Victoria Moschou's Blog, page 3

BOOK REVIEW: Daughter of Darkness (House of Shadows, #1), by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr ~ A Hauntingly Beautiful and Epic Tale! *SPOILER FREE*

“I won’t leave my friends. I have to stay the course. To try to save them, if I can. Them, and myself… If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be properly human.” 

~Daughter of Darkness (House of Shadows, #1), by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

Hello, beautiful creatures, happy Thursday everyone and welcome back to yet another review!

Today I’m going to talk to you about Daughter of Darkness, the first book in the House of Shadows duology, written by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr, which was also the featured book in the August From Olympus With Love BookBrewed box.

This review will be SPOILER FREE, as I do believe everyone should go and read this beauty, if you haven’t done so already. And if you want your copy to come with a signed bookplate and the collectible mini bookmark of the picture above, you can order your copy from the BookBrewed Apothecary today.

“Enter the Underworld in an epic new fantasy, where the Gods of ancient Greece rule everything but fate.

Deina is trapped. As one of the Soul Severers serving the god Hades on earth, her future is tied to the task of shepherding the dying on from the mortal world – unless she can earn or steal enough to buy her way out.

Then the tyrant ruler Orpheus offers both fortune and freedom to whoever can retrieve his dead wife, Eurydice, from the Underworld. Deina jumps at the chance. But to win, she must enter an uneasy alliance with a group of fellow Severers she neither likes nor trusts.

So begins their perilous journey into the realm of Hades. . . The prize of freedom is before her – but what will it take to reach it?

From the authors of A THRONE OF SWANS and A CROWN OF TALONS comes a stunning new YA duology set in a world inspired by the mythology of ancient Greece.

Perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken’s LORE and Jessie Burton’s MEDUSA.”

“Sometimes defiance is worth almost any price. ” 

~ Daughter of Darkness (House of Shadows, #1), by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

Hauntingly beautiful straight from the beginning, with lavish descriptions and characters that feel so very real, Daughter of Darkness was the book I knew I’d fall in love with from the day Maddie and the amazing team of Bonnier Books sent the proof copy to me, back in late May.

The story hooks you from the very first page and, the twist and turns come out of nowhere throughout the entire book that’s practically impossible to put it down.

I very much enjoyed the different dynamics between the characters, as well as the slow-burn romance, that wasn’t entirely enemies-to-lovers, but more of a friends-who-wanted-to-be-lovers-then-detracted-one-another-only-to-become-lovers-again.

What I also enjoyed was the intertwining of the Greek Mythology with the originality of story itself.
Turning one of the most beloved, in my opinion, heroes of our mythology into a villain, and creating a realm of Hades people would envy, this amazing book will bewitch all those who love books such as Lore, Circe and Percy Jackson.

If you’re in for an original tale, with myths to adore and characters to fall in love with, then Daughter of Darkness is definitely the book for you!

5 glorious stars from me to the first installment of this new, magnificent duology.

Have you read Daughter of Darkness? Did you enjoy it? Which is your favourite book, inspired by Greek Mythology?

Let me know all your thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below.

Thank you all so 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; I never will.

Have an amazing day, awesome nerds! Stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

BOOK REVIEW: House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2), by Sarah J. Maas ~ It Could’ve Been So Much Shorter! *SPOILERS AND DISCUSSION*

“But wherever you’re headed when this life is over, Quinlan, that’s where I want to be, too.”

~ House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2), by Sarah J. Maas

Hello, awesome people, happy Monday everyone and welcome back to another book review.

Some of you may already be aware of this, some of you have been patiently waiting, but the time has finally come for me to share with you my thoughts and feelings regarding the second book in the Crescent City series, by Sarah J. Maas, House of Sky and Breath.

Considering that the majority, if not all, of my Sarah J. Maas reviews contain HECTIC SPOILERS, this won’t be any different. Especially since a) it took me a long while to finish the book and b) I have feelings. Lots of them. And… not all of them good.

As per usual, once the spoilery part begins, I will warn you, in case you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled.

Before delving deeper though, here is the synopsis of the book, which possibly contains spoilers of House of Earth and Blood.

“Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.”

So, with all that being said and without any further ado, let’s get to the actual review.

I wish things were different but that’s what makes life beautiful. The fact that we can’t enjoy all the books that we read. Even the ones we had great, or at least greater, expectations about.

