Victoria Moschou's Blog, page 13

BOOK REVIEW: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1), by Deborah Harkness ~ A Whimsical Twist in an Urban Fantasy Story *SPOILER FREE*

“As far as I can tell there are only two emotions that keep the world spinning year after year…One is fear. The other is desire.” 

~ A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1), by Deborah Harkness

Hello awesome people, happy Saturday everyone and welcome back to Victorious Pages.

I feel like I’ve been saying this a lot, but it seems like a really long time since I wrote a book review. And I don’t know if it’s just my imagination or it is the fact that my days seem kind of blurry lately, but in all honesty, I truly can’t remember the last time I posted a review here. Let alone a review about a book I absolutely enjoyed.

As you’ve already figured out by the title, today’s review is about A Discovery of Witches, the first book in the All Souls trilogy, by Deborah Harkness. This is one of the very rare cases where I watched the show before reading the book. Fun fact: the book is TEN THOUSAND TIMES better!

“A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. 

Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell. 

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.”

To begin with, I don’t really know what it took me so freaking long to read the book.

I had very much enjoyed the first season of the TV show, the theme was right down my alley, it had an amazing love story, so my only excuse for not reading it sooner is that… my TBR pile is already ginormous as it is and adding a 579-pages book on it would only increase my anxiety. Let this stay between us, but I’m already behind on what comes to my 2021 reading challenge.

Anyways…

A Discovery of Witches was a fascinating combo of magic and science, a journey to the past, but at the same time an embrace to the future and to all the things science and technology have to offer to us, if we’re wise enough to use them properly.

Although at the beginning of the book it was slightly confusing to me to focus on the actual plot, as the story progressed and I got more familiar with the writing style, I fell in love with the narration and the descriptions of Oxford University and the french countryside.

Still, the reason why I absolutely adored A Discovery of Witches was, of course, the characters. It may sound cliché and a little bit cheesy, but I need this kind of romance in my life right now; the one Diana and Matthew have. Even if it is with a FIFTEEN-HUNDREND-YEAR-OLD vampire. Obviously I’m exaggerating, but you know what I mean.

I loved the dynamics between Diana and Matthew, but also the relationships between the rest of the characters. How protective they were of each other. How loyal they remained, not only to their family and friends, but to themselves first and foremost. It was a really pleasant surprise to see that, even though things got way more intense from the second half of the book onwards, still it was quite apparent how they characters interacted and communicated with one another.

Overall, I enjoyed this first instalment a lot and I will definitely continue with the series, mostly because I need more Adult Fantasy in my life right now and the All Souls Trilogy feels exactly like my favourite cup of tea. Or coffee… You know what I mean.

Have you guys read A Discovery of Witches? Have you watched the show? Have you done both? What do you think of the series?

I look forward to reading all your comments, thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below.

Thank you all so very much for stopping by once again. It honestly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted. I never will.

Have a wonderful weekend, dearies, stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

🔮 Beacon Book Box ~ SCORCHED BY MAGIC ~ June 2021 Theme Reveal 🔮

Hello awesome nerds, happy Thursday everyone and welcome back to another Beacon Book Box theme reveal!

For those few of you who don’t know, Beacon Book Box is a YA monthly-subscription box, in which every month you receive a new release, as well as a bunch of bookish items, focusing on a specific theme.

I’ve been a rep for Beacon Book Box since January 2020 and if you like what you’re about to see, you can use my code VICTORIOUS5 to save on your subscription or single purchase.

With all that being said and with time being of the essence, because this box is definitely going to sell out fast, let’s get to the theme reveal.

So, the theme for the month of June is… Scorched by Magic and I can already assure you it’s going to be simply magical!

The June box celebrates some of our favorite books filled with magic and magical creatures.

First of all, this box is going to feature the second of four QUARTERLY COLLECTIBLE MUGS, inspired by Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series and artwork by @dominiquewesson.The first mug was included in the March box and it’s absolutely amazing!

The featured book in the June box is an urban fantasy where two sisters, raised to be fierce dragon slayers, end up on opposite sides of an impending war when one sister forms an unlikely, magical bond with a dragon. Filled with witty dialouge, memorable characters and the complex dynamics of two sisters, this exciting, inclusive fantasy is not one to miss!

This book is perfect for the fans of Sorcery of Thorns, Slayer and Crave. The book is going to be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR and it will also come with an author’s letter, as well.

