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theromantasynerd's Reviews (82)
‘Snow like Ashes’ - oxymoronic book names are undeniably attractive! If you’re looking for a fantasy series set in a fresh, non-stereotypical world, this one’s gonna surprise you. ‘Snow like Ashes’ by Sara Raasch is set in a world which is divided into 8 kingdoms, the 4 Seasons and the 4 Rhythms and each Kingdom has a magical conduit or object that holds power to support their Kingdom. I really like the idea of 4 seasonal kingdoms, each locked in perpetual winter, summer, autumn or spring.
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved by the Kingdom of Spring. After their Queen was murdered and her locket (effectively the source of their Magic) was broken in two, the survivors were left with nothing. The Winterians must therefore find the two locket pieces and infiltrate their enemies in the hope that this will restore their Kingdom. Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira is one of eight survivors of attack on Winter who has lived her whole life as a refugee, training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.
‘Snow Like Ashes’ ticks every box in the YA handbook - feisty heroine, magic, warring kingdoms, an evil king, the hard but caring father figure, swoon-worthy romance, the "twist" reveal, the obligatory love triangle. I absolutely adored the characters in this book. Meira is not a perfect protagonist - she does stupid things and makes stupid decisions but as flawed and imperfect as she is, she makes for a very real character and her heart is always in the right place. There some unexpected plot twists which I totally didn’t seen coming. ‘Snow like Ashes’ is an amazing start to the trilogy which consists of two other books - ‘Ice like Fire’ and ‘Frost like Ice’, and trust me, they keep getting better! It is a beautiful read during the Winter season ❄️ as one can relate to the setting of the book and it promises a very fascinating and intriguing concept.
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved by the Kingdom of Spring. After their Queen was murdered and her locket (effectively the source of their Magic) was broken in two, the survivors were left with nothing. The Winterians must therefore find the two locket pieces and infiltrate their enemies in the hope that this will restore their Kingdom. Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira is one of eight survivors of attack on Winter who has lived her whole life as a refugee, training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.
‘Snow Like Ashes’ ticks every box in the YA handbook - feisty heroine, magic, warring kingdoms, an evil king, the hard but caring father figure, swoon-worthy romance, the "twist" reveal, the obligatory love triangle. I absolutely adored the characters in this book. Meira is not a perfect protagonist - she does stupid things and makes stupid decisions but as flawed and imperfect as she is, she makes for a very real character and her heart is always in the right place. There some unexpected plot twists which I totally didn’t seen coming. ‘Snow like Ashes’ is an amazing start to the trilogy which consists of two other books - ‘Ice like Fire’ and ‘Frost like Ice’, and trust me, they keep getting better! It is a beautiful read during the Winter season ❄️ as one can relate to the setting of the book and it promises a very fascinating and intriguing concept.
The EPIC finale to the New York Times best-selling series ‘The Lunar Chronicles’ by another favourite author of mine Marissa Meyer. ‘Winter’ is the perfect YA fantasy to pick up this ‘winter’ season ❄️.
It’s a fairytale retelling loosely based on the classic favourite ‘Snow White’ set in a dystopian world. Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars on her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, fighter Scarlet and hacker Cress, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?
But remember, they ain’t the damsel in distresses you know… Go ahead and grab the fourth and final book, a thrilling conclusion to the Lunar Chronicles series and if you haven’t started this series yet, do it NOW! It’s set in the future in a time of disease and war. This series is part twisted fairy tale, part dystopia and part sci-fi fantasy. Cinderella (Cinder), Red Riding Hood (Scarlet), Rapunzel (Cress) and Snow White (Winter) are re-imagined like you have never seen them before. The story is built slowly yet brilliantly in each book. We come across new characters we'd either love to the core or hate so much we'd wish they die!
Marissa Meyer has done an outstanding job in building up the story and the portrayal of characters and as always Meyer’s the queen of action-packed scenes, so you’ll surely not be disappointed.
It’s a fairytale retelling loosely based on the classic favourite ‘Snow White’ set in a dystopian world. Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars on her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, fighter Scarlet and hacker Cress, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?
But remember, they ain’t the damsel in distresses you know… Go ahead and grab the fourth and final book, a thrilling conclusion to the Lunar Chronicles series and if you haven’t started this series yet, do it NOW! It’s set in the future in a time of disease and war. This series is part twisted fairy tale, part dystopia and part sci-fi fantasy. Cinderella (Cinder), Red Riding Hood (Scarlet), Rapunzel (Cress) and Snow White (Winter) are re-imagined like you have never seen them before. The story is built slowly yet brilliantly in each book. We come across new characters we'd either love to the core or hate so much we'd wish they die!
Marissa Meyer has done an outstanding job in building up the story and the portrayal of characters and as always Meyer’s the queen of action-packed scenes, so you’ll surely not be disappointed.
“FUN and FUNNY, Sexy and Sex-Positive” - couldn’t have thought of a better quote than the legendary Gayle Foreman to describe this amazing book.
