Victoria Moschou's Blog, page 57
April 23, 2020
BOOK REVIEW: Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1), by Shelby Mahurin ~ The BEST book I’ve read so far in 2020! *SPOILERS & DISCUSSION*
~ Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1), by Shelby Mahurin
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Hello awesome nerds and happy Thursday everyone!
It’s been a while since I loved a book so much and I had begun to wonder whether or not I’ll ever find a book that will be able to bewitch me again, but THANK GOD I decided to read Serpent & Dove, once of the most anticipated releases of 2019 this month, in order to complete my History of Magic prompt, for the O.W.L.s Magical Readathon.
Long story short, I felt head over heels in love with this book, the writing style, the plot and the characters, so much that I have pre-ordered the second book and some extra special goodies that will be shipped to me in early September.
If you wanna find out more about this pre-order thing I’m telling you about, make sure you read this post till the end of it.
For the time being though, let’s just delve into the review.
This review will be split in two parts. The first part will be the SPOILER-FREE section, while the second one will focus more on the spoilers, the plot twists and the revelations of this story. If you haven’t read the book yet and you don’t want to be spoiled, make sure you read only the first part of this review. You will be warned once the spoilers will start coming your way.
“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.”
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April 20, 2020
ASMR: My New Best Friend!
Hello awesome nerds and happy Monday everyone! 
April 18, 2020
O.W.L.s Magical Readathon & Camp NaNo Updates ~ Week #3
Hello awesome nerds and happy Saturday everyone!
It’s been two weeks since I last updated you about how the readathon and the Camp NaNo are going, but things have been so busy at my day job these past few weeks (thank the Lord) that it’s been a miracle I even had time to read and write.
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Starting with Camp NaNo, on what comes to my current WIP and my progress there, I realised that some changes were in order and so, although I managed to write approximately 10k words this past week, I also made a few changes at the very first chapters, something that will hopefully make the story even better.
The general idea will be the same, but I decided to put some magical element, too, and work a little bit differently this time, drawing the characters psychological profiles, the different family tries and lines, the friends and foes the main characters will have and so on. In other words, I decided to act more like a plotter and do some serious research before actually sitting down to read, but at the same time I can’t ignore inspiration when it strikes, so I have already completed seven rough chapters, that are gonna be edited in detail next month.
What can I say? I’m a plotter and a panster!
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On what comes to the O.W.L.s Magical Readathon now, well, I have to admit that things are going wonderfully there!
I have already completed 5 out of 7 prompts, and I’m currently reading the last two simultaneously; one in physical form, the other one on audio.
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I made some changes to the initial TBR and so now I have to read Wicked As You Wish for my Divination class, and All Your Twisted Secrets, instead of The Queen’s Assassin, for my Charms class.
Truth be told, it’s been an amazing reading month so far and I wanna believe that I’m finally out of my reading slump! Part of it is thanks to Serpent & Dove, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which I reread for the gazillionth time, and A Heart so Fierce and Broken, which had the most MIND-BLOWING AND JAW-DROPPING FINALE EVER!
I do hope that I will manage to finish both of my final books by next weekend tops, and have the chance to read another book, in order to complete the Animagus seminar. 
April 16, 2020
BOOK REVIEW: Gravemaidens (Gravemaidens, #1), by Kelly Coon ~ An original tale like none other! *SPOILER FREE*
~ Gravemaidens (Gravemaidens, #1), by Kelly Coon
It’s always nice reading books that introduce you to traditions, civilisations and ancient people, that are almost forgotten today. Like the Sumerians, for instance.
That is the main reason why I felt instantly intrigued by Gravemaidens, Kelly Coon’s fantasy novel.
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“The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land’s greatest honor…and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.
In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.
When Alu’s ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to liveGravemai an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.
But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.
Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself.”
I read this book as part of my O.W.L.s magical readathon prompts, in order to complete my Astronomy class; in other words, read the majority of this book at night. Boy, that was the perfect pick, that I have to admit! 
April 13, 2020
⚔️ BEACON BOOK BOX ~ MAY THEME REVEAL ~ A FIGHT FOR THE THRONE ⚔️
Hello awesome nerds and happy Monday everyone! 
I hope you all had an amazing weekend and you had time to relax and recharge your batteries. I didn’t because I was at work for the better part of Saturday and then I had to go to the office again on Sunday for a few hours, so that basically left me with so very little time to catch up on everything else I had to do AND also find time to relax.
But no matter… I do hope that things will be different next weekend, and I will actually have time to practically do NOTHING, except read and watch movies. And since our Easter is this coming weekend, I do believe that this plan will actually be an achievable one.
Still, the reason why you’re all here today is to find out what the Beacon Book Box theme for the month of May will be. Since this will be my last Beacon Book Box related post for a while, I thought it would be great if I gave you a little treat, because trust me when I say that the May box is gonna be EVERYTHING! 
April 11, 2020
Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone! 
