tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043662324811738192024-03-24T07:09:53.154+00:00Forever FictionalA blog about books, movies and anything to do with fiction because who wants to spend time in our drab old world when we can go to Hogwarts?Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.comBlogger609125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-22920038967805703572022-03-06T14:56:00.002+00:002022-03-06T14:56:17.787+00:00House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas | BOOK REVIEW<p></p>* * * * *<br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Spoilers</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I don’t even know where to start with this book. There’s so
much to talk about and it was all amazing! I’m tempting to start with the
ending because I’m still gobsmacked but I’ll restrain myself.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIFDwGLClU7AnyC5Dd_-fPcG0Cjp4ELIISUMcmZCPOfdu8atrJRapwBMSEXE2f-G-8Oix_tb59jF9UHdiYSwj-1pmD_WArqlBbdH1LL0C-3w4LLv2GH_Oh9PreQriwGP8NgVAjlbfni3z5n67VBuz6PmbEwINb5hmZYkgi-Kb_Sg9LaV5JwHvZCHlx=s812" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="642" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIFDwGLClU7AnyC5Dd_-fPcG0Cjp4ELIISUMcmZCPOfdu8atrJRapwBMSEXE2f-G-8Oix_tb59jF9UHdiYSwj-1pmD_WArqlBbdH1LL0C-3w4LLv2GH_Oh9PreQriwGP8NgVAjlbfni3z5n67VBuz6PmbEwINb5hmZYkgi-Kb_Sg9LaV5JwHvZCHlx=w253-h320" width="253" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Firstly, Bryce and Hunt. They were perfection. I loved the
progression of their relationship and that they’re mates! I love how their
power intertwines and how supportive they are of each other. They talk through
everything and their bond is amazing. Power couple right there.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I loved watching Bryce’s journey to becoming a princess and
seizing her power. Both her and Hunt are formidable opponents.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But, in this book, I have to say that Ruhn was my favourite
character. He’s just so supportive and caring and honest. He never once acts
jealous of Bryce’s power- he loves her too much. He’s not proud or jealous like
so many other siblings would be.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His scenes with Day were my favourite. Initially, I
predicted it was either Celestina or Hypaxia but both of them were ruled out at
the same time. After that, I guessed it was the Hind because it all lined up.
She turned up at midnight just after the Harpy and I knew it had to be someone
we knew. Pollux was the aggressive male that kept interrupting them. We also
had a scene quite early in the book where the Harpy and Hind interact with
Ithan and Ruhn- I thought it was a random scene but made sense if she was Day
as it introduced them to each other as enemies. I was so happy to guess it
right because the scene where they find out was amazing! I ship Ruhn and Lidia
so bad!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another of my favourite character was strangely Flynn. I
think he’s underrated, okay? I loved how him, Declan and Ruhn so quickly and
easily befriended Ithan, and I love that the sprites follow him around
everywhere like fangirls. Also, why is there a part of me that ships him with
Ariadne?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ithan and Tharion were way more important than I ever
thought they would be. I didn’t care too much about Ithan’s storyline but I
love Tharion! I’m so interested to see where his journey with the Viper Queen
is going to go.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This book was action-packed and there were so many plot
twists to unveil. Cormac’s involvement in Ophion, Baxian (who I adore) being
Danika’s mate, and the truth behind the Asteri’s power. I definitely think Hel
is going to be a powerful ally and our characters will team up with them in an
epic battle against the Asteri.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And then… the ending. When I tell you I put the book down
and squealed. I was so full of adrenaline- I kind of just flailed around a lot.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Hello, Bryce Quinlan. My name is Rhysand.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That line sent me into a state of shock. Bryce didn’t go to
Hel- she went to the Night Court! I can’t even put into words how excited I am.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I haven’t even read A Court of Silver Flames yet! Does this
mean the two series are going to converge? My puny brain can’t handle this.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As always, Sarah J. Maas always knows how to get her
audience on the edges of their seats and creates a story that encapsulates the
word epic. She builds such a large and interesting set of characters and
everything intertwines perfectly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What did you think of House of Sky and Breath? <o:p></o:p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-65665143628655337552021-06-26T19:27:00.000+01:002021-06-26T19:27:10.153+01:00The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGapDA2q_5a6T7VuFnQHNh2zoIJ99YkSQbvxpWWps4r2TQmvSo8tLd992Qw8Q6V9CapKFidaGZdO47AXDaH1EXrjApXKrB4L9yehMHjTc7mX24h75JvhN7GNMQXF5Pvn_SgdFKgnz3-ww/s674/thehateyougive.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGapDA2q_5a6T7VuFnQHNh2zoIJ99YkSQbvxpWWps4r2TQmvSo8tLd992Qw8Q6V9CapKFidaGZdO47AXDaH1EXrjApXKrB4L9yehMHjTc7mX24h75JvhN7GNMQXF5Pvn_SgdFKgnz3-ww/s320/thehateyougive.PNG" /></a></div> * * * *<br /><p></p><p><b>Non-spoiler</b></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m actually ashamed of how long it took me to read this. The
Hate U Give is a massively important and emotional book and I found myself
captivated through the entire thing. The characters were lively and vibrant and
the different relationships were so realistic and heart-warming. The message of
this book was enlightening and I completely understand why it’s as hyped up as
it is.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Starr is a great protagonist. I love that we got to see her
grow and speak up despite her fear and despite the risks. Her perspective on
the world was eye-opening and I really enjoyed reading about her. I also
thought the contrast between her school life and home life was interesting and
it was great to see that, throughout the book, the two versions of her started
to blend together until she was just 100% herself and wasn’t ashamed of any
part of herself.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What I loved most about this book was the range of different
relationships we got to see and explore. Starr and her relationship with Chris,
her parents, her siblings, DeVante, her school friends, Kenya, her Uncle. There
were so many different dynamics which made it easy to fall in love with these
characters. My personal favourite dynamic was Starr’s mum and dad- they were so
sweet and obviously in love and I’m obsessed with them! I also thought her dad
was one of the most amazing parents I’ve seen portrayed in fiction- his
dedication to his children and family melted my heart.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Hate U Give commented on some extremely serious and
poignant topics and I think it dealt with them exceptionally. It didn’t
sugarcoat anything and was a brutally honest look at the issues in our society.
I think this is a book that will stick with me for a long time and is a
brilliant tool to start open discussions about equality in our society.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I adored this book and can’t wait to dive into more
by Angie Thomas. The characters were complex and interesting and the social
commentary was so important and impactful.</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-24274672045209666382021-06-08T17:22:00.003+01:002021-06-08T17:22:32.543+01:00Roomies by Christina Lauren | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYSn-NWkrhkpsCiHNVogpYH66Cn3HBK_7l5fbM6eu8_zTPdznreDMt_RydmACWHKg9K8kH7hcvFP2FfX2aBJcc4vSioCFVm8YZIFoXdADYF0sehHENobVTk9f9Ibo4K19RKCHGKsDcak/s685/roomies.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYSn-NWkrhkpsCiHNVogpYH66Cn3HBK_7l5fbM6eu8_zTPdznreDMt_RydmACWHKg9K8kH7hcvFP2FfX2aBJcc4vSioCFVm8YZIFoXdADYF0sehHENobVTk9f9Ibo4K19RKCHGKsDcak/s320/roomies.PNG" /></a></div>* * * *<br /><p></p><p><b>Non-spoiler</b></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve heard a lot of hype about Christina Lauren books but,
after reading Twice in a Blue Moon, I felt a little underwhelmed. Roomies,
however, was a vast improvement and made me more excited to jump into the
backlog of Christina Lauren. It was cute concept and the characters were easy
going and loveable.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really liked Holland as a protagonist. She was an
inspiring writer which made her very relatable to me and I loved the
exploration into her purpose and insecurities. She wasn’t 100% sure of what she
wanted in life and struggled to put what she wanted before others and I
appreciated her journey to discover herself before she truly committed to
someone else.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Calvin was a standard, good love interest. He was charming,
sexy and loveable. (He also had a Irish accent which wins immediate brownie
points for me). I thought he was well-suited to Holland and I enjoyed watching
their relationship develop. Roomies had an interesting take on the ‘fake
dating’ trope which worked really well and the pages turned themselves.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a great set of side characters but one particular
subplot I really appreciated was Holland’s friendship dynamic with Lulu.
