Self-deprecating commentary is right up my alley. As is a protag who is chronically pessimistic. I have a lot of love for this book - but also acknowledge its flaws. The characters hate themselves simply because they do, with no elaboration as to why. I feel that it wasn't as emotionally chasmic as Oseman intended - like the characters were constantly grandstanding the reader. I just didn't understand why the characters acted the way they did.

How a book, so ghastly in nature, can, in contrast, rouse a sense of hopefulness and comfort in a reader is nothing short of genius. Portraying the Machiavellian control wealthy men oppress the rest of us with and the inconceivable acts they inflict while groping for power, this book is deeply unapologetic and inherently rebellious, a bloodsoaked rage against transphobia, ableism, misogyny, our oppressive system and flawed societal expectations.

#september2024

This was one of my most highly anticipated releases of the year, and I ABSOLUTELY hated it! Holy guacamole, where do I start? Firstly, FOOD-P*RN-O*GY! That PERFECTLY sums up this book! There was no depth whatsoever, apart from a pretentious, pseudo-attempt at "emotional intelligence." Why, ooh, why was everyone bisexual, attractive, and under 30? Why did everyone want to sleep together in under 3 seconds and find the protags so irresistible? (1/3)

What a delightful book. My inner child and slightly cynical adult read this book in perfect tandem; the former enchanted by the innocent wonder and magic, the latter noticing the political undertones my younger self might have missed. Klune never fails to restore my faith in humanity, one magical book at a time. My only complaint is that it did not last forever. My heart aches without the comfort of my little found family. Klune, I applaud you.

I love this 🫶.

Is there anything better than slipping back into the pages of a Klune book? Whenever I'm wary or simply downcast, I find myself re-reading this book; my little refuge. The experience was made all the better knowing that the sequel was finally in my possession. This was delightful, as always. These characters never fail to feel like long-lost friends. The pages always feel like home. Klune is my safety blanket whenever I need a comfortable read.

This 🫶.

This wasn't the five-star read I've come to expect from Brown. The beginning was good. The middle was laborious, but the end redeemed itself. I felt that Brown fell into the perilous realms of dispassionate prose in parts. I struggled with the lack of emotive response to Lysander's POV. The prose also felt convoluted and had a tendency to pull me out of the plot. However, I wept near the end and feel rudderless without the release date of Red God.

Relatable!

I'm not being melodramatic when I say that I will NEVER recover from this book. If it were possible, I would confiscate these characters from Brown until he learns how to treat them better. I can't believe he killed my favourite character! Despite all of that, I will never stop singing the praises of this series (apparently, I'm a sucker for punishment because this is my favourite instalment). I will say, be VERY mindful of the trigger warnings.

Best. Series. Ever!

#august2024 🪐🌘

I love this retort!

Relatable 🪐.

Equal in mayhem and violence as the Red Rising trilogy, Iron Gold adds a deeper layer of introspection through multi-povs, revelling in the inner streams of consciousness of four flawed characters. Action packed, mature, Homeric; reminiscent of Greek tragedies. I was enthralled by the interwoven narratives; favouring Darrow's, Lyria's, and Ephraim's, all fraught with emotional insight, whilst harbouring contempt for Lysander. Highly devourable.

Love this! 🪐

I'm obsessed with the fourth instalment already!!

A grandiose finale to an epic trilogy. Adrenaline-inducing sci-fi mets Graeco-Roman classical antiquity with deep space warfare, Brown delivers devastating blows, political intrigue, and greater maturity amongst Homeric age characters and complex world-building. I inhaled this instalment. Cried twice (read: practically wailed). The action was riveting without being melodramatic. Watching these characters come of age captivated me. INCREDIBLE!

Wasting absolutely no time devouring the next instalment 🌙🌑🪐.

Pierce Brown is a bloodydamn genius. A brilliant wordsmith. The ultimate creator of worlds. Channelling the Poet sovereign, Homer, while posing those much coveted moral questions and an action-packed plot, Golden Son upped the ante with its breathtaking plot twists, stinging betrayal and political discord. I was enthralled from beginning to end, desperate that my favourite characters survive the bloody warfare. The conclusion left my jaw unhinged.