It’s Easter weekend for many of you out there and as my family and I will start preparing for the Orthodox Easter (which is next weekend) here in Greece, I thought it would be great if I shared with you another bookish inspired recipe, this time by one of my absolute favourite Historical Fiction/Mystery book series, Stalking Jack the Ripper.
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For those few of you who don’t know, Stalking Jack the Ripper follows seventeen–year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth, who although being born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her, she also lives a secret life.
Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.
I have already read the first two books of the series, Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula, and I can’t wait to catch up on the next two books, probably in late summer or early autumn.
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Today’s recipe is inspired by the male lead of the series, Thomas Cresswell, and it is probably my favourite recipeI have received so far in a Beacon Book Box.
The Beacons are including bookish inspired recipes every month and they also do live shows on their Instagram account every Tuesday, so if you don’t follow them there and you wanna have some fun while baking, you should definitely check them out.
With all that being said, let’s get to the recipe!
CRESSWELL’S DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
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Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone!
It’s Easter weekend for many of you out there and as my family and I will start preparing for the Orthodox Easter (which is next weekend) here in Greece, I thought it would be great if I shared with you another bookish inspired recipe, this time by one of my absolute favourite Historical Fiction/Mystery book series, Stalking Jack the Ripper.
[image error]
For those few of you who don’t know, Stalking Jack the Ripper follows seventeen–year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth, who although being born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her, she also lives a secret life.
Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.
I have already read the first two books of the series, Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula, and I can’t wait to catch up on the next two books, probably in late summer or early autumn.
[image error]
Today’s recipe is inspired by the male lead of the series, Thomas Cresswell, and it is probably my favourite recipeI have received so far in a Beacon Book Box.
The Beacons are including bookish inspired recipes every month and they also do live shows on their Instagram account every Tuesday, so if you don’t follow them there and you wanna have some fun while baking, you should definitely check them out.
With all that being said, let’s get to the recipe!
CRESSWELL’S DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
[image error]
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone!
It’s Easter weekend for many of you out there and as my family and I will start preparing for the Orthodox Easter (which is next weekend) here in Greece, I thought it would be great if I shared with you another bookish inspired recipe, this time by one of my absolute favourite Historical Fiction/Mystery book series, Stalking Jack the Ripper.
[image error]
For those few of you who don’t know, Stalking Jack the Ripper follows seventeen–year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth, who although being born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her, she also lives a secret life.
Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.
I have already read the first two books of the series, Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula, and I can’t wait to catch up on the next two books, probably in late summer or early autumn.
[image error]
Today’s recipe is inspired by the male lead of the series, Thomas Cresswell, and it is probably my favourite recipeI have received so far in a Beacon Book Box.
The Beacons are including bookish inspired recipes every month and they also do live shows on their Instagram account every Tuesday, so if you don’t follow them there and you wanna have some fun while baking, you should definitely check them out.
With all that being said, let’s get to the recipe!
CRESSWELL’S DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
[image error]
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone!
It’s Easter weekend for many of you out there and as my family and I will start preparing for the Orthodox Easter (which is next weekend) here in Greece, I thought it would be great if I shared with you another bookish inspired recipe, this time by one of my absolute favourite Historical Fiction/Mystery book series, Stalking Jack the Ripper.
[image error]
For those few of you who don’t know, Stalking Jack the Ripper follows seventeen–year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth, who although being born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her, she also lives a secret life.
Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.
I have already read the first two books of the series, Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula, and I can’t wait to catch up on the next two books, probably in late summer or early autumn.
[image error]
Today’s recipe is inspired by the male lead of the series, Thomas Cresswell, and it is probably my favourite recipeI have received so far in a Beacon Book Box.
The Beacons are including bookish inspired recipes every month and they also do live shows on their Instagram account every Tuesday, so if you don’t follow them there and you wanna have some fun while baking, you should definitely check them out.
With all that being said, let’s get to the recipe!
CRESSWELL’S DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
[image error]
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone!
It’s Easter weekend for many of you out there and as my family and I will start preparing for the Orthodox Easter (which is next weekend) here in Greece, I thought it would be great if I shared with you another bookish inspired recipe, this time by one of my absolute favourite Historical Fiction/Mystery book series, Stalking Jack the Ripper.
[image error]
For those few of you who don’t know, Stalking Jack the Ripper follows seventeen–year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth, who although being born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her, she also lives a secret life.
Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.
I have already read the first two books of the series, Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula, and I can’t wait to catch up on the next two books, probably in late summer or early autumn.
[image error]
Today’s recipe is inspired by the male lead of the series, Thomas Cresswell, and it is probably my favourite recipeI have received so far in a Beacon Book Box.
The Beacons are including bookish inspired recipes every month and they also do live shows on their Instagram account every Tuesday, so if you don’t follow them there and you wanna have some fun while baking, you should definitely check them out.
With all that being said, let’s get to the recipe!
CRESSWELL’S DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
[image error]
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
