Verity and Regretting You by Colleen Hoover: Book Review // Co-Ho: The Intense Shock Edition

Title: Verity
Author: Colleen Hoover
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Thriller, [New-Adult]
Heat Rating: Warm
Page Count and Format: 324 pages, Ebook
Published: December 7th 2018 by Hoover Ink, Inc.
Source: Purchased
Trigger Alert: Death, Betrayal

Blurb (from Goodreads):

*I would recommend blindly going into this book*

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

---

This book is a complete mindfuck. I don’t think I will ever forget the feeling when I read the last few pages and closed the book.

Utterly mindblowing!

The plot twist was completely off the curve. Colleen Hoover has a habit of randomly throwing a plot twist when you least expect her to and it’s one of her elements I love. It’s always a knee jerk reaction. And this book completely blew the roof. To this day, the last chapter haunts me.

Lowen is the main protagonist of this book who is a struggling writer. She finally gets a break when she is offered to write Verity Crawford’s, a successful author’s remaining books since the author is in a coma for years after an accident where her daughter died. Lowen’s discovery of an unfinished biography of Verity changes her perspective about a lot of things. CoHo managed to develop such an utterly disturbing and layered character with Verity. This book has an alternative chapter of Lowen and Verity’s journal and ohmygod, it was, very much troublesome.

The novel takes place in Crawford residence where she slowly begins to develop feelings for Jeremy, Verity’s husband. The feeling is quite mutual and I enjoyed the chemistry between them. The build-up between the characters to a slow-burn romance was is definitely one of my favourites part of the book. The suspense throughout the book kept me on my toes. There’s always this lurking feeling and the author managed to create a creepy environment that matched the tone of the book. And there are bread crumbs throughout the book which further adds to the mystery.

I believe I finished this book in one sitting, so if you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend you to!

---

Title: Regretting You
Author: Colleen Hoover
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, [New-Adult]
Heat Rating: Warm
Page Count and Format: 363 pages, Ebook
Published: December 10th 2019 by Montlake Romance
Source: Purchased
Trigger Alert: Accident, Death, Betrayal

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Morgan Grant and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara, would like nothing more than to be nothing alike.

Morgan is determined to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. By getting pregnant and married way too young, Morgan put her own dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her predictable mother doesn’t have a spontaneous bone in her body.

With warring personalities and conflicting goals, Morgan and Clara find it increasingly difficult to coexist. The only person who can bring peace to the household is Chris—Morgan’s husband, Clara’s father, and the family anchor. But that peace is shattered when Chris is involved in a tragic and questionable accident. The heartbreaking and long-lasting consequences will reach far beyond just Morgan and Clara.

While struggling to rebuild everything that crashed around them, Morgan finds comfort in the last person she expects to, and Clara turns to the one boy she’s been forbidden to see. With each passing day, new secrets, resentment, and misunderstandings make mother and daughter fall further apart. So far apart, it might be impossible for them to ever fall back together.

---

This book broke my heart. This is what Colleen Hoover does every time and I go back to her because of it. I was putting off this book since I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it like the rest of her books but boy, oh boy was I wrong.

The story introduces us to Morgan and her three friends. One is her boyfriend Chris who becomes her husband, the second is her sister and best friend, Jenny and her boyfriend, Jonah. The story takes a time leap of 17 years where we see Morgan as a stay-at-home mom and Jonah almost out of the story since he went (read: ran) away after Morgan’s pregnancy news.

From the initial first chapters, the chemistry between Morgan and Jonah was palpable, however, when it came to their significant others, not so much. The two meet again when Morgan’s sister Jenny announces her pregnancy.

When the two met again, my heart broke again! Their connection was something else, yet they stuck with someone, out of duty/comfort? Though, I kinda get it. Missed timings. 😦

The story takes a tragic turn with Chris and Jenny’s accident. It spins off Morgan and creates a further rift between her and her daughter. Clara is going through her own turmoil after losing her father and her aunt (who I was not a fan of from the very first introduction despite her being described as a loving sister) who she adored. Morgan was trying to prevent her daughter from making the same mistake and the chaos between the two spiralled out of control. Miller was her only comfort and I loved the slow-budding romance between the two.

I loved Clara and Miller, however, for me, it was Morgan and Jonah who stole the show. The plot twist broke my heart. The secrets broke my heart. I don’t know how Morgan handled the heartbreak, I was a blubbering mess while reading this. I could feel what was coming but I was not ready for the impact. However, the development arc of Morgan and Clara’s relationship was one of my favourite aspect of the book. I really loved how the ending connected everything, so yes please go read this book!

---

So, on my last review, I said that I would do a K-pop match vibe for my reviews. Do give this a listen! 

For this edition, I feel there are a lot of elements in both the books with resonated with Red Velvet’s song. Also, it’s one of my absolute favourites. 

---

Have you read any of these books? Do you usually pick up contemporary romance? Any recommendations?

Review: Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare // Why did it have to end?

Title: Queen of Air and Darkness
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Dark Artifices, book 3
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Slightly warm
Page Count and Format: 912 pages, Paperback
Published: December 4th 2018 by Simon & Schuster Children’s UK
Source: Purchased
Trigger Alert: Death, Betrayal, Violence

Blurb (from Goodreads):

*SPOILERS*

What if damnation is the price of true love?

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

---

I finally finished this trilogy! That means I can cross The Dark Artifices from my accountability list! Yayie! 😀 I reread this entire series and it has been a great boost up for my slump. I am completely out of my reading slump and I have to say, it is such a relief!!

THIS BOOK IS THE DEFINITION OF ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

A lot happened, like really a lot but oh god, I am in love with this book and the characters. This book was huge, more than 900 pages but I don’t think there was a single dull moment. I was thoroughly engaged.

Something or the other kept happening. Julian and Emma’s parabatai bond was slowly destroying them, their love for each other. Everything was a mess. It was a good book. I could not go to sleep because of it. Such joy. 🙂

It would not be sufficient to say how much I love Julian and Emma. Especially Jules. His character keeps developing and Cassandra Clare has done a tremendously good job in fleshing out all the characters.

The Blackthorn family is one of the topmost reason to read this book! My heart went out to all of them. Each of them was going through heartbreak and they had to grow up before the normal time period. And Emma was like a protector of them all.

