melsa's bookshelf: all en-US Fri, 28 Mar 2025 04:16:26 -0700 60 melsa's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)]]> 214331246 When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 387 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 melsa 5 favorites
even if i partially knew what would happen, i just couldn't stop reading to actually figure out how it was for him, how he felt, hoping somehow he'd have a happier ending than the one we already know. hope is a funny thing.

the weirdest thing is that i feel as though i've already read part of his game? i vividly remember remember reading some tributes death, knew exactly what would happen at the end, how part of his return in District 12 would happen; this has made me think i might've gone crazy bc i can't remember if it's bc it's part of the original books or if i've stumbled upon a crazy fanfic that exactly described his game, which seems v unlikely, and yet!!

being able to circle back both to TBOSAS and the trilogy was kinda surreal sometimes, it felt nice but also,,, sooo many little references. i won't complain about it bc i loved it but i could understand some ppl finding default in that as it might come off as only being in the story to be able to say "hey see! everything's linked!' when really it might not have been collins' initial reasons/intentions when writing the trilogy. in any case i really liked it!

our covey girls truly are the strongest and fiercest.
i'm glad haymitch has katniss and peeta, in a way. i do wish we couldve known more about his relationship with effie at the end, bless her!]]> 4.62 2025 Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: melsa
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: favorites
review:
absolutely did not plan on reading it in one go but i just couldn't stop!!

even if i partially knew what would happen, i just couldn't stop reading to actually figure out how it was for him, how he felt, hoping somehow he'd have a happier ending than the one we already know. hope is a funny thing.

the weirdest thing is that i feel as though i've already read part of his game? i vividly remember remember reading some tributes death, knew exactly what would happen at the end, how part of his return in District 12 would happen; this has made me think i might've gone crazy bc i can't remember if it's bc it's part of the original books or if i've stumbled upon a crazy fanfic that exactly described his game, which seems v unlikely, and yet!!

being able to circle back both to TBOSAS and the trilogy was kinda surreal sometimes, it felt nice but also,,, sooo many little references. i won't complain about it bc i loved it but i could understand some ppl finding default in that as it might come off as only being in the story to be able to say "hey see! everything's linked!' when really it might not have been collins' initial reasons/intentions when writing the trilogy. in any case i really liked it!

our covey girls truly are the strongest and fiercest.
i'm glad haymitch has katniss and peeta, in a way. i do wish we couldve known more about his relationship with effie at the end, bless her!
]]> ¶ŮĂ©łŮ°ů˛ą±çłÜĂ©±đ 75441447 (From 'The Rainbow', D.H. Lawrence)

It was definitely the worst of times. Follow Hermione as she navigates through the quagmire: saving the world, getting top grades, falling in love, lust, and a whole lot of trouble; and comes out of it hopefully at least partially sane]]> 2230 Hystaracal melsa 0 dramione-fanfic 4.52 ¶ŮĂ©łŮ°ů˛ą±çłÜĂ©±đ
author: Hystaracal
name: melsa
average rating: 4.52
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: dramione-fanfic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality]]> 10016013 2184 Eliezer Yudkowsky melsa 3 interesting story but too many /actual/ relationships neglected past ch. 30-ish once he stopped trying to teach us the basics of cognitive science theories, etc.

idk if i liked the ending tbh, or the reasoning throughout the fic. as i haven't decided what i think of eliezer yet, i don't really know what i think of this fic yet. it's way too representative of what he thinks (what he thinks is being clever or not, being a brainless follower or not and so on) that i don't think i'm able to separate his person and my pov on him from this book and especially harry's character.

hopefully ill come back to dev this review after i've done more research on him]]> 4.39 2015 Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
author: Eliezer Yudkowsky
name: melsa
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves:
review:
he really really really really reaaaaaally really really likes to hear himself talk uh
interesting story but too many /actual/ relationships neglected past ch. 30-ish once he stopped trying to teach us the basics of cognitive science theories, etc.

idk if i liked the ending tbh, or the reasoning throughout the fic. as i haven't decided what i think of eliezer yet, i don't really know what i think of this fic yet. it's way too representative of what he thinks (what he thinks is being clever or not, being a brainless follower or not and so on) that i don't think i'm able to separate his person and my pov on him from this book and especially harry's character.

hopefully ill come back to dev this review after i've done more research on him
]]> Seek and Find 58522898 684 serpent_and_sage melsa 0 currently-reading 3.97 Seek and Find
author: serpent_and_sage
name: melsa
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/09
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Once More, With Feeling 58225712
Her chest burning, as if she drank a barrel of bubotuber pus, Hermione turned to him with narrowed, accusing eyes. "Malfoy...are we dating?"]]> 236 wetpretzel melsa 3 3.76 Once More, With Feeling
author: wetpretzel
name: melsa
average rating: 3.76
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/05
date added: 2024/11/05
shelves:
review:
idkk, i feel like halfway through it just seems so looong. like once hermione realises we have to suffer through So much miscommunication which i absolutely hate
]]> Cold Moon Over Babylon 571283
Margaret Larkin has been robbed of her innocence -- and her life. Her killer is rich and powerful, beyond the grasp of earthly law.

Now, in the murky depths of the local river, a shifting, almost human shape slowly takes form. Night after night it will pursue the murderer. It will watch him from the trees. And in the chill waters of the river, it will claim him in the ultimate embrace.

The cold moon rises, the awful squishing sounds begin...]]> 292 Michael McDowell 0380486601 melsa 0 to-read 3.96 1980 Cold Moon Over Babylon
author: Michael McDowell
name: melsa
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Thirteenth Night 29385200 266 nelpher melsa 0 to-read 3.77 2010 Thirteenth Night
author: nelpher
name: melsa
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Apple Pies and Other Amends 35508326 Relationship: Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger
--------------------------------------------------
Sometimes you're sad. Sometimes you need dessert. And sometimes, it's a little of both. Runner-Up of the Winter 2017 Dramione Fanfiction Awards, "Best Epic-Sized Fic."]]> 201 ToEatAPeach melsa 0 to-read 4.09 2016 Apple Pies and Other Amends
author: ToEatAPeach
name: melsa
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> On the Nature of Daylight 61248615 914 ikorous melsa 0 to-read 3.70 2021 On the Nature of Daylight
author: ikorous
name: melsa
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> This Bitter Earth 61269592
Control isn't the only thing Draco Malfoy has lost. But he will get it back. He will get everything back.]]> 1624 ikorous melsa 0 to-read 3.82 2024 This Bitter Earth
author: ikorous
name: melsa
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Freshwater 35412372 Freshwater explores the surreal experience of having a fractured self. It centers around a young Nigerian woman, Ada, who develops separate selves within her as a result of being born "with one foot on the other side." Unsettling, heartwrenching, dark, and powerful, Freshwater is a sharp evocation of a rare way of experiencing the world, one that illuminates how we all construct our identities.

Ada begins her life in the south of Nigeria as a troubled baby and a source of deep concern to her family. Her parents, Saul and Saachi, successfully prayed her into existence, but as she grows into a volatile and splintered child, it becomes clear that something went terribly awry. When Ada comes of age and moves to America for college, the group of selves within her grows in power and agency. A traumatic assault leads to a crystallization of her alternate selves: Asụghara and Saint Vincent. As Ada fades into the background of her own mind and these selves--now protective, now hedonistic--move into control, Ada's life spirals in a dark and dangerous direction.

Narrated by the various selves within Ada and based in the author's realities, Freshwater dazzles with ferocious energy and serpentine grace, heralding the arrival of a fierce new literary voice.]]> 229 Akwaeke Emezi 0802127355 melsa 0 to-read 4.03 2018 Freshwater
author: Akwaeke Emezi
name: melsa
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> First Love and Other Stories 28457 304 Ivan Turgenev 0192836897 melsa 0 to-read 4.15 1881 First Love and Other Stories
author: Ivan Turgenev
name: melsa
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1881
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Spirit Bares Its Teeth 136005388
Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. When the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its guts to the world—if the school doesn’t break him first.

Featuring an autistic trans protagonist in a historical setting, Andrew Joseph White’s much-anticipated sophomore novel does not back down from exposing the violence of the patriarchy and the harm inflicted on trans youth who are forced into conformity.]]> 387 Andrew Joseph White 1682636119 melsa 0 to-read 4.48 2023 The Spirit Bares Its Teeth
author: Andrew Joseph White
name: melsa
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Remain Nameless 156482158 The monotony of Draco’s daily routine had become both a lifeline and a noose. But this new habit of grabbing coffee with Hermione Granger is quickly becoming a reason to get out of bed and is unfortunately forcing him to re-evaluate his inconsequential existence.
Hermione is living her life in fragments, separate pieces scattered about, and she can’t find a way to step back and let the full picture form. Why are morning meetings with Draco Malfoy the only thing that make sense anymore?

Words: 312286]]> 995 HeyJude19 melsa 4 dramione-fanfic
this fanfic was such a nice depiction of how draco might struggle and heal after the war, the communication between hermione and draco was: chief's kiss.
might've made me shed a few tears tbh.

one of the things i regret is that after the second half of the fanfic it seemed to me that most secondary characters start to fade away when the relationships btw dramione and them could be further developed imo.

i do wish hermione's career truly grew outside of the original promotion and what draco did for her; same thing, near the end it suddenly seemed so unimportant when it's what they bonded over initially.

fr could've done with less smut and more character development.

also, using the word mate ain't enough for it to feel like it's happening in the uk. the story kinda feels like it's happening in a gated community in the us at times.

edit: just read manacled and this one was so much better that i have to raise the rating to 4 stars lol.]]> 4.09 2020 Remain Nameless
author: HeyJude19
name: melsa
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/28
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves: dramione-fanfic
review:
kinda hesitating still btw 3,5/5 and 4/5 but well.

this fanfic was such a nice depiction of how draco might struggle and heal after the war, the communication between hermione and draco was: chief's kiss.
might've made me shed a few tears tbh.

one of the things i regret is that after the second half of the fanfic it seemed to me that most secondary characters start to fade away when the relationships btw dramione and them could be further developed imo.

i do wish hermione's career truly grew outside of the original promotion and what draco did for her; same thing, near the end it suddenly seemed so unimportant when it's what they bonded over initially.

fr could've done with less smut and more character development.

also, using the word mate ain't enough for it to feel like it's happening in the uk. the story kinda feels like it's happening in a gated community in the us at times.

edit: just read manacled and this one was so much better that i have to raise the rating to 4 stars lol.
]]> Manacled 60039506
Fanfiction for Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling.
Words: 370,256]]> 945 SenLinYu melsa 3 dramione-fanfic can totally understand certain low reviews/DNF as i found myself wanting to stop reading more than once, especially in the first half of the book.

being able to read abt hermione's lost memories truly helps understanding draco better, but it's not enough to understand why or why they fell in love with each other. it just looks like they mistook obsessive behaviours and dependency for love.

as far as im concerned it wouldnt even qualify to be in my top 5 dramione fanfics so i really have a hard time understanding why it's so loved]]> 4.60 2019 Manacled
author: SenLinYu
name: melsa
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves: dramione-fanfic
review:
if co-dependency and toxic relationship was a book, it'd be this one fr.
can totally understand certain low reviews/DNF as i found myself wanting to stop reading more than once, especially in the first half of the book.

being able to read abt hermione's lost memories truly helps understanding draco better, but it's not enough to understand why or why they fell in love with each other. it just looks like they mistook obsessive behaviours and dependency for love.

as far as im concerned it wouldnt even qualify to be in my top 5 dramione fanfics so i really have a hard time understanding why it's so loved
]]> <![CDATA[The Lost Sisters (The Folk of the Air, #1.5)]]> 40772063 Sometimes the difference between a love story and a horror story is where the ending comes...

