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theromantasynerd's Reviews (82)
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
⛓ “There is no better distraction than losing oneself in books for awhile.”
⛓ #QOTD : What’s your favourite Cassandra Clare book?
⛓ ‘Chain of Gold’ by Cassandra Clare was the first Cassandra Clare book I read, and it made me fall in love with the Shadowhunter world 😍!
⛓ I had heard so much about The Mortal Instruments series, but I avoided it because it was too long. When I found out that Clare was coming up with a new trilogy in 2020 (and there’s no denying that I LOVE trilogies), I knew it was the Universe’s conspiracy to introduce me to the Shadowhunter world.
Funnily enough, today, while I’m posting this review, it is the 2 year anniversary of the release of ‘Chain of Gold’! The third book in the Last Hours Trilogy, ‘Chain of Thorns’, is set for release in November this year and I can’t wait to read the epic finale! 🤗
⛓ Review:
I absolutely loved this book with its many multi-faceted characters and some really heartfelt and heartbreaking romance storylines, all woven beautifully into a demonic haunting. The fantasy element serves as the perfect backdrop to a story that is about friends, enemies and love. I loved the characters, especially Cordelia. There are so many of them that I was initially quite confused, but got used to it eventually 😅. There are characters who love reading and one who is an aspiring writer, which I thought was really cool and very relatable 🤍.
⛓ #QOTD : What’s your favourite Cassandra Clare book?
⛓ ‘Chain of Gold’ by Cassandra Clare was the first Cassandra Clare book I read, and it made me fall in love with the Shadowhunter world 😍!
⛓ I had heard so much about The Mortal Instruments series, but I avoided it because it was too long. When I found out that Clare was coming up with a new trilogy in 2020 (and there’s no denying that I LOVE trilogies), I knew it was the Universe’s conspiracy to introduce me to the Shadowhunter world.
Funnily enough, today, while I’m posting this review, it is the 2 year anniversary of the release of ‘Chain of Gold’! The third book in the Last Hours Trilogy, ‘Chain of Thorns’, is set for release in November this year and I can’t wait to read the epic finale! 🤗
⛓ Review:
I absolutely loved this book with its many multi-faceted characters and some really heartfelt and heartbreaking romance storylines, all woven beautifully into a demonic haunting. The fantasy element serves as the perfect backdrop to a story that is about friends, enemies and love. I loved the characters, especially Cordelia. There are so many of them that I was initially quite confused, but got used to it eventually 😅. There are characters who love reading and one who is an aspiring writer, which I thought was really cool and very relatable 🤍.
🔥 “You’ve been living a DREAM for long enough… Welcome to your NIGHTMARE!”
🔥 I had been so excited to read ‘Iron Widow’ by Xiran Jay Zhao ever since it released and I finally got my copy!! 🙈
🔥 I’ve been obsessed with Asian mythology and history inspired YA fantasies lately, so this one was definitely on my priority TBR list. Inspired by the story of China’s only female empress, Wu Zetian, ‘Iron Widow’ is an epic futuristic action-packed sci-fi mashup with a ferocious heroine and her cathartic feminism!
🔥 Summary:
In Huaxia boys pair up with girls to co-pilot Chrysalises (giant transforming robots which can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall) but the girls often die from the mental strain. When Zetian offers herself up as a pilot, she kills her male co-pilot in an unexpected way through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed! She is labeled an “Iron Widow”, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot. To tame her unnerving strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest male pilot in Huaxia . Zetian having had a taste of power, will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.
🔥 It was a brutal, bloodthirsty read, full of rage and I was really intrigued to see how Zetian fights to shatter patriarchal definitions of power. I’m all for a ruthless, unapologetic, unyielding heroine and Wu Zetian was just the right female protagonist!
🔥 I had been so excited to read ‘Iron Widow’ by Xiran Jay Zhao ever since it released and I finally got my copy!! 🙈
🔥 I’ve been obsessed with Asian mythology and history inspired YA fantasies lately, so this one was definitely on my priority TBR list. Inspired by the story of China’s only female empress, Wu Zetian, ‘Iron Widow’ is an epic futuristic action-packed sci-fi mashup with a ferocious heroine and her cathartic feminism!