The second book in the Crescent City series didn’t live up neither to my expectations nor its hype. To put it simply, the book could’ve easily been edited down by AT LEAST 350 pages. And that is because the whole plot is at the last 1/3 of the book.

Sure, there’s slow (like really, reeeeealy slow) burn romance, there’s action and an EPIC finale, but that doesn’t make a book good. Because the “sexy, action-packed” aspect the synopsis claims this sequel has… well, I didn’t see it until page 490 or so.

As a friend of mine hilariously said… we could’ve gone for coffee or something. Because House of Sky and Breath was a hot mess.

I only cared about Bryce, Hunt and Ruhn, and after this finale I wanna believe that the next book in the series is going to be better. Otherwise, my opinion about this series will be similar to the one I have about Throne Of Glass . And that’s not good.

In terms of writing, it was a classic (at this point) Sarah J. Maas novel, with some over-the-top, and quite a few unnecessary ones, descriptions, info-dumping and a slow pacing. There were characters who, in my opinion, could simply have less POV chapters, or even scenes, and characters who shouldn’t be mentioned AT ALL at this point.

And that’s were the SPOILERS regarding the second book are about to begin. If you guys haven’t read the book and you don’t want to be spoiled, I will see you again in a new one.

Otherwise, proceed with caution!

I mean, come on! Danika is the worst kind of friend anyone could ever have! For real though!

What kind of friend hides a secret like that from her so-called “sister”? What kind of friend doesn’t inform her friends and allies that the so-called “protectors” and rulers of this world practically feed off the energy of the living being of Lunathion? What kind of friend forgets to mention that she’s a rebel and her father is one of the most notorious killers of the realm? What kind of friend forgets to mention she has a mate? Sorry, not sorry, Baxian.

And, please, spare me the part where Danika was “protecting” Bryce. Trust goes both ways. Bryce trusted Danika with her life. Danika’s life on the other hand was full of secrets, plots and zero trust towards her so-called “sister” and “pack”.

I honestly cannot understand why the entire plot was based on Danika’s schemings and manipulations, that basically dragged Bryce, Hunt and everyone else in the rebels’ games.

Danika is, and already was from House of Earth and Blood, what I like to call, a precious snowflake. Someone who thinks she knows best, someone that speaks her mind and expects everyone to do as she says and someone who is actually TOXIC for the people around her.

She’s not like Bryce or Hunt, who both love unconditionally and would sacrifice themselves for their loved ones. She’s not like Ruhn or Ithan, who are both caring, honourable and kind. And she most definitely isn’t like the Inner Circle.

Why I mention the Inner Circle you may ask? Well, I don’t know… Maybe because of…

“Hello, Bryce Quinlan. My name is Rhysand.”

~ House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2), by Sarah J. Maas

Why pull the cast from a completely different series in an entirely different series at the very ending of the second book? Why act as if all of the books intertwine with one another, because something similar happens in the final Throne of Glass book?

Is it maybe because A Court of Thorns and Roses is actually the best work Sarah J. Maas has until this very day?

Unlike the Throne of Glass and the Crescent City books, in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series every character has meaning. The plot itself has meaning. In House of Sky and Breath, there were scenes, sometimes five pages long that were simple info-dumping and were of no importance to the actual plot.

You wanna write a book about June or Tharion? Be my guest and do so. Why do I need to read every single subplot of every secondary character in a book that could’ve been 350 pages long and be fine with its own main plot as it was?

This whole execution made me second-guess the main plot of the book and think that it wasn’t good enough on it own. Otherwise, why have a supporting cast from your most popular book, aka A Court of Mist and Fury?

All in all, this was, unfortunately, a 3-star-read for me. Good plot, some characters to truly love, some utterly indifferent, yet not a very beautiful and polished execution.

I hope things get better in the next one. Or not…

Of course, every single opinion expressed on any of my personal accounts is mine and mine alone. Books speak differently to every single one of us, and we should always respect each other’s opinions. 

Have you guys enjoyed the second book in the Crescent City series? What do you think will happen in the third book?

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, dearies.

Have an amazing week, stay safe and stay positive!

Till next time… Toodles!

The Selection Series ~ Beacon Book Box Special Edition

“Time. I was asking for a lot of it these days. I hoped that if I had enough, everything would somehow fall into place.” 