This book is a feast for the imagination. Pulse-pounding. Edge-of-your-seat. Adrenaline-inducing. A masterful spectacle with that much coveted political meat that I favour in my dystopian novels. Combining concepts from multiple universes, Brown weaves an angsty tale for mature YA dystopian fans. It is truly harrowing as it depicts the subjugation of humanity. This instalment is as legendary as its protagonist. Consider me hooked. Phenomenal.

#july2024 🌸📚.

I've never read manga before, but this volume was really sweet. It's a story about an aro-ace woman and a gay man who marry and the subsequent platonic relationship that blossoms in wake of the ceremony. I read all the panels in the wrong order at first (reading manga is a learning curve!). I'm definitely interested in reading vol. 2 and vol. 3. The characters were really lovely. Will it be a platonic happily ever after? Consider me invested.

This memoir has been a real roller coaster ride. I wish I could travel back in time & hand it to my teenage self; the kid who only had a sense of 'otherness' in their vocabulary to describe their experience. Pages came & went in a blur because I had tears in my eyes. I've never resonated with a person more or felt less alone in my life. It was quite jarring because I felt as though I had written parts. I'm so grateful that a book like this exists.

This has been a cathartic reading experience.

I've never, in all my days, resonated with a person more.

This novella was beginning to feel like a chore, so I DNF'd. The main characters' arc felt inauthentic, and the tone whiney. The focus on morally grey characters feels like it comes from poorly designed protagonists and antagonists. There's no good or bad, per se, just the abstract grey area in-between, and it's not a riveting concept when you're wishing the characters would mysteriously succumb to a curse because they're so damn irksome. (1/3).

Moon attempts to explore womanhood and gender through the lens of a morally grey witch but falls short, in my opinion, as their narrative does not portray what they evidently coveted; female empowerment. Sensualizing a toxic relationship is one of my many qualms with this novella. (1/3).

Perfect for fans of Cemetery Boys and The Magnus Archives, embodying horror, tragedy, and resilience through the lens of a non-binary Brujo and a transgender cleaner who combine their powers to exorcise a haunted house. Moon's prose is hypnotic. Heart, Haunt, Havoc is a novella that packs quite a punch and is an absolute feast for the imagination. Bishop and Colin were an enchanting duo, offering depth and introspection to sink your teeth into.

Consider me in instant TJ Rose fan! This slow-burn MM dystopian romance kept me teetering on the edge-of-my-seat and anxiously biting my nails the whole way through. I loved EVERYTHING about it! The gore, the romance, the high stakes, the action, the AWESOME world-building, the medley of diverse characters *chefs kiss*. The two leading men were fleshed out and startling nuanced. (1/3).

Bored Gay Werewolf is absolutely hair-larious and pawsitively charming in every way (I'm going to stop with the cringey werewolf puns now, I promise!). Reminiscent of Palahnuick's Fight Club with a mystical twist, Santorella pens a tale of an aimless werewolf who gets caught up in a lycanthropic pyramid scheme built on the foundation of toxic masculinity, misogyny and capitalism which alters the trajectory of his life. (1/2).

When I read that The Unlikely Heir was tagged "perfect" for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue, and Boyfriend Material, I read it immediately. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this guilty pleasure, though it could never live up to Casey McQuiston's romp of a love story. The forbidden romance was really sweet. The drama towards the end of the novel was quite moving and entertaining. The MCs were lovely (and the side characters were fun!).

Perfect for fans of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and reminiscent of Circe's trauma-infused storyline, Icarus is a poignant YA reimagining of the ancient myth, weaving together a tale of love, loss and friendship. The style of the prose is sparse yet poetic, unconventional, and incredibly raw, warming and breaking a heart in equal measure. Bursting with cinnamon-roll characters, positive masculinity...

This book is so beautiful 🩷💜.