Throughout, there were obvious toxic traits in Lulu’s behaviour and I liked
that the book didn’t give her a redemption arc- sometimes people are just toxic
and they will never change. Sometimes, it’s not worth it to stick around and
wait for them to become a better person. You have to consider whether the
relationship is healthy for you. I have experienced this in the past so I
really loved reading about a friendship dynamic which didn’t end with
unrealistic make-ups and happily ever afters.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I thought this was a really great book and I
devoured it. I’m really excited to read more of Christina Lauren now. Any
recommendations would be great! </p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-44943067787523590342021-05-29T18:48:00.004+01:002021-05-29T18:48:52.632+01:00Moxie | MOVIE REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNr_ds43LgMnH__pQkpS9v_zGes2Ah-1C50-zdI_cVnLOWDI4U3cBvLPHoN8slgA21_xtbZWP6uwDl_c1uq1GqW1PwkD2P2ruKQN5Glx_kYBEh27XHNLay2BI8jnDr8s_q4IkFgsQsjiM/s685/moxie+movie.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNr_ds43LgMnH__pQkpS9v_zGes2Ah-1C50-zdI_cVnLOWDI4U3cBvLPHoN8slgA21_xtbZWP6uwDl_c1uq1GqW1PwkD2P2ruKQN5Glx_kYBEh27XHNLay2BI8jnDr8s_q4IkFgsQsjiM/s320/moxie+movie.PNG" /></a></div>* * *<p></p><p>Non-spoiler<br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">As soon as I finished the book, I watched the movie and it
was super faithful! Pretty much everything that happens in the book happens in
the movie and the characters stayed true to themselves. Because it was so
accurate to the book, it still lacked depth for me and the characters sometimes
felt two-dimensional. But, overall, it was a great adaptation.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just like the book, I really liked the premise and how women’s
issues were raised and discussed. Again, I think if I had seen this movie and
read the book in my early teens, I would’ve absolutely loved it and obsessed
over the message. But, as I’m older and have a healthy passion for all things
feminism, nothing about this movie was particularly ground-breaking or
mind-blowing to me. I do hope it speaks to a lot of younger people though and
introduces and inspires them to educate themselves on women’s rights-
especially intersectionality which was one thing that really shone in this
movie for me. Don’t get me wrong, I thought a couple of things felt tokenistic
and on-the-nose but the topic of race was brilliantly raised hand-in-hand with
feminism.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The casting was really solid for this movie and lined up
with the book well. I think I preferred Seth in the movie to the book though I
will say that book-Seth was more flawed and probably more realistic.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, this was a faithful book adaptation and would have
been eye-opening to me as a kid. I love the premise and the message but it
wasn’t as hard-hitting and impactful as I wanted it to be. I can’t really put
my finger on it but something was lacking. So, an enjoyable movie, but
unlikely to be a favourite of mine.</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-69363844008526696462021-05-15T19:33:00.004+01:002021-05-15T19:33:57.101+01:00Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bt4_L5leEudgD7TccTPjsdN8_FQthPa1rubvf3jiCSSxojDpd7Ra-ALMcgDKQFt3adKgTpFGZZ93Rt32OSbatjjvLqvIh3a3vpqDbQ3422SGXpCOfMqt5M6dRpnXmjdsMIWXV2EmE0A/s687/moxie.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="627" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bt4_L5leEudgD7TccTPjsdN8_FQthPa1rubvf3jiCSSxojDpd7Ra-ALMcgDKQFt3adKgTpFGZZ93Rt32OSbatjjvLqvIh3a3vpqDbQ3422SGXpCOfMqt5M6dRpnXmjdsMIWXV2EmE0A/s320/moxie.PNG" /></a></div> * * *<p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">This book was always going to be my cuppa tea. Feminism and
calling out the patriarchy? Count me in.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I liked Moxie. It was fun and raised a lot of important
points when it comes to female empowerment and misogyny. The concept was cool
and I would’ve loved a female revolution or club when I was at school.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The characters in Moxie were okay but they’re never going to
be my favourite characters ever. They were a little two-dimensional at times.
However, I will say that I loved the female friendships that blossomed
throughout the story. The love interest, Seth, was alright but I thought that he often got praised and celebrated for doing the bare minimum. He doesn’t
objectify women and he believes they should be equal? Congrats. So should everyone.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I thought the plot was fun but often predictable and the
‘twists’ and ‘turns’ weren’t exactly mind-blowing. But, overall, it was a fun
read and if I had read it in my early teens, I know I would have loved and
appreciated it back then a lot more.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m also super excited to see the movie adaptation on
Netflix. I’ve heard really great things and I hope that the adaptation brings a
bit more maturity and depth to the story.<br /></p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-1225091028172648852021-05-09T12:19:00.000+01:002021-05-09T12:19:31.246+01:00Unchained by Jennifer L. Armentrout | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBCrkLfRUBx9vrj3tjwm5pniXoO0lajPVq4SfaLmMr44N5AvDP2P28Mo5olB_O7PKb4_eDVmBTk2_3qJbPygftm-uf5YbZt0VKtyQkZgDpYGcgru1fmuHeEXKG9mFAV16W7zv5WcVkuE/s699/unchained.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBCrkLfRUBx9vrj3tjwm5pniXoO0lajPVq4SfaLmMr44N5AvDP2P28Mo5olB_O7PKb4_eDVmBTk2_3qJbPygftm-uf5YbZt0VKtyQkZgDpYGcgru1fmuHeEXKG9mFAV16W7zv5WcVkuE/s320/unchained.PNG" /></a></div>* * *<br /><p></p><p><b>Non-spoiler</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fantasy romance is my all-time favourite genre and this was a solid
read of Nephilim and Fallen Angels. It will never be my favourite JLA book. It
kind of felt like The Dark Elements series was a re-imagined and better
executed version of Unchained. <b><i>Julian walked so Roth could run</i>.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really liked Lily and Julian and they were my favourite
plotline to follow. I wasn’t a huge fan of the other random POVs we got
throughout the book and I skim-read most of Michael’s chapters. It was pretty
obvious what Michael was going to end up being and I understand that this story
was supposed to be a series so we would have had a lot more time to explore how
his character learned to accept and thrive on his powers (he’s the equivalent
of Trinity in the Dark Elements but Trinity is 100 times cooler).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lily’s journey to realising that not all Fallen are evil
really reminded me of Layla’s epiphany that not all demons are evil in the Dark
Elements. Honestly, the only thing that Unchained did better was the steamy
scenes. In any other way, the Dark Elements is superior.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I thought the plot was solid but the end ‘villain’ was
pretty predictable and unsurprising. This was the second book that Jen ever
wrote and that was evident in the reading experience for him. Not that it was
bad but it definitely didn’t meet the sky high standards of her other books.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, this was a fun and quick read but it felt like an
early and poor version of the Dark Elements. In the future, I think I’m just
going to stick with Roth and Layla.<o:p></o:p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-11779354498116412782021-05-02T16:36:00.002+01:002021-05-02T16:36:54.983+01:00Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHJzFdax3LgaYUtmfWiUlbNqPsnDIcmTwj-IjSCeCvnUjN9Sb12ry7QcyHNr2kaU1o0kin8-QsXQ-rs2kG-iGkk66_PajKc3eecuk8jaxqH46_JAnv8WniEJ5ruACp1CkN_A3zorx75U/s689/cursed.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="591" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHJzFdax3LgaYUtmfWiUlbNqPsnDIcmTwj-IjSCeCvnUjN9Sb12ry7QcyHNr2kaU1o0kin8-QsXQ-rs2kG-iGkk66_PajKc3eecuk8jaxqH46_JAnv8WniEJ5ruACp1CkN_A3zorx75U/s320/cursed.PNG" /></a></div> * * *<div><b>Non-spoiler</b><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am gradually making my way through Jen’s backlog of books
