sam ☆
“It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
i love the idea of self improvement books, but more traditional ones (ex: atomic habits, the subtle art of not giving a fuck) don't hold my attention and drone on. my realization while reading ‘the alchemist' is that “motivational speeches” hidden under the guise of a story feel much more authentic to me. that's probably why i adore memoirs so much. yes, they can become preachy or self righteous, but there's something about the lessons learned that tuck away into my heart. should we call it philosophical fiction? inspirational fairytales [for adults]?
this definitely reads almost like a fairytale — or story you tell around a campfire. a tale someone tells you to instill hope and calm your nerves to persist through life. for that, i'm grateful for this read.
"I've spent so much of my whole life being told what I am, described as nothing more than another's reflection, that I'm not even sure there's a real me to be seen."
omg what a delightful read! i adore a fairytale retelling and this was such a fun and unique twist on the classic snow white story, mixing romance, fantasy, and mystery. astrid and torben are two characters who i feel like i'll be thinking about for awhile just in the way that they were able to heal in such a heartwarming way. i was rooting for them like crazy.
the plot was insanely unique. in my [humble] opinion, the world-building could have been a bit more detailed, but the cozy vibe and engaging writing style make it an easy and enjoyable read. the added murder mystery gives the romance some extra suspense, striking a nice balance between tension and swoon-worthy moments. a forced proximity romance will just always for it for me.
(i was quite literally kicking my feet at some moments)
there are a few small inconsistencies and the occasional overused phrase, but overall, this book is super enjoyable. it's a total page-turner that kept me up until 2am lol. i needed to figure out the mysteries but also see how the romance played out.
this is totally a comfort read for me now and i'm absolutely going to be trying other books in this series of retellings xo
“And I see you. Your bravery. Your courage. You are so beautiful. So strong. Fragile too, but not weak. Never weak. You're incredible.”
omg omg 😭🥹
such a lush, dreamy story that pulled me in right from the start. easily my favorite read of 2024 and possibly my favorite book of all time. morgenstern's prose is rich, sensory, whimsical and absolutely transported me every time i opened the book. i could smell the caramel apples, hear the rustling tents, and see the circus acts as if i was there. it made me happy in a way i can't fully explain. the characters are unforgettable. each one felt so real. this book is just absolutely everything to me. less of a story, more an experience. left me nostalgic for something i never knew i needed. i'll be chasing this feeling forever 🎪
reading this will become a yearly tradition.
(i stayed up until 2am to finish this. i even ordered the night circus tea blend from the author's site (and yes, i'm dangerously close to buying $40 chocolate mice). i already want to reread it. maybe once the tea arrives.)
this gave wattpad, but in all the best ways. corny/unnatural dialogue, man-written-by-a-woman hero, all vibes no plot. if you're looking for a good “junk food” read this is a fun one. a palate cleanser in between reads if you will. you're not here for excellent (or even good) writing, you're here for a good time.
✰ “She wanted to bottle him, have him, consume him, be consumed by him. She wanted the courage to turn misshapen feelings into words, to craft him sweet, soft phrases, promises she could be held to."
a romantasy retelling loosely inspired by sleeping beauty, with nods to the cruel prince (or so i've heard, since i haven't read it yet). this had its moments. fun banter, great tension, and an actually teen romance (no ancient man as the mmc). i loved juliana's determination and how she wasn't written as a “not like other girls” archetype. hawthorn reminded me of klaus from the vampire diaries (aka chaotic but weirdly charming), and the slow burn slow burned in a satisfying way. the dialogue was clever and funny, and the character work was solid especially for a romantasy with minimal fluff. that said, the worldbuilding was nonexistent, the prose was fine, and the plot fell apart the second i started thinking about it too much. major events had no weight, deaths didn't matter, and i never really felt the setting.
if you want a “turn your brain off” fae romance with teen characters and good banter, you might have a good time. just don't go in expecting depth. if you're looking for any worldbuilding or a lush, atmospheric fairytale retelling? this isn't it.
