wow wow wow wow

And this is from someone who barely ever reads contemporary.

I picked up Fangirl while at work because I was bored. I didn't expect to like it, let alone love it, because I'm not a fan of Rainbow Rowell. I read Eleanor and Park and Landline last year, and really didn't like both. The characters just didn't feel relatable, the dialogue was weird and not realistic, and I just didn't care much about the stories. BUT...Fangirl was different. It was beautiful. It was perfect in so many ways. I can honestly say that I've never related more to a book! This is definitely one of my top 5 reads of the year so far and I'm really glad I decided to give RR another chance. Many people told me after reviewing E&P and Landline that I should try Fangirl – that it was RR's best book. I told myself that I probably wouldn't like it and there was no point, but I was very, very wrong.

CAN I JUST SAY THAT LEVI IS AMAZING! He's so kind and considerate and understanding. ASDFGHJKL I JUST NEED A LEVI SO BAD I CAN'T. Literally, I've been going through my ebook copy and rereading parts and dying cause its SO GOOD. There's literally nothing wrong about Levi at all! He's perfect in every way and I just want to cry happy tears cause I'm so glad I read this book and met him! His relationship with Cath is such a slow build, but I was obsessed with every second of it!

Cath is definitely one of my favourite characters of all time now. I see so much of myself in her. Her awkwardness and anxiety took me back to the first couple weeks of high school and early university. Seeing her living off of energy bars cause she was too nervous to ask someone where the dining hall was was so sad, but relatable. I loved seeing Cath diving into the world of Simon Snow to escape the world and the problems around her, cause I RELATE TO THAT SO MUCH. Her relationship with Reagan was hilarious and fun! I seriously want a roommate like Reagan. And Cath's relationship with Levi is exactly the kind of relationship I dream of! I loved seeing Cath's hesitation and nervousness about getting too physical with Levi. I feel like that isn't really seen a lot (or at all) in YA books. Everyone seems to be okay with kissing and cuddling, etc. like itt almost comes naturally, but it's really not the case with everyone and I'm glad that this was included in Fangirl.

I didn't go into Fangirl expecting the book to deal with heavy topics like mental health and family issues. So I was surprised to see Cath and Wren's relationship falling apart, as well as seeing Cath struggle with her anxiety, and having to worry about her father and her mother who now wanted to be in her life. It was hard to read for me for some reason. I felt a little sad and depressed part way through, but the writing was really good and I really wanted to know what would happen next, so I read on.

Wren was pretty much the polar opposite of Cath and she really annoyed me at first. I hated seeing how she cut Cath out of her life. Even when she had her wake up call and they were reunited, I couldn't help remembering how they went months without talking. It was really sad and hard to read about, but I also understood that Wren was just different from Cath in some ways. Wren wanted to become her own individual, and she thought to do that she didn't need her twin. I think she realized that family is really important in the end, and she can still be herself, but not separate herself from Cath entirely.

Cath's dad was a very interesting character. It was hard to read about what he was going through and I honestly got second-hand-worrying through reading this book lol. It was nice to see both Cath and her dad realizing they needed to address these problems and work out something. Though her dad disappeared after the whole Wren incident, I did really like him as a character.

Cath's relationship with her mom, I felt, was realistic. I could totally relate to how Cath was feeling and I knew her final story for her Fiction-Writing class would be about her mom. I wish RR could have gone into more detail about the story Cath wrote, but it was still beautifully done and also a little sad.

I started off by liking Nick. I really though he and Cath would be a thing at first, but he turned out to be a total douche and I'm glad Cath didn't just agree to put her name on his story. He deserved a lesson and I'm glad she showed it to him.