~ The Elite (The Selection, #3), by Kiera Cass

Hello, awesome nerds, and happy Saturday everyone!

I hope you guys had an amazing week and you’re ready to embrace the weekend. Whether you choose to go out or stay in, I wish you have a blast!

I know for a fact I will since this is the first free weekend I’m going to have after… a while, I suppose. And considering that I’ve been thinking of reorganising my bookshelves for quite some time now, I believe the time has come for me to show to you the stunning special editions of The Selection series that Beacon Book Box sent to me a couple of weeks ago.

For those of you who don’t know, Beacon Book Box is a book-subscription company, that sent their last monthly box in June 2022 and is now changing its course a little bit.

I have been a Beacon Book Box rep since January 2020 and you can still use my rep code VICTORIOUS5 to save some money on anything you buy from the bunker or the special edition box, Books and Spooks, that’s currently available.

A special edition box of some sort was The Selection series special editions, too.

I read the series back in 2017, if I remember correctly, and with the movie adaptation being announced, the nostalgia hit hard.

For those of you who don’t know what the books are all about, here is the synopsis of the first book to enlighten you a little:

“For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

It is a heartwarming, cute and fast-paced romance, and if you’re looking for something to cheer you up a bit this autumn, I highly, highly suggest you check this series out.

The Beacon Book Box special editions of the series were signed, with foiling on the naked cover AND stunning artwork on the dust jacket.

And because a picture is worth a thousand words, here are the pictures I posted a few days ago on my Instagram account.

Beautiful, aren’t they?

I’m so in the mood to reread some favourites soon and the original The Selection series always makes me feel happy and optimistic. Like there’s still hope and love in this world.

Have you guys read this series? Do you enjoy collecting special editions of favourite novels? If so, which book do you have… more than one times in your bookshelves?

Let me know in the comment section down below.

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; I never will.

Have an amazing weekend, wonderful people, stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

💗 BookBrewed ~ FALL IN… LAB ~ October 2022 Theme Reveal 💗

Hello awesome nerds, happy Thursday everyone and welcome back to Victorious Pages.

I am so pleased to reveal to you the October BookBrewed theme, Fall In… Lab!

For those of you who don’t know, BookBrewed is my monthly book-subscription company, in which every month you receive a new release, as well as a bunch of exclusively designed bookish items, focusing on a specific theme.

There’s something romantic about October and so it is with great pleasure that I can reveal to you the October theme, Fall In… Lab!

Some people don’t believe in love and longterm relationships. Some people ask for proof of how two people can end up together.

In the book of the month, we follow the story of a young woman who, in order to convince her best friend that she’s happy and in a relationship, she ends up pretending to date… her bounder, yet gorgeous, professor.

How well can the combination of fake dating and a heart under microscope can go?

The book is a new release in Greek, perfect for the fans of the books written by Tatiana Tzinioli, Casey McQuiston and Jenny Han.

You can expect items inspired by To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Unhoneymooners, Red, White & Royal Blue and The Spanish Love.

What can be revealed for the time being is that each Fall In… Lab box will feature an exclusively designed candle, poured by Mythical Candles.

More reveals and collaborations will be announced in the coming weeks.

I’m truly excited for this box and I can’t wait for you guys to see it.

Feel free to follow BookBrewed on social media and subscribe to our newsletter. I cannot fully express how much I appreciate all the love and support that you’ve been showing to my business since day one.

It truly means the world to me!

Are you guys fans of romance novels? If so, which are your favourite ones?

I look forward to reading all your answers in the comment section down below.

Thank you all so very much for being here once again. I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted; I never will.

Love you all to Pluto and back, dearies.

Have an amazing day. Stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

House of the Dragon: The TV Show I Knew I Needed

Back in 2019, people claimed that we didn’t need any more of Game of Thrones, for the final season destroyed everything. Then the show ended and the pandemic happened. We all saw how this went for the past couple of years.

So, now, I’m hopeful, I truly am, that House of the Dragon will bring some healing to the whole world every Sunday.

Hello awesome people, happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Victorious pages!

It has been three weeks since the new HBO series premiered. And boy! What a premiere that was!

House of the Dragon follows the story of the Targaryen family and line, with the events occurring 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen’s birth and the actual story of Game of Thrones.