and now for my ✨rant✨
it's great that this is an actual teen romance with no immortal love interest creepiness. i'm just so over barely legal girl with 300 year old man. however, the fade to black scene where juliana loses her virginity and wakes up with bruises because she “likes it rough” was deeply uncomfortable to me. it added nothing, felt inappropriate for a YA romance, and lacked any context or discussion around why a teenage girl would want sex like that. if you're going to include content like that, especially for younger readers, you have a responsibility to offer some thoughtful framing for the how, why or even how to approach conversations like that with a partner.
end ✨rant✨
cute in the moment, but forgettable. there were fun, sweet moments and i loved reading about a fmc over 25, meddling ghosts, and a small town with spooky vibes. the banter worked (sometimes) and nick was a soft and sweet love interest with ‘acts of service' moments which i love. but the writing grated on me. way too much slang, weird covid references, and repetitive details that felt like filler. the mystery was predictable, the romance was weak, and the setting never felt as immersive as it could've been.
i wouldn't personally reread, but i'd recommend it for a light october read. elmer and sarah were the real stars ♡!
✰ “If we are to rise in this world, we must bite at the hands that would hold us down.”
one of the most gorgeous slow-burn romances i've read. cried multiple times and adored anna with my whole heart. this story felt like a gift. lush prose, stunning romance, and a journey through lifetimes that broke me (in the best way). anna & khiran ♡!!
✰ “But the only thing that can act on humans is time. We are not lovely and static. We are ever-changing, cast as seasons. We are meant to change.”
lyrical, haunting, all vibes no plot. prose was rich and dreamlike. azure and indigo will prob live in my head forever. magical realism teetered on fever dream, but worked in the end. intoxicatingly written and emotionally indulgent. every page felt whimsical and dreamy. if you want plot, look elsewhere. if you want to feel haunted by girlhood 100% a must read. this is for girls who played mermaid in their adolescent summers, romanticize grief, and believe Gods are women.
✰ “You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one forever.”
i really adored this book. i couldn't put it down, and it helped me out of my reading slump by reading the it girl spooky book i've been yearning for. i was pleasantly surprised by how easy the writing was to understand and that gave me a lot of confidence to try reading more classics... though the casual racism and body shaming were jarring. my only complaint is that the ending felt a bit unfinished, and i wish there had been more closure.
highly recommend the version edited by carmen maria machado! my personal favorite annotation: ‘if this isn't an orgasm, nothing is'
✰ "I am nothing in my soul if not obsessive."
Book I: ★★★★★
Book II: ★★★
I fucking loved this book.
Donna Tartt wrote something beautiful, obsessive, uncomfortable, and devastating. The first half (Book I) was perfect. Book II lost a bit of momentum, but still I felt like every page had the same suffocating vibes filled with dread and longing.
It was unhinged and it was beautiful.
Also, Richard was absolutely in love with Charles and no one can convince me otherwise.
read like a first draft. immature characters, unbearable romance, and writing that needed several edits. the spice was bad. the editing was worse. the relationship dynamic made me furious. the amount of beard mentions made me dizzy.
2 ★ for: jeanie being 28, which we love. 🗣️ more fmc over the age of 25! & the selkie chickens.
✰ "This was the thing about boundaries; they made sense in therapy, but when you tried to implement them in the real world, people had no idea what you were talking about. Or, deep down they knew exactly what you were talking about and immediately set to reinforcing their case of denial.
horny, hungry, raw, unapologetic, uncomfortable. not a romance (despite storygraph and goodreads genre tags saying so). flawed mc with real inner chaos. made me feel seen (rare) and disturbed (frequent) at once. i just adore deeply internal narration and chracter studies.
fun but flawed. loved muriel, arthur, and bill. the antagonists were too over the top to take seriously. this was not the class war horror i was hoping for. the satire wasn't sharp enough to be effective, and the humor often felt too ham fisted and almost a mockery to the topics (wealth inequality, aging, classism) that the author was doing social commentary on.
women in their 70s deserve love. always and forever ♡
all you need to know is that i hated this.