While Jude fought for power in the Court of Elfhame against the cruel Prince Cardan, her sister Taryn began to fall in love with the trickster, Locke.

Half-apology and half-explanation, it turns out that Taryn has some secrets of her own to reveal.

The Lost Sisters is a companion e-novella to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince by master writer Holly Black.]]> 50 Holly Black melsa 3 fantasy 3.33 2018 The Lost Sisters (The Folk of the Air, #1.5)
author: Holly Black
name: melsa
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2023/05/24
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: fantasy
review:
anyway, i thought while reading The Cruel Prince: fuck Locke, all day, everyday. and fuck Taryn too.
]]> <![CDATA[The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 370 Holly Black 0316310271 melsa 4 fantasy tbh the characters are very much flawed and imperfect, but that's what i liked about it. of course we all love a good character growth, but what i support more than women's rights is their wrongs!!!! as long as it's not done too stupidly, i'm all for standing with a woman making seemingly wrong and dumb choices.

i don't think i agree with people that think Jude � the protagonist � is a badass, etc. imo she feels more like a lost teenager trying her best to craft, make her place in a world she had to grow up in. not find her place but truly to shape it. was she clever about it? idk, but she didn't make the dumbest choices.

it might feel like there's no plot at all, i understand people who commented that but i'm not sure i agree, even if i wouldn't be able to tell exactly what the plot is. personally, even when watching a movie, i love slice-of-life type of movies, where there might not be a real plot other than following characters and witness glimpses of their lives through the movie. this very much felt like it, which might be why i liked this book. we follow Jude through a part of her life, through her eyes, as she tries to determines who she wants to be and in what kind of world she wants to live. i can understand why some people didn't find it interesting, but it's a good enough story for me. the romance part wasn't as important for me, so that might be why i'm satisfied with this.

i hated and loved Cadan's character at the same time. not necessarily like you hate and love the ML though. i don't like whole "i bully you because i'm attracted to you" thing, i think it's bullshit and very much of a red flag. but his character was interesting nonetheless and i loved his wit. i just hope in the following books Jude still manages to have the upper hand over him rather than fall head over heels for him.

oh, and fuck Locke, all day everyday. fuck Taryn too, a lil bit.]]> 4.01 2018 The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: melsa
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/24
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: fantasy
review:
started reading it w/ no expectations whatsoever, i didn't even remember the synopsis. i just decided to read it because i liked the way it seemed to be written.
tbh the characters are very much flawed and imperfect, but that's what i liked about it. of course we all love a good character growth, but what i support more than women's rights is their wrongs!!!! as long as it's not done too stupidly, i'm all for standing with a woman making seemingly wrong and dumb choices.

i don't think i agree with people that think Jude � the protagonist � is a badass, etc. imo she feels more like a lost teenager trying her best to craft, make her place in a world she had to grow up in. not find her place but truly to shape it. was she clever about it? idk, but she didn't make the dumbest choices.

it might feel like there's no plot at all, i understand people who commented that but i'm not sure i agree, even if i wouldn't be able to tell exactly what the plot is. personally, even when watching a movie, i love slice-of-life type of movies, where there might not be a real plot other than following characters and witness glimpses of their lives through the movie. this very much felt like it, which might be why i liked this book. we follow Jude through a part of her life, through her eyes, as she tries to determines who she wants to be and in what kind of world she wants to live. i can understand why some people didn't find it interesting, but it's a good enough story for me. the romance part wasn't as important for me, so that might be why i'm satisfied with this.

i hated and loved Cadan's character at the same time. not necessarily like you hate and love the ML though. i don't like whole "i bully you because i'm attracted to you" thing, i think it's bullshit and very much of a red flag. but his character was interesting nonetheless and i loved his wit. i just hope in the following books Jude still manages to have the upper hand over him rather than fall head over heels for him.

oh, and fuck Locke, all day everyday. fuck Taryn too, a lil bit.
]]> <![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile� humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die]]> 528 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 melsa 3 fantasy way too much information condensed into the last chapters while the middle part of the story couldve been shortened to allow for a more coherent flow
not always a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope as it can be just... awful to read if poorly executed. their relationship really hyped me tho and got me kicking my feet in the air and giggling ]]> 4.56 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: melsa
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/10
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: fantasy
review:
loved the start which was sooo interesting, i skimmed through the first ten-ish chapters. through the middle i was like :/ kinda long but okay and then the five or so last chapters arrives and theres so, much, information ALL AT ONCE
way too much information condensed into the last chapters while the middle part of the story couldve been shortened to allow for a more coherent flow
not always a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope as it can be just... awful to read if poorly executed. their relationship really hyped me tho and got me kicking my feet in the air and giggling
]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume One (Lore Olympus, #1)]]> 57282218
Persephone, young goddess of spring, is new to Olympus. Her mother, Demeter, has raised her in the mortal realm, but after Persephone promises to train as a sacred virgin, she’s allowed to live in the fast-moving, glamorous world of the gods. When her roommate, Artemis, takes her to a party, her entire life changes: she ends up meeting Hades and feels an immediate spark with the charming yet misunderstood ruler of the Underworld. Now Persephone must navigate the confusing politics and relationships that rule Olympus, while also figuring out her own place—and her own power.

This edition of Smythe’s original Eisner-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features a brand-new, exclusive short story, and brings the Greek Pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 1-25 of the #1 WEBTOON comic, Lore Olympus.]]> 384 Rachel Smythe 0593160290 melsa 3 4.23 2021 Lore Olympus: Volume One (Lore Olympus, #1)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: melsa
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/20
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume Three (Lore Olympus, #3)]]> 60149524 Witness what the gods do after dark in the third volume of a stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of the best-known stories in Greek mythology, featuring a brand-new, exclusive short story from creator Rachel Smythe.

"It is natural for a King to be curious about his future Queen. . . ."

All of Olympus--and the Underworld--are talking about the God of the Dead and the sprightly daughter of Demeter. But despite the rumors of their romance, Hades and Persephone have plenty to navigate on their own.

Since coming to Olympus, Persephone has struggled to be the perfect maiden goddess. Her attraction to Hades has only complicated the intense burden of the gods' expectations. And after Apollo's assault, Persephone fears she can no longer bury the intense feelings of hurt and love that she's worked so hard to hide.

As Persephone contemplates her future, Hades struggles with his past, falling back into toxic habits in Minthe's easy embrace. With all the mounting pressure and expectations--of their family, friends, and enemies--both Hades and Persephone tell themselves to deny their deepest desires, but the pull between them is too tempting, too magnetic. It's fate.

This full-color edition of Smythe's original Eisner-nominated webcomic Lore Olympus brings Greek mythology into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 50-75 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus.]]> 384 Rachel Smythe 0593160312 melsa 4 4.47 2022 Lore Olympus: Volume Three (Lore Olympus, #3)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: melsa
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/21
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume Two (Lore Olympus, #2)]]> 57717417 Witness what the gods do after dark in the second volume of a stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of the best-known stories in Greek mythology from creator Rachel Smythe.

Persephone was ready to start a new life when she left the mortal realm for Olympus. However, she quickly discovered the dark side of her glamorous new home—from the relatively minor gossip threatening her reputation to a realm-shattering violation of her safety by the conceited Apollo—and she’s struggling to find her footing in the fast-moving realm of the gods. Hades is also off-balance, fighting against his burgeoning feelings for the young goddess of spring while maintaining his lonely rule of the Underworld. As the pair are drawn ever closer, they must untangle the twisted webs of their past and present to build toward a new future.

This full-color edition of Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated webcomic Lore Olympus features a brand-new, exclusive short story, and brings Greek mythology into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 26�49 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus.]]> 368 Rachel Smythe 059335608X melsa 3 4.42 2022 Lore Olympus: Volume Two (Lore Olympus, #2)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: melsa
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/21
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume Four (Lore Olympus, #4)]]> 62698816 Witness what the gods do after dark in the fourth volume of a stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of the best-known stories in Greek mythology, featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes content from creator Rachel Smythe.

"I don't always get to do as I please."

The rumor mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first.

But that's easier said than done.

Hades struggles to find support in his personal life, with Zeus trivializing his feelings and Minthe resorting to abusive patterns in their relationship. And while Hades tries to create healthier boundaries where he can--like finally putting a stop to his sporadic, revenge-fueled hookups with Hera--he still feels lonely and adrift.

Persephone feels equally ostracized as her classmates shun her for her connection to Hades, and she can find no refuge at home, with Apollo constantly dropping by unannounced and pushing his unwelcome advances. And on top of it all, the wrathful god of war, Ares, has returned to Olympus to dredge up his sordid history with the goddess of spring, threatening to surface Persephone's dark and mysterious past and ruin her tenuous position in the land of the gods.

Despite agreeing to take it slow, Persephone and Hades find themselves inextricably drawn toward each other once more amid the chaos. The pull of fate cannot be denied.

This edition of Rachel Smythe's original Eisner-nominated webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 76-102 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus. ]]> 416 Rachel Smythe 059360007X melsa 4 4.49 2023 Lore Olympus: Volume Four (Lore Olympus, #4)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: melsa
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/22
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Maiden & The Unseen (Love and Fate, #1)]]> 61753813
Zeus has finally decreed that the gods may leave Olympus and mingle - anonymously - with the mortals of the present. With zero warning or waiting for him to consent to this arrangement, Hades is placed in charge of not only helping the gods assimilate but also financing them. Unlike the other gods, Hades never withdrew from the mortal world. Instead he spent six months of every year among them, building a fortune befitting one of his many names. As long as the gods follow his strict rules for living among mortals, they have access to a generous monthly stipend. Break the rules, lose the privileges. No allowances. Ever.


Goddess of Spring. The Maiden. The Mistress. The Venerable One...The Social Media Manager.

For the last two years, Persephone has lived among the mortals, enjoying everything the world she was so sheltered from has to offer. It took years of begging since Zeus's decree to get her mother to allow her to go, and she imparted some strict rules to follow. Rule 1: No fraternizing with other gods. As far as Demeter is aware, Persephone's closest friend is definitely not Helios, the Titan of the Sun. Rule 2: No men. The mortal she's casually dating doesn't even know the gods exist. Rule 3: Every six months, Demeter comes by for a visit. This one Persephone can't get out of, and if it keeps her mother from investigating Persephone's life, what's the harm?


