- NICHOLAS. Deserves the world - The Seiji and Nicholas bathroom interaction? Iconic - "an indirect win" jfhwhy is everyone so fucking extra i love them
- NICHOLAS. Deserves the world - The Seiji and Nicholas bathroom interaction? Iconic - "an indirect win" jfhgjdf - everyone needs to calm down a lot but i do love them - I WISH THESE WERE LONGER
Merged review:
why is everyone so fucking extra i love them
- NICHOLAS. Deserves the world - The Seiji and Nicholas bathroom interaction? Iconic - "an indirect win" jfhgjdf - everyone needs to calm down a lot but i do love them - I WISH THESE WERE LONGER...more
Ohhh I really enjoyed this! This is super nice, what a tight little graphic novel. This comic has been getting a lot of attention on my twitter timeliOhhh I really enjoyed this! This is super nice, what a tight little graphic novel. This comic has been getting a lot of attention on my twitter timeline lately, and I was interested because I uhhh, love sport romances.
Fence is a sport graphic novel series about a boy called Nicholas who is beaten 15-0 in a fencing tournament by renowned champion Seiji and now he wants revenge. I believee it may also be an m/m enemies to lovers romance later down the track.
The art is nice, I love the look of it all and I think the way the characters are drawn is really cute. Also ummm no offence but every person in this is a beautiful person every single boy is so pretty. But I do have one art issue and that is that the characters don't always look consistently drawn? Like honestly
Seiji here, [image]
and here [image]
doesn't look anything like Seiji here [image]
and for me, thats confusing.
But anyway, this was still really cool! Kinda reminds me of The Foxhole Court but with less dramatic shit and more serious sporting. The characters weren't given much depth this issue so I'm hoping for more in the upcoming ones. I definitely am liking how the series is looking to be set up. It's a series I plan on continuing
Merged review:
Ohhh I really enjoyed this! This is super nice, what a tight little graphic novel. This comic has been getting a lot of attention on my twitter timeline lately, and I was interested because I uhhh, love sport romances.
Fence is a sport graphic novel series about a boy called Nicholas who is beaten 15-0 in a fencing tournament by renowned champion Seiji and now he wants revenge. I believee it may also be an m/m enemies to lovers romance later down the track.
The art is nice, I love the look of it all and I think the way the characters are drawn is really cute. Also ummm no offence but every person in this is a beautiful person every single boy is so pretty. But I do have one art issue and that is that the characters don't always look consistently drawn? Like honestly
Seiji here, [image]
and here [image]
doesn't look anything like Seiji here [image]
and for me, thats confusing.
But anyway, this was still really cool! Kinda reminds me of The Foxhole Court but with less dramatic shit and more serious sporting. The characters weren't given much depth this issue so I'm hoping for more in the upcoming ones. I definitely am liking how the series is looking to be set up. It's a series I plan on continuing...more
We might be Paper Girls, easily torn and written upon. The very title we're given suggests that we are blank, waiting to be filled. But what the De
We might be Paper Girls, easily torn and written upon. The very title we're given suggests that we are blank, waiting to be filled. But what the Demon King and his court do not understand is that paper is flammable. And there is a fire catching among us.
when someone says there's a fantasy ya book coming out with a slowburn f/f romance following a girls struggle to defy the demon king and the misogynistic societal structures he embodies by undermining his system of choosing girls to be his concubines I listen.
Girls of Paper and Fire it set in a Malaysian inspired world where society is separated into three castes: Moon the upper class comprised of demons with animal characteristics. Steel Middle class, of human demon hybrids and Paper lowest class comprised of full humans.
The world Ngan sets up here was one I really enjoyed. While many elements of the story feel familiar (I got vibes Red Queen, The Hunger Games, Throne of Glass and even Daughter of Smoke and Bone vibes) a lot of it also felt unique. Ngan masterfully weaves political intrigue into the story, examining political instability and social shifts due to the Demon Kings war a hundred years ago. The political elements became the highlight for me, and I anticipate them becoming even more important as this series progresses. Court fantasies can frustrate me when the politics becomes too insular, but Ngan balanced the court politics and the wider state politics well here, and didn't get too bogged down in court drama as some court fantasies tend to. (Red Queen/ToG) On top of that, the influence of Malaysian-Chinese culture and history on the world made so many of these tropes and scenarios feel fresh and new.
However I do think the worldbuilding was not PERFECT. We don't know a whole lot about the world outside the court beside brief glimpses and the war and various factions are quickly explained in most cases. The book does hint that it will expand on these elements in the sequels though, which I'm excited for.
Pacing wise, this book did keep me intrigued due to the slow rise of tension as more and more political elements unravel. But some parts were definitely not as well paced as others. It took a bit for this book to get moving, and the main character's motivations didn't really crystallise until later in the book. Despite all that, this book did keep me compelled to read due to the emotional gravity of the situation, and the rising tension.
“I don't want an easy life. I want a meaningful one.”
