natalie
Time was up. Either we got the feathers–Or the Nephilim race would lose more than the war. They'd be in bondage to fallen angels for eternity.Following the events from [b:Silence 10637766 Silence (Hush, Hush, #3) Becca Fitzpatrick https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362408152l/10637766.SY75.jpg 14158688], Nora Grey has to adjust to her new life as a Nephil and the heir to the Black Hand. After swearing an oath to Hank Green, Nora is now the leader of the Nephilim army and will have to figure out how to free all Nephilim from being used as a vassal during Cheshvan. Trust. Betrayal. Fear.I felt as though this book had too many plot twists. Usually, the author writes details throughout the entirety of the book that leads up to one BIG plot twist, but with this book, there was a plot twist every few chapters. I would be lying if I said I wasn't shocked at these plot twists, but I felt as though they were too often. I suppose the last plot twist was the most anticipated one. A lot of readers are here for Patch, so when we watch the scenes unfold and find out he was sent to hell forever, I'm sure that was the last thing we wanted and/or expected. Now, I've never experienced love before so I have no idea how it feels, but Nora was so dramatic when it came to Patch that I had to stop and sit for a minute every time she said she couldn't live without him. Queen, you met less than a year ago... But I know if I was put in this position with Sirius Black, I would feel the same way.I found the training sessions with Dante to be quite boring and useless to the story, but as I think about it, it was to convince the readers that he could be trusted. When I got to the cemetery scene, I just knew it was going to be Dante. Someone we all trusted. When we got to the war scene, I was honestly very stressed. We had just found out Vee was also Nephil. Which, in my opinion, was very unnecessary. But I still didn't want anything to happen to her. But then Scott made a beautiful sacrifice for Nora. WE LOVE YOU SCOTT!! And then we find out Patch is alive!!! YIPPEE!! Detective Basil told Nora to cut her arm and I was like?? But then Nora and Patch made an oath to each other and mix their blood and guess what... PATCH CAN FEEL! Now they can kiss and hug and do all the other things teens do and it won't be one-sided. In the Epilogue, we see Vee getting married and being happy. But what killed me was: “Your mom told me Marcie died a couple months ago.”“She lived longer than anyone expected.”HELP?!?!?! THAT MADE ME LAUGH...Patch and Nora got a happy ending <3
“I love him so much it's like a thread piercing me. Punching holes. Dragging through. Stitching love into me. I'll never be able to untangle myself from this feeling. The color of love is surely this robin's-egg blue.”
The Hating Game is about Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman. Two co-workers who hate each other. Lucy is the girl who can't say no. Joshua is the boy who only says no. There's a huge promotion coming up, and each person wants to beat the other. They both agreed to resign if the other co-worker wins.
Joshua is an asshole, but all girls love assholes, right? No. Lucy has made it very clear she wants a nice guy, and Josh assures her that will never be him. There's tons of built-up tension between the two, which leads to Josh “testing” something in the elevator.
If you thought the tension before that was heavy, you are in for a ride. Lucy cannot stop thinking about Joshua. I wouldn't either, to be honest, that kiss was hot. But Lucy begins second-guessing her feelings for Joshua.
They have playful banter. Which is supposed to make it seem like they hate each other... girl where?
Joshua comes up with the brilliant idea of a paintball match between all their co-workers. On the battlefield, both Lucy and Josh go out of their way to protect the other. Lucy gets sick, Josh stays at her apartment to help out, and that's when we see Josh's soft side. Stuff goes on from there.
And I love it when Josh gets soft. You see him be an asshole all the time and then he looks at Shortcake and his hearts swell. So cute. Anywho, things get awkward between the two.
Danny comes in, Lucy likes him because he's nice but we all know she's trying to get over Joshua. But she just can't stop thinking about him. Neither would I.
No one told me there would be S E X in this book... I was very unprepared but perhaps I liked it. Possibly. I thought it would be that one time but after the first time, the book keeps going on with those “gentle touches” and “sweet kisses” and I kept wondering where the plot went.
UGH but Joshua is so soft for his Shortcake and I love them both so much.
“I want to kiss you,” Nikolai said. “But I won't. Not until you're thinking of me instead of trying to forget him.”I think [b:Siege and Storm 14061955 Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362166252l/14061955.SX50.jpg 19699752] is better than [b:Shadow and Bone 10194157 Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157.SX50.jpg 15093325]... probably because Alina is less annoying. :D I don't have many opinions on this book because I honestly don't remember much. What I do remember:They were found by the Darkling, brought to a ship, Sturmhond who is actually Nikolai is special or something and got them away from the Darkling, the ship was flying?? okay, Alina discovers more amplifiers, they go to Os Alta and stuff happens idk I was tired when I was reading...Anywho, Mal is still annoying. He's probably only dating Alina for clout. But Archie Renaux better redeem Mal...
when i first heard that cardan was a faerie and jude was a human i was so confused because fairies are supposed to be really small and humans are big so i was like how would that relationship work out if he lives in a little house in a tree and she lives in a real house?? like i thought he would be the size of her pinkie and i didn't know how she managed to live in their world. like i literally imagined him living in an acorn house and her opening the door to see him and him sitting on her nose...