which is so much fun. While JLA is my all-time favourite author, this was not
my all-time favourite book of hers. You can easily tell that it’s early-days
Jen just from the writing style and how much she has grown as an author. I
didn’t mind this book but it will never be a fave of mine.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This book had an interesting plot. I liked the
Shatter-Me-esque concept and the characters were entertaining enough. I thought
Ember was a strong character and her dedication to her sister was admirable. I
also liked Hayden and his blossoming relationship with Ember- though, I will
admit that Hayden’s feelings for her were very insta-lovey. He saw her once,
didn’t even speak to her, and then couldn’t stay away? Sure...</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The story was interesting and I loved how it had a
thriller/mystery type feel. However, I think the villain reveal was very
obvious and I predicted it from the second the character came onto the scene. Nevertheless,
the final scenes were climactic and well done. I would’ve liked a little more
closure and loose ends to be tied up at the very end but, overall, it was an
enjoyable read.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I don’t think this will ever be my favourite JLA book because
it didn’t fill me with the obsessive, giddy feeling that I usually have with
her books but it was nice to see how her writing has evolved.<o:p></o:p></p></div>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-54991684142814958452021-04-25T13:01:00.000+01:002021-04-25T13:01:13.216+01:00On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1t9eb00lPCFTIBgwpkOY5K6skhV3L0bMdb6emitCfXxLE98QjNSW6sG1aU1V9bIw5s-Uv-oBY9oa07j2ujb5a_vbfJTYPiYdXbBgnYN1LKMLmouJ1TUm2RYsFaOGj0LtrU9BbTiw_8bs/s695/onthewaytothewedding.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1t9eb00lPCFTIBgwpkOY5K6skhV3L0bMdb6emitCfXxLE98QjNSW6sG1aU1V9bIw5s-Uv-oBY9oa07j2ujb5a_vbfJTYPiYdXbBgnYN1LKMLmouJ1TUm2RYsFaOGj0LtrU9BbTiw_8bs/s320/onthewaytothewedding.PNG" /></a></div>* * * <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Non-spoiler</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have really enjoyed reading the Bridgerton series but this
was a disappointing finale. It’s one of my least favourites and I didn’t feel any
connection or love for the main characters.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We’d only really seen Gregory in Hyacinth’s story and,
from what I’d seen, he was really funny and charming. But in this book… he was
just annoying. There was painful insta-love at every turn in this story and
Gregory was whiny and irritating through the whole thing. Lucy wasn’t much
better- there was nothing enamouring or interesting about her.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The story was extremely predictable and I wish the blurb hadn’t
given so much of the plot away. I also don’t think the prologue was necessary-
it basically outlined what was going to happen in the story and destroyed any
suspense or intrigue.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The only good thing about this book was the side characters.
We got to see Anthony and Kate who I’ve missed so much! We also got glorious
glimpses of Hyacinth and a brief cameo of Colin which brought a massive smile
to my face.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I loved this series but I wish Hyacinth’s book had
come last because it would have been a great finale. On the Way to the Wedding
was just too predictable, insta-lovey <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and unsatisfying.<o:p></o:p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-42915097568580850962021-04-22T17:29:00.000+01:002021-04-22T17:29:49.473+01:00It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimo4CdIvCnY6-TNbr95CgddnBHo_9pOi7Kw3GAbq80YfGOGt1FZAC7XdSXqTqRZBN6N7IvFVO7VsdYlF0w6gdA5XjePIifcfZmof2B61MJxn11CPR5Aftyllgs9iMyAf-RBUagAboJDg/s693/itsinhiskiss.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="628" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimo4CdIvCnY6-TNbr95CgddnBHo_9pOi7Kw3GAbq80YfGOGt1FZAC7XdSXqTqRZBN6N7IvFVO7VsdYlF0w6gdA5XjePIifcfZmof2B61MJxn11CPR5Aftyllgs9iMyAf-RBUagAboJDg/s320/itsinhiskiss.PNG" /></a></div>* * * * *<br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Non-spoiler</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I still have one more book to read in this series but I
THINK THIS IS MY FAVOURITE! I absolutely adore Hyacinth and she was a
captivating and brilliant heroine in this book. I loved the mystery element,
the romance, and the humour. The epilogue had me simultaneously frustrated and
ecstatic! I don’t even know how that’s possible.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hyacinth is probably my favourite Bridgerton sibling. She
didn’t star in the show very much so I didn’t know what to expect but she’s
perfect. She’s intelligent, outspoken and unashamed to be herself. She doesn’t
apologise and she has a certain charm and sarcasm that instantly endeared me to
her. I also loved Gareth. There are some questionable love interests throughout
this series but Gareth was great. He was entertaining, funny and could match
Hyacinth’s wit. I loved their banter and it was a joy to read.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I think the reason why I love this book more than the others
is because this one had an actual subplot! We had a mystery to solve throughout
this book and it was so much fun to watch Hyacinth and Gareth discover all the
clues and try to solve the mystery. Like I said, the epilogue was both
infuriating and satisfying and it makes me desperate to read the following
short story to see if Hyacinth ever finds the jewels!<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We had a great ensemble of side characters in this book too.
We got to see a lot of Lady Danbury who I adore and we also got to see more of
Gregory which has been long awaited. Hyacinth and Gregory’s sibling rivalry and
jokes were hilarious and I couldn’t stop smiling when they were in the same
scene.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, It’s In His Kiss was a league above the rest and it
makes me really sad that I’ll have to wait until SEASON 7 for this story to be adapted
in the show. I loved the characters, the mystery and there was more humour and
fun moments in this books which made the pages turn very fast. <o:p></o:p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-41286133369213767872021-04-17T16:02:00.001+01:002021-04-17T16:02:28.046+01:00When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vKHGyZvNN9x3To6RwzfSLFY2WBHGQG6DKly3cb7LocWZvNcHBqsYDy3XgkYDAzf-JG_rRFunm-Z9gsP83818zDtbHjwAvxK5hOBvWE81pcao52a4Rix89EvcceL3SA7IxDPa5Pmtwfg/s699/whenhewaswicked.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vKHGyZvNN9x3To6RwzfSLFY2WBHGQG6DKly3cb7LocWZvNcHBqsYDy3XgkYDAzf-JG_rRFunm-Z9gsP83818zDtbHjwAvxK5hOBvWE81pcao52a4Rix89EvcceL3SA7IxDPa5Pmtwfg/s320/whenhewaswicked.PNG" /></a></div>* * * *<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Non-spoiler</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really loved this one! I absolutely fell in love with this
book and this couple. When He Was Wicked is definitely the steamiest Bridgerton
book so far. The romance was scorching and addictive so, if that’s you cuppa
tea, this is the book for you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t know much about Francesca going into this book but
I liked her. I can’t say she’s my favourite female protagonist of them all but
she was smart and funny and passionate. Michael… was probably one of my
favourite male protagonists, though. He was funny, charming, sexy and nowhere
near as problematic as some of the other characters (after Phillip in the last
book, Michael seemed like he fell from heaven).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I thought the ‘I’m-in-love-with-my-cousins-wife’ take on a
popular trope was fun, well done and worked really well for the characters. I
was glued to the page whenever Francesca and Michael were in the same scene and
the ending was beyond satisfying.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The side characters I really loved in this book were
Hyacinth and Colin. I haven’t mentioned Hyacinth too much before but she’s
phenomenal! She gives me Netflix-Eloise vibes and she’s always making me laugh.
