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| 166593896X
| 9781665938969
| 166593896X
| 4.08
| 23,880
| Jan 17, 2023
| Jan 17, 2023
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) Nathaniel roamed over, already lifting his chin for Silas’s assault on his cravat. “Some of the guests are visiting from outsid I’m on BookTube now! =) Nathaniel roamed over, already lifting his chin for Silas’s assault on his cravat. “Some of the guests are visiting from outside of Brassbridge, so they expect us to host them for the night. Silas, if you’ve ever wanted to strangle me, now would be the time.” AHH! I have no words for how much I love those two and their relationship! Their dynamic is impeccable and I honestly don’t know how this is possible, but I adore them even more after reading this short novella! There’ just something about the Nathaniel/Silas/Elisabeth dynamic that works so effortlessly and makes my heart feel like it might burst with happiness. I know this book is only 192 pages, but for me they were all pages of sheer bliss. I’ve been dying to read more of this world and the characters ever since I finished “Sorcery of Thorns” in March 2022 and when I heard that there was going to be a sequel I was over the moon. ”But even thought I don’t believe he would harm a member of this household, I wasn’t about to weigh my trust in him against Mercy’s life. Silas understands that.” And he might even approve, Elisabeth thought. She still didn’t fully grasp the strange dance that went on between them, the delicate balance they maintained between danger and understanding. Perhaps she never would. No matter how much she trusted Silas, she would never do so with the same complexity as Nathaniel, who had seen the demon kill his own father – and afterward, had immediately summoned him back. I mean, the world building is awesome and the characters and their relationships are so complex it brings me joy just to read about them. You rarely see such strong relationships portrayed in a standalone book so Margaret Rogerson achieved something amazing by writing “Sorcery of Thorns”. “Mysteries of Thorn Manor” might not have had the biggest plot, but it has heart and it’s just very wholesome to read about how much Nathaniel and Elisabeth care about each other. Also there’s Mercy and Silas who have quite the interesting relationship as well. I think it’s good Mercy is a part of the household now, but for Silas who is used to doing everything himself she might have been a little bit too much to handle at first. Well, I’m glad he agreed not to kill her and bury her in the back garden. *lol* ”If Elisabeth watched him steadily enough without interruption, she began to grow aware of something different about him, though she couldn’t explain exactly what: only that he seemed to fade, to become thinner and more insubstantial. At times she imagined she glimpsed pain lurking deep in his yellow eyes, as difficult to interpret as the impassive gaze of a wounded feline.” I think one of the most interesting things about this novella is the fact that we know something is different with Silas, but that we’re not allowed to grasp what exactly it is. If you ask me Margaret Rogerson teased us with this novella because the ending left me with a lot of question marks and wondering if there’s going to be a second book. There are still so many mysteries left and I personally wouldn’t mind to get an entire book told from Silas’s POV. Actually, I’d be more than just ready to dive into that. XD At last his cold, soft voice broke the silence. “Her wardrobe, Master Thorn. I shall not go near it. It is a stain upon your house. Never before or since have I beheld garments so disgracefully out of fashion.” I mean that man!!! I love how offended he gets by the horrible fashion styles of other people and his duality is so damn intriguing. On the one hand he’s a demon who doesn’t hesitate to kill someone when he deems it necessary in defence of his charges and on the other hand he shudders when he’s forced to witness a fashion disaster! *lol* How could you not love a man like that?! I love that he’s so cunning and secretive and always wants what’s best for Nathaniel and Elisabeth. He is a demon, but he’s a demon with a soul that decided that those two people are the most important thing for him. There’s literally nothing he wouldn’t do for them and the feeling is mutual which makes everything even more intense and precious. ”And she recalled the peace on his face when he walked into the Archon’s circle, embracing his own destruction. There was a mercy afforded mortals that Silas would never receive. He would never be the one to die first. Her throat aching, she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. His pale skin was as cold and flawless as alabaster. She could feel his claws, and even those were dear to her. Elisabeth and Silas had so many lovely moments in this book and it made me so happy that the focus of the novella was on the relationships between the three MCs. The way Elisabeth loves Nathaniel and Silas so fiercely made my heart feel full, and to know they both return her feelings was like the icing on the cake! Nathaniel might be bad at talking about his affection and feelings, but he loves Elisabeth and you could see it in every single one of his gestures. He’s a man that might not be able to speak the words but he showed it with his actions every day. I’m just glad Elisabeth knows this too. =) ”Nathaniel looked at her in astonishment, as though she were the one who had worked magic, not him. She set Demonslayer down and clambered straight onto the bed. A moment later she was gathering him into her arms, holding him tightly. Also, I really like that both Nathaniel and Elisabeth can hold their own and are capable of defending themselves. Yet, they are still vulnerable around each other and Nathaniel is able to show weakness in front of Elisabeth. She would never judge him and that makes their relationship so beautiful and precious. And Silas, well he’s something else and I was so here for it! Seriously! Please give me an entire book about Silas! I need to hear his POV and his thoughts! <3 Oh and if we’re already at it I need to know what happened when he was with the Archon and what ails him. I have so many questions and I want them all to be answered!!! ”I’m sorry,” she said, her face buried against his shoulder. “It is well.” It wasn’t. She loved him. She loved him as much as she did Nathaniel, with an intensity almost too powerful to bear. What did it mean to love a demon? Not merely to care for him, pity him – but to love him? Conclusion: All told I loved “Mysteries of Thorn Manor” and had an awesome time with this additional novella. It was exactly what I needed after craving for more when I finished “Sorcery of Thorns”. I really enjoyed getting more of the Elisabeth/Nathaniel/Silas dynamics and to see how everything continued after the first book ended. Still, after THIS kind of epilogue, I can’t help but want even more and I dunno if it’s realistic but if you read this Margaret, can you please write a book about Silas!!! *making huge puppy eyes* (You can always hope and dream.) Bottom line: If you enjoyed “Sorcery of Thorns” I have no doubt you’ll love this one as well! <3 _________________________________ This was everything I wanted it to be and I’m so happy I could read this short novella! I got more of my two lovebirds but also so much more of Silas and I’m extremely thankful I was able to read more about him! <333 This was so charming and magical. I absolutely loved it! Short and full RTC soon! ;-) _________________________________ I dunno about you but I absolutely love that gorgeous cover. T_T I just wish Silas would be on it too! Love that man to bits and pieces! <333 This said: I’m ready to dive into this novella because I’ve been craving more of this word ever since I read the last page of “Sorcery of Thorns”. I already know this is going to be good! XD Find me on: My Blog __________________________ *rubs eyes* *rubs eyes some more* *aggressively rubs eyes* Am I dreaming or what?! There's actually going to be a book two!!!?? The book gods must have heard my prayers because I have no other explanation for this! THANK YOU!!!! I can't believe we'll get a sequel! <333 AADKFKLASDFJASJKDFASJDFAKSDFJAKSDFJASKDFJA! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 25, 2024
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Mar 31, 2024
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Aug 07, 2022
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Paperback
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| 1728250927
| 9781728250922
| 1728250927
| 3.56
| 38,707
| Aug 02, 2022
| Aug 02, 2022
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liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) "Who is licking what off whom?" "Jennifer," said Liz. "Lemon sorbet. The Rock." The look of confusion on Melanie's face was, in c I’m on BookTube now! =) "Who is licking what off whom?" "Jennifer," said Liz. "Lemon sorbet. The Rock." The look of confusion on Melanie's face was, in context, understandable. "Johnson? Or Gibraltar?" Haha! I just had to put this quote here first because it says A LOT about “Husband Material” as a book and all the craziness that comes along with reading it! And I mean that in a good way because Luc and his friends are one hell of a crazy bunch and I honestly wouldn’t want to have it any other way. So obviously, the humour in this instalment was great again and I enjoyed being in Luc’s head while he tried his best to navigate his family’s and friend’s antics. Still, as much as it was entertaining to read about all those weddings and what happened around them, the book didn’t really deliver what I expected after reading “Boyfriend Material”. Which explains my rating of 3 stars but we’ll get to that and I’ll take my time to explain the reasons why. ”This is more important." And the worst - or, from another perspective, the best - of it was that I wasn't lying. Bridge would never have asked me to cancel, but she also didn't have to. So first things first, let’s talk about the things I liked! I really loved all the friendships in here and the way Luc tried to be there for the people he loved and cared about. You could really see how much he matured ever since Oliver and he became a thing those two years ago and there were a couple of cute domestic scenes between those two that were just adorable and sweet. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough of those moments and they were always tainted by something getting in the way. I mean, I get it, when you’re in a relationship it’s always two different people that have to work on finding a way together, but I had the feeling that Oliver and Luc were arguing all the time. Whenever there was a nice scene, there came another one right after that kinda killed the entire mood and I started to wonder how they even made it that far. ”Let’s be clear,” I told him, trying to match his air of casual mateyness. “I’m glad you’re happy. You and Jojo seem like you’ll be great together. But we are never going to be friends because you will always be the guy who sold me out for the price of a Toyota Supra.” Of course you could say, Luc and Oliver came with a lot of baggage and that’s fair enough. The relationship to Luc’s father didn’t improve the slightest, his ex Miles is still awful and Oliver’s parents are still horrible people that don’t support their son which causes them to have a strenuous connection. Those are real issues right there and both MCs are trying their best to work through them, which is actually a good thing. But as much as I liked that they were working on their issues and problems, I didn’t like that they didn’t do it TOGETHER. We only get Luc’s POV, but while Oliver is supporting his boyfriend and trying to understand where he’s coming from, the same can’t really be said for Luc. Which felt extremely weird because as I already said, we are in Luc’s head and know exactly what he thinks. "We don't have to do this. We can move at whatever pace you like. But you should know that I am yours, more truly than I have ever been anyone's. Because when I'm with you, I'm me. Not someone I think I should be. And I'll be with you, however you want, for as long as you'll have me." Not that Luc isn’t working on himself. He does and there were moments when you could see his character growth. Like for instance, when he told Miles what he truly thinks of him and his marriage or when he tried not to take it personal when Oliver was judging his own body even though he’s in way better shape than Luc and basically perfect. Luc knows why Oliver has such a low self-esteem and he tries to support him, but mostly with Luc it stays with trying. After reading the first book we all know that Luc often stands in the way of his own happiness, but unfortunately this was so much more than just that. There were many moments where I just couldn’t help but shake my head about how certain scenes between him and Oliver played out. ”You know nothing about our relationship and, frankly, you know nothing about me. If we’re going to talk about snide comments, then you have a thirty-year head start on everybody at this table. And as for Mother” – his gaze flicked to Miriam – “I’m sorry, but you were being homophobic. You’re both quite homophobic people.” For instance Luc knew how hard it would be for Oliver to face his parents and to tell them that they were getting married, yet he still sulked in their bed and Oliver had to bribe and drag him to their house. If I know my partner has a complicated relationship with his parents, then I’m the one who bribes him and tries to get him out of his bed. XD Just saying. Also and this really rubbed me the wrong way: Their continued discussions about how queer pride should or shouldn’t be expressed and Luc’s stance on those things. Not to mention the ending. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but I need to get this off my chest so here we go with a marked spoiler part: (view spoiler)[I get why Luc wanted a rainbow arc at their wedding, but the way he constantly attacked Oliver because of it just wasn’t okay. To be completely honest, I don’t even know what was worse about that scene at Miles and Jojo’s wedding. The fact Oliver so blatantly criticized a gay couple for having a rainbow arc at their wedding while he was a guest AT said wedding, or the fact that Luc kinda insinuated Oliver has internalized homophobia just because he didn’t want to have a rainbow arc at their own wedding. When Oliver tried to explain that he just doesn’t identify with it because of his upbringing and the way he always felt excluded from the community this obviously wasn’t enough reason for Luc to let it go. This argument resurfaced again and again and I don’t know about you, but I think if you’re two grown up men you should be able to talk about it and find a compromise. If you truly love each other, that is. But they have that argument until their wedding day and in the end nothing is resolved. Which brings me right to the sh*it show that was their wedding day. I mean: COME ON?! Seriously? We spend all the time in Luc’s head and see that he’s physically sick and doesn’t want to marry Oliver because he’s scared shitless and missed the point where he could have ended it before it happened. He doesn’t want to tell Oliver because he’s scared he will dump him if he tells him on their wedding day. And mind you, Luc was the one who proposed!!! So we get all those pages from Luc’s POV and see how he obviously doesn’t want to marry Oliver and physically forces himself to appear at their wedding venue. But then Oliver comes to HIM and tells Luc that he can’t marry him and Luc goes in total holier-than-thou mode and throws trash on Oliver while he is crying?! I was like DID I MISS A MEMO here?! Luc punished Oliver for doing the right thing! I mean at least Oliver was brave enough to confront Luc with the truth and to tell him why he can’t marry him and Luc does WHAT?! Mind you we were in Luc’s head and saw how miserable he felt but to actually tell Oliver the truth about how he felt never seemed to be an option, he would have rather married him than to confront his feelings. And then he has the gall to give Oliver grief about it?! WHAT. A. HYPOCRITE. Are you freaking kidding me?! This made me so angry I wanted to jump into the book and shake Luc until he comes back to his senses. Yet despite all that they both call off the wedding and ride into the sunset?! (hide spoiler)] ”Lucien sees me with all my flaws and makes me feel loved anyway. Something, by the way, that neither of you have ever managed.” I just couldn’t with that ending and while Luc was a very endearing and chaotic character in the first book, the way he behaved and acted at the ending of “Husband Material” showed no character growth whatsoever. Then again, the other characters in the book don’t seem to grow as well and this despite having children, getting married and earning their living like normal adults do. Don’t get me wrong, their antics and shenanigans were very entertaining but I missed those real and authentic moments not only between the main couple but also between them and the side characters. The book jumps from one crazy event to the next, and whenever the main couple spent time together the next argument or catastrophe was already on the horizon. I personally would have enjoyed the book way more if it would have focused on Luc’s and Oliver’s relationship and their serious issues instead of all the weddings in their friends circle. Because as entertaining as they might have been, they just didn’t cut it for me. I wanted to see how Oliver and Luc fared after two years of being in a serious relationship and what I got was not what I expected. Maybe it’s a me-problem?! I dunno. Conclusion: As much as it was fun being back in Luc’s and Oliver’s world, this story just didn’t hit the nail on the head for me. I had a lot of issues with the book, one of the biggest the fact that the two MCs communication didn’t work and that they argued more often than not. Which isn’t what I expected when I went into a rom-com that so clearly goes into the direction of a wedding. Add to that jumping from one event to the next and you have a book that stays on the surface and never dives any deeper than that. I really wish Alexis Hall would have focused on all the loose ends from the first book instead, but it is what it is: 3 stars. I the hope the next book will be a winner again! __________________________ It was lovely to be back with Luc and Oliver… well, and with all their crazy friends! *lol* This didn’t quite hit the nail on the head for me, though. I’m still undecided if it was second book syndrome, the ending or something else. Either way I’ll investigate and write a full review! ;-) This said: RTC soon! Stay tuned! I’ll get to the bottom of this. ___________________________ I remember laughing so much when I read the first book and I can’t wait to read “Husband Material”. I’m sure Luc and Oliver will be up to lots of crazy stuff in this one too, only that there’ll hopefully be a wedding at the end! ;-P Also fingers crossed we’ll finally find out more about Oliver’s family! I have so many questions and I hope they’ll all be answered in here. The only way to find out is by reading the story so here we go! XD Find me on: My Blog ____________________________ I didn't even dare to dream or hope that this would become reality but OH. MY!!!! We're actually getting a sequel!!! YAS!!!! YAS! And once again YAS! Please tell me that this will have Oliver's POV and that we'll get some closure! I really need Alexis to tackle that ending of "Boyfriend Material"! Like seriously! This news just made my day! =)) ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 13, 2024
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Jun 29, 2024
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Feb 26, 2021
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Paperback
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| B08C577Z5V
| 3.99
| 4,006
| Jul 10, 2020
| Jul 10, 2020
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really liked it
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”Your love is worthless. It’s your hate I need.” Ahh don’t you love that quote? I for my part do! It’s so typical Vasili and I love this man so much! < ”Your love is worthless. It’s your hate I need.” Ahh don’t you love that quote? I for my part do! It’s so typical Vasili and I love this man so much! <333 But I’m getting ahead of myself here, so let’s start at the beginning! XD I went into this book expecting an m/m romance that would be similar to “Captive Prince” and in some ways it was but in others it totally wasn’t. I mean there are a few similarities. Vasili being a seemingly cold-blooded and cruel prince that fights against his family and their machinations and Niko an ex-soldier being his doulos (some sort of pleasure slave) who has to serve him because he offended Vasili at a tavern. ”Niko shoved the man off his stool and trapped his body against the bar, pinning him rigid. Long, lean legs and hard muscle didn’t yield. He felt like a drawn bow, but he had enough strength to capably resist. Niko leaned hard into him, ramming a knee between his thighs. The royal’s chest heaved, breaths ragged.” That’s where the similarities of those two books end though. For one Niko’s love interest is obviously Julian who was already mentioned in the blurb and the fantasy element with elves and magic is certainly something entirely different than the plot in “Captive Prince”. Plus Vasili as well as Niko might seem to be similar to Laurent and Damen on first glance; once you dig deeper they are different though. For instance Vasili gives off a really dangerous vibe and he’s more predator than Laurent ever was and Niko is definitely not as innocent as Damen was. *lol* Anyway, let’s jump right into the fun of this book and talk about the characters because they were amazing and I loved Vasili to bits and pieces! XD ”You’ve thought about killing me,” the prince said. “Many have. Many more dangerous than you. Yet here I stand, very much alive.” I LOVE and ADORE Vasili Caville so damn much!!! Here’s a prince who’s fiercely loyal to his people and this even though they are certainly not loyal to him! He’s an enigma and everyone who knows me, also knows that I love myself some good puzzle. *lol* So ahh, Vasili is kind of my kryptonite and I just wanted to get more of him. My scarred and partly blind prince that looks like a faerie! <33 Alone the fact that he’s not perfect and has visible as well as invisible scars made him so damn intriguing for me! XD What fascinated me the most was that we sometimes even got a glimpse at his true self. A moment when he smiled or a situation in which he showed kindness even though you would have never even expected him to be kind. ”Look at me.” An order. Vasili’s gaze drilled into him. The prince was intimately close now, his eye observing, reading Niko’s face, studying him. Looking for the best place to thrust a blade, no doubt. “Thank you,” Vasili said. Nico didn’t know what to say. Of course his relationship with Niko is sort of strained (understatement of the century) which is to be expected if you take an ex-soldier and force him to serve you. *lol* I mean Niko is a strong and fierce character, maybe sometimes naive but certainly not innocent and he is at least as stubborn as Vasili! Add his blunt and brutally honest nature into the mix and you’ll know why he got into trouble! XD Still, no matter how hot-headed and strong-willed Niko is, deep down he’s an honourable soul and I think that’s exactly why Vasili was drawn to him. ”Hm,” the guard said. “I’ve watched you a great deal. Seen you furious, stoic, repulsed. I prefer you like this.” “Scrawled on my back, at your mercy?” “Exactly.” Unfortunately Niko’s attention is drawn towards another and Julian – Vasili’s trusted guard – and Niko start a relationship. So as good as all the m/m action we get is actually between Julian and Niko instead of Vasili and Niko, which is a shame because damn, the few moments they had together were as charged as the air after lightning. <3 You could basically feel the electricity sizzling! *lol*Also I got kind of annoyed by the pedestal Niko put Julian on. XD I like my men not perfect but with character, baggage and a thoroughly tortured soul! Thank you very much! ;-P (view spoiler)[Though after everything Julian did in the end he might actually be one of those tortured souls. Or just an evil one. XD I’m not sure about it, but I think now we’ll never find