As a main character, my feelings on Lei are mixed. The first part of this book is spent in her circling thoughts but she has no real aim. The lack of character motivation was jarring, and I found her actions irritating at times. That being said, I found myself really enjoying her character by the end. I love characters that do not start off as fighters but grow in strength. Characters who's power come from their emotional resilience and fortitude are some of my favourites and we definitely see that with Lei.
The other characters were also not as developed as I felt they could have been, but enjoyable nonetheless. Although the 'mean girl', Blue's arc was compelling, and Aoki's shift was interesting. I'm hoping to see more and get more development out of the side characters in the sequel.
The romance was also sweet, and while I'm still waiting for that REAL f/f slowburn this was pretty good. The underpinnings of the relationship - that it is an open defiance of the heteronormative patriarchy the girls are forced into submitting to - was an interesting element that added thematic depth to the ship.
“Fire in, fear out”
The true strength of this book for me was in it's thematic exploration. Girls of Paper and Fire explores rape, rape culture, and narratives around abuse. And I think it was explored with nuance, depth and "love" - that being, I felt it was something you could tell the author was serious and careful about exploring. The focus on defiance and rebellion in the face of enormous oppression, and the exploration of how oppressive social structures affects EVERYONE, and in various ways, was excellent here. There was also a focus on reclaiming your own body and expressing sexuality in a healthy and empowering way which I really loved.
With that said: a warning this book goes DARK at times. I even said to myself "this is awful" at one point because some of the scenes are graphic and confronting. Strong trigger warnings apply for rape and attempted rape, written on page, as well as sexual violence and assault, murder, slavery and sexual slavery and sex trafficking, grief, a graphic branding scene, torture, graphic death of an animal, forced medical exam/inspection, execution, war themes and probably more I missed. Please be aware of this, this is probably one of the darkest and most grim YA books I've read in a while.
“Her kisses heal the parts of me that the King broke. They tell me: You are strong, Lei. You are beautiful. You are mine. And, always, most important: You are yours.”
This was such a strong debut and I fell instantly in love with it. Ngan's writing is gorgeous and teleported me straight into the world of the Paper Girls and Demon Kings. There is oh so much to like here - an empowering central f/f couple, great political intrigue, a pretty much all female cast with strong potential and thematic issues which, while tough to read at times, are dealt with so powerfully and carefully.
If you're looking for a new fantasy world to fall into, more queer books, books with political intrigue, books with familiar YA tropes that put a new spin on them, or any combination of the above, this is the BOOK FOR YOU.
And now we begin the long, painful wait for book 2...more
He was a boy, who's life was dedicated to killing sirens and particularly the one called the princes bane
she was a girl, a siren princess who's pride He was a boy, who's life was dedicated to killing sirens and particularly the one called the princes bane
she was a girl, a siren princess who's pride and joy was ripping the beating hearts out of princes chests
can I make it anymore obvious??
“How strange that instead of taking his heart, I’m hoping he takes mine.”
This was such a fun pirate adventure with the JUICIEST enemies to lovers romance. In a fantasy world where Sirens roam the high seas, Lira - the princess of the Siren's - makes it her mission to take the heart of a prince every year on her birthday. For this she's earned herself the name Princes' Bane.
Elian is the prince of Midas, the most powerful kingdom in the world. But he isn't interested in ruling. Instead, he has dedicated his life to killing sirens, and particularly to kill the Princes' Bane.
When Lira's Siren song is stolen, and she is transformed into a human, she has to take refuge on Elian's ship. Now, she's determined to kill him without him finding out her true identity.
The ship is the main thing I have to talk about because it is SO JUICY. It is extremely angsty, and I loved the drama of it all - with Lira having to avoid being caught out by Elian, and just knowing that inevitable showdown between the two is coming.
Seriously! The banter, that awkwardness of Lira knowing their identities and Elian not knowing it, the pull to eachother despite their histories. God! it was drama, angst!! I swooned, laughed, and fell in love with them so much I ranked them as one of the top 5 best couples of 2018!
To Kill a Kingdom is TRUE ENEMIES TO LOVERS EXCELLENCE, and if you like that, you NEED to read this. No ifs and no buts!
“I can’t help but be mesmerized. Such beautiful creatures. Such bewitching, deadly things. Even as they sharpen their fangs on their lips and run taloned hands through their liquid hair, I can’t look away. Everything about them is awful, but nothing about them is hideous.”
The shipping aside, this was such a fun and fast-paced fantasy. I loved the descriptions here, the sea and the kingdom of Midas, and the various battles and scenes felt so vivid to me. Alexandra Christo definitely pulled me right in, and I was mesmerised from beginning to end with this one. I also listened on audiobook, and let me tell you it is EXCELLENT. Dual narration, and both narrators had so much presence! Highly recommend.
I also really appreciated the character development in this, especially Lira's. It was fun to see watch her go from unapologetically bad, to someone who really questions their beliefs and upbringing and morals. I also loved how Lira was no damsel! She was really out here taking what she wanted and I LOVED IT.