The June box will also feature the last collectible glass frame, inspired by Spin the Dawn and I honestly can’t wait to see the art print that will also be inspired by that series. The rest of the goodies that will be featured in this box are inspired by The Bone Witch and The Young Elites.

This is definitely a box that you guys don’t want to miss, so hurry up and get yours today!

Let me know in the comment section down below if you’ve guessed the featured book of the month and if you’ve read any of the books mentioned in this post.

Thank you all so very much for stopping by once again. It truly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Love you all to Pluto and back, dearies. Stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

Story Time: When the Fold Saves the Day

One of the mottos I’ve been using more and more as the years pass is “When life gives you lemons, ask for tequila and salt”. Or kvas, if you run out of tequila. So, trust me when I say, I didn’t expect that the Fold would be the one to save the day. And my brand new book-subscription box’s ass.

Hello awesome nerds and happy Monday everyone!

I hope you had a lovely weekend and you recharged your batteries, because I most certainly didn’t.

Even though last week was packed with national holidays here in Greece, I was so freaking busy with work, that I didn’t get the chance to relax as much as I wanted to. And for someone like me, who’s grave stone will, more or less, say that “she died because of her anxiety and stress”, finding out at 8pm on a Wednesday night that the publishing house decided to postpone the publication of the novel that was supposed to be the featured book for the month of May in the Witches Wanna Have Fun bookbrewed box, didn’t really help me to calm down.

You should’ve seen my face, you guys.

All of a sudden, watching Cinderella for the gazillionth time didn’t seem so appealing anymore. Having a nice, hot campfire mug of coffee (at 8pm) didn’t seem heartwarming at all. All that mattered was that I only had less than 24 hours to deal with this crisis, otherwise bookbrewed would come to an end before it even had the chance to rise and shine.

After a small mental breakdown, some brainstorming with my team and a few phone calls to publishers, it just dawned to me.

First of all, I had to tell the truth to the subscribers. In situations like this, honesty is the best policy, especially when it comes to start-ups. And not only that, but also, I had to give subscribers the chance to choose the book they wanted included in their box, in order to avoid double copies. That was primarily the reason why I wanted to feature a new release, one that the publishing house decided to push back and the salesman of my region didn’t have the courtesy to inform me about.

The thing though was that, based on the reveal I had made, my options were quite limited. Luckily though, there was one book… A book that had come out with a whole new cover a couple of weeks ago and it had become, yet again, the hottest topic in the bookstagram community. I’m talking of course about Shadow & Bone and it’s major comeback, thanks to the Netflix show.

Honestly, guys… I’ve never been more grateful for Darkling and the Fold in my ENTIRE life!

I also gave my subscribers two more options, of two amazing Greek books, packed with witches and magical powers, so I honestly hope that, whichever book they have chosen to be featured in their box, they’re going to enjoy the journey.

Still, if I learned anything over this whole situation and crisis, is that I was right following my gut feeling and not doing that second MBA, that felt more like life coaching. I’ve gained a lot of experience over the past ten years, so I’m pretty sure I know how to deal with crisis in business, even if I need to freak out a little bit at first, have some coffee to chill and think what would my favourite fictional character do in a similar situation.

So, I wanna thank Alina, the Darkling, but also two amazing Greek authors, Sylvia Macray and Magda Asimakopoulou, for entrusting me with their books.

This is gonna be the beginning of a great adventure. And if a dozen of volcra comes my way, I’ll just have to deal with them. The old-fashioned, Alina Starkov way.

Thank you all, awesome nerds, for stopping by once again. It truly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted. I never will.

Have a lovely week, everyone. Stay safe and stay positive!

Till next time… Toodles!

__ATA.cmd.push(function() { __ATA.initDynamicSlot({ id: 'atatags-26942-609936d0aeaa8', location: 120, formFactor: '001', label: { text: 'Advertisements', }, creative: { reportAd: { text: 'Report this ad', }, privacySettings: { text: 'Privacy', } } }); });

👑 Beacon Book Box ~ Worthy of Power ~ May 2021 Theme Reveal 👑

Hello awesome nerds and happy Saturday everyone!

With my blogging break and everything, I almost missed informing you guys about the May Beacon Book Box, which is probably gonna be the coolest one they’ve done so far this year!

For those of you who don’t know, Beacon Book Box is a YA monthly-subscription box, in which every month you receive a new release, as well as a bunch of bookish items, focusing on a specific theme.

