Maha

Thank God we have college students with no survival instinct or no crime would ever be solved.

I will gladly ignore the sometimes a bit dramatic flowery metaphors when the book is this good

This book is not really a historical romance in the traditional sense, so I understand why people felt blindsided. I got the feeling the title meant mostly the love Hazel feels towards medicine, peppered lightly with some actual swoony stuff. I enjoyed it, but I would have been disappointed if I was in it for the romance.

This started out SO great. I was invested, in love with the main character, and tremendously enjoyed the setting. Then came the last act, and I felt like I was reading a different book. It felt incredibly rushed and did not fit with the rest of the story at all.
I don't regret reading this, but nothing bothers me more than an unsatisfactory ending.

This book tackles so much in such a short time, it should've been overwhelming, but somehow it all fit together perfectly.

I especially liked the refreshing writing style that somehow really mirrored the way my brain usually works (probably not for everyone though).

Also, so weird. There are Aliens owning a Donut Shop and a cursed Violin. I loved it.

This was a YA fantasy through and through, enemies to lovers, banter, yearning, the whole thing.
Ridiculous amounts of sarcastic back and forth, but I was into it, mostly because I really get into the ‘you'd hate me if you knew who I really was' thing.

The plot was pretty mediocre overall, but I flew through the book and enjoyed every second of it, so I didn't really mind.

I hate dual POVs though and this didn't change my mind, they both sound exactly the same too so that didn't help either.

But I got my romance fix with a fun world built around it and that's all I ask for!

3.5 stars

Weird and confusing and eerie. I loved the writing and how it puts the reader into the headspace of the main character and kept me guessing what is happening until the end.

The plot itself was pretty bland, to be honest, but the atmosphere made up for it.

There is nothing I despise more than a boring thriller that only gets interesting 80% in.

Imagine this plot out of Vivian's perspective, but as an unreliable narrator, I would've been so much more into it

This is a weird one to rate.
The story reminded me a lot of Sharp Objects in the best ways and the whole concept is deliciously creepy BUT

I will die on the hill that not all YA needs a teenage protagonist with high school problems and a crush/love interest.
Horror especially needs to slowly build up an atmosphere of unease and only the beginning and the end really did that for me.
I still flew through it and it did grip me, it just had so much more potential!

3.5 ✨
Dual timelines are always so hard to do because one is always superior and this one was no different.
Even though it was weirdly paced, the magical realism and unfolding story were beautiful and gripped me instantly.

this wasn't just a book, it was an experience

So this is what people feel when they ship alina with the darkling!

I‘m not exaggerating when I say i would die for primrose

The vibes are immaculate and the ending?? what?

magical woods are my weakness in everything

also BRAMBLE

3.5
I enjoyed the beautiful writing and the story.
The book spotlights the women of greek mythology and because of that and the first person perspective I missed their emotions, most of it was told and not shown.

I know this was technically almost a horror book but the romance arc made me feel more feelings than the last real romances I read.
Whatever THAT says about me..

this was hilariously bad. I can't give it more than 1 star in good conscience but I had lots of fun

I guessed the twist way too early and the first two thirds of the book were boring but it was a fast read and i'll still check out the second book.

When men write hot women in nothing but spicy leather underwear to breast boobily around the underworld, why can't they write them into an interesting story, how hard can it be.

‚There are worlds built on rainbows and worlds built on
rain.
There are worlds of pure mathematics, where every
number chimes like crystal as it rolls into reality.
There are worlds of light and worlds of darkness, worlds of rhyme and worlds of reason, and worlds where the only thing that matters is the goodness in a hero's heart‘
And i hope I can read about all of them!!!

I am so obsessed with this book, with Seanan Mcguires writing, with the worldbuilding and with Jack and Jill.
I loved the first one but this was basically everything I love put into one story.
I love my fantasy like this, whimsical and original and dark and with flowery exposition.

I want to reread it now

the beginning was good and the ending was good and the middle was stretching endlessly.

books like this need to be fast paced for me to enjoy them, show me fun heists and not dramatic inner monologue.

the characters are still amazing though and carried the whole thing.

a pill that generates the positive effects of work-outs in the body sounds simultaneously like the best and the worst idea possible

2.5
i think this book would've been so much more enjoyable if it was shorter. Or a tv show. I loved the characters and the world building but I just not into the long-winded descriptions of combat and the story in general was kind of all over the place.

okay, maybe I was very excited after reading it. I wanted to be more critical with my 5 stars this year.
4.5 stars. But I still loved it!
——————————————————————————
oh my god.

This was one of those books, that everyone seemed to love so much that it was keeping me from reading it, because I didn't want to be disappointed. I wasn't.

The first half is slow, full of schemeing and planning and getting to know the cast of characters. It seems boring, until you get to the second half and it all pays off and becomes a roller coaster of adrenaline, turns and chaos. And I loved every second of it.
I loved how distinctive the voices of the characters were, how detailed the personalities were described and it makes perfect sense why everyone is obsessed with them.
I can't wait to read the second book!
In fact, I will start reading it the exact moment Lisann finishes this one, so we can talk about it.

Brit Bennett's writing is so beautiful and intriguing.
I don't know how she managed to weave together so many different generations, people and personalities into a story that is so moving and complex.