book by Katie Holt is sure to steal your heart, make you cry, and leave you laughing (and swooning) simultaneously!
Rosie and Aiden hate each other. As graduate students in NYU’s creative writing program, their bickering during workshops is infamous. Why? Aiden is a pretentious literary fiction writer and doesn’t believe in happy endings. Rosie writes romance and would rather die than see her favorite characters unhappy. The only thing they can agree on is their dislike for each other. When a disastrous argument almost gets them kicked out of the program, their advisor proposes a solution; write a novel together and they can stay. Rosie forces Aiden to write a romance based on their rivalry while Aiden ensures that their novel will have a tragic ending. But as the stakes ramp up on the page, the two are left wondering if their chemistry is anything but fictional.Â
Not in My Book has every trope romance readers have come to love done to perfection. One bed? Check. Enemies-to-friends-to-lovers-to-etc? Check. Grand gestures and adorable dates? Check. Sexually charged co-writing? CHECK. But more than that, this novel captures what it means to love writing and to yearn for love. Aiden and Rosie are far from perfect, yet being together makes them both better people. It was so easy to root for them (even when they weren’t) and the vulnerability they constantly exhibited made them feel real.Â
Strong female friendships and group dynamics elevated this novel above others in the genre. While Rosie was certainly swept off her feet (sometimes in a violent way and sometimes in a grand romantic gesture sort of way), she was grounded by her friends and her close bond with her sister. Family dynamics were also expertly explored throughout the story, as was Rosie’s Peruvian-Tennessee heritage. The romance was amazing (and certainly the central storyline), and I appreciated how layered the characters were. Rosie would have existed without Aiden and vice versa; their personalities didn’t rely on each other.
Not in My Book is a romance that staunchly defends romance readers and writers. Rosie is the writer in the room fighting for her romance books to be treated with the same literary merit as comedy, fantasy, or contemporary fiction, which I loved. Romance doesn’t get the respect it deserves as an art form. More stories like this one are crucial to redefining what the genre can do.Â
If you’re a romance fan (or even if you’re not), you will love Not in My Book. Katie Holst is certainly an author to watch and I look forward to seeing what else she has in store!
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
12/25/24 Update:
I loved this book so much I bought a copy and read it on Christmas! Is there any higher praise? ...more
Going into this book, I expected something like ACOTAR or FBAA. While this novel certainly had elements of both those stories, it managed to feel utteGoing into this book, I expected something like ACOTAR or FBAA. While this novel certainly had elements of both those stories, it managed to feel utterly unique. This was a fantasy first, and while there was amazing romance, the character development drove the story. I adored getting to know the world full of musical magic and dragons and wicked kings—familiar tropes that Parker managed to make new. Reading this book was stepping into another world and I can’t wait to discover what the rest of the series has in store! Read if you like�
GUYS PLEASE GO READ THIS SERIES! You will laugh and cry and swoon and love every minute of it. Here’s some quotes to convince you if that wasn’t enougGUYS PLEASE GO READ THIS SERIES! You will laugh and cry and swoon and love every minute of it. Here’s some quotes to convince you if that wasn’t enough:
“From now until the day I die, and every day after, I am yours�
“As he drifted off beside her, his hand still grasping hers, he said one last prayer, a quiet and short one. He prayed that this right here—this girl, this blessing—would last forever.
“Talk about her again,� Darien said, his words lethally quiet, “I’ll make you bleed.�
“He’d lived to tell of his time in this place, and he would live to tell of it again. As long as he didn’t allow himself to feel afraid, there was nothing to fear.�
“My destination has always been you.�
“You affected me in a way no one ever has. And as the days wore on, and I got to see all the vulnerable and beautiful parts of you, I didn’t just want to be your friend, I wanted to be your best friend. I wanted to be the first thing you thought of when you woke up and the last thing that crossed your mind before you fell asleep. Your laugh and your smile lit up a part of me that had been dark for so long. You brought light into my life, and even though I knew that I could never deserve you, I didn’t want to let you go. Even the thought of being separated from you made it difficult to breathe. I wanted you to let me love you. I wanted to give you the world, because you had become mine.�...more
AMAZING! Carissa Broadbent never ceases to make readers fall in love with her intricate worlds and complex characters. Here are some of my favorite quAMAZING! Carissa Broadbent never ceases to make readers fall in love with her intricate worlds and complex characters. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
“This is the tale of how a chosen one falls. She does it screaming, clawing for her old life with broken fingernails. She does it slowly, over the course of decades. And in the end, she takes the whole forsaken world with her.�
“It is an injustice, Mische, that this is what you got when you asked for love,� he murmured. “This isn’t what love should feel like.�
"I just played the notes that sounded like you.�
“We all have ghosts in our pasts, Iliae. We can’t give them the power to define our futures, too.�
“Do you think that I don’t know what darkness is?� I said. “Why? Because I smile too much? Because I talk too much? It’s my choice to be the way that I am. A choice that I make even when it’s hard. That doesn’t make me weak, Asar.�
“I liked to watch Asar smile. It felt like a victory every time. I traced its path across his face now and wondered when I’d memorized the shape of it.�
"To all the broken souls who just need someone to listen."
