raeesahambarker's Blog

This Poison Heart

Author: Kaylynn Bayron

Rating: 4/5

Description:

Darkness blooms in bestselling author Kalynn Bayron's new contemporary fantasy about a girl with a unique and deadly power.

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch.

When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined--it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri's unique family lineage.

When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri's sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.

From the bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead comes another inspiring and deeply compelling story about a young woman with the power to conquer the dark forces descending around her.

This Poison Heart:

Okay. Can I just start off by saying that the cover is gorgeous? It’s literally one of the most stunning I’ve ever seen. I have no idea how to explain this but the magnificence of the cover ties in flawlessly with the beauty of the story that is being told. Nature is gorgeous and this author uses this to her advantage.

The Writing:

This book centres around plant-based magic which means that the author has to work extra hard to describe the magnificence that is Mother Nature. And let me just say, she doesn’t fail. This is a Young Adult novel, so the writing isn’t anything complex, but that doesn’t take away from this author’s ability to make it feel as if we are experiencing everything alongside Briseis. The first time she used her powers, I had literal chills because of the way the entire scene played out. I could picture the flowers she was describing, and the garden! Wow, it was all illustrated perfectly and I love books that focus so heavily on descriptions, especially if the setting plays a big role, such as the garden.

Briseis:

I’ve always been a sucker for elementalists and my favourite fairy from the Winx club was Flora. The fact that Briseishas those exact powers made me adore the story even more. She has a natural relationship with plants, making them able to develop at rapid speed. Cool, right? Briseis also has the most extraordinary relationship with her mothers, something you seldom get to see in fantasy books. They own a flower shop, but they don’t allow Briseis to use her powers to help their shop. That was the most precious thing I’ve ever witnessed. For me, Briseis is like a breath of fresh air. So many people can look up to her and all that she represents. I loved her and I loved her story.

I’m also going to squeeze the romance in here because it’s not much. It had insta-love and I wished that more time was spent trying to flesh out the relationship. The romance isn’t the central aspect of the story, which is fine, but it felt forced because it was just chucked in there. I’m excited to see what happens next.

Plot:

It was a little slow, but it still didn’t disappoint. I understood why we needed to go slow, because this is Briseis’ story. She had to learn to overpower that apprehension of what other people would think of her. So, it may have been sluggish, but it helped me connect to Briseis a little more. I’m not going to dive too deep because I don’t want to spoil anything, but just know that this book is magical. Encountering the ghosts of her family’s past, an archaic manor and a secret garden – this is a story you wouldn’t want to miss!

Conclusion:

This is a super sweet read, perfect for fans of Young Adult and Fantasy, and those who prefer more plot with only a sprinkle of Romance. Thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a review copy.

The Hating Game

Author: Sally Thorne

Rating: 5/5

Description:

Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.

2) A person’s undoing

3) Joshua Templeman

Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth-shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

The Hating Game:

This book has mixed reviews. There are those that loved this book to pieces. And then there are those who wish to throw this book off a cliff and watch the pages liquefy. Thankfully, I fall into the former category. Now, as a non-biased reader, I can acknowledge both sides of the coin; why people detested this book or why they adored it. Before writing my reviews, I take a fine scroll over on Goodreads to hear everybody’s sides. Keep in mind, I’ve already decided on my rating. I just enjoy seeing what other people have picked up on that I may have neglected.

Having read through these reviews, I can see why readers feel the way they do. Things that occurred in this book probably didn’t click with them, but they did for me. So yes, this book is a cliché mess. But I like cliches, and my life is a mess. See where I’m going with this?

The Writing:

I. Love. The. Metaphors. There’s just something about Sally Thorne’s writing that has me in a chokehold. I literally fell in love with what she was writing. It was so straightforward but there was more profound meaning behind every sentence. She didn’t have to spend another few paragraphs trying to get her point across. There was nothing intricate and I love that. The descriptions are everything I need in my life, and it wasn’t excessive descriptions, either. Everything flowed perfectly.

The Characters:

The first page, and Lucy already had me smiling. She’s literally hilarious and may just be my favourite character ever. The thing I treasured most about her was the fact that she never held back, and I’m talking in the context of conversations with Josh. She says what’s on her mind which thwarts beating around the bush. I know she has her faults, like letting people walk all over her, but I loved her, nonetheless.

