A Touch of Malice

ohhh that's why we're doing the snow storm. 
It took me forever to read this....
*inserts smirk emojis because like.. yeah.
I'm here for Hades and basically only Hades....and the dogs. 
464 Pages

The Damned by Renee Ahdieh

Corgi puppy!
Aha. Me remembering things
I can't believe I didn't put it together that Bastian is giving me some Cardan vibes....I mean totally different personality, but like..
I now understand why this series is four books instead of three...also like...the world building.... excellent.  Also my ship. I love them. 
464 Pages

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

Y'all...this book has me so freaking stressed. 
I don't know how to put into words how I feel about this book because like...so much happened and it was fantastic...like...the book spanned like....ages...
At one point I was gonna be like "the women are carrying the book" but nope....all the characters pull their weight, and I love all of them...
The character growth. The fricking character growth. Like. And like...the relationship growth. Like...
I want to do the thing that they did at the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King credits and just show the characters so I can be like: 

Because Hilo is just... like...I love him. And I love Anden. And Niko and Ru. And Shae and Wen. Like...the choices that they make and how and why they make their choices. 
And the world-building, and the politics, and like... bringing in pieces of the world that are really obvious when you're in a world, but that like...take work to build, like media....
Me: ...this feels like a certain scene from Hamilton....
oh and this also feels like a scene from Hamilton.
I have been on a journey....like more of a journey than when I listened to 10 min. All Too Well for the first time.... and like....I don't know how any expects me to be ok after finishing this book. Like...

Finishes book: now what?

It's a fricking masterpiece and I'm going to go stare off into space now because reasons.
736 Pages

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

I loooooooooooooooooooved the characters in this book.
I loved River. He was great. Like...gah. Precious cinnamon roll. Too good for this world. 
Jess is just trying her best. 
Grandma and Grandpa.
Jess's mom....oof....like...oooooooooof.
Give me the number you cowards.
416 Pages

An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire by Manda Collins

Val and Caro were cute.
Also I appreciated that we got to see some old acquaintances. 
It was ok...but like....I feel like I've read better. 
352 Pages

Jade Fire Gold by June C Tan

Hey look. It's Uncle Iroh....and Zuko after his Uncle Iroh conversion.
Altan is giving me Anastasia vibes
Soooo I might ahve been listening to this as I was driving to my parents' house for Christmas...so like...I got distracted and missed a few pieces of information and wondered how we got from point A to point B.
But I love the characters. 
464 Pages

Aurora's End by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

I missed the opportunity last book:

...Is everyone a little bi....
Ok but the Azula and Zuko vibes...and the Todoroki vibes....
Me connecting all the dots, understanding how the things happen.

Saedii is growing on me....
Also...the new ship... Fantastic. Iconic. 

I KNEW IT. I knew I was right about that future
Did I just have Miraculous Ladybug vision....yes

My feelings after finishing this book:
....just the entirety of the Grinch's emotions...that's me
512 Pages

The King of Crows by Libba Bray

Evie just pick one so I can mourn who you didn't pick.
I got that "Somebody's gonna die" feeling, and I don't like it one bit.
*finishes book: finds out that the fandom is essentially non-existent. This is fine. It's not like I wanted to obsess over it or anything. 
Ok but it's the ace representation for me. 
Part of me...like...wants to see how the characters handle what happens in the 30s and 40s....

560 Pages

Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I just. Love all of them. The bi-cons. They're fantastic. Finally someone who also is just like.. boys are pretty. Girls are pretty.
It's the re-read before the last book...because otherwise I would like...not know anything.
It's the Star Wars and Star Trek vibes for me. 
I love Kal. So. Much. Is it because he's voiced by Steve West...maaaaaaaybe.
512 Pages

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

Ok so I've been to the Ursuline convent that's mentioned in the story... It's a museum now...which makes me sad. Did I know more about the stained glass windows and the statues than the tour guide...yes.
I love Bastian. Like. I just love him. So much. 
480 Pages

The Excalibur Curse by Kiersten White

All the snaps for Mordred in the cave scene. All the snaps.
Siiiiiiiiigh. ok. I liked the twists, but also like...meh.
368 Pages

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

The whole vaccine plot-line just really...That doesn't poke at my 2020/2021 flashbacks at allll...I'm fine
"Father I crave violence"

Did it take me a while to figure out what the cover was...yes.
Me throughout the book (not necessarily in order):

The fluff. Like... So necessary. I just wanna go look at fanart now. And read some fanfic. 