“But faith meant that you never stopped letting yourself hope, even if it hurt.�
“Look at all that a sunrise can mean. We survived another night. And no matter what, the dawn will always come for us. Never forget that.�
“She had given her life to spreading the light. She had reached out to countless broken souls. She’d seen time and time again that no matter how dark a person’s past, a little flicker of light still shone in every single heart.�...more
Cassandra Clare has created the perfect political and personal fantasy. Reading all of her books---but this series especially---is like stepping throuCassandra Clare has created the perfect political and personal fantasy. Reading all of her books---but this series especially---is like stepping through a portal into another world that you can't help but get lost in. I adore the complexity of the story and all the historical details woven together with fantasy. There's so much to analyze and obsess over, and yet the story feels completely natural. The characters are incredibly real and complicated; unknowable and yet understandable. I honestly don't have enough words to convince you to read this book, so I can only tell you that you should. Even if you don't like Shadowhunters, this series has so much to offer. If you like complex politics, historical fantasy, fantastic characters, and earth-shattering romance, then this is the perfect book for you. ...more
HOLY GOODNESS! This book was everything I didn't know I needed. Let's see, we have....
☽◯� Enemies-to-lovers ☽◯� Rival families ☽◯� Personal vendetta ☽◯� HOLY GOODNESS! This book was everything I didn't know I needed. Let's see, we have....
☽◯� Enemies-to-lovers ☽◯� Rival families ☽◯� Personal vendetta ☽◯� If enemy, why hot? ☽◯� I hate that I love you ☽◯� Lawyer witches ☽◯� British countryside ☽◯� Complicated family dynamics ☽◯� High society ☽◯� Medevial taverns ☽◯� Moral questions ☽◯� ROMANCE! ☽◯� A love intrest that is a mix between Nikolai Latsov and what fanfiction seems to think Draco Malfoy is (seriously people, Gabriel has the charm, looks, accent, power, and obession to rival any romantasy love intrest) ☽◯� Clear, obvious, stated consent ☽◯� A badass main heroine who is kind without being a pushover ☽◯� "I'll let the rest of the world burn to save you." ☽◯� They're both a little evil? ☽◯� Whip-smart dialouge ☽◯� A simple plot that managed to still be unpredictable
If you like fantasy romance, charming yet villanous heros, strong heroines, and/or books that will keep you smiling until the very end, I'd highly recomened The Twisted Mark by Sophie Williamson. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own....more
That’s it. That’s the review. After all, every second you spend reading this could be spent reading the book instead, which I promGO READ THIS BOOK!!!
That’s it. That’s the review. After all, every second you spend reading this could be spent reading the book instead, which I promise you won’t regret. ...more
I didn't read this book. I stepped into the world and expereinced a war and now I don't think I can come back.
"If you can do it, I can do it. I don't I didn't read this book. I stepped into the world and expereinced a war and now I don't think I can come back.
"If you can do it, I can do it. I don't care what we're walking into. You're not doing it alone."
"Do you want me to tell you that I want to walk away from all of this? I do. Of course I do. But there are so many people who cannot walk away. They are still suffering. Girls like me."
"No war can be fought with clean hands. Not even the ones waged for the right reasons. Not even the ones you win."
"There is no use in dreaming of realities that do not exist. Not unless we follow such dreams with action."
"Just as I saw the beauty in what others called flaws, perhaps he saw the same in me."
"We are the children of fallen gods and lost empires. We are the memories of bones in the plains. And we are more than they ever thought we would be."
"I had forgotten that it was possible for the roots of someone's affection to run so deep, so solid. I could build a life in the branches of this tree. I could cradle a generation's future nestled in its leaves."
"Isn't having built something worth more than the fear of it being destroyed?"