Elian was so loveable, and no matter how many times the "reluctant king" trope is done I love it. He was the more sympathetic of the characters, and I loved him. He is also hilarious, cool and has a "found family" crew to DIE FOR. He kind of reminded me of Nikolai Lantsov which is also a major plus.
“He has eyes like vast pools and a jaw made from shipwrecks and broken coral. Every movement he makes is as quick and fluid as a tidal wave. He belongs to the ocean. He is made from it, as much as I am.”
When I started the audiobook, I thought it'd just be something fun and easy to listen to for the day while I did a whole bunch of cleaning. In the end I fell FULLY IN LOVE WITH IT. And it was so unexpected yet so glorious. I adored the romance, the world, the writing and the characters. I listened to this entire thing pretty much in one day and had the best time, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. ABSOLUTE. ROMANCE. EXCELLENCE. ...more
"You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark."
I kinda love all things murder related - murder podcasts, buzzfeed unsolved, and murder t
"You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark."
I kinda love all things murder related - murder podcasts, buzzfeed unsolved, and murder tv shows especially .... I've seen almost ALL the "we need to find who has done this murder" show, both the fiction and non fiction ones. There's always something horrific, grim, and weirdly fascinating about murderers and all that. I'm sure people know what I mean.
But I've never actually read a true crime BOOK ... ever? Which is so weird, because books are my favourite medium for entertainment. I'll be Gone in the Dark is my first, and while I have literally nothing to compare it to, I'm sure it's one of my favourite true crime works I'll read.
What struck me about this book was the humanity and sympathy McNamara evokes throughout this book. She forefronts above all the people involved in the case and how the case haunted them. From victims, to families, to law enforcement. I really liked that this managed to explain the details of the case without being gratuitous. I hate when people play true crime like it's just a grisly fiction murder because it's not. McNamara was so perfectly able to capture the sadness and the horror of the cases she detailed which I liked.
Michelle also weaves her own personal experiences throughout the book. I think this was nice, and it definitely helped to humanise the case more. McNamara's frustration with the case was palpable, and it's tragic that she never got to see the arrest of the Golden State killer before she passed away.
However, the tangents into McNamara's life were sometimes distracting. I found myself lost and confused about where things linked up. Further, the book is not in chronological order and so I sometimes was confused with what point we were at in the timeline. I feel if I'd read this physically it may have been easier, but I listened to the audiobook.
Overall this was such an excellent first foray into the world of true crime novels. I definitely intend to read more of these, but am so sad in a way to know it must surely all go down from here since this was so excellent. I see now what all that hype was about.
And lord, does it feel good knowing this absolutely sicko creep got caught. ...more
it's the year 2018 and u still haven't quite been able to fill the hole in your heart from your childhood where rewatching Barbie's The Swan Lake everit's the year 2018 and u still haven't quite been able to fill the hole in your heart from your childhood where rewatching Barbie's The Swan Lake everyday used to be or is that just me ??
"I do not have a type! I am a type. I am the mysterious maiden who will not let anyone get close, who tempts people yet holds them at bay. I'm a siren who leads people toward their doom, the swan song of a love that never could be. I am the beautiful Fairy Queen, the entrancing witch in the forest who is lethally beautiful and forever out of reach."
I have been so looking forward to reading this book ever since it was pitched to me on twitter. It's a queer retelling of Swan Lake with a polyamorous ship. I love Swan Lake a lot, it's one of my favourite stories, and adding more fantasy elements + queer relationships to it sounded ideal. Overall I liked reading this, I just didn't LOVE it.
I am only going to make this a quick review of pros and cons because I do not have a LOT to say so lets get into it
Pros
- Swan Lake Elements: I really liked how this adapted and interpreted Swan Lake. It was both original and also had so many hallmarks of the story I loved. I also really liked some of the influences that the story had on the worldbuilding.
- Queerness: so this follows three main characters: Katya who is bisexual, Alexis who is non-binary and Zhen who is Asian and bisexual. The main ships are f/f and f/nb. There is also other polyam characters mentioned, lesbian and asexual side characters and more. I loved the queer focus in this world and how natural and embedded queerness was here. It's nice to have fantasy worlds that aren't focussed on reinforcing the gender binary and heterosexuality.
- Good set up: I loved the first 50% of this book. The set up with the characters and world was great. I also really liked how the dynamic was set up between Katya and Ivan and how the warring factions within the kingdom were set up. I flew through the first 50%. The pacing was also great throughout and there was lots of things happening.
Cons
- Characters: I personally didn't feel very attached to many of the characters. I liked all of them but I wasn't particularly invested and it made it kind of hard to root for them. I don't feel like I got to know much about these characters, even though this book was nearly 300 pages which is not EXTREMELY short
- Romance: While I loved the ship set ups, the romance was a little rushed for my preference. I really like slow burn and if this was on a scale this is more on the insta-love side (it's not insta-love, but the romance happens pretty quickly). Without super setting up the romance I never feel that engaged or invested
- Didn't stick the landing: While I loved the first 50%, the next 50% didn't work as well for me. I felt this book set up the beginning so well and created all this intrigue and then the last 50% was kind of rushed. The ending was pretty unsatisfying to me, although I do love that it had a happy ending where all the ships work out.