Destiny. Fate. Fortune. Kismet...An absolute bitch.

Fate has other ideas for Hades and Persephone, and it does not take lightly to being denied. Struggle and fight all they want. But the threads of destiny have wrapped tightly around them and tugs them tighter and tighter, no matter what the gods themselves have to say about it.]]> 431 Alexis Rune melsa 1 tbh it just felt like i was back in 2013 reading a fanfiction on Wattpad; not even AO3, Wattpad, truly. it just feels like the author condensed all her fantasies and unsatisfied horniness into this book; how can this even get published? and have good ratings at that??
if you're looking for a book full of smut without a plot, here you go, you'll enjoy this. i forced myself to read it until the end because i genuinely think that this book has potential if it wasn't for SO MUCH smut. the original idea of modern gods and godesses descending on earth to live among humans while depending on the sole god who kept on living among them is truly interesting. the fated link between persephone and hades could have been so much more interesting as well if it didn't revolve solely around sex. and the fact that helios and mellie completely disappear midway through the story because there's pages after pages and chapters after chapters of smut??? nah it's just too bad.
don't even get me started on the miscommunication!! they're supposed to be adults and yet they behave like teenagers, legit pouting or getting mad for the most ridiculous things (like towels at some point... yes, towels...).
even the smut (which is 95% of the book's content) isn't that well written, i found myself just sighing when they went at it again and again; there's no real relationship between these two apart from their sexual attraction. wdym they fell in love??? the characters for real have 0 depth as their thoughts are always focused on the same things: sex and hiding things from one another among other miscommunication reasons. smfh.

imo this was a waste of time, i'd even argue it's a waste of money, but if you're just into badly written smut, no romance building whatsoever and no plot, go off sis.]]> 3.41 The Maiden & The Unseen (Love and Fate, #1)
author: Alexis Rune
name: melsa
average rating: 3.41
book published:
rating: 1
read at: 2023/05/18
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:
this is ridiculous and i'm having a hard time believing any adult actually like this. i mean if you're into how After is written, i guess you can enjoy this.
tbh it just felt like i was back in 2013 reading a fanfiction on Wattpad; not even AO3, Wattpad, truly. it just feels like the author condensed all her fantasies and unsatisfied horniness into this book; how can this even get published? and have good ratings at that??
if you're looking for a book full of smut without a plot, here you go, you'll enjoy this. i forced myself to read it until the end because i genuinely think that this book has potential if it wasn't for SO MUCH smut. the original idea of modern gods and godesses descending on earth to live among humans while depending on the sole god who kept on living among them is truly interesting. the fated link between persephone and hades could have been so much more interesting as well if it didn't revolve solely around sex. and the fact that helios and mellie completely disappear midway through the story because there's pages after pages and chapters after chapters of smut??? nah it's just too bad.
don't even get me started on the miscommunication!! they're supposed to be adults and yet they behave like teenagers, legit pouting or getting mad for the most ridiculous things (like towels at some point... yes, towels...).
even the smut (which is 95% of the book's content) isn't that well written, i found myself just sighing when they went at it again and again; there's no real relationship between these two apart from their sexual attraction. wdym they fell in love??? the characters for real have 0 depth as their thoughts are always focused on the same things: sex and hiding things from one another among other miscommunication reasons. smfh.

imo this was a waste of time, i'd even argue it's a waste of money, but if you're just into badly written smut, no romance building whatsoever and no plot, go off sis.
]]> <![CDATA[A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone Saga, #1)]]> 55215339
Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible.

After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead and the terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever.

The bet does more than expose Persephone’s failure as a goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows—and it’s forbidden.]]> 379 Scarlett St. Clair melsa 2 it wasn't a good book, nor a bad book but the ending is quite disappointing, i don't think i'll read the of the serie once it's out.


even if persephone's personality had me sighing and rolling my eyes at time, i still felt like the whole book wasn't badly written for the majority of it (if you ignore the fact that the author HAS to work with an editor. just gotta pretend you're reading this on Wattpad). that is, until we reach the last chapters.
while it's nowhere near as grotesque and ridiculous as The Maiden & the Unseen � which seems like a horrible rip-off of this book � the amount of smut near the end got me skimming through some parts. the build-up to it was just way more interesting for me. i think it's quite unfortunate that proper romantic feelings weren't developed and explored as the focus was put on sexual frustration and its releasing.

idk what happened in the last chapters but the smut, mixed with miscommunication, the bet, blackmail, her mother??? it just feels like everything was rushed and resulted in a poorly written and quite ridiculous ending imo. it just felt like clichés upon clichés when the rest of the story was okay, almost pleasing, but idk as soon as they had sex for the first time it went downhill.
i'm sure some people won't mind it though as it's not impossible to read, but i think it has some truly wasted potential.
nevertheless, it absolutely cannot be worse than The Maiden & the Unseen who just seems like a fanfic of this book except it's smut smut smut and no plot throughout the entire story. i'm truly wondering if the author didn't copy a few elements of this book tho.


i'd still recommend to read it if you're motivated enough to read the following books and enjoy smut, as the story leading to it remains interesting. or if you're feeling nostalgic and want to remember what it felt like to discover a new fanfic on Wattpad � not AO3, truly, completely 2013 Wattpad.

guess i'm just not in the mood lately.]]> 3.77 2019 A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone Saga, #1)
author: Scarlett St. Clair
name: melsa
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2023/05/23
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:
my first reflexion was: why does it feel like a 2013 Wattpad fanfic?
it wasn't a good book, nor a bad book but the ending is quite disappointing, i don't think i'll read the of the serie once it's out.


even if persephone's personality had me sighing and rolling my eyes at time, i still felt like the whole book wasn't badly written for the majority of it (if you ignore the fact that the author HAS to work with an editor. just gotta pretend you're reading this on Wattpad). that is, until we reach the last chapters.
while it's nowhere near as grotesque and ridiculous as The Maiden & the Unseen � which seems like a horrible rip-off of this book � the amount of smut near the end got me skimming through some parts. the build-up to it was just way more interesting for me. i think it's quite unfortunate that proper romantic feelings weren't developed and explored as the focus was put on sexual frustration and its releasing.

idk what happened in the last chapters but the smut, mixed with miscommunication, the bet, blackmail, her mother??? it just feels like everything was rushed and resulted in a poorly written and quite ridiculous ending imo. it just felt like clichés upon clichés when the rest of the story was okay, almost pleasing, but idk as soon as they had sex for the first time it went downhill.
i'm sure some people won't mind it though as it's not impossible to read, but i think it has some truly wasted potential.
nevertheless, it absolutely cannot be worse than The Maiden & the Unseen who just seems like a fanfic of this book except it's smut smut smut and no plot throughout the entire story. i'm truly wondering if the author didn't copy a few elements of this book tho.


i'd still recommend to read it if you're motivated enough to read the following books and enjoy smut, as the story leading to it remains interesting. or if you're feeling nostalgic and want to remember what it felt like to discover a new fanfic on Wattpad � not AO3, truly, completely 2013 Wattpad.

guess i'm just not in the mood lately.
]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume Five (Lore Olympus, #5)]]> 75607709 Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love--the Greek tale of Hades and Persephone gets a romantic modern update in the gorgeously illustrated, Eisner Award-winning Lore Olympus, including behind-the-scenes content!

An ingenious take on the Greek Pantheon, Lore Olympus is a modern update on the story of Hades and Persephone. Follow the propulsive love story of two Greek gods, told with lavish artwork and contemporary sensibilities.

This full-color edition of Smythe's original Eisner Award-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings Greek mythology into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 103-126 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus.]]> 400 Rachel Smythe 0593599063 melsa 4 4.46 2023 Lore Olympus: Volume Five (Lore Olympus, #5)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: melsa
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/10
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume Six (Lore Olympus, #6)]]> 195888453
“We have to make an example of her.�

Chaos reigns in Olympus as Zeus publicly declares Persephone a traitor and issues a warrant for her arrest. But Hades defies his brother’s decree, sheltering Persephone in the Underworld—and as the pair spend more time together, they are able to speak openly about their pasts. The goddess of spring admits the truth behind the bloody secret that led to Zeus’s ire, and the king of the Underworld shares the trauma he suffered at the hands of his power-hungry father, Kronos.

But as Hades and Persephone’s relationship grows stronger, others begin to fall apart. The bond between Hades and Zeus is stretched to its limit, threatening to fracture the peace between their realms. Persephone and Artemis’s friendship hangs by a thread as the goddess of the hunt slowly uncovers the vile truth about her twin, Apollo. A line is being drawn in the heavens, putting everyone’s loyalties into question as all the gods are forced to choose sides.

And as the cracks in the foundation of the pantheon spread, something darker and more earth-shattering might soon be released. . . .

This edition of Smythe’s original Eisner Award–winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 127�152 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus .]]> 432 Rachel Smythe 059359908X melsa 4 4.49 2024 Lore Olympus: Volume Six (Lore Olympus, #6)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: melsa
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/20
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:

]]> Ariadne 54860614
When Theseus, the Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne's decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind?

Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne forges a new epic, one that puts the forgotten women of Greek mythology back at the heart of the story, as they strive for a better world.]]> 308 Jennifer Saint 125077358X melsa 4 mythology-retelling
and to those saying that it wasn't feminist in the slightest, i do understand as well. this is not a tale where we see empowered women shaping and changing their future, for this, maybe read bea fitzgerald's retellings of greek mythology. but this is a tale that can empower women imo, some that may relate too much to what is written. ariadne is depicted as a naive woman whose life is shaped by men's decisions, so is the life of many of our mothers, aunts, sisters, etc. personally, i just took it as a way for some to feel seen, a way to tell how these women may have felt as they saw part of their lives play out in front of their lives without being able to do something else than survive.

which is why it was quite a painful read, reading about the lives of so many women played by men, punished for them. maybe it hit too close to home? the fact that most women can, to some extent, relate to what these women are/were going through, while we're talking about a book retelling greek mythology is pretty sad and pretty telling about social issues in our current world.

having to play by the rules patriarchy established while not being handed the same weapons; not being able to allow yourself to trust any man because if something happens, you're the fool who should've known better; forcing yourself to be quiet at times, always having to be smarter or facing regrets and the cherry on top, fearing the wrath, the jealousy, the anger of other women because of what their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons have done. and then there isn't even a sense of sorority left to clung to.
olympians goddesses truly aren't girl's girls smh.

really wanted to give 5 stars as it totally deserves it, but me being kiiiind of a cry-baby, i can't lie and say i didn't wish for a different ending, even if it meant changing the myth that we know; i have no respect for literature if it means i get a lil happy ending :p. i guess some would see it as kind of an hopeful ending? but idk, really enjoyed reading this, but it just made me way too sad ]]> 3.77 2021 Ariadne
author: Jennifer Saint
name: melsa
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/08
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: mythology-retelling
review:
i do understand why it's now named everywhere ariadne: the brilliant feminist debut that everyone is talking about. it should be what everone is talking about!!!