I was apprehensive about Mark in bok 1 and I think I quite hated Kieran, especially because of the whipping incident. BUT, my feelings have completely done a 360-degree flip. Like, ohmygoodness, these two needs to bundled up and kept safe. And who is the candidate who can do this? Cristina!! I wish the world had more Cristinas. She is kind, wise and everything. *spoiler start* No wonder, Mark and Kieran fell head over heels for her. I was pretty surprised by the polyamorous representation, one because I haven’t read about it much, second, I was not completely aware of how this relationship worked. But this representation definitely made me aware and I was soooo happy for those three!! *spoiler end*

Mark was such a great brother. He really picked up the saddle. And Julian, I cannot stop gushing about him. Aside from being the world’s greatest brother and almost pro at single parenting, his ability to handle people and plotting and scheming mind was goddayum.

With this one, I have realised one thing, I like politics (only fantasy tho…I mean bookish stuff) and this book had so many themes and sub-themes (honestly, how does Cassandra Clare maintain this amount of coherency while writing her books?), politics was a consistent one. I was so soo irritated with the Cohort and especially Zara. (Who doesn’t want to strangle her?) They never learn their lesson BUT BUT Julian’s ploy, the big battle (although the giant stuff was sudden, not weird at all!), it was epic!

The climax was so satisfying in this book. In many books, the ultimate war sequence is over before it starts. However, in this book, it was elaborate and so many things were going on. I LOVED, LOVED IT!!

I LOVE CROSSOVERS!! I have always loved them, I remember when I was a kid and they had these crossover power-rangers episodes and I used to freak out with happiness. I feel the same happiness every time Clary (Maybe unpopular opinion but I love Clary to death!) and the rest of the gang along with Jem and Tessa shows up!

I have to say, I want more of the Fae world. Every time the gang went to the fae, things got more interesting and honestly, the fae not being able to lie yet their twisty words gets me every time. *spoiler start* Although the name of the book indicates Annabel, I felt her part of the story was cut short? Like, there was scope, but it randomly ended? *spoiler end* Also, Kit!!!! That smol little precious boy, oh my my, I hope we get to read more of him soooon. (Also his friendship with Ty…)

Also, what’s with the prologue? Do l have to live with the anxiety that the prologue gave me? Overall, this book was everything! And I need more… 

Recommend it?

OHMYGODYAAAS!

---

So guys, have you finished this trilogy? What are your overall thoughts?

Which Cassandra Clare book series is your favourite?

Review: Nimona and The Gods Lie // The only Manga Edition I possess (kind of!)

Title: Nimona
Author: Noelle Stevenson
Standalone
Genre: Fantasy, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count & Format: 272 pages, Paperback
Published: May 12th 2015 by Harper Collins
Source: Borrowed
Trigger alert: Fire, mentions of betrayal

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism!

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

---

Nimona is my very first venture into graphic novels. My friend bought this in the book fair and I remember reserving my spot for borrowing this book! 🙂

Here are some of my reasons why you should pick up this book!

• The characters!

First of all Nimona, our protagonist is a badass chicka. On top of that, she is a shapeshifter with amazing fighting skills. She is full of humour and a bit, how should I phrase it… spontaneously edgy. Her character will keep you entertained from the very first page until the end. The book starts with Nimona pledging her apprenticeship to Blackheart, in a very comical manner, must I say!

Balister Blackheart reminded me a bit of Dr Heinz Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb. xD Weird reference, but Blackheart felt like a responsible and mature villain. The kind of villain you end up rooting for. The relationship between Blackheart and Nimona is another cherishable factor of this story!

Ambrosius Goldenloin, (please take a moment to appreciate the name XD) “the hero” felt a bit shady at first but as the book proceeded we get to see two sides of the story making it more interesting.

• The plot

The plot is definitely engaging. One side we have Nimona trying to wreak havoc, then Blackheart trying to babysit Nimona instead of villain-ing. And then there’s the tension with Ambrosius, a hint of bromance which I definitely wanted more of! And the disability representation! The root evil of the story is depicted pretty much from the start so there’s no surprise there but it’s the execution that keeps you engaged. Also, there’s a tiny plot twist at the end which made me root for Nimona and the story even more!

• The pace

The overall pace of the story is pretty steady. What I can say, the story does not provide scope to be bored. You just keep on turning the pages and it’s a quick read.

• The Art

One word. It’s awesome. The quirkiness and humour are transparent through and through.

Recommend it?

Yaaas!

---

Title: The Gods Lie
Author: Kaori Ozaki
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count & Format: 216 pages, Paperback
Published: September 20th 2013 by Vertical Comics
Source: Borrowed
Trigger alert: Death, secrets, child neglect

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Natsuru Nanao, a 6th grader who lives alone with his mother, strikes up an unlikely friendship with the reserved and driven Rio Suzumura. Natsuru plays hookey from soccer camp that summer, and instead of telling the truth to his mother, he spends all his time with Rio and her kid brother at their rickety house, where a dark secret threatens to upend their fragile happiness.

---

The tone of this book is a complete 180 degree from Nimona but it’s good in a different sort of way. This was very first Japanese manga, so I was unaware that you had to read the book from backwards. I was warned, no worries there but I just wanted to say that I found it fascinating! xD

The story revolves around Natsuru and Rio, two people of two different threads find them together in unpredictable circumstances.

We have Natsuru who lives with her mother. On the other hand, we have Rio who lives with her younger brother after the death of her grandfather, in the hope that her father would return soon. Rio has a pretty big secret and she takes care of her brother all alone. The reflection of burden and maturity is reflected in her character. It is only with the presence of Natsuru that she seems to smile.

The story starts with the mention of summer vacation where Natsuru is supposed to go to a soccer camp which he does not. Instead, he chooses the spend the whole summer with Rio and her brother. And the fregging cute kitten they rescued might I add! A beautiful summer romance develops between the two which definitely makes you want to root for the characters.

However,  the story is told in a short period and therefore, the pace is mildly quick. Natsuru’s struggle to change the reality of Rio, his ability to empathise shows his maturity at such a young age. It brings a smile on the face of the reader although the ending is quite bittersweet. It quite broke my heart. And with the beautiful art, it’s hard not to get totally immersed with the journey of our main characters.

