"Seven years, and this is how you want to meet, angel?" [image] [image]
HOLY MOTHERF#@%....
I'm going to start right off the bat by saying if this revi "Seven years, and this is how you want to meet, angel?" [image] [image]
HOLY MOTHERF#@%....
I'm going to start right off the bat by saying if this review was going off how hot this book got me, it would break my rating scale. I needed a cold shower multiple times while reading this. I needed to close the book and calm my heart. If you look close enough, you'll find little tiny shatters of my heart lying somewhere on my carpet.
The Steam Well, Shit. If there was one thing this book did not lack in - it was sexual tension.
"Did you fantasize I kept them? Maybe with a little red bow tied neatly around the stack as I jerk off to them, because I love your pretty words so much?" [image]
Penelope Douglas knows the exact words to get you feeling hot and bothered in 2 seconds flat. All be it, at times the extreme mood and atmosphere changes between Ryen and Misha gave me whiplash, that was only a minor fallback I had.
"I part my lips, running them over the lip ring and savoring the feel as he groans and digs his fingers into my thighs. I tighten my legs around him, needing to feel him.
'Bitch' he whispers. 'Loser.' "
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The Twists I loved that every small questionable aspect that I went through as a reader, led up to something - and a lot of the time, it was never something that I suspected. It really kept me on my toes. Overall, the story was fleshed out well and didn't get lost under all the sexual tension between the two main characters. In my eyes, there was more to it than just your regular romance.
I also really enjoyed the dual points of view we got and we got to go through the story with both the known and unknown variables in the plot. Both Ryen and Misha had distinct voices through the story that added to it.
Misha was a character that I hated to love. I loved the way we got to see the little vulnerabilities that cracked through his tough exterior but we also got to see his journey of loving and losing.
NOT TO MENTION THE DAMN DIRTY TALK!
"I'm his. All of me. I want him all over me." [image]
This is where the rapid breaths and the spiked heart rate comes in because woooowwww. I was a hot mess and not gonna lie - still kinda am. [image]
The Romance Love - Hate romances are almost always a hit with me, I tend to enjoy the banter and the tension that comes with it. In all aspects, Punk 57 did not fail to impress.
"You're my tribe, Ryen" [image] "Tell me I'm yours"
The romance was high-school centered which could make it hard for the author to make it realistic enough for the readers to believe that these characters are teenagers. At points, I had a little scrunch of the brows and couldn't really imagine high schoolers doing, or saying some things that occurred in the story. That got over-ruled really fast by the myriad of realistic moments that happened in the story-line. Overall, Punk 57 is definitely a book I will read again sometime and its already found its place on my favorites shelf.
Merged review:
"Seven years, and this is how you want to meet, angel?" [image] [image]
HOLY MOTHERF#@%....
I'm going to start right off the bat by saying if this review was going off how hot this book got me, it would break my rating scale. I needed a cold shower multiple times while reading this. I needed to close the book and calm my heart. If you look close enough, you'll find little tiny shatters of my heart lying somewhere on my carpet.
The Steam Well, Shit. If there was one thing this book did not lack in - it was sexual tension.
"Did you fantasize I kept them? Maybe with a little red bow tied neatly around the stack as I jerk off to them, because I love your pretty words so much?" [image]
Penelope Douglas knows the exact words to get you feeling hot and bothered in 2 seconds flat. All be it, at times the extreme mood and atmosphere changes between Ryen and Misha gave me whiplash, that was only a minor fallback I had.
"I part my lips, running them over the lip ring and savoring the feel as he groans and digs his fingers into my thighs. I tighten my legs around him, needing to feel him.
'Bitch' he whispers. 'Loser.' "
[image]
The Twists I loved that every small questionable aspect that I went through as a reader, led up to something - and a lot of the time, it was never something that I suspected. It really kept me on my toes. Overall, the story was fleshed out well and didn't get lost under all the sexual tension between the two main characters. In my eyes, there was more to it than just your regular romance.
I also really enjoyed the dual points of view we got and we got to go through the story with both the known and unknown variables in the plot. Both Ryen and Misha had distinct voices through the story that added to it.
Misha was a character that I hated to love. I loved the way we got to see the little vulnerabilities that cracked through his tough exterior but we also got to see his journey of loving and losing.
NOT TO MENTION THE DAMN DIRTY TALK!
"I'm his. All of me. I want him all over me." [image]
This is where the rapid breaths and the spiked heart rate comes in because woooowwww. I was a hot mess and not gonna lie - still kinda am. [image]
The Romance Love - Hate romances are almost always a hit with me, I tend to enjoy the banter and the tension that comes with it. In all aspects, Punk 57 did not fail to impress.
"You're my tribe, Ryen" [image] "Tell me I'm yours"
The romance was high-school centered which could make it hard for the author to make it realistic enough for the readers to believe that these characters are teenagers. At points, I had a little scrunch of the brows and couldn't really imagine high schoolers doing, or saying some things that occurred in the story. That got over-ruled really fast by the myriad of realistic moments that happened in the story-line. Overall, Punk 57 is definitely a book I will read again sometime and its already found its place on my favorites shelf....more
Let me tell you about my favourite NA fantasy book of 2019. _______"It doesn’t end in death. It ends in hope."
[image] [image] [image] [image]
Let me tell you about my favourite NA fantasy book of 2019. _______________
A Story About A Witch Getting Hitched But Much More. Serpent and Dove stole my heart in so many ways and all I want to do is go back and read it all over again. This lush tale full of magic and intrigue is wildly imaginative but soft at the same time and if you're a fan of romance + fantasy, I highly recommend trying this!
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The sales pitch; - enemies to lovers - kickass heroines - lovable side characters (ansel is the floofliest cinnamon roll) - THE ONE BED TROPE� - witches and witchhunters - one badass song about a lady named Big Titty Liddy.
“I know if you aren’t swearing or singing about well-endowed barmaids, something is wrong.�
I honestly inhaled this and if it weren't for actually having to adult, I would have finished it in one sitting. Before I get into the crooks of my review, let's meet our two main characters;
Lou: [image]
Reid: [image]
If there's one thing about this book that completely sold me was the fact that I loved so many characters. Especially these two! The characters in this book had me crying, laughing and turning every page like an addict. Lou stayed true to herself throughout the entire book and was never sorry for being a badass female! I enjoyed her company right from the beginning and it was such a journey to watch her story unfold. Enter Reid... Reid was the horniest mess all encapsulated within the perfect gentleman. He was everything, to be honest. For all those people that mentioned their dynamic is so similar to Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows... you're absolutely right.
“You really think I could knock two fully grown men unconscious?� My husband’s reply came instantaneously. “Yes.�
Their banter was off the charts, and their chemistry practically flew off the page. Because this book was told in dual POV's, I thought it was going to be a problem to distinguish two separate voices, but that was not the case. Both these characters had such a wonderful character development throughout the story and even better, was seeing them grow together. I do have to say that this is completely a New Adult book, and not a YA. Reid and Lou definielty get hot and heavy ;)
“When you weren’t in bed, I thought maybe—maybe you’d—� “Left?� I said shrewdly. “It’s still on the agenda.�
For those who know my reviews, you know that I often fall into the overhype trap. I get very excited about books that have very high ratings and come in highly recommended, but then end up disappointed. I think I've finally found the winner, folks. The world-building (a lavish french renaissance-esque setting with a hub full of of illegal magic, a pleasure house with a mysterious lady, and the men of the church) was fantastic, and embedded within the story rather than separated by info-dumps. There were so many plot twists and character arcs that I was invested in more than just the romance between Reid and Lou, the story itself was fan-fucking-tastic. Truly such a magnificent debut! It was so easy to love this book.
“Can you put something on?� He waved a hand in my direction, the other firmly pressed against his eyes. “I can’t talk to you when you’re sitting there—sitting there—� “N?� His teeth clamped together with an audible snap. “Yes.�
I didn't want this story to end to put it plainly. I loved it so much that I'm just going to ignore the randomness of the last couple of chapters (hehe). One shoutout that I would also like to mention is the fact that this book had LGBT characters but didn't make it a big deal or put any spotlight on them. It was briefly mentioned as a passing comment that Coco had female lovers and then when the fucking Prince of the kingdom all but asked if Reid and Lou wanted to join Coco and him on a sexcapade??! Hell yes to queer characters that don't have "being queer" as their major character trait.
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This is going on my all time favourites shelf and I need the second book yesterday....more
“There was something else afoot that October, something else stretching and straining and panting, but it was mostly as of yet unseen.�
[image] [“There was something else afoot that October, something else stretching and straining and panting, but it was mostly as of yet unseen.�
[image] [image] [image] [image] [image] Call Down the Hawk didn't hit like a freight train, nor did it call for any fantastical shocks... The true magic of this novel is the fact that it is a subtle triumph. Stiefvater wrote a tour de force that caused me to lose my breath through its soft complexities. _______________
Tamquam, Alter Idem Without giving much away, Call Down the Hawk explores the world of dreamers as well as the dreamed. It presents a fresh new cast of characters (including the Lynch brothers) that you'll both love, hate and hate to love.