I’m so excited that the next book is her POV. I also loved to see Colin (when <i>don’t
</i>I love seeing Colin?). This book overlaps with Colin and Eloise’s story so
it was nice to align the timings and know what was about to happen. Colin was
charming and swoon-worthy as always but I also love how perceptive he is and, in
many ways, he set things in motion throughout this book.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I adored this book so much. It will be one of my
favourites of the series for sure but I don’t even know how I’m going to go
about ranking these books. (All I can currently place are the two books that
will be ranked last).<o:p></o:p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-35522216828432719422021-04-11T14:39:00.000+01:002021-04-11T14:39:06.275+01:00To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT1G64idMw60qUM1QMgpad-AcIegpTQIvveXdgHWm1VSytTw967gk2jF3Ay1H1KW4Jnhl5IxqKG6v6oTP1zCOtuXopF-fgwbE-ijOSiIWOJ5u0pidY2Egbr17Cfo-Eaeirh__Ky2J5gM/s694/tosirphillipwithlove.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="578" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT1G64idMw60qUM1QMgpad-AcIegpTQIvveXdgHWm1VSytTw967gk2jF3Ay1H1KW4Jnhl5IxqKG6v6oTP1zCOtuXopF-fgwbE-ijOSiIWOJ5u0pidY2Egbr17Cfo-Eaeirh__Ky2J5gM/s320/tosirphillipwithlove.PNG" /></a></div>* * *<p></p><p><b>Non-spoiler</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had high expectations for this book. Eloise is my
favourite character in the show and, while I knew I couldn’t expect the book
version of her to be quite so iconic… I was disappointed. It was a flat story
and probably my least favourite pairing of all the books so far.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I went into these books fully aware that Eloise wasn’t going
to be the explicit feminist icon that she was in the show. That wasn’t what
bothered me about the book. Phillip bothered me. He’s not good enough for
Eloise. I understood Phillip’s background and trauma but that man was a raging
red flag! He has definite anger issues and doesn’t listen to Eloise on so many
occasions. I don’t mind a quiet and introverted character (I would be quite
hypocritical to do so) but he was rude and dismissive for no reason. Eloise
deserves much better.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The side characters we saw were mainly Oliver and Amanda
and, while I liked watching them slowly come to like Eloise, they annoyed the
hell out of me. They were really rude and boisterous and (for someone who isn’t
great with kids) I would be so overwhelmed in their presence. I also couldn’t
stand Phillip’s anger and aggression towards his kids. No, he never hit them,
but he thought about it so much that it made me really uncomfortable. Red flag.
Red flag. Red flag.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My favourite scenes in this book had to be when the four
Bridgerton brothers barged in. I love their banter and conversations with
Eloise. It was nice to see after having to spend so much time with only Phillip
as a, less than stellar, male character. I also loved hearing mentions of Kate,
Sophie and Penelope- couples<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that I can
actually get behind! </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, this book is currently ranked at the bottom along
with Simon and Daphne’s book. I still have three more Bridgerton books to read
but I’m so sad that Eloise’s story will be ranked so low. I’m looking forward
to seeing Eloise’ character progress in the show and hope they take her
relationship with Phillip in a different direction.<o:p></o:p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-46927935059245830022021-04-09T19:26:00.000+01:002021-04-09T19:26:08.077+01:00Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julian Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFGXx818rUOfaa0m05ljbG7DiITLKBgEaHNc7TvpAc8wHW2qU4eKoEBpzfezK5bJlH_9QfaRbIgIs_jyf69RMYlk6i3OEoZ07z5sHcVcfMvb6k4xX8ftJqPJTthWKgGP1CUCFpe-aag8/s702/romancingmrbridgerton.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFGXx818rUOfaa0m05ljbG7DiITLKBgEaHNc7TvpAc8wHW2qU4eKoEBpzfezK5bJlH_9QfaRbIgIs_jyf69RMYlk6i3OEoZ07z5sHcVcfMvb6k4xX8ftJqPJTthWKgGP1CUCFpe-aag8/s320/romancingmrbridgerton.PNG" /></a></div>* * * *<br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Spoilers</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve been looking forward to Colin and Penelope’s book and
it didn’t disappoint! Penelope is such a sweetheart and this story made me love
her even more. I loved reading in her perspective and learning more about her
experiences and reasons for becoming Lady Whistledown. I also adore Colin- he’s
so much funnier and more interesting in the books. I hope the show can portray
him with justice in the following seasons.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Watching Colin and Penelope’s relationship unfold was
beautiful. I feel like they bring the best out of each other- Colin gives
Penelope confidence and Penelope helped Colin realise his dreams of being a
writer.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I really enjoyed the plotline of Lady Whistledown’s identity
and how it all came out. It was fun knowing from the beginning that Penelope
was behind the whole thing and it was great to see Penelope grow confidence and
a sense of pride over what she has accomplished.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This book also had maybe the best array of side characters.
We saw a lot of Eloise which brought me joy because I’ve always loved Eloise
and Penelope’s friendship. We also saw more of Lady Danbury than we’ve ever
seen in the books before and I love that woman so much! We had so many great
women in this book which satisfied me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, this was the perfect story for Colin and Penelope.
It’s not my favourite of the series but I adore their characters so much and
I’m really looking forward to watching this play out in the show (patiently
waiting for season 4 to come out before season 2 is even out!).</p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-25887966064350166302021-04-03T16:30:00.002+01:002021-04-03T16:30:27.406+01:00An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_6IF2o6pg1BAyiMLWKOlyU-pHvgROh1FqjU8ethLUpSWhPtbtiHVmGkeDSjayUfsDzCFcuA-ZaWfTkNsD3P5x0oo3JEXmCDB-BdhqcifYYXBS37j1mxnJqnTXgoFybSq5eHszJ_0qAI/s685/anofferfromagentleman.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_6IF2o6pg1BAyiMLWKOlyU-pHvgROh1FqjU8ethLUpSWhPtbtiHVmGkeDSjayUfsDzCFcuA-ZaWfTkNsD3P5x0oo3JEXmCDB-BdhqcifYYXBS37j1mxnJqnTXgoFybSq5eHszJ_0qAI/s320/anofferfromagentleman.PNG" /></a></div>* * * *<br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Non-spoiler</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I sped through this so fast! I couldn’t get enough! Benedict
and Sophie’s story was a Cinderella retelling which I absolutely adored. This
story had MAJOR love-at-first-sight vibes but it didn’t annoy me all that much.
I just accepted the insta-love and let myself enjoy the book.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Benedict was one of my favourites from the TV show and the
book did nothing but strengthen my love of him. I thought Sophie was a perfect
match for him (though, I really wanted TV show Benedict to be gay…). I loved
the Cinderella-esque qualities of Sophie’s circumstances and watching the two
of them develop a relationship was beautiful.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also especially loved this book because we got to see our
first true appearance of Eloise! She was definitely my favourite character of
the show so I’ve been waiting not-so-patiently for her to show up in the books!