out, will we? (hide spoiler)] ”Afraid of me.” “Yes, I’m afraid of you, and that prison you call a palace. How’s that for honesty? You fucking terrify me. I’d rather face an elf than look you in the eye sometimes because there’s something in you, Vasili. Something dark. Something you keep bottled up and hidden, but it’s waiting, and I do not want to be nearby when you lose control of it.” This said I loved the conversations between Vasili and Niko. They had so much chemistry and I loved the fact that they always seemed to gauge each other’s reaction yet could be totally blunt while they were in each other’s company. As for the other characters: I hated King Talos (Vasili’s father) because he’s a really vile creature and I detested Amir (Vasili’s brother)! I’m sure we’ll get to see more of Amir in the next book though and I’m pretty sure my hatred for him will only grow even more. Especially after everything that happened at the ending of this book! (view spoiler)[I mean for me that rape scene with Niko, Amir and Julian was way worse than anything that happened to Damen in “Captive Prince”. In a lot of ways “King of the Dark” was tamer than “Captive Prince” but this particular chapter close to the ending was actually a whole lot worse. Julian raping Niko while Amir watched was ... for lack of a better word – horrible and heavy. Especially because Niko still loved Julian but knew about his betrayal and this made everything even worse and more intense. So urgh... that scene was just revolting and terrible. >_< (hide spoiler)] ”Vasili kissed like he wanted to carve Niko open and devour him from the inside out. He tasted of citrus and bitterness. Of Caville poison. And Niko had never wanted so desperately to fuck a man raw as he did this prince. How could it be that he hated someone so passionately and yet wanted to ravish him?” I really hope that we’ll get more of Niko and Vasili in the next book and I can’t wait to meet Adamo – Vasili’s horse – again! I loved his connection with Adamo and I think he’s probably the only creature Vasili actually trusts. Well, aside from Niko of course. ;-) THAT KISS between them screamed for more and the fact Niko defended Vasili against the people who spread rumours in his village is a good indication that I’ll probably get a few hot and steamy scenes between them in the next book?! ;-P So excuse me while I run off to Amazon and buy the second book in the series! XD Trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[drug abuse, physical as well as emotional abuse, torture, rape, PTSD, slavery (hide spoiler)] _________________________________ This was ridiculously intriguing. *lol* No, seriously it was great! I loved Vasili and Niko so much. And yes I still think “The Captive Prince” vibes were strong in here. I'm pretty sure this was more tame than CP but at the same time I can also say it was worse?! I need to collect my thoughts, but I can already tell you that I’ll read book 2 as soon as it’s out! Full review to come soon! ;-) ___________________________________ I already know this will get me on Santa’s naughty list but I just couldn’t resist this: - An m/m high fantasy - The enemies-to-lovers trope - A war against elves - A cruel prince - An enslaved former soldier - Court intrigues at every corner - super dark content (18+) - And it’s described as “Game of Thrones” meets “The Witcher”. (Even though I get a lot of “Captive Prince” vibes from the blurb too) I blame my sudden urge to read this on Devanshi! *lol* ;-) To my young audience: Ignore the updates, though I’ll try to keep them as G-rated as possible. To my adult audience: Read my updates if you dare to. *lol* ;-P It might get you on Santa’s naughty list as well though. XD ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 24, 2020
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Nov 27, 2020
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Nov 24, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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| 1370218303
| 9781370218301
| B0844Q9CTC
| 4.75
| 952
| Nov 01, 2017
| Nov 01, 2017
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it was amazing
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”Listen and learn it, learn to tell it, and tell it to teach it.” I think I’m just beginning to realize that no matter what I say about Suanne’s books, ”Listen and learn it, learn to tell it, and tell it to teach it.” I think I’m just beginning to realize that no matter what I say about Suanne’s books, it will never be enough. I feel kind of unworthy to talk about her stories because they are just so, so, SO amazing and believe me when I say that in all the years of my existence I never read anything like them... EVER. There are books that are epic, there are stories that have wisdom, there are tales that take you to another world and narratives that make you think and feel, but there is nothing, I repeat nothing that even gets moderately close to how I feel when I read Suanne’s wonderful books. I can try to describe them but all the words in the world won’t do them justice. Nothing I say will suffice. They are filled with so much humour, with relationships that are so real you can taste them on your tongue and feel them in your heart, they make you ache and bleed, but they also console you and hold you when you’re breaking down. They are pure joy and your darkest hour! They are all the good and bad things and all the nuances in between. They are life! In all its facets and with all its ups and downs. They feel like a living and breathing thing, like a beating heart you’re holding in your palms while you read it. Suanne’s books are everything and even more and I can’t believe I just discovered them because quite honestly I can’t even imagine a life without them anymore. (I already dread the day when I’ll run out of them, because sooner or later I will. At least when I continue at this pace. *lol*) I love “An Exaltation of Larks” and I adore “A Charm of Finches” and if all of Suanne’s other books are that good I’ll probably die about a thousand deaths until I’ve read them all. It will be worth it though. XD This said I decided to make this one of my long reviews because I have so many thoughts and feelings that need to be written down. I know this is going to be a huge mess with lots of emotions that will run all over the pages but it needs to get out. XD I’m pretty sure the goodreads word limit won’t suffice so I’ll post the link of my full review on here as soon as it’s on my blog. ;-) The characters: Warning: Don’t cross this border! There’ll be lots of emotions, even more feels and plenty of spoilers. Of course it’s up to you if you continue or not, but don’t say I didn’t warn you! ;-) Jav: Jav exhaled heavily. “Twenty-three years I had this perfect social life. Perfect date after perfect date. I’m really becoming aware of what an act it was. What a repertory of roles I played and none of them were really me. It’s kind of put me in a mini existential crisis. I have moment s when I don’t know who the fuck I am.” My review about “An Exaltation of Larks” was an ARC review so I was careful not to spoil anything but since I read this without the aid of NetGalley I can finally gush about Jav!!! I love this man so damn much and I think that’s mostly due to the fact that we’re very similar. Jav experienced so many things, he was hurt, he was lost, he knows loss and pain and even though my experiences might be different than his, the feelings and emotions we share are still the same. I can relate to him and there were countless moments my heart truly ached for him. It was so beautiful to see his journey, to see that he finally accepted himself and was ready to fall in love with Stef. Jav is such a compassionate and wonderful man and it was so good to see that he was finally loved back!!! I just love the way he thinks and feels and when he zoomed out writing things in his head or used his journal I was like: This is me when I write! XD I adore him for always being there when someone needs him, the way he helped Geno out even though they were kind of at odds at the time and how nervous he was! He didn’t want to screw up and this only made me love him even more. <3 I swear, when he opened up to Stef after meeting his aunt... Oh gods!!! I cried buckets reading that scene!! Jav was hurt so badly by his family’s actions and he suppressed it for so many years. I was so glad Stef was with him and was able to catch him when he fell. >_< This man deserves all the love and I just want him to be happy for eternity!!! <333 ”This is how I was born to love. The world can call me whatever label they want. I know who I am. I’m Stef’s.” ”Everyone just leaves,” Jav said. “I don’t get to say goodbye to anyone. I don’t get a say at all. They leave and I just sit around making up stories to explain why.” Stef: ”I didn’t choose this particular road, it kind of chose me.” I never thought I’d love another character in “Venery” as much as I love Jav but then Stef came along and I had to revise my opinion. *lol* This man is perfect in every sense of the word! I even told Suanne as much! XD But I don’t mind because ahh he’s so great and I just adore him! I don’t know how he does his job but I’m glad there exist some Stefs in the world because they are needed! I mean he passed out after he saved a girl that wanted to kill herself and even scarred his left eyebrow when he fell. That’s a true hero right there!! Also can we appreciate his love for books?! I mean one of his first thoughts when he met Jav was ”Dude, if you don’t read, we ain’t got no future anyway.” *LOL* Of course he didn’t know that it was Jav’s book he was reading so yeah. XD There are so many things that make Stef special and his compassion, his calm nature, his way to deal with problems, they are just a few of them! =) Plus I loved how self-confident he is. Stef takes everything in stride and knows exactly who he is, which was wonderful and made him a perfect man for Jav! So at the risk of repeating myself: Stef is perfect! Period! <333 ”Connect, he thought. I want to connect. His heart closed around the thought like catching a firefly. I’m lonely and I want to connect with someone. Mind and body. Something that means... something.” ”He was wearing a grey shirt today. It would fucking have to do. He went straight from work to the bar. No going home to shower, shave, pick a blue shirt and hang out in front of the mirror like a twink. Dig me, dig my crappy shirt.” Geno: ”Someone has to be in charge. I am Mos, rhymes with dos, and I’m in command here. I have the strength of two now.” Geno’s story moved me so much I can’t even put it into words. This boy went through something no one should ever go through and even though it broke him, he came out of it stronger in the end. I don’t know how he did it but I agree with Stef: ”they didn’t get the best of him”. I’m not going to sugar coat it: The first 10% of this book were so damn hard to read, because we get a good glimpse at Geno’s ordeal and it was tough to read. Rape is horrible and for Geno... it was pure torture. What those men did to him, what he had to endure... I can’t even imagine what this must have done to him. There is this 17 year old innocent boy and they raped him until he almost died. T_T And believe me when I say that I want them all to rot in hell for it! To hurt a young boy like that! It’s unforgivable! Geno suffered so much! This poor boy! His twin died and he had to live with the aftermath, with knowing that his own brother brought him to them. I could understand why Mos came into being, why it was better to let it happen to someone else. >_< Carlito’s death, his own ordeal, the death of his father... gods it was just too much for him to endure. I have no idea how Geno managed to survive but he did it, he fought, he clawed his way back into life and he’s one of those characters that will stay with me forever. Whatever he’s doing now, I hope he’s happy! And that he’s still friends with Micah, because their friendship was everything. Two different generations that survived ordeals no one should ever have to survive and they still made the best of it. When they hugged and Geno cried in his arms I was crying with them. T_T ”I’m all alone here. He stood again, his view free of the bars but still feeling just as caged. I want to go