Recommend it?

Yes!

---

So guys, have you read any of these two mangas?

If yes, what were the aspects you liked the most?

Have you read any other mangas so far? Recommendations?

K-Drama Reviews: What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim & Thirty But Seventeen // Mysterious and hilarious

Okhaaay! The thing is, both the dramas I am about to review, I have watched quite a long ago. Not that long but uh… a bit long. Anyway, I adore both of these dramas sooo much and both of these were absolutely worth the hype according to me! When I get hooked to a drama, I am all in! It takes me about 1 to 2 weeks to decide what to watch next after finishing a drama, so yeah due to this, I rewatched Descendants of the Sun and right now, Love O2O, both of which I loved very much. (I think I would be over with Love O2O by the time this review is posted… LOL). Anyway, I divert… so onto this review!

---

Show Name: What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim
Episodes: 16
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, [Adult]
Director: Park Joon Hwa
Cast: Park Min Young, Park Seo Joon, Pyo Ye Jin, Kang Hong Suk, Kang Ki Young etc.
My Rating:

 

Synopsis:

The series revolves around the narcissistic Lee Young Joon, the vice president of a company run by his family. He is very self-absorbed and thinks highly of himself, so much that he barely acknowledges the people around him. Lee Young Joon has a capable and patient secretary in Kim Mi So who has remained by his side and worked diligently for 9 years without any romantic involvement. However, Mi So now want to set her life & focus on herself so when she decides to resign from her job, hilarious misunderstandings ensue. After 9 years of their strictly-workplace relationship, can it now develop in something more?

~~ Adapted from the webtoon “Kimbiseoga Wae Geureolgga” by Jung Kyung Yoon.

This drama was absolutely epic! From incorporating a dark tragic past to the point of absolute hilariousness, all was in this drama. The comedy and the mystery were what made this drama fun from the beginning. Especially the “Aura!”

Kim Mi So (played by Park Min Young) and Lee Yeong Joon (played by Park Seo Joon) were the shining stars of this drama. Although some of the side characters definitely left an impressive impact as well. I don’t think this drama would have been that hilarious without the occasional missteps of these side characters. Lee Yeong Joon, a born narcissist is the president of his company where is assisted by Kim Mi So. Normally, he loves staying within his world but when Kim Mi So she wants to leave the company to find out her inner-self, Lee Yeong Joon becomes the epitome of a panicky-mush and that’s where the fun begins!

The character of Lee Yeong Joon is so dramatic! I think it’s one of the very charms of this drama which keeps the audience thoroughly engaged. And Kim Mi So, my god, she was soooo hilarious! They were literally perfect for each other also since Kim Mi So was the only one capable of handling Lee Yeong Joon. In order to stop Kim Mi So from leaving, Lee Yeong Joon tries various methods to pursue her from leaving. From increasing her salary to even offering himself for marriage! XD As for the story process, we get to see the softy behind the narcissist exterior. I mean, he will always stay that but his character also has a sweet and genuine side. Definitely swoon-worthy!

The signature style, i.e. Korean finger heart were such a treat to watch! Although they stay professional (well almost…) during their work but the chemistry between them is booming! (Booming? Do people even use that word in this context? XD). Although Kim Mi So understood that Lee Yeong Joon wanted him as his secretary but his genuine affection was not lost on her. It was a slow and gradual process where they fell head over heels for one another. SO KYOT I TELL YOU, PEOPLE!

This drama was also incorporated a dark past which traumatised both the characters as a child. Both of them developed a phobia for certain things which they are finally able to face together. I loved how the past neatly tied with the present circumstances. Although I felt that this aspect was not as dramatic as I expected but it might be for the people present during that particular incident.

The acting was indeed marvellous and I loved each and every character of this drama. I think almost every character in this drama was over-the-top dramatic but Bong Se Ra (Hwang Bo Ra) and Yang Cheol (Kang Hong Suk) were something else! Especially the slow-mo scenes between them. Their romance was absolutely hilarious but I was definitely rooting for them from the very start! Anyway, the drama ended on a beautiful note which definitely left a lasting impact on my mind and I really hope you guys give it a shot.

Recommend it?

Absofreakinglutely!

---

Show Name: Thirty But Seventeen
Episodes: 32 (half an hour episodes)
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, [Adult]
Director: Jo Soo Won
Cast: Shin Hye Sun, Yang Se Jong, Ahn Hyo Seop, Ye Ji Won etc.
My Rating: 

Synopsis:

Woo Seo Ri, a violin prodigy at 17 who was about to study in Germany, got into a bus accident and fell into a coma waking up 13 years later. Mentally she is still only 17, while physically she is now 30.
Due to a trauma he experienced 13 years before, Gong Woo Jin does not want to have a relationship with others.
This series is about a man and a woman whose lives in their own ways essentially stopped when they were 17. Together, they use all their might to try and open the door to the happiness that they once thought had been closed to them.

Thirty but Seventeen is definitely one of the gems among K-drama land. It has a mixture of so many different emotions and is executed so beautifully. Although it was the plot and the trailer which made me interested in watching this drama in the first place but I also might just be a little biased (OKHAY, A LOT) towards Yang Se Jong ever since I watched Temperature of Love.

This drama starts with Woo Seo Ri (played by Shin Hye Sun) waking up from a 13-year long coma to find herself in her thirties. A violin prodigy, she was left heartbroken and speechless, she starts a hopeless journey to find her uncle and aunt who were her only relatives after her parents passed away. Gong Woo Jin (played by Yang Se Jong) believes himself to be responsible for the accident which took the life of his first (unconfessed) love. Not knowing that she was still alive but in a coma, Gong Woo Jin secluded himself from the rest of the world. He became a mere shell of what he used to be. But when Woo Seo Ri turns up in her home, now owned by Gong Woo Jin and his cousin, Yoo Chan (Ahn Hyo Seop), fate collides and brings them together once more.