I loved that we saw glimpses of Benedict and Eloise’s close bond because I
adored their dynamic in the show.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I continue to absolutely love Colin, despite him being such
a minor character at the moment! I don’t think the show has done his character
justice just yet- he’s constantly making me smile and laugh! I also have to say
that my initial opinion of book- Violet has changed. At first, I thought she was
pushy and annoying but I like her a lot more now- she’s funny, kind and
extremely clever.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I loved the structure of this story. The masquerade ball.
The two-year time jump. The time spent at My Cottage before going to live with the
Bridgertons. The arrest and jail time. It all worked so well! The pacing was
great and I found myself addicted to this story way more than the first two
books (though, Anthony and Kate are probably still my favourites so far. I
think the only book that could dethrone them would be Eloise’s. We’ll have to
see…)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I devoured this story and can’t wait to continue
the series! I’m excited to see more of Colin and Penelope in the next book! It’s
been really fun knowing Lady Whistledown’s identity this whole time and I can’t
wait to see how everything plays out!<o:p></o:p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-69055905653676988022021-03-28T16:39:00.002+01:002021-03-28T16:39:21.258+01:00The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcDM_XTgoODakmOOp8fGIrLvSrWh_InbXCp3PxRd2VbDwxGoIfePtD-59MYstkYz1ie4uzt7dxQWjqyffo4o8d0LFwtnMNT2nn8zH8HiY8tW1Ii_tskJsXCVdhcYc883Gw5RZeR3cTz0/s688/theviscountwholovedme.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcDM_XTgoODakmOOp8fGIrLvSrWh_InbXCp3PxRd2VbDwxGoIfePtD-59MYstkYz1ie4uzt7dxQWjqyffo4o8d0LFwtnMNT2nn8zH8HiY8tW1Ii_tskJsXCVdhcYc883Gw5RZeR3cTz0/s320/theviscountwholovedme.PNG" /></a></div> * * * *<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Non-spoiler</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">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.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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!</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-76153191209338365562021-03-08T15:11:00.005+00:002021-03-13T15:11:55.573+00:00Wandavision | TV REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtBhRsjx0pUWj4ZVZWZFEasMTdZ_Z6F9Rm9XanlNaW0HW5lYa08ELZnrp3NykQHkyZg_lRoW-VbgiKtaSMtOTnrirX_VzUrEOzKF1P7L-ezsFxBP8ddaBnrGjWy4YoPB8xVDH74FHz8w/s685/wandavision.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtBhRsjx0pUWj4ZVZWZFEasMTdZ_Z6F9Rm9XanlNaW0HW5lYa08ELZnrp3NykQHkyZg_lRoW-VbgiKtaSMtOTnrirX_VzUrEOzKF1P7L-ezsFxBP8ddaBnrGjWy4YoPB8xVDH74FHz8w/s320/wandavision.PNG" /></a></div>* * * * *<p></p><p><b>Spoilers</b></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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?”<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We also had an amazing cast of side characters from Monica,
Jimmy and Darcy (my fave!), to X-Men Quicksilver and the twins. I also loved
Agatha who the perfect staple of a Marvel villain- noble principles but evil
execution (plus, a theme song that stayed in my head for weeks!).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">WandaVision was a joy to watch and showcased every reason
why I love Marvel so much. It was the perfect story to lead onto the next Phase
of the MCU and I can’t wait to see how Wanda’s powers continue to develop.</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-19916879962539585002021-03-06T16:30:00.001+00:002021-03-06T16:30:59.483+00:00The Duke and I by Julia Quinn | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjklQrdelT8XefDT4aavQYtGlYlk2J0z3zhoAbl05Y7PaSIVhMWLdDGlvuurL4NaX-xLaPbXpFgtELiJvgUbzk_3_qjlf6bl_LvilUMq25DDDmuThsRdRwGB0Jzm708KyMpeN40gEVIA0/s691/thedukeandi.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjklQrdelT8XefDT4aavQYtGlYlk2J0z3zhoAbl05Y7PaSIVhMWLdDGlvuurL4NaX-xLaPbXpFgtELiJvgUbzk_3_qjlf6bl_LvilUMq25DDDmuThsRdRwGB0Jzm708KyMpeN40gEVIA0/s320/thedukeandi.PNG" /></a></div> * * *<br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Spoilers</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The main romance between Daphne and Simon was pretty faithful
between the book and the show. I liked watching their romance blossom but,
similar to the show, it’s clear that certain aspects of their relationship are extremely
toxic and they both make some horrific choices. The sex scene (<i>you know which one) </i>made me so uncomfortable and I hated reading it- just like I hated watching it in the show. However, I will say that it raises the right conversations. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My main reason for preferring the show was the depth and
subplots. Yes, I understand that the book focuses on the two characters while
the show gets to explore the lives of every single Bridgerton but the show is
just more entertaining! When reading this, I missed Eloise, I missed Will, I
missed Lady Danbury- I even missed the Featheringtons! The book has absolutely
no subplots whatsoever and it lacked depth for me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I enjoyed the book and will probably continue the
series but I think the show takes this story to another level- not to mention,
the diversity that the show brings. I’m really excited for Anthony’s story,
though- enemies to lovers, here we come! </p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-85651466907810906972021-03-04T14:48:00.000+00:002021-03-04T14:48:20.527+00:00Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrsBACp1-fuFW5K7nMFcIFatMIwLk50FFj-sIbG2c4-JQxQn-Mst4NSUzvllGUZYYIZ7fT6HRI0Z4XHxDISofAtKiL9EG5LS1C4YCniMPasG6iuzFsy9Q2PMA5CjnTED5nKEfrSH3wiU/s730/Scorched.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrsBACp1-fuFW5K7nMFcIFatMIwLk50FFj-sIbG2c4-JQxQn-Mst4NSUzvllGUZYYIZ7fT6HRI0Z4XHxDISofAtKiL9EG5LS1C4YCniMPasG6iuzFsy9Q2PMA5CjnTED5nKEfrSH3wiU/s320/Scorched.PNG" /></a></div> * * * * *<br /><p></p><p>Non-spoiler</p><p>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. </p><p>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. </p><p>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. </p><p>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.</p><p><br /></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-30958292340607148762021-02-24T14:44:00.004+00:002021-02-24T14:44:46.393+00:00Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZ83d1RZmEnCeqRH_ufTvEh_8tCd3O50oCOOCrhVIcTAGwsYKJUj2MPZPhiBpVEGl4MSiRIPjBfyOrpQfGhWQ3ZVOtqEjZ59RHROmqvj4WU6YdNGpp7AZ0sRyBlVENSNIRbqzwwQaG2M/s684/frigid.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZ83d1RZmEnCeqRH_ufTvEh_8tCd3O50oCOOCrhVIcTAGwsYKJUj2MPZPhiBpVEGl4MSiRIPjBfyOrpQfGhWQ3ZVOtqEjZ59RHROmqvj4WU6YdNGpp7AZ0sRyBlVENSNIRbqzwwQaG2M/s320/frigid.PNG" /></a></div>* * * * *<br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Non-spoiler</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m never shocked that I rate a JLA book 5 stars… it’s
expected now. I love a contemporary romance and I especially love it when
they’re written by my favourite author. This was a lovely friends-to-lovers
romance and, the fact that it snowed where I am whilst reading this, made it
even more immersive. It’s a perfect winter read.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sydney and Kyler were great protagonists. They had great
chemistry and a scorching romance. I will admit, there were a couple of times
where I just wanted to shake them for being so oblivious, but that’s the fun of
friends-to-lovers. Watching their relationship develop was entrancing and I
couldn’t put the book down.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What I love most about Jen’s contemporary books is that it’s
not all about the romance. There’s often subtle subplots and additions of
thriller/mystery which makes everything so much more gripping. There was a
stalker subplot to this book and, while the ‘antagonist’ was pretty
predictable, it added another element and layer of intrigue to the book.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I loved everything about this story. It was
compelling from start to finish and Jen is a master at writing sweet but
scorching romances with swoon-worthy characters. I’m really excited to move on
to the next book, Scorched, to read Tanner and Andrea’s story! Fingers crossed