“Every love does not have to be made of desire. Some loves are kept for the people who stand by you through everything. Some soulmates are sisters not lovers. Some loves are for those who give you hope. And some for the strength, for wisdom, for dreams.”
“Why be a half-finished poem in some forgotten poet's story, when one can be an odyssey in and of herself, part magic, part villain, part Goddess, part lover.”
“Blood was magic made manifest. There it thrived. And there it poisoned.”In [b: A Darker Shade of Magic 22055262 A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1) V.E. Schwab https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1400322851l/22055262.SY75.jpg 40098252], there are four Londons, all separated with different qualities. Kell is an Antari from Red London, where magic flourishes. Antari have the ability to travel between Londons, and Kell is one of the last of his kind. He sends messages to the monarchs of the Londons, but when these Londons cross into another, danger ensues. Four stars are still decent, but I expected a lot more due to everyone hyping it up. I am not disappointed in any way, I just assumed it would be worth five stars. The beginning was a bit slow, hence why it took me six days to read it. (Embarrassing tbh).“For the ones who dream of stranger worlds.”The story itself is very fascinating, and I loved the way [a:V.E. Schwab 7168230 V.E. Schwab https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1511218938p2/7168230.jpg] described the magic. It was thrilling, the words so truly enchanting. It wasn't basic magic, it was so much more than that. More complex, yet so simple. (Also, reading this in a British accent? 100x betta luv XX
I WANTED TO LIKE THIS SO BAD...
i was genuinely into it in the beginning but as it went on i just became bored. i skimmed through a bunch of the ending because it dragged on. it was very repetitive as well.
mal seemed better that the darkling in this?? i've seen so many people say mal is horrible but i don't see it? ok the darkling seems hot as fuck and that one scene made me scream but it was just to get on alina's good side. anywho.. i'm not sure i'll read the rest of the series because i know i'll end up disappointed.
Six of Crows >>>
“No mourners, no funerals. Another way of saying good luck. But it was something more. A dark wink to the fact that there would be no expensive burials for people like them, no marble markers to remember their names, no wreaths of myrtle and rose.”
crazy crazy crazy speechless I am so wow what to say what to say I need a third book. now.
In this book, we got to learn and explore more of the characters' pasts. We finally got all of Wylan's story (fuck you Jan Van Eck), and we got to see most of Jesper's as well.
I read this book in two days. That's how entertained and engaged I was. I spent my entire Saturday reading this.
I can't relate to any of the characters, and I usually can't with any book I read, but I don't think you need to relate to a character to feel a connection to them. This series introduced me to that idea. These characters are so well written and thought out that I have no choice but to love them. The way they all work together despite their differences.
Oh, Jes. :( The guilt he felt the moment he saw his father's face. “His father's head snapped up and Jesper steeled himself for what might come next–whatever insults or outrage his father hurled at him, he deserved. But he wasn't prepared for the relieved grin that split his father's craggy features. Someone might as well have put a bullet right in Jesper's heart.”
“Someone might as well have put a bullet right in Jesper's heart.” Yea... that hurt.
Indeed these characters have had hard times. But, Inej... So much shit has happened to her and though I can't relate to it, I can still feel sympathy for her. (Although Inej would probably tell me she doesn't want pity...) She was brought into Kerch unwillingly and spent her days slaving away at a Menagerie, which, in definition, is a place where wild animals are kept in captivity for exhibition. I now see why all the girls at the Menagerie have an animal for their name. Like hello?? A teenage girl working a job that exploits her to grown men?
Kaz's trauma prevents him from performing skin-to-skin contact. When we got that scene of him and Inej... he most definitely shit his pants. But he would try for her. That's what makes him good. Even if he is a shitty person, he loves Inej enough to want to try for her. And when they held hands... I may have cried.
I accidentally spoiled Matthias' death for myself...so when the time came I wasn't surprised, unfortunately. I was sad, of course, because it's Six of Crows not Five of Crows (thank you Cindy for that quote). Nina being so desperate for him to come back most definitely made me tear up, though.
“Matthias couldn't name the ache he felt in that moment. He was a solider. So was Nina. They weren't meant for such domestic scenes. But he'd envied those people and their ease. Their comfortable home, their comfort with each other.” ... This quote killed me. I don't think I will ever truly recover from this book.