🔥 Summary:
In Huaxia boys pair up with girls to co-pilot Chrysalises (giant transforming robots which can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall) but the girls often die from the mental strain. When Zetian offers herself up as a pilot, she kills her male co-pilot in an unexpected way through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed! She is labeled an “Iron Widow”, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot. To tame her unnerving strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest male pilot in Huaxia . Zetian having had a taste of power, will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.
🔥 It was a brutal, bloodthirsty read, full of rage and I was really intrigued to see how Zetian fights to shatter patriarchal definitions of power. I’m all for a ruthless, unapologetic, unyielding heroine and Wu Zetian was just the right female protagonist!
adventurous
🦅 “With the revenant’s power, I could save everyone. But if I lost control, I might burn the world to ashes.”
🦅 ‘Vespertine’ by Margaret Rogerson. I was so excited for this book since it released last year and I’m so glad I finally got to read it! This was my first book by Margaret Rogerson and I was completely hooked! I’m looking forward to reading her other books ‘Sorcery of Thorns’ and ‘An Enchantment of Ravens’ as well.
🦅 Summary:
Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on. When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia fights back by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a high saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being now whispering in her head. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her in body and soul. But death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has a chance of stopping it. As Artemisia investigates a mystery of saints, secrets and dark magic, an ancient evil is stirring which untrained Artemisia, tormented by the burden of containing the revenant’s devouring power, must defeat.
🦅 Review:
‘Vespertine’ was fun, dark, creepy, exhilarating and had my heart racing the entire time!! I loved the eerie, creepy and dark vibes. The story was so well paced and action packed that we don’t get a breather! I loved the way the world with its nuns, relics and ghosts was introduced.
There is no romance here so it’s true blue fantasy. I really appreciate the mental health representation and how the sensitive topics were dealt with. Artemisia was stunning, flawed, socially awkward, scarred inside and outside due to her past, but strong enough to burn the world down in her fire! I didn't think it was possible to grow fond of a spirit, but this book made me believe otherwise. The revenant with it’s cheeky replies and dry humour was so adorable and scary at the same time!
🦅 ‘Vespertine’ by Margaret Rogerson. I was so excited for this book since it released last year and I’m so glad I finally got to read it! This was my first book by Margaret Rogerson and I was completely hooked! I’m looking forward to reading her other books ‘Sorcery of Thorns’ and ‘An Enchantment of Ravens’ as well.
🦅 Summary:
Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on. When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia fights back by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a high saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being now whispering in her head. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her in body and soul. But death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has a chance of stopping it. As Artemisia investigates a mystery of saints, secrets and dark magic, an ancient evil is stirring which untrained Artemisia, tormented by the burden of containing the revenant’s devouring power, must defeat.
🦅 Review:
‘Vespertine’ was fun, dark, creepy, exhilarating and had my heart racing the entire time!! I loved the eerie, creepy and dark vibes. The story was so well paced and action packed that we don’t get a breather! I loved the way the world with its nuns, relics and ghosts was introduced.
There is no romance here so it’s true blue fantasy. I really appreciate the mental health representation and how the sensitive topics were dealt with. Artemisia was stunning, flawed, socially awkward, scarred inside and outside due to her past, but strong enough to burn the world down in her fire! I didn't think it was possible to grow fond of a spirit, but this book made me believe otherwise. The revenant with it’s cheeky replies and dry humour was so adorable and scary at the same time!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
🍀 I love a good book series and often prefer a series over standalone novels, especially when it comes to YA Fantasy. However, there are so many instances when the sequel of a book isn’t as good as the first one… and that’s really disappointing 😔.
🍀 Some book sequels that I incredibly enjoyed include ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’, ‘Crooked Kingdom’, ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ and the book in the picture, ‘The Wicked King’!
🍀 Like I’ve said earlier, The Folk of the Air Trilogy by Holly Black is my all-time favorite YA Fantasy Series due to several reasons. I love the fact that it breaks the stigma that Fantasy books are unnecessarily long, the character development and world-building is phenomenal, it doesn’t feature the usual ‘chosen one’ trope and it’s totally unpredictable with a head-spinning number of plot twists even after being a first person narrative 🤍. I could literally rant about this series all day!