for enemies-to-lovers!</p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-16822443971483349602021-02-18T17:01:00.000+00:002021-02-18T17:01:00.237+00:00Crown of Bones by A. K. Wilder | ARC BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYHpL2zG1k5u6EK5R2DF53PVaI7aI6CwVEvJ7omfEG5w-IubCcS67qMszGGMGGDPOOj-n-yCqWmpIRjHF1aDIVZN3fIHayz8gtaGAUZNKtMxZUHfTL0o2DjUSjKhvK-NDbyEE-OuEQRQ/s686/crownofbones.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYHpL2zG1k5u6EK5R2DF53PVaI7aI6CwVEvJ7omfEG5w-IubCcS67qMszGGMGGDPOOj-n-yCqWmpIRjHF1aDIVZN3fIHayz8gtaGAUZNKtMxZUHfTL0o2DjUSjKhvK-NDbyEE-OuEQRQ/s320/crownofbones.PNG" /></a></div>* * *<p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>I was sent an ARC of this book from Entangled Teen in
exchange for an honest review.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was really excited to jump into this book. The whole
concept of being able to call up phantoms is awesome, and it created a great
base to the book. I liked the book as a whole but I felt like a lot of things
were told instead of shown to the reader.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My favourite characters had to be Ash and Kaylin. They were
definitely the most interesting and, honestly, I skim read a lot of Marcus’
parts. Ash was a great female lead- she was smart and had a great determination
which drove the story forward. I also loved Kaylin- he added a bit of humour
and swoon-worthiness that this book definitely needed. I liked their blossoming
romance but I was a little unsatisfied with how the book ended. We didn’t get
to see Ash confront Kaylin about all the Mar reveals which would have tied up a
few things ahead of the sequel.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The ending as a whole was unsatisfying to me. We had a
massive fight on Aku which was done brilliantly but going back to Baiseen and
the defences there were very rushed and glossed over. We didn’t get any closure
and, while it is obviously the first book in a series and cliffhangers are to
be expected, there wasn’t any sense of closure to the book. I wanted the others
to see Ash’s phantom and I desperately wanted Ash to address why and how she
could hear other people’s thoughts! It happened so much throughout the book and
she didn’t even seem fazed! She didn’t discuss it or ponder what it meant at
all!<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I definitely think Brogal is being set up as a villain and
it will be interesting to see how he tries to suppress Ash’s powers. I’m also
excited to see the consequences of Kaylin disobeying his assassin orders and
how that will all play out.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Overall, this was an enjoyable read and sets up a promising
sequel. However, the pacing was sometimes off for me and the ending left me
feeling unsatisfied. The concept and world was intriguing and unique and has a
lot of potential for future books.</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-28028815265072078092021-02-13T17:33:00.001+00:002021-02-13T17:33:10.905+00:00Bridgerton Season 1 | TV REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuwU5hczpOOHOTiXA-lupxMqW_b3llVuwb_UB1di6UX9MSwR7fNvyTIQddTumMQByDlMLZIPCKfjvgY9AT5ywWdAn2cdYVfg7DICgglVHhwZCA5S_3GbLTh_GTwGQeDZ5arR0ONEqdu4/s688/bridgerton.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="631" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuwU5hczpOOHOTiXA-lupxMqW_b3llVuwb_UB1di6UX9MSwR7fNvyTIQddTumMQByDlMLZIPCKfjvgY9AT5ywWdAn2cdYVfg7DICgglVHhwZCA5S_3GbLTh_GTwGQeDZ5arR0ONEqdu4/s320/bridgerton.PNG" /></a></div> * * * * *<p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Spoilers<br /></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I need to preface this review by saying I’m not a massive
fan of period dramas. It’s not my thing. Usually...</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Along with the rest of the world, I have become obsessed
with this show. I binged the whole thing and fell in love with absolutely
everything. It was an emotional rollercoaster with gasp-worthy moments and
scorching romance.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Daphne and Simon were the prominent storyline this season
and… they certainly kept me on my toes. It was a great romance and they have
heartbreaking highs and lows. The actors portray these characters so
beautifully and it was easy to get invested in their romance. I will say that the
pair are beyond perfect- there are definitely toxic and abusive traits in their
relationship but I think it raises the right conversations.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moving through the Bridgerton siblings… Anthony was one of
my faves (and the most attractive to me). I loved his relationship with Sienna
and it broke my heart to see them end the way they did- though I 100% respect
Sienna for her decision. I also loved the duel scene between Simon and Anthony-
I had my hand over my mouth the entire time, it was so intense! I liked seeing
Anthony’s protective streak of his family and learning the pressures of being
head of the household. I’m so excited that the next season will focus on
his story.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eloise was easily my favourite character and a feminist
icon! Claudia Jessie does such a brilliant job playing Eloise- her facial expressions
are everything! I loved watching Eloise’ investigation of Lady Whistledown and
her friendship with Penelope. I’m so excited for her to find out who
Whistledown is! I’m also quite scared of Eloise eventually getting her own
romance- I don’t want her morals or independent spirit to be thrown out the
window.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Benedict was another of my favourites (though, at this stage,
I’m saying that everyone is my favourite). I really thought Benedict was gay and
I think it would have been amazing if he was. It was great to watch him embrace his freedom as
he’s not the first born son and I also loved whenever he was on screen with Eloise- their relationship was so pure and I couldn’t stop grinning.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There were many other characters that I loved- Lady Danbury,
Colin, Will, Prince Friedrich. I love that there’s such a large ensemble of
characters because it provides so many great subplot opportunities and promises
for the future.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t really care for Marina’s storyline nor any of the
Featherington’s (except for Pen). The plotline of their father’s gambling
problem just felt like filler to me and didn’t engage me like the other
storylines.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When it came to Lady Whistledown, my predictions changed a
lot but I did decide early on that it was either Penelope or the mother,
Violet. Towards the end, though, I genuinely thought it had been revealed as
Pen and then Eloise spent the next episode sure it was Madame de la Croix. I
started to doubt myself! I felt so triumphant when it turned out to be Pen and
it will be amazing to see how this progresses next season.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bridgerton absolutely enamoured me and I will definitely be
buying and binging the entire book series.</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-76594764810780686842021-02-07T16:24:00.002+00:002021-02-07T16:24:27.702+00:00Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBCGzhC7iDRRUU2gRxDBBA5Z1f3urNphbal_GDOT3kC9uMhEB2FfO4MG3x7nzv18Lcxb5FRqT0gVHblDnp7HDi3rx8imeiNv6oWVbCxdt8lTV0OdcSVFGByZjrlwUy5EmzE0JlR1P-1s/s686/cinderellaisdead.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBCGzhC7iDRRUU2gRxDBBA5Z1f3urNphbal_GDOT3kC9uMhEB2FfO4MG3x7nzv18Lcxb5FRqT0gVHblDnp7HDi3rx8imeiNv6oWVbCxdt8lTV0OdcSVFGByZjrlwUy5EmzE0JlR1P-1s/s320/cinderellaisdead.PNG" /></a></div> * * *<br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I had really high expectations for this book- the concept,
the diversity, the story sounded amazing to me! And it was a good book but… it
didn’t blow me away. I thought the story was very convoluted and the characters
were two-dimensional. It fell flat for me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What I did like about the book was the interesting twist on
the Cinderella fairytale, the diversity, and the romance. Sophia and Constance
really were well-suited and brought the best out of each other. Their
relationship was refreshing and lovely to follow. I also really liked Luke as a
side character and wish we’d seen more of him.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I think what really pushed me back on this book was how
surface level all of the characters were. Take Constance for example. We know
she’s feisty, we know she’s strong and badass and resilient. But that was it.
