BOOKS, mythology and Feels.
Hello lovelies!
I am thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for How Moon Fuentez Fell In Love With The Universe. As soon as I read the synopsis and saw that it was marketed as “The Hating Game meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter”, I knew I had to ask to be a part of the tour!! I am happy to say that this book lived up to my expectations and more!
Continue reading “Blog Tour – How Moon Fuentez Fell In Love With The Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland. Book Review & Favourite Quotes”Hello lovelies!
I hope you are all well!! I have read so many amazing queer books this month, and even if the sapphic aspect of this story (sadly) happened off the page, I really enjoyed this one! Here’s my review!
Author: Annabel Fielding
Title: Lying with Lions
Synopsis: Edwardian England. Agnes Ashford knows that her duty is threefold: she needs to work on cataloguing the archive of the titled Bryant family, she needs to keep the wounds of her past tightly under wraps, and she needs to be quietly grateful to her employers for taking her up in her hour of need. However, a dark secret she uncovers due to her work thrusts her into the Bryants’ brilliant orbit – and into the clutch of their ambitions.
They are prepared to take the new century head-on and fight for their preeminent position and political survival tooth and nail – and not just to the first blood. With a mix of loyalty, competence, and well-judged silence Agnes rises to the position of a right-hand woman to the family matriarch – the cunning and glamorous Lady Helen. But Lady Helen’s plans to hold on to power through her son are as bold as they are cynical, and one day Agnes is going to face an impossible choice… (Goodreads)
4 stars: Aphrodite – Goddess of love and beauty. That means that I really liked the book, whether it was the writing style, plot or characters. It means it was an amazing book that I would completely recommend for the beautiful piece of art it is. However the book is not a Persephone because something keeps it from making it one of my favourite book ever.
Iris– Goddess of rainbows. Nothing new here, we all know that rainbows represent the LGBTQ+ community so this Goddess will be featured whenever a queer relationship or character appears.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and this one was no exception. The plot was intriguing enough: Agnes Ashford, an archivist is employed by the Bryant family to catalogue their archives but uncovers secrets that changes everything.
I loved the mystery aura this book had. We learn through the main character, Agnes, secrets about the mysterious Bryant family and how they each navigate arounf them. The subdued mystery/ crime aspect of the book was thrilling.
But the best part was the author’s voice. As it is mentioned in the Author’s note, so many elements of the story are inspired by historical events and historical figures but the author added their unique and interesting voice. The prose was beautiful and I highlighted so many quotes.
I liked the narration which focused on Agnes, who is a social climber with a lot of ambition. How could she not be one in the world she was living in? I didn’t find her to be particularly likable but that didn’t bother me at all. On the contrary, I loved reading about her ambition, the way her beautiful brain worked and how devoted and loyal she was (even if it was sometimes for her own gain). I will forever root for cunning, smart and ruthless young women. Her character development was the best part of the story; she began the story as a naive “little lamb” to becoming a ruthless lion under Helen’s supervision.
That’s another element I loved in the story: the romance between Agnes and Helen! I loved the fact that there was a sapphic relationship in this setting and I regret that most of the romance aspect happened off the page even though their closeness could be seen by everyone. I loved how they helped each other in their own way and also how unhealthy it was. It was raw and honest and I couldn’t get enough. And there were the other characters: Henry and Meredith who I couldn’t help rooting for. They were great “supporting” characters and it was nice to read their thoughts when the author shared them.
At some point the characters travel to Italy and the description was excellent because I felt as though I was traveling with them. This voyage was accompanied by talks of history and art which I truly enjoyed and I think the author captured Edwardian England pretty well.
I really recommend this book if you enjoy historical fictions, laced with political scheming, secrets, romance and betrayal.
Hello lovelies!
I recently finished this wonderful book and I wrote a short review for it, so here you go!
This is the second book in The Bridge Kingdom duology so no synopsis because there are spoilers!!
4 stars: Aphrodite – Goddess of love and beauty. That means that I really liked the book, whether it was the writing style, plot or characters. It means it was an amazing book that I would completely recommend for the beautiful piece of art it is. However the book is not a Persephone because something keeps it from making it one of my favourite book ever.