The old king, Viserys, names an unexpected heir, a choice that eventually leads to civil war within the powerful family. Targaryen is pitted against Targaryen; dragon against dragon. For we all know that the only thing that can tear down the House of the Dragon is itself.

I mean, come on. We saw Danny doing it for now apparent reason.

So far, I have been captivated by the cinematography, acting and the plot itself, even though I have read Fire and Blood, the book by George R. R. Martin upon which the series has been based.

It is fascinating to get back to a familiar world, get to see Easter eggs and hidden teasers about events that haven’t actually happened yet, and simply get lost to this mythical, epic world that is absolutely majestic!

Naturally, bits and pieces of the book are being left out, but if you guys haven’t read Fire and Blood, and you’re interested in finding out more about the Targaryen legend, I highly suggest you pick it up.

With a summary such as the one below, who could possibly resist?

“With all the fire and fury fans have come to expect from internationally bestselling author George R. R. Martin, this is the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros.

Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys’s three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.

With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire and Blood is the ultimate game of thrones, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.”

Have you guys watched the show yet? Are you a Game of Thrones fan? Have you read the books? If so, which one is your favourite so far?

Let me know all your thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below.

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 an amazing week dearies, stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

BOOK REVIEW: Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns, #1), by Gina Chen ~ The Fairytale You Didn’t Know You Needed *SPOILER FREE*

“People are cruel even when they have everything — more so, for fear of losing what they have.”

~ Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns, #1), by Gina Chen

Hello awesome people, happy Saturday everyone and welcome to the first review of September.

Today I’m gonna talk to you about a book I was truly excited to read and, thank the Fates, it did not disappoint.

I’m talking, of course, about Violet Made of Thorns, the first book in what now appears to be a new YA fantasy series, written by Gina Chen.

“A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.”

“I’ve always hated how people speak of destiny as if they had no part in it.”

~ Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns, #1), by Gina Chen

There are stories about heroes. Stories about villains. Stories where we may be the hero from our point of view and the villain from someone else’s.

And then, there are the stories of the anti-heroes. Of the morally grey characters, who may be opportunists, bold and brats, but they know how to survive.

Such is the tale of Violet Made of Thorns, the YA novel with the beloved elements of classic fairytales (because who can say no to a dooming prophecy, a Prince Charming and a vitriolic little witch) and the whimsical originality of a completely new world.

I loved this book straight from the beginning.

From the magical world-building, to the pacing of the story and the development of the characters themselves, this was truly the perfect summer read.

There were times when the book reminded me a bit of Forest of A Thousand Lanterns, which isn’t necessarily bad, and times when I felt that things should go a bit faster than they were actually going.

Nonetheless, it was fun to see how the characters interacted with each other and how they defied Fates and Destiny because, at the end of the day, we make our own destiny. It is the choices we make that truly shape our future.

With a smutty, sort-of-frenemies-to-lovers tale, characters you’d love to spend your summer with and a fairytale essence, I highly suggest you give this a go, especially if you love Cinder, Forest of A Thousand Lanterns and From Blood and Ash.

Have you guys read this beauty? Do you enjoy reading anti-heroes’ stories? If so, which is your favourite one?

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 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 wonderful weekend, awesome nerds, stay safe and stay positive!

Till next time… Toodles!

💜 OwlCrate Unboxing ~ Courtly Intrigue ~ July 2022 💜

Hello awesome nerds, happy 1st of September everyone and welcome back to Victorious Pages!

After a month of hiatus, I am finally back and what better way to get back in the writing mode than to do an old-fashioned throwback Thursday/unboxing?

As you probably understand from the title, this is going to be about the July OwlCrate box.

For those of you who don’t know, OwlCrate 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 July was Courtly Intrigue and it was probably one of the coolest boxes I have received in a while.

THE GOODIES A From Blood and Ash -inspired collapsible silicone water bottle, designed by No0ne Designs .A Priory of the Orange Tree -inspired fine body mist, exclusively made for OwlCrate by Fiction Bath Co .A The Iron Fey series inspired bowl cozy, designed by Love You More Studio .A These Hollow Vows -inspired wooden swivel pocket mirror, designed by KDP Letters .A Throne of Glass -inspired goblet charms’ set, designed by Band of Weirdos .The monthly collectible luggage enamel mug, inspired by City of Brass and designed by Hey Atlas Creative . THE BOOK

The book of the month was Violet Made of Thorns, by Gina Chen. The OwlCrate exclusive, signed edition came with an exclusive cover, designed by After Blossom Art, a reversible dust jacket art, created by Nicole Deal, two exclusive foil designs on the front and back of the packed hardback, designed by Ted Medovich, and foiled end pages, exclusively made for this particular edition.