� Our first main character, Ronan Lynch discovers that his dreams have been infiltrated by a voice that wants him to both understand his capabilities as well as the world around him. � Jordan Hennessy is struggling with herself, she's not living a life that's her own and if there is a single character that you should begin this story knowing nothing about, she is the one. � Carmen Farooq-Lane is a huntress that tracks both dreamers and their visionaries, hers is a tale of the end times. � Declan Lynch wins your heart by stealing it first. He has a handful of lies, a handful of truths and very interesting shoes. � Matthew Lynch was made to hug. He possibly has the shortest page time, but has a story to tell nevertheless, and I feel like we are going to be seeing a lot more of him in the coming sequel.
“No idea sounded like a good idea when you had only one shot left.�
These characters made the entire book for me. It would be hard to talk about CDTH without mentioning The Raven Cycle, so I'm going to get it over with now. Maggie Stiefvater has a talent with her characters, each so unique and tragic in their own way. I loved Ronan during TRC and if possible, I love him even more so after this book. It was wonderful to be in Ronan's mind and understand his conflicts and desires throughout the novel. There is seemingly nothing better than the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his bird, Chainsaw. (Except for maybe the dialogue between Ronan Lynch and his boyfriend, Adam Parrish).
"Tamquam,� said Adam. "Wait," said Ronan. "Tamquam,� he said again, gently. "Alter idem," Ronan said, and found himself alone.
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The character dynamics within the different relationships were so cleverly written. Alongside the development and growth you see from start to finish is captivating to say the least. This book is not without its flaws but I feel like none of them warranted a four-star rating. A caveat; I will say that although the character engagement is alike TRC - the similarities stop there, the atmosphere of CTDH is very different. The world of dreamers is desperately darker than the world in which a group of teenagers hunt down a dead welsh king. The way the plot is handled and the pacing is also very different, so my thought would be to go into this with the understanding that it's completely separate to that of TRC.
“You think it's hard for you to hear the dreams when you're far away from your mountains. From our ley line. From your forest. from Lindenmere. That's not right. It's not wrong, but it's only half right. It's hard for the dreams to hear you.�
This book made me ache, laugh, pine and hope... so much hope. I want to put another cautionary note that although Adam and Ronan have moments in CDTH. This novel is not in anyway focused on their relationship. Adam is a large part of Ronan's life but they're now on different paths going different directions in an effort to come to themselves. But this is not to say that they aren't still the two soft cinnamon rolls desperately in love with each other. Also, for those that are expecting ride or die friendships like the gang in TRC, this is not that either. It's darker and more dire... it focuses on a very different dynamic. I fell in love with the slow-building in this book because of that reason. If anything, Maggie Stiefvater just proved to me that she can write more than one trick.
“You are made of dreams and this world is not for you.�
Another major contributor to my adoration of this book was Stiefvater's writing. To give you an idea, I read the prologue and everything inside me felt at peace but electric at the same time. Her writing is lyrical and the effect is somewhat of a trance; I could not put this book down. I flew through the pages and was consumed with the need to know what happens!! In an effort to try and encapsulate what a gem of a book this was;
What it was: the interconnected lives of a bunch of misfits, some who dream, some who have come from dreams and some who want the world to stop dreaming. What we didn't know we needed in life: For Parsifal Bauer to reach peak Parsifalness. What we got: ronan and declan making a routine list, a room full of murder crabs, a Lynch falling in love, a black market for weird fantasy objects, ronan being soft for adam and adam being adam, the many frustrating exchanges of business cards and, a return to Lindenmere.
“We fool ourselves better than anyone when we're afraid.�
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Side Note: woke up to Maggie retweeting my graphics and I'm not okay.... [image]
Pre-Review plans: cancelled sweatpants: on alex: excited af ronan: lynch
“No offense, sir, but one of your daughters is entirely too young for me, and the other is entirely too Daria for me.�
[image] [image] [image] [ima“No offense, sir, but one of your daughters is entirely too young for me, and the other is entirely too Daria for me.�
[image] [image] [image] [image] Is this happening? Can it be? Did Alex just rate an L.J Shen book more than 3 stars? Did Alex just actually enjoy the everloving shit out of this problematic as fuck book? *Owen Wilson voice* WooOOWwW _______________
Explain yourself, Alex
So in the past, Ms. Shen and I have not gelled well together. I find her books very heavily controversial and are often filled with many tropes and triggers that I just can't get past. Her male heroes are often assholes known for how awful they can treat their girls, but somehow it works for people. It never really did for me, until this pretty little storm made its way into my hands.
"He gave me the rarest thing in the world, and I gave him heartache."
Don't be mistaken, Pretty Reckless still has asshole leads, both of them (Daria and Penn) treat each other like shit for the most part of the book and the writing, although enjoyable still has plenty of triggers. Somehow, someway, I still really enjoyed this! I loved the banter between the group of friends and I flew through this very fast. I was so scared to pick it up but once I did, I was completely captivated. I love enemies-to-lovers but bully romances can be very hit or miss depending how the subject is treated, and in all honesty - I felt like Daria held up her own in this very well! Granted, it was because she too, was a bully but semantics, amiright??
“Mess with me, Followhill, and I will ruin you.� “Not if I ruin you first.�
This was angsty and gritty all through and every chapter had me at the edge. The plot-twists weren't shockers but I really didn't mind because I fell in love with each broken character. The character development was so subtly and beautifully done, I didn't even know I was falling for them until I finished and realized that I had. L.J Shen took my breath away with this one, simply for the fact that she can write up the tragic tales of highschool seniors that hits all the feels. It was so very addicting... I haven't read the Sinners of Saint series so I don't know the backstory of the parents in the All Saints series, but this book really made me want to pick it up.
"You are the fucking equation, I want to yell in her face. The riddle and the answer and the numbers within it. You’re math. You make sense. “Don’t go,� I croak. "
This book reminded me of the show, Euphoria. So if you're into that and want something in between waiting for Season Two, here's your little golden nugget! Another thing that I really want to draw attention to is the fact that this book is advertised as YA (Young Adult), when it is seriously not! It is definitely NA (New Adult) with all the steamy and graphic scenes you could expect in one. Which brings me to the fact that this is an absolute panty-dropper, folks. If it's not entertaining you, making your heart ache or asking you to pull your hair out - it's being the book equivalent of a sauna. If you haven't already read this (which is highly unlikely, I just live under my safe rock) and you're a fan of "hate to love you, love to hate you scenes," then you're going to devour this book. I know I certainly did.
"Because I want to kill Daria. Daria made everything fade into the background the first time I saw her, and while I was busy admiring, everything around us burned."
“The realization that everyone right now is probably throbbing with the need to come shivers over me, and I have a brief fantasy of all of them—eve“The realization that everyone right now is probably throbbing with the need to come shivers over me, and I have a brief fantasy of all of them—every last one of them—using my body to sate themselves with. My mouth and my tight cunt and everything, until every last person is spent and loose.�
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[image] Ms. Simone, you filthy, dirty, brilliant woman...
[image] _______________
After several cold showers... I don't really know where to even begin with this beautifully screwed up story. This was so enrapturing and stunningly sexy, to the point where I can't even begin to tell you what it's about. *sigh* I didn't know the premise of the story when I started and I enjoyed it even more because of it. Just trust that you should go into this blind, and open your mind to all the foul and dirty creations that Sierra Simone very magically devises.
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There are certain trigger warnings that the author posted during the cover reveal that is perhaps all you need to know: "CONTENT WARNING: pretty boys pouting and staring at the rain, old library filled to the brim with moldering manuscripts full of secrets, aggressively bisexual, ritual deflowering of virgins, kink, angst, blood, jealousy, archival minutiae, Latin words, tragic backstories, murder, Prosecco, and a dog"
But if you're like me, those would have only intrigued you even further. As soon as I started reading this, the atmosphere was enchanting. It almost felt like there was a sense of magical element, a paranormal asset to the setting. Thornchapel is a place, but also a feeling and you can really understand it through the writing. Which brings in how vivid and alluring the writing itself was. I loved the prose and the imagery that was given on every single page, with every single line.
“I bloom like a rose when I’m handled like a weed�
This is going to sound so fucking weird, but if you read YA; this almost gave me Raven Cycle vibes. Like a disturbed, erotic, adult version of the Raven Cycle. We had the whole crew and the mystery and history repeating itself, and slightly magical air.