🍀 ‘The Wicked King’ is the second book in this series and the sequel to ‘The Cruel Prince’. The unexpected ending of the first book left me craving for more and ‘The Wicked King’ did not disappoint. There are so many plot twists which I never saw coming and THE ENDING! 😭😭 I haven’t read a more bewildering and shocking cliffhanger with a burning unanswered question. I’m glad I didn’t read it long before the release of the final book or I’m afraid the curiosity might’ve actually killed me!
🍀The Folk of the Air trilogy features some scenes from the modern world of today and doesn’t have the typical ‘high-fantasy’ setting. So if you’re looking for a solid yet quick YA Fantasy read, do check this out!
🍀 Some book sequels that I incredibly enjoyed include ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’, ‘Crooked Kingdom’, ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ and the book in the picture, ‘The Wicked King’!
🍀 Like I’ve said earlier, The Folk of the Air Trilogy by Holly Black is my all-time favorite YA Fantasy Series due to several reasons. I love the fact that it breaks the stigma that Fantasy books are unnecessarily long, the character development and world-building is phenomenal, it doesn’t feature the usual ‘chosen one’ trope and it’s totally unpredictable with a head-spinning number of plot twists even after being a first person narrative 🤍. I could literally rant about this series all day!
🍀 ‘The Wicked King’ is the second book in this series and the sequel to ‘The Cruel Prince’. The unexpected ending of the first book left me craving for more and ‘The Wicked King’ did not disappoint. There are so many plot twists which I never saw coming and THE ENDING! 😭😭 I haven’t read a more bewildering and shocking cliffhanger with a burning unanswered question. I’m glad I didn’t read it long before the release of the final book or I’m afraid the curiosity might’ve actually killed me!
🍀The Folk of the Air trilogy features some scenes from the modern world of today and doesn’t have the typical ‘high-fantasy’ setting. So if you’re looking for a solid yet quick YA Fantasy read, do check this out!
✨ Who wouldn’t care for a little bit of nostalgia?
✨ “It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
(This quote by Dumbledore is one of my favourite quotes of all time! ♥️)
✨ ‘Harry Potter’ has had a very special place in my heart ever since I was a child. I remember trying to read the books when I was little and being frustrated by the huge number of pages each book had, and what frustrated me even more was that each page had so much of writing! I still believe that each page of Harry Potter has nearly double the content as compared regular YA books 😂.
✨ Nevertheless, I settled for watching the movies as a child. The first Harry Potter movie I watched was ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ (aka, ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’… I still don’t know why there’s ambiguity regarding the name if this book 🤷🏻♂️😂) and I was OBSESSED! I wasn’t even enrolled in school back then and didn’t have school shoes. I remember that Harry used to wear the typical black school shoes and an area of my house had floor tiles like that of a chessboard. I used to wait for my elder sibling to return from school so that I could use their shoes for imitating and recreating that Wizard’s Chess game scene. I also used a wooden stick for my wand 😂. I literally did this EVERYDAY… so much so that my parents bought me a pair of black school shoes even before I started going to school so that I could enact those scenes 😂!
✨ I remember watching ‘Half-Blood Prince’ with my cousins in the theatre and having an incredible time (though I was too young to understand the plot and saw it only for the magic 😅). Little did I know that I was missing out on more than double the fun.
✨ When I was older, I can’t recall how many times I might’ve re-read each book! I could truly experience the difference between the movies and the books, because ‘Chamber of Secrets’ had been among my least favourite movies, but its book is probably my favourite one from the series.
✨ “It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
(This quote by Dumbledore is one of my favourite quotes of all time! ♥️)
✨ ‘Harry Potter’ has had a very special place in my heart ever since I was a child. I remember trying to read the books when I was little and being frustrated by the huge number of pages each book had, and what frustrated me even more was that each page had so much of writing! I still believe that each page of Harry Potter has nearly double the content as compared regular YA books 😂.
