The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Spoiler Gush Review

Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult, Romance, LGBTQ
Publisher: Atria Books
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pub. Date: June 13, 2017

Synopsis:
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ’80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

Written with Reid’s signature talent for creating “complex, likable characters” (Real Simple), this is a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it costs—to face the truth.

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*Please be advised this review is a SPOILER review*

I usually divide my book review into sections: plot, writing, characters, and thoughts. However, I wanted to do something a little different with this review since I just simply want to talk about how magical this book is as a whole.

“I insist that you be ruthless in your negotiating.
Make them pay you what they would pay a white man.”

This is my second Taylor Jenkins Reid book, the first one I read was Daisy Jones & The Six which I have a full non-spoiler review for here. I have watched countless BookTube videos and read countless tweets on the comparisons of both Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo. People recommended that you should read Evelyn Hugo before Daisy Jones because we wouldn’t be disappointed blah blah blah. Blah because that’s exactly what it is. There is absolutely no comparing Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo. I loved both of them equally as much for different reasons. The writing styles are completely different. I don’t believe that one is better than the other. In other words, Taylor Jenkins Reid is a genius and I need to read all her books.

Anywho, I cried. I cried a lot while reading this book. You can easily say that Evelyn Hugo is an unlikable character. However I loved her. I loved her ruthlessness and her knowingness of the power she had and how she used that power to get what she wanted. Yes, there are things she did that I would never do like sleep with people to climb to the top or get married for less than 24 hours just to pull the tabloids away from the gossip that was going around at the time. Her morally gray character is something that I loved because although I didn’t agree with some of her decisions, I understood it. It was a different time back then, there were different rules and she played them all to her liking.

“I thought that people were put on earth to find other
people, and I was put here to find you. To find you and
touch your skin and smell your breath and hear all your
thoughts. But I don’t think that’s true anymore.”

My favorite characters were pretty much the main characters; Evelyn Hugo, Celia St. James, Monique Grant, and Harry Cameron. I loved the dynamic between Evelyn and Harry. I wasn’t even surprised as to why they had married, it made all the sense in the world to me. Keeping each other safe in a time where the LGBTQ+ community was not accepted at all. They’re platonic relationship really made me smile but his tragic death shattered my whole existence. Seeing how people kept leaving Evelyn’s life in tragic ways one by one broke me down.

My favorite relationship was between Evelyn Hugo and Celia St. James. For a book that is titled The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I was not expecting this budding beautiful strong relationship between them both. Everything they went through together and how they tried to make it work when the odds were stacked up against them, the ending where Celia tells Evelyn to marry her brother so when Celia dies, she’ll have everything…I get teary eyed just thinking about it. WOW WHAT A BOOK! Reid had me staying up later than usual just to finish this book. They’re relationship mirrored real life relationships which is what made me love them even more and how they always came back to one another pulled at my heartstrings.

“People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth.
When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can
show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them bare
and their response is ‘you’re safe with me’- that’s intimacy.”

But can we talk about that plot twist that I was not expecting at all???? The story of Monique Grant’s dad?!? OMFG! I was literally yelling! I did not expect that at all. Once again, Taylor Jenkins Reid is a genius!! It was executed so well because it was a hidden twist, something that was not mentioned much. Actually, I would love a companion novel only on Monique and her life after Seven Husbands because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NOW THAT SHE’S RICH AND DID SHE TELL DAVID TO GO FUCK OFF AND WHAT ABOUT HER MOM?! I have all these questions that I want answers too lol.

“When you’re given an opportunity to change your life,
be ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
The world doesn’t give things, you take things.”

Also!!! Not to mention that ending really did it for me. How Evelyn still took control of her life and when it was going to end????? UGH THE WATER WORKS!! This is the type of book that will stay with me forever. I will forever recommend and I need more books like this.

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Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Let’s chat in the comments!

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Daisy Jones & The Six Non-Spoiler Review

Title: Daisy Jones and The Six
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pub. Date: March 5, 2019

Synopsis:
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.