“You don’t pick up on the vibe here? Like this whole place is cloistered in a strange, timeless little bubble? Like a Sarah Waters novel but with pizza delivery?�
There were so many plot twists that I never saw coming, and I began to realize that expect the unexpected works so perfectly with this book. I loved every single character and all the dynamics between them, the interwoven relationships, the sexual tension. EVERYTHING! It was so hauntingly memorable, and I'm itching to get my hands on book 2. I need more of Thornchapel and Rebecca and Delphine. I need more angst between Saint, Poe and Auden. And damn, if I don't need me some more Becket and Sir James!!! My cute lil gang of horny, kinky adults and their dog.
“Thornchapel waited. And in a clearing in the woods, in a church ruined by thorns and time, something stirred. Something called all six of them by name."
The Dirty Laundry I've devised a naughty scale for this book:
1: blushing in public. 2: closing the kindle and waiting to get home because there is no way people won't know what your dirty little mind is up to. 3: panty dropper 4: no need to even wear garments anymore, take the day off work and just... read... ;)
If you read this book and enjoy all senses of depravity, you will be somewhere along this scale. (Hopefully)
I can’t tell. And I can’t tell who can see what, but I do know that it’s a forcefully erotic idea. That if they wanted, my friends could see my cunt. Maybe they could pet it, maybe they could lean down and kiss it to make it feel better. I could almost cry with how much I want that.
In all honesty, I feel like "erotic" is an understatement. But yes, this book was all sorts of erotic but it was erotica with a fucking interesting storyline. I find it really hard to enjoy 100% erotica because there is often no plot or character development. This had all the wet dreams you could ask for but also had me rooting for the characters? turning pages to find out about the certain mysteries of thornchapel? wanting to slip into a coma till the sequel comes out in summer? yes....more
“But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."
[image] [image] My heart is so entirely full, it's nearly overflowing. This book was in a“But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."
[image] [image] My heart is so entirely full, it's nearly overflowing. This book was in a word; matchless. I laughed, I loved, I cried but mostly loved every beautiful little thing that led up to the last page. Now, having finished, I wish for nothing more but to go all the way back to the beginning and start again. As readers, sometimes -very rarely- you come across a book that quintessentially becomes a mantra, a new sense of hope and a burst of something you never really knew existed. I don't think I will ever forget this novel.
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On the off chance this book hasn't already won you over...
For a glimpse on my current situation: i'm sporting sweatpants, haven't cooked for more than 24 hours, hair's an absolute mess, feel like screaming how gay i am out the window, and completely abandoned my responsibilities. my horoscope did not prepare me for this.
When this book is published, and readers pick it up for the first time, I'm going to be sitting and watching all the emotions unfurl and all the fan;art,fiction,girling commence. And while I sit and watch, I'm going to be so jealous of everyone that has the luxury of reading this for the first time.
It's equal parts funny and loving and clever and tragic. I made a note on my kindle at page 3 stating "this is it," because that's how much I could feel the energy of a fucking brilliant book in my hands. The camaraderie and friendship combined with rebellion and sexy banter is almost too good to be in one novel. This is quite possibly the easiest five stars I have ever given.
"So, you can hate the heir to the throne all you want, write mean poems about him in your diary, but the minute you see a camera, you act like the sun shines out of his dick, and you make it convincing.� “Have you met Henry?� Alex says. “How am I supposed to do that? He has the personality of a cabbage.�
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A Tribute
In more ways than one, the story behind Alex and Henry's relationship is magic. There is quite a lot of politics involved, quite a lot of drunkedness and quite a lot of soft moments that make you clutch your kindle slightly tighter.
"But he thinks about Henry, and, oh. He thinks about Henry, and something twists in his chest, like a stretch he’s been avoiding for too long."
This was an enemies to lovers romance with so much more going for it. A beautiful feeling arose throughout the book as I saw the family and the omnipresent feeling of hope through friends. Nora gave me life and made me swoon. June was someone we all need in our life, alongside Pez. Bea was the softest cinnamon role in the whole bakery and when they were all together, my heart started singing.
“Alexander, babes,� Pez says when he picks up. “How lovely for you to give your auntie Pezza a ring on this magnificent Sunday morning.� He’s smiling from what looks like the passenger seat of a luxury car, wearing a cartoonishly large sunhat and a striped pashmina."
I wish I could go up to every one that will ever have doubts about reading this book and beg them to give it a chance. Sometimes, I'm skeptical about picking up new authors - especially, when they are debuting with a genre that means so much to me. Yet, here I am, falling incredibly in love with everything this book is and will continue to be in my life.
“I don’t have my pride, Willow, because I feel like a man on death row. Begging for life. Begging to live one more day. Begging to fuck you one mor“I don’t have my pride, Willow, because I feel like a man on death row. Begging for life. Begging to live one more day. Begging to fuck you one more time.�
[image] [image] [image] If this book isn't proof that you should always give second chances then I don't know what is. I'm so wonderfully speechless. So fucking gobsmacked, someone needs to join me on release day to raise a glass... all the glasses to Ms. Kent.
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An Explanation Earlier this year, I received an ARC for Gods and Monsters. After reading the novel, I wrote a review and gave it 1 star (zero stars if I could) because I thought what it was telling the readers wasn't right. I still and always will hold strong to the points I made in that review, because all those truths are self-evident.
I even thought that I wouldn't pick up a Saffron A. Kent novel ever again, for the sole reason that I actually hate giving negative reviews. Even through all its issues, authors work hard with their writing and publishing a novel can be one of the scariest and most vulnerable things to do.
Yet, somehow Medicine Man made its way through to my kindle.
I. was. hooked.
Not the chapter after chapter hooked, the type of hooked that had my eyes burning because I didn't even want to blink in case I missed a second of reading. The kind of hooked that kept me up till 5 in the morning with four shots of espresso and no dinner (because who has the time to cook when YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS). The kind of hooked that made me reach the last page, and all I wanted to do was flip back to the beginning and start the journey all over again.
That kind of hooked usually never. Never happens to me.
"I can’t ignore this growing� something just under my ribcage. Something like longing but with a sharper edge. More like restlessness."
The Plot Let me try and win you over.
"There’s a sun stuck in my head. It’s bright and glaring. It hurts my eyes, my skull, my very bones. I shove a pillow on my face, trying to shield myself from the rays. Obviously, it doesn’t help. Because the sun is inside my head. Inside. My head."
This is a story about a girl who purposefully fell off of a roof. This girl isn't well. In fact, she's so unwell that she has managed to trick herself into thinking that she actually is.
This is a story about a man who is broken inside. This man is a fixer. In fact, he can fix just about everything and everyone other than himself.
This is a story about how a girl who wants to fall to her death, yet learns to fall in love instead. With a man who wants to fix her, yet learns to fix himself instead.
"Medicine is in his blood. Like illness is in mine. My blood is tainted with poison and his is laced with the antidote."
Depression and Suicidal Thoughts So here's what won me over.
This book has many trigger warnings (that was stated in the beginning, cheers). Depression and Suicide being some of the many sensitive issues that are touched upon. One of the main themes, I'd say before even the Romance was the Mental Health. Not that this book wasn't steamy, because I'm talking panty dropping scenes, hot damn.
"Broken heart is more dangerous than a disease of the mind, though. They give you a pill to make your brain happy, but they haven’t yet made a pill for heartbreak. So there. That should teach everyone who wants to fall in love."
However, something that perhaps resonated very deeply and hit home really hard was the way mental health was handled in this book. I thought for sure I would have to rate this book down a couple stars because magic dick syndrome has its little symptoms pop up here and there and there was the constant message of "Love can cure my depression."
Except it wasn't.
It was done so brilliantly and cleverly because of how real the narration and the bouts of insanity felt. When you have a mental health issue, when you have any sort of disorder with your mind or body - you want to believe that everything and anyone can be your cure. You want out of your situation so badly, that you start to believe in other people more than you believe in yourself.
Willow realized that towards the end and the one and only important message that I want to plaster all over every paperback and e-book of this, is this:
"Well, as happy as you can be while living with clinical depression. Unfortunately, love isn’t a cure for it, but the love of my life is there with me every step of the way."
"As much as I enjoy the fantasy of him curing me, of him being my medicine man, I know he can’t. I know in this life, the only person who can save you is yourself. I’ve been fighting to save my life ever since I was born. I don’t need him to save me."
The Writing There was something so special about the writing in this. The way the atmosphere and pathetic fallacy was perfect under different conditions and the way some narrative descriptions was exactly what it feels like to be in that mindset. Eerie is a word that encapsulates this book.
The cover doesn't do this book justice. Although, it's an okay cover - this book was so much more than just okay.
It is a pretty big ass book. In fact, that's probably what would deter people away or cause them to lose interest. (I didn't lose interest even once but then again, I've already stated how fucking addicted I was to this.)
"I’m already locked up. I’m free to be insane."