Overall this was fun and definitely unique! I don't think I've read any fantasies that incorporate queerness to this length so it was really nice to see. While it wasn't my favourite book by any means, I liked reading it and would recommend if you're looking for a Swan Lake retelling or a book that delivers f/f and f/nb romances in a fantasy setting!...more
WHEN will a man as sweet and tall as Percy Newton come into my life? I relate to bi disaster Monty so much but where's MY sweet bf/gf who kill give meWHEN will a man as sweet and tall as Percy Newton come into my life? I relate to bi disaster Monty so much but where's MY sweet bf/gf who kill give me soft kisses all the time :/ anyway this was cute & funny thats all I have to say on that...more
my friend who made me read this and listened to me whine about warners dumbass for so long: so what do you think of warner now huh :)
Me:
dont say it domy friend who made me read this and listened to me whine about warners dumbass for so long: so what do you think of warner now huh :)
Me:
dont say it dont say it dont say it dont say it dont say it dont say it
me: I am aaron warners whore
“In a world where there is so much to grieve and so little good to take? I grieve nothing. I take everything.”
First of all, let me say this is easily the best book of the series. And that is because of, MY GIRL, Juliette Ferrars. god, I adore her so much. Her developmental arc, from naive and scared to strong and literally take no shit badass was breathtaking and inspiring, and she could kick me in the face and I would thank her. In all seriousness her character arc was so impeccably written, the juxtaposition between her character at the beginning and end of the series makes me want to cry.
I love how technical her character growth was, and the focus on narrative structure to emphasise it Essentially, this series is an exploration of character growth embedded in a dystopian setting which functions as the structure that forces the development. Juliette's growth and strength is mirrored in the shifts in her relationships and friendships, as well as in her changing landscape and understanding of the socio-political structures of the world.. The motif of the journal, and the slow decrease of crossed out words and rephrased sentences is such an interesting and nice take on her adjusting worldview and growth as a character and I really appreciate how clever Mafi was about writing her arc. I also really enjoyed how the narrative does not conceal that Juliete is an unreliable narrator, and how throughout the series her narration becomes more reliable as she becomes more sure of herself, and also as she gains more tools and information to comprehend what is happening.
In conclusion: I literally ADORE Juliette so fucking much. What a badass. Like, everyone talks about Warner being a dreamboat when it comes to this series but I would uhhh ... give anything to date Ms Ferrars.
THIS BEING SAID. I didn't call myself an Aaron Warner whore for nothing because I LOVE him now. I really seriously loathed him at the beginning. I actually remember going on twitter and being all "you weirdos really love Warner when he's an abusive dickhead" but well well well how the turn tables. Once again, his character arc is very meticulously plotted out which makes his redemption arc so much more satisfying. I liked that Mafi balanced his tragic backstory with his current behaviour. While his backstory is an explanation for his actions, the narrative doesn't use this to necessarily absolve him of everything. I also really enjoyed that Warner and Juliette are depicted as slightly lethal, not so heroic people. It was interesting that part of both their growth that their growth was rooted in accepting they do not necessarily fit the traditional typecast of a 'hero'.
other characters
🍃 Kenji: LOVE HIM. His scenes with Juliette made me laugh out loud I adore him so much. I hear there is a book coming out just about him? I'm hyped UP
🍃 Adam: THE WORST. CHOKE BITCH !!!! Seriously though, the way his character came out and was revealed to be pretty much abusive and awful was interesting in that it was such a shift from the first book and again, great writing on Mafi's behalf. I loathe him so much, so so much.
🍃 James: ADORABLE. Deserves the world.
🍃 Brendan: fell in love with him due to his british accent in the audiobook
“The tattoo is just setting below his hip bone. H e l l i s e m p t y a n d a l l t h e d e v i l s a r e h e r e
So this entire book was one dramatic angst filled mess and I was living for it. If you're in the mood for some kinda roll-eyeing, so bad it's good romance THIS IS IT. The drama was seriously over the top at times, especially between Juliette/Adam/Warner but it was SO entertaining. I think it's so fun when you're so invested in one side of the ship you have an actual emotional response to things with The Ship happening and this is definitely what this book gave me. But I really liked that despite the drama, it's actually very well though out and the narrative structure mimics the shifting relationships between the three main characters.
The ending was just a little .. too open. YA coming around this time had this huge habit of literally just ending the book with the two characters standing next to eachother, holding hands, thinking about the battle that has just ended and the vague 'future' ahead and I HAVE ALWAYS HATED IT. I need more information than that! What's happening to the world now? Did everyone live? What are they donna do now?? i NEED THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I'm so glad Restore Me exists I hope it gives me the closure I crave.