Gong Woo Jin used to be the most lively person as a child but since that incident, he has not genuinely smiled, not even for once. His hostility towards Woo Seo Ri is crystal when she first comes to the house, it would have been impossible for her to stay without Yoo Chan’s support. However, her sense of familiarity with her home brings a calming atmosphere in the house of the two men where Gong Woo Jin finally starts to find some peace. I loved the slow-building romance between the characters and the chemistry was simply electric! He finally started to wear his emotions on his face again which he had long lost forgot. Woo Seo Ri’s optimistic self was so admirable, which was also one of the factors which made the two characters come together.

My heart ached whenever Woo Seo Ri could not play her violin. It broke her heart to see someone else in the pace where she might have been if not for her incident. I was thrilled to see her not giving up on her dreams and keeping on practising to make her skills flawless as it used to be. Gong Woo Jin often froze when he was reminded of the past due to situation or two. If not for Woo Seo Riv, he never would have got the courage to step up. In a sense, they both helped each other to live again.

The side characters in this drama were very cuuuuuuuuuute. Jennifer (Ye Ji Won) was essentially mysterious but handled the house like her own family. And I absolutely adoooored Yoo Chan, he was such a sweetheart. He behaved like a kid but when it came to making decisions, his maturity amazed me. I really wanted the past to be revealed much sooner so that Gong Woo Jin realised Woo Seo Ri was none other than her first love. There were multiple hints but oh dearie, who am I kidding, this is a drama after all. I wished the revelation was a bit sooner but I was still pretty happy how every threat was connected at the end. The acting was fantastic, especially of Shin Hye Sun who portrayed that even she was 30, her brain was still stuck at 17. Due to this, it made the drama bittersweet yet a heartwarming watch!

Recommend it?

Yuuuup!!

---

So guys, have you watched these 2 dramas yet? What did you think about it? ANY RECOMMENDATIONS GUYS??

Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli || Where Every “Side” was Relatable!!

Title: The Upside of Unrequited
Author: Becky Albertalli
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: Paperback
Published: April 11th, 2017 by PUFFIN
Source: Purchased
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love- she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness-except for the part where she is.
Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny, flirtatious, and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker, Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

---

Can I tell you guys how much this book was relatable? Like on a cosmic level, surpassing the intergalactic milky way and crash landing on my heart.

Okaaaaay, that was too much but it’s the truth.

I think I am the probably the last person on this planet to pick this book up so late. Being an International blogger plus being broke sucks. Big time.

Anyways, onto this beautiful, relatable unrequited book. Uh… I literally felt I was in Molly’s shoes. Except for the twin sister part (which I had always wanted… ask my mom if you don’t believe me) and the romance part. Anyway, you get the point. I don’t know what Molly would say if she knew about my life. I dunno whether to laugh or cry at that but I’m okay guys. I’ll live. 😂😂

The Upside of Unrequited is a character-centric book which revolves around Molly along with her family and friends. There are so many things that I loved about this book and it really made me want to feel more comfortable in my own skin.

The Family Rep!

There are sooo rare YA books that mention parents and a good one at that. Molly and her sister, Cassie has the two best freaking moms in the whole universe along with their little brother, Xavier (who’s sooo cute!!). I loved the bonding between the moms and Molly and Cassie, it was filled with genuine warmth, love and care. I mean you could literally feel the vibe radiating from the pages dude…

And I adooooooored the relationship between the two sisters, God knows how much I long for that but I really loved that they were sister cum best friends. Of course, they had to go through up and downs in their twiny relationship but in the end, they mattered to each other the most and that was enough. And that brings me to the character growth was which tremendous and I absolutely loved it! The readers can see how Molly grows throughout the whole book and finally finds a firm place to stand on.

Body Positivity!

One of the things that I loved the most about Molly was that she was comfortable in her own skin. She calls herself fat (I PREFER THE WORLD FLUFFY THOUGH) in the book, but she doesn’t have a problem with that. But when other people body shame you, how much you’re okay with yourself, it’s still going to hurt a little bit. I know from my own experience (See! I told you I related with this on a cosmic level). There are so many body positivity movements but there are still people who body shame, when will they understand how much they lower the self-confidence of the other people. Do they even care? I dunno.

But I am proud to say I finally have a group of friends (ARMYs) who love and support me for who I am. But yes, I’m trying to lose my weight as I earlier said in another post because of my health-related issues, not because society thinks I do not fit in their norms. God! I told you I hate society! Anyway, I digress.

But one thing I can’t help but agree is that Molly’s thinking process is quite similar to mine. She sometimes overthinks simple things, is awkward at times and seriously bad at taking things anywhere with boys (I am living example of that) but her thoughts about guys never liking her back because she was fat, I somewhat agreed with it. I know, I know, I don’t believe that because I have plenty of beautiful examples of couples but I think there’s still that 1% doubt because I haven’t come across a guy like that till now. Even for a friend, and that is seriously disappointing.

This world needs more feminist boys too.

The Romance!

It was kind of exciting to see Molly finally admitting she actually liked a guy instead of just keeping it on her crush list. Cassie’s personality was the total opposite Molly and when she met Mina, they just clicked though I could feel what Molly was feeling, she wanted something like that but she didn’t want to float away from her sister too. I loved the fact how maturely, in the end, they talked it out. Anyway back onto the adorable romance.

Reid was such a goofball. It was definitely hard not to fall for him. (Why are there no goofballs here? Moi needs some goofballs in life.) I guess when you like the person and finally feel comfortable with the other, it’s easier to be open with them. That’s how Molly and Reid’s friendship started out. Goooood, I wanted them together from the first moment they met but it took some time. A loooot of time but I was perfectly okay with it. Those two are one adorably beany couple I love to death!!

Overall,

The Upside of Unrequited was a beautiful and relatable book which touched my heart. I fell in love with the characters, they were layered and dynamic and I loved how each of them was there for the other. I was seriously beautiful. Although there were some cliched moments that didn’t matter much because the sweetness of this book consumes you (on a cosmic level yo!). The writing flowed smoothly and was easy to read and the pace was even throughout the book. I am definitely, eagerly wait for Becky’s next book!

Recommend it?

Yes!!

---

So guys, have you read this book yet? What did you think about it? Is it in your tbr?

K-Drama Review: While You Were Sleeping || Where You spend Sleepless Nights because of its Awesomeness!