‘FRESH’ by Margot Wood is one of those YA novels I could rave about all day! Coming from none other than my all-time favourite BookTuber and founder of Epic Reads, I could expect no less.
It’s a coming-of-age story of a queer named Elliot who’s starting her freshman year in college but instead of buckling down and picking a major she is too busy dancing, going to parties and driving her RA crazy. Elliot was a delightful character to follow - she’s funny, sarcastic, and sometimes a complete mess! It was fun to follow along as she finds herself! She makes some mistakes along the way but everyone does.
I really enjoyed Elliot as the main character and the footnotes just added to it! Overall, Fresh was a fun, HILARIOUS, laugh-out-loud read and I enjoyed every minute! The character building here is wonderful! The book is realistic and because of this it makes it very easy to relate to not just Elliot but also the others that come along.
If you’re looking for a Christmas or New Year’s gift for someone who’s gonna embark on this crazy journey called college life or someone who wants to revisit their chaotic college days, this one’s the best bet. It’s literally a truly re’FRESH’ing read that’ll lead you from unignorable *book shimmies* to an undeniable *book hangover*! (Fans of Margot Wood would know exactly what I’m talking about 😉).
‘FRESH’ by Margot Wood is one of those YA novels I could rave about all day! Coming from none other than my all-time favourite BookTuber and founder of Epic Reads, I could expect no less.
It’s a coming-of-age story of a queer named Elliot who’s starting her freshman year in college but instead of buckling down and picking a major she is too busy dancing, going to parties and driving her RA crazy. Elliot was a delightful character to follow - she’s funny, sarcastic, and sometimes a complete mess! It was fun to follow along as she finds herself! She makes some mistakes along the way but everyone does.
I really enjoyed Elliot as the main character and the footnotes just added to it! Overall, Fresh was a fun, HILARIOUS, laugh-out-loud read and I enjoyed every minute! The character building here is wonderful! The book is realistic and because of this it makes it very easy to relate to not just Elliot but also the others that come along.
If you’re looking for a Christmas or New Year’s gift for someone who’s gonna embark on this crazy journey called college life or someone who wants to revisit their chaotic college days, this one’s the best bet. It’s literally a truly re’FRESH’ing read that’ll lead you from unignorable *book shimmies* to an undeniable *book hangover*! (Fans of Margot Wood would know exactly what I’m talking about 😉).
This isn’t the fairytale you thought you knew…. ‘Once More Upon a Time’ is a book by Atlanta-based Indian author, Roshani Chokshi.
I loved Chokshi's writing and enjoyed how she twisted some classic tales and gave the story a darker fairytale vibe.
Once upon a time there was a prince and a princess (like there always is) who loved each other very much. That is, until the princess died and a witch appeared who granted the prince her life back, but in exchange took away their love. The prince and princess are sent to Lover’s Keep where the land is only prosperous if the King and Queen are in love. A year and a day pass and they are being kicked out when the witch appears again and offers them their heart’s desire, but again happiness comes at a price… Join Imelda and Ambrose on a journey to claim their heart’s desire. But first they must remember what that truly is…
Perfect for readers looking for a fresh, magical fairy tale, an enchanting world to escape to, compelling storytelling and a delightful cast of magical characters.
There was never a moment of boredom as I journeyed across this fairytale land and encountered a town full of cannibals, a tricksy honey badger, an evil witch queen and a castle full of stone statues, a cursed village and flying glass slippers, just to name a few things! There are three POVs and all of them were engaging.
Aside from our hero and heroine, other notable characters include the magical cloak that believes it's a noble steed and it was absolutely hilarious! We also have a narrator who is the third POV and although their chapters aren't long, I still loved their sassy and witty voice! These characters had distinctive voices and I could so easily picture the story play out like a show in my head. If you’re a fan of fairytale retellings and movies like ‘Maleficent’, this one’s for you.
I loved Chokshi's writing and enjoyed how she twisted some classic tales and gave the story a darker fairytale vibe.
Once upon a time there was a prince and a princess (like there always is) who loved each other very much. That is, until the princess died and a witch appeared who granted the prince her life back, but in exchange took away their love. The prince and princess are sent to Lover’s Keep where the land is only prosperous if the King and Queen are in love. A year and a day pass and they are being kicked out when the witch appears again and offers them their heart’s desire, but again happiness comes at a price… Join Imelda and Ambrose on a journey to claim their heart’s desire. But first they must remember what that truly is…
Perfect for readers looking for a fresh, magical fairy tale, an enchanting world to escape to, compelling storytelling and a delightful cast of magical characters.
There was never a moment of boredom as I journeyed across this fairytale land and encountered a town full of cannibals, a tricksy honey badger, an evil witch queen and a castle full of stone statues, a cursed village and flying glass slippers, just to name a few things! There are three POVs and all of them were engaging.