The book was as per usual accompanied by a letter for Gina Chen.

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

“A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.”

I personally loved this book, so stay tuned because a full-length review is coming soon.

Do you guys purchase subscription boxes? Which was your favourite item from this particular box?

Let me know in the comment section down below.

Thank you all so much for being here once again, especially after a month’s absence from my end. I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted.

Till next time… Toodles!

Purple Hearts

It’s a funny thing you know, what art does to people. How it unlocks something inside us all. Whether it is a book, a song, a movie, a painting, a dance… It just forces us to take a moment, see and listen.

That’s exactly what Purple Hearts did to me.

Hello, awesome nerds, and happy Saturday everyone!

I had completely different plans for the last post of the summer, but yesterday’s moviethon made me change my course. Truth be told, I’m glad.

I had mentioned Purple Hearts a couple of week ago, with all the other movies I was suggesting for you to watch to cheer yourselves up. What I didn’t know was that Purple Hearts was going to make me believe in myself again.

I’m gonna be honest with you, folks, because that’s what I’ve been with you since 2017, when I started writing here.

At first, I thought it was going to be this classic, typical, kind of cliché movie, with the love story of a musician and a marine. Then, I watched the trailer and when the fake marriage trope popped in, I was “Hell yeah! Now, that’s gonna be interesting!”.

Thank God, the movie was so much more than that. It was about the injustices we face and the faith we should never abandon, love and courage, believing in yourself and letting people help you when you feel like you’ve lost your strength.

Yesterday, on Facebook, I read a post a friend’s husband wrote about how it seemed unnecessary to him that a journalist wrote that, the first, solid A at the Natural Sciences sector of our hometown’s university was granted to a woman mathematician.

When a friend of his wrote that the journalist was probably trying to put some emphasis on the fact that there’s no room for discriminations, he claimed that such thing does not exist anymore in the science field and that it should not be presented as something magnificent.

I wanna believe that, his point was that we should all accept it as something natural. I find it hard though to do so, considering that this very same person gaslighted me last year, claiming that when a woman takes care of her make up and clothes, and when a person, in general, drives a big car, they wanna show off.

Fun fact: I choose not to go out of the house without lipstick and I have a Mercedes Vito.

I suppose he had already made up his mind about me, considering that, when I told him what I wrote above, he tried, so freaking hard, I may add, to convince me that I was wrong and he was right.

How this event connects to Purple Hearts, you might ask?

Well, in the movie, Cassie, aka Sofia Carson, had a difficulty at first to believe in herself. To believe that her songs are good enough, that she is good enough and that she deserves somebody who accepts her for who she is, who respects and honours her. At the same time, Luke, aka Nicholas Galitzine, couldn’t deal with the demons of his past and thought that they would define and haunt him forever.

Let me tell you this, amazing people. The choices we make are the people we are. When we choose to love ourselves first, unconditionally, it’s easier to detect the toxicity around us and throw it out of the window.

When I was younger, I always thought I needed to explain myself and justify why I had said what I had said. I thought I should defend my opinions and choices. What I came to realise was that, just like I respected other people’s choices and opinions, so should they. I live with the consequences of my actions, and they live with theirs.

That is exactly what happens in Purple Hearts, if you’re willing to see it.

So, it truly is a funny thing, what art does to everyone of us.

Whenever I dance, whenever I sing, whenever I read a book or write a story of my own, I put a little bit of my experiences in there.

That’s what makes my art real. The fact that I believe in it. I believe in BookBrewed and, HOLY MOLY, I just can’t wait for you guys to see how From Olympus With Love turns out. I believe I am a really good dancer and, at this point of my life, I don’t even care what others think about me; I know I can dance. Just like I know I am free to wear whatever I want and drive whichever the hell car I want, and I don’t need a jackass to patronise me about what I can and cannot do, who I am and who I shouldn’t be.