[image]
All in all, this series was really fun and I'm glad I'm caught up on it because I FINALLY understand so many internet memes and banter. (The scene that sparked that iconic tumblr ask wanting to know if Warner was jacking off in his office ... when the scene came up in the book i CHOKED) I'm really glad I read this and I AM IN LOVE WITH the careful contruction of this series. Of all the YA dystopians I have read, this is definitely the most well thought out in terms of character, and probably this is the second best love triangle I've read, behind Tessa/Will/Jem which remains iconic.
(Hello, talk to me about the fucking iconic moment when Juliette is watching Warner work out and gets fully shooked about how hot he is fgjhdjhkfg my girl was THIRSTING TO THE EXTREME. love that for her !!!!)...more
more of a 4.5 but I couldn't fully get behind the end
FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED!
*dash from the incredibles voice* I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD! I SURVIVED BUT Imore of a 4.5 but I couldn't fully get behind the end
FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED!
*dash from the incredibles voice* I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD! I SURVIVED BUT I'M DEAD what im saying is ... this book absolutely broke me
“People don’t change. They just get better at hiding who they really are.”
Sadie has got to be one of the most gut-wrenching, emotionally exhausting, and yet wholly satisfying books I have ever read. Told partially in narrative format from Sadie’s point of view, and partially via podcast put together by the character and journalist West McCray this is one of the most unique books, structure wise, I’ve ever read. I loved the dual narration here. The podcast format wasn’t something I’d seen before and it immediately drew me in. It also worked so well as a vehicle for exploring the thematic issues, especially in emphasising the novel as a “fictional true crime”.
Sadie, the titular character, is on a mission to avenge her little sister Mattie, who she practically raised. What follows is a harrowing, oftentimes horrible story that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
One of the greatest strengths of this book is it’s main character. Sadie is such a driving force in this book, her narration is often blunt and errs on the side of unreliable at times, but she’s such a singular force and character within this book. She is determined, grief-stricken, angry, violent, yearning, patient, and so much more. She really feels like such a realised, fully formed character, with both strengths and flaws. I really loved the realism of her character. Sadie is a strong character, in many ways, and it was so nice to have a main character who’s dangerous and determined, whilst also so painfully human and broken in many ways.
I’ve never read a Courtney Summers book before, but I hear she doesn’t pull the punches when it comes to laying down pain and realistic trauma on the page and I got that here. Sadie’s past is horrible and deeply saddening, I think this book found a good balance in representing but not romanticising or simplifying trauma and awful lived experiences. I also really liked how the true crime approach worked to examine the treatment of these issues in real life and the affect they have on individuals and communities.
“It was a terrible thing, sure, but we live in a world that has no shortage of terrible things. You can't stop for all of them.”
Finally, I need to talk about the audiobook because it is great. The audiobook features a full cast and effects to emulate a real podcast during those sections. The high quality production of the audiobook and thought that had been put into translating the book was a delight, and it’s one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to. I wish more audiobooks were this thoughtful in their production.
Sadie is one of those books that just follows you around long after you finish it. Although parts of it were hard to read, due to the heavy subject matter, it was still one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read and I could not put it down. The podcast formatting is singular, and Sadie as a character is a driving force, who’s narration and story will haunt you long after you finish reading it. Although the ending was too open for my liking, (I recognise it was part of the formatting and aided in driving home the themes I GET IT .. I just still need closure okay!) this is still such a wholly well conceptualised book which excellent plot and character construction. Sadie has launched itself into my list of best 2018 releases.
trigger warnings: sexual abuse, child abuse, pedophilia, violence, murder, addiction...more
You ever finish a book, open the goodreads reviews, scroll down, read some reviews .. squint in confusion .... read some more .. and just go ... what.You ever finish a book, open the goodreads reviews, scroll down, read some reviews .. squint in confusion .... read some more .. and just go ... what. Every single review, you're like, what the heck. Because that is me with this book. because apparently everyone else didn't like it as much as ASIC but oh my god, I liked it SO MUCH MORE.
“She smiled at me, that one particular smile I hardly ever saw, the one that could open padlocks, Yale locks, bank vaults, the one that was a trapdoor down into everything.”
If you saw my review for A Study in Charlotte you would know I thought it was fun but there were some key elements I wanted development on to really like it. If you wanna know more about what this series is about, read that review. This one is going to be talking about this book specifically and the things I liked more about it compared to book one. Lets break them down:
→THE FAMILY BRANCHES: From the get go, the thing that interested me most about this series for me, was the different family branches and their tenuous connections between the Moriartys, Holmes' and Watson's. Most of this book focussed on family politics and explored the Moriarty family, which I LOVED. I also liked that Milo played a larger role in this, and so did Leander, Charlotte's uncle as well as Jamie's dad. The complex family politics, and each families influence on the global sphere was really interesting.
→CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: In A Study in Charlotte, I felt like every character was a bit too simple and predictable. The Last of August took a much deeper dive into these characters psyche, and developed them far outside of their famous namesakes. Charlotte, especially, I felt was given much more of an edge, and her character has this kind of dark side to it I really like. I disliked that she felt so similar to Holmes' the character in the first book, but in this one she feels much more developed and unique and I was glad of it. I also LOVED the Moriarty's and their characterisation.