🐀 “but hate is such a strong word”
👩🏾 “yes”
voice2text (random notes from my reading experience, aka: a descent into madness)
- literally had to look up if the bartholemew was a real hotel
- i'd die of happiness for a YA or NA version of eloise
- looking at pictures of the dakota in nyc to picture this place
- omg girl damn we get it you're broke and alone
- it's almost exhausting being in her mind she's “not like other girls” but in the worst way
- “i think every family has one bring tragedy” “he's wrong. my family has two” oh brotherrrrr it's the victim olympics at the bartholemew
- manic pixie
- should i be reading this at night
- this book is 400 pages holy shit
- on what planet do you just flip through a strangers photo album
- “my number” i say with a coy smile “is 2a” PLEASE SHUT UP OMG PLS PLS PLS
- the writing feels so inconsistent, sometimes it's amazing sometimes it's so novice
- why would the cops chastise you for reporting your sister so late if you said they thought she was a runaway
- i'm sorry ??? all you feel is curiosity when there's a fire blazing ???
- reading this immediately after the work of art that is radiance was a poor idea
- does chloe know she can TEXT news articles
- i picture greta sitting there with a glazed look to her eye at this multi page sob story
- i love a sad girl sm i just feel like the way the author presents her story is sooo grating
- i have a feeling this is going to be one long preach fest - class, wealth, homelessness etc
- the way she just rapid fire asks questions like nobodyyyyy speaks like this
- ah yes the man struggling to put his daughter in school wants a rose petal for a tip
- i just realized i don't think we ever got a description of the narrator
- breaking into apartments as foreplay is a vibe i suppose
- i can't buy she's desperate for money when she breaks every rule with zero forethought
- at this point everything jules does is annoying to me now idk
- okayyyy it might finally be getting good (63% in mind you)
- i don't trust dylan because he's the only male apartment sitter
- WELL DUH YOU NEED TO KEEP THAT INFORMATION TO YOURSELF JULES TF
- pls don't be this stupid jules if you don't call her i will literally scream into my pillow
- she really said my suspicion is beginning to show then literally asks the most suspicious question imaginable
- who says glock instead of gun besides rappers in a lil sing songs jules (oct 14: and kamala)
- how do you know what a jellyfish sting feels like jules and even if you do why would you assume that's a good way to measure pain for us to fucking understand
- determined to finish this tonight bc i don't think i'll want to pick this up tmrw ('tis past midnight)
- omg julesssss for gods sake WHY WOUKD YOU GRAB HER AFTER SHE PROMISED NOT TO TELL LESLIE AND IS CLEARLY ALSO SCARED
- i love a library moment but why wouldn't you google it like you've done with quite literally everything else jules
- isn't rich people worship the devil a little too on the nose
- yaaaaa so dylan's def sus if the evil rich devil worshipers only sacrifice women
- dun dun dunnnnn
- you count exactly how many seconds it takes someone to open a door jules
- did we just casually forget we read that they perform sacrifices on young women
- omg you dumb bitch if you think they're going to kill dylan and know they steal phones why would you admit where ingrid is omg
- why wouldn't you grab the gun first jules
- WHY WOULD YOU DROP THE STUN GUN OMGGGGGGG FUCKING HELL
- YOU DROP THE ONE WEAPON YOU HAVE
- this is actually some people's favorite book that's wild
- soooo are they preforming satanic rituals or just need organs like
- that's actually so humiliating that you slept with him jules
- honestly nick ate her right up bc why would she try to guilt trip him when he doesn't even respect anyone who doesn't have wealth
- 94% in prob going to skim at this point <33
- so you're too morally superior to either kill him or set his place on fire jules or
- okay nvm thank god she's made one good choice
- thank god ingrid is alive because she's the only one i care about here
- BITCH IF YOU DONT ACCEPT THE GOFUNDME
- this ending with “are you okay” “no but i will be” actually almost sent me into a rage
- done at 1:13am and possibly my first one star book