Let me start off by saying that the audiobook version is FANTASTIC! I loved it so much. The actors really brought the story to life and it made me enjoy the book so much more than I would have by myself. This book was even more gripping than the first one and I loved every single moment! It was action-packed and entertaining. It was filled with angst, hope and love and I couldn’t get enough. Lara and Aren (I don’t know how their names are written lol) have such a beautiful and strong bond that made every single moment of the story believable and enjoyable. Their love was so strong and deep and they’re one of my favorite couples ever. The plot and pace kept me on my toes and the sorry was so full of twists, turns and different characters! I only had a few chapters left and I thought: how is the author going to wrap up the story in a satisfying way? Well she did. Beautifully. I am now on my way to read more books by the author because this story had everything I love: great romance, great plot, great characters; what more do I need?? |
I loved the first book so much, especially the retelling part, that I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this one has much as I have the first…LET ME TELL YOU: I LOVED IT EVEN MORE.
2021 cannot come enough because I NEED the third book as soon as possible.
Title: The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and The Dove #2)
Author: Kaitlyn Davis
Synopsis (Goodreads): Return to the world of The Raven and the Dove, where winged people rule the skies, a lost kingdom lives at sea, and two star-crossed lovers hold the fate of each in their palms. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
A mage written in prophecy…When Lyana wakes in the Sea of Mist, adventure is the first thing on her mind. But between her unruly new magic and an unyielding young king, the world below comes with more responsibility than she ever dreamed. An entire civilization exists within the fog, and its survival depends entirely on her.
A hunter forged in blood…Adrift at sea on a ship full of strangers, Rafe fights to cope with his new reality. He’ll do anything to return to the sky and the people he left behind. When a surprising offer comes his way, he instantly accepts, sparing no time to consider the consequences.
Loyalties are tested and an ancient war begins anew…With rebellion in her heart, Cassi defies her king and befriends the prince she’s been ordered to kill. Oblivious to the threat, Xander welcomes her into his inner circle, determined to rescue his mate. As one works to help and the other to hinder, an ancient enemy stirs, forcing Cassi to choose between trusting the man who broke her heart and turning her back on everything she’s ever known.
4 stars: Aphrodite – Goddess of love and beauty. That means that I really liked the book, whether it was the writing style, plot or characters. It means it was an amazing book that I would completely recommend for the beautiful piece of art it is. However the book is not a Persephone because something keeps it from making it one of my favourite book ever.
Iris– Goddess of rainbows. Nothing new here, we all know that rainbows represent the LGBTQ+ community so this Goddess will be featured whenever a queer relationship or character appears.
Athena– Goddess of wisdom, poetry, art, and the strategic side of war. I will feature the goddess whenever there is a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) because they are a symbol of resilience, strength and wisdom to me. I also want to put forth African folkore, myths and gods and since Athena is the goddess of poetry and art I thought it was fitting.
I would like to thank the author and the BookFunnel Team for providing me an ARC of The Hunter and the Mage
The retelling of Tristan and Isolde in the first book was based on deceit and I liked how the author still manages to weave that theme into the story. I have a sweet spot for morally grey but lovable characters and I had my fill with this book.
The ending of the last book was chaotic to say the least and it picked up right where we left of. I really thought the beginning was a little slow because all of the characters were adjusting to their new fates. These moments were filled with so much angst and my poor heart couldn’t take it. In a good way. I love angst. This allowed us to discover the world below the mist and it was fascinating. I am in awe of the impeccable world-building. I think it was the strongest asset of this book. Everything was so well-thought, both in the different Houses in the world above and in the World below the mist with all the different kinds of magic.
I also liked all the new characters and especially the ship’s crew on The Wanderer. Brighty is my new favourite and I really hope we will get more chapters in her point of view. The multiple point of view is really working with this story and it was nice to connect the dots with every little clues we were given; I really enjoyed that.
Now on to my favorite part: the new romance between some of the characters! I did not see that coming and I honestly loved it. My heart is full and warm and I really hope we get to see more of their undeniable chemistry.