→NOT AS PREDICTABLE: That ending ... what the FUCK. All I can say is I did not see where this book was going and I LOVE IT. The subversion of typical tropes around Holmesian characters and the absolute twist at the end was TOO GOOD. I didn't see it coming but it all came together so well at the end, and I was left wondering how I missed it. I love those reveals.
→THE GOOD WAS JUST AS GOOD: Everything I liked about book one was just as good here. The relationship between Charlotte and Jamie is great, and I love them a lot. I'm gonna real need them to step out of This Mess and be happy together to be honest. I think they're such an interesting duo, they're real different and yet two sides of the same coin. It's an interesting dynamic, and I really like the emphasis on the fact their relationship is built upon some questionable foundations. The unravelling of Jamie's romanticisation of Holmes was also interesting here, and I hope it continues.
"You used to go to plays with me and stay up late reading A Wrinkle in Time, and you'd make things out of clay and we'd bake them in the oven when mum wasn't around to complain about the smell, and some of them cracked. But you make beautiful art
(I realise this quote is weird out of context but if FUCKS ME UPPP)
Anyway, I really liked this. I feel like Cavallaro capitalised off of so much missed potential from book one here. I really don't get the bad reviews, for me this was just as exciting as the first book, but it had the added bonus of being much more complex and dynamic in terms of character construction. I really enjoyed the extension to the worldbuilding, and the way Cavallaro expanded the scope of the series tenfold. Bringing the characters into the realm of international politics and organised crime, for me, heightened the stakes enormously. The ending is mind-bending and a hell of a cliffhanger, and I'm definitely excited to pick up book three soon!...more
you ever finish a book, slowly close it like you're in a trance. Hold it for a second, then stare up at the ceiling contemplating what the point of liyou ever finish a book, slowly close it like you're in a trance. Hold it for a second, then stare up at the ceiling contemplating what the point of life even is anymore and why we're even bothering living because that is what I did after finishing this book.
I was gonna review this and I started but it was a trash review that didn't convey MY FEELINGS so I'll try again tomorrow xoxo...more
“You can decide you were wrong about something, and it doesn’t mean you were stupid. You just know more now. If I still thought the same as I did i
“You can decide you were wrong about something, and it doesn’t mean you were stupid. You just know more now. If I still thought the same as I did in seventh grade, I’d be worried.”
I've never read a book as intensely relatable as this one the only thing it needed was for the school to be forced to sing shout to the lord (which is an actual bop) or john 3:16 to be a perfect imitation of my own high school experience. SO THAT WAS FUN. I'm convinced Katie Henry went to school with me because she nailed it. It was frightening that some conversations and experiences happened to me WORD FOR WORD.
Heretics Anonymous follows Michael, who must navigate his new school, intensely catholic private school St Clare's. Looking for a friend, Michael attaches himself to a girl called Lucy who called out a Sister during class. Michael thought Lucy would be an atheist like him, but it turns out she's actually a devout catholic who wants to be a priest. Soon she introduces Michael to Heretics Anonymous, a group at the school who don't agree with the rules and hypocrisies at their school.
I loved how funny this was! At times I laughed out loud, and like I said it was EXTREMELY relatable. I haven't read many books with this kinda school in it and it was fun to see my experiences reflected back to me here. I also loved the discussions around theology and the discussion around the role the church plays as an institution and community. Again, I have to say this is one of the only books I've read that thoroughly and thoughtfully discusses the role of religion in society, and while lots of it felt like Religion in Society 101 for me since I did this for YEARS in school, it was still interesting, and I think if you don't know a lot about Catholicism and it's beliefs (and how different parts of the church implement them) you'd like this. The only thing I would say annoyed me about this book is the beliefs of the Catholic characters seemed very uniform. All the characters seemed to have quite fundamentalist beliefs, which I thought was a bit annoying since many catholics reject the more fundamentalist church beliefs. I don't think this book went as far as it could have in examining how Catholics interact with church beliefs they don't necessarily agree with. But this was also quite a short book and I understand there isn't time to do everything!
“My personal motto has always been if you've already dug yourself a hole too deep to climb out of, you may as well keep digging.”
lets talk about characters
➵ michael: the main character. He's an atheist who has no interest in Christianity and thinks people who believe in religion are a bit delusional. He also has a tense relationship with his father, and is prone to outbursts. I liked Michael in that I felt he was a real character, his personality seemed pretty well rounded and his arc came to a logical end. The relationship with his father was interesting to follow and I thought it was kind of nice to have a character who is a bit naughty or rebellious because they're kinda rare
➵ lucy: the other main character. she's catholic and wants to be a priest. I liked Lucy's character in that I felt she was well rounded and offered such an interesting opposition to michael. Her backstory is also very sympathetic and I liked her relationship with her friends. But I found her arc was a bit incomplete and I would have liked more, particularly in regards to how she reconciles some of her beliefs, as well as the arc around her family.