There are two more books coming after this one revolved around some characters you see. I need them now. No, I needed them yesterday - I just didn't know. Although, the book deals with sensitive situations and triggering topics, it really is such a hot book. There was so much sexual tension and the burn was perfect and slow.
"I feel like I needed that, his tongue inside my mouth, tasting, sweeping, licking. Hungry. I needed to be his food, his sustenance, like he’s become mine."
I'm going to stop gushing and end this review with a little paragraph that I re-read multiple times. My eyes began to leak and I hope yours do too because whoever is dealing with issues like our Warrior Willow is, or even other issues; it's okay not to be okay.
“Because the thing is that it’s not my fault either. That I was born this way. It’s not my fault that sometimes things get just a little bit harder. It’s not my fault that every day I fight a silent battle. I implode. I don’t make a sound. I don’t say a word. I don’t let anyone know what I’m going through. It’s like I’m blaming myself. And I don’t want to do that anymore. I told you because it’s not my fault. It’s not my fault that some days my goal is just to make it through the day. While others make plans to ace an interview or a test or go see a movie or for a walk, I make plans to just get through the day. It’s not my fault. It’s my achievement. It’s my strength that I fight. Someone told me that I’m a warrior, and that I’m ashamed of it. So this is me…� I nod, unfisting my hands. “Not being ashamed. This is me asking for help.�
"Yes, I will listen to the rain. I will listen to the mountain bird. Oh, a heartstopper is the solitaire's one note - high, sweet, lonely, magic." "Yes, I will listen to the rain. I will listen to the mountain bird. Oh, a heartstopper is the solitaire's one note - high, sweet, lonely, magic."
[image] [image] Here's why it's called Heartstopper. Somewhere in the middle of those words, and the beautiful art. This story manages to do the following to that 'hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system':
- Make's it skip. - Fills it up. - Stops it dead. - Starts it up again.
By the time you've experienced Nick and Charlie, you'll have your heart in your hands and a smile on your face as you look at it, because it now belongs to both those nerds. ______________
A Note To Me This is my first ever 5 stars to a graphic novel / comic. I am very very stingy with that last star, and those who know me and my reviews will be able to tell you just what a bitch I am when handing out 4/5 stars.
It deserved every. single. one.
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In another one of my sequential art reviews I wrote the following: Let me tell you a little something about graphic novels. The ratio is about 2 part words, and 5 part images. 2:5. Ladies and gentlemen. That's not a lot of legroom for authors to work with. They have, what my old design teacher would call - "a very minimal amount of available resources to create a functioning system."
2:5.
And some authors can create magic.
Magic in their shortage of words, picking each and every one out, so that the system not only works but thrives... So that the message goes across in that little word count, and the letters infiltrate pathos in your head. Then, add that to the beautiful artwork that graphic novelists aid their words with - you're left with a substance to your magic. It's the fuel that drives the story to where it's going.
The system needs the fuel to go forth in it's purpose, and the fuel needs the system to even have purpose.
Nick and Charlie [image]
Here's what I love about what Heartstopper is so far. I love that it has aspects to it that are so real in todays society, specifically pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community. It was more than just a coming of age, it was a tribute to this generation. OUR generation.
We got this movement of emotions and just as the characters were realizing things about themselves, the audience also realizes things about today. How it is okay not to be okay. I never understood how things like homophobia could be a thing. And maybe that's just me.
But whenever I hear a person pissing on people who choose to love the same sex, or a different sex. I always ask "Would you choose who you love because they have a different shoe size than you?" *Here's when I would get the blank, confused, dumbfounded stares* Then, I would say "that's just as stupid and idiotic as choosing someone to love according to their sex."
Alice Oseman, delivers that meaning through the hearts of teenage boys. She does it spectacularly. She pulls through how love is love no matter what. In a world full of hate, no one should care when a person loves another. This comic touched me in every single way it possibly could, and I recommend everyone and their dog to read it.
It's safe to say, that Charlie Spring has my heart, and anyone who has the courage to come and fuck with it, can fuck with me. (I have books, and I am not afraid to throw them at you. yeah, I'll give you two seconds to run) [image]
A Note to You Heartstopper is a free read! The author posts new pages on tumblr as well as tapas! So if ever you have a spare hour, you can cruise through what's up so far. She also posts little tiny extra's and minicomics here an there and I didn't know I needed them in my life, until I saw them.
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Give these two boys a chance. You won't regret it....more
“I felt like someone was dragging razors over my insides. But I’d had years of practice saying the right things in the right voices.�
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[image“I felt like someone was dragging razors over my insides. But I’d had years of practice saying the right things in the right voices.�
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It's weird to think that books are so filled with words and messages and stories that have the potential to snatch the air right from your lungs. But then there comes along one that is something else entirely, because words and messages and stories aren't enough to even begin to describe what's in that book. It's so much more.
The Quote About Something Having The Ability To Wreck You Is Appropriate Here
“I pictured Heaven as a field where I would wake one day, warm in the tall grass, and see a man seated at a distance. He would have his back to me and he would be looking out at the landscape. I would come awake slowly, into perfect happiness, and, when I was ready, I would stand up and go to him. I would spend the rest of forever in that summer country.�
I usually go about my reviews with explaining what I loved about the book and what I didn't seem to like as much. I also explain a little bit about what the book entails and how it affected me. I really can't and neither do I wan't to explain what this book is about, because if ever you were to listen to what my reviews advised:
Go into this blind, and it will open your eyes out to all the colors you never knew existed. Some will be ugly colors, some will be sad. All will be beautiful.
“Love is a cage two people build around themselves. �
This book deals with some heavy topics. It will tear you apart in more ways than one because of how real it is, it will touch base in some way or another because all of us are living in a world where the social norms are determined by society. When Lola reached out to me for a buddy read, the first thing I got told by my friend was that this book would ruin her and me. It really and irrevocably did.
“I’m all twisted around inside.�
I finished this book in less than a day, and I still feel the emotional whiplash from it. The Silver Cage has a very timid way that it approaches and comes to kill you. Wherein, you don't actually know that you're dead until you hit that last page and all you want to do is learn how to breathe again because the journey was the definition of breath-taking.
Partially from the realism and mostly from the emotion that is felt throughout the entire 60 heart-breakingly stunning chapters. I will go my whole life never forgetting these two and their story and I really hope that more people will get to love the love they have.
“I love you more in this moment than any moment that has come before it.�
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[image] This book was a raw and emotional reminder of why I read ro“I love you more in this moment than any moment that has come before it.�
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[image] This book was a raw and emotional reminder of why I read romance. It reminded me of the small magic within the big hardships we conquer for love. This speed-train of a novel hit me hard enough for it to become one if not the best of my reads this year. All Your Perfects acted very slowly like a vice on my heart and before I knew it - it had taken it and shattered it. I shall now write a resemblance of a review whilst picking up the pieces.
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“If you only shine light on your flaws, all your perfects will dim.� “I’m a grammar snob. It should be your perfections.� “That’s what makes me like it. The one word they misuse is perfects. Kind of ironic.�
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The Story Emotional whiplash, Ms. Hoover. That is what awaits every single person that picks up this book you've created.
I'm still crying. I finished this book at 4:06 in the morning and I'm still sitting here re-reading some of the paragraphs and sobbing to myself. I don't think I have ever not regretted reading a book like this one. (Sorry for the double negative, it's one of those days, bear with me) I don't plan on writing a small ass summary of what this book is about or a blurb. I can't, because nothing I can possibly write will do it justice. I also recommend going into this one blind. Let it hit you full force, you may be on the ground for the next couple of days - but I guarantee you, it's worth it. At least it is for me.
" Sometimes I look at him and feel such an overwhelming appreciation for him, I almost want to write thank-you notes to our exes."
Sometimes, I think I appreciate Colleen Hoover when she marries the romance genre with sensitive and usually, skirted upon topics within literature. This very rarely is approached in today's writer society and so, it's colossal in it's results.
I don’t five star often. In fact, those of you on here that are accustomed to my reviews know that it literally psychically hurts me to five star a book. That book would have affected me in such a way that every time I go back to loving it, there would be that familiar sting of worship. Not because I hate loving books, but because to me that last star is the seal of perfection. That last star means that I would take that book into fresh hell and back and still hold it like it’s everything beautiful in life. And near nothing - not even Shakespeare wrote perfection.
I’ve also found that every book has many little imperfections. The Old Bard of Avon included in this, but it’s about how all those tiny little imperfections (this metaphor is becoming very rhythmic with this book’s title) wrap up to make it perfect. That’s that last star - in a world where nothing can be perfect, that last star is handed to how beautiful an author can execute it's imperfections.