✨ Nevertheless, I settled for watching the movies as a child. The first Harry Potter movie I watched was ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ (aka, ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’… I still don’t know why there’s ambiguity regarding the name if this book 🤷🏻♂️😂) and I was OBSESSED! I wasn’t even enrolled in school back then and didn’t have school shoes. I remember that Harry used to wear the typical black school shoes and an area of my house had floor tiles like that of a chessboard. I used to wait for my elder sibling to return from school so that I could use their shoes for imitating and recreating that Wizard’s Chess game scene. I also used a wooden stick for my wand 😂. I literally did this EVERYDAY… so much so that my parents bought me a pair of black school shoes even before I started going to school so that I could enact those scenes 😂!
✨ I remember watching ‘Half-Blood Prince’ with my cousins in the theatre and having an incredible time (though I was too young to understand the plot and saw it only for the magic 😅). Little did I know that I was missing out on more than double the fun.
✨ When I was older, I can’t recall how many times I might’ve re-read each book! I could truly experience the difference between the movies and the books, because ‘Chamber of Secrets’ had been among my least favourite movies, but its book is probably my favourite one from the series.
🌑 “My life was an unending, unchanging midnight. It must, by necessity always be midnight for me. So how was it possible that the sun was rising now, in the middle of my midnight?”
🌑 ‘Midnight Sun’ by Stephenie Meyer is a recapitulation of the iconic love story of Bella and Edward told from the vampire's point of view.
🌑 I’m read ’Midnight Sun’ as part of a buddy read along IG group and I had a really great time discussing some blatantly stupid and some outrageously offensive elements of the storyline.
🌑 Edward’s POV does cover up for some of the flaws of ‘Twilight’. The events that occurred in the original story obviously can’t be changed, but I guess Stephenie Meyer has tried to cover up for her mistakes. Edward tries to justify some of his dominating, controlling and to a great extent creepy actions. Though I’m not entirely convinced, my hate for him might’ve reduced by a fraction.
🌑 Edward, unlike the silly teenager, Bella, doesn’t crib about literally everything all the time, though he is a bit of a drama queen 🤭.
🌑 ‘Midnight Sun’ is about 150 pages longer than ‘Twilight’ which give readers new insights into Edward's personal history. There were so many times Edward wasn’t present in ‘Twilight’ and ‘Midnight Sun’ fills in those gaps beautifully! It’s kinda like a behind-the-scenes experience.
🌑 The thing I enjoyed most about ‘Midnight Sun’ is that you get to see a lot more of the Cullens. I’m a sucker for YA Fantasy and though ‘Twilight’ is more of a romance, I enjoy the fantasy elements way more! Getting to know more about the vampires in this book is so amazing!
🌑 ‘Midnight Sun’ by Stephenie Meyer is a recapitulation of the iconic love story of Bella and Edward told from the vampire's point of view.
🌑 I’m read ’Midnight Sun’ as part of a buddy read along IG group and I had a really great time discussing some blatantly stupid and some outrageously offensive elements of the storyline.
🌑 Edward’s POV does cover up for some of the flaws of ‘Twilight’. The events that occurred in the original story obviously can’t be changed, but I guess Stephenie Meyer has tried to cover up for her mistakes. Edward tries to justify some of his dominating, controlling and to a great extent creepy actions. Though I’m not entirely convinced, my hate for him might’ve reduced by a fraction.
🌑 Edward, unlike the silly teenager, Bella, doesn’t crib about literally everything all the time, though he is a bit of a drama queen 🤭.
🌑 ‘Midnight Sun’ is about 150 pages longer than ‘Twilight’ which give readers new insights into Edward's personal history. There were so many times Edward wasn’t present in ‘Twilight’ and ‘Midnight Sun’ fills in those gaps beautifully! It’s kinda like a behind-the-scenes experience.
🌑 The thing I enjoyed most about ‘Midnight Sun’ is that you get to see a lot more of the Cullens. I’m a sucker for YA Fantasy and though ‘Twilight’ is more of a romance, I enjoy the fantasy elements way more! Getting to know more about the vampires in this book is so amazing!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
The epic introduction to the incredible world of Grisha!