Lucy is such an authentic main character, there’s nothing far-fetched about her. Her troubles are real, her feelings are real. It felt like things that I would think. She’s a little awkward, has a hobby/is part of a fandom that nobody understands but she still loves it. I won’t use the word quirky because it’ll sound like I’m saying, “She’s not like other girls.” Because she is like other girls and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ve seen girls like her, hell, I’m one of them, and it’s because I can relate to her that I love her so much.

Going by the Goodreads reviews, I know a lot of people got aggravated with Lucy frequently mentioning that she was five feet tall, and that Josh was a giant. I understand, it can get redundant. But I’m five feet tall too. If I was around a guy, or anybody, that tall, I would constantly think about it, albeit at the back of my mind. So, Lucy talking about it wasn’t irritating for me, because I understood where she was coming from. I think it all boils down to the fact that as cliché as this book is, or how annoying Lucinda Hutton can be, I could relate to her -and, maybe that’s why I loved it so much or could bypass the imperfections in the book that my fellow readers have picked up on.

Josh is an absolutely swoon-worthy character. I can’t even begin to explain it. Every little thing he did had me flushing red. He comes across as a big meanie, but you know the eyes never lie. The moments where he nearly smiles at what Lucy says is what made me love him so much. No matter how hard he tries to be this stone wall, she gets to him. And it’s obvious. Oh, and Nigel, Lucy’s dad, calling Josh everything but his name is hilarious. Jebidiah had me cackling.

The Romance:

I adore the dynamic between Lucy and Josh. They’re barely phased by the ludicrous things the other says. Now, that’s what I call romance. The tension between them was so thick from the first bloody page. Their kiss came a little earlier than I expected, but I didn’t mind because although we didn’t hit the 100-page mark, there was so much chemistry between them that it didn’t even matter. They are perfect together. The attraction was there right off the bat.

Another favourite scene of mine is when they’re paintballing, and Lucy refers to herself as Lara Croft. She’s determined to protect Josh, her teammate, from the attacks so that he can capture the flag safely. Ultimately, she fails, and they both get hit. But it links together perfectly with the end of the book. Lucy refers to herself as Lara Croft, again, when she stands up to Josh’s father on his behalf. She didn’t get to protect him during the paintball match, but she could do it at the wedding. I loved how it came full circle.

I think the biggest lesson this book taught me had to do with romance. Love happens when the time is right. Lucy is 28 years old and she’s finding love with Josh. Young people these days seem to be in such a haste to find love, afraid that time is ticking away. Teenagers seem to think that once you’re in your late twenties, life is over. Old age to them is like thirty. But it isn’t. This book helped emphasise that love literally happens when the time is right.

Conclusion:

Although this book had its flaws, I still loved it. I could relate to Lucy, and that’s what makes me so attached to her story. If you’re looking for a quick romance read, this is the book for you. The romance is the main plot, so keep that in mind in case you’re hoping there’s more to it :)

The Duke and I

Author: Julia Quinn

Rating: 3.5/5

Description:

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

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

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

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...

The Duke and I:

Not going to lie, didn’t really like this book all that much. I’ll blame it on the fact that the Netflix show put in so much more than what this book gives us so when reading the story AFTER having watched the show, it pales in comparison. There were many moments where I was expecting something to happen and then it didn’t. I can blame this on myself for having watched the show first.

The Writing:

The writing is easy to understand as well as the plot, but I couldn’t help but find it lacking solely because, once again, the show gave us so much more. Please, if you haven’t watched the show yet, read the book first because you may just end up being severely disappointed. I love the way the Bridgerton family was written. Everything seemed so sincere and their love for each other practically leapt off the pages.

The Romance:

I loved Daphne and Simon together. It was blatantly obvious that they were a perfect fit for each other. The romance was a little bland compared to the show but it was still enjoyable. However, there was one scene that irked me, and I know we can all agree on which scene it is. I didn’t agree with Daphne’s actions here and it definitely subtracted a good few points from the relationship for me. The trust levels went down.

Conclusion:

It was a fun read, very fast-paced, and I had a good time reading it. The only problem was that I found myself wanting more than what was given. Other than that, it’s a good book with great characters and I’d definitely recommend it! But please read the books first before diving into the show.

The Inheritance Games

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating: 1/5

Description:

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why--or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch--and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.

Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

The Inheritance Games:

When I write a review, I always want to be completely sincere regarding my opinion. And honestly, I hated this book. Now, for those of you who enjoyed this book – please, don’t come for my neck. This is my opinion and it just happens to be how I feel about this book. If you loved The Inheritance Games, I don’t recommend reading my review because I don’t necessarily have anything good to say.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Where do I begin? Let’s start with the book itself. The chapters are annoyingly short. Now, I can appreciate a book with short chapters but it felt like these chapters were just too short. Going hand in hand with this is the fact that a chapter sometimes ends unexpectedly. I’d anticipate something and the chapter finishes, only for the next one to pick up after that scene occurs, with Avery giving us a watery summary of what happened. This was a systematic theme. A major problem of mine was that some chapters didn’t pour into the next. There’d be a sudden small time skip. What happened? I’d like to know.

The mystery of it all is so babyish. The clues left behind, the riddle, everything feels like it was set up by a toddler. That ending was so bad and I saw it coming from a mile away. Don’t even get me started on how effortlessly Avery and the sons figured things out, only accentuating that the mystery was set up for a toddler. It’s like the explanations are right in front of them the whole time and they notice it two seconds later. I also feel like there was so much dialogue with too few descriptions. The gaps in between were filled with: Avery stating the obvious, Avery being attracted to the two brothers at arbitrary times, Avery just knowing something and stating it; which leaves us in the dark because we have no idea how she got to that judgment.

The Writing:

Moving onto the writing. I harbour no animosity towards the author, once again, this is just my opinion on the book and not Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The writing was painfully monotonous, and I’m not exaggerating at all. As of page 187, I didn’t care what happened to any of the characters because I had zero attachments to them, solely based on the way they were written. Everything was so fast-paced, making it feel like it all happened in the blink of an eye. I would’ve liked for the author to put more attention on the house, the main setting. It’s supposed to be this immense enigma with secret passageways, rooms that can only be unlocked a certain way. But, it’s like the author breezes over details. We witness a few things but it gets left at that. The writing feels snappy, like there was mostly telling and not showing, especially when it came to features and emotion. This could very well be my biggest peeve with this book.

Telling and Not Showing:

I think this merited its own little section. Let me just give some examples. Avery considers herself an extraordinarily good guesser, a better guesser than the average person. But we never get to see her brain in motion, get to witness how she comes to her determinations. Instead, she straight-out tells us instead of showing us. Now, I’m not asking for anything extravagant. I just want to know why she guessed that answer, there had to have been some reasoning behind it. I keep being told things instead of shown.

Another example, Avery tells me that Grayson is hurt by the words. There’s no description of his features changing, whatsoever. I cannot envision Grayson being hurt because Avery isn’t showing me, she’s telling me. The author also tries her best to tell us that Avery is a mathematical genius but we don’t see it. And when it does get to a part where she can use her skill, the author cuts the scene and picks things up afterwards. A few big words are dropped so we can see she knows what she’s talking about. Also, Alisa is constantly warning Avery to keep up appearances and to behave. When Avery steps out of line, I wanted to see Alisa reprimand her for acting impulsively. But all we get is a diluted overview of Avery telling us what happened.

I hate that revelations were thrown in haphazardly, hurled at our faces instead of there being a buildup. Rebecca is a prime example, that specific scene when Avery takes a seat next to her. I’ve never seen Rebecca, she was never mentioned. Basically, no hints were dropped. Everything just went from 0 to 100. Literally. Rebecca drops a major bomb on Avery and contrary to what the author was aiming for, which was surprise, I wasn’t surprised. And do you know why I wasn’t surprised? Because you’re showing me Rebecca for the first time and everything about that scene suggests something is going to happen, all hints are dropped in that one nanosecond. What does this mean? You didn’t disperse those hints. You dropped them there and didn’t let them flourish. The revelation fell flat and felt, again, like I was being told something.

Can I just say that I haven’t witnessed Thea striving for anything yet, or standing up for something she believed in? So, I was a little perplexed when she brought up feminism at the table. It was awkwardly placed because the author is telling me Thea is a feminist, at a completely haphazard point, when she had every scene with Thea to drop inklings that could show me Thea is a feminist. I’m all for feminism. My main issue with this scene, other than the telling and not showing, is that the dialogue between Thea and Xander is sharp and kind of feels like the author mentions feminism just for the sake of it. Plus, I haven’t seen Thea being a bad bleep or acting evil. This whole book consists of characters TELLING me things about other characters instead of the author showing me.