and to those saying that it wasn't feminist in the slightest, i do understand as well. this is not a tale where we see empowered women shaping and changing their future, for this, maybe read bea fitzgerald's retellings of greek mythology. but this is a tale that can empower women imo, some that may relate too much to what is written. ariadne is depicted as a naive woman whose life is shaped by men's decisions, so is the life of many of our mothers, aunts, sisters, etc. personally, i just took it as a way for some to feel seen, a way to tell how these women may have felt as they saw part of their lives play out in front of their lives without being able to do something else than survive.

which is why it was quite a painful read, reading about the lives of so many women played by men, punished for them. maybe it hit too close to home? the fact that most women can, to some extent, relate to what these women are/were going through, while we're talking about a book retelling greek mythology is pretty sad and pretty telling about social issues in our current world.

having to play by the rules patriarchy established while not being handed the same weapons; not being able to allow yourself to trust any man because if something happens, you're the fool who should've known better; forcing yourself to be quiet at times, always having to be smarter or facing regrets and the cherry on top, fearing the wrath, the jealousy, the anger of other women because of what their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons have done. and then there isn't even a sense of sorority left to clung to.
olympians goddesses truly aren't girl's girls smh.

really wanted to give 5 stars as it totally deserves it, but me being kiiiind of a cry-baby, i can't lie and say i didn't wish for a different ending, even if it meant changing the myth that we know; i have no respect for literature if it means i get a lil happy ending :p. i guess some would see it as kind of an hopeful ending? but idk, really enjoyed reading this, but it just made me way too sad
]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume Seven (Lore Olympus, #7)]]> 204640573
An ingenious take on the Greek Pantheon, Lore Olympus is a modern update on the story of Hades and Persephone. Follow the propulsive love story of two Greek gods, told with lavish artwork and contemporary sensibilities.

This full-color edition of Smythe’s original Eisner Award-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings Greek mythology into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 153-179 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus.]]> 416 Rachel Smythe 0593871960 melsa 5 4.46 2024 Lore Olympus: Volume Seven (Lore Olympus, #7)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: melsa
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/10
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:

]]> Girl, Goddess, Queen 63057457 To hell with love, this goddess has other plans...

Thousands of years ago, the gods told a lie: how Persephone was a pawn in the politics of other gods. How Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his bride. How her mother, Demeter, was so distraught she caused the Earth to start dying.

The real story is much more interesting.

Persephone wasn't taken to hell: she jumped. There was no way she was going to be married off to some smug god more in love with himself than her.

Now all she has to do is convince the Underworld's annoyingly sexy, arrogant and frankly rude ruler, Hades, to fall in line with her plan. A plan that will shake Mount Olympus to its very core.

But consequences can be deadly, especially when you're already in hell . . .

A fierce, fresh and enormously fun YA fantasy re-imagining from a growing TikTok superstar.]]> 496 Bea Fitzgerald 0241627907 melsa 4 i read this book in less than 24 hours and boy, oh boy.
i expected another hades x persephone that would sound the same as all the others, with probably badly written smut and pining after one another that came from nowhere.
but this book is just truly well written.
this is just so refreshing to read. a book that acknowledges the faults of the gods, fights against it; denounces patriarchy and how it causes internalised misogyny; putting consent in hades and persophone's relationship first and foremost. it just made me so happy to read all of this. how they won't take advantage of one another, how they trusted each other, settled miscommunications as soon as possible.
we can truly feel when they fall in love even before they realise it and it's so wonderful! not in a way where you're annoyed because they still don't get that they're into each other; the pace flows smoothly and it's just so endearing.

and while their love is so worth reading this book, persephone on her own is worth it. she's so much more than her relationship with hades, and we can't help but root for her to take it all, to own the whole world. we can see her grow and learn from her failures, overcome them and speak for herself. while all her (and his) traumas aren't settled, —and maybe they'll never be � it just feels so good to know that they'll both (on their own and perhaps together) work through them even more in the next book. i almost regret picking this book up so soon because i don't know how i'll be able to wait for what's next.

they're witty and charming and broken, and it's so nice to finally find a good book about them. the author was able to truly create a new world for them, while being faithful to the myths, she managed to spun a new story that feels so amazing and refreshing to read.

most books i read about them felt like badly written fantasies (smut) that the author wished would happen to them. they seemed to copy one another, never straying too far from what worked for another author and it was so, so, so boring and infuriating to read. this book is so far from that in my opinion.

if all you want from a persephone x hades book is little attention to the plot, fate and fate only making them fall for each other without truly showing it and lots of wattpad-like explicit smut, then this book isn't for you. if you do want to read how a proper plot can unravel when one builds a world of their own among the myths, with a sweet love sparkled on top that is paced just right, then you're in for a good moment!

EDIT: 20min later
just stalked the author on instagram and apparently this is a standalone book? :'( i feel like this could use a second book to wrap things up and see what persephone /actually/ planned to do with all her powers! and maybe a little more fluff moments between hades and her as well, which i thought would come in a follow-up book. because of that i'm going from 5 stars to 4 stars, but if a second book that is a continuation of this one is ever announced i'll defined rise it up again. the ending was well written but knowing this is the actual end it just feels like some stuff is missing idkkk.
but i'll definitely be reading her two other books who'll apparently also be around greek mythology! can't wait for them to be published tbh!

]]> 3.99 2023 Girl, Goddess, Queen
author: Bea Fitzgerald
name: melsa
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/27
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: hades-persephone, mythology-retelling
review:
original review:
i read this book in less than 24 hours and boy, oh boy.
i expected another hades x persephone that would sound the same as all the others, with probably badly written smut and pining after one another that came from nowhere.
but this book is just truly well written.
this is just so refreshing to read. a book that acknowledges the faults of the gods, fights against it; denounces patriarchy and how it causes internalised misogyny; putting consent in hades and persophone's relationship first and foremost. it just made me so happy to read all of this. how they won't take advantage of one another, how they trusted each other, settled miscommunications as soon as possible.
we can truly feel when they fall in love even before they realise it and it's so wonderful! not in a way where you're annoyed because they still don't get that they're into each other; the pace flows smoothly and it's just so endearing.

and while their love is so worth reading this book, persephone on her own is worth it. she's so much more than her relationship with hades, and we can't help but root for her to take it all, to own the whole world. we can see her grow and learn from her failures, overcome them and speak for herself. while all her (and his) traumas aren't settled, —and maybe they'll never be � it just feels so good to know that they'll both (on their own and perhaps together) work through them even more in the next book. i almost regret picking this book up so soon because i don't know how i'll be able to wait for what's next.

they're witty and charming and broken, and it's so nice to finally find a good book about them. the author was able to truly create a new world for them, while being faithful to the myths, she managed to spun a new story that feels so amazing and refreshing to read.

most books i read about them felt like badly written fantasies (smut) that the author wished would happen to them. they seemed to copy one another, never straying too far from what worked for another author and it was so, so, so boring and infuriating to read. this book is so far from that in my opinion.

if all you want from a persephone x hades book is little attention to the plot, fate and fate only making them fall for each other without truly showing it and lots of wattpad-like explicit smut, then this book isn't for you. if you do want to read how a proper plot can unravel when one builds a world of their own among the myths, with a sweet love sparkled on top that is paced just right, then you're in for a good moment!

EDIT: 20min later
just stalked the author on instagram and apparently this is a standalone book? :'( i feel like this could use a second book to wrap things up and see what persephone /actually/ planned to do with all her powers! and maybe a little more fluff moments between hades and her as well, which i thought would come in a follow-up book. because of that i'm going from 5 stars to 4 stars, but if a second book that is a continuation of this one is ever announced i'll defined rise it up again. the ending was well written but knowing this is the actual end it just feels like some stuff is missing idkkk.
but i'll definitely be reading her two other books who'll apparently also be around greek mythology! can't wait for them to be published tbh!


]]> The End Crowns All 175106446
Princess. Priestess. The most beautiful girl in Troy. Cassandra is used to being adored � and when her patron god, Apollo, offers her the power of prophecy, she sees an opportunity to rise even higher. But when she fails to uphold her end of the agreement, she discovers just how very far she has to fall. No one believes her visions. And they all seem to be of one girl � and the war she’s going to bring to Troy’s shores.

Helen fled Sparta in pursuit of love, but it’s soon clear Troy is a court like any other, with all its politics and backstabbing. And one princess seems particularly intent on driving her from the city before disaster can strike...

But when war finally comes, it’s more than the army at their walls they must contend with. Cassandra and Helen might hold the key to reweaving fate itself � especially with the prophetic strands drawing them ever closer together. But how do you change your future when the gods themselves are dictating your demise?]]> 576 Bea Fitzgerald 0241624304 melsa 5 mythology-retelling i've (unfortunately) read many retellings of greek mythology, but bea fitzgerald's retellings are the one only ones i've truly liked as of now!!

having a little reminder of girl, goddess, queen with the talks about persephone and hades and the unexpected - a kind hades and maybe vengeful persephone - is something i found truly precious and appreciated.

this story on its own can truly be separated from girl, goddess, queen, but i just think it's a nice touch to read it before and understand; the stories we know could've been so much more beautiful.

the end crowns all holds so much meaning in my opinion, women shaping their own future despite gods, men, planned and want for them, from them. i would say it really is a feminist retelling with nothing of the tackiness most books proclaiming a feminist story, maybe it's because it isn't presented as such that it transpires as such.

it resonates so much with what girlhood and womanhood feels like - obviously, at a very differoint point in time, but still -, of what queerness feels like as well. though it's not discussed as much, it's also what i appreciated, seeing queer characters who already realised who they are, sure there may be some incomprehension from some, but still support from people they are close to, understand from people they are close to, and it feels so liberating to read such a story!! asexuality being so nicely presented was also so nice to read.

i truly recommend this book to anyone who likes greek mythology and want more hopeful retellings!]]> 4.13 2024 The End Crowns All
author: Bea Fitzgerald
name: melsa
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/06
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: mythology-retelling
review:
i: loved iiiiiiit!!! read it all in less than 24 hours!!
i've (unfortunately) read many retellings of greek mythology, but bea fitzgerald's retellings are the one only ones i've truly liked as of now!!

having a little reminder of girl, goddess, queen with the talks about persephone and hades and the unexpected - a kind hades and maybe vengeful persephone - is something i found truly precious and appreciated.

this story on its own can truly be separated from girl, goddess, queen, but i just think it's a nice touch to read it before and understand; the stories we know could've been so much more beautiful.

the end crowns all holds so much meaning in my opinion, women shaping their own future despite gods, men, planned and want for them, from them. i would say it really is a feminist retelling with nothing of the tackiness most books proclaiming a feminist story, maybe it's because it isn't presented as such that it transpires as such.

it resonates so much with what girlhood and womanhood feels like - obviously, at a very differoint point in time, but still -, of what queerness feels like as well. though it's not discussed as much, it's also what i appreciated, seeing queer characters who already realised who they are, sure there may be some incomprehension from some, but still support from people they are close to, understand from people they are close to, and it feels so liberating to read such a story!! asexuality being so nicely presented was also so nice to read.

i truly recommend this book to anyone who likes greek mythology and want more hopeful retellings!
]]> All You Want 212763262
For one thing, she didn't even know Omegas and Alphas existed. All she was planning to do was study and enjoy her last year at Hogwarts, not to be faced with "Heats" and a pack of Alphas fighting for her attention.