I read reviews where people complained that they didn't like the Simon Snow parts and that they skipped through them. I wouldn't say I loved them, but I didn't hate them either. I did love how it brought Levi and Cath together. It was just so adorable and cute to see Cath reading to Levi. Carry On did become a bigger part of the book by the middle-end, but I didn't mind. I felt like it was incorporated well into the rest of the story. I did have a lot of flashbacks to Harry Potter, but I found the magic system in Carry On to be a bit weird (what with words having the ability to work as spells), and I didn't exactly fall in love with Simon and Baz. I might read Carry On at some point, but I honestly just want more Cath and Levi! I hope to god they get married and have children! I can imagine Levi working at his ranch while Cath is writing and then Cath reading to him before they go to bed! It would just be so freaking adorable!

This is definitely a book that I recommend to everyone! Especially if you've ever been a part of a fandom before, written fanfiction, or if you just love cute contemporary romances. I'm hoping to buy this book eventually and I think it's going to be a book I'll reread over and over again and never get enough!

SO GOOD. SO MANY FEELS. JUST AMAZING!

I don't think I could write a proper review for this book. I was a bit hesitant going in cause I literally know nothing about rap, but this book isn't just about that. There's so much more to it. It can be difficult and at times frustrating to read, but it just feels so real. I loved all the relationships, especially between Bri and Trey. Also loved seeing Bri's relationship with her mom and her best friends. Malik did annoy me a bit, but I'm glad they worked things out eventually. The end was bittersweet–we don't get a completely happy ending with everything tied up perfectly, but it felt realistic and hopeful for the future. I'm really hoping we get to see more from Angie soon! I could literally read anything she writes and I know I'll fly through it and love it!

This book was just amazing! I wish I’d had the chance to read it earlier tbh, but I’m glad I got to it just the same. I think my favourite part has to be Starr’s family dynamic. It was the perfect mix of everything and it made me laugh and cry (inside) and root for a happy ending. All the characters were uniquely fleshed out and stood out on their own. I can’t wait for the movie to come out, and I hope people show it the same solidarity that they showed Black Panther.

The last few chapters were so intense and terrifying and disturbing. I was not expecting to hurt this much reading this book. It did take me a little bit to get into the story, mostly because the chapters are just a couple pages, so you really go from POV to POV very quickly. But it was done so well. Didn't make it hard to follow the story at all and it was nice seeing different perspectives. I hate Alfred so much though. Like I passionately hate him. His POV was the most annoying and difficult to read cause I wanted to strangle him 100% of the time.

I wish I had learned about this in class. I literally remember nothing about the Russians and Poland and the Hannibal Evacuation, so this book was really eye opening. We always hear about the Titanic and how many people died, but that was nothing compared to Wilhelm Gustloff where 9000 lives were lost. This book was so sad and heartbreaking. The images you're left with at the end kind of haunt you even after you've finished reading.

So sad.

I WANT MORE DASH

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

WOW, this book took me on a roller-coaster of emotions that I was not prepared for.

I don't know where to start, except to say that this was a really sad, but super powerful read, and I'm glad I got to this book now of all times.

Frances reminded me a lot of myself, especially when I was in high school. Just like Frances, I had a "school" personality and a "home" personality. I spent my time studying because that was what I was good at. Getting good grades so I could get into university was my only goal. Because that's what successful people did. Or so I thought. While Frances comes to some realizations by the end of this book, before she makes it to university, it took me a few years.

So, in a way. My story begins with Frances and ends with Aled. I didn't realize that studying science at university wasn't for me until my second year. And watching Aled go through what he was going through made me remember all those moments in my second year where I was just so tired, all the fricking time. It was absolutely awful, but I had no way out. So, I made myself an "out", but minoring in something I enjoyed. It made the last couple years somewhat more bearable.

What I really loved about this book, is the underlying themes of "success and university". It's such a horrible thing that is pushed down students' throats these days. It's like university is the only option if you want to be recognized as a successful and driven individual. Going to community college, or getting an apprenticeship, or just working is seen as "stupid, useless or a waste of time". I hate how people are judged based on grades and it's difficult to change that mindset even for me now. When I don't get the marks I want, I feel horrible, like I've failed. Even though I know that getting a bad mark (or a mark that isn't up to par with what I want), isn't the end of the world.