The theme for the month of May is Worthy of Power and if you like what you’re about to read next, you can use my rep code VICTORIOUS5 to save on your subscription or single purchase.

The May box celebrates and explores the worlds of YA books that are filled with powerful characters. Powerful could refer to their magical abilities, leadership expertise… or charm.

The book of the month will transport you to a lush fantasy world where a teenage blacksmith with social anxiety accepts a commission from the wrong person and is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made. Filled with magical weapons, epic banter, adventures, unlikely heroes and an unbreakable bond between sisters, this book is slated to be one of 2021’s hottest releases!

The book will come with a signed bookplate, a letter from the author and a bonus 8 x 10 print with artwork by @dianadworak. The book is perfect for the fans of Merlin, Sorcery of Thorns and The Kingdom of Back.

This box will include the fifth 2021 monthly collectible item, glass picture frames and accompanying prints! This months’ frame and picture is inspired by Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard.

The rest of the items featured in this box are inspired by Crown of Feathers, Crescent City, Girls of Paper and Fire and Serpent & Dove! With all of these epic fandoms, this box will truly be one not to miss.

I highly suggest you grab your boxes ASAP, following this link, because once they sell out, they won’t have any extra stock.

Thank you all so much for stopping by once again. It truly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Have a wonderful weekend, dearies, stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

BOOK REVIEW: Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty, #1), by Diana Ma ~ The Chinese Representation I Wanted To See *SPOILER FREE*

Hello awesome nerds, happy Thursday everyone and welcome back, after what seems like a really long time, to another book review.

It’s been a while since I last wrote a review and with everything that happened lately around the globe and the hatred the Asian community received over the past weeks, I thought I had to refer to an Own-Voices book I recently read and very much enjoyed.

I’m talking of course about Heiress Apparently, the first book in the Daughters of the Dynasty series, written by Diana Ma. This was the featured book in the December Beacon Book Box, but I definitely think you could read it now, considering that I got some serious spring/summer vibes from it.

“The first book in an epic and romantic YA series following the fictionalized descendants of the only officially recognized empress regent of China.

Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost.”

Straight from the synopsis, I knew this was going to be a fun read and it truly was. It was refreshing and modern and so up-to-date, with the problems, the interests and the concerns every 18-year-old has nowadays.

I loved that I could relate to most of the things Gemma was facing and it was refreshing to see that there were all kinds of representations in this book; from races and colours, to sexual orientations and economic backgrounds.

What I enjoyed even more was that I had the chance to “travel” to China, a country that always fascinated me and one that I truly want to visit some day. Considering that I was kind of disappointed with another book referring to China earlier this year, Heiress Apparently was a breath of fresh air and the kind of representation I truly wanted to see in terms of Asian culture.

The only thing that bugged me a little bit was that, at times, the pacing was a little bit slower than what I wanted it to be and from a certain point onwards, it was obvious what the big revelation of the book was going to be.

Still, this didn’t make me enjoy the book as a whole less and I ended up rating it with 3/5 stars.

If you’re looking for a contemporary, funny, sort-of-retelling of Crazy Rich Asians, then this is definitely the book for you.

Let me know in the comment section down below if you’ve read the book and if you liked it.

Thank you all so very much for being here once again. It honestly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Love you all to Pluto and back, dearies.

Till next time… Toodles!

✨ Beacon Book Box Unboxing ~ Magical Retellings ~ March 2021 ✨

Hello awesome nerds, happy Monday everyone and welcome back to another Beacon Book Box unboxing!

For those of you who don’t know, Beacon Book Box is a YA monthly-subscription box, in which every month you receive a new release, as well as a bunch of bookish items, focusing on a specific theme. I’ve been a rep for Beacon Book Box since January 2020, and if you like what you’re about to see below, you can use my code VICTORIOUS5 to save on your subscription or single purchase, by following the link provided above.

So, with all that being said, let’s get to the actual unboxing.

The theme for the month of March was Magical Retellings and I’m only sharing this with you now because a) my box took a while to get to me and b) I took the entire month of April off and didn’t post anything on the blog.

But, I can assure you the wait for my unboxing was worth it, because this was a jam-packed box!