home. I want all this to be happening to someone else. Why can’t this be someone else?” The relationships & ships: Jav & Stef: ”Crying out loud, Landes, what?” he said. “What?” Stef’s smile broke apart laughing. “Stop looking at me.” “No puedo dejar de mirarte,” Jav said, tackling him. Because he was a fucking hot mess and couldn’t keep his hands off the guy. There is so much I want to say about those two men and I’m really afraid it will become an essay! lol* BUT oh boy!!! They were so great together!!! After everything Jav went through it was so good to see him in such a solid and healthy relationship! It was a great contrast to the heavy parts of Geno’s story and Suanne managed to find a balance which is searching for its match. (Suanne, did I ever tell you that I love you? No? Well, I do! ;-P) I loved to see their first meeting from Stef’s POV and haha his reaction to seeing Jav for the very first time was priceless! <3 They were so truly and madly in love it was overwhelming and made me giggle like crazy. I loved how they got to know each other, how they accepted each other’s boundaries and talked things out! Yes, they spoke about their problems and fears and it was AMAZING!!! They were so attuned to each other they noticed the smallest gestures of discomfort from a mile away. XD And their conversation about how being bi feels for them! It felt so true and real that I found myself speaking to the pages saying: Yes!! Yes, that’s it! They were each other’s safe haven and whenever the sea got unsteady and tempestuous they could rely on each other. <3 That moment Jav broke down in Stef’s arms?! Ahh it hurt so much but I was so happy he was with him guiding him through the rough sea! Those two men! I can’t get enough of them and I’ll make sure to read all the accompanying stories I can find. I need more of their happiness! So, so much more! XD ”The attraction is tougher?” Jav said. “More tenacious?” “Yes,” Stef said, his voice rising. “Tenacious. Exactly. It can take my weight. I can push on it hard, be rougher with it. It’s not a connection I overlap or fall into. It’s something I lean on. Hard.” “You’re the last chapter,” Jav said. “I went from the prologue to you. I skipped everything in the middle and now I’m in love with you and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.” A rush as everything in Stef’s body dilated, returned to normal levels, and then rose up. “Jesus Christ, Jav,” he said, rubbing his face. “I swear, I’m going to kill you or fuck you. Pick one.” ”You didn’t know I’d end up fucking for a living. Making me waste twenty years of my life when I could’ve been something to somebody...” Then he was crying. Stef pulled him in tight and stood still against the storm, his hand running in slow circles between Jav’s trembling shoulders. “You’re something to me,” he said. “You’re everything to me.” Stef, Jav & Geno: ”They got him.” “It’s over.” Geno slid off the couch, onto the floor and into Stef’s arms. “It’s over.” Stef caught him up tight, a hand on Geno’s head. “They got him,” he said, rocking their bodies side to side. Now the three of them certainly had an interesting dynamic. Especially because Stef had a professional relationship with Geno and Jav’s relationship with him was rather a friendship. And once again I’ve to praise the fine nuances of Suanne’s stories. Their relationships to each other were so palpable and they felt real and true. I loved that Stef got all protective of Jav when he discovered that Geno had read his journal and therefore his personal thoughts but I also loved them both for still being there for Geno even though he violated Jav’s privacy. I always knew that Geno finding out about Jav and Stef’s relationship would end badly, but after everything he went through it was no surprise. Still, I’m glad they managed to sort things out in the end and I’m so happy Geno has those two as his friends now. Stef being there for him as his therapist was so important but I think Jav being his friend was at least as vital for his healing process as Stef’s therapy. <3 You need friends in your life and with Jav and Stef at his side Geno kind of won the friendship lottery. =) True friendships between men! I think the bookish world needs more of them. ”I’m on guard, little brother. You fought hard and brave. Rest your heart now. Don’t be afraid. I’m here. They’ll have to come through me to get to you this time.” Alex, Jav & The Larks: ”And if you met someone, and it feels easy and you’re waiting for the axe or the shoe or the whatever to drop, it’s because you think you don’t deserve easy. What did I tell you about that?” “Yeah, I know,” Jav said, exhaling. “Say it.” “I’m worth more and I deserve it.” “Damn right you do.” Ahh the tension between Alex and Jav is still tangible. I can’t help but wonder if they’ll ever get over it or if it will be one of those relationships that will always have that special spark. Sometimes you meet people that draw you in and no matter how much you try to get some distance between you, it’s bound to fail. You’re drawn like a moth to the flame or like a moon that’s pulled into the orbit of a planet. So you either find a way to live with that involuntary attraction or you don’t and put some distance between you. And let me tell you this as someone who’s tried to live with it, it’s tough!!! I managed to do it for a few years but then the contact broke because it was just too much to handle. For both of us. >_< So I can’t help but wonder how the relationship between Jav and Alex is going to develop. Still, despite all the things that are going on between them and Val basically watching them like a hawk they are a family and support each other. Which is truly amazing! Val definitely has all my respect for forgiving Alex and Jav and for trying to give them space. This woman is a saint!!! Period! Jav hugged them both. “Thanks for coming.” “Wouldn’t miss it,” Alex said. “We’re your family, dumbass,” Val said. “We’d do anything.” Conclusion: “A Charm of Finches” was INCREDIBLE and I just couldn’t get enough of it. The many thoughts, ideas and feelings that went into this, the way Suanne managed to put this on paper! How she writes life the way it is and creates characters that feel like real people! (For me they actually are!) The heavy topics she’s addressing! With so much respect and care. I’m in awe of Suanne Laqueur’s mind and writing style and I’ll never get tired of advertising her books! Seriously, more people need to read her books because they are so, so, so GOOD! All the stars! All the stars, por siempre jamás! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 18, 2020
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Sep 2020
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Aug 18, 2020
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ebook
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| 1370742398
| 9781370742394
| B0844R3YD8
| 4.46
| 1,959
| Nov 22, 2016
| Nov 22, 2016
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it was amazing
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*A forever grateful thank you to NetGalley and “Cathedral Rock Press” for providing a free ARC* ”They shared breath, poised on a shared edge, shaking a *A forever grateful thank you to NetGalley and “Cathedral Rock Press” for providing a free ARC* ”They shared breath, poised on a shared edge, shaking all their separate pieces into one.” Do you know the kind of book that swallows you whole? That makes you want to pick it up even though it’s in the middle of the night and you just closed it. The sort of story that takes over your mind, body and soul? The kind that makes you restless and achy with the need to continue? This special sort of book that touches you on such a profound and fundamental level your heart quite literally bursts from hurting, but, boy it hurts so good?! “An Exaltation of Larks” was everything of the above and so, so, so much more! I had no idea what I was getting myself into until it was already too late. Until I found myself so deeply immersed in this story that it seemed to be impossible to get away from its words. They followed me around, taunted me, teased me, wanted to be read with such a relentless fervour that I couldn’t even think about uttering the word “no”. ”All his movements were clumsy and reluctant. His fingers balked at tying his sneakers. Turned locks the wrong way while opening the door. He stumbled going down the hall and the elevator door banged him on the elbow as it was closing. He didn’t want to go.” That’s exactly how this book made me feel and even after finishing it two weeks ago it still didn’t let me go. This story swept me off my feet, dug its claws into my skin and sang me to sleep. And to be entirely honest, this effect is still going on. By now I think “An Exaltation of Larks” was written to bury itself in my soul so that I would never feel alone again. And if that is truly the case then all I can say is that it can have every inch of my heart it conquered. ”Many people like being alone, but nobody likes to be lonely.” There are so many things I loved about this book, so many in fact that I don’t even know where to start. I adored Val and Alex, I worshipped Jav, whose character was so similar to mine that it sometimes felt like torture to read on. I connected with him on such a basic level that it killed me to accompany him on his difficult journey. But just like him I longed for more and no matter how much I got, I just couldn’t get enough. Of the strong friendships in this book, of the relationships between the characters, of the family they became. I swear the relationships in this book were everything!!! Just everything!! The humour, the banter, I loved how they joked, how comfortable they were around each other, how effortlessly those two families merged into one. ”Te lo agradezco mucho,” Alex said. “You don’t have to thank me.” “No sé cómo agradecértelo.” “Stop.” Jav kissed his head. “You guys are my family. I’d do anything.” He kissed Val’s head. Then six arms wove and wrapped and they held each other tight. There are three people that found each other because they were meant to, because destiny had chosen them before they even knew it themselves and they love each other so deeply, so madly, so unconditionally that it broke my heart. The way Suanne let them deal with their troubles, how they acted around each other, how they were angry and mad but still so very much in love. How they fought for their love, how they realized that they had to accept their feelings with all their consequences, weaknesses and flaws. It just blew me away!! Suanne can write! And it’s so convincing, so realistic that it killed me. The chemistry of those characters, the cozy atmosphere, the strong feeling of belonging, of kinship and above all else the affection and love that connects them all. ”It’s not the Larks that kill you. It’s the exaltation.” I swear at times I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I felt so fragile you could have shattered me with a soft breeze. Val’s and Alex’s marriage was so wonderful, yet I also loved the idea of Alex and Jav. To be entirely honest, the mere thought of all of them together kind of blew my mind and I suppose in some way or another those three actually kind of were in some sort of relationship. They were so connected, it was hard to even imagine them not being involved with each other and their children Ari and Deane only seemed to add to that intense sensation of all-encompassing love. ”I want you to be all right. I wanted that long before all this other stuff showed up. I wanted you to stay in Guelisten, I wanted my home to be your home. A place where you feel good. A place you can come as yourself and bring along your happiness and your pain. I wanted you around since the beginning.” Of course none of those characters had it easy, because as we all know life may be described with an abundance of words but “easy” is certainly none of them. This said there are quite a lot of serious topics that are tackled by Suanne and they were woven so gently into the rug of this story that you don’t know where the seam begins or ends. They are as much a part of the book as they are a part of the characters and I’m still in awe of the author’s ability to let those stories speak for themselves. “The Disappeared” of Chile, 9/11 and its