Now, she has to make life-altering decisions that will leave her to bond with a male she wouldn't have chosen or face a life without magic.]]> SenLinYu melsa 1 dramione-fanfic 3.90 All You Want
author: SenLinYu
name: melsa
average rating: 3.90
book published:
rating: 1
read at: 2024/09/11
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: dramione-fanfic
review:
smut w/ no plot, too americanised, draco = big buff possessive alpha, hermione = dainty tiny needy fragile omega. did they even get their NEWTs?
]]> From Wiltshire, With Love 58697855 ..............................................................

Draco cut her off before she repeated the question. “Granger, you may have my wand, but you're not in control of the flow of information here. It’s not your life on the line.�
Granger bristled at his assertion. “My life is on the line every day.�
“So. Is. Mine.� He growled at her. “Give me my fucking wand and don’t be so bloody obvious when you contact me.�
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I already told you I'd be more careful next time.�
She better be.
“One more thing.�
“What, Malfoy?� she said impatiently, still angry that she hadn’t gotten the information she wanted.
He pointed his finger at her so she would understand how important this was. “You need to learn Occlumency. If you’re captured, I’m dead.�
She stared back at him defiantly. “We both are.�
He couldn’t argue with that.
She tossed his wand to the floor and Disapparated with a crack]]> 800 Mistresslynn melsa 3 dramione-fanfic
personal opinion but way too much smut imo, even if i hated the dub-con elements, they did help further the plot in some ways, but i really didn't like how they were desceibed/justified/talked abt. i did read some comments saying that the author said on reddit they'd find any excuses to add dub-con and :/// i know understand why i felt so uncomfortable reading through those parts, fr it kinda tainted how i view the story.
and fr, at some point i'd just skim through the smut bc of how useless to the plot it felt, but well it's a fanfic sooo, idk how much i can blame the author for that lmao.




>



spoiler!! but it felt super annoying to never see hermione use the argument that everything that draco did and felt bad about, wouldn't have been done if the order didn't strung him for a pardon. she did think about it at some point, but then this argument was never used again when draco self-loathed and tried to ruin his own future bc of his guilt; the arguments hermione made in those moments weren't compelling when THIS ONE was present the whole time and was the only reason draco put through with so much and did so much. idk maybe it's just me but that really annoyed me.]]> 3.99 From Wiltshire, With Love
author: Mistresslynn
name: melsa
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/14
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: dramione-fanfic
review:
idk why i thought this would be more similar to ¶ŮĂ©łŮ°ů˛ą±çłÜĂ©±đ by having more chapters showing how they changed/reconstructed after the war, but i guess it was asking for too much considering that they did retell all of the death hallows. some stuff still felt super inconsistant imo, especially the fact that the death hallows weren't talked abt at all?

personal opinion but way too much smut imo, even if i hated the dub-con elements, they did help further the plot in some ways, but i really didn't like how they were desceibed/justified/talked abt. i did read some comments saying that the author said on reddit they'd find any excuses to add dub-con and :/// i know understand why i felt so uncomfortable reading through those parts, fr it kinda tainted how i view the story.
and fr, at some point i'd just skim through the smut bc of how useless to the plot it felt, but well it's a fanfic sooo, idk how much i can blame the author for that lmao.




>



spoiler!! but it felt super annoying to never see hermione use the argument that everything that draco did and felt bad about, wouldn't have been done if the order didn't strung him for a pardon. she did think about it at some point, but then this argument was never used again when draco self-loathed and tried to ruin his own future bc of his guilt; the arguments hermione made in those moments weren't compelling when THIS ONE was present the whole time and was the only reason draco put through with so much and did so much. idk maybe it's just me but that really annoyed me.
]]> Breath Mints / Battle Scars 55315959

Fanfiction for Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling.
Rating: Explicit
Relationship: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Words: 148, 908

Tags: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Post-War, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Smut, Eventual Smut, Romance, Drama, Angst, Recreational Drug Use, Explicit Language, Love/Hate, Coping, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Damaged Draco, Damaged Hermione, Mental Health Issues, Recovery, Violence, Blood and Injury, Physical Abuse, Bigotry & Prejudice, POV Hermione Granger, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Consensual Non-Consent, Character Death]]> 631 Onyx_and_Elm melsa 3 dramione-fanfic what a toxic relationship 4.26 Breath Mints / Battle Scars
author: Onyx_and_Elm
name: melsa
average rating: 4.26
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/24
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: dramione-fanfic
review:
what a toxic relationship
]]> Meet Your Match 61115428
Or, in which the Muggle friends Hermione Granger undoubtedly would have had will not take no for an answer.]]> 500 morriganmercy melsa 0 currently-reading 4.01 Meet Your Match
author: morriganmercy
name: melsa
average rating: 4.01
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Missing Sister 218027914 She is yours.
If something happens to us, I want you to hide her. Name her Hermione, for she will have my last libation before I sleep and be the messenger of dreamers.
Moony and Mary know. Three words. Three words that forever changed the course of the war.]]> 2008 singularritae melsa 0 currently-reading 4.43 The Missing Sister
author: singularritae
name: melsa
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love]]> 60127763
Features hypercompetent, fiery Hermione and lazy, yet dangerous, Draco. Slow burn.

Rating: Explicit
Fandom: Harry Potter
Relationship: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

Tags: Healer Hermione Granger, Researcher Hermione Granger, Auror Draco Malfoy, Slow burn, unresolved sexual tension, eventual smut, POV Draco Malfoy, Forced Collaboration, Romance, romcom, Action/Adventure, EWE, HEA, reckless overuse of author's favorite tropes, oblivious idiots, All aboard the SS Denial, late-stage pining, what is pining if not denial persevering, no first names we die like men, do not look too closely at the plot you will only hurt yourself, scandalous ankle touching, misuse of whirlpool baths, graphic depictions of competent women, eroticized arithmancy, Crookshanks will fight god or become him, human on mushroom violence, Schrodinger's ethics, nuns]]> 593 isthisselfcare melsa 0 to-read 4.57 2021 Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love
author: isthisselfcare
name: melsa
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy]]> 58248000
A Deathly Hallows rewrite in which Draco accepts Dumbledore's offer to fake his death and go into hiding with the Order of the Phoenix]]> 1172 Speechwriter melsa 0 currently-reading 4.43 2021 The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy
author: Speechwriter
name: melsa
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Measure Of A Man 217775832 and who they're capable of being. Hermione realises the duality of one man as she rectifies
what she knows of the past and begins to understand the pieces of who Draco Malfoy is now:
a father, a son, and a man.]]> 1308 Inadaze22 melsa 0 currently-reading 4.31 Measure Of A Man
author: Inadaze22
name: melsa
average rating: 4.31
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/17
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Love and Other Historical Accidents]]> 182537199 As it turns out, history is just one damned accident after another.

For fans of Harry Potter, Jane Austen, and Connie Willis, a historical romantic comedy all about time, and getting the hell out of it.]]> 431 PacificRimbaud melsa 0 to-read 4.10 2021 Love and Other Historical Accidents
author: PacificRimbaud
name: melsa
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Darkwood Wand 194477459 639 ThebeMoon melsa 0 to-read 3.79 The Darkwood Wand
author: ThebeMoon
name: melsa
average rating: 3.79
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Gloriana Set 193386321 864 ThebeMoon melsa 0 currently-reading 4.06 The Gloriana Set
author: ThebeMoon
name: melsa
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Mafia Nanny, Vol. 1 (The Mafia Nanny, #1)]]> 216017423
Being an Elite Nanny is simple: protect the charge, obey the principle, and don’t get emotionally attached.

This is easier said than done when Davina’s first client is a dangerously compelling Venetian underboss who’s determined to get under her skin. What he wants from her, she can’t imagine, but Gabriel Angelini drags her back into the glittering world of organized crime she thought she’d left behind forever.

Davina might get answers about her past if she digs deep enough, but her challenges will be protecting Mikey from his father’s ambitions and keeping her heart from getting tangled up in their treacherous web.

This volume collects episodes 1�12 of the smash hit WEBTOON series The Mafia Nanny.]]> 288 SH00 1998341208 melsa 4 4.45 2025 The Mafia Nanny, Vol. 1 (The Mafia Nanny, #1)
author: SH00
name: melsa
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/11
date added: 2024/08/10
shelves:
review:

]]> The Love of My Afterlife 199928276 A recently deceased woman meets “the one� in the afterlife waiting room, scoring a second chance at life (and love!) if she can find him on Earth before ten days are up�.

If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, she’s also now standing in her "sparkle and shine" nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.

As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is, until someone comes running through a door yelling something about a huge mistake and sends the dreamy stranger back down to Earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.

When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to Earth and reconnect with the mysterious man, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start. But to find him in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind. . . .]]> 369 Kirsty Greenwood 0593816137 melsa 0 to-read 4.05 2024 The Love of My Afterlife
author: Kirsty Greenwood
name: melsa
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[At the End There Was You (Blue Fairytales, #1)]]> 174733026
Winter is a Priestess, her life is simple and uncomplicated, but shortly takes a turn when she is appointed as an aide for a Mage who intends to stop the God of Death from spreading a plague that would end their world. Both of them begin searching the Urvalis library for answers and find more than they had bargained for.

And as the end approaches, the questions begin vaguing.]]> 141 Wendy Heiss melsa 0 to-read 4.01 2023 At the End There Was You (Blue Fairytales, #1)
author: Wendy Heiss
name: melsa
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Calamity (Uncharted Hearts, #1)]]> 127281916
She’s got a ramshackle spaceship, a misfit crew, and a big problem with its sexy newest member�

Temperance Reed, banished from the wealthy and dangerous Fifteen Families, just wants to keep her crew together after their feckless captain ran off with the intern. But she’s drowning in debt and revolutionary new engine technology is about to make her beloved ship obsolete.

Enter Arcadio Escajeda. Second child of the terrifying Escajeda Family, he’s the thorn in Temper’s side as they’re sent off on a scouting mission on the backwater desert planet of Herschel 2. They throw sparks every time they meet but Temper’s suspicions of his ulterior motives only serve to fuel the flames between them.

Despite volcanic eruptions, secret cultists, and deadly galactic fighters, the greatest threat on this mission may be to Temper’s heart.]]> 306 Constance Fay 1250330416 melsa 0 to-read 3.69 2023 Calamity (Uncharted Hearts, #1)
author: Constance Fay
name: melsa
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Deathless 11968799

Koschei the Deathless is to Russian folklore what giants or wicked witches are to European culture: the villain of countless stories which have been passed on through story and text for generations. Valente's take on the legend brings the action to modern times, spanning many of the great developments of Russian history in the twentieth century.