"Creating is harder than destroying. In the end it's always worth it."...more
I recieved an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
I’ve been a fan of Shelby Mahurin sinI recieved an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
I’ve been a fan of Shelby Mahurin since the start. I LOVED the Serpent and Dove trilogy and it has become somewhat of a yearly tradition to reread them around Halloween so imagine my excitement when The Scarlet Veil was introduced. It’s Shelby Mahurin writing VAMPIRES! IN THE SAME UNIVERSE! WITH THE SAME CAST! This book was everything I wished for after finishing Gods & Monsters and I was even more excited to have received an ARC. When I tell you I basically dropped everything to read The Scarlet Veil, I mean it. Following Celie, The Scarlet Veil begins as a string of grisly murders sweeps Belterra. Yet Jean Luc—her fiance and the Chasseur captain—keeps Celie away from the details until she’s thrown into the center of the investigation.
So (in case it wasn’t already obvious) I adored this book. Celie fascinated me in the original trilogy, and I loved watching her take center stage. She’s constantly underestimated and lacks the physical strength that has come to be closely associated with YA heroines. She’s not overpowered or rebellious from the start; she has to learn to overcome social conditioning. It’s so crucial in YA to see heroines who come in all shapes and sizes. Celie is more traditionally feminine and part of her arc deals with battling social stereotypes. She’s not gifted with weaponry and cares about how other people view her—significantly different from Lou and Coco. Instead of always being an outsider, she has to learn to deal with being one, which makes her journey so much more valuable. I appreciated that she was a little naive and expected the best from other people. Maurhin did an excellent job of creating a character who was kind and saw the best in the world without lacking brain cells.
I don’t think I can say too much about the love interest without getting into spoilers, but prepare to add him to the list of your favorite broody heroes. Their relationship has serious Feysand meets Phantom of the Opera vibes, and I could not have enjoyed it more. The side cast of characters was just as amazing as the secondary characters from the first trilogy, and I can’t wait for everybody to meet them. The fandom will certainly not be disappointed.
The plot combined a slowburn romance with a murder mystery beautifully. From dark castles full of secrets to decadent parties in Hell’s own image, The Scarlet Veil had every gothic dream imaginable. The pacing was spectacular, leaving enough time for character development while also moving quickly. There wasn’t a dull moment to be found. It helped that I was already very familiar with the world of Belterra, but the expansion of the world was welcome and well done. The lore development was subtle, and while this novel can stand on its own, I enjoyed getting glimpses of the rest of the S&D cast.
Frankly, I cannot recommend this book enough. Though I’ve read an ARC, I’m certainly still going to buy a physical copy (and this is only the second time I’ve done that). If you like vampires, enemies who are forced to work together, slowburn, magic, witches, gothic vibes, mystery, close-knit families, and tragic kings, then The Scarlet Veil is definitely for you....more
I seriously could not have asked for a better finale to this duology/chapter in the larger series! Keris and Zarrah are one of my favorite fantasy romI seriously could not have asked for a better finale to this duology/chapter in the larger series! Keris and Zarrah are one of my favorite fantasy romance couples mainly because they are a perfect balance for each other. Duty and honor come before romance, so watching them find a way to love each other without betraying the rest of their identity was incredible. The politics, dynamics, and intense conflict made me find time to read this novel during a very busy week and I can't wait to see their cameos in the rest of the series. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"It was because we were likeminded. Because we both saw the same flaws in the world and were impassioned to fix them.
"Lara asked me if there was a limit to what I'd sacrifice, and this it. She's the limit."
"There is no one but you. How could there be when you hold my heart?"
"There are moments in life when one stands at a crossroads, and each path leads to a future so wildly different from the other that it seems impossible they stemmed from the same place. Most of the time, the ripples of those choices touch only a few. But sometimes a choice is made, and the ripples are not ripples but rather tsunamis that tear across the world, altering everything in their path."
"Maybe there is some part of me missing or broken that ensures I don't feel things like a better man would, but I know the way I feel about you consumes me. That it gives me breath even as it steals the air from my lungs. Makes my heart beat even as it cuts it from my chest. What word I give it matters little. What matters is that even after my bones are dust and my name lost to history and history lost to time, I will feel this way about you."
"I don't know what is worse. To stop now and endure the pain of what might have been or to keep going, knowing that there will come a moment when I lose it all. To have this moment was worth any amount of pain, for this memory would hold him through even the darkest of nights."
"Peace is not the product of complacency. It is won by those who look at the past and the present and say, we can do better."...more
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