effects, the way our family and our personal history shapes us. I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried throughout the entire chapter that dealt with 9/11 and that the only thing that made it better was to remind myself of the things that are good in this world. Namely, a short peek at my kid while she was fast asleep in her bed. This chapter wrecked me, big time, as did so many other moments in this book... ¡Vale! I just had to take a deep breath because my emotions are still all over the place and I’m pretty certain this will never change. ”It caught Jav under the ribs and his teeth trembled together. He felt the ground tilt beneath his feet. His heart flailed, making desperate minute adjustments, frantically trying to find center. Find his way home, even as home insisted it was here. Right here in this house. With Alex.” So this was my rather futile attempt to convey how much this book means to me and I can’t help but feel like I failed miserably. There is no way to put all of those emotions into words and if I’d live a million years I still wouldn’t be able to describe this painful contentment that I feel. “Therapy Fiction”, “Contemporary Train Wreck”, “Emotionally Intelligent Romance” those are all terms that are used to describe Suanne’s books. Well, I guess I have a new one for you: “Heart-breaking Realism”. Make of that what you want, but I can guarantee you one thing: If you read this, you will never be the same again. All the stars! All the stars, por siempre jamás! ________________________________ There’s no possession that’s more valuable than your soul. Yet I think I might have just given mine to this book. Pero no lamento nada. Or to say it with Suanne’s words: ”¿Por qué encender una cerilla cuando puedes incendiar la casa?" I FREAKING LOVED THIS!!! Capital letters! Full RTC once I learned to deal with the fact that my soul belongs to a book (and Suanne?) now. *lol* _______________________________ It’s rare to come across a book on goodreads that only has about 1.450 ratings but still managed to get an overall rating of 4,52 stars. Is this book really that good?! O_o I couldn’t help but ask myself this very question and when I discovered that it was on NetGalley I was determined to find out. XD So thank you NetGalley and Cathedral Rock Press for offering me “An Exaltation of Larks” to read and review. Fictional contemporary stories that stretch over decades are one of my favourite things and I can’t wait to dive into this. Also apparently this story has an LGBT fiction element as well?! Colour me intrigued and let me read this book! ;-) I hope this is going to be a good one! XD P.S: I read the first few chapters and so far it's really great! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 22, 2020
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Jul 14, 2020
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Jun 22, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.09
| 1,210
| Jan 16, 2017
| Jan 16, 2017
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it was amazing
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”They’ll let me in,” Stan said confidently. “Do they not know who I am?” “You’re a drunk Russian with the best legs in Britain,” Tone teased. “Indeed. T ”They’ll let me in,” Stan said confidently. “Do they not know who I am?” “You’re a drunk Russian with the best legs in Britain,” Tone teased. “Indeed. They should be honoured to have me in their establishment.” After finishing “The Impossible Boy” I thought a lot about this book and why I liked it so much. It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for LGBTQ+ books and this might be the obvious reason why I enjoyed this so much. But to say I only loved this because it falls into a certain genre would neither do the book justice nor would it be right. I adored this book for so many different reasons and I thought long and hard about how to put this into words. When I began to read “The Impossible Boy” I basically just hoped to find a decent gender fluid rep and thought that this would become one of my shorter reviews. The more I read, the more I realized that I couldn’t go for just a short review though. Why? Because this book was amazing and deserves a long kick-ass review that makes people aware of this little gem! So am I biased because this book features a gender fluid rep? HELL, YES I AM! It’s always good to feel represented and I think I finally understand why people are so happy when they find themselves in a book. The thing is, I couldn’t only relate to Stan but to all of the other characters as well. The band life and how they interacted when they made music, the humour, the strong friendships, Ben’s insomnia, Stan’s love for his blog and his choice of clothes! I could relate to this book on so many levels it was kind of astounding! It felt like this book was written for me and it’s really no surprise I ended up loving it so much! I’m not gonna lie! There will be people who’ll read this book and say: “So what’s the big deal? I’ve read stories like that about a thousand times.” But there will also be people like me that will say: “Yes, but this book portrays life with its ups and downs and is relatable af!” Sometimes you just need books like that and for me this book came at exactly the right time. This said let’s head to my characters section and go into more detail! The characters: If you already know my reviews, you know the drill! But if you’re new to them this is the perfect moment to mention that from here on you’ll be spoiled with bits and pieces of the storyline. So if you don’t want to be spoiled you better don’t continue to read! Don’t say I didn’t warn you! ;-) Stan: ”Coming in early was a habit he’d picked up in Italy, one no one here seemed to share. Some people didn’t stumble in until ten. By that time, Stan was on his second coffee and well into his working day.” Gods! This quote alone was already so relatable because it’s totally me! I’m one of the early birds too and my colleagues come in pretty late as well. I loved Stan’s work ethic and I found myself in it. Just like him my blog is a part of my daily life as well and yes, I also consider it to be work. Unpaid work you love to do in your spare time but work nevertheless. ;-) Also can we acknowledge how at peace Stan was with himself? I loved that he accepted himself the way he is and that he tried to explain it to other people when they asked. It’s not easy to explain being gender fluid but Stan did a pretty decent job of it and I loved him for being so open with everyone. Despite everything he had a dark past though and it was evident that he still struggled with it. >_< Still, just like me Stan is an eternal optimist and didn’t want to let things get him down. Which made him a very strong character in my opinion! ”For the most part, men didn’t like being flirted with by a man who looked more like a girl. A really hot, slightly confusing, slightly wrong girl. Stan knew what he looked like – he owned it.” Ben: ”He’d gotten used to insomnia as a teenager, the result of a massive shift in his lifestyle and the stress of his parent’s divorce. These days he tried to meditate every night before going to sleep, although some nights he ended up crashing out and forgetting.” Ben is the friendly bartender everyone needs in their life! I loved his character and I could relate to his life as well. He was working shifts in a pub and playing in a band whenever he had time and his insomnia as well as his band life resonated with me. I adored the bits and pieces of band life we got to see because the musician in me that played in a band a few years ago made exactly the same experiences. This band was a family and they got each other’s back whenever things got tough. Also they were a super chaotic bunch but once they took their instruments and started to play they easily found their rhythm and began to create something amazing! Ben was such a laid-back, easy and honest guy! It was so refreshing to see him interact with everyone! Tone: ”Tone wasn’t short for Tony or Antony, as most people assumed. His given name was Daniel. He’d earned the nickname for his uncanny ability to lower the tone of a conversation, even when people assumed it was already at rock-bottom.” Now that boy was incredible! Tone was the epitome of rough edges and a heart of gold! I adored that man so much! <33 His nickname was spot-on and his “I’m so blunt it hurts” attitude immediately won my heart! *lol* That’s exactly the kind of guy I’d love to be friends with! Direct, kind, accepting and painfully frank! XD Plus he was wise! There was more to him than initially met the eye and when he told Stan about Kat I hurt for him. I know how it feels to experience such a loss and I really wish I could have hugged that big oaf and given him some love! <3 This guy would have done everything for his friends and even though he sometimes appeared to be completely thoughtless there was always a good reason for the way he acted! (cue: chocolate!!) ”I know what it’s like to feel you can’t get out of bed, you can’t wash yourself or feed yourself or even breathe without effort. I also know the only way you can get out of that absolute pit of depression is with the love of your friends.” The relationships & ships: Stan & Ben: ”If you fancy a bit of rough, I’m sure you can figure out where to find me.” “Fuck off, Tone,” Ben said with a weary sigh and threw his arm around Stan’s shoulder. Stan laughed and turned his face against Ben’s chest for a moment, hoping to hide the heat in his cheeks. Okay, and here comes the moment where I begin to fangirl like crazy and say how much I adored their relationship!! Those two were so grounded and flat out adorable! I loved how realistic their relationship was. I mean they got to know each other when Stan drank a beer at Ben’s bar then they got together and ultimately moved together as well. And they go out and have fun with their friends but when work is stressful and demanding they have no problem to sit in front of the TV and to spend a quiet evening at home! Which was amazing! This was such a normal and healthy way to deal with stress at work that I couldn’t help but love them for it! <33 Plus - and I know this might sound contradictory now because I’m usually a person that loves to address things directly – it made me so happy that Ben just accepted Stan the way he was and only asked him about his sexuality way later on in the book! For him it was no issue, nothing he needed to address because he loved and accepted Stan exactly the way he was. So those two were perfect for each other and I shipped them from the moment they met! ”He sees the girl and he likes her, and can touch the boy and like him too. He doesn’t try and make me `fit` into any tick-box category. He just lets me be me.” Stan & Tone: ”Alright,” Tone said, obviously summoning bravado. “Are you a girl or a boy? Not your body, I mean. Like, your mind.” Stan couldn’t help the rush of affection for this man who was trying so hard. He wasn’t the big, offensive oaf the others seemed to think he was. Okay, so his phrasing wasn’t great, but he cared enough to ask, and that mattered. THIS WAS AN EPIC FRIENDSHIP MADE FOR ETERNITY!! I loved, loved, loved the way those two spoke so openly with each other! <33 And I loved that Tone had no qualms to ask the important questions! Stan knew exactly that he didn’t mean to be offensive and quite honestly I sometimes wish more people would be like Tone. Just say it straight to my head. Ask me and get it over with. It would make things so much easier if people would address those touchy subjects instead of whispering behind people’s backs. Tone might not have gotten it all but he liked Stan for the person he was and he supported him no matter what! Even when Ben and Stan had an argument he tried to understand both sides and sort of mediated between them. Plus he always knew exactly how to deal with his friend’s problems because he listened and paid attention! As I already said, there was more to him than met the eye and he was one of the best and most attentive friends I ever read about in a book! ”There isn’t going to be anyone who comes and asks if you want help, Stan. I’m going to barge right in and be here whether you want me or not.” ”Stan is good, Ben. He’s good. He needs help, he needs support, but he is a