She was a tool to drive the plot forward and I wanted to know more about her.
We didn’t delve deep into her vulnerabilities and her experiences. And that’s
what it was like for most- if not all- of the characters. We had their
motivation and that was about it.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I also thought the pace was slow at times. We would get
massive info dumps- essentially just a million different versions of the
Cinderella story- so many that I can’t even remember what actually happened. We
also spend a ridiculously long time planning our strategy with Amina. There was
a lot of telling which reduced any tension or suspense.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was an interesting read with a refreshing romance and
ambitious setting but, for me, the plot didn’t grip or amaze me.</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-69531695472247517572021-01-30T14:20:00.000+00:002021-01-30T14:20:11.099+00:00de Vincent series by Jennifer L. Armentrout | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RDURPTB0wnvMz8izb-WjCLXi0WZHUzMm7gamaFl9ACTMO8migRvWg5i9C4zjjlIOnCdDB4XlFxCysIIpdRDdXlIIpQ6IyxvPT6PTr_ck5_i3x3UevA_DKgn1rdSG1hAlTL_AgzL6yxA/s735/devincentseries.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RDURPTB0wnvMz8izb-WjCLXi0WZHUzMm7gamaFl9ACTMO8migRvWg5i9C4zjjlIOnCdDB4XlFxCysIIpdRDdXlIIpQ6IyxvPT6PTr_ck5_i3x3UevA_DKgn1rdSG1hAlTL_AgzL6yxA/s320/devincentseries.PNG" /></a></div>Non-spoiler<br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">MOONLIGHT SINS<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">* * * *</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can’t resist a good romance book and this gave me
everything I wanted. I love that there was a bit more secrecy wrapped into the
story, creating a thriller/mystery type romance that kept me glued to the page.
It had humour, it had plot twists and it had a scorching romance.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lucian was a great love interest and Julia was also really
endearing. I liked the pace of their relationship and it was great to see
cameos of them in future books as well. Lucian is definitely the funniest and
flirtiest of the de Vincent brothers. Out of all three books, this was my
second favourites.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">MOONLIGHT SEDUCTION <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">* * * *</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This was my least favourite of the three, but I still really
enjoyed it. Nikki was a great protagonist and I preferred her to Julia but…
Gabe is my least favourite de Vincent brother. There’s nothing even wrong with
him but he didn’t make me laugh or intrigue me like the other two did.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Again, this book had so much more depth than just romance
and, while the ending wasn’t as surprising as the first book, it was still
entertaining. I also loved how the events at the end of this book directly led
on to the beginning of the next.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">MOONLIGHT SCANDAL<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">* * * * *</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dev may seem like the coldest and harshest brother but… I
found that so interesting! I couldn’t wait to read in his perspective and get
his take on why he does the things he does. I also loved his dynamic with
Rosie. Moonlight Sins is strangers-to-lovers. Moonlight Seduction was friends-to-lovers.
Moonlight Scandal, however, was enemies-to-lovers and I such a sucker for this
trope because there’s so many snide comments and sarcasm that make me laugh and
bring me joy! Dev and Rosie were definitely the most entertaining couple of
them all which made this my favourite book.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This book also had me on the edge of my seat and shocked me
the most. There were plot twists I never saw coming and all the little loose
ends were tied up in such a satisfying way. There was so much to learn about
Dev’s experiences and the romance was the best in this one.</p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-15079940361044118992021-01-10T11:30:00.000+00:002021-01-10T11:30:19.166+00:00King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo | BOOK REVIEW<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2LqRlF_sUcZrGphyphenhyphent-Dsg-G48SWwhezKo1HEkjsDrglOMCJoYJ6kStAh49zubqnlXpV5XEsxq_eJ4gjy4Zgv4BBRd7DFbAN19uC6jCMjG25z-q4hrwBK7_AMt9kJK35KeI5vFK3KFRc/s671/kingofscars.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2LqRlF_sUcZrGphyphenhyphent-Dsg-G48SWwhezKo1HEkjsDrglOMCJoYJ6kStAh49zubqnlXpV5XEsxq_eJ4gjy4Zgv4BBRd7DFbAN19uC6jCMjG25z-q4hrwBK7_AMt9kJK35KeI5vFK3KFRc/s320/kingofscars.PNG" /></a></div>* * *<p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Spoiler warning<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This book didn’t live up to my expectations. Maybe I clung
too much to my love of Nikolai but I found many parts of this book slow and I
resisted the urge to skip Nina’s sections altogether. It was all too easy to
put the book down and it meant that it took me ages to finish it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Firstly, I love Nikolai and he was maybe the one thing that
kept me reading. I also loved Zoya. I hated her in the original trilogy, but it
was great to read in her perspective and see her perception of the world. I’m
also a hardcore shipper of Nikolai and Zoya- they’re perfect for each other!
They’re also a total power couple- they have the brains, power and devastating
good looks. I’d give anything to see them go up against Kanej.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nina’s storyline is what really held up the book. Sure, I’d
like the introduction of Hanne and I ship her with Nina but their journey in
Fjerda didn’t keep me gripped. I often put the book down when I saw a Nina
chapter was next.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">King of Scars did have a wealth of side characters that I
loved. We saw old favourites- Genya, Tamar, Tolya, Adrik- and also met new
people that I loved- Leoni, Isaak, Juris. The character interactions were my
favourite scenes in the book.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I enjoyed King of Scars more than the Grisha trilogy but it
definitely did not reach the perfection of the Six of Crows duology. I’m
excited that the Darkling is back, though- hopefully, that will make things
more interesting. I don’t have too high expectations for the next book but I do
think it will be action -packed- there’s a lot of plot threads that need to
resolved! And I can’t even begin to figure out how Nikolai and Nina’s separate
storylines are going to link and converge.</p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-28190422102457016292021-01-01T16:56:00.004+00:002021-01-01T17:12:37.628+00:002020 Faves<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuHlMtMkgKaCM5XFy47POi9HMaxfxCUsFIdz6CpoCrWnP2LKx-ZrfNxdLejPPJNBsZUXQix9TeZE7KE94RC8RNYYqE-Mcl7wg2OU_EUYDEu2l0mliB2jSoMise2AdNKkiECN_lX72S1k/s678/fbaa+and+akofaf.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="654" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuHlMtMkgKaCM5XFy47POi9HMaxfxCUsFIdz6CpoCrWnP2LKx-ZrfNxdLejPPJNBsZUXQix9TeZE7KE94RC8RNYYqE-Mcl7wg2OU_EUYDEu2l0mliB2jSoMise2AdNKkiECN_lX72S1k/w309-h320/fbaa+and+akofaf.PNG" width="309" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">2020 was a very strange year but I did manage to read some amazing books and watch a lot of great tv shows and movies!</span><p></p><p><b style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Favourite books of 2020</u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Ugly Love- Colleen Hoover</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">House of Earth and Blood- Sarah J. Maas</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Wicked- Jennifer L. Armentrout<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Torn- Jennifer L. Armentrout</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Brave- Jennifer L. Armentrout</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Get Your Sh*t Together- Sarah Knight</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">From Blood and Ash- Jennifer L. Armentrout</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Rage and Ruin- Jennifer L. Armentrout</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Supernova- Marissa Meyer</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">The Savior’s Sister- Jenna Moreci</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">The Female of the Species- Mindy McGinnis</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire- Jennifer L.