Aside from our hero and heroine, other notable characters include the magical cloak that believes it's a noble steed and it was absolutely hilarious! We also have a narrator who is the third POV and although their chapters aren't long, I still loved their sassy and witty voice! These characters had distinctive voices and I could so easily picture the story play out like a show in my head. If you’re a fan of fairytale retellings and movies like ‘Maleficent’, this one’s for you.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Some call it toxic, others call it illogical and stupid… but there’s one thing we must all admit, the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer was everyone’s middle school obsession. It would be great to pay a revisit to the ‘biting’ (pun totally intended!) cold winters of Forks, the town of perpetual gloom and rain, experience the epic battle scene between the Cullen allies and the Volturi (which was the highlight for the Breaking Dawn Part 2 movie but was sadly not included in the books) which I could keep watching over and over again, and my favorite scene from Eclipse - with Bella’s sacrificial slicing her arm open to distract Victoria and Riley to save Edward.
Nonetheless, I have decided to accept the series with its flaws, and I feel we must appreciate the fact that this series somehow had the charm or magical ability to influence the minds of an entire generation of young readers (which now people refer to as their “Twilight phase” of reading) and continues to do so even today.
I wouldn’t mind throwback-reading a few books or watching some of the movies again because it takes me back to when I was in middle school and reminds me of my first ever book club experiences.
Nonetheless, I have decided to accept the series with its flaws, and I feel we must appreciate the fact that this series somehow had the charm or magical ability to influence the minds of an entire generation of young readers (which now people refer to as their “Twilight phase” of reading) and continues to do so even today.
I wouldn’t mind throwback-reading a few books or watching some of the movies again because it takes me back to when I was in middle school and reminds me of my first ever book club experiences.
When talking of winter reads, how can we ignore our favorite childhood fantasy series? ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe’ by CS Lewis was one of my first ever fantasy novels which made me fall in love with this genre. The icy everlasting winters of Narnia are the perfect revisit to our childhood days this winter season.
And of course, how can we forget Father Christmas (Narnia’s very own version of Santa)?! A quick, fantastic read which takes us back to the magical world of Narnia, which I wouldn’t mind re-reading every winter of my life. Go ahead and re-read this beautifully written classic by Lewis this holiday season to satiate the hungry child within you. And if by ANY chance you haven’t been fortunate enough to read it yet, where the hell have you been all this while 😲?! Stop whatever you’re doing and read it NOW! Trust me, you’re never going to be old enough for it.
And of course, how can we forget Father Christmas (Narnia’s very own version of Santa)?! A quick, fantastic read which takes us back to the magical world of Narnia, which I wouldn’t mind re-reading every winter of my life. Go ahead and re-read this beautifully written classic by Lewis this holiday season to satiate the hungry child within you. And if by ANY chance you haven’t been fortunate enough to read it yet, where the hell have you been all this while 😲?! Stop whatever you’re doing and read it NOW! Trust me, you’re never going to be old enough for it.
‘The Santa Suit’ celebrates the magic of Christmas and second chances. Ivy finds a decades old Santa suit and in its pocket she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war.
This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the family hold? Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. Christmas makes miracles happen as Ivy finds a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.
This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the family hold? Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. Christmas makes miracles happen as Ivy finds a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.
‘Blue Christmas’ is a rollicking Christmas tale featuring the beloved characters from ‘Savannah Blues’ and ‘Savannah Breeze’ for a little Southern cheer. Weezie Foley has high hopes for Christmas this year. She's working herself into a frenzy decorating her antique shop to win the Savannah historic district decorating contest; she's searching for the perfect present for her chef boyfriend, Daniel; she planning Christmas dinner for the first time for her and Daniel's families. Add a mysterious visitor to the shop and a missing Christmas tree pin and it's almost more than Weezie can handle!
For the fun at heart, this is a must in the Christmas stocking.
For the fun at heart, this is a must in the Christmas stocking.
The Christmas Project’ by Maxine Morrey is an amazing feel-good holiday romance to get over a Christmas hangover. This is an enjoyable, funny story about an organizer hired to help her best friend's brother organize his house (and life) to host Christmas for the family this year. He is gorgeous, grumpy, and rude. She is a strong and a very professional business woman. But she does want to hit him in the face with a snow shovel fairly often at the beginning of the story.
Morrey’s way of writing beautifully draws you in from the beginning and reading this book was like being cocooned in a warm blanket with an indulgent cup of tea (Earl Grey, of course, since the book is set in London!). This gives you all the comfort, all the festive feels and leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
Morrey’s way of writing beautifully draws you in from the beginning and reading this book was like being cocooned in a warm blanket with an indulgent cup of tea (Earl Grey, of course, since the book is set in London!). This gives you all the comfort, all the festive feels and leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
If you would like to add a fun Indian touch to the holiday season, this is the perfect book. Break from the Christmas monotony and grab hold of ‘A Holly Jolly Diwali’ by Vancouver based Indian author Sonya Lalli. It’s still that light-hearted, perfectly-complicated holiday romance, cozily wrapped up in a story about rediscovering your roots and taking a chance on newfound love.