Show Name: While You Were Sleeping
Episodes: 32 (half an hour episodes)
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, [Adult]
Director: Oh Choong-Hwan
Cast: Lee Jong-Suk, Bae Suzy, Lee Sang-Yeob, Jung Hae-In, Min Sung-Wook, Kim Won-Hae etc.
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

A supernatural romance about a woman who can see the future in her dreams, and a prosecutor who fights to stop these future events from happening. The heroine has dreams about unfortunate events that will happen to other people, and the hero is a prosecutor who runs around trying to prevent her tragic visions from coming true.

---

This is one of the most freaking amazing and awesome drama in this whole effing universe!!!!

That is me embracing this drama

Also, seriously if you decide to watch a drama with just reading the blurb, you’ll end up watching nothing in the end. And if you are confused, read reviews and YouTube is very helpful in this case. But puhleeease watch this epicness, okay.

Goblin holds a special place in my heart but this definitely takes the equal place beside it. It was that good. I was really hesitant at first because some of the comments swayed me (Many doesn’t like Suzy, might I know why?? She is freaking awesome and adorable!!) but I decided to give at least one try. And that was enough. I was hooked from episode 1!!

Hong-Joo (Bae Suzy) has the ability to see future deaths which is more of a curse to her than a boon because except her mother nobody believes her and she has to live with guilt and helplessness. Things start spiralling out of control after she foresees her mother’s death. Meanwhile, Jae-Chan (Lee Jong-Suk) is a rookie prosecutor who moves into her neighbourhood with his brother. He, in turn, has a devasting vision about Hong-Joo which somehow interconnects their fate and together they decide to save as many people as possible.

First of all, the first episode is amaaaaazing. It gave me a whiplash. I was sitting with mouth gaping after episode 1 ended. Woah. And then the actual story began. It was a hell of a ride people!! The most amazing one! The plot was executed pretty neatly, there may have been some plot holes but I didn’t care for them much. Hong-Joo was an established news reporter but after having a vision of her own death, her mother forbade her to work there but the turn of events didn’t let that to stay in place.

Jae-Chan finally starts working as a prosecutor and he is so dedicated to his job. LOL. But there he meets Yoo-Beom (Lee Sang-Yeob). They used to be friends as kids but after one incident everything changed. Jae-Chan comes face to face with him after so many years. I have seen Lee Sang-Yeob in so many dramas now, he is definitely a diverse actor and he absolutely nailed his role as a villain in this drama. From the very first moment we are introduced to him, there no’s denying that he would be the one to destroy them. He gave off that villain aura, and oh goooood, he was a total psychopath, a sane fully functional psychopath if that makes any sense.

Jae-Chan and Hong-Joo’s fate interconnects after they both have the dream about her death. And after that, they start working together along with this cute police officer Han Woo-Tak (Jung Hae-In). Okay, the 2nd lead syndrome was not heavy in the drama but it was in my heart… He was such a good person. Anyway, after one incident, everything starts connecting to one particular incident which led to Yoo-Beom but they had no solid proof. And this was the most interesting thing in this drama, finding proof based on their visions.

And the court proceedings!! Damn, I didn’t know I would enjoy law related dramas so much!! But those were so intriguing and full of suspense, especially the last case which involved the main characters, the suspense kept me on the edge the entire time. Anyway, another character whom I adored was Choi Dam-Dong (Kim Won-Hae), he was a true mentor to Jae-Chan and he’s such a diverse actor as well!

Hong-Joo and Jae-Chan had amazing chemistry together. I mean, they were such an adorable couple. The romance was not rushed and I loved how it slowly and steadily developed with each episode. And they made a hell of a team and I always wondered how the scene in the 1st trailer would be executed and I was impressed with how it spanned out. I was literally cheering!!

Aside from the main incident, there were numerous others and each and every one of them were sooo effing interesting to watch. This drama was definitely unpredictable and I loved the fact about it. And everything clicked into place in the final moment and that was one epic moment. The sub-plot was pretty interesting. And there was one devasting moment which had me sobbing like a smol child. My heart broke into pieces!!

Overall, While You Were Sleeping was a phenomenal watch. If you haven’t watched it yet, you are missing out on a loooot. The plot was developed and executed in a manner which was able to hold the suspense until the very end. The cast was absolutely perfect!!! And the actors did a tremendously good job. And the pacing of this drama was also even, I never felt bored for a single second nor wanted to skim any scene. Although the ending was a little bittersweet, it left me completely satisfied.

Recommend it?

YAAAAS!!

---

So guys have you watched this drama yet?? What did you love the best about it? Or is it still on your to-watch list? Do you have any recommendations in the urban fantasy genre?

Review: Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde || Where the Geeky Queens were an absolute blast!

Title: Queens of Geek
Author: Jen Wilde
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 288, Paperback
Published: March 14th, 2017 by Swoon Reads
Source: Purchased
My Rating: 

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Three friends, two love stories, one convention: this fun, feminist love letter to geek culture is all about fandom, friendship, and finding the courage to be yourself.

Charlie likes to stand out. She’s a vlogger and actress promoting her first movie at SupaCon, and this is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star Reese Ryan. When internet-famous cool-girl actress Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with her best guy friend Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about a fan contest for her favorite fandom, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.

---

Soooo, the reason I’ve been absent this whole week is basically that I was unable to use my right hand and typing with one hand is… oh well! I am an accident magnet, you guys sure know that. I hurt my once dislocated right shoulder and baaaamn!! I mean hurting my foot just wasn’t enough, I had been suffering from it the whole of 2017, I had to hurt my hand too. -.- Right hand at that. I couldn’t do anything with it and it was immensely painful. Anyhooo, physiotherapy has been helping and it’s quite healed. Hopefully. It doesn’t turn the opposite way. Hopefully.

Anyway, onto this beautiful beautiful book.

First of all, I love the fact that the author is a Winchester girl and I absofreakinlutely loved the Supernatural references!

I had read a few books where going to a con and having a grand adventure is the main theme. This is the first book I actually enjoyed that stuff. I finished this book in a couple of hours, it was that good. And it was the perfect book to start my year with.