Armentrout</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">The Brightest Night- Jennifer L. Armentrout</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Crooked Kingdom- Leigh Bardugo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Moonlight Scandal- Jennifer L. Armentrout</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></o:p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Favourite movies/TV shows of 2020</u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Miss Americana: Taylor Swift documentary</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Sex Education Season 1-2</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJHmocYBr7iqUgGKp2fP78e3-SGWyOjFjmCixkPswvvX2YQHk5mc0LgKyKO6hdd_RfyV8SLC8H8CzIurpa59ZCqZUQHZm73x4M8EvufZPzEWLjI_M7nvC_URpju9M6X2Be1BWYsdSLIg/s690/theumbrella+academy.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="645" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJHmocYBr7iqUgGKp2fP78e3-SGWyOjFjmCixkPswvvX2YQHk5mc0LgKyKO6hdd_RfyV8SLC8H8CzIurpa59ZCqZUQHZm73x4M8EvufZPzEWLjI_M7nvC_URpju9M6X2Be1BWYsdSLIg/s320/theumbrella+academy.PNG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Atypical Season 1-3</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">High School Musical: The Musical: The Series</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">The Umbrella Academy Season 1-2<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Little Mix: The Search</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Folklore: Long Pond Studio Sessions</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Dash and Lily</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Little Mix: LM5 Tour Film</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Favourite albums of 2020</u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Folklore- Taylor Swift</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Confetti- Little Mix</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Evermore- Taylor Swift</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Plastic Hearts- Miley Cyrus</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -18pt;">Future Nostalgia- Dua Lipa</span></p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204366232481173819.post-77221683148436396822020-12-13T15:05:00.000+00:002020-12-13T15:05:40.646+00:00Six of Crows + Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Barduo | BOOK REVIEW<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXu4XqrVJtnqziD0lJlxNF4ia9M44Z-aCQNcRMgyl4XQVsnT8Gix17Xw8OCLJXF7x6yTkhweNQoDqXeEwZuWp_DUm5CQdXDZ56v2fBEzKYecX8T06V8EWq-G47dtRaK6041-VFsuvQfKQ/s677/sixofcrows.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="629" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXu4XqrVJtnqziD0lJlxNF4ia9M44Z-aCQNcRMgyl4XQVsnT8Gix17Xw8OCLJXF7x6yTkhweNQoDqXeEwZuWp_DUm5CQdXDZ56v2fBEzKYecX8T06V8EWq-G47dtRaK6041-VFsuvQfKQ/s320/sixofcrows.PNG" /></a></div><br />SPOILER WARNING<p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">SIX OF CROWS</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">* * * * *</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve read this book before but I enjoyed it so much more
this time! I’ve read the Grisha trilogy now so it was so much easier to fall
into this world and feel right at home. Six of Crows is a thousand times better
than the Grisha trilogy but it’s worth reading the original series first. The
set of characters in this book is amazing and I fell in love with the character
dynamics, the ambitious plot and flurry of twists and turns.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kaz and Inej are my faves. I’m sorry but they’re a total
power couple and I’m obsessed. I love how smart and cunning this book is and
the majority of that is down to Kaz. His schemes and plans are infatuating and it’s
so much fun trying to figure out what he’s planning. Inej is also awesome in
her own right. She’s badass and a true asset to the team but she also stands up
for herself and doesn’t settle for less than she deserves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesper and Wylan are my next favourites. Jesper is
definitely the biggest comedic relief in this book but all the characters get
their own style of humour. Jesper and Wylan’s reluctant friendship turned to
subtle flirting and caring made my heart soar! I can’t wait to see more of them
in the next book and see how their dynamic develops.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And finally we had Nina and Matthias. It’s not that I don’t
like them but Matthias is the most miserable and least funny of all of them. I’ve
discovered that I love intelligent and smatrt characters so Matthias will
always stick to the bottom of the list for me. I loved Nina but, again, I
preferred the others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This entire book is a whirlwind of intricate backstories,
compelling characters dynamics and jaw-dropping plot twists. There was so many
times I gasped or fell into the crazy cliff-hangers. So many lingering
questions and plot threads have been opened up for the sequel and I’m so
excited.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I first read this book I have it four stars. Having
read the Grisha trilogy and understanding the world so much, I enjoyed this
book infinitely more and have given it five stars. Definitely the best Bardugo
book I’ve read so far.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyFBgcIeqPOsjxOfb4cq6lnHbfaulmtLajR_OrXk2M93AVidhKagmbVnh1QgW3mtmQT8MMT8zsojJ_3EEShyphenhyphen2T9f1KmfMu0h8puhzugX1Ilj2F3hJriitel0BT87vkEFIAlS72tGD48s/s677/crookedkingdom.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyFBgcIeqPOsjxOfb4cq6lnHbfaulmtLajR_OrXk2M93AVidhKagmbVnh1QgW3mtmQT8MMT8zsojJ_3EEShyphenhyphen2T9f1KmfMu0h8puhzugX1Ilj2F3hJriitel0BT87vkEFIAlS72tGD48s/s320/crookedkingdom.PNG" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CROOKED KINGDOM</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">* * * * *</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I completely support the hype around this book. It was full
of twists, turns and amazing character development. I didn’t prefer it to Six
of Crows- I like them equally and couldn’t pick a favourite.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kaz and Inej are still my faves. Kaz is what makes this
series amazing. His scheming is spectacular and he’s the most interesting
character. His development is captivating and I love what Inej brings out in
him. I will say, by the end, I felt a little unsatisfied because there’s so
much to explore with them. I loved the ending- Inej seeing her parents and
deciding to help Kaz- but there’s so much more potential for their story. I
don’t feel like their arc is complete and I hope we see more. I definitely
think we could see Pekka Rollins again- maybe his son grown up and wanting revenge
on Kaz. Or maybe the Council of Tides wanting payback on Kaz? There are so many
possibilities! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesper and Wylan continued to melt my heart! I loved Wylan’s
perspective in this book. They are such an adorable couple. Their first-kiss
was a rollercoaster for me and I felt cheated! How dare Kuwei pretend he was
Wylan so Jesper would kiss him! I’d been waiting for that kiss for so long but,
when we finally got their first kiss, it was beautiful! I also loved that we
explored Jesper’s past more and that we met Wylan’s mother and delved deeper
into his struggles. Wylan and Jesper’s ending was perfect and I couldn’t be
happier for them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nina and Matthias still aren’t my faves- they’re okay but I
always gravitated more towards the others. I wish I could say that Matthias’
death was a plot twist but I found it predictable and it didn’t impact me. I am
a little apprehensive that Nina is a POV character in King of Scars- I’m
worried I’ll be skimming her chapters and wanting to read all about Nikolai.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, I loved this book- the character development, the
complex relationships and the intricately woven plot. This duology is so clever
and easy to fall in love with. It works well as a duology but I really believe
these characters can offer so much more- especially Kaz and Inej. I don’t think
their story is over just yet.</span></p><p></p>Chloe (Forever Fictional)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13646457674356354016noreply@blogger.com0