This post is definitely one of my all-time favourites, complete with all these amazing bookmarks and character cards featuring Alina and the Darkling 🙈!
🌟 ‘Shadow and Bone’ by the outstanding YA Fantasy author Leigh Bardugo
🌟 Rating : 4.25 ⭐️/5
🌟 Summary :
Ravka is a land divided by war and split in two by a barrier of darkness called the Unsea in which terrifying creatures lurk, making it hard for anyone to cross it. Until Alina Starkov makes her way into the Fold. She's an apprentice mapmaker in the army who somehow saves her fellow soldiers when they enter the expanse of land where there is no light. She then discovers she's a Grisha, a person who has a magical ability.
Alina has a rare power, one that can be matched only by the Darkling, the leader of the Grisha. The only problem is that she doesn't know how to wield it so she's sent to the royal palace to learn how to control her magic.
🌟 Review :
Alina is a strong heroine, full of wit and wisdom and a kind heart and she soon discovers that everyone in the kingdom depends on her and sees her as their saviour.
The Darkling, the strongest and most feared Grisha of all time, got my attention from the first moment and what a remarkable villain he is! He's a seductive and mysterious character, but at the same time frightening and very dangerous.
The world-building is complex and with well-defined characters. The storyline has a perfect amount of action, peppered with relaxed moments so that the reader can breathe and contemplate everything that is happening in this book.
I love how Bardugo uses the contrast between light and darkness to convey the fact that sometimes things and events around us are as seen in just in black and white.
This post is definitely one of my all-time favourites, complete with all these amazing bookmarks and character cards featuring Alina and the Darkling 🙈!
🌟 ‘Shadow and Bone’ by the outstanding YA Fantasy author Leigh Bardugo
🌟 Rating : 4.25 ⭐️/5
🌟 Summary :
Ravka is a land divided by war and split in two by a barrier of darkness called the Unsea in which terrifying creatures lurk, making it hard for anyone to cross it. Until Alina Starkov makes her way into the Fold. She's an apprentice mapmaker in the army who somehow saves her fellow soldiers when they enter the expanse of land where there is no light. She then discovers she's a Grisha, a person who has a magical ability.
Alina has a rare power, one that can be matched only by the Darkling, the leader of the Grisha. The only problem is that she doesn't know how to wield it so she's sent to the royal palace to learn how to control her magic.
🌟 Review :
Alina is a strong heroine, full of wit and wisdom and a kind heart and she soon discovers that everyone in the kingdom depends on her and sees her as their saviour.
The Darkling, the strongest and most feared Grisha of all time, got my attention from the first moment and what a remarkable villain he is! He's a seductive and mysterious character, but at the same time frightening and very dangerous.
The world-building is complex and with well-defined characters. The storyline has a perfect amount of action, peppered with relaxed moments so that the reader can breathe and contemplate everything that is happening in this book.
I love how Bardugo uses the contrast between light and darkness to convey the fact that sometimes things and events around us are as seen in just in black and white.
An unbelievable insight into the glamorous world of fashion!
👠 ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ by Lauren Weisberger is the iconic novel which inspired the hit movie adaptation.
👠 Summary :
Andrea Sachs is a small-town girl, fresh out of college who dreams of getting a top publishing job at any magazine of her choosing but she needs at least one year without getting fired to get the recommendations required for it. She takes up a job as assistant to Miranda Priestly, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of ‘Runway’, an extremely popular fashion magazine.
This is the job “a million girls would die for” but Andrea soon realises it could actually kill her.
She finds herself in an office that shouts ‘Prada!’ ‘Armani!’ ‘Versace!’ at every turn. Andrea doesn’t look right, doesn’t act right and is treated badly. Her boss, Miranda, is a tyrant demanding unimaginable things all the while belittling Andrea and others in the office. Andrea has no free time and her personal relationships suffer. Andrea is sorely tested each and every day—and often late into the night—with orders barked over the phone.
Things escalate from the merely unacceptable to the downright outrageous, and finally, she is pushed too far. Even if she survives, Andrea must decide whether or not it’s worth the price of her soul.