An out of context: 

Epilogues. Epilogues. Epilogues. I have a very specific scene I want to reference from a hero movie, but it would literally spoil the whole thing if I did it.
I'm just...going to go cry...because I have emotions...
AND THERE'S ANOTHER SERIES IN THE SAME WORLD COMING. Chloe Gong owns me. 
Read the series and then ask me about it. Because I have THOUGHTS that I could make into an essay. Chloe Gong likes Taylor Swift and the clue level and foreshadowing: it's Swift level. And yes. I am going full-Swiftie on this.

512 Pages

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Marshall and Benedickt are just iconic and honestly. Perfection. Marshall is so extra and I stan that. Like. He quotable
The Romeo and Juliet tropes, and the moments when there's homages to the writing
"The human equivalent of stale bread" ...I'm going to write that in my insult journal to save for later....
I've been remembering the story (the original), so I feel like I'm connecting dots and

464 Pages

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

StEvE WeSt is one of the narrators. Why did no one tell me this sooner. 

Alexa play "Mirrorball"
Maybe it's because I've been listening to Taylor's Reputation, but like... the way all the guys are treating Kallia, just like....makes me think of how the media treats successful women, and especially Taylor
All of "The Night Circus" vibes
"These things do happen"
When you have thoughts on the original Phantom of the Opera (mostly because of Andrew Lloyd Weber) so adaptions just....concern you...because you have thoughts on the ships. 
Am I picturing the stage musical, with the songs and how things go down while these things go down. Yes
480 Pages

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer

I love Harper. Like. So much. She's just so fierce and I love her. She's an all-in kind of person. She just has so much heart and I can't. And Rhen loves her so much and that's just amazing because it's adorable. 
The fantastic examples of what being triggered looks like.. and how trauma and scary events can hold onto a person.
I love it when men support their women and just like...treat them like equals....
Scary Grey speaking all of the truths. 

I just love the boys. They great. The straight ones and the not straight ones. All of them are fantastic. I love how everyone brings something to the table. Like Noah. Just... The ER practicality. And Jake (from State Farm). So I love every character except for one who I wish to strangle because reasons. 
My baby boy. Soft boi. I love him. 
432 Pages

Psalm of Storm and Silence by Roseanne A Brown

A new ship shows up: thanks I hate it. 
The whole "Find one thing" just...resonates with me for so many reasons.
And there's Madam Zeroni vibes

560 Pages

The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco

Hey look. It's the Gandalf eagle scene.
I just.. love getting to know these characters more. 
My ship. I'm just. I can't. I can't. I can't. 
544 Pages

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

...yes I read it because there's a movie adaption coming out.
The Fantine and Cosette vibes without the Cosette vibes. 
The NA romance genre has ruined me because then I read Christian romance, and there is no spice. sigh.
Michael is so soft and I love him. He's great. He's perfect. We stan. 
We love a girl who fight her abuser. Also like... Let's talk about trauma, because like. Some of that hit me, and I don't appreciate being attacked by this. Like...my heart hurt. 
.....There is no fandom content. And like I'm not surprised, but also I am...because there is so much potential.
480 Pages

The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan

Aaaay stuff is actually picking up. Finally. Some plot that I can follow....
Look at the chemistry. All the chemistry and all the ships. 
I'm here for Perrin and for the women. Because they're carrying this series on their backs.
Rand is stupid. We knew this. 
960 Pages 

Beginning After the End: Convergence

 

Beginning After the End: Transcendence

By TurtleMe

Pages: 597

With the war in full swing, Arthur and Sylvie are still trying to find ways to help in the efforts without getting themselves killed. Que some more training montages, betrayals from the characters you were really hoping were actually good guys this time, and battles against their strongest enemies yet. I am still really enjoying this series and was excited when I saw that this book and the next were twice the size of the first five books. The end was a huge reveal and cliffhanger that I have already borrowed and started book seven.