"I recently concluded that there’s no other explanation for how you and I could end up on the same planet, in the same species, in the same century, in the same country, in the same state, in the same town, in the same hallway, in front of the same door for the same reason at the exact same time. If God didn’t believe in me, then I’d have to believe you were just a coincidence. And you being a coincidence in my life is a lot harder for me to fathom than the mere existence of a higher power.�
The Romance
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Here's where I think Colleen Hoover will win and lose some readers with this book:
It's real.
It. Is. So. Real.
And in reality, happily ever afters don't come by the kilogram.
"If a scientist could figure out how to align the heart with the brain, there would be very little agony left in the world."
The focus of this book was partly infertility. However, in my opinion - I think it was more so hope. It was inextricably embedded with every chapter. Hope is a fucking horrible thing that humans feel. Even more so, when there's nothing you can do to help you get what you are hopeful for.
This love that Graham and Quinn shared was messy, beautiful and absolutely filled to the damn brim with hope. Their story showed an ugly truth to life, that hope isn't always something to lean on, rather something to keep close. There were some aspects in this book that I will talk about in the next section, only because I'm making everything above that last section spoiler free.
I thought this story was chemical, it broke my heart in the best way and as much as I hurt - I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to leave Quinn and Graham. I wanted to see every detail of what their lives would turn out to be.
“What’s the secret to such a perfect marriage?� The old man leaned forward and looked at me very seriously. “Our marriage hasn’t been perfect. No marriage is perfect. There were times when she gave up on us. There were even more times when I gave up on us. The secret to our longevity is that we never gave up at the same time.�
Trigger Warnings [Please Do Not Read This Section If You Don't Want To Be Spoiled For The Book]
There are a lot with this one. Some blatantly obvious, and some hidden under the surface: -Grief -Self Harm -Infertility -Infidelity -Anxiety -Miscarriage -Self Hate
I want to address one of the above that links to all of the above. The Cheating
Cheating in romance books are a hard pass for me and very rarely do I overlook it, unless the character walks away from whoever they have been cheated by. Because THAT is a good role modeling system for any young people that decide to read this book. I would hate for younger me to read a book where one of the MC forgives the other for cheating on them.
Yet, here I am - giving this book five stars.
This is not a bash on anyone that disliked this book because of this, nor does this in any way make your opinion inconsistent. We all feel differently when we read, and that's one of the most beautiful things about reading.
All this is, is an explanation.
Please note: Cheating is never justified. (view spoiler)[ 1) When we find out that Graham cheats on Quinn with a girl from work named Andrea. “I never slept with her, Quinn. We just . . . it never got that far. I swear.� He kissed her two work days, and only told Quinn because she found out.
2) Quinn DOES NOT make any excuses to justify his action. "He didn’t sleep with her? Does that make a difference? Does it hurt less? No. Does it make me less angry at him? No. Not even a little bit. The fact is, Graham was intimate with another woman. It wouldn’t matter if that consisted of a conversation, a kiss, or a three-day fuck-a-thon. Betrayal hurts the same on any level when it’s your husband doing the betraying."
3) Graham gives a false reason as to why he did it, which he later on told Quinn the truth in his letter. His initial reason was "the whole time I had my eyes closed, I pretended it was you.�.
4) Quinn ONCE AGAIN did not make any excuses for him and called him out on his bullshit. “So it’s my fault? Is that what you’re saying?� I turn my whole body toward him in my seat. “You don’t get the attention you want from me, so you find someone who reminds you of me? I guess as long as you pretend it’s your wife, it shouldn’t count.� I roll my eyes and fall back against my seat.
5) Ater Grahams explanation of why HE fucked up and his address that their marriage is collapsing in that house, we hear this “I am not blaming you for what I did. It’s my fault. It’s my fault. I did that. I fucked up. But I didn’t fuck up because I was attracted to her. I fucked up because I miss you. Every day, I miss you.
6) Quinn ONCE AGAIN calls bullshit stating that even through her depression and grief and infertility - "a good husband loves his wife through the good and the bad times. A good husband stands at his wife’s side through sickness and health, Graham. A good husband—a husband who truly loves his wife—wouldn’t cheat on her and then blame his infidelity on the fact that he’s lonely.�
7) Later on we find out why Quinn forgives him and she clearly states "The reason HE allowed himself to fuck up is because he gave up on us."
I am not in anyway justifying infidelity, because even in this case it was hard for me to get over. But what let me get over it was the fact that even the book didn't justify it. Sure, Quinn may not blame him - but the author opens up account for US to blame him. Additionally, for Graham to blame him. Through the love we see that he shines on Quinn is beautiful and magical - until it's not. But that's life. Cheating happens in life, but justifying never should.
We get Quinn's depressive state and her self hate through her not blaming Graham. She is so broken at the time that she understands why he did it. I understand why he did it. That does not in any which way make it okay. She forgives him because his infidelity is one of the lesser evils in their whole clusterfuck scenario. Yet, she know's it's him that fucked up and not her. (hide spoiler)]
“You say that like marriage is a Category 5 hurricane.� “Not all the time. But I definitely think there are Category 5 moments in every marriage.�
“This isn’t the end for us. I promise. This is just the in-between. I’ll find you in the after.�
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I'm a goner...
Time to bring out the“This isn’t the end for us. I promise. This is just the in-between. I’ll find you in the after.�
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I'm a goner...
Time to bring out the metaphorical vacuum cleaner and clean up the house, because my heart has shattered all over the damn place.
If you could just look around and see if any of my other vital organs are around you, that would be great, thanks. Because as of now, I can't breathe, I can't feel, I can't even begin to put my feelings into words. But, I'm going to try.
“I’ll miss you,� he said, a catch in his voice. Those three little words held all the emotion of a hundred lifetimes, and we were both in danger of drowning under the weight of them.
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you were red, I think I should start by saying that this book is a true tribute to young love and the punch to the gut with how real life comes in the way of everything we hold dear.
The world could be ugly or beautiful, depending on where you found yourself. You could create a little beauty in an ugly place, but in the end, the ugliness would eat it up.
Evelyn and Dylan's story is not one thats spectacular, or amazingly different, or even something that would catch your eye. But that's the beauty of it . The plot was character driven and it went through the mundane realities of life and how not everything has to be out of the ordinary to be beautiful. I didn't stop reading, which was a mistake because I started this one at 9PM and the time slipped through my fingers.
Today at work, the bags under my eyes shall be Gucci.
"You are odd, Evelyn Flynn. If I’m the king of gloom, you’re the queen of randomness.�
you liked me because i was blue, The writing in this novel is phenomenal. There's more to the words than what's shown on the surface and I swallowed every little bit up. I smiled through the tears and loved every single minute of it. The transition and flow of the story isn't one that happens slow, the romance and the series of events that occurs happen to start from the first chapter. But there still managed to be a twist at the end that I did not see coming and I did not want!
It was a picturesque world, one that would never exist for us.
Not to mention, the dynamic between the kids and the different personalities at play had me laughing most of the time. I think what I loved most about everything was how fucking real it was. It was something that so many people could relate to and that's what made it so stellar The characters weren't flawless, their lives weren't glorified but they managed to love and live through the simplicities. Even if the simplicities weren't enough.
“My mam says this was the fifth-last place God made. It’s bad, but it’s not the worst,� said Sam. “That’s a good way of putting it,� Conor agreed."
Yes, there were a handful of things that I thought could have been done better. I'm a stingy reviewer and little to nothing gets 5 stars for me. To be completely honest, I was going to give this 4 stars too, and list out a couple of things that bugged me about the premise and the structure of the story.
But it hit 5AM in the morning, and I was sobbing my little heart out with a box of tissues by my side. And all I could think about was how imperfectly perfect this was.
“Because I can only see my dreams clearly when I look through you first.�
you touched me The characters in this book whether side, main or even irrelevant managed to wriggle their way into my heart while I was reading it.
“Believe me, Ev. Any way you want to touch me, I’m certain I’ll like it.�
Especially Sam, I loved him from page one. I love him now. I'll keep on loving him.
On our way to the cafeteria, we passed by Shane. Unlike usual, he wasn’t scowling at Sam, but grinning. However, much like usual, he threw an insult at him. “Hey fag.� “Hey dickface,� Sam shot back. “Suck any cocks today?� Shane retorted. “Why? You interested?� Sam asked back and Shane grinned wider as he continued down the hall.
The friend group reminded me so much of my own time at high school. How you had so many different types of people and personalities, yet something so simple can string everybody together. I loved reading the scenes with the whole gang, and the mischief that teenagers are up to. I think the nostalgia in this book killed me.
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I would say that this had so many coming of age elements to it and it worked beautifully with the romance. "Growing up" acts as a catalyst to initiate 'real life' and it was woven so intricately with the love between Evelyn and Dylan, and every other relationship in the book. Be it family, friends or lovers.
