Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: YA/Fantasy Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: Bought Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price. Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse. This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves. Confession time! I completely bought this book because of it's cover. I mean, it's one of the prettiest books I've ever seen.
The hardcover and the illustrations inside are stunning! I particularly love the unique way in which the illustrations reveal new pieces of the story as you read before culminating in a large, completely gorgeous scene at the end of each short story. I don't typically enjoy short stories as I usually need more time to connect with a character but these stories drag you under in a matter of sentences. The world and character building is flawless, the morals are fantastic and the imagery, both visually and written is beautiful. I love the interwoven details and themes from the fairytales we grew up with, but I love how these stories explore darker themes that are skimmed over in the child-friendly versions. Don't expect handsome princes and helpful animals in these stories; although some do talk. Expect mystery, spine-tingling danger and difficult choices within fantasy worlds where our heroes have to battle against evil in all it's forms. I can't even begin to choose a favourite tale. I loved each and every one and I will most definitely be re-reading these stories for years to come. A running theme through these stories is strong, powerful women in one form or another, and I love it! This is my first Leigh Bardugo book and I'm chomping at the bit for more! A glittering 5 stars from me! Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: YA Standalone/Series: Standalone (although I'd personally recommend reading Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda first) How I got this book: Bought Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love-she's lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can't stomach the idea of rejection. So she's careful. Fat girls always have to be careful. Then a cute new girl enters Cassie's orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly's cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly's totally not dying of loneliness-except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny, flirtatious, and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she'll get her first kiss and she'll get her twin back. There's only one problem: Molly's coworker, Reid. He's an awkward Tolkien superfan, and there's absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right? Crush number 28 - Book of the epic feels, Molly of the so damn familiar it'd be creepy if it wasn't so awesome!
Reading this book was really surreal. Have you ever read a book and felt as though it was written just for you? That's what this book felt like. I felt like Molly every single day of my life growing up and now isn't that much different. I have serious body confidence issues, I'm anxious, self-doubting and really introverted. Reading about Molly took me right back to being an insecure teenager, to all those unrequited crushes, the feelings of not knowing who I was or where I belonged, feeling like the very last person in the race when it came to first kisses, first love and all the stuff that follows. Thankfully, when I was 17 I met my very own Tolkien obsessed, adorably geeky Reid-type and I'm also really close with my sister (much more so now than we were as kids). I love this author's work. The way she perfectly encapsulates a character and makes them relatable to you, makes you invest in them and care about what they're going through. On that note, if you haven't read Simon vs The Homo Sapien's Agenda, you really really should, especially before you read this, because even while it's a standalone it's set in the same 'world' and features some of the characters including Simon himself! I love how Becky Albertalli supports and advocates for the LGTBQ+ community in all of her work. It's refreshing, realistic and just pure awesome!! Molly is relatable (I think I've already mentioned that), she's sweet and compelling. Her relationship with her sister is tangible and develops throughout the story along with Molly's own character. This book is packed full of feels, and my face is tired from a whirlwind of expressions, mostly the goofy smile I couldn't shake for hours afterwards! I can't wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out and I know Molly and her story are going to stick with me for a very long time to come. Did I mention that I love this story?? Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: YA Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Hachette Children's Group via NetGalley I can feel it swimming through my veins like glitter ... it's liquid gold. When socialite Lexi Volkov almost overdoses, she thinks she's hit rock bottom. She's wrong. Rock bottom is when she's forced into an exclusive rehab facility. From there, the only way is up for Lexi and her fellow inmates, including the mysterious Brady. As she faces her demons, Lexi realises love is the most powerful drug of all... It's a dirty business getting clean... I found this book whilst trawling through NetGalley and quickly read through the sample chapter. I loved it immediately! The protagonist is sharp, witty and ferocious when dealing with such a difficult subject matter and I was laughing almost immediately.
After reading just one chapter, I was completely invested in the main character and couldn't wait to read more. Thankfully, I was approved for a full ARC copy that I dug back into with relish. This book is bursting with teenage angst, grit and drama (think Gossip Girl) but it's so much more than that! It's diverse, deep, thought-provoking and above all else, realistic AF! Lexi is sarcastic, fiery, self-deprecating, badass and a complete mess. She’s 100% relatable despite her privilege and she won me over from the very beginning purely because she made me laugh. The British humour coursing through this book is fresh, unexpected and a perfect juxtaposition to the gritty, real, and varied themes and issues explored through Lexi each character she meets on her journey to recovery. This book won't be for everyone. It's harsh and real. It's a story about addiction in all its forms and the author doesn't shy away when things go wrong. What I love most about this book is how there's something for everyone inside. We all have flaws, triggers, damage, issues, and compulsions, and the author writes them in such a way that I couldn't help but draw comparisons to my own life. We're taken on a journey of self-destruction, self-realisation, hope and love with Lexi and the others, and upon finishing the book I felt like I learned something about myself and the rest of the world. “We aren’t broken. We’re just alive.” Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: Fantasy/Romance Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley "It's time to find the beauty in the beast." A sumptuously magical, brand new take on a tale as old as time—read the Beast's side of the story at long last. I am neither monster nor man—yet I am both. I am the Beast. The day I was cursed to this wretched existence was the day I was saved—although it did not feel so at the time. My redemption sprung from contemptible roots; I am not proud of what I did the day her father happened upon my crumbling, isolated chateau. But if loneliness breeds desperation then I was desperate indeed, and I did what I felt I must. My shameful behaviour was unjustly rewarded. My Isabeau. She opened my eyes, my mind and my heart; she taught me how to be human again. And now I might lose her forever. Lose yourself in this gorgeously rich and magical retelling of The Beauty and the Beast that finally lays bare the beast's heart. Where has this book been all my life?