👠 Review :
This is a gloriously wicked story about the ultimate ‘Boss from Hell’ and the deals we make with the devil to get to the top.
I have to admit, I liked the movie way more than the book. The idea is absolutely phenomenal, but the execution and writing could be better. However, I can also understand that the depiction of the typical chaotic office life is easier in a motion picture than in writing. Overall, I enjoyed the story a lot. This is a must read for all fashionistas and fans of ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ and ‘Katy Keene’.
👠 ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ by Lauren Weisberger is the iconic novel which inspired the hit movie adaptation.
👠 Summary :
Andrea Sachs is a small-town girl, fresh out of college who dreams of getting a top publishing job at any magazine of her choosing but she needs at least one year without getting fired to get the recommendations required for it. She takes up a job as assistant to Miranda Priestly, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of ‘Runway’, an extremely popular fashion magazine.
This is the job “a million girls would die for” but Andrea soon realises it could actually kill her.
She finds herself in an office that shouts ‘Prada!’ ‘Armani!’ ‘Versace!’ at every turn. Andrea doesn’t look right, doesn’t act right and is treated badly. Her boss, Miranda, is a tyrant demanding unimaginable things all the while belittling Andrea and others in the office. Andrea has no free time and her personal relationships suffer. Andrea is sorely tested each and every day—and often late into the night—with orders barked over the phone.
Things escalate from the merely unacceptable to the downright outrageous, and finally, she is pushed too far. Even if she survives, Andrea must decide whether or not it’s worth the price of her soul.
👠 Review :
This is a gloriously wicked story about the ultimate ‘Boss from Hell’ and the deals we make with the devil to get to the top.
I have to admit, I liked the movie way more than the book. The idea is absolutely phenomenal, but the execution and writing could be better. However, I can also understand that the depiction of the typical chaotic office life is easier in a motion picture than in writing. Overall, I enjoyed the story a lot. This is a must read for all fashionistas and fans of ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ and ‘Katy Keene’.
Would you be willing to risk EVERYTHING for EVERYTHING?
🍃 ‘Everything Everything’ is an amazingly sculptured YA romance and the debut novel of the brilliant author, Nicola Yoon.
🍃 There’s something about the reiteration in the name of this book that intrigued me A LOT and magnetically attracted me towards reading it!
🍃 Summary :
‘Everything Everything’ is the story Madeline (“Maddy”) a teenager with an unfortunate affliction of being allergic to the WORLD. She has spent her entire life in a cage that is her house. A prisoner to her sickness, she only ever gets to meet two people: her mother and her nurse.
Intrigued by the life of her next-door neighbors, she begins to watch them closely. She finds herself infatuated with Olly (the boy next door) and it seems that he feels the same way.
They soon develop a close friendship and this makes her realise that there’s more to life than just being alive. You only get one chance at first love and Maddy is ready to risk EVERYTHING that she has for EVERYTHING that she wants.
🍃 Review :
‘Everything Everything’ is fast paced, unique, romantic, witty, frustrating, and heartbreaking altogether. Yoon has injected this love story with enough suspense to make you want to know where it is going at the end of every chapter.
The format of the book is incredible! It includes Madeline’s illustrations which engage you on another level – you can see (and feel) how much of a dreamer Madeline has become with only her imagination at her dispense. There's also a page that stands out from all the others due to its black colour, don't turn to read it, HUGE SPOILERS!!! I found it absolutely appropriate for storyline purposes. There is also an anti-climatic twist in the end which totally caught me off-guard. Readers in lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic around the globe can relate so easily to Madeline’s entrapment. This book has been adapted into a movie too, btw.
Love changes you, challenges you, improves you, and sometimes even destroys you.
🍃 ‘Everything Everything’ is an amazingly sculptured YA romance and the debut novel of the brilliant author, Nicola Yoon.
🍃 There’s something about the reiteration in the name of this book that intrigued me A LOT and magnetically attracted me towards reading it!
🍃 Summary :
‘Everything Everything’ is the story Madeline (“Maddy”) a teenager with an unfortunate affliction of being allergic to the WORLD. She has spent her entire life in a cage that is her house. A prisoner to her sickness, she only ever gets to meet two people: her mother and her nurse.