strong guy. The hardest thing for you to do now is not to be there for him, but to let him be strong for himself.” The gender-fluid rep: ”I’m still a boy,” Stan said, tugging at the thick mop of dishevelled hair until Ben looked up at him. “I came to terms with that because it’s something I can’t change.” Okay this might get pretty personal and very long now but I think it’s always important to write about a decent rep. Especially if you think that it’s done right and you could relate to it as much as I could. The gender-fluid rep in this might not have been a 100% spot-on for me, in fact it was probably about 50% because 1. Stan was physically male and I’m physically female and 2. Because the way I understood it Stan was a constant mixture of both genders and I’m either this or that (one side is always more dominant). At least when it comes to my “state of mind” like Tone put it. XD Still, regardless of those differences I felt totally understood when Stan spoke about being gender fluid and tried to explain it to Tone. The conversation they had about it was so amazing and I loved that Tone offered to call Stan “she” if he wanted it. That was so thoughtful and such a great reaction that I almost found myself weeping with joy. There were so many troubles Stan had to face during the book that sounded so familiar and when he ducked into the girl’s toilet because he wore a dress and was in “female mode” I actually had to smile. Some days the toilet confusion is a real thing, my friends! *lol* What I also liked was that at some point in the book Stan and Ben as well as Stan and Tone spoke about being gender fluid and/or about being transgender. Stan actually thought about changing his gender but he ultimately decided against it because he felt okay the way he was and realized that he didn’t want to go through with the process. He explained that being gender fluid was being stuck between two genders and if he would have changed into a woman there still would have been “male days” so he probably wouldn’t have felt any closer to his true gender than he felt as a boy (physically speaking of course). And he was right, it’s not a story you hear very often. Plus I loved that he said that to change gender is good and right for some people, but that it would have been no option for him. I’m totally with him when it comes to this. I know a few transgender people who changed their gender and who are more than just happy with it now, for me it would have never been an option though. There are days I love to wear dresses and enjoy doing my hair and make-up (just like Stan does) but there are also days I wear my jeans, t-shirts and hoodies and don’t even want to think about putting on some lipstick. And because I read it in some of the other reviews and felt like I needed to say something about it: Yes, Stan loves to choose his clothes and quite a bit of the book is about what he wears and how he presents himself. I don’t think that this is useless information though, for me it actually was additional and important information, because if you are gender fluid and you are in a – let’s say – “female state of mind” you want to be recognized as being a woman and therefore dress accordingly. For me this felt perfectly normal because as I said before I dress differently when I’m female or male too. ;-) I probably could go on and on but I think I’ll just leave it at that. For me this was an amazing rep and I really hope that in future more authors will tackle gender fluid representations and will include them in their books. ”Would you do it now? If you had the chance?” “No,” Stan said softly. “I’m in a different place now. It was only a couple of years ago, but I’ve kind of learned to accept what I’ve got.” ”I’m a boy, Tone. My body is a male body and that’s okay. It’s more than being femme, though. I’m a boy with a lot of feminine traits, both in how I feel from day to day and how I like to dress, to present myself. I’m a boy and a girl both, in different ways. Some people call it gender-fluid.” ”I wasn’t born the wrong sex for my gender. There is no easy, fix-it success story for being stuck between two genders, so it’s not a story people hear very often. Gay men don’t like me because I look like a girl. Straight men don’t like me because I’m physically male.” The anorexia rep: ”If just one person told me I needed to lose weight, I know that could send me back on that downward spiral, and fuck no, I’m not going there again.” Okay so this is a trigger warning. I read a few books that dealt with anorexia but I have no idea if the rep in this book reflected reality. It only became a topic at around 60% of the book because Stan had a relapse when Ben was away on his tour. He ended up in hospital and needed to be tube-fed for quite a while. His recovery was pretty slow and he was told that if he didn’t take care and had another relapse it might easily be his death. Also it was mentioned that Stan had problems with his bones and back because they never really got a chance to develop properly. I only read books about the topic and from what I read this sounded like a pretty accurate rep, as always you might take my words with a grain of salt though. Conclusion: I really loved this book to bits and pieces and for me it was everything! <3 I loved the humour, the friendships, the band life and Stan and Ben’s relationship. The gender fluid rep was amazing and I really want to read more books like that! XD I’m so glad that there is a second book because I’m so going to read this soon! ...more |
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Feb 23, 2020
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Feb 28, 2020
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Feb 23, 2020
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ebook
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| 4.09
| 9,488
| Dec 04, 2012
| Dec 04, 2012
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really liked it
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”I hesitated, but it was night, and words spoken in the dark can always be forgotten come the dawn.” So this was the first book I pulled from my newly ”I hesitated, but it was night, and words spoken in the dark can always be forgotten come the dawn.” So this was the first book I pulled from my newly invented "Bookie Jar" and since I didn’t even know this was on my e-reader I was really surprised that I’m already in the possession of such a nice gem! *lol* I guess it was a really good idea to make my “Bookie Jar” because otherwise this might have stayed on my e-reader for eternity without me ever knowing that it even exists. XD Anyway, let’s move on! This book was a fun adventure and I really enjoyed every aspect of it. There were so many things that hooked me and made this a pleasant read and once I started reading I just couldn’t put it down anymore. =))) So what are you going to find in this book? - Christine!!! Mrs. ”I will not surrender my profession simply because men throughout history have been unduly enarmored of their penises!” Gosh, she’s so kick-asss!!! Haha! I love that woman and I adored her for staying by Whyborne’s side after she found out that he’s gay! She took it all in stride and the world definitely needs more amazing women like that! <3 - Two main characters which are so adorable that you can’t help but say “Awww” whenever they do something really cute. ”Just a moment, just this one kiss, surely that would be enough… Then he kissed me back, and it would never be enough, a thousand years of this would not be enough.” - Lots of funny thoughts from our shy and innocent protagonist, who never was in a relationship before and is completely oblivious to the many flirty remarks Griffin is feeding him throughout the course of the entire book. *lol* ”Not without your consent, at least,” he said with a little smile. Damn the man; I could think of far too many things I’d happily consent to. - Creepy monsters, a charismatic but blood-curdling villain, abandoned houses, mystery, magic and appalling experiments. - Passionate moments between our two heroes that caused me to smirk and laugh out loud. Especially a certain name mentioned “in the throes of passion”. *lol* So damn cute! <333 ”Tell me what you ache for. Tell me what has kept you awake at night, alone and yearning in your bed. Show me the secret fire in your heart.” “Let me touch you,” I panted. “Please.” He rolled onto his back, his eyes smoldering along with his smile. “Have your way with me, then.” - Complex and multi-layered main characters that both have an intriguing and painful past but somehow found each other despite all their troubles and go through thick and thin. "Perhaps he simply couldn’t imagine anyone would stay with a man who wasn’t entirely whole. Who had been broken, and hadn’t managed to put all the pieces back together." - An amazing historical setting that handled the important aspects of that period really well. ;-) All told, this was a fast fun read and I can really recommend it to everyone who doesn’t only like the m/m genre but is also looking for a little more depth and a great storyline. ;-) “Widdershins” has a lot to offer and I’m sure if you decide to read it you won’t be disappointed! XD ...more |
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1
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Nov 25, 2018
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Dec 05, 2018
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Nov 25, 2018
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ebook
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| 1727409167
| 9781727409161
| 1727409167
| 3.95
| 14,045
| Sep 27, 2018
| Sep 27, 2018
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not set
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Sep 22, 2018
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Paperback
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| 1539524965
| 9781539524960
| 1539524965
| 4.19
| 12,835
| Nov 01, 2016
| Nov 01, 2016
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Sep 28, 2017
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Paperback
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| 2940150270794
| 4.19
| 15,921
| Feb 17, 2015
| Feb 17, 2015
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not set
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Sep 15, 2017
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Nook
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| 0843955287
| 9780843955286
| 0843955287
| 4.00
| 58,418
| Mar 08, 1999
| Jan 01, 2005
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Sep 13, 2017
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 4.22
| 30,623
| Dec 24, 2012
| Aug 16, 2013
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None
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Sep 10, 2017
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Kindle Edition
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| 1301949825
| 9781301949823
| B08GWTKXCP
| 4.24
| 611,127
| Dec 18, 2012
| Dec 19, 2012
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Sep 08, 2017
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ebook
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| 0373772467
| 9780373772469
| 0373772467
| 4.05
| 84,807
| May 03, 2008
| May 03, 2008
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None
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Aug 23, 2017
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Mass Market Paperback
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| Tijan
*
| B00FIOBPC0
| 3.99
| 37,638
| Sep 28, 2013
| Sep 28, 2013
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liked it