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Trigger Warnings: Substance abuse/addiction

Told in interview format, Daisy Jones and The Six are about a singer (Daisy Jones) and a band (The Six) that are on the rise in the 70’s music scene. They are both getting noticed quickly and a producer, Teddy, thinks it would be a great idea to have both Daisy and The Six unite for ultimate success. Before the becoming of Daisy Jones & The Six, we learn about Daisy and the lead singer of The Six, Billy Dunne, separately. Both addicted to the fast life, sex, drugs, alcohol, and a wild life on the road, will that stop now that both have unite to make one of the greatest hit albums of all history? What happens when they abruptly decide to split? If you read the book, you will find out!

“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else’s muse.
I am not a muse.
I am the somebody.
End of fucking story.”

Because the book is told in an interview format, there isn’t much to talk about here in regards to prose, and if the book was lyrical, etc. I think this book couldn’t have been written any other way. I did read this book in physical format and I found the voices to be distinct (I heard that the audiobook was amazing). I didn’t have trouble with the characters voices or feeling like they were all the same. I loved how the author split the book into different time years. Truth be told this is my first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid and I am so mad at myself for not reading any of her books sooner. Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to write a fucking good ass book that will leave you sleeping late into the night and turning every single page.

Because the characters are recounting things that happened about 40 years ago, there are times where you don’t know what the truth is. Here are some super unlikable characters, telling you what they think happened at a certain time frame or event and with all of that, I never found myself confused or upset because of how realistic the author executed it.

The writing of this book and the way the author presents events, the retellings of the characters, and era of time that this book is in, literally transported me into the 70’s every time I opened this book.

“I wouldn’t have come up with something like that. Which is what we
all want from art, isn’t it? When someone pins down something that feels
like it lives inside us? Takes a piece of your heart out and shows it to you?
It’s like they are introducing you to a part of yourself.”

This section can be very long but I’m going to try to cut it short. I find that Taylor Jenkins Reids knows how to write super complex characters that are extremely unlikable but will still have you rooting for them in the end? Do you get what I mean? Due to the format of the book, everyone from the band to producers, sound engineers, significant others, family, friends, etc. had a part. Which I found fascinating because not only do we get to hear from Daisy Jones and the band members from The Six, we also get an outside perspective from their end. Those characters played a part in the foundation of storyline.

I loved Daisy Jones ruthlessness and I loved Billy Dunne’s selfishness. These are two easy things that can get on anyone’s nerves but it worked for them. Every single person that we meet has their own personality but their love for music is one and the same. Daisy Jones is wild and full of rebellion, she’s her own and doesn’t care about what anyone has to say, she lives for her art and wants to be great at it. Billy Dunne is a perfectionist when it comes to the music and he was a people pleaser when it only came to the people he loved. When it came to music, it was his way or the highway. However, when it came to his life, that’s where my favorite character, Camila Martinez, comes in.

Camila Martinez is my absolute favorite character. I literally wanted to cry when I found out she’s Latina because she is the literal definition of a Latina madly in love and will do anything and everything to save her family because family comes first. Her passion, her devotion, her love is heavy and beautiful and toxic. And all I could do is admire her for the woman she is.

Karen is another character that I loved. I don’t want to go into details why because that would be spoiling the book. However, I loved how she stands up for what she wants and even though she acknowledges that the music scene is run by men, that doesn’t stop her from pursuing her music career.

Like I said before, there are many characters to this book. If you read it, who was your fave and which did you dislike the most? I couldn’t stand Eddie, he got on all my nerves.

“Art doesn’t owe anything to anyone.”