I also really like how well the character development was made in the sense that the characters became more mature but still have their essence. Often with second books in a series the characters change so much that you barely recognize them but thankfully that was not the case here. It was wonderful to see them all grow and becoming confident. I’m really attached to all of the characters (the good ones and the bad ones) and I really can’t wait for the next books.
Also this is a spoiler-free review but DAMN that revelation in the last chapters! Can’t wait to find out more!
I really would have liked a page at the beginning which introduces, categorizes and explains the different types of magic. It would have been really helpful because it was easy to get lost.
Anyone who pre-orders a copy of The Hunter and the Mage is elligible to receive two gorgeous character cards (drawn by the artist Dominique Wesson) as a thank you – one of Xander, and one of Cassi. All the information, including the sign up sheet, can be found on the author’s website: https://www.kaitlyndavisbooks.com/p/pre-order-giveaway.html There’s also an additional giveaway for exclusive character art on the page. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you!
I hope you enjoyed this review! Have you read the first book? What is your favourite retelling? Let me know in the comments!
Hello lovelies!
Woohooo I did it! *Happy dance*. I managed to read 10 books in three weeks! The first two weeks were off to a rocky start but I managed to catch up this week since I read 5 books. FIVE BOOKS. IN A WEEK. I usually manage to read five books in a month so I’m very proud of myself.
I really liked challenging myself and I think I might do this project again in the future. I want to hank you for taking this journey with me. Here’s a list of all the books I read with ratings and small reviews :
Beach Read: I love romance with my whole heart. I scarcely read books that do not contain a romantic relationship in it. It can be the worst plot ever, if the romance works, then I’m sold. This book was the best romance I have read in a long time. The chemistry between the characters was wonderful and the banter was just so well-written I couldn’t spot grinning. The plot was complex and exceeded my expectations and the writing style made it an enjoyable and swift read. I want to put this book into everyone’s hands. Full review to come.
Bérénice: This is a French classic. I love everything the playwright Racine writes and this play was no exception.
Shatter Me: It’s my sister’s favorite series and what got her into reading. I cannot believe it took me so much time to read it. The beginning was too slow for me but once the plot picked up I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Party of Two: It’s as though the author looked inside my head, saw the kind of book I craved for and wrote it. It was perfect.
Get A Life, Chloe Brown: This was so cute. It was a healthy, sexy and funny romance and I couldn’t get enough. I also want to get a life…and a Redford Morgan please.
The Hunter and the Mage: this is the second book in The Raven and the Dove series. This was an ARC and I will release a review closer to publication date. I was so afraid it wouldn’t live up to my expectations but it did and that makes me so happy.
Clap When You Land: This was heartbreaking in a beautiful way and reconciled me with books written in verse. A true masterpiece. See my full review here.
The Wicker King: This has highly been recommended to me and I ordered it immediately. I initially gave it four stars but it was very different from what I expected and I think I was trying to convince myself that I loved it but I didn’t.
Her Royal Highness: This story was really cute and had all the elements I like: a sapphic relationship, a school in Scotland, great friendships and royals. What’s not to love?
The Siren: this was a big disappointment especially since I love The Selection series. This was a lot darker than I expected and the romance was lukewarm. I couldn’t wait to get it over with.
That’s all folks. Spot any favorites? Let me know in the comments!
Karla.
Hello lovelies!
I hope you are all safe and well.
I am loving this time, because I get to read a lot of books that were sitting on my TBR. This book was also part of my OWLs for the class: Transfiguration: a book/series that features shapeshifting!
Here the review for this wonderful book!
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Title: A Heart so Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2)
Synopsis: The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers. Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen–until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall? (Goodreads)
Rating:
Hello lovelies!
You would think that I would post more during this quarantine, but truth is, my lazy self points its ugly nose and I just spend my day procrastinating. However, I have a lot, of time in my hands and thankfully I manage to read a little. So here is my review for A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer.
Ttile: A Curse so Dark and Lonely
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Synopsis:Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s pulled into a magical world. Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Continue reading “A Curse So Dark and Lonely – Brigid Kemmerer – Book Review (with Spoilers!)”
Anotherbookworm 