As with a lot of fellow readers and romance lovers, Beauty and the Beast is one of my all-time favourite fairy-tales and so the prospect of reading a re-telling of the story from the Beast's perspective was too good an opportunity to miss. What's strange is that reading this book didn't feel like reading just another re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. It's a story that is entirely it's own and in certain aspects, extremely different than the original story. The author writes beautifully, painting an enchanted world that springs to life from the pages. I adore the backstory, it's fantastically detailed and complex: the Fairy's motive, the Beast's life in the forest, the mirror, the house and it's servants, the garden, his gifts to Isabeau's family - it all works so well to create a compelling, driving story that I was unable to put down. The Beast is captivating. His inner struggles and turmoil, which run so much deeper than appearances alone, alongside his longing for company and human interaction, made the story all the more compelling. The love in this story is powerful, life-changing and realistic in its growth (it's not insta-love, but love and affection that grow over time from friendship.) In addition to plenty of backstory and a side to the beast that we've never before seen, it was also interesting to be presented with Isabeau's family, and these three other characters who add so much to the story through their own growth, tragedy and love. Whilst reading, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to the original story, mostly in that this story offered more mature, emotionally complex, insightful details than the Disney version we're all familiar with. I also often found myself thinking of Pride and Prejudice, comparing Elizabeth and Isabeau due to their similarities in outspokenness and unwillingness to admit to their feelings. It probably comes as no surprise that the Beast's portrait and his obsession and despair brought to mind Dorian Gray. Overall, I fell in love with this story and the unique viewpoint it offered through the eyes of the beast. It's 5 stars from me and I will definitely be re-reading this book! It's the story I never knew I needed. It made my heart quicken, my eyes tear and my imagination run wild. Disclosure: I fell in love with the Beast so many times reading this that I may need therapy. Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: Romantic Comedy Standalone/Series: Sequel to The Story of Us but can be read as a standalone How I got this book: ARC from Grand Central Station Some of you might know that Tara Sivec is one of my all-time favourite romance authors and so, I was thrilled to get my hands on an ARC of her new novel, Wish You Were Mine. Wish You Were Mine is the sequel to The Story of Us, although it can be read as a stand-alone. Synopsis:From the USA Today bestselling author of The Story of Us and Fisher’s Light comes a new, standalone novel—a heart-wrenching story about first loves and second chances that will make you fall in love all over again…. Five years. I would’ve stayed away longer if I hadn’t received the letter. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about her, haven’t missed her smile, haven’t wished that things were different. The last time I saw my two best friends, I vowed to not stand in the way of their happiness, even if that meant I couldn’t be a part of their lives. Cameron James and her emerald-green eyes were too much of a temptation and I couldn’t stay and watch them together. Cameron deserved better than me. She deserved him. But now that I am back, things are different. I’m not going to stand by and watch the woman I’ve always loved slip away again. I’m done living my life with regrets and I’m ready to tell her the truth. And I’ll do whatever it takes to show her that I always wished she was mine. Review:I know, right? You can already tell it's going to be amazing!
Wish You Were Mine is a beautiful, haunting second-chance love story. This book will break and heal your heart whilst simultaneously making you laugh, smile and cry. I read this book in one sitting (that lasted a good few hours) because I just could not put it down. (I'd apologise to my family for my absence but I'm pretty sure they're used to it by now.) Aiden's letter had me entranced and welling up from the start. All of the characters are real, believable and witty and their journey is heartbreakingly beautiful. Tara's characters always leave a lasting impression, even the ones who don't make it (if you read The Story of Us, you'll know who I mean). In Wish You Were Mine, the three main characters Cameron, Everett and Aiden are supported by a fantastic array of characters including Cam's best friend Millie, Everett's brother Jason and Cam's parents Eli and Shelby (it was a real joy to see how their happy ending and how things came full circle for them at the end). I love Tara's writing style and her dual POV that allows you to really connect with each character, to feel and experience their thoughts and emotions which made this story extremely powerful. I lost all track of time as I was drawn into the lives of Cam and Everett. If you loved The Story of Us, or Fisher's Light, Cam and Everett will steal your heart. Their love is so powerful it bursts from the pages. I often found myself cursing the characters for not seeing what was right in front of them, but the way Tara perfectly illustrates their personal journey and the steps which lead them back to each other will leave your heart in tatters. If you love second-chance romance stories, inseparable best friends and life changing relationships, you need to read Wish You Were Mine. FYI, whilst some of the characters in this book were introduced in The Story of Us, it can be read as a stand-alone. But for those of us, like me, who fell in love with Rylan, it was not only lovely to see how he was honoured in this book, but also to find a similarly amazing character in Aiden. 5 stars from me and definitely a book I'll remember! |
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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