Um. Let's talk about Chapter 40. First of all, I took a picture of it, printed it, and put it on my wall. Second, when I first read the books, Kanej was my favorite ship, but going back and looking at everything I tabbed, Helnik is far superior. Anyways, I have this chapter memorized. That's how many times I've reread it. Not that it's hard to learn, it's one paragraph. But what the fuck am I supposed to do in the third book without Helnik? I seriously can't handle this. I'm really mad at you Leigh.
I also want to add some quotes that made me laugh:
“...So Kuwei, you'll go to the Souther Colonies, and when the heat has died down, you can find your way to Ravka or Matthias' grandmother's house for all I care”
“‘Leave my grandmother our of this,' Matthias said.”
“‘Saints!' his father gasped. ‘This city is worse than the guidebooks said!'“
“‘You don't have enough money to buy her waffles,' Wyland grumbled.”
“Be quiet. We're in a library.”
“It wasn't that Alys was so bad, she just never stopped. She sang between bites of food. She sang while she was walking through the graves. She sang from behind a bush when she needed to relieve herself. When she finally dozed off, she hummed in her sleep.“
“Matthias' steps faltered. ‘Why would he–'“
“‘She's tied up, so he has to.'“
“‘Be silent.'“
“‘I also keep a journal.'“
“‘Must be fascinating. Day one: sat in tomb. Day two: sat in tomb some more.'“
“Jesper nodded sagely. ‘Good country air, lots of fields for...gamboling about. I grew up on a farm. It's why I'm so tall.'“
“Alys frowned. ‘You're a little too tall.'“
“‘It was a really big farm.'“
I want to reread this series so bad but 1) I want to wait a little bit longer and 2) I genuinely don't think I'd be able to handle it.
I really hope we get the third book in the next day because I'm not sure how much longer I can go without any new content. We better see them happy in the next book or Miss Bardugo is getting a punch to the mouth. <33
“But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.”
Circe is a tale about a minor Greek goddess who grew up viewed as the weirdo or outlaw. She was never seen as anything special. She had no special powers or redeeming qualities. Circe was just, Circe. Her parents and siblings never cared much for her. Then one day she does something unforgivable. She was exiled to a deserted island where she beings to practice her witchery.
This book was beautifully written. So many metaphors and inspiring words. Simply beautiful. Though I must admit the book was a little slow, as it had long chapters where little to nothing exciting happened. But there were also many chapters where I simply did not want to put the book down, more specifically towards the end.
“I would say, some people are like constellations that only touch the earth for a season.”
“Only that: we are here. This is what it means to swim in the tide, to walk the earth and feel it touch your feet. This is what it means to be alive.”
I felt bad for Circe throughout the reading. Her parents and siblings spoke lowly of her, degrading her when she was right in front of them. Then she finally met someone who would listen to her. Glaucos was the first person who Circe could talk to without feeling like a burden or annoying. It is with Glaucos that she first discovers her magic, though she thought it was just fate.
The magic she conjured made Glaucos become his true self. He became outgoing and social. Circe was so excited to see him so happy. That is until he decides to propose to Scylla. This angers Circe, leaving her jealous. She did the same thing to Scylla that she did to Glaucos, but Scylla becomes a monster.
This is what led to Circe's exile. Before the exile, her brother Aeëtes told her that it was magic, not the Fates. On her island Aiaia, she begins to explore her crafts, spending her days doing witchery.
Alright, enough of reciting the entire story...
Circe meets Daedalus, a mortal. They share great stories with each other. Circe feels whole again, after being in solitude for so long. This is where things begin to upset me.
Everyone Circe has ever loved has been taken away from her. All I wanted was for her to live a happy life. In the end, she gets a happy ending, but it was all just a wish she was imagining. Being exiled for centuries, she had barely talked to anyone. She had her nymphs, though she did not care about them.
All those men to step onto her shore, to eat in her house, to be held in hospitality, only for them to do something unforgivable. They got what they deserved, for she used her witchery skills to tear them apart, to turn them into pigs.
Circe falls pregnant with a mortals baby. She knew the baby would be hated by the gods, but when she learns that her son Telegonus is threatened to die, she does everything in her power to protect him. Not him...I have been ripped of all happiness. All the people I have once loved.
Of course as a mother she is bound to be protective. But it's not only her motherly mindset that makes her feel this way, it is the way in which she grew up deprived of love and comfort. There was a sort of deal put in place. The gods did not want this child to be born, but at last, it was. Telegonus grows up crying and screaming for hours a day, never wanting to be put to sleep, be alone, or be touched.
He grows to be wise, handsome, determined. Blah blah blah Odysseus is his father and he wants to see him but he dies blah blah blah. I didn't really care about Odysseus, not as much as Daedalus, at least. But he made Circe happy and that made me happy.
I'm tired right now so I don't feel like writing anymore, though I may add more some day. Maybe not. But if you love mythology, I definitely recommend this. Even if you don't, I would still recommend it. Toodles...
4.5 STARS ★
I LOVED THIS!!
the writing, the characters, the plot, everything!
