Hoohoo, guys.
So after the book haul posts, here finally comes a post on what I’ve read. I haven’t done one in several months but I thought it’d be the time now.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Series: Harry Potter #4 | Author: J.K. Rowling | Publisher: Bloomsbury | Pages: 636 (Paperback Signature Edition) | Published: 2010 | TW: death, torture | Genre: Fantasy | Rating: ★★★★★
Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that’s supposed to take place at the Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn’t happened in a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen year old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he’s not normal – even by wizarding standards.
And in his case, different can be deadly. (goodreads)
What did I think?
Um, yeah, so what should I say? I LOVE Harry Potter? Like, it’s basically a part of who I am, these books are so deep in my soul, I can’t really write a review? I loved it. I love Harry’s sass, I love Ron’s sarcasm, I love Draco being an asshole, I love Hermione being smart af. I love the friendships, the weird shit. Everything. And that’s all you get from me on this, I’m not even sorry.
Serpent & Dove
series: Serpent & Dove #1 | Author: Shelby Mahurin | Publisher: HarperTeen | Pages: 519 (Paperback) | Published: 3rd September 2019 | Genre: Fantasy | Rep: bi side characters | TW: blood, self harm (for magic), murder | Rating: ★★★
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.
Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all. (goodreads)
What did I think?
A fantasy with witches and witch hunters and a hate-to-love-romance? Yes, sign me up.
I had no problems getting into the book and I absolutely loved the first half of the book. It was focused more on the characters and Lou and Reid trying to get to know each other and managing their marriage while not letting the other get to know too much. It was so much fun, their hate turning to friendship and more, their banter and their secrets and them making new friends. My problem was that after a certain point, there was just too much love, if that makes sense. Suddenly everything was lovely and great and I actually rolled my eyes just reading the word ‘love’. The romance slowed everything down a bit and then there was the drama, of course. The end lets me hope that it’ll get better in book 2 though.
Read the full review here.
The Queen of Nothing
Series: The Folk of the Air #3 | Author: Holly Black | Publisher: Hot Key Books | Pages: 308 | Published: 19th November 2019 | Genre: Fantasy | TW: blood, death | Rating: ★★★★
After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watches her fair share of reality television, and does the odd job or two, including trying to convince a cannibalistic faerie from hunting her own in the mortal world.
When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking of a favor, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan, who she loves despite his betrayal.
When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world. (goodreads)
What did I think?
I don’t know what I expected, but it was… more? I mean, this book was still fantastic and I loved it, but I just thought there would be, well, more of it. I started reading and then it was over. Or at least that’s what it felt like. It went by so fast. But I did enjoy my girl Jude wreaking havoc in Elfhame and I suddenly started liking characters I really, really didn’t like before, so surprise there. It was a good conclusion to the series but I wish it would have been longer.
Emergency Contact (ARC)
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Author: Mary H.K. Choi | Publisher: Atom | Pages: 400 | Published: 7th November 2019 | Genre: Contemporary YA/NA | Rep: Korean-American MC, anxiety, depression | TW: anxiety, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, broken family, manipulation, toxic relationship racism, sexism | Rating: ★★★★
For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she somehow managed to land a boyfriend, he doesn’t actually know anything about her. When Penny heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.
Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.
When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to see each other.
What did I think?
This book was completely different from what I expected. I guess I let the cover fool me. While this book is hopeful, it is not a happy one exactly. In contrast, the story is rather dark, talking about heavy but important topics such as depression and anxiety and how to deal with a past relationship and broken families. The book definitely made me feel loads.
Read the full review here.
The Places I’ve cried in Public
Author: Holly Bourne | Publisher: Usborne | Published: 3rd October 2019 | Pages: 368 | Genre: Contemporary YA | TW: emotional abuse, rape | Rating: ★★★★★
Amelie loved Reese. And she thought he loved her. But she’s starting to realise love isn’t supposed to hurt like this. So now she’s retracing their story and untangling what happened by revisiting all the places he made her cry.
Because if she works out what went wrong, perhaps she can finally learn to get over him. (goodreads)
What did I think?
Wow, this book was really, really good but also extremely hard to read. It is definitely one of the most important books I’ve read this year. The Places I’ve cried in public deals with a toxic relationship and emotional abuse. And what the hardest part is, that it felt extremely real. Like, I could identify with Amelie really well. Me at this age? Probably wouldn’t have acted so much diferently. It’s not surprising, but still kind of shocking how fast you can get hurt and how it can happen to anyone at any time. As someone reading this story, I wanted to pull Amelie out of this story, I wanted to open her eyes and keep her safe. But on the other hand, I fully understood her. I still can’t really put my feelings into words, but there was a lot of anger and sadness, shock and just being numb? A lot of crying and a lot of thinking was involved as well. I’d definitely recommend this book to everyone, but only if you’re in the right space for it. Because it hurts. Loads.
From Twinkle with Love
Author: Sandhya Menon | Publisher: Simon Pulse | Published: 14th May 2019 | Pages: 352 | Genre: contemporary YA | Rep: Indian, Indian-American, Japanese-American, gay & bi side characters | Rating: ★★★★
Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.
When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.
Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough? (goodreads)
What did I think?
Ahhhh, I had so much fun reading this! The MC and the love interest are both so awkward but so lovely and nice. I loved both of them individually as well as a pair. I also liked how the story was told through Twinkle’s journal/letters to famous female film makers and some of Sahil’s blogposts and text messages to his friends. This was such a happy read with the ups and downs of a teenager. I re-fell in love with Sandyha Menon’s books with this one.
If You Come Softly
Series: If you come softly #1 | Author: Jacqueline Woodson | Publisher: Penguin | Pages: 224 | Published: 7th January 2010 | Genre: contemporary YA | Rep: black, Jewish, lesbian side character | TW: racism, death (of black person), hate
Jeremiah feels good inside his own skin. That is, when he’s in his own Brooklyn neighborhood. But now he’s going to be attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan, and black teenage boys don’t exactly fit in there. So it’s a surprise when he meets Ellie the first week of school. In one frozen moment their eyes lock and after that they know they fit together – even though she’s Jewish and he’s black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that’s not what matters. Too bad the rest of the world has to get in their way. (goodreads)
What did I think?
Wow. This book was really short but that made it just more intense. One of the main characters is black and has to deal with racism. The other is a white Jewish girl who has to deal with her family. They fall in love fast and hard and it’s such a cute, gentle love, but the world is hard and hateful. If you come softly is so important, it talks about so many important topics. It’s another book I cried over. The thing is, it was published almost 30 years ago. But it doesn’t feel like this at all. If I wouldn’t have read the note in the beginning, I wouldn’t even have noticed. And it’s quite shocking because especially when I look at racism, nothing really has changed in those 30 years. It’s still there and from what I hear it didn’t get better one bit. People still die because of hate crimes. It makes me so sad and angry. So if you can, please, please read this book. It’s important. Very important.
And that’s my reading month. What did you read? What was your favourite?
Until next time,