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What do you do when your roommate and best friend is raped by her boyfriend who just happens to be the son of the local mafia boss? Well, for Emma the What do you do when your roommate and best friend is raped by her boyfriend who just happens to be the son of the local mafia boss? Well, for Emma the answer is easy. She comes back from her gym class early, goes directly for her gun and shoots him. So far so good, or rather not so far and not so good. *lol* *sigh* What can I say about this book? *shakes head* The first half read like an action movie and felt like “Fifty Shades of Grey” meets the mafia which actually was pretty entertaining and kept the book in my good graces, but right after we hit the halfway mark the book became soo damn boring, I couldn’t even bring myself to pick it up. XD And that says a lot! When I need an entire month for about 125 pages this means that my interest hasn’t just deserted me but also ran an extra mile to hide in the endless hills of the faerie realm. In other words: I was bored out of my mind and read everything else than “Carter Reed”. *lol* After giving this some serious thought I finally realised what didn’t work for me though. I mean it should have worked, but it didn’t so I really wanted to find out why I stopped enjoying this book. The answer is quite simple. It has an alpha male and a damsel in distress and it was supposed to be a sexy read. In the first half “Carter Reed” delivered exactly that, but in the second half to read on became quite strenuous. So what happened? The guy got the girl! Yep, that’s it! Let me elaborate! ;-) I have no problem with alpha males or the kind of woman that’s a damsel in distress, but I have a major problem with the build-up of sexual tension and an anticlimactic release. (Oops what a choice of words. *facepalm*) Anyway! Half of the book Emma was like: “Ohhh boy Carter is so hot” and then they finally hit it off and everything goes to hell. Like excuse me but WTH?! All they did was to kiss each other which led to them ending up in bed. We go to the club, we party, we cry about our miserable life and lost friends and then we start all over again. IF THEY AT LEAST WOULD HAVE HAD THE DECENCY TO HAVE SOME FABULOUS SEX!!! *lol* But no! We don’t even get that, we get tension, tension, a kiss, a little bit of touching and groping and then it’s fade out. And this happens the rest of the entire book! Better one sex scene that is good than 20 that are bad. Where’s the point in writing such scenes when they bore you to death? *stifles a yawn* And where did the plot go? Out of the window, as it seems! What happened to the almighty mafia boss who was supposed to want revenge? If I’d be a mafia boss and someone would have killed my only heir I’d be majorly pissed, I’d like to see blood and I would find a way to get to them. But nope, Emma is untouchable because she’s Carter Reeds. Sure! Completely logical! Oh and don’t even get me started on self-blaming, forever crying Emma. I just can’t!!! So yeah, I finally finished this book and I was actually relieved when I closed the last page. The only reason “Carter Reed” gets 3 stars from me, is the simple fact that the book was really nice at the beginning. Unfortunately it didn’t stay that way. >_< I’m sorry to say it but in the end this really didn’t work out for me. Not at all! But hey, maybe this is still the perfect read for you?! Who knows? As for me, I'm done with oh so shmexy Carter Reed. ;-P ...more |
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1
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Jan 18, 2018
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Feb 19, 2018
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Aug 21, 2017
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Kindle Edition
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| 1942206240
| 9781942206248
| B0753B7HYZ
| 4.01
| 45,447
| Aug 24, 2017
| Aug 23, 2017
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really liked it
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”But the world isn’t always kind to good people. Sometimes it eats them alive.” First things first: Did this book restore my faith in f/m romances? - H ”But the world isn’t always kind to good people. Sometimes it eats them alive.” First things first: Did this book restore my faith in f/m romances? - HELL, YES!!! Was it the cute and adorable romance I expected it to be? – Nope, totally not but it was written so well that I could overlook the lack of those typical sweet and fluffy moments. I’m not saying there were none of them; they were just a whole lot different and way gentler than I expected them to be. Okay, and now we’ve reached the moment where I actually have to write a review in order to explain my tender love for this book. XD I guess we all knew it would come to that, right?! *lol* So without further ado I’ll jump right in and tell you the reasons that made this such a special read. 1.) The idea and plot: We all know those books where the girl falls for the boy and they have those sweet moments and slowly but gently fall in love. Or those books where they hit it right off from the start and fall madly and deeply in love. Well, this was NOT that kind of book! We get to know our MCs about 7 years after they were a couple and even though they have a child together they are far from being on friendly terms. Kennedy is a single mother and Jonathan is a movie star and except of their daughter they don’t seem to have anything in common. At first! Which was so damn refreshing and a welcome change! I mean they are both adults and they live in completely different worlds! They have to deal with daily life and its problems and boy did I love this realistic approach of the book! Kennedy and Jonathan just felt so real! <3 ”But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it all, it’s that we have to be our own heroes. No guy in a costume is coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.” 2.) The main characters: I loved and adored Kennedy so much! She’s such a strong woman and she’s an amazing mother and even more important she was relatable af! I swear I could relate to everything she said and did! Maddie was her precious girl, the centre of her universe and there was nothing she wouldn’t have done for her daughter. Kennedy lived and breathed motherhood and it was so good to see an MC that reflected my own emotions when it comes to my kid. It’s so very rare to see a realistic approach when it comes to mothers in books, but J.M. Darhower definitely nailed it for me. ”Everything I do is all about her – anything to keep the smile on her face, because that smile is what keeps me going. It’s the reason I get out of bed in the morning. That smile tells me I’m doing okay. In a world filled with so much wrong, it’s nice to know I’m doing something right.” ”I want to pick her up and shove her in my pocket, shield her from everything for as long as I’m alive, but I can’t do that, because the truth is, she’s not just mine.” ”You can’t get caught up and forget she’s sitting at home waiting for you. Because you live in a big, big world now, but hers is very small. A day without you is going to be like a day without the sun. Don’t let her days go dark.” ”I love you,” I whisper, three words you haven’t said, as I put my hand on top of yours on my stomach. “More than everything… except for her.” I could kiss Kennedy for that statement alone!! <33 So what about Jonathan Cunning our other MC? I really liked him as well and I felt sorry for him even though I probably shouldn’t. I mean he left his pregnant girlfriend to fend on her own but then again he didn’t. He tried to make amends over the years, but he just couldn’t fight his inner demons and Kennedy knew it and therefore banished him from her life. It would be too easy to blame Johnny for what he did, because there are always two sides of a story. Did he leave Kennedy alone? Yes, he did! Did he want to? No, but he knew that she didn’t want Maddie to live with an addict and so he accepted her wishes to stay away from them. Which actually showed that he cared!!! He knew he was in no condition to take care of his family and that he’d be poison for them, so he didn’t even dare to try it until he was sure he’d stay clean. He acted responsible even though it looked like he didn’t. ”I hate the personal questions and never answer them. I hate the prying. I hate the rumors. I hate it all and for good reason – there are too many skeletons in my closet, too many secrets I’ve been concealing. Too many things I can’t let them taint in a world so pure that I’m no longer welcome in it.” ”I mourn the years they lost, the time that was wasted, the love that maybe just wasn’t quite enough to overcome his demons sooner. Every smile they share today is the product of years of tears, of years of fighting and struggling and hoping and mourning but never, ever, ever quitting or giving up, because we’re here.” ”I’m sorry for the way I hurt you,” he says. “Sorry for everything I did that led us to this point. And I get it, you know, if you hate me. Wouldn’t blame you at all. But I just need to tell you… I need you to know… that even when I was completely fucked up, I never once stopped loving you.” 3.) The relationship between Kennedy and her parents: I mean she basically ran away with Jonathan and started a new life. She left her parents to deal with the consequences, yet they both still loved her and took her in when she was in need of them. It shows the unconditional love you have for your kids, that no matter what they do and how much they screw up. They are still your kids and you love them to bits and pieces. I could understand why Kennedy’s father was reluctant to accept Jonathan back in her life. He only wanted to protect his daughter and her child and he definitely was entitled to be grumpy about his sudden reappearance! XD ”She pulls me to her, and I lay my head in her lap as I cry. And words spill out of me along with the tears, all the struggling and fighting, the lies and the broken promises, the resentment that grew when he got swept up in the hurricane and left me behind to battle the storm.” 4.) The relationship between Kennedy & Jonathan: I really liked the idea of Kennedy’s journal entries. That way we didn’t only get a glimpse at what happened in the past but also were able to keep up with what happened in the present. It made me sad to see how their relationship deteriorated and how deep Jonathan fell and if I’m entirely honest it’s a wonder Kennedy actually gave him a second chance. *lol* I could understand her reluctance to accept him back in her life, but I could also relate so much to Jonathan. He wanted to be an active part of Maddie’s and Kennedy’s life and he was so sorry for everything he did. He knew he did such awful things and he tried to make amends as best as he could. He got clean for his family and despite all the shit he did before, this is what counts in the end. ”Up until then, I only saw your anger, but that day I saw your fear, like you were afraid of how much more pain I was going to cause you, when I wanted nothing more than to make it all better.” ”I wasn’t accusing you of cheating. I just wanted to know how long it took you to move on.” “Oh, well, that’s an easy one,” he says. “It hasn’t happened.” ”Yeah, well, you gave me a run for my money on that one. I met my match with you.” “Match made in heaven.” “Or hell. Depends on who you ask.” “You,” he says. “I’m asking you.” “I’d say a bit of both, then. We were fire and gasoline. We burned hot for a long time.” ”Worse is loving someone who disappears and never knowing if they’ll come back. Because how do you move on if you’re not even sure they’re gone? The answer is – you don’t. When you spend most of your life chasing ghosts, eventually, you become one.” The ending was very wholesome and yes, I admit it, quite a bit kitschy too, but it was a romance so DUH! What did you expect? *lol* All told I can really recommend “Ghosted”. If you’re looking for an unusual second chance love story with relatable MCs and endearing side-characters, this is definitely the right book for you! ;-) ____________________________________ Meet book two I pulled out of my "Bookie Jar"! It’s been ages I last read a straight romance and I’m not sure if I’m up for the challenge but I’ll give it a try. *lol* I kind of turned away from the straight romance genre because it got boring after reading it for a while (hot billionaire, alpha male, overprotective man, you name it. *rolls eyes*) … plus I’m way too happy reading my LGBTQ+ books because they have all the sweet and fluffy feels I not only crave for but also need in my life! Guess they are just more relatable for me? XD Well, anyway I read through the blurb and this sounds a little darker than your typical romance so I think I might be lucky this time around. =) I’m trying to broaden my horizon again so wish me luck! Hopefully this will restore my faith in cute f/m romances! *lol* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 14, 2018