Deathless, however, is no dry, historical tome: it lights up like fire as the young Marya Morevna transforms from a clever peasant girl to Koschei's beautiful bride, to his eventual undoing. Along the way there are Stalinist house elves, magical quests, secrecy and bureaucracy, and games of lust and power. All told, Deathless is a collision of magical history and actual history, of revolution and mythology, of love and death, that will bring Russian myth to life in a stunning new incarnation.

]]> 352 Catherynne M. Valente 0765326310 melsa 0 to-read 4.03 2011 Deathless
author: Catherynne M. Valente
name: melsa
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> La DĂ©cision 59577092
À ce dilemme professionnel s’en ajoute un autre, plus intime : mariée depuis plus de vingt ans à un écrivain à succès sur le déclin, Alma entretient une liaison avec l’avocat qui représente le mis en examen. Entre raison et déraison, ses choix risquent de bouleverser sa vie et celle du pays�

Avec ce nouveau roman, Karine Tuil nous entraîne dans le quotidien de juges d’instruction antiterroristes, au cœur de l’âme humaine, dont les replis les plus sombres n’empêchent ni l’espoir ni la beauté.]]> 304 Karine Tuil 207294354X melsa 0 to-read 4.29 2022 La Décision
author: Karine Tuil
name: melsa
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1)]]> 60556912
Every day I clean the Winchesters� beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out� and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of�

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down!]]> 329 Freida McFadden 1803144378 melsa 0 to-read 4.31 2022 The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1)
author: Freida McFadden
name: melsa
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Inferno's Heir 207014554 Fearing for her life, an outcast princess joins the rebellion against her own kingdom and family.â€�.â€�. but when playing with fire, someone always gets burned.Ěý

Teia Carthan abandoned her morals long ago, and now there’s nothing she won’t do to stay alive. So far she has survived her parentsâ€� deaths, the ire of the Council, and innumerable attempts on her life, orchestrated by Jura, her half brother and soon-to-be king of Erisia. Teia’s rare control over two elements marks her as both an outsider and a formidable opponent—but once Jura is crowned king, there will be no way to survive him. Not for Teia, not for anyone.Ěý

When Jura moves to crush the rebellion that seeks to overthrow the monarchy, Teia sees one last opportunity to ensure her own safety. She can infiltrate the rebels, locate their base .â€�.â€�. and betray them to Jura, trading their lives for her own.Ěý

Yet when Teia meets the rebels, she gets far more than she bargained for. And when she gains not only their trust but their friendship, she begins to have doubts. Perhaps the rebels are right. Perhaps the Golden PalaceĚýshouldĚýbe torn down and the monarchy destroyed.Ěý

But then again—what if there is another possibility? What if Teia were on the throne instead?Ěý]]> 379 Tiffany Wang 1959411780 melsa 0 to-read 3.85 2024 Inferno's Heir
author: Tiffany Wang
name: melsa
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Complete Sonnets and Poems]]> 42051 768 William Shakespeare 019281933X melsa 0 4.42 The Complete Sonnets and Poems
author: William Shakespeare
name: melsa
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2022/01/01
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The End of the World (End of the World, # 1)]]> 54669522 FernWithy melsa 5 i've already read reviews saying that it really was written as one of suzanne collins' books and i did felt that as well; halfway through i completely forgot that this was a fanfiction, which didn't help with the tears.
if sunrise on the reaping is half as good as this fanfiction i'll be satisfied tbh.]]> 4.62 The End of the World (End of the World, # 1)
author: FernWithy
name: melsa
average rating: 4.62
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/07
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:
maybe i cried � a lot � while reading this.
i've already read reviews saying that it really was written as one of suzanne collins' books and i did felt that as well; halfway through i completely forgot that this was a fanfiction, which didn't help with the tears.
if sunrise on the reaping is half as good as this fanfiction i'll be satisfied tbh.
]]> <![CDATA[The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)]]> 150247395
Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears--quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.]]> 410 Robert Jackson Bennett 1984820702 melsa 0 to-read 4.28 2024 The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: melsa
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Half King (The Half King, #1)]]> 30734412 A king by day. Shadow by night�

The Great Betrayal changed everything for the Allied Realm. Long ago, the kingdom’s noble houses rose up against the goddess... and for their treachery, the firstborn of each noble family was cursed.

One with perilous beauty.
One with destructive knowledge.
One with insatiable bloodlust.

But the royal house Mortara received the worst affliction of all. For while the king exists during the day, he fades into nothingness at night...until his twenty-first birthday, when he will be lost to the shadows forever.

Now an acolyte has arrived at court. Like all the second-born children of the Allied Realm, she’s destined to serve the goddess and become a Seer...only Cerise Solon has no gift of foretelling. In fact, she has no magical gift at all.

Instead, she’s surrounded by courtiers and priests—smiling sycophants whose hearts are filled with secrets and lies. And at the center of it all sits His Majesty Kian Hannibal Mortara, with his haunting eyes, sharp tongue, and an unerring ability to send her pulse skittering at the worst possible moments.

Falling for him is unthinkable. Because the king is the last of his line, and as the specter of his twenty-first birthday—and the full force of his curse—approaches, the kingdom holds its breath.

But there’s only one way to save a dying king... and it lies with the one person who’s hiding the biggest secret of all. Cerise.]]> 512 Melissa Landers 0857506668 melsa 0 to-read 3.64 2024 The Half King (The Half King, #1)
author: Melissa Landers
name: melsa
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Phoenix Keeper 123691960
But saving an entire species from extinction requires more than stellar animal handling skills. Carnivorous water horses, tempestuous thunderhawks, mischievous dragons... Aila has no problem wrangling beasts. Inspiring zoo patrons? That's another story. Mustering the courage to ask for help from the hotshot griffin keeper at the zoo's most popular exhibit? Virtually impossible.

Especially when the hotshot griffin keeper in question just so happens to be her arch-rival from college: Luciana, an annoyingly brooding and even more annoyingly insufferable know-it-all with the grace of a goblin and the face of a goddess who's convinced that Aila's beloved phoenix would serve their cause better as an active performer rather than as a passive conservation exhibit.

With the world watching and the threat of poachers looming, Aila's success is no longer merely a matter of keeping her job...

She is the keeper of the phoenix, and the future of a species now rests on her shoulders.

There's just one thing she has to remember: she is also not alone.

Against an epic fantasy backdrop teeming with all your favourite mythical beasts from dragons and unicorns to kelpies and krakens, The Phoenix Keeper combines the visceral effervescence of cozy fantasy kings TJ Klune and Travis Baldree with the soul-restoring romance of queer icons Alice Oseman and Casey McQuiston.]]> 400 S.A. MacLean 1399616587 melsa 0 to-read 3.99 2024 The Phoenix Keeper
author: S.A. MacLean
name: melsa
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Crimson Crown (The Crimson Crown Duology #1)]]> 198137736 Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the wickedest of them all? Snow White’s dark queen tells her side of the story in the first book of a queer, witchy duology that reimagines the classic fairy tale—from the author of Malice.

“An alluring, vengeful origin story that brings tremendous dimension to a classic fairytale.”—Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings

Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.

But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White’s shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.

Her real “once upon a time� begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.

Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.

To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her past: Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth’s heart—and betrayed her.

As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.

As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.

A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all.

Book One in The Crimson Crown series.]]> 544 Heather Walter 0593598369 melsa 0 to-read 3.88 2024 The Crimson Crown (The Crimson Crown Duology #1)
author: Heather Walter
name: melsa
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> A Fragile Enchantment 127305900 In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ă“ Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.]]> 373 Allison Saft 125089283X melsa 0 to-read 3.49 2024 A Fragile Enchantment
author: Allison Saft
name: melsa
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/07
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]]> A Dark and Drowning Tide 174146852 A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only ever read about.

The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest.

But there are other dangers lurking in the forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons waiting beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.

As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for one another—they discover that their professor had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, or if this kingdom is worth saving at all.]]> 384 Allison Saft 0593722345 melsa 0 to-read 3.59 2024 A Dark and Drowning Tide
author: Allison Saft
name: melsa
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/07
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]]> Check & Mate 60683957 done with chess. Every move counts nowadays. After the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning bad boy of chess.

Nolan's loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone—especially Mallory. What's even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash prizes and, despite everything, she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist....

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren't only on the board, the spotlight is hotter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce(-ly attractive. And intelligent...and infuriating...)]]> 347 Ali Hazelwood 0593619919 melsa 0 to-read 3.93 2023 Check & Mate
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: melsa
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/07
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]]> <![CDATA[The Naturals (The Naturals, #1)]]> 13597723
What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.]]> 308 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1423168232 melsa 0 to-read 4.22 2013 The Naturals (The Naturals, #1)
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: melsa
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2013
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/07
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]]> Faebound (Faebound, #1) 157981739
When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they are both forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the the fae court.

The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world � torn between their loyalty to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts. . .]]> 386 Saara El-Arifi 0593723007 melsa 0 to-read 3.53 2024 Faebound (Faebound, #1)
author: Saara El-Arifi
name: melsa
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/06
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]]> <![CDATA[Threads That Bind (Threads That Bind, #1)]]> 62695377 In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city.

Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.

But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met.

But the investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.]]> 352 Kika Hatzopoulou 0593528719 melsa 0 to-read 3.91 2023 Threads That Bind (Threads That Bind, #1)
author: Kika Hatzopoulou
name: melsa
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/06
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]]> <![CDATA[A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, #1)]]> 59406549 Why save the world when you can have tea?

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city's most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

From the New York Times—bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.]]> 338 Hafsah Faizal 0374389403 melsa 0 to-read 3.49 2024 A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, #1)
author: Hafsah Faizal
name: melsa
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/06
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]]> The President Show 57357852
In the totalitarian nation of the Great States, producers roam the streets of poor districts in search of pretty girls to send to the reality show The President, where they will become Lovers, “entertainers� of high-profile politicians.

19-year-old Iris is caught stealing and forced to join the show. Once inside, the only safe way out is to win, but Lovers are desperate, ambitious women and politicians are ruthless when cameras are off. How far is Iris willing to go to escape and go back to her family?]]> 306 Costanza Casati 1913713415 melsa 0 to-read 4.10 2021 The President Show
author: Costanza Casati
name: melsa
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/06
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]]> Clytemnestra 61361681 For fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen.

As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best...

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.

Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.

If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece for fans of Jennifer Saint and Natalie Haynes, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love, and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her.]]> 435 Costanza Casati 1728268230 melsa 0 to-read 4.22 2023 Clytemnestra
author: Costanza Casati
name: melsa
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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]]> Babylonia 200468411 From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, as Casati reimagines the rise to power of the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, Semiramis.

When kings fall, queens rise.

Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy or the power she would come to wield. A female ruler, once an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire - certainly no one in Ancient Assyria would bend to her command willingly. Semiramis was a woman who knew if she wanted power, she would have to claim it.