"Yes, who indeed. Something unfurled inside me, a fleshy, curly, tangled thing. It twined itself around my heart, my lungs and other organs, twisting tight until I felt like I couldn’t breathe too well. And it sucked, because he’d never stay here. With me. Dylan was meant for more than this tiny city on the edge of a little island surrounded by the sea. And just like a rock hurtling off that very edge, I fell for him hard."
I love books that show that although the world isn't pretty at all, we all go through it the same because we all go through it. This story showed how people need people. No matter what the consequences, in happy moments, in sad, in lonely and even when you feel like you're an invincible teenager and nothing can come in between you and your dreams. People need people.
Today we’d grieve together.
and i became a lilac sky I loved the love that was shared in this book. Without a doubt, the undertone of how two people can change each other. Be it even for the worse, was so so so illuminating and not a lot of new adult books cover that. Because love is messy and when you have that with someone else, you can get affected by it and sometimes you change. You grow.
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If you look at the subheadings of my review, it's a quote that so heavily reminded me of the love between the two main characters.
Dylan struck me as the type to hate fiercely, but also to love just as fiercely. He felt all of life’s emotions with everything he had in him, and there was a captivating sort of appeal about that.
This is going on my all time favourites shelf, and I know that I'm going to come back to their story many times in the future. I need to get my hands on book two, so thank fuck it comes out soon! If you haven't already read this story, it's beautiful and I have no idea what you're waiting for.
I needed to make this last, so I could etch his taste into my memory, fold his smell in crepe paper and save it for a rainy day when I needed some sunshine. That’s what he tasted like—bottled sun. Golden, like the flecks in his hair.
"I'm in charge. And if you don't stop fucking with my nerds, especially that one. They'll be pullin' me outta here in handcuffs, and you in a body "I'm in charge. And if you don't stop fucking with my nerds, especially that one. They'll be pullin' me outta here in handcuffs, and you in a body bag."
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Wow. There's something seriously wrong with me. No really. I'm tumbling into a deep dark hole that I found, whereby webcomics completely take over my life.
So here's the thing, I read this comic two days ago in one sitting - and for the life of me, I can NOT stop thinking about it. These characters have taken over my life, the story has managed to pull me so far in, and I've fallen in love with yet another fandom.
I can't believe this is going to be my second 5 star rating consecutively, here at Comets and Comments - that is practically unheard of. But there was nothing else I could possibly do. Seriously, just give it a chance and read it and hopefully you'll be in the same damn ship as me. [image] ________________
The Story Jesus Chrysler. Welcome to Alex's cooking show, here with your host Alex. Today we will be learning how to make Long Exposure
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Ingriedients: 1) 1/3 cup of hate to love romance 2) 1/2 cup of bisexual, soft (a true cinnamon role) nerd 3) 1/2 cup of hardass, (but has had the longest middle school crush on the soft nerd) bully 4) 9 tsp. of pure. genius. artwork. (an art-style like no other, this is rare to find so don't go to your regular Walmart, Jane) 5) 10 ml. of LGBT+ (incl. not your regular character schemes) 6) 6 mg of your life and heart and soul (optional, depending on how the above tastes like to you)
Methodology: 1) Gather Ingredients 2) Mix well. 3) Suffocate yourself with it. [image]
For Real, Though The characters were so imperfect, and secretly broken and so real that it made the whole thing so easy to sink myself into. I know it's bad, but I love how nasty and hard-up Mitch was, but we gradually saw the character development when his feelings came to play and holy shit I AM HERE FOR THAT!
Can I also just say, the sexual tension between the duo and everything that leads up and after really is pretty steamy. I know it's just a comic, but Mitch and Jonas are too hot, hot damn! [image]
I really got into this, I listened to the Spotify playlist and everything. I even spent time stalking the hashtag #mitjo on Tumblr, and there is no way I can dig myself out of all the fanart, the creations, the humor posts, etc etc etc. that this fandom has made for this author's art and story. Seriously, everything is on point. The fact that this started as just her original characters and then broadened into a comic really warms my heart and it goes to say that anything is possible for artists and writers and people who want to create.
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Confession: I even watched the comic dub. No regrets.
The Art Man, can this artist art. I have so much love for illustrators and the amount of work effort is put in to create a single panel. This lovely comic has blessed us with so many pages of beautiful, and the best is there's more to come. You can read it for free, and it updates every so often.
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I love that even though most of it is greyscale (the important pages are done in color) - everything from the small little shape of a rock, to the hand placement, to the facial expression is key to the story. I also fell in love with the side - characters, such a robust, diverse group of kids in this school. A story that can achieve all that and more is a 'HELL YES' to me straight off the bat.
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I really can't say anything but good things about this story. I'm gonna be here waiting for an update and hoping to god my heart doesn't break in the process. #mitjo [image]...more
"Front seat's for people who haven't been kidnapped by fucking numpties."
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This book has caused a significant change with a myriad of "Front seat's for people who haven't been kidnapped by fucking numpties."
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This book has caused a significant change with a myriad of different things in my life. - I can no longer look at the number 61 the same. - Jeans. - Villainous Superheroes and Super-heroic villains. - Unconventional Swear Words in the Magickal Realm.
I tabbed the living shit out of this book. There were so many cute moments, and moments that made you think about so much more than what the story was giving you. Carry On has it's mistakes and flaws and I don't think it would be fair of me to judge the rating based off of them, because Simon Snow has thought me that flawless shit is over-rated. Except Baz. Basilton Pitch is perfect in every aspect.
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“You're so alive, Simon Snow. You got my share of it.� __________________
Confession Time on ŷ 69 o'clock EST, with your host Alex. *ahem, what do you have for us today, Alex?*
Well you lovely jubbly humans. I'm going to go ahead and give negative one fucks when I say this. Negative. One. Meaning, I'm actually going to take a fuck from somewhere.
I did not like Eleanor and Park. I did not like Attachments. I did not like Fangirl.
Segment over, Carry On. (See what I did there? Honestly, I just need coffee. If someone could just come over and strap caffeine onto an IV and hook me up, that would be grand.... or grandé... coffee puns? no? no. )
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Baz and Simon sitting a tree... I thought my favourite chapter was 32. Then it immediately changed to 33 and then once 61 hit, I was annihilated. Baz and Simon are the type of cuddly that you just want to scoop yourself into with a mug of hot chocolate and watch the magic of their romance. This was a major reason why this novel got a 4 stars with me, because Baz is my spirit animal and Simon is the cutest sheep in lions clothing.
Nothing is left when Something is over [image]
I thoroughly enjoyed the realm that we were given and although the writing felt like it was treading too carefully in an effort not to pass off as AU Harry Potter fan-fiction, I genuinely do feel like this fantasy world is more than a forgery of another. The world building was very minimal and in a way, that worked out well during the end because it left the readers with an individual world to themselves. Watford could be whatever the hell you wanted it to.
One issue I did have though was that everyone kept mentioning "a waste of magic"... So is there a limit to the magic allowed or until you exhaust yourself? I wished we got more insight on the magical system that contributed to the world.
The "Twists" So I guessed most of them. I questioned if they were even twists or just story -arcs..
I enjoyed where it went even though I knew where it was going. There is a certain pleasure in seeing everything lose its equilibrium, only to build itself back up again.
I understood the humdrum conundrum (I am on a fucking rolllll) at about a quarter way through. He's like a leach. The Insidious Leach.
I honestly enjoyed this story and most of it was due to Baz and Simon and the wonderful array of characters we were allowed to indulge in. Fiona is probably the best friend that everyone wants and if she were to write this review, I'm guessing she would end it along the lines of...
This book annihilated me. It hit hard, it hit perfect and it didn't stop hitting until the last word. Some stori“love doesn’t know titles.�
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This book annihilated me. It hit hard, it hit perfect and it didn't stop hitting until the last word. Some stories allow their words to come alive and build the perfect fabrication around you. Very rarely do you come across a story that allows its words to make you come alive instead.
Jonathan and Kennedy's story is one that is not for the brave of heart, but it will result in making your heart brave. I loved this book to with every fibre, and am so honored that I let it annihilate me. I will very glady sit and glue myself together again, because it was worth it. It was so worth it
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Chickens and Breads
I fell in love with each of these characters so much it hurts. They came off the page, each with their individual identity - flaws and vital characteristics. The realism strung through in this book was immaculate. I would just like to state now, if you haven't already realized - this whole review will me gushing and raving and overall just loving this book. This isn't a review in all honesty. This is a cry for help.
� I didn’t stick around here so long for any of that. I stayed for you. And if me loving you is enough—� “It is,� she says.�
I would bring this book to every single Tuesday show and tell, and I would do it with a big ass grin on my face. My heart is full, my eyes are stinging and I probably should finish writing this review tomorrow - but I cannot go a day more without yelling about this fucking book, man.
If you are even thinking, hell - if you even looked at this book. Read it. I shit you not, you will not regret it. I'm going to go ahead and just say even if you haven't looked at this book - you should read it.