Ms. Becca Fitzpatrick does an amazing job at bringing the story to life and sharing this story.
of course, as many books, there's conflict. the author does a great job at executing these said conflicts. it's never too abrupt. we aren't bombarded with Nephilim and fallen angel drama, it's all brought in smoothly.
the characters are great too. we know that Nora was released from being abducted, and we know the trauma that comes with it. i love that she didn't want anyone to pity her, she just wanted to live her life again. after being put through this traumatic event, she managed to be selfless many times. but in the end, being selfish was something she deserved.
i loved the descriptions of black filling her vision and life because despite her amnesia and lack of remembering Patch, they were still connected.
we all know Hank is an asshat. loving Nora's mom just to get closer to Nora so he could fuck up her life? of course Hank doesn't think about anyone but himself. selfishly putting his blood in Nora and making her swear an oath so she could lead his dumb little army with no choice? gross.
and obviously, Patch. ♥︎ we all love him. him finally admitting that he loves Nora and how much she means to him... butterflies. i love how protective he is of Nora but also how he's willing to let her handle Hank on her own (with him on the side protecting her of course). their relationship is just chefs kisses tbh.
i'm probably not going to read the fourth book just yet because i have other books as my priority. but i'm very excited to read it and see how the story ends. with how it's been the past three books, it could either have a good ending or a bad ending. though i'm leaning more towards a good ending because it's what they deserve.
some favorite moments:
“That I would do anything for you, even if it means going against my instincts or my very nature. I would lay down everything I possess, even my soul, for you. If that isn't love, it's the best I have.”
“If you need one more reason, I love you. This is uncharted territory for me, but I need to know that at the end of the night, I have you to come home to.”
“Starting with the color black. Deep, dark unearthly black. I hadn't told anyone yet, but the color kept streaking across my mind at the oddest moments. When it did, my skin shivered pleasantly, and it was as if I could feel the color tracing a finger tenderly along my jaw, tipping my chin up to face it directly.”
“Angel. The mere sound of my word caused heat to lick up my skin. Once again, the color black raced furiously around me like a hot ribbon, but this time there was more. A physical touch so real I stopped in my tracks...You're mine, Angel. And I'm yours. Nothing can change that.”
and there were many more moments between Patch and Nora that made me blush and or squeal..
★★★★☆
first of all: WHY DID YOU END IT LIKE THAT? THAT CLIFFHANGER? i need to read crooked kingdom before i start the third book but now i'm too invested in this series to wait.
there were so many plot twists and i was confused but the author does a really good job at making things clear. when being introduced to a new idea, she explains it very well.
this book is pretty fast-paced, but that might just be because it's an ebook and i tend to read ebooks quickly.
as much as i wanted patch and nora to be together in this book, i was very satisfied by their last moment because you can see that patch truly does care about nora, even if it wasn't supposed to happen.
also, fuck you rixon you dirty goat cheese flubnubber trash can stinker smelly bean burrito big boy hooligan fat bat penis fat headass. ugly. dumb. stupid.
“Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.”
This is a pretty controversial rating... But hear me out.
Caraval took me so long to get through and it put me in a reading slump. It's not that the book is boring because it really isn't. I just found that the book was focusing more on imagery than on the actual plot.
Don't get me wrong, the writing is beautiful and immersive, but I don't care that the tent was a beautiful shade of velvety jade with heart-shaped gems hanging from sparkly ribbons and when you walked inside the shade of jade transformed into a dazzling color of magenta and the air smelled of roses and tulips and the chandelier was so shiny that it was almost blinding but the magic of Caraval made it so no one can be blinded by the intense sparkle of the potions sitting on the victorian brown table on the far right corner of the tent that was sitting behind a curtain made from every flower petal on the island...
And that was in every single chapter. I started reading Legendary about two months ago and I am only halfway through. I genuinely don't know why.
Because the books are entertaining and there's something new in every chapter but I just. can't. get. through. it.
And these books are so easy to read with reasonably lengthed chapters so I seriously don't know why Caraval took me so long to read.
Maybe I'm the problem.
Enough of the cons...
As stated before, I was thoroughly entertained. There were a lot of plot twists (maybe too many), a lot of stuff happening on the pages. Towards the end of the book, I didn't stop reading. I was fully immersed in the story and found myself gasping plenty of times.
But...
The characters are... not my favorite. I think Julian is the only likable one because both Scarlett and Tella are annoying.
Omg I said enough of the cons so MOVE ON NATALIE...
Yes, the writing is beautiful. I think Stephanie does an amazing job at creating the magical feel of the book and allowing readers to fully imagine what's going on around them.
The romance was okay, I was liking it. Mostly because Julian is so charming.
Short review but I do recommend this book. The plot is wonderful and the writing is beautiful.
Smooches to anyone reading this <33