There are whispers of her fame in Mesopotamian myth- Semiramis was a queen, an ambitious warrior, a commander whose reputation reaches the majestic proportions of Alexander the Great. Historical record, on the other hand, falls eerily quiet.

In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her. The world Casati expertly builds is rich with dazzling detail and will transport her readers to the heat of the Assyrian Empire and a world long gone.]]> 400 Costanza Casati 0241609631 melsa 0 to-read 4.25 2024 Babylonia
author: Costanza Casati
name: melsa
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> Hera 195790663
Traditionally portrayed as a jealous wife, a wicked stepmother, and a victim-blaming instrument of the patriarchy, Hera is ripe for a retelling that shows her as a powerful queen―ruthless when she needs to be, but also compassionate, strategic, and ambitious. With Hera, beloved and bestselling author Jennifer Saint delivers another epic and enthralling reimagining of a Greek heroine we only thought we knew.]]> 389 Jennifer Saint 1250855608 melsa 0 to-read 3.49 2024 Hera
author: Jennifer Saint
name: melsa
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)]]> 60784546 After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again�

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands � that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper � an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]> 357 Rebecca Ross 1250857430 melsa 0 to-read 4.14 2023 Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)
author: Rebecca Ross
name: melsa
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle, #1)]]> 51190882
Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

Librarian Note: Older cover of B07VH6Y4JD.]]> 119 Nghi Vo melsa 0 to-read 3.91 2020 The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle, #1)
author: Nghi Vo
name: melsa
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/05
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]]> Where the Dark Stands Still 61287784
Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska soon discovers the sinister roots of their bargain. And if she wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past.

Those who enter the wood do not always return…]]> 336 A.B. Poranek melsa 0 currently-reading 4.04 2024 Where the Dark Stands Still
author: A.B. Poranek
name: melsa
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/05
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]]> Bad Dreams in the Night 176440291
A new take on a classic format, Bad Dreams in the Night is an updated, illustrated take on the horror anthologies the author grew up with as a kid, such as Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and In a Dark, Dark Room . These self-contained stories grew rapidly in popularity among the author's online audience, and even inspired production of a motion picture from Buzzfeed Studios and Lionsgate Films. Filled with spine-tingling, pulse-increasing tales of mystery and supernatural occurrences, this book of never-before-seen comics will be the perfect gift for people who loveĚý Black Mirror ĚýandĚý Stranger Things Ěýand listened to podcasts likeĚý Welcome to Nightvale ĚýandĚý Rabbits.Ěý]]> 256 Adam Ellis 1524887188 melsa 4 4.13 2024 Bad Dreams in the Night
author: Adam Ellis
name: melsa
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/01
date added: 2024/07/31
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]]> <![CDATA[Jeux insolents - L'intégrale (French Edition)]]> 30271497 « À 15 ans, il était mon pire ennemi. À 18 ans, mon premier amour. À 25 ans, je le retrouve, par le plus triste hasard de la vie� Sauf qu’il est redevenu tout ce que je déteste. Que je dois à nouveau cohabiter avec lui. Que les drames nous poursuivent et qu’aucun de nous ne s’en est jamais remis. » Liv Sawyer et Tristan Quinn se déchirent autant qu’ils s’attirent, et ça fait dix ans que ça dure ! Le fantôme d’Harry, le petit dernier du clan Quinn mystérieusement disparu des années plus tôt, plane encore sur leur histoire d’amour impossible. C’était sans compter sur le contrat qui les lie désormais : pour honorer les dernières volontés de Craig, le père de Liv, ils doivent vivre 365 jours sous le même toit. La passion renaît, les cœurs s’ouvrent à nouveau, plus rien ne saurait interdire leur passion. Et pourtant, le destin n’a pas dit son dernier mot� Retrouvez Liv et Tristan, les héros de Jeux interdits. Emma Green a développé dès son plus jeune âge le goût d'inventer des histoires. Ses romans, Cent facettes de Mr Diamonds, Toi + Moi, Call me Baby, Call me Bitch, Bliss, Jeux interdits et Jeux insolents, ainsi que Love me if you can et Kiss me if you can, coécrits avec Felicity Stuart, connaissent un immense succès à travers le monde.Histoire intégrale.]]> 476 Emma Green melsa 0 to-read 4.27 Jeux insolents - L'intégrale (French Edition)
author: Emma Green
name: melsa
average rating: 4.27
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/29
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]]> <![CDATA[DĂ©sirs immortels (Flesh and False Gods, #1)]]> 209036956
Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.]]> 430 Chloe Gong 2385600285 melsa 0 to-read 3.97 2023 Désirs immortels (Flesh and False Gods, #1)
author: Chloe Gong
name: melsa
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/29
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]]> <![CDATA[Le Pont des TempĂŞtes (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)]]> 65654758
Dans ce monde ravagé par des tempêtes sauvages, le pont qui parcourt Ithicana est la seule voie commerciale, et Ithicana abuse de ce pouvoir pour s'enrichir aux dépens de ses voisins exsangues. Sous prétexte d'honorer un traité de paix, Lara doit épouser le roi Aren... et fracturer les défenses de ce pont imprenable.

Mais alors qu'elle apprend à connaître ce lieu dangereux et envoûtant - un éden luxuriant cerné par des mers tumultueuses -, ainsi que l'homme qui le gouverne, elle remet en question tout ce qu'elle pensait savoir.

Lara va devoir choisir son propre destin : sera-t-elle une tueuse de roi ou la sauveuse d'un peuple ?]]> 408 Danielle L. Jensen melsa 0 to-read 4.28 2018 Le Pont des TempĂŞtes (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: melsa
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/29
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]]> Dune (Dune, #1) 44767458
When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.]]> 658 Frank Herbert 059309932X melsa 0 currently-reading 4.33 1965 Dune (Dune, #1)
author: Frank Herbert
name: melsa
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1965
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/26
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]]> <![CDATA[The Duke and I (Bridgertons, #1)]]> 110391 Librarian note: See alternate cover editions here and here.

The Duke and I is a romance set in the Regency era.

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable� but not too amiable.

Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.

Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...]]> 384 Julia Quinn 0380800829 melsa 0 currently-reading 3.80 2000 The Duke and I (Bridgertons, #1)
author: Julia Quinn
name: melsa
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2000
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/05/26
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]]> Us in Ruins 199531937 Margot is on the quest to uncover and reassemble an ancient—and cursed—vase, with the help of a boy who went missing in 1932, because it's the only way to put back together her broken heart in this stand-alone adventure rom-com, perfect for fans of What the River Knows and The Lost City.

The mythical Vase of Venus Aurelia hasn’t been seen since 1932, but Margot Rhodes is determined to change that.

Drawn by the vase’s supposed magical properties, Margot embarks on her school’s archaeological trip to Pompeii. Sure, it’s her first time holding a shovel, but she’s got something no one else does: lost teenage explorer Van Keane’s journal.

Poring over the poetic entries that serve as a map to the vase’s missing shards, Margot finds herself falling in love with the boy who wrote it a century ago. She’s shocked when her search leads her to a statue that looks exactly like Van, and then the statue comes to life.

Catapulted into the present, Van is nothing like the wordsmith Margot imagined. He’s all sharp edges, intent on retrieving the relic for all the wrong reasons. But it takes two to survive Venus’s death-defying challenges, and, together, Margot and Van must excavate the treasure—and their buried pasts—before their story ends in ruins.

With a blend of humor, magic, and love, Rachel Moore crafts another stand-alone adventure rom-com full of double- and triple-crosses, hilarious shenanigans, and frustration-fueled banter, where the best treasure is true love.]]> 368 Rachel Moore 0063284685 melsa 0 to-read 3.58 2024 Us in Ruins
author: Rachel Moore
name: melsa
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/03/10
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]]> <![CDATA[Le Parc aux roseaux (French Edition)]]> 124930674 0 °ŐłółÜáş­n 2330177526 melsa 5 3.83 Le Parc aux roseaux (French Edition)
author: °ŐłółÜáş­n
name: melsa
average rating: 3.83
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/02
date added: 2024/01/02
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]]> <![CDATA[You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense]]> 38504 Charles Bukowski examines cats and his childhood in You Get So Alone at Times, a book of poetry that reveals his tender side. The iconic tortured artist/everyman delves into his youth to analyze its repercussions.

“The Walt Whitman of Los Angeles.� —Joyce Carol Oates

“[Bukowski] brought everybody down to earth, even the angels.� —Leonard Cohen, songwriter]]> 320 Charles Bukowski 0876856830 melsa 0 currently-reading 4.19 1986 You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense
author: Charles Bukowski
name: melsa
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1986
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/01/02
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]]> <![CDATA[Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)]]> 55987278 How far would you go for happily ever after?

For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings... until she learns that the love of her life will marry another.

Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic but wicked Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.

But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game—and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after or the most exquisite tragedy...]]> 408 Stephanie Garber 1250268397 melsa 0 currently-reading 4.06 2021 Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: melsa
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/29
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]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)]]> 50659467
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.]]> 419 Sarah J. Maas 1635575567 melsa 0 currently-reading 4.16 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: melsa
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/06
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]]> <![CDATA[Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)]]> 40024139 Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

This is a previously published edition of ISBN 9780062878021. An alternate cover edition can be found here.]]> 513 Shelby Mahurin melsa 0 currently-reading 3.92 2019 Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)
author: Shelby Mahurin
name: melsa
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/13
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> <![CDATA[The Cheat Sheet (The Cheat Sheet, #1)]]> 58100280 Is it ever too late to leave the friend-zone?

Hi, my name is Bree Camden, and I’m hopelessly in love with my best friend and star quarterback Nathan Donelson (so is half of America, judging by the tabloids and how much the guy dates). The first step is admitting, right? Except, I can never admit it to him because he clearly doesn’t see me that way, and the last thing I want is for things to get weird between us.

Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for us! Everything is exactly how I like it! Yes. Good. (I’m not crying, I’m just peeling an onion.)

Our friendship is going swimmingly until I accidentally spill my beans to a reporter over too much tequila, and now the world seems to think me and Nathan belong together. Oh, and did I mention we have to date publicly for three weeks until after the Super Bowl because we signed a contract with...oops, forgot I can’t tell anyone about that!

Bottom line is, now my best friend is smudging all the lines and acting very un-platonic, and I’m just trying to keep my body from bursting into flames every time he touches me.

How am I going to make it through three weeks of fake dating Nathan without anything changing between us? Especially when it almost-sort-a-kinda seems like he’s fighting for a completely different outcome?