“I do it, and I do it well, pouring my soul into every moment. It's nearing the end of the story, even though we're still at the beginning of filming. It takes everything out of me, because endings are hard. Endings are fucking impossible... especially endings that remind me of a girl I'm trying damn hard not to think about.�
The Writing
Here's a confession: I did not like Sempre. It was a mediocre read for me. I loved the writing though and so I gave it a decent 3 star review. It was a good comfort zone to get into while reading it.
J. M Darhowers writing is soft. It is the soft that make's your heart ache and your stomach flip. It's the type of soft that only certain weathers can evoke in you, or even certain places. Because that's how fucking good it is.
“Because I’ve wanted you since I was seventeen years old. Saying that is like promising forever. I need a real answer.�
He’s quiet for a moment, resting his head on top of mine before he asks, “What’s wrong with forever?�
“Nothing,� I say, “as long as you mean it.�
“Would you believe me if I promised it?�
“Yes,� I whisper. “That’s why I need you not to.�
Here's another confession: There are a total of 234 highlights and notes on my kindle just for this novel alone.
I am so glad I did not go into this book with the mindset that it was going to be another mediocre read for me, but in a way it doesn't matter, because even if I did - It would have justified itself. I cried you guys. I am not talking a couple tears or a couple quiet sniffles. There was nothing pretty about the state I was in while reading this. Jonathan and Kennedy fucked me up. I love their love. I thought I was a mess after the first few chapters, boyyyy did I speak too soon.
“I didn’t say you weren’t fine. I said you looked lost, not that you didn’t know your way.�
The Story
“The notebook holds a piece of my heart, a piece of my soul, the piece I gave to him long ago. “You’re being an idiot,� Meghan says, popping up in the doorway behind me. I laugh to myself. “I know.�
I felt the pain. Felt it because this story had a lot of aspects in it that I could connect with a few parts of my life. Be it from Kennedy, Jonathan, The father or even Jack!
I felt the love. Felt it because this story couldn't stop itself from being one that was overflowing with it. It is so much more than just a romance. Going into a league that very few novels go into, I felt the love because I not only experienced it through the characters - but I conjured up some of my own for the little things.
I felt the laughter. Felt it because this story was funny as fuck. 'Nuff said.
I felt the bittersweetness. Felt it because this story can be described that way in one word - bittersweet. It dealed with more issues than I thought it would and once I waltzed my way through it, I realized that bittersweet feelings usually coat some of the most memorable stories in our life.
“Sorry for everything I did that led us to this point. And I get it, you know, if you hate me. Wouldn’t blame you at all. But I just need to tell you� I need you to know� that even when I was completely fucked up, I never once stopped loving you."
Madison Jacqueline
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THIS. GIRL. THIS. ANGEL. THIS. FUCKING. GIFT.
SHE WAS MY EVERYTHING. I AM INDEBTED TO A SIX YEAR OLD FOR REMINDING ME HOW PERFECT IT IS TO BE JUST YOURSELF.
Let me just get you started on a few moments, where Maddie stole the show. I closed the kindle multiple times and just saw there smiling like a complete idiot because of this child.
1)
“Hesitantly, I knock, hearing a flurry of footsteps inside before the door yanks open, the little ball of energy in front of me, grinning. “Madison Jacqueline!� Kennedy shouts, popping up in my line of sight. “What did I say about answering the door like that?�
“Oh.� Her eyes widen, and before I can say a word, she swings the door shut, slamming it in my face. I stand here for a moment before the door cracks open again, her head peeking out as she whispers, “You gots to knock.�
As soon as it shuts again, I tap on the door. “Who’s there?� she yells. “JDzԲٳ.� “Jonathan who?�
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2)
“I’ll be Breezeo and Barbie can be Maryanne for you,� she says, sitting down on the floor and patting the wood beside her. “Wait, shouldn’t I be Breezeo?� “You’re him all the time, so it’s my turn now.� Well, can’t argue with that logic.�
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3) And After Maddie draws on her dad's cast and both of the loving parents are just having a moment...
“Yeah, well, real world, remember? You had to know it wouldn’t last.� “Yeah,� he mumbles, though he doesn’t seem to like that fact, his attention now on the drawings covering his cast. He traces the colorful lines with his fingertips.�
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Overall, I would just like to say that this book is not as plot dense as most new adults are with twists and shocks and story arcs across characters. It's perfect with it's simplicity. It's simplicity is what makes it such a complex story in a manner because we are left there with such intricately damaged and loving characters and we see them solve what they need to.
It was a wonderful journey - one that I would wish a lot more people find out about and read. This is one hell of a book and I don't think it will ever leave my system. <3
Note: This review has been sprinkled with all the chickens and breads, all the kale and if you look past the food, you might just see a piece of Alex's heart somewhere....more
They're filled with a profusion of words, phrases, sentences, fragments, messages, stories.
They beg you to talk about thHere's the thing about books.
They're filled with a profusion of words, phrases, sentences, fragments, messages, stories.
They beg you to talk about them and carry them on once the epilogue hits and you're on the last word. Once you close the book, they silently ask you to go and talk about what it was about... because that's what words do. They demand to be spoken.
"Boys who did not have the chance to live before the world armed them, and who don't know how to live now that the fighting is over."
Boyd oh Boyd..
I h"Boys who did not have the chance to live before the world armed them, and who don't know how to live now that the fighting is over."
Boyd oh Boyd..
I had to put this down once I hit chapter 12. I couldn't get behind it as much as I did Vol I, and I fucking loved Volume I.
Don't get me wrong - the first half of what I read, was all the damn stars in the sky. Boyd and Sin have the sexual tension that I lust for in all romance books and Evenfall will always be one of my all time favorite novels. Maybe not this volume in particular, but it's the story that will stay with me, it's the story that counts. [image]
I am not going to rate this, however - sometime soon, I will be picking up the Original version because I want to make my way through the series the way the original people who read this did. I want to get all the way to the end with no Directors Cut pitstops.
"...the inescapable knowledge that this was finite, was stolen, was not supposed to be."
[image] [image] Talking Dragons, Magic, Gay Wizard, Gay Prin"...the inescapable knowledge that this was finite, was stolen, was not supposed to be."
[image] [image] Talking Dragons, Magic, Gay Wizard, Gay Prince, Sexual Tension, Phone Prank Wars, Love Potions, Fairies, Hammer Dance, Queer Romance and Clever Writing. Not to mention this is a free read.
Have I won you over yet?
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The Story To start, I should probably mention that this is web published fan fiction. Before you already start putting up guards (and in all defense, totally understandable) - I should probably also mention that this has some of the most beautiful and intelligent writing I have read in the Romance genre. It seriously made me put my kindle down and question how some of the other authors I have read so far managed to get published commercially, but then you have "it will wipe the floor with you" authors such as the one from this story, that haven't gotten more recognition and exposure.
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"Nobody's straight," said Cedric, rolling his eyes. "They're just confused. And too sober."
It reads better than some of the M/M romance books I have come across and if that doesn't already deserve a bunch of stars then let me tell you about what this little hidden gem is about;
If my first sentence of what this book has didn't win you over, The Student Prince revolves around fictional characters Merlin and Prince Arthur. It is based in an alternative universe in which they meet at university as roommates. Merlin starts a new phase in his life where he plans on learning more about his magical abilities whilst juggling his now out of the closet sexuality and new found friends. When he meets his new roommate, he can't believe how different he seems to the image in his head. There is honestly nothing better than the sexual tension that occurs when you read a enemies to friends to lovers romance. So really, I don't even have to say anything more.
"I want to fuck your mouth. It's such a pretty mouth, and you look so hot with it wrapped tight around my cock and your cheeks all hollowed out. I can't stop thinking about it. Come on, Merlin. You fucking love me, you know you do."
To address the fact that this is fan fiction from the TV show Merlin, I'm also going to say that I haven't watched it. Nor, am I an expert on the classic tale of King Arthur and Merlin the Great Wizard. I think I watched the disney make of Sword in the Stone like an addict when I was younger, so I knew the bare minimum going into this. I could tell however, the wicked ways the author foreshadowed to events that would potentially happen in the show and it made me want to drop all my priorities and binge watch Merlin.
Yet, I feel like you need none of those to enjoy the lights out of this book. It's the perfect little gem that I recommend you should snuggle up in bed to and let the magic consume you. Truly, one of a kind. [image]
The Romance Fans of Carry On would love this. I can already see it.
The humor being very tongue in cheek and the pacing much like a slow burn but in the best way possible, you could really feel the sexual tension between both characters. It was practically a palpable energy that emitted from my kindle.
I was also rooting for so many of the side characters, the university setting was perfect! Merlin and Arthur had such a chemistry that it completely came off the page and into my heart.