Queens of Geek is narrated in alternative dual POV of Charlie and Taylor who along with Jamie finally gets to fulfil their dream of visiting a convention known as SupaCon. Although Charlie meets her douche ex-boyfriend at the Con, she also gets to meet her crush. On the other hand, Taylor and Jamie have always liked each other but they had never taken a step forward thinking it might ruin their friendship. This adventure might prove that taking some risks are worth it.

Engaging Plot

This book was fun from the very beginning. And sooo effing adorable! I couldn’t get enough of it. The best friend trio aka Charlie, Taylor and Jamie visits SupaCon together to have the time of their lives.  Ah, don’t we all have this dream, I can’t waaaaait for mine. And thus begins the awesome adventure of the trio. I loved the convention as a whole, meeting new nerdy and awkward people like themselves, fangirling about fandoms, everything was so relatable although I haven’t experienced that as a whole. Taylor was especially there to meet her favourite author and that is a big dream of mine too!!

Awesome Characters

Aaaaaah! All the three characters were so freaking awesome! I loved the diverse representation and how the mental health issues were approached in this book.

Charlie is a bisexual, an outgoing person and a YouTuber who recently came into the limelight after appearing in a movie. Taylor is the total opposite, she is autistic and has anxiety issues. But I loved how both these characters balanced each other. I absolutely loved the friendship between these two! I absolutely loved the Girl Love!!! This is something we need mooooore. Jamie was another great character and an awesome friend. SupaCon really brought them more together.

The Adventure

The most fun part of the book was about understanding that some risks are worth taking. Charlie has never been with a girl before and she finally gets to meet the Internet sensation Alyssa Huntington who is also her crush. After meeting her she realises her feelings maybe not one-sided. Although things might have gone a little to fast between these two but I enjoyed it nonetheless. These two were sooo cute together and although I understood about Charlie’s insecurities about having an open relationship in public as a celebrity because her previous relationship already left a sour experience but I’m glad that everything came into the front and she was indeed brave in deciding to face it head along.

“You can’t pick and choose whose equality you support. That’s not equality.”

Also, I absolutely loved how she handled that freaking douche ex-boyfriend of hers. He really had the audacity to flaunt himself despite everything, I loved how they all put him in his place. Charlie was upfront and firm in her decisions and I absolutely admired her for that.

Taylor was the opposite. An adorable cute little potatae (like myself). Although she had no insecurities about her weight, but the hurtful comments were still offensive. And that my friends, was effing relatable.

“My bottom lip starts to quiver, but I keep going. “I fight every day, and too many times it’s just not enough and the fear wins. I’m so fucking weak and everything is so fucking intense and sometimes I really hate it.” I gasp, covering my mouth with my hands as the tears pour out of me. I didn’t mean to say all that. I feel exposed. Tears fill her eyes, too. “Can I hug you?” I nod, unable to speak. She walks around the table and hugs me.”

I could also relate how she was frozen when meeting new people or doing something in public. My body usually goes ice cold even in the hot and humid weather when I am in that kind of situations. Although I think I am getting better little by little. But it’s still frightening. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being an introvert but really want to overcome my anxiety problems. Aaaaah!! Anyways, she was indeed lucky to have a friend like Jamie by her side, aside from Charlie. The chemistry between them was sooo obvious and I was rooting for them since the beginning!! They were super duper cute!!

Overall,

Queens of Geek was an amazing read. It was fun, full of beautiful friendship and romance. I didn’t expect it to love it this much but reading this book was an awesome experience in itself. The writing was beautiful and the words flowed so smoothly, I didn’t realise when the time passed by. The pace was even throughout the book and the dual POV definitely kept things interesting. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Wilde.

Recommend it?

Do I need to say more?? 😀

---

Sooooo guys, have you read this book? If yes, how was your experience? What was the first book you started your 2018 with???

 

Review: Behind the Bars by Brittainy C. Cherry || Blog Tour || Where the Music Broke the Barrier

Welcome to my tour stop of Behind the Bars by Brittainy C. Cherry hosted by  Social Butterfly PR.

---

Title: Behind the Bars
Author: Brittainy C. Cherry
Series: Music Street, book 1 [Can be read as a standalone]
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, [New-Adult]
Heat Rating: Warm
Page Count and Format: 373, Ebook
Published:  December 7th, 2017
Source: I received an eARC of this book for the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 

Blurb (from Goodreads):

When I first met Jasmine Greene, she came in as raindrops.

I was the awkward musician, and she was the high school queen.
The only things we had in common were our music and our loneliness.

Something in her eyes told me her smile wasn’t always the truth.
Something in her voice gave me a hope I always wished to find.
And in a flash, she was gone.

Years later, she was standing in front of me on a street in New Orleans.
She was different, but so was I. Life made us colder. Harder. Isolated.

Caged.

Even though we were different, the broken pieces of me recognized the sadness in her.
Now she was back, and I wouldn’t make the mistake of letting her go again.

When I first met Jasmine Greene, she came in as raindrops.
When we met again, I became her darkest storm.

---

Oooooh my goodness! I didn’t expect this book to be so good! I mean, I had pretty high expectations since I have read mostly raving reviews of the author’s other books, so I didn’t let the chance of reading this one slip from my hands and now I can see where all those ravings come from. This book undoubtedly was one of the best New-Adult and second chance romance I have read this year.

Jasmine and Elliot were miles different from each other but music was the one thing that brought them together. But their romance was short lived since Jasmine’s mother had other plans for her “bright future”. After six years, she is finally back in town but nothing is the same anymore. Both of them have cracks in their life which could or couldn’t be fulfilled with new music.

This book was really beautiful, from the beginning until the very end. Elliot is a shy and bullied boy in school but with a saxophone in his hand, he becomes someone else. Whereas Jasmine’s love for soul music knows no bounds but her mother/manager won’t let her pursue something unrealistic as she believes pop will be the best for her career. Elliot didn’t believe that someone as smart and beautiful like Jasmine could like him but music was the one thing they both cherished and loved and it connected them together.

“Sometimes people don’t need words, Elliott. Sometimes they just need the space to feel what they need to feel, with someone present as a reminder that they’re not alone.”

