The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW

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Non-spoiler

Immediately, I can say that I enjoyed this so much more than the first book! Maybe it was my love of Anthony. Maybe it was my love of Kate. Or maybe it was because I am complete trash for the enemies-to-lovers trope.

I had so much fun reading this book. Anthony and Kate were a perfect pairing and watching their banter and conversations made me feel so full! Kate was infinitely a better female protagonist to Daphne. Kate was smart and funny and stubborn and stood up for herself. Paired with Anthony (who I adore), they were perfect.

I liked that their relationship was a slower pace than Daphne and Simon’s and felt more natural. It was nice to see how protective Kate was of her sister Edwina and I also loved delving into Anthony’s past a bit more and discovering how close he was to his father.

Overall, this book was so much better than The Duke and I and it has me undeniably excited for season 2 of Bridgerton. I think the casting of Kate is perfect and I can’t wait to see her character brought to life!

Wandavision | TV REVIEW

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Spoilers

WandaVision is Marvel’s most original and ambitious story yet. I was apprehensive going into this show because I had no idea what to expect. But I should never doubt Marvel because it was phenomenal! The sitcom through the decades was funny and charming and I think this story worked so well as a show rather than a movie- it gave us a chance to make predictions and theories which was maybe the best part.

The first couple of pure-sitcom episodes were a joy to watch. I loved the humour and quirkiness of the concept. But the story is elevated when the real-world elements came into play. It was an ambitious concept and plot but it played out perfectly, with twists and turns at every point and satisfying character arcs.

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany truly stole the show. I’ve never minded Wanda or Vision but I found a whole new love for them during this show- especially Wanda. Her character development was complex and captivating. Her powers (and costume!) were awesome and there is no doubt that she’s the strongest Avengers. She’s been through so much and it was heart-breaking to see her deal with grief and work through that. I was close to tears so many tears because, out of everyone, she has lost the most and Olsen portrayed Wanda’s grief spectacularly. The theme of grief also presented maybe one of my favourite Marvel quotes ever: “What is grief, if not love persevering?”

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW

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Spoilers

I binge-watched the Netflix show and had to read the books to deal with my withdrawal until the next season. This was a fun experience- usually I read the book before watching the adaptation- but I enjoyed picking out all the similarities and differences. I preferred the show to the book (which doesn’t happen often) but there’s many reasons for this.

There were some big differences in the characters which shocked me. I liked Daphne a lot more in this book- she had more personality. Colin was another character that surprised me- in the show, he comes across as sweet and naïve and innocent. In the books, he’s portrayed as a lot more mischievous, cheeky and promiscuous… which I kind of enjoyed? Show Colin was very goody-two-shoes for me. And finally, I think the last biggest character difference was Violet. I really liked her in the show but in the book, she seemed shrill and controlling and over-the-top. Wasn’t a fan.

The writing style was a little odd and sometimes jarring for me to read. It was third-person limited but the perspective would also change between Daphne and Simon mid-chapter. It confused me and took me out of the story many times.

Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout | BOOK REVIEW

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Non-spoiler

I didn't know what to expect from Scorched (and not just because the blurb on the back was the wrong book...). I was hoping for a spicy enemies-to-lovers and it was kinda that but also so much more. This story touched on some really difficult and hard-hitting topics which I really appreciated. 

Compared to Frigid, I preferred Andrea and Tanner as characters. They were more entertaining and I lived for their flirty banter. They had a great dynamic and I found them more complex and interesting than Kyler and Sydney. Their romance was more intense and I was rooting for them from the very first page. 

While Frigid had a more 'thriller/mystery' element, Scorched dived straight into mental health subplot. I really appreciated how such delicate subjects were handled liked depression, anxiety and alcoholism were handled. This book got pretty serious at points but the struggles enhanced the romance and made the story and characters so much more realistic. 

Generally, I preferred Scorched to Frigid due to the depth and complexity of the plot and characters but both stories are amazing. These books are addictive and perfect reads for quick romance fix.