If Purple Hearts taught me anything is that, we may find our people in the most unexpected places, under the most peculiar circumstances. But when we find them, we should never let them go. Or, to put it differently, we should let them know that we will never go away.

This post may be a bit all over the place, but it truly came from the heart. And the Purple Hearts. And the douche who didn’t want to listen, simply wanted to talk.

In conclusion, and before wishing you all an amazing rest of the summer, here’s what you should remember:

Embrace the Art. Somehow, it has this magical way of making things seem better, of helping us persevere.Stay THE HELL AWAY from toxic people and situations.The choices we make are the people we are.

At this point I think this is my signature line, but it seems I need to repeat myself from time to time, for people tend to forget.

In any case, I wish you all an amazing weekend, a phenomenal rest of summer and I will see you all again this coming fall.

What kind of art do you choose when you wanna cheer yourself up?

Let me know in the comment section down below.

Thank you all so very much 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.

Love you all to Pluto and back, dearies!

Stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!

🏛 BookBrewed ~ August Collaboration 🏛

Hello, wonderful creatures, happy Thursday everyone and welcome to the second-to-last post of this summer.

With things being super busy at work and with August just around the corner, I decided to take a little break next month from blogging and social media, so I can rest, recharge my batteries and enjoy the end of summer to the fullest.

Until then though, I’m super excited to share with you another teaser for the August BookBrewed box, From Olympus With Love.

For those of you who don’t know, BookBrewed is my small company, the Greek YA monthly subscription box. Each month you receive a new release, either in Greek or in English, and 4-5 bookish goodies, focusing on the theme of the month.

And for those of you, international book-dragons, who want to try BookBrewed for the very first time, the August book is a brand new release in English, which will transport you to Ancient Greece, the realm of Hades and beyond.

The reveal for today though is something else entirely.

I am so pleased to reveal that each 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐎𝐋𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐔𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 August box will be featuring an item we’ve never included in a box before, made by the one and only @lenv_beauty and inspired by 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬.

We love LenV’s products and quality and we are so happy you love them just as much.

You can expect items inspired by 𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐂𝐄, 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍 and 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄, as well. It has already been revealed that the 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄 item is going to be an exclusively designed puzzle.

I’m so happy that more and more international people are being introduced to BookBrewed. It makes me work even harder for you all to provide you a bookish experience to remember.

Considering that I know how crazy international shipping can be, my team and I are always here for you. So, if you are interested in purchasing a box for you or your loved ones, feel free to contact us at info@bookbrewed.com and we’ll be more than happy to assist you!

Who is your favourite Greek god or goddess? Is there a Greek myth that’s very dear to you?

Let me know in the comment section down below.

Thank you all so very much for being here once again, dearies. 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.

Have an amazing pre-Friday, y’all, stay safe and stay positive!

Till next time… Toodles!

Virgin River ~ A Heartwarming Series to Start your Week

Hello, awesome people, and happy Monday everyone!

I hope you guys had a great weekend, you found time to relax, calm down and recharge your batteries.

Personally, I had a quite hectic and busy week last week, and the only relaxing time I had, aside from when I was reading, was while watching the first season of Virgin River.

For those of you who don’t know, Virgin River is a book series by Robyn Carr, and if you know me, you know how much I love these set-in-American-small-towns kind of stories.

What’s weird though is that it took me a long while to actually start watching the Netflix show. Thankfully, my friends Mar-Mar and JoJo said I should definitely give it a go.

Truth be told, the first season did not disappoint!

I know I joined the club a bit late, considering that the fourth season was recently released on Netflix, but I’m really glad I will be able to binge-watch three more seasons until the end of the summer.

I love the setting, the characters and the plot line, and, judging by the fact that I need some romance in my everyday life, I believe I will read the books, as well.

“Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against a backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad, she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving—the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she’s made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby abandoned on a front porch changes her plans…and former marine Jack Sheridan cements them into place.”

These books and shows always give me those end-of-summer vibes, so I feel like binge-watching the show and reading the books will be perfect for this time of the year.

What about you guys? Have you read the books or watched the show? If so, did you enjoy them?

Let me know all your thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below.

Thank you all so very much for stopping by once again. It 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, awesome nerds!

Have an amazing week, dearies, stay safe and stay positive.

Till next time… Toodles!