I loved how their relationship built slowly but the music was always present. In their friendship, in their relationship, in every small moment. I loved Elliot’s habit of answering everything with a question and Jasmine personality, despite having that kind of a mother she still didn’t judge anyone with just one glance. Jasmine’s mother is the one who drags her overseas for her career. She just wanted to be loved and accepted by her mother and that’s why she kept listening to her without any complaint.

“Every person had lyrics in their life that were too painful to sing.”

But everything has a limit. Goooosh!! (I kept tying aigooo!) I hated her so much, she didn’t really care for Jasmine at all, I thought at some point she was going to be the mother Jasmine wanted, at least try but that woman was already gone far off the edge. In contrast, Jasmine’s step-dad Ray was absolutely wonderful. He cherished his princess and she was the only reason he stayed in the relationship with Jasmine’s mother although she ended up ruining that too but the father-daughter bond never disappeared. It was really sooooo sweet!

“You’re the music in a mute world, and my heart beats because you’re here.”

The romance between Jasmine and Elliot was heartwarming, there was the thrill of the anticipation and in the way, everything was executed made the romance even beautiful. Jasmine tried to stay in contact with Elliot but eventually, they lost touch without knowing that tragedy that swept away Elliot’s music. It was really heartbreaking to see the person whose life was music stay away from it. What Elliot had to go through broke my heart, I was really having a hard time reading through my blurry tear streaming eyes but that didn’t mean Jasmine had an easy time as well. After six whole years, Jasmine meets a different Elliot but it’s only with her, he finally starts opening up to.

“One can’t truly heal if they pretend the cracks don’t exist.”

After the year leap, both the characters have grown up and matured but somewhere despite not being able to stay connected with each other, the love still remained. It was absolutely wonderful to see the characters heal each other through their love and music, both of them were hurting but when they were together, everything hurt less. Also, TJ was the best ever music teacher, without him I don’t think they would have been able to find their way back to each other.

Overall, Behind the Bars was a fantastic read! It had all the elements I love in an NA book and so much more. The romance between Elliot and Jasmine was beautiful and I loved their character growth. I was definitely satisfied with how everything was wrapped up in the end but I didn’t want to let go of the characters! The writing was beautiful and smooth and the pace was even throughout the book. Brittainy C. Cherry has made it to my top romance authors list and I will definitely be checking out the rest of her books!!!

Recommend it?

Yes!

---

Author Bio:

Hi! I’m Brittainy! Join me as we travel through my mind as a Romance Author. This includes such things as my random thoughts, tricks, tips, things I’m learning, things I’m re-learning, things I’m forgetting, and my weird ways of crafting stories.

Author Links:

Facebook || Twitter || Newsletter || Blog

Purchase Links:

Amazon US || Amazon UK || Amazon CA || Amazon AU

---

So guys, have you read this book yet? What did you think about it? And if you haven’t, is it in your tbr? Have you read any other books by this author?

K-Drama & Thai Drama Review: High School Edition

Show Name: Sassy Go Go/Cheer Up!
K-Drama
Episodes: 12
Genre: Youth, Comedy, Mental-Health, [Young-Adult]
Director: Lee Eun-Jin
Cast: Jung Eun-Ji, Lee Won-Geun, Chae Soo-Bin, Cha Hak-Yeon, Ji Soo, Kim Ji-Suk, Lee Mi-Do, etc.
My Rating:

 

Blurb:

Set in a highly competitive school that emphasizes achievement and scores above all else, the drama will lay bare the absurdities and hypocrisies of the education system while also featuring the growth stories of the students who struggle to move forward, one step at a time.

This show surpassed my expectations. I didn’t think I was going to love it this much but the plot, the characters everything won my heart in the end.

Kang Yeon Doo (Jung Eun Ji) is the leader of her dance team but they are not academically active. Then there’s Kim Yeol (Lee Won Geun), the leader of the study club and they are among the top students of the school. When they are forced to work as a team, they begin to understand that there’s no much more than just competing each other.

This show dealt with a lot of serious and realistic issues that students face in high school and even after that. It also showed that extreme pressure from parents to succeed in academics can result in serious consequences. Suicides often show up in the newspaper about students not being able to cope up, so they chose this way. These issues were handled perfectly and realistically in this show. 

Seo Ha Joon (Ji Soo) suffered from depression which often resulted in trying to kill himself but cutting his wrists. I didn’t like Ji Soo’s character in Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon but here I fell in love with them. PTSD was also portrayed pretty well in this show. Seriously I have seen one of my classmates suffer from a nervous breakdown and the doctor said she was not going to recover again and I was in standard 4 back then, i.e. I was only 10 years old. Can you imagine the pressure she might have received from her parents that resulted in such a disastrous situation? Anyway, I loved the bromance between Seo Ha Joon and Kim Yeol, I don’t think Seo Ha Joon would have survived this long if it wouldn’t have been for his best friend.

Anyway, the Dance group and the Study group often clashed with each other but when incidents force them to work together as a team for the cheerleading completing, hell goes down. I also hated Teacher Yang Tae Beom‘s (Kim Ji Suk) character in Personal Taste but here he was my absolute favourite. He was the best teacher eveeeer!! And he deserved all the love when he was unfairly suspended from school and all the students united to bring him back brought tears to my eyes. It was such a heartwarming moment. Their Cheerleader coach was an absolute blast as well. She finally broke the norms of the school and it was because of her they were actually able to work as a team. There were some pretty hilarious moments.

The romance was not the main factor in the show and I absolutely didn’t mind (Surprising… I know!). But I cherished the small moments that Kang Yeon Doo and Kim Yeol shared. The love triangle was pretty evident and I was praying it wouldn’t happen and it did and that tore me apart because I loved both the leads. 😦

But it was handled pretty maturely, which was refreshing and I loved it. You can understand the level if I say I enjoyed a love triangle. Kwon Soo-A (Chae Soo-Bin) was a grey character. As much as I loathed her, I couldn’t completely hate her because I could sympathize with her. Nevertheless, the ending wrapped up nicely and I was satisfied with it.

Overall, Sassy Go Go/ Cheer Up! was a great show. I binged watched it in a day and it was a pretty fast watch. I loved how the plot was executed and the I enjoyed character growth of all of them.

Recommend it?

Yes!!