➵ avi, max and eden: Avi is jewish and gay, and Eden is Pagan and Max is coded as autistic. I enjoyed these characters but I thought all of them could have been more present. At the end of the story they all (and Avi especially) just kinda disappear. They could have been much more involved in the story. They also weren't that well developed or compelling which is a shame because they were interesting characters in theory.
“You don’t have a monopoly on suffering, okay? Other people get to be mad about their lives. Your broken leg doesn’t make my sprained ankle hurt any less.”
So aside from a few weakly developed characters and character arcs that felt incomplete, I also COULD NOT get on board with the romance. While I supported the relationship in theory, so many of the couples lines and scenes made me cringe or literally say "ew" out loud. For example, I found Michael saying he wants to worship Lucy as his church extremely cringy and cheesy. I also didn't really feel much chemistry between them and felt so many of their relationship issues weren't resolved properly by the end.
“It's theology. Were you expecting sex, drugs, and rock and roll?"
"One out of the three would be nice.”
Overall this book was so fun and I loved the sheer relatability of it. So much in here made me smile or laugh and the high school flashbacks were INTENSE. The characters weren't as well developed as I would have liked, and the romance didn't work for me, it's a short book and the humour makes up for it in many ways. Heretics Anonymous sets itself the task of deconstructing and examining the role of religion in society and it's influence on individuals, and in that pursuit it succeeded enormously. If you're interested in the religious element of this - that being the theological discussion, the experience of going to catholic private school, or you want a blast from the past about your own catholic high school days I'd definitely recommend this. If you want something funny, maybe with humour along the lines of Undead Girl Gang or Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda this book will probably work for you. But if you just want a high school romance, I definitely think there is other books out there to read before this one....more
“Sticks and stones keep breaking my bones but these words, these words will kill me.”
Going into this book, I wanted Warner to die. And coming out
“Sticks and stones keep breaking my bones but these words, these words will kill me.”
Going into this book, I wanted Warner to die. And coming out of this book, I recognise Warner is extremely valid and deserves better. Any author who can turn my mind about a character around like that deserves kudos, to be honest.
Shatter Me is essentially about: two moody boys and their ridiculous crush on the bad bitch girl who everyone underestimates until she shoots them in the kneecaps and honestly? I'm living for it
This series is .. extremely angsty and dramatic. But I love it. I love it. Look, drama and angst can honestly be so good, when pulled off right, and Teherah Mafi knows how to pull it off. I love how invested I felt in the characters and everything that was happening and the romance. That angst that just actually gives you a physical and emotional reaction but in a .. good way? is what I live for. I am a major angst demon and Teheram Mafi fed me so, so well.
“The truth," he says, "is a painful reminder of why I prefer to live among the lies.”
I adore the writing and format of this series. Teherah Mafi's writing is so beautiful and the imagery is so vivid. The setting and emotions of the characters are so palpable and I love how she connects character with genre form. The way she uses the first person point of view and journal style entry-esque format to construct the characters and destabilise our perceptions of this is really heckin clever. Juliette is, 100%, an unreliable narrator but I happen to really love those. And I love how Teherah Mafi used form to explore how she is unreliable. The lessening of the crossed out lines and the implication that, as Juliette gains friends and confidence, she also gains trust in her perceptions and emotions is just a really beautiful and unique way to utilise form. I am just, a ginormous hoe for authors doing real clever things with narrative point of view and genre form and Teheram Mafi does BOTH. I once again, have to respect the hell out of her.
“Nothing in this life will ever make sense to me but I can't help but try to collect the change and hope it's enough to pay for our mistakes.”
Okay lets talk about characters:
➢ JULIETTE: I love a bad bitch? Honestly Juliette's character growth has been SO GOOD so far. I really love that she started out this really naive character but she's becoming more strong willed and developing all this fortitude. I love how she went from letting people push her around to really taking a stand for what she believes needs to be done for her own self care here. I'm talking about the romance there. Juliette gets so much shit from reviewers here and I don't know why? I think she's super interesting I seriously love how unreliable her narration is at times, it makes everything much more interesting.
➢ WARNER: I cannot believe how much my mind changed on him. I still think he's a bit of a dick and problematic as fuck but I also ... like totally am on board with him too? His point of view and backstory were expanded on a lot here and it definitely strengthened his character. Again, a testament to Mafi's clever writing and incorporation of narrative point of view because she was really able to shift how we view Warner without it feeling unnatural. Also, we respect a mans with style and flair and that is what Warner has.
➢ ADAM: Honestly .. I was never totally sold on Adam and now I like him ... even less. His behaviour int his book was a little bit icky and I don't love how possessive he is and how uncontrollable he can be. His outbursts really annoyed me and I hated that he wilfully kept Juliette in the dark about things that concerned her. Essentially, if this was 2013 I would be sporting a #TeamWarner shirt right now.