THE GOODIES

These Violent Delights inspired drawstring bag, designed by @vanediaz_art

The Court of Miracles inspired notepad, designed by @my.little.bookworld_

Khalid &Shahrzad print (collectible 3 of 12), designed by @emartsemi

The Wrath and the Dawn glass picture frame (collectible 3 of 12), designed by @riddleandravens

Stalking Jack the Ripper Collectible Enamel Mug (1 of 4), designed by @dominiquewesson

#BakingWithTheBeacons Juliette’s Almond Cookies recipe

Rise of Knight and Sword promotional coupon

BONUS BOOK: Called Upon, by Bethany Lee

On what comes to the bonus book specifically, here’s the synopsis for you guys to read:

“Kaitlin, the social pariah of her high school, is so relieved to have made friends at Camp Overlook—and time have caught the attention of a real, live, honest-to-goodness boy—that she is willing to look past the camp’s anomalies: creepy grey-eyed counselors, 24 hour video surveillance, and campers falling ill and then disappearing quietly into the night.

But when Kaitlin begins feeling strange symptoms herself, she can no longer pretend that Overlook is a run-of-the-mill summer camp. She and her new friend must race to solve the mystery of Camp Overlook, even if it means facing some difficult truths and uncovering some painful family secrets, before she is the next camper to vanish.”

This book feels like the perfect summer read and I will definitely add it on my summer TBR pile.

THE BOOK

The featured book for the month of March was Sing Me Forgotten, by Jessica S. Olson. This is a Beauty and the Beast meets The Phantom of the Opera retelling and I honestly can’t wait to read it. The book was, as per usual, signed by the author and it came with an author letter, as well.

As for the synopsis of the book:

“Isda does not exist. At least not beyond the opulent walls of the opera house.

Cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can manipulate memories when people sing, she was saved by Cyril, the opera house’s owner. Since that day, he has given her sanctuary from the murderous world outside. All he asks in return is that she use her power to keep ticket sales high—and that she stay out of sight. For if anyone discovers she survived, Isda and Cyril would pay with their lives.

But Isda breaks Cyril’s cardinal rule when she meets Emeric Rodin, a charming boy who throws her quiet, solitary life out of balance. His voice is unlike any she’s ever heard, but the real shock comes when she finds in his memories hints of a way to finally break free of her gilded prison.

Haunted by this possibility, Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the price of freedom is steeper than Isda could ever know. For even as she struggles with her growing feelings for Emeric, she learns that in order to take charge of her own destiny, she must become the monster the world tried to drown in the first place.” 

So, this was everything that was inside the March box. The theme for the month of April was Retribution and the theme for May is Worthy of Power. The May boxes are now available on the website and I can assure you, you don’t want to miss this box!

Let me know in the comment section down below if you have read any of these two books and which was your favourite items of the March box.

Thank you all so very much for stopping by once again. It truly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Have a wonderful week everyone, stay safe and stay positive!

Till next time… Toodles!

Story Time: What April Was Supposed to Be for Me VS What It Really Was

Hello awesome people, happy Saturday everyone, happy first of May and welcome back to Victorious Pages!

First of all, I would like to thank you all for your patience and support this past month. It was really hard for me to keep coming back here and repeating my content over and over again, without actually having something new and fresh to bring to the table. I’m still not 100% ok, but I think this little break helped me one tiny bit, and I honestly hope that I will be able to come back and keep writing on the blog on a regular, weekly basis.

Plus, I really missed you guys. I missed our weekly interactions and the sense of belonging this community has made me feel over the past four years. You’ve been here for me through good times and bad ones, and for that I will always be grateful.

Which is why, before returning to our fully bookish content, I would like to share with you how April was for me. Or, as I said in the title of this post, what April was supposed to be for me VS what it truly was.

All in all, how April was… in a nutshell.

First of all, let me tell you that, with the arrival of spring, things at our family business became more hectic. I was working at least 10 hours every day AND I had to work on my new business, bookbrewed, my little book-subscription box, which is turning out beautifully.

I didn’t really mind the amount of work, because I do love what I’m doing. The only thing is that I didn’t really have time for anything else. I normally finished from work around 7pm, had some dinner, had a bath and by the time I walked into my bedroom, it was already 10pm.

It’s truly a miracle that I managed to finish four books in April and made some serious progress on two more. Specifically speaking, in April, I read Heiress Apparently, by Diana Ma, A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness, The Chosen Ones, by Veronica Roth, and Shadow & Bone, by Leigh Bardugo. You can expect full-length, and sometimes packed with spoilers, reviews in the coming days and weeks.