---

Show Name: Ugly Duckling: Don’t
Thai Drama
Episodes: 7
Genre: Youth, Comedy, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Cast: Thawornwong Jirakit, Techarukpong Chatchawit, Jiravechsoontornkul Lapalal
My Rating: 

Blurb:

Dumped by her boyfriend, Maewnam holes up in her house out of shame, until her dad gives her an ultimatum to go back to school. But she’s so embarrassed, she walks around with her head in a box to give herself personal space to grieve. Then two bad boys enter her life and turn her “box” world inside out.

This was the first foreign show I watched. Like ever! This was a pretty short watch but enjoyable. Also, I realized the names of the actors are sooo big and I for the love of God, can’t pronounce it. xD Also, this is a series which has 4 parts but I only watched this one.

Maewnam (Jiravechsoontornkul Lapalal) wears a box on her head because she is embarrassed to be seen after an incident as a child when her crush called her ugly. She never recovered from it but when she is forced to enrol in school, she meets two boys who change the course of her life.

When Maewnam enrols in a new school she befriends Minton (Techarukpong Chatchawit) who is absolutely hell-bent on becoming her friend. But it’s Zero (Thawornwong Jirakit) who is the hero (I had to use this phrase XD) who actually forces her to face her fears and conquer it. I loved the chemistry between Zero and Maewnam and I loved how their relationship slowly developed. The love triangle kind of didn’t matter much because it was evident from the very first who she was going to end up with. Also, I hadn’t expected that little plot twist which changed the whole game.

Overall, Ugly Duckling: Don’t was an enjoyable and short watch. The plot and the characters managed to hold my attention until the very end and I was satisfied how this show ended.

Recommend it?

Yes.

---

So guys, what do you think about these 2 shows? Have you seen them? Or do you want to?

Review: Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff || Where everything took a whole new turn

Title: Godsgrave
Author: Jay Kristoff
Series: The Nevernight Chronicle, book 2
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Warm
Page Count and Format: 421 pages, Hardcover
Published:  September 7th, 2017 by Harper Voyager UK
Source: Purchased
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church hierarchy think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending the men who destroyed her familia; in fact, she’s told directly that Consul Scaeva is off limits. But after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia suspicions about the Red Church’s true motives begin to grow.

When it’s announced that Scaeva will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end him. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between love and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

---

If you thought Nevernight was a torturous read, wait until you’ve read Godgrave because the wait for the next book is literally unbearable…

“If Vengeance has a mother, her name is Patience.” 

HOLY GUACAMOLEYYY!! This book simply took everything to a different level. I expected that, but not thaaaat much. I remember falling into a slump after finishing Nevernight because no other book was living up to my expectations after reading that one and the experience was quite similar to this book too (fortunately, I’m out of the slump now…). I also feel like it’s best to go into this book without knowing anything, even the blurb for the best reading experience.

After everything went down in the previous book, Mia is finally working for the Red Church but when she comes face to face with an old enemy, her perception towards the Red Church begins to sway and when the actual truth comes out, the line between right and wrong begin to blur. Not there was anything, to begin with, but now it’s up to Mia to decide where she wants her final destiny to be.

Interesting writing style!

In Nevernight, the writing style felt a little way too much in the beginning but I didn’t feel like that for a second while reading Godsgrave, I was hooked from the very first page and the jumping between the past and the present was actually quite fun, I usually don’t like when that happens but that very fact made things much more interesting in this book.

An Intense Plot!

The plot was bloody awesome! And intense! How does Kristoff do that? Everything was a bloody mess but it was amazing at the same time. It was really hard to put this book down, I just wanted to leave everything and read this book for the whole day! Okay, so in Nevernight, we saw Mia entering the Red Church as a student and now in Godsgrave, she is a full-fledged blade, who still wants revenge for her family despite the warnings from her masters. But as the book proceeded, things became just so much more than just revenge. But this book was sooo bloody, oh so bloody and dark. Oh, oh and I also missed Mister Kindly soooo freaking much. Also, wolfie was a nice addition, the constant bickering of those two provided the necessary relief and it was quite humorous and funny at times.

Character growth!

We are introduced to a lot of new characters in this book as Mia takes on a new journey and becomes a gladiator. I loved Mia’s character growth as a person in this book. She was a closed-off character in the first book and here we get to see a whole new side of Mia, she also discovers her sexual orientation in this book and I definitely enjoyed how everything was executed. It’s so hard to review this book without spoiling anything. So. Freaking. Hard. People.

Mia closed her eyes.
Raised her blade.
‘O, Mother, blackest Mother, what have I become?’

Anyway, I freaking loved the new characters and the relationship Mia shared with them. It was amazing but heartbreaking at the same time. Jay Kristoff is cruel, people. And that’s not a fact but a reality. How am I supposed to live until the next book?

Plot-twist that’ll ruin your life! (if you still have any after finishing this book…)

And the FREAKING PLOT TWIST!! Who does that!!! My goodness, there are some plot twists you are amazed at and some are too much to handle. Combine those two! That’s exactly how I felt after turning the last page. 2 major plot twists and I have no freaking idea what’s going to happen next. I had 1% hunch about the 2nd twist but the 1st one was out of completely nowhere. It smacked me right in the goddam face!! I mean, it completely changed the whole game dude!

I have to stop now otherwise my rambling will never end!!

Overall,

Godsgrave was an amazing, heart-pounding read. This was a fast-paced read and I enjoyed every moment of it. Also, this book was more dark and intense than the first book, so brace yourself guys! This series is absolutely perfect for fantasy and action lovers!

Congratulations if you have made it to the end of my endless screaming, screechingly fangirling review where I simultaneously want to hug the book and throw it at the wall.

*SPOILER* Who the freaking saw that coming at the end???? The one she hated the most and now she shares blood relation with him? LIKE SERIOUSLY???!!! Alsoooo, I loved the romance between Mia and the Ashlinn though she did the one thing I hated the most in the previous book but THAT ENDING people!! That bloody freaking ending!! *END OF SPOILER*

Recommend it?

Jinjja! Do I still need to say that?!

---

So guys, what are your thoughts on this book? Did you love it or did it felt flat for you? Or are you still waiting to read this book?

Also, if you want to discuss spoilers in the comments, please write spoilers before you state your thoughts. 🙂