"But, Arthur -- you're rude to me all the time," he pointed out, feeling his heart give a stupid little squeeze. "Yes, well -- I'm allowed to be," said Arthur, crossly, sitting down again. "I'm the Prince of Wales, and you're Welsh. I can do whatever I bloody well like to you."
This book made me want to just dive right into the m/m genre and never come out. I find so many over-used tropes and characterizations in f/m romance that I've begun to think that I might need a break. However, my love for that genre will never die so it's a catch 22.
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I knew from the minute I read the first paragraph that I was going to fall in love with this book and sure enough I did. That feeling, very rarely happens in a book with me - where it just clicks that I was made to read this. Everything about it was so fucking brilliant.
"I'm Arthur," said Arthur, in what must have been the most entirely redundant sentence in the history of creation -- because, really, Merlin was pretty sure that even Amazonian tribespeople who'd never tasted Coca Cola could probably pick Prince Arthur out of a lineup."
What I do assume some people would strongly suffer from reading this is understanding the British colloquialisms and slang if they aren't accustomed to this already. Although, it's very easy to catch on with some words (through context), the slang used in this was day-to-day words I know through friends and family.
For example:
"I wouldn't want to fuck you if you had a ten inch knob made of solid gold and your arsehole was the gate to Nirvana, you massive pillock," said Merlin, red faced and furious. "I can't be friends with you because you're a gibbering twatwaffle, not because I would ever, in a million years, want to shag you. Get over yourself!"
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The X Factor What really did it for me was how unique so many things were. I love weird. I love LGBT+ representation and I love seeing how an author builds their world. This had all of the above and more. So much so that it won my last and final star over - making this an all time favourite read.
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There are two different five star reads out there: one that you do and regret, half feeling guilty because you know it's not really a five star read. The other is one that you will never forget and each time you think of the book, you know it deserves even more than the lousy rating system ŷ has graced us with.
This was definitely the latter.
"'No' seems such a flimsy and inadequate little word to express how very little interest I have in hearing you rambling on about that particular topic," said the dragon. "Your mating rituals are roughly as fascinating to me as the eating habits of snails."
Note: All the wonderful fan art attached to this review belongs to the rightful (kickass) owners....more
“I want to make you feel everything, Vesp,� he grunts in my ear. “You do,� I eke out, already feeling countless contrasting sensations. “Give me all“I want to make you feel everything, Vesp,� he grunts in my ear. “You do,� I eke out, already feeling countless contrasting sensations. “Give me all of it,� I beg.
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Take Me with You was so close to a five star read. A story so intricate and deranged, I found myself gasping for air after some scenes and not believing my own eyes after others.
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“Maybe she wasn't like the others. Maybe she was something in between people like them and people like me.� ___________________
The Plot [image]
The story that unfolds in Take Me with You isn't something that could have gone at a faster pace. You come across many dark romance reads that excite you with what its potential plot could be like and all the prior warnings build a narrative up. Two chapters later, you're putting down the kindle, or the book, or your face - all because you were expecting a mind blowing dark-romancegasm. And what you got was an amateur eight minute hit and run.
I have two points to make with that innuendo. 1) This book follows through on its trigger warnings. It may not be what you think. But it's dark nonetheless. 2) Two chapters into this, and you know why there's a genre allocated to something dark. The word itself meaning void of any light. Because there is no light in this book. You may think there is - I sure as hell did. No. Forget it.
“I pull a knife out of my drawer. I don't know what my plans are for it, but I want it in my hand, something physical and sharp to grab and ground me in reality because I am spinning.�
The Dark [image]
The elements that made this a dark story wasn't just the romance itself - or the sex. The characters both had these traits that the reader only figured out after chipping away at both their exteriors. Both Sam and Vesper were made so that you hated yourself for loving them. Both were carved so that they have terrible flaws and fucked up thought processes, and I'm so messed up for loving them still.
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The flashbacks were a hit and miss for me. This was the only thing that I felt lacked the little "oomph" that this novel needed for the fifth star. We got a lot of why Sam was what he was with his backstory. Like any psychopath (Also, hats off to Ms. Jones for giving him that narrating voice so unique to his sociopath ways.)- theres a method to his madness. Although, it was a needed ingredient to us understanding and loving him even though he's a fucking headcase. I feel like it could have been executed in a way that it didn't feel like I was reading two separate stories.
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The Feels “I drop to my knees to meet her eyes and I kiss her. The last kiss. The kiss that I'll feel on my lips for the rest of my miserable existence. Hiding. Searching for just a glimpse of that feeling again before I die.�
Holy hell. I cried, I laughed, I squirmed, I danced, I wanted more.
I hear a lot of people describing their books with "this book had alllll the feels." When I say a lot of people - I mean me.
HOWEVER, This book did have all the feels and not just the ones that make your stomach drop, but feels that made you hurt and while you're reading Sam and Vespers story - you ached and loved and it was so so much like living inside something - that, its the only way I can describe it. I lived inside this story. And this story now lives inside me.
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“You don't stare the devil in the eyes and come out without some of his sin. You can't beat the devil without becoming like him. You can't appeal to his kindness, so you have to learn to play his games. You lie, you fuck, you manipulate, you fight, you hurl insults, until you do whatever it takes to win the battle. Every time you do those things, you understand him a little more. Until finally, he becomes your ally. � ...more
Evenfall hits all the right spots, punches you in the stomach, leaves you on the ground sobbing and then summons Hsin Vega"Just let me fix you" [image]
Evenfall hits all the right spots, punches you in the stomach, leaves you on the ground sobbing and then summons Hsin Vega to come shoot you through your heart.
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The Characters "Now shut the hell up, drink your chocolate milk, and stop being a pain in my ass." I think you know when a book is going to be great when you find yourself loving the minor, evil, amazing, and main characters equally. (view spoiler)[ Except Harry, god knows how happy I was when he died. (hide spoiler)] "Nice of you to finally join us." "No problem," Sin drawled. "Nice group of misfits you have here."
The Plot The premise of World War III definitely captivated me through and through, I loved the little action and villainous side we got to see. This was a story driven by the bad guys. By far The post-apocalyptic future could have been explained a tad more, as I found the world building lacked.
I immediately loved how we saw Sin mature from being a captive human weapon to a person slowly allowing himself to feel. I also loved how we saw Boyd going from emotion-less to emotion-driven. The pace was slow but it had to be. These are flawed and broken characters, and what I adored was we saw them fixing each other through the little things in a torturous world.
The Romance Boyd and Sin... oh my [image]
Those two made me gasp, breathe a little faster and feel a little happier more and more as the story unfolded. I couldn't get enough.
"In Venice we saw the bridge of sighs...Everyone should stand there once in their life."
"These are young people Reina" says Mr. Bergfalk "What the
"In Venice we saw the bridge of sighs...Everyone should stand there once in their life."
"These are young people Reina" says Mr. Bergfalk "What they need is to be in love, not standing on some lonely bridge."
"You think there's a difference?"
This book destroyed my soul and tore me apart until I was nothing but a vessel of emotions and pathos. And the worst part, the worst part is - I would do it all over again...
There are little gems, that we as readers come across and from start to finish it evokes an explosion of emotions from us but the main emotion we are left with during the end is jealousy. Jealousy because we envy those who can go through the story experiencing it for the very first time.
"It's like this," Nana says. "All your life you're yellow. Then one day you brush up against something blue, the barest touch, and voila, the rest of your life you’re green.�
� � � � � � � �
The Story April and Oliver isn't a book I would recommend to everyone, because this is the type of story that would mean something completely different for each individual. It is the type of book that you will have to analyze from a literary perspective because not everything is black and white. You have to read between those wonderful, wonderful lines.
It's tragic, It's gut-wrenching, It's up-lifting, It makes you feel.
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I would say go into this with very little prior knowledge about the story and let it all come down and hit you like a ton of bricks. The pain is worth it.
The Writing "How about passion? Does that enter the equation?"... "Its overrated" she says. "The stuff of wars."
The most beautiful characteristic of this book is it's writing. It is lyrical and leaves you feeling so many things at the same time with not even trying to. [image]
I loved that it was written in a way that even minor details and small fractures to the story added up after a couple chapters. A word would be repeated, or a saying, or a memory and I understood. I understood as if I was the character themselves. [image]
The Characters These characters made my heart ache. Every single one of them was damaged in their own way and we saw that. Through such a humane and mundane way - it was breath-taking. We saw them grow and understand themselves, we saw them hurt for each other.
April and Oliver as characters will always store a place in my heart, it is only fair as they made my heart go through so much. I am mentally tired but I still want more.
While reading this, I had on and once you listen to it and emerge yourself in the story - theres no going back. Every time that song plays now, I will be reminded of this story. The presence of tears will be guaranteed.
Nana. Nothing I can write will do her justice. [image]...more