H
4.5⭐
I just finished this book and I absolutely loved it.
The world building was amazing, and layered in a way that pulled me in completely. And the characters... wow. I loved every single one of them, even the ones I was supposed to hate. (Well, except for Doru, I guess his name was. Ew. Don't even get me started)
Funny thing is, I actually started this book around mid-May, but only read about 10% before putting it aside. Last week I finally picked it back up, and I'm so glad I did because it was everything I hoped for and more, it definitely didn't disappoint.
And then there's Lan, I kind of expected he was going to die, but when it finally happened, it still hurt so much.
Now I'm super excited to see what happens in the next book
4.5⭐
I just finished A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim a couple of days ago, and wow—I really, really loved this book. It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but honestly? I think I liked it even more than the actual one.
The main characters were amazing, and the world-building was just as good, especially with the fact that the “beast” here is actually a dragon prince with an undersea kingdom he's trying to save. That whole concept hooked me right away. The characters, the scenes, the plot everything just worked so well together.
And then the ending... oh my god. I love a good ending. I don't care if it's happy or sad as long as it feels right, that's what matters to me. This one happened to be happy, but more importantly, it was perfect.
(Side note: her mother irritated me a bit. Okay, not just a bit. Way too much.)
2.5⭐ and this is me being generous
I actually started reading this series just because everyone kept talking about this book and how amazing it is, so I said okay let's give this series a try. Results : THIS ONE IS MY LEAST FAVORITE OF ALL THREE
I felt disconnected to the characters and I kept dragging myself to finish it
what I loved about this book was the main characters' connection to Justin's siblings and the chapters where Emma knew the truth about her mother and met Daniel, that was actually heartbreaking
Maddy is the best kind of friends someone can ever have
Neil's character development was soo nice but weird in the same time maybe because I used to hate him in the first book
4.5⭐
This was so close to being a 5 star read! The only thing that pulled me out a bit was the mentions of TikTok I totally cringed every time and I want to hit my head on a wall for the miscommunication in some part of the book
But honestly, I absolutely loved this book. It's my favorite in this series
The portrayal of Jacob's anxiety felt so real, combined with his kind nature and loving family, it made him one of my favorite characters
Briana, on the other hand, is such a strong woman. From her divorce and the loss of her child to dealing with her brother's illness, she went through so much in such a short time and she's still standing tall. The way she understood Jacob's struggling with anxiety and tried to support him as much as she can and the way she keeps defending him, for that she has my respect
And the LETTERS they wrote to each other, SOO cute!!!!!!!!
♾️Stars!
As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh isn't just my favorite book of the month, or even the year, it's my favorite book of all time.
It took me a few months to finish this, not because I didn't like it, but because I couldn't rush it. I wanted to savor every page. And honestly, I needed to take breaks between the chapters. This book consumed me emotionally, it shattered me, over and over. Happy scenes made me cry. Sad scenes made me cry even harder.
This story represents only a glimpse, a sliver of the Syrian reality during the war that began in 2011. The bombing, the fear, the loss, the fight to survive it's all there, and it's all real. The characters might be fictional, but the pain and truth behind the story are not.
Salama's story is unforgettable. Her memories of Hamza, Leila, her parents... I'm still not over them. And Kenan... oh my god. Their story was powerful and devastating and beautiful. I thought I couldn't handle any more heartbreak and then came the boat journey, the fear, the uncertainty. And then the epilogue... when I found out Kenan survived, and they were safe!! I sobbed.
This book isn't just fiction. It's a reflection of reality for Syrians, for Palestinians, for so many people across the world suffering under war, oppression, and displacement.
No review can ever truly express what this book made me feel. It will stay with me forever. I will recommend it to anyone who reads. This is not just a book, it's a life-changing experience.
Thank you Zoulfa Katouh for this masterpiece
Favorite quotes:
In the last six months, I have participated in more surgeries than I can count and closed more eyes than I ever thought I would.
This wasn't supposed to be my life.
We fight while we're still here, Salama, because this is our country. This is the land of your father, and his father before him. Your history is embedded in this soil. No country in the world will love you as yours does.
I want to survive.
I want my family. I just want my family back.
“Auntie—don't cry—when I go to Heaven—I'll tell God—everything,”
“No. I'm exhausted from all of this. I'm exhausted we're suffocating and no one gives the slightest bit of a damn. I'm exhausted we're not even an afterthought. I'm exhausted we can't even have basic human rights. I'm exhausted, Kenan.”
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“Kenan's nineteen,”
“I know.”
“And you married him,”
“I did.”
“Why? He's always on his laptop. Sometimes I have to yell three times before he hears me.”
“What are you doing?”
“Are you staring at me?”
“Maybe.”
He grins. “I have to tell you, I'm a married man now. My wife won't like it if random girls ogle me.”
The heat on my face spreads up to my hair's roots. Wife.
“But if you insist on doing so, how about you do it up close?”
“Every lemon will bring forth a child, and the lemons will never die out.”
It reminds me that as long as the lemon trees grow, hope will never die.