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Feb 08, 2019
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Aug 20, 2017
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.37
| 33,379
| Jun 28, 2016
| Jun 28, 2016
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None
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0
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not set
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Aug 17, 2017
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.04
| 940,956
| Apr 15, 2014
| Apr 15, 2014
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None
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Aug 16, 2017
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Paperback
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| 3.86
| 4,652
| Sep 12, 2017
| Sep 12, 2017
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None
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Aug 06, 2017
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.14
| 3,853,576
| Aug 02, 2016
| Aug 02, 2016
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really liked it
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”Oh, I want you, Lily. Make no mistake about that. I just don’t want to want you.” I thought really long and hard about how I’m going to review this b ”Oh, I want you, Lily. Make no mistake about that. I just don’t want to want you.” I thought really long and hard about how I’m going to review this book and what it always comes down to, is that I actually don’t want to review it. This is one of the rare books you just have to read yourself. You have to experience it and feel it and no matter what I’d write in my review, it would never even get close to all the emotions that hit me while I read “It Ends With Us”. This book makes you happy and sad, it confuses you, breaks you, hurts you, makes you question yourself and your thoughts! Hell, it makes you question your own code of ethics. ”The reasoning is the hardest part of this. It eats at me, little by little, wearing down the strength my hatred lends to me.” It would be easy to judge; easy to sit on a high horse, but the way this is written, the way Colleen Hoover conveyed her feelings… It makes it impossible to go out of this book without acknowledging her POV, it makes it impossible not to think about it. I know the world is not white and black. I always knew that there are many shades of grey, but this book? It confronts you with the deepest grey and forces you to deal with it. It poses the simple question: What would I have done? And as usually, the simple questions of life are the hardest and most complicated to answer. ;-) ”All humans make mistakes. What determines a person’s character aren’t the mistakes we make. It’s how we take those mistakes and turn them into lessons rather than excuses.” We all know what we SHOULD do in certain situations! What is expected of us, but when you’re actually in one of those situations? When feelings are involved? It’s not that easy anymore… I could be vague and probably continue like that forever but I won’t say more than this! It wouldn’t be fair to all the people who still want to read “It Ends With Us”. So all I’m saying is this: - This book is important! - I really liked Lily as a character and I admire her! (view spoiler)[She did the right thing in a very difficult situation and she was so, so, so brave to end her relationship with Ryle!!! It had to be done, for the sake of her child, she had not only to let go of him but also of her hatred for him. And to reach that point, to make that decision, to give her child the opportunity to have a father and to forgive him for what he did? THAT WOMAN IS STRONG!!! <333 She has all my love and being a mother myself who only wants the best for her child, I could understand her decision! (hide spoiler)] - Atlas is a precious bean and I love that man! <3 (view spoiler)[ ”I close my eyes as I soak up the familiarity of him. His smell, his touch, his comfort. I’ve never understood how someone can be so rock solid, yet comforting. But that’s always how I viewed him. Like he could withstand anything, but somehow still feels the weight that everyone else carries.” (hide spoiler)] - I enjoyed the two different POVs from Lily. Her teenage diary entries and the current plot made this a really intriguing read. Sometimes it felt like there were two different Lily’s which dominated the story line and I guess in some way there were, because the years of experience made them two different people. - Alyssa was the best friend ever!!! <333 (view spoiler)[When she told Lily that as her brother’s sister she didn’t want her to leave him but that as her best friend she had to tell her that she HAD to leave him, I actually had tears in my eyes! I loved her for saying this! Because she knew that Lily couldn’t be with Ryle and she loved her enough to help her to make the right decision. And this even though Ryle was her brother!! It takes strength not to let those family bonds get in the way and Issa was a very strong character for sure. (hide spoiler)] - The ending…. I’ll never get over it. (view spoiler)[I really liked Ryle at the beginning of the book but the first time he hit her, I already wanted her to leave him. To hit your wife is inexcusable, to hit her twice or three times? Unforgivable! ”You are my wife. I’m supposed to be the one who protects you from the monsters. I’m not supposed to be one.” I really wish I would have found out why Ryle was the way he was, I mean I get that the death of his brother did something with him, but why could he be so nice and caring to his sister and his own child, but felt an urge to hit his wife? Just because he was angry and saw red? For me as an outsider this is kind of tough to understand. A Ryle POV might have helped to understand him better. I mean it was obvious he regretted what he did, that he knew it was wrong, that he wished he would have never done it and that he hated himself for it. But WHY????!!!! WHY, Ryle??!! I guess that’s the main reason why I’m still thinking about this book. I’m having a difficult time to understand his actions, but maybe I’m just overthinking it and he really had no control over what he did… I guess I’ll never know. (hide spoiler)] - Read it, but be warned! It’s not an easy read. Trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[domestic abuse, violence against women, abusive relationships, homelessness (hide spoiler)] Conclusion: This was an emotional and haunting read and totally not what I expected. It definitely kept me on my toes though. XD Colleen Hoover is a great author and I’ll continue to read her other books. In future I just might be a little bit more careful when I start one of them. ;-) ___________________________________ It was time to consult my "Bookie Jar" and to find out what I should read next. Apparently it wants me to read my first Colleen Hoover book ever and I’m so ready for it. I’ve seen her books all over my feed and I’m very curious if I’ll like “It Ends With Us”. I didn’t read many romances lately and I’m really no expert when it comes to this particular kind of genre, so I’m definitely open for it. So far the only romance authors I can recommend are Joyo Moyes, Cecilia Ahern and Nicolas Sparks. *lol* Let’s find out if I’ll be able to recommend Colleen Hoover in future too. ;-P ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 29, 2019
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Apr 22, 2019
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Aug 06, 2017
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Kindle Edition
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Virginia Ronan
>
Books:
romance
(77)
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 4.08
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really liked it
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Mar 31, 2024
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Aug 07, 2022
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| 3.56
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liked it
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Jun 29, 2024
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Feb 26, 2021
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| 3.99
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really liked it
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Nov 27, 2020
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Nov 24, 2020
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| 4.75
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it was amazing
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Sep 2020
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Aug 18, 2020
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| 4.46
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it was amazing
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Jul 14, 2020
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Jun 22, 2020
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| 4.09
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it was amazing
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Feb 28, 2020
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Feb 23, 2020
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| 4.09
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really liked it
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Dec 05, 2018
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Nov 25, 2018
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| 3.95
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not set
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Sep 22, 2018
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| 4.19
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not set
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Sep 28, 2017
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| 4.19
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not set
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Sep 15, 2017
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| 4.00
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not set
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Sep 13, 2017
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| 4.22
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not set
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Sep 10, 2017
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| 4.24
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not set
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Sep 08, 2017
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| 4.05
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not set
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Aug 23, 2017
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| Tijan
*
| 3.99
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liked it
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Feb 19, 2018
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Aug 21, 2017
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| 4.01
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really liked it
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Feb 08, 2019
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Aug 20, 2017
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| 4.37
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not set
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Aug 17, 2017
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| 4.04
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not set
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Aug 16, 2017
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| 3.86
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not set
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Aug 06, 2017
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| 4.14
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really liked it
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Apr 22, 2019
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Aug 06, 2017
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