The Romance:

The supposed romance feels beyond forced as if scenes were placed at random whilst the plot unfolded. To be honest, it feels like the author had her plot and wrote her book, but then discovered at the last second that she didn’t add romance. She then has to go back and scatter romance where she can. It feels like that. We have Avery remarking how she feels around Jameson, for example. It’s supposed to be romantic because being with him makes her feel free and all that jazz, but it comes across as forced. I can’t connect with her on this level because I cannot comprehend WHY she feels this way. There’s no buildup, just feeling things at aimless moments in the story.

I detest the parts where Avery mentions something about being attracted to either Jameson or Grayson because, once again, it’s random. I was given no signs of there being an attraction. There’s no fleeting touches, longing glimpses or secret smiles. There could be but I think the author failed, because she tells me things. We have Avery suddenly mentioning her “fitting perfectly” against Jameson or how she loves when Grayson says the word “empirically”.

“I could feel something, the same something that I’d felt when I brushed up against Grayson…” She thinks this when Jameson moves closer. Bruh. What you’re feeling is my ardent aggravation at the fact that you have no chemistry with either of these losers. I can’t even tell the difference between them. I didn’t fangirl over the kiss scene because there was absolutely no chemistry, no tension between them throughout the book, no matter how much the author shoved the idea of them down our throats. I hated it.

The Characters:

Let’s start with Avery. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever hated a main character as much as I hate her. I truly despised the way she had access to things when trying to decipher a puzzle. How did she get that right so easily? There was minimal, if not, no effort. She also asks super intimate questions and they just give her the answers. Skye never divulged to anyone the reasoning behind her sons’ middle names, not even them and no matter how much Jameson needles her. But she tells Avery the second she asks? There wasn’t even a basis behind this. I gave the author the benefit of the doubt, hoping that Skye telling her the answer so readily would lead to something important. It didn’t.

Avery acts as if she’s known everyone for years, feels insulted when they leave her out and feels like she has a say in their personal matters. It’s bloody bothersome. I’ve lost count of the amount of times she’d think that she “couldn’t help but notice she didn’t fit in” or she “didn’t belong here”. That’s because she doesn’t. She’s a literal outsider that was placed in the centre of their family drama. Don’t get me started on her always comparing herself to Emily, especially when around Grayson and Jameson. She wonders if they’re thinking of Emily, seeing Emily when they look at her or if they still hold the thought of Emily higher than the thought of her. Avery pissed me off. She’s known them for… Actually, I don’t know how long she’s known them for because the whole book felt like a fever dream, but she definitely didn’t know them long enough to want to be more important to them than Emily was. Wtf?

Her thoughts are all over the place. It’s like she’s trying to show emotion to make us bond with her but it falls flat because it’s out of the blue. We have no idea that she’s feeling these things so when she ultimately admits it in her head, I’m shook. And not in a good way. More like, “HOW?!” Some of the things that she thinks of hold no relevance to anything or whatever is happening in that scene. For example, she thinks about Emily when nothing connects to her at that moment, nothing at all. “I pushed back the memory of Emily’s face.” Like what? Why are you thinking about Emily? Nobody even mentioned her and nothing happened that would make you think of her.

I’m so sick of Avery stating the obvious. Literally all the time. She states the bloody obvious. It makes it feel as if the author wasn’t sure the reader would apprehend what just happened so she has Avery state it. But like I said, the mystery is juvenile, so of course, we understand. Now we just have Avery stating the obvious. Sometimes I’m so vexed by Avery and what she concludes. It makes me wonder if we’re even witnessing the same story unfold.

Her thoughts make me want to physically gag in distress because I can’t comprehend why she’d think that or how she could be so blind to what’s happening. She looks too deeply into things and I have a sense the author wants to highlight how intelligent she is, that she sees riddles and games that nobody else can. But this doesn’t work because there’s no steady accumulation of the hints she’s put together. Somebody would say something and Avery turns into Aristotle, Descartes and Socrates combined. And I’m not exaggerating. This happens so many times where she dives a little too deep. Like, she should’ve stopped at just below the surface but Miss Girl went searching for the remains of the extinct Megalodon.

One thing I positively loathed, that made me livid, was when Avery said “I thought back to…” or “I remembered her/him telling me…” This is what I mean when I say she states the obvious. And she does it, in the same way, each time, making it seem redundant and like she spends the whole book remembering things that certain characters have told her about other characters. It sounds like I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, but I’m not. I’m reading the story that Avery is living, she has no reason to remind me every two seconds what happened. Because I still remember what happened three pages ago since the last time she reminded me. The stuff that she suddenly remembers or thinks back to is sometimes irrelevant to what is happening.