I wanted to talk a bit about Aled's mother. She's like up there with Umbridge as one of the most horrible people I've ever read about. I did feel like her obsession with her kids' grades was a bit too much, but then again, there are people like that out there who emotionally manipulate their kids into getting them to do what they want. Seeing Aled's struggle between doing what he wanted vs. doing what his mother wanted because he felt so helpless, felt way too real. It honestly got me thinking a lot about my own life. Actually...

This whole book had me constantly thinking and comparing stuff to my own life. And I really like it when books do that, even if it means staying up late at night thinking and worrying and stressing out. It's good sometimes to see other people/characters going through something similar. You don't feel as alone, even if these characters aren't real people.

I also wanted to talk a bit about the diversity in this book. I really wanted to read this book because I had heard there's demisexual rep, and even though it wasn't really mentioned till the end, it was really nice to read about. Frances is mixed race, which I loved too. Also her mother is literally awesome and I wish I could hang out with her irl. Everything else was just heart wrenching and sad – which is half the reason why I don't read contemporary books lol. They feel so real, compared to fantasy. But I also think this book was really important to read, even though it was hard at times.

Highly, highly recommend!

I'm awful at reviewing sequels mostly because I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm going to be brief.

I think I liked this one more than Six of Crows. I wanted more Ketterdam and this book definitely delivered that. The plot itself was more interesting too. I loved the twists and unexpected reveals. And we also got some old characters that popped up which made me so happy! We also got to know the characters better, especially Kaz and Wylan.

I will admit that I was a bit tired of being in this world though. It's mostly my fault for binge-reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy and then immediately starting Six of Crows. I think I just felt a bit burned out and wanted something new. That's probably why it took me almost 3 weeks to finish this one. I think I would have loved it more if I had taken a little break in between the books, though at the same time, I don't know if I would rate it any differently.

This series, while amazing, wasn't exactly mindblowing. I love the world Leigh Bardugo has created. It's just so fascinating and diverse and complex. And I really loved all the characters (except Matthias). Wylan is such a sweetheart and I wish him all the happiness. I'm going to miss Jesper's flirting a lot. And I can't wait to get more Nina in King of Scars. I haven't stopping thinking about Inej and the very last scene we get with her. I'm just soft for

Spoiler

family reunions

. And as for Kaz...I didn't think I would relate to him as much as I did. The trauma he's been through and his inability to develop close, physical relationships with other people was so relatable (minus the trauma). I have never read a book with a character who struggled with something like that. And to realize that it's also me in many ways was both comforting and sad.

Matthias was the one character I just didn't care for. I didn't care for his relationship with Nina. And

Spoiler

his death at the end just made me feel absolutely nothing. No sadness, no remorse, no "poor Nina", cause I think she could totally do better. The whole scene happened so fast and I was expecting Nina to not let go so easily. Even the dialogue at the end felt kind of rushed and forced and overly sentimental and romantic. I'm almost happy he was the one to die though. Better him than any of the others. I know that's harsh, but it is the way it is.

I really loved how things tied up in the end. The twists Kaz had up his sleeves didn't annoy me so much this time around. Probably because I was expecting it. But it was nice to see Van Eck get what he deserves. And Pekka Rollins.

Excited to see what happens in King of Scars, though I'll definitely be taking a longer break before picking it up. I want to thoroughly enjoy Nikolai's book!

I actually forgot I finished reading this book. And if that doesn't show how little of an impact it left, I don't know what else would.

I had high expectations for this series. I've heard about it for years, and I even bought the whole trilogy a couple years back. Unfortunately, I kind of wasted my money. My friend Katie, who has read this trilogy, warned me that I might not enjoy it all that much, but I wasn't expecting to feel so indifferent.

I had issues with the writing. It felt kind of choppy at times and there were too many commas added in places where they weren't needed. I found myself having to reread sentences cause the commas were just in places my brain wasn't expecting. There was some nice prose though, but the rest of the writing just didn't flow so smoothly for me.

