Victoria Moschou's Blog, page 74
January 9, 2020
January 6, 2020
Contemporary Novels: Yay OR Nay?
Hello awesome nerds and happy Monday everyone.
The winter break is officially coming to an end, and even though it’s a holiday today in Greece, still I can’t help but feel that sweet melancholy that follows the Christmas holidays. It is because I need to get back to my everyday routine, my normal life. It is because, sometimes, it’s better to live in a fantasy than face the harsh and ugly real world.
That’s why I normally prefer to read Fantasy novels: they help me to endure reality.
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But sometimes Contemporary ones can be of help, as well. For they show you, from a different perspective, what normal, everyday, regular people like you do when facing struggles in their lives.
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Although Fantasy will always be my favourite genre, I’ve come to the conclusion that reading Contemporary books every once in a while keeps me out of reading slumps, and since this is my main 2020 reading goal, I’m gonna try to mix things up us much as possible in terms of genres, whether that means reading Contemporaries, Thrillers or Sci-Fi novels (ok, scratch that last).
Reading multiple genres helps you focus mostly on the characters and the story itself. It helps you avoid reading similar stories over and over again, and most importantly, it helps you avoid clichés and tropes. Or at least, that’s what it does to me.
Take Contemporary novels, for instance.
I’m currently listening on Audible Brigid Kemmerer’s Contemporary novel, Call It What You Want. It is a Robbin Hood retelling, set in a 21st century High School, revolving around the messed up lives of an ex-popular lacrosse player and a seemingly overachiever student.
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“When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.
Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.
When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship…
This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?”
Truth be told, I’ve never read a Robbin Hood retelling, especially set in the real world, and Brigid’s writing style and storytelling abilities are PHENOMENAL, so I’m already in love with the two protagonists and the whole story in general.
I love that there are actuals flaws and situations anyone could face throughout the journey of their life. I love that this story is sweet, but at the same time it deals with insecurities and the stigma somebody has to carry with them, simply because they’re the son or the daughter of a criminal.
I’m not going to delve into more detail, because a) I’m gonna write a full-length review about the book once I’m done reading it, and b) I highly recommend you guys pick it up.
What I wanted to prove using this example is that, as easily as you can connect with a character living in a mythical land, with the same ease you can connect with the girl next-door, whose sister made a mistake, by her family’s standards, and it would be a shame for the local community to find out about it. Or the boy who sits at the back of the class; the one who used to be the King of his school, but his now a social pariah, finding comfort and refuge in his books.
It doesn’t have to take place in Narnia for you to travel in another world. You can easily travel, even if it takes place in London or Washington, DC, or Korea or wherever in the world.
So, my question is…
Contemporary novels: YAY or NAY, folks?
I look forward to reading all your comments, thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below.
Thank you all for coming back here 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.
Have a wonderful week, y’all.
Till next time… Toodles! 
January 4, 2020
BOOK REVIEW: The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3), by Holly Black ~ A great finale to an amazing series! *SPOILERS & DISCUSSION*
~ The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3), by Holly Black
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Hello awesome nerds, happy Saturday everyone and welcome to the first review of 2020.
January 2, 2020
December 30, 2019
The End of A Decade
Hello wonderful people and happy Monday everyone!
It’s the last post of 2019 and the last post of the decade. Because, truth be told, maybe I wasn’t writing here in 2009, but still, I had a blog, even when I was in High School. Looking back at that blog now, it feels surreal to say the least that a whole decade passed by.
And yet, it did. I graduated from High School, University and I got my Master’s in Business Administration back in the summer of 2018. I got a job at two different tutoring classes. I moved to another city and then moved back to my hometown. I started a business of my own. I left adolescence behind, only to realise that adulthood is a bunch of messy situations, stress and the dawning revelation that there are times when you still feel 19. I mean, I do.
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It’s the end of a decade, folks, and even though this one was kind of bittersweet in so many different ways, with unexpected turns of events, losses and unwanted changes, it was also nice.
I know that I’ve been ranting about how 2019 was in general a pretty shitty year, with reading slumps, insomnia, tons of stress and depression, and not as much writing as I wanted to, but at the same time, this was the year that I got two of my books published! The Guardian of the Auras and Demonic Debutantes.
That’s a huge deal, dearies! Indie-published, yes, but still, I had the nerve and the guts to go for it! And I’ll keep chasing my dream, even if there are people out there that say it’s impossible to be traditionally published. What I’ve come to realise is that when people say impossible, they usually mean improbable. I like defying the odds. 
December 28, 2019
Life Update: Christmas in the Valley, You & Potential Move
Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone!
I hope you all had a fantastic week and that you spent these past few days with your loved ones, you had the time to recharge your batteries and actually do the things your passionate about!
This year I realised that it’s really important to detox and always try to make time for the things that make you happy, whether that is hiking or jogging, going out for dinner or drinks with your friends, or staying at home, reading a good book or watching a nice movie or show on Netflix.
Truth be told, this Christmas I actually managed to do all of the above, and for that I’m super happy and satisfied.
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As per usual, my folks and I spent Christmas at my dad’s sister’s house, along with my cousins, nephews, in-laws and uncle, and it was a blast. 
December 26, 2019
End of the Year Book Tag ~ December 2019
Hello awesome nerds, merry Christmas to those who celebrate and happy holidays y’all! 
December 23, 2019
I’m A Rep… Again!
Hello everyone and happy Monday! 