➢ KENJI: THE REAL MVP OF THIS SERIES! We stan one (1) man only! Honestly Kenji made me laugh out loud and he's supposed to be the comic relief so that made sense. But he genuinely is funny which is nice because I hate when the 'funny' character is .. not. I also think Kenji's character got so much important expansion though that moved him beyond the realm of the tropey funny character and made him more real. The reveal of his backstory and history with Castle was one of my favourite scenes of the book.
“Loneliness is a strange sort of thing. It creeps on you, quiet and still, sits by your side in the dark, strokes by your hair as you sleep. It wraps itself around your bones, squeezing so tight you almost can't breathe. It leaves lies in your heart, lies next to you at night, leaches the light out of every corner. It's a constant companion, clasping your hand only to yank you down when you're struggling to stand up."
my one issue with this book and why I had to give it a three star not a four was the pacing. I found the first half of this book really slow and kinda boring. Nothing was really happening and the angst around Juliette and Adam's relationship just annoyed me because I don't like Adam enough to care about his emo behaviour. Only when Warner showed up and the plot kicked in did I really find this more interesting. Unfortunately though, it was too little too late.
I also think the side characters weren't really developed enough and it made the stakes less important. None of the side characters held any weight for me because they were barely explored and because of that, their precarious situation had little emotional impact on me. Because of that, the gravity of the plot felt much less apparent and most of the tension in the middle section was lost.
[image]
OKAY. All you people who said I would love Warner by the end can pat yourselves on the back for a job well done because I guess you were right. I really cannot wait to read Ignite Me, I've heard it's the best in the series and I just am so ready for Juliette to become even more of the badass she was always meant to be. ...more
I read a lot of series this year, but I don't think many had such a profound effect on me as this one did. When I started ToFULL REVIEW NOW POSTED
I read a lot of series this year, but I don't think many had such a profound effect on me as this one did. When I started To All the Boys I've Loved Before, I expected it to be a fun and fluffy contemporary I would enjoy for it's cuteness and that would be about it. But this series turned out to be so much more for me and I always find the best books are the ones like that. Where they just surprise you by how much they end up meaning to you. I cannot believe how quickly my whole entire heart fell in love with this series.
“One day all of this will be proof, proof that we were here, proof that we loved each other. It’s the guarantee that no matter what happens to us in the future, this time was ours.”
I had heard a lot of mixed reviews for Always and Forever, Lara Jean but I really liked it. Of all three, this felt like the most mature of the books. I loved that, as the books went on, the complexity of the issues Lara Jean and Peter face increases. Jenny Han really captures anxieties around growing up and how it feels to have to tackle these changes you feel are so enormous, and she writes about them so well. I felt like this book was super realistic, and the trials Lara Jean and Peter face were super relatable. I've always related to Lara Jean and her struggles but I think this (followed closely by P.S I Still Love You) most strongly resonated with me.
Lara Jean was the perfect eyes to read this series through. I adore Lara Jean. She’s a hopeless romantic, a baking goddess and honestly, a little bit extra. But I really loved that about her. I related to her so much and I really liked how she developed as a character and person throughout this series. She becomes much more mature and confident and outspoken as the series progresses and I really loved watching that change. Her character development was very well written, and I like how we follow her as she accrues knowledge and wisdom from her friends and family and from within herself that she takes into the next book. Her character arc felt continuous, which is great, because I hate when it feels like each books starts the character growth all over again.
“I don’t want to forget any of this. The way he’s looking at me at this very moment. How, when he kisses me, I still get shivers down my back, every time. I want to hold on to everything so tight.”
Of course we have to talk about the ROMANCE. Peter and Lara Jean’s relationship is far from perfect. Han deconstructs Lara Jeans idealised vision of romance she’s picked up from novels and film and that creates a teenage romance that is realistic in it’s messiness and oftentimes immaturity. But I really, really loved their romance. Peter is sweet and funny and a bit of a jock but in a really loveable puppy way. Lara Jean is so dorky and awkward but she’s also so so sweet too and the scenes of them together literally killed me from the cute fluffiness of it all. The truth is I’d date them both in a heartbeat. I also love how sex positive this was and how Lara Jean and Peter’s first time attempting to have sex was handled.
But it was the relationship between the Song Sisters that was my favourite aspect of this book (and series). I loved every single song sister individually. Kitty was probably my favourite but I adored Margot too. The sister relationship was honestly so spot on, and I related to it a lot as a middle sister of three girls. Seeing three sisters in books is so rare, this is one of the few series I’ve seen do it and the only one I’ve seen do it so very well. Hen nailed the complexities and intricacies of navigating relationships with your sisters. Theres ups and downs but ultimately you always have eachothers backs. This was perfectly communicated here and I felt incredibly seen through reading Lara Jean’s relationship with her sisters.
“I have a feeling that when I'm Stormy's age, these everyday moments will be what I remember: Peter's head bent, biting into a chocolate chip cookie; the sun coming through the cafeteria window, bouncing off his brown hair; him looking at me.”
In conclusion: I love everything about these books and since there is no more coming out all I can do is: eat chocolate chip cookies, while rereading the books and crying about how long it'll be until P.S I Still Love You drops on netflix.
Loading...