I just realised I’ve only spoken about Avery. Well, that’s because she’s the main character and I can’t be bothered with the others. Jameson is irritating and Grayson pisses me off. Their logic for hating each other is absurd. Honestly, everything is far-fetched. All these characters are so forgettable that I find myself disoriented when they’re mentioned. These are the only times I don’t get annoyed when Avery states the obvious because she reminds me who these characters are.

A lot of the characters were there just for the sake of being there. I can’t tell you what anyone looks like, not even Avery. I didn’t care for any of them, didn’t care what happened. By about 100 pages, I just wanted to know why she was chosen. I didn’t care how she got to the answer, I just wanted to know. But when I was almost at the end, I stopped caring altogether because I already knew what was going to happen. It was bitterly apparent. Personally, I think that the author didn’t execute the idea that she had appropriately. Emphasis on personally. Don’t attack me. I still respect the author because she writes books that little idiots like us get to read and review.

Conclusion:

I wasted money.

Serpent and Dove

Author: Shelby Mahurin

Rating: 5/5

Description:

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.

Plot:

I've seen countless reviews of this book, some good and some bad. It can be a hit or miss for you, depending on your reading taste - but thankfully, I loved this book. I finished it in a few hours and then bought the sequel a few days later. The plot was beyond intriguing and I was at the edge of my seat with each twist and turn. The magic system was pretty astounding and I adored the fact that Shelby emphasised that magic has a price. Lou wasn't able to just do what she wants without paying. I've seen other books where characters get away with everything, it can make the book quite monotonous. But this book was far from boring for me. Shelby weaved the perfect world and I know for sure I'll be coming back to visit all the time.

I loved the progress that both Lou and Reid made. The latter abhors witches, hunts them - yet, he's married to one. It was great seeing him apprehend that witches were the same as everyone else, except, with a little bit of magic.

I was half tempted to slit my arm open again, so he could see the blood that flowed there. The blood that was the same colour as his own.

Characters:

Lou:

Where do I even begin? Lou just may be one of my favourite characters of all time. She was so unapologetically her and wouldn't dare let anyone tell her what to do. Reid could never catch a break with her around because she always kept him on his toes.

"You're my wife-"

"Yes, you've mentioned that! Your wife. Not your slave, not your property. I signed that stupid piece of paper to avoid imprisonment."

I think she's a magnificent example to little girls because she stands up for what she believes is right, even though she's encircled by people who are out to eliminate her kind. Through all the wicked things that witches have done, Lou knows that there are good witches out there and she is desperate to prove it. The scene with the witch burning at the stake and Lou screaming will stay in my heart forever. Lou is an amazing woman. Fullstop.

Reid:

Sigh. Reid is such a moral man, so righteous to the point that it was hilarious. He has no idea what to do with Lou, who's the complete opposite of him. He was funny, at least, the way he reacted to the things she did was funny. I loved the fact that he came out of his shell the further the book went on, learnt that even good people do corrupt things. He was trained to loathe witches and had no idea that he was married to one.

"Just - don't, Lou. Please. Despite what you think, he's given me everything. He gave me a life, a purpose. He gave me you."

Swoon. I love him so much, and I admire the way he cares for Lou, although he tries to fight it in the beginning. Even though they were literal strangers about to get married, even though he blamed her for their situation, even though he was sure he hated her - he still protected her.

"If this woman is to be my wife, you will not touch her again."

Also, like all love interests, he messes up at some point. But he soon learns from his mistake, realises that this is still the same woman that he fell in love with. And he sets out to make things right.

My wild-hearted, foul-mouthed, steel-willed heathen had broken. I had broken her.

Romance:

Perfection. Absolute perfection. I was obsessed with the pacing of their love story. It wasn't too slow and it wasn't too fast either. It was just perfect. I have super high expectations now and I'm also second-guessing the whole bad-boy trope. Because Reid is a good man and I loved him so so much.

Thoughts:

Give this book a chance. Please. Shelby Mahurin needs so much more recognition because she's a brilliant writer and I love how active she is with her readers. I love her, I love her characters, I love her books. She's amazing. Also, I need the Big Titty Liddy song. Right now.