Kestrel was an okay character? She really annoyed me in the beginning, but at times her cleverness would show and I would be impressed. But then she would act like an idiot once again and I just didn't care enough about her to feel invested in the story. While the plot itself is interesting enough, Kestrel's thoughts mostly centre on Arin, and I didn't like him either.

Their whole relationship felt off. I feel like we didn't really see a lot of good moments that explained their attraction towards each other. There were some, but Arin was so suspicious and Kestrel refused to see the obvious signs and let herself fall for him. And then even after what happens, she still likes him. I get that they're on opposite sides of a war, especially a war that enslaved Arin's people. And Kestrel knows that the Herrani were treated terribly and technically this revolution/uprising is their due, but Arin also murders/hurts a lot of her close friends and family, and she still is constantly thinking about him?? I kind of wish we could have had an enemies to friends sort of thing happen instead. Where Kestrel recognizes what her people have done, but also sees what Arin has done to her, and then they both work together for the good of their people.

I really wanted to like this book and continue with the series, but despite the ending, I already know that Kestrel is going to be spending the majority of the next book thinking about Arin and that this will overshadow any good plot we might also get on the side. So unfortunately, I've decided to dnf the rest of this series and donate my copies to the library. Pretty sure 17/18 year old Sakina would have liked this trilogy a lot more, but I'm just tired of a lot of romance in fantasy.

I don't even know where to start with my review. Gretal convinced me to read this, and then I sort of convinced other people to add it to their tbr.

What I Loved:

- DIVERSITY. I think this is the first book I've read where diversity was woven into the story without it being a major plot line. It was just there and it was normal and amazing. (Jay flirting with everyone and everything was just asdjdkfdjfkd I LOVE HIM SO MUCH WHY IS HE SO CHARMING)

- THE BANTER. I read this book for the banter. Gretal told me to read it for the banter. And I loved it. It was smoothly incorporated into the dialogue and didn't feel out of place or like the author was trying too hard to make things funny. There were a couple of scenes here or there that seemed a bit awkward with the banter, but overall I really enjoyed it and actually laughed out loud at some parts. The characters also really grow and develop together, and you get to see that through the banter.

- FOUND FAMILY TROPE. I love this trope so much. And it was done so well too. I started off not sure if I was going to love all the characters, especially Cordelia. But they all go through so much character development and they really become their own person, with their own motivations and goals. But what I loved the most was seeing the togetherness, and seeing how much they all grew to love and care for each other. I love friendships. We need more friendships. We need more Mom friends leading their other friends on dangerous adventures and messing up. We also need more soft, gentle, support friends who can cook really well and feed you while on said adventure.

My favourite characters have to be Daniel and Antonio. Daniel is actually me because I'm scared of doing anything new. I might not show it half the time, but inside I'm terrified. Daniel is so innocent and precious and naive. He's a sweetheart and the friend you want to protect at all costs.

ANTONIO IS MY CHILD. MY SON. MY EVERYTHING. I LOVE HIM TO PIECES. HE IS OPTIMISTIC AND HUGGABLE. A GREAT COOK. HE LISTENS AND SAYS THE RIGHT STUFF. AND HE CARES SO MUCH.

Caspian also became a favourite. I love his sarcasm and dark humour. JAY'S CHARISMA BLEEDS OFF THE PAGE AND ITS CONTAGIOUS. HE IS SUCH A FLIRT AND I LOVE HIM. Storm is serious and straightforward like me. I just saw myself in every character and I loved it a lot.

The few issues I had was the writing. I did enjoy Ashia's writing style, but after the halfway mark, I started noticing a lot more spelling and grammar errors, which at times got a little annoying. There was also a scene in one of the later chapters where a character who wasn't supposed to be there suddenly had a speaking line.

As for the plot, I did find it to be interesting and unique from anything I've read before. But I want more details and world building and explanations. This first book was mostly focused on the characters, which I really enjoyed, but I have a feeling the next book will be more plot focused. The end did pick up, and while I wasn't super surprised and sort of guessed what was going to happen, I'm still interested in seeing what Blythe and the other characters get up to next.