What’s more, I made some serious progress on Chain of Iron, by Cassandra Clare and a Greek novel, which I should’ve already finished, but I blame work for not having done so yet. Still, I’m more than determined to finish these two, as well as Crooked Kingdom, by Leigh Bardugo, Soul of Cinder, by Bree Barton, and, hopefully, Sing Me Forgotten, by Jessica S. Olson, this month. I have really great expectations about all of them and I hope that they won’t disappoint me.

Other than reading every night (or almost every night), April had one certain highlight that truly felt like a spark of light in my personal darkness.

This highlight was, naturally, the Shadow & Bone show on Netflix!

I don’t even know where to begin. I have so many emotions about this book-to-series adaptation and there will be a full-length post about this, as well, so all I’m gonna say for the time being is that I absolutely ADORED it with every fibre of my being!

Oh! And… Darklina for life! And Milo, the goat, the softest of the Crows. If you know, you know.

All in all, April was supposed to be the month where I’d find inner balance again, I would recharge my batteries and I would have some time to relax. Well, to be honest… That didn’t really happen.

Sure, I got some perspective again and I focused all my energy and creativity to my work, plus I have some amazing books to thank for reminding me what’s truly important in life, like the fact that I became an auntie for the third time on April 25th. Still, I can’t say I recharged my batteries. Not in the slightest.

But, after writing this post, and after working again on my WIPs, I remembered how much I love this craft and how calmer I feel when I put my thoughts and emotions onto paper (or in this case, screen), so I wanna believe that things will get better. Soon.

Let me know in the comment section down below how April was for you, if you have read any of the books mentioned here, if you liked them, and how many times you’ve binge-watched Shadow & Bone already!

Thank you all so very much for stopping by once again. It honestly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Till next time… Toodles!

I need a break…

It’s so freaking rare to find a soul that understands you completely. A soul that knows you and doesn’t judge you. A soul that accepts you for who you truly are and never makes you feel as if you’ve done something wrong.

In all honesty, it feels like a moonshot. Finding a soul like this, I mean. And I was never quite known for my luck. I thought I had found that soul. I was wrong.

Unfortunately though, this has made me lose part of who I am, too. I don’t sleep well, I don’t really take care of myself, I simply get lost into work, just so I’m too tired afterwards to think. I go for long walks and run, just so I can exhaust myself and the physical pain is the only thing I can think of. I don’t read as much as I used to, because I compare everything to what I’m experiencing right now, and that’s the last thing I wanna do. I don’t write as much as I used to, because I think too much of everything I’m experiencing and feeling right now, and that’s definitely the last thing I wanna do.

So, long story short, I’m in denial and that’s probably the worst turn my depression has taken in quite some time. Well, maybe not the worst, because I realise that I need to take care of myself and focus on what I want to do from now on in my life.

I told you I was thinking of taking a break from blogging for the month of April, to focus on my WIPs, but also to reevaluate my priorities and find myself again. I know I’m taking the right decision, mostly because I’ve read previous posts and this isn’t who I am, at least in terms of writing, AT ALL.

So, I honestly hope that you respect this decision and that you’ll be back when I decide to return.

I know I’ve said this probably a million times, but I honestly thank you for being here once again. It truly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Till next time… Toodles!

Life Update… Or the Lack of It… 😢

Hello awesome nerds and happy Saturday everyone.

March is slowly coming to an end and, truth be told, it all feels like a blur to me. I go to work or work from home for BookBrewed, I eat, try to read, relax and sleep a bit, and… Well, that’s that. Nothing else. Nothing monumental. Nothing worth mentioning. Nothing that will pull me out of this dark place were I currently am.

I only finished reading one book this month, Lore, by Alexandra Bracken, and I’m seriously trying to finish two more, but they both remind me of things I’m trying to forget. Still, I’ll try to finish them both this weekend. One of them is a Greek Romance novel, written by my friend Tatiana Tzinioli, and the other one is A Discovery of Witches, which I’m listening on Audible and I will finish it before the end of the month, even if it is the last thing I do. In terms of reading, I also wanna start reading A Vow so Bold and Deadly, the third and final instalment in the Cursebreakers series, by Brigid Kemmerer. And yes, I know that I should probably avoid reading it right now, considering what a mess I am, but what can I say? I do hope it will cheer me up a bit.