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Rating: 3/5

Description:

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Plot:

The plot was fairly simple to understand. We have Lola, a promising costume designer trying to figure out the next step in her life. What I got from this book was the lesson that you should always be yourself, as cliche as it sounds. Lola literally doesn't care what other people think of her. She wears the most extravagant outfits to school, consisting of costume jewellery, different coloured wigs and many more. By doing so, she attracts the attention of her love interest, Cricket, who has never wanted her to be anybody but herself. He's okay with her costumes and I think that was what Lola needed the most - somebody who accepted her, no matter what she wore.

I think the main struggle was learning to accept herself because, at some point, she tries to be somebody she isn't all because of what somebody else said. At this point, she eventually cares and tries to restrain herself. Gone are the costumes and wild colours.

I don't know who you are. Every time I see you, you're someone different. You're a liar, and you're a fake. Despite what you think, despite what your dads have told you, there is nothing special about you. You're just a little girl with a lot of issues. That is what I think about you.

Hearing this makes her question everything about herself and she wonders whether there is truth to these hurtful words. Luckily, she overcomes this with the help of Cricket and her family. And the costumes make a humungous return, just in time for her school dance.

Characters:Lola:

Where do I begin? I found it extremely challenging to connect with Lola, probably because I'm nothing like her. I couldn't relate to her confidence and I found myself cringing at the costumes she wore. But that's a me problem, not a Lola problem. Other than that, she was a pretty nice main character although I questioned her character a few times. For example, I didn't understand her relationship with Max and her reasons for wanting to be with him. It seemed like she merely wanted to be with him to prove the other kids at her school wrong. They all thought she was a weirdo and here she was dating an older bad boy who's part of a band. The only time I could relate to her was when she began questioning who she was.

I'm a child playing dress-up, who can't even recognise herself under her own costume.

Cricket:

There wasn't anything extraordinary about him, but he was likeable. He was a great friend and was always there for Lola. Of course, he disappeared and they didn't reconnect because of a misunderstanding. Although Lola has a boyfriend, Cricket sticks by her side and is respectful of her relationship. He likes her so much that he's willing to remain friends, just to be around her. That's really sweet if you think real hard on it. He's also super supportive of Lola which I loved. He eventually helps her out of the slump she's in.

And maybe some people will think that wearing a costume means you're trying to hide your real identity, but I think a costume is more truthful than regular clothing could ever be. It actually says something about the person wearing it. I knew that Lola, because she expressed her desires and wishes and dreams for the entire city to see. For me to see.

Romance:

This was a slow burn so Cricket and Lola didn't get together until really later. Lola had been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Max, for quite a good deal of the book. Cricket was still her friend but there were many times when they had to fight the attraction between them. By the time Max was out of the picture and Lola had to deal with the aftermath of his hurtful words, there were only a few pages left and the majority of those were spent with her righting her wrongs. I would've liked it if the book was a little longer just to see a bit into the future regarding her relationship with Cricket. But overall, they were cute.

So you believe in second chances?

Second, third, fourth. Whatever it takes. However long it takes. If the person is right.

If the person is... Lola?

Only if the other person is Cricket.

Thoughts:

This wasn't a five star read for me, but this could be for you. It has a cute little love story and really great lessons to learn from so if you're in the mood for that, pick this book up.

Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Stars: 4/5

Description:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Plot:

The plot wasn't too complex to understand, which was probably why I finished it in one sitting and completely devoured every word. It's cliche but in the best way possible, the very addicting way that just leaves you wanting more. We've got a typical teenager who's merely looking to make her way in life and we are fortunate enough to be taken along her journey to France and experience everything alongside her. The writing was so good and personal that it made me feel as if I was standing next to Anna throughout everything.

Characters:

Anna was a very entertaining main character and it was amusing being inside her head. I snorted at every remark she made. Each character played a role in pushing the plot forward and I absolutely loved that. Sometimes, there are characters in books that are there solely to exist and it can get annoying. Everyone in this book played a role.

Romance:

This is a slowburn and it had me at the edge of my seat. The romance between Anna and St Clair was the sweetest thing I've ever witnessed and I was routing for them since the very beginning. Stephanie Perkins was able to create an image of what every person wishes their first love to be like.

Thoughts:

Overall, if you're looking for a quick, fluffy read - this is the book for you!

I picked this baby up at Reader's Warehouse so if you're close to it, swing on by.