Intrigued by the life of her next-door neighbors, she begins to watch them closely. She finds herself infatuated with Olly (the boy next door) and it seems that he feels the same way.
They soon develop a close friendship and this makes her realise that there’s more to life than just being alive. You only get one chance at first love and Maddy is ready to risk EVERYTHING that she has for EVERYTHING that she wants.
🍃 Review :
‘Everything Everything’ is fast paced, unique, romantic, witty, frustrating, and heartbreaking altogether. Yoon has injected this love story with enough suspense to make you want to know where it is going at the end of every chapter.
The format of the book is incredible! It includes Madeline’s illustrations which engage you on another level – you can see (and feel) how much of a dreamer Madeline has become with only her imagination at her dispense. There's also a page that stands out from all the others due to its black colour, don't turn to read it, HUGE SPOILERS!!! I found it absolutely appropriate for storyline purposes. There is also an anti-climatic twist in the end which totally caught me off-guard. Readers in lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic around the globe can relate so easily to Madeline’s entrapment. This book has been adapted into a movie too, btw.
Love changes you, challenges you, improves you, and sometimes even destroys you.
♣️ ‘Six of Crows’ Duology by Leigh Bardugo ( @lbardugo ) is an amazing and very rare YA Fantasy, because it isn’t about a king or queen, a prince or princess, warrior or witch… it is a Fantasy Heist!
It’s about six dangerous outcasts who must accomplish one impossible heist. They would be unstoppable together… if they don't kill each other first!
It’s basically an ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ meets the high-fantasy world of Grisha! How cool is that?!
The fact that it is a heist rather than a revolution, which is the norm for fantasy, makes it all the more interesting. Fans of ‘Now You See Me’ and ‘Money Heist’ are gonna love this Duology!
♣️ For me, this Duology is all about character development, though the plot is as riveting as it could be! It’s unbelievable how well these characters have been developed with equal attention to each in such a short span of merlely 2 books! I know Kaz is the popular choice, but Wylan was my favourite 🙈.
It is very difficult to find a book where both the plot and the characters are both so well developed and well etched that they sweep you off your feet.
♣️ Everything you need, this Duology has it - humor, romance, friendships, twists, turns and lots and lots of action. It is an epic tale of complex characters, amazing word building and a gripping plot. Ketterdam has to be one of my favourite fantastical places purely because Bardugo brings it to life so vividly. While Ravka, seems to be a Russian-inspired country, there's no doubt in my mind that Ketterdam is a fantastical version of Amsterdam, with its waterways, merchant-run economy, and a constant stream of gambling.
♣️ This Duology has given me the ultimate book-hangover, one that I don’t think I will ever be able to redeem myself from!
It’s about six dangerous outcasts who must accomplish one impossible heist. They would be unstoppable together… if they don't kill each other first!
It’s basically an ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ meets the high-fantasy world of Grisha! How cool is that?!
The fact that it is a heist rather than a revolution, which is the norm for fantasy, makes it all the more interesting. Fans of ‘Now You See Me’ and ‘Money Heist’ are gonna love this Duology!
♣️ For me, this Duology is all about character development, though the plot is as riveting as it could be! It’s unbelievable how well these characters have been developed with equal attention to each in such a short span of merlely 2 books! I know Kaz is the popular choice, but Wylan was my favourite 🙈.
It is very difficult to find a book where both the plot and the characters are both so well developed and well etched that they sweep you off your feet.
♣️ Everything you need, this Duology has it - humor, romance, friendships, twists, turns and lots and lots of action. It is an epic tale of complex characters, amazing word building and a gripping plot. Ketterdam has to be one of my favourite fantastical places purely because Bardugo brings it to life so vividly. While Ravka, seems to be a Russian-inspired country, there's no doubt in my mind that Ketterdam is a fantastical version of Amsterdam, with its waterways, merchant-run economy, and a constant stream of gambling.
♣️ This Duology has given me the ultimate book-hangover, one that I don’t think I will ever be able to redeem myself from!