In other news, I’m seriously thinking of taking April off from blogging. I really need to focus on the sequel to The Auras’ Chest series and work a little bit more on my Greek novel. Even though I don’t really know how this is going to go, considering that I’m not really myself lately, I hope that by dealing with my fictional characters’ problems, I will manage to deal with some issues I’m facing, too.

I don’t think there’s anything left for me to say. As I said above, every day is like a blur to me. Sometimes I’m grateful for that. Yet, today is not one of those days. Which is why, aside from everything else, I simply decided to rant a bit here, instead of actually write a bookish post.

I hope you understand and respect that.

I will leave you with an ambience that I’ve been listening for the past few days and it never fails to warm my soul. Even though it reminds me of a certain person, it still is here for me. Unlike others…

I hope y’all have a great weekend, you stay safe and you take care of yourselves. Nobody else is going to do it for you.

Also, I want you to forgive me for not being myself lately. But I promise, I will be. Soon… If there’s anything that life has taught me so far is that, every single time it punches me on the face, I come back stronger. I do hope this is going to be the case this time, as well.

Thank you all so very much for stopping by once again. It honestly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Love you all to Pluto and back, lovely people.

Till next time… Toodles!

✨ Beacon Book Box Unboxing ~ ENTRANCED – 3-Year-Anniversary Box ~ February 2021 ✨

Hello awesome nerds, happy Thursday everyone and welcome to the second Beacon Book Box unboxing of the week.

I told you this was going to be the case, considering that both of my boxes arrived last week, and today is the perfect day to do a little #ThrowbackThursday post. Especially since the February 2021 was the the 3-year-anniversary box for the Beacon Family.

For those of you who don’t know, Beacon Book Box is a YA monthly-subscription box, in which every month you receive a new release, as well as a bunch of bookish items, focusing on a specific theme.

The theme for the month of February was ENTRANCED and let me tell you, it was indeed magical!

Before delving into the actual unboxing, let me just remind you that I am a rep for Beacon Book Box, so you can always use my rep code VICTORIOUS5 to save on your subscription or single purchase.

And so, with all that being said, let’s get to the actual unboxing!

THE GOODIES

The Kingdom of Back inspired fabric hanging wall poster, designed by @stellabookishart

Kingdom of the Wicked inspired wallet, designed by Lauren Odom (@doomymood on Twitter)

The Cruel Prince inspired Air Freshener, designed by @jemlin_c

Baking With The Beacons Recipe Box, from Team Beacon

A Curse so Dark and Lonely Collectible Glass Picture Frame (2 of 12), designed by @riddleandravens

A Curse so Dark and Lonely “Rhen and Harper” Collectible Print (2 of 12), designed by @rachelhanke27

#BakingWithTheBeacons Wrath’s Tiramisu, with artwork from @rosiethorns88

THE BOOK

The featured book of the month was Muse, by Brittany Cavallaro. As per usual, the book was signed by the author and it also came with an author’s letter AND bonus content.

If you haven’t heard of this book before, here’s the synopsis for you to read:

“American Royals meets The Winner’s Curse in the first book of bestselling author Brittany Cavallaro’s new duology, set in an alternate history American monarchy where a girl grapples for control of her own life in the middle of a looming war.

The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he’s created to showcase the might of their province, St. Cloud, in the World’s Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape.

Claire’s father is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift, granted to him by his daughter’s touch. He’s kept Claire under his control for years. As St. Cloud prepares for war, Claire plans to claim her life for herself, even as her best friend, Beatrix, tries to convince her to stay and help with the growing resistance movement that wants to see a woman on the throne. At any cost.

When her father’s weapon fails to fire on the fair’s opening day, Claire is taken captive by Governor Remy Duchamp, St. Cloud’s young, untried ruler. Remy believes that Claire’s touch bestows graces he’s never had, and with his governing power weakening and many political rivals planning his demise, Claire might be his only and best ally. But the last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone else’s muse. Still, affections can change as quickly as the winds of war. And Claire has a choice to make: Will she quietly remake her world from the shadows—or bring it down in flames?”

This doesn’t look like my regular cup of tea, but it seems intriguing and I honestly want to see how this alternate version of the American History will be executed.

Let me know in the comment section down below which was your favourite item and if you’ve read Muse yet or not.

Thank you all so very much for stopping by once again. It truly means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Have a wonderful rest of the week, stay safe and stay positive, dearies.

Till next time… Toodles!