Send help.
XO Bree]]> 306 Sarah Adams melsa 0 to-read 3.70 2021 The Cheat Sheet (The Cheat Sheet, #1)
author: Sarah Adams
name: melsa
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/12
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]]> <![CDATA[The Sweetest Oblivion (Made, #1)]]> 39083635
In the murky waters of New York’s underworld, Elena’s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas Russo. A Made Man, a boss, a cheat—even measured against mafia standards. His reputation stretches far and wide and is darker than his black suits and ties. After his and Elena’s first encounter ends with an accidental glare on her part, she realizes he’s just as rude as he is handsome. She doesn’t like the man or anything he stands for, though that doesn’t stop her heart from pattering like rain against glass when he’s near, nor the shiver that ghosts down her spine at the sound of his voice. And he’s always near. Telling her what to do. Making her feel hotter than any future brother-in-law should. Elena may be the Sweet Abelli on the outside, but she’s beginning to learn she has a taste for the darkness, for rough hands, cigarettes, and whiskey-colored eyes. Having already escaped one scandal, however, she can hardly afford to be swept up in another. Besides, even if he were hers, everyone knows you don’t fall in love with a Made Man... Right?]]> 384 Danielle Lori 1721284443 melsa 0 to-read 3.98 2018 The Sweetest Oblivion (Made, #1)
author: Danielle Lori
name: melsa
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/12
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]]> <![CDATA[The Maddest Obsession (Made, #2)]]> 40613322 He rules it.

Her dresses are too tight, her heels too tall. She laughs too loudly, eats without decorum, and mixes up most sayings in the book. Little do most know it’s just a sparkly disguise, there to hide one panic attack at a time.

Nobody can crack Gianna’s facade . . . no one anyway, until he comes along.

Most see a paragon of morality; a special agent upholding the law. In the New York underworld, others know him as a hustler, a killer, his nature as cold as the heart of ice in his chest. Christian Allister has always followed the life plan he’d envisioned in his youth, beneath the harsh lights of a frigid, damp cell. With a proclivity for order and the number three, he’s never been tempted to veer off course. But perhaps one should never say never . . .

One winter night and their lives intertwine. She hates him—his stone-cold demeanor, his arrogance and too-perceptive eye—but over the years, even as their games consist of insulting each other’s looks and intelligence, she begins to live to play with him.

Nowhere in Christian’s plans had he ever prepared for Gianna. She’s chaos embodied, not his type, and married, but none of that can stop his eyes from following her wherever she goes.

All along, she doesn’t even know that she’s his—his frustration, his fascination.

His maddest obsession.]]> 333 Danielle Lori melsa 0 to-read 4.22 2019 The Maddest Obsession (Made, #2)
author: Danielle Lori
name: melsa
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/12
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]]> <![CDATA[Twisted Series 4 Books Collection (Twisted #1-4)]]> 61754236 Twisted Love
Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest. A crack. A melt.

Twisted Games
Stoic, broody and arrogant, elite bodyguard Rhys Larsen has two rules: protect his clients at all costs and do not become emotionally involved. Ever.

He has never once been tempted to break those rules . . . until her.

Bridget von Ascheberg. A princess with a stubborn streak that matches his own and a hidden fire that reduces his rules to ash.

Twisted Hate
Gorgeous, cocky, and fast on his way to becoming a hotshot doctor, Josh Chen has never met a woman he couldn't charm - except for Jules f**king Ambrose.

The beautiful redhead has been a thorn in his side since they met, but she also consumes his thoughts in a way no woman ever has.

When their animosity explodes into one unforgettable night, he proposes a solution that'll get her out of his system once and for all: an enemies with benefits arrangement with simple rules.

Twisted Lies
Charming, deadly and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman.

He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can't deny the strange pull he feels toward the woman living just one floor below him.

She's the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can't solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can't refuse.]]> 1926 Ana Huang 9124372218 melsa 0 to-read 4.38 Twisted Series 4 Books Collection (Twisted #1-4)
author: Ana Huang
name: melsa
average rating: 4.38
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]]> <![CDATA[The Perfect Match (I'm Not Your Soulmate, #1)]]> 88542319
Respecter la loi� ou écouter son cœur ?

98,8 %. Eliotte peine encore à y croire, mais les résultats de son test de compatibilité sont sans appel. L’État américain vient de décréter scientifiquement qu’Izaak Meeka est son âme sœur la plus pure. Celle avec laquelle elle devra se marier et emménager dans les prochaines semaines, alors même que son cœur n’a jamais battu que pour Ashton, le petit frère d’Izaak� Elle le savait pourtant très bien : au xxiie siècle, c’est la Science qui détermine les couples autorisés à se former dans la société. N’en déplaise à son futur époux, cet être froid et solitaire, prêt à tout pour défier l’autorité en place. Quitte à entraîner Eliotte dans sa chute…]]> 560 Lyla Mars 2280480476 melsa 0 to-read 4.11 The Perfect Match (I'm Not Your Soulmate, #1)
author: Lyla Mars
name: melsa
average rating: 4.11
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]]> My Missing Piece #1 61057046 J'avais 10 ans quand j'ai rencontré Liam Davis. Mon meilleur ami.
J'avais 16 ans quand il a piétiné mon cœur sans se retourner.
Sept ans après, la vie le replace sur mon chemin, mais il n'est plus le garçon que j'ai connu. Il est froid. Létal. Et il compte bien me faire payer de l'avoir fait souffrir et d'avoir détruit sa famille.
Mais ne dit-on pas que Les apparences sont parfois trompeuses?]]> 400 Acacia Black melsa 0 to-read 4.33 My Missing Piece #1
author: Acacia Black
name: melsa
average rating: 4.33
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]]> L'As de coeur 57763986
Cette année, un seul homme remportera le Tournoi Mondial de Poker, et ce sera lui. Pour cela, il fait appel à Rose, un détecteur de mensonges sur pattes en recherche d'argent facile. Capable d’affirmer qui bluff et qui dit la vérité, elle accepte de devenir son arme secrète. Mais si Levi refuse de se laisser distraire par l’attirance qu’il ressent envers elle, Rose compte bien lui rendre la tâche difficile.

Entre vengeance, mensonges et secrets, tout devient possible Ă  Las Vegas...]]> 413 Morgane Moncomble 2755689471 melsa 0 to-read 4.44 2021 L'As de coeur
author: Morgane Moncomble
name: melsa
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Un automne pour te pardonner (Seasons, #1)]]> 123846615
Ça tombe bien, Rory Cavendish, son ancien bourreau, vient de mourir mystĂ©rieusement. Le prĂ©sumĂ© coupable du meurtre, c’estĚýluiĚý: Lou McAllister. Le meilleur ami de Rory. Le garçon qui l’a humiliĂ©e il y a dix ans et qu’elle n’a jamais oubliĂ© depuis.

Camélia saisit cette chance pour résoudre sa première enquête... et satisfaire sa soif de vengeance.

Lou a toujours Ă©tĂ© le mouton noir de sa famille, mais il ne s’attendait pas Ă  finir en prison pour meurtre. Du jour au lendemain, le voilĂ  abandonnĂ© par tous ceux en qui il avait confiance. La seule personne Ă  pouvoir le sortir de lĂ , c’estĚýelle. CamĂ©lia O'Brien. La première victime de Rory. La fille qu’il a blessĂ©e plus jeune et qui hante ses pensĂ©es depuis. Lou est prĂŞt Ă  tout pour se faire pardonner ses pĂ©chĂ©s... et repartir de zĂ©ro.

Ěý

Ěý]]> 500 Morgane Moncomble melsa 0 to-read 4.39 2023 Un automne pour te pardonner (Seasons, #1)
author: Morgane Moncomble
name: melsa
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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]]> <![CDATA[Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #1)]]> 35796008
At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

Mary E. Pearson's Dance of Thieves is a new YA novel in the New York Times bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts. ]]> 512 Mary E. Pearson 1250159016 melsa 0 to-read 4.11 2018 Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #1)
author: Mary E. Pearson
name: melsa
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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]]> Lou! Sonata 55858914 Désormais, Lou est une jeune femme confrontée à sa vie d’étudiante qui s’installe seule (enfin presque, le chat est toujours là) dans la ville de Tygre. Les joies mais aussi certaines peines de l’indépendance, les nouvelles connaissances, se perdre dans une ville qu’on ne connait pas, le retour d’une amie, Lou continue d’avancer dans sa vie et de nous questionner via ce mélange d’humour et de sensibilité dont la formule inédite en BD fût de faire grandir son héroïne en même temps que ses lecteurs.]]> 144 Julien Neel 2344038043 melsa 4 4.45 2020 Lou! Sonata
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/07
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> <![CDATA[En route vers de nouvelles aventures (Lou!, #8)]]> 42930974
DĂ©couvrez la conclusion de Lou ! - ou du moins, de sa saison 1 - dans un voyage initiatique doux et sensible oĂą Lou prend son envol et se retrouve face Ă  ses choix.]]> 48 Julien Neel 2344023594 melsa 3 4.32 En route vers de nouvelles aventures (Lou!, #8)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/07
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> La Cabane (Lou!, #7) 26874061 Un tout nouvel album, en compagnie de sa maman, de Mina, Paul, Tristan, Mister Juice, et d’une myriade de nouveaux personnages, qui nous conduisent sur les traces d’une mystérieuse cabane...]]> 48 Julien Neel 2344009965 melsa 4 4.32 2016 La Cabane (Lou!, #7)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/07
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> L'âge de cristal (Lou!, #6) 16091753
Un beau jour, de grands cristaux roses transpercent anarchiquement le c ur de la ville. Depuis, Lou partage son temps entre un programme de collecte de données scientifiques pour le gouvernement, la garde d'un petit frère obnubilé par les dinosaures et les sorties en boîte de nuit. Elle se dit quand même que c'est un peu n'importe quoi, mais pas désagréable. Cette sensation ouateuse, ce flottement incertain... Est-ce que c'est ça, devenir adulte ? Les questionnements aussi fondamentaux qu universels de Lou font de cette série un petit joyau de la bande dessinée jeunesse. Lou ! a reçu de nombreux prix dont le Prix Jeunesse au Festival d Angoulême, mais a surtout su conquérir le c ur d un public de plus en plus nombreux. Grands et petits, filles et garçons, tous se jetteront sur ce nouvel album pour découvrir la suite du destin de l adorable Lou !]]> 56 Julien Neel 2723484262 melsa 3 3.63 2012 L'âge de cristal (Lou!, #6)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/06
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> Laser Ninja (Lou!, #5) 6708302 48 Julien Neel 2723467880 melsa 5 4.39 2009 Laser Ninja (Lou!, #5)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/06
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> Idylles (Lou!, #4) 2312554 48 Julien Neel 2723458695 melsa 5 4.49 2007 Idylles (Lou!, #4)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/06
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> <![CDATA[Le cimetière des autobus (Lou!, #3)]]> 2279474 48 Julien Neel 2723452522 melsa 5 4.42 2006 Le cimetière des autobus (Lou!, #3)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/06
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> Mortebouse (Lou!, #2) 2279475 48 Julien Neel 2723448150 melsa 5 4.37 2005 Mortebouse (Lou!, #2)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/06
date added: 2023/08/07
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]]> Journal infime (Lou!, #1) 2279473 48 Julien Neel 2723442756 melsa 4 4.33 2004 Journal infime (Lou!, #1)
author: Julien Neel
name: melsa
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/05
date added: 2023/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]>