Is it obvious that I loved this book? Lol I hope so. The author really nailed it with the portrayal of the 70’s. This book is very heavy when it comes to drug/substance abuse, it’s something that is spoken about a lot because of how the 70’s music scene was back then. I enjoyed that aspect of the book because it didn’t sugarcoat the realities that musicians faced back then. Taylor Jenkins Reid made me feel like this band truly exist. I cannot wait for the show because that means we get to hear the songs and how they’re actually played which also means I get to play the album on repeat (I don’t know if this is definite but a girl can hope and dream). Daisy Jones & The Six is reread material. The plot twist at the very end was SO WELL DONE. I was not expecting that plot twist at all because my mind was reeling and I was already crying anyways, so the tears? There was more to that. Everything made even more sense when that plot twist took place. Beautiful, phenomenal, well done. I will not give up on this author.

“The things you run from, baby, I run to
And I know it scares you through and through
No one knows you like I do
Try to tell me that ain’t true
Oh, we could be lovely
If this could get ugly”

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Have you read Daisy Jones & The Six or do you plan to? What are your favorite Taylor Jenkins Reids books? Let’s chat in the comments!

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The Cruel Prince Non-Spoiler ARC Review ft. Lilly @ Lair Of Books

Title: The Cruel Prince (#1)
Series: The Folk of the Air
Author: Holly Black
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Format: ARC Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pub. Date: January 2, 2018
Synopsis:

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

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***thank you to little brown books for providing an arc***

Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Graphic Scenes

At the age of 7, Jude, her twin sister Taryn, and older sister Vivienne witnessed their parents murdered and were stolen away by Vivienne’s biological father Madoc. All three girls went from living in the human world to Elfhame. 10 years later, Jude and Taryn are trying their hardest to belong in Elfhame, more so Jude where she’s trying to become a Knight. Vivienne could not care less about the place and will forever hold a grudge against her biological father, Madoc. While Jude tries to fit in a world where she is not wanted and obtaining a place in the Court, she has to deal with the cruelest son of the High King, Prince Cardan and his gang of friends. However, as soon as she starts dabbling with the palace and her inner turmoil, secrets start spilling and so does blood. Jude will have to choose her humanity or Faerie.

This will come as a surprise to many of you but this is my first Holly Black book. I have passed her books many many times as a teenager when I spent my time at the library. I am so happy that I finally picked up her book because her writing is phenomenal. She dances with a lot of themes but handles them with grace and eloquence. She knows how to write a rich detailed dark world without feeling like it’s too much. Someone should name her the Queen of Faerie because she definitely knows how to write a world. Holly Black also knows how to write the most complex characters ever. I didn’t know who I was rooting for at one point lol.

Holly Black presents a lot of characters to us in the most complex way. We meet the main character Jude which her story is told from her point of view. Jude the fighter and the one who tries hard to fit in, she doesn’t take crap from anyone especially the son of the High King. She knows exactly what she wants and she will not give up until she has it. She will push and shove and go to deep lengths to obtain her wants. We also meet her twin sister, Taryn, who is the opposite of Jude. Where Jude is rough, Taryn is soft. Where Jude is loud, Taryn is quiet. Where Jude is being a rebel, Taryn is being compliant. Although twins, they differ in many many ways. This is a non-spoiler review, you will have to read the book to know where I’m going with this hehe.

Holly Black gives us an older sister, Vivienne. Vivienne is technically the twins half-sister, they have the same mother and different fathers which is why Vivi is fae. However, to all three they are sisters  no matter what. I love Vivienne’s “don’t mess with me” rebel attitude. She definitely has an older sister syndrome, the protector of them all, the fighter and the rebel. I hope I see more of her in the next book to come.

Cardan, one of the High Kings son, a true douchebag. I always cringed with what he was going to do next but I loved him. There was something about him that kept me intrigued. Cardan has many aspects of him that we learn throughout the book. There was also Locke, lover of stories. He loved stories so much that he would create them, it didn’t matter to him who he was hurting or intertwining with. There are many other important characters that we meet, however I would be here all day. (please read the book)

Overall, I loved this book and I cannot wait for the continuing books in this series. Holly Black knows how to write!!!! She gave me plot twist, surprises, darkness, and an amazing expanded world. Although we meet many characters, she definitely flushes them all out while still keeping the complexity. This isn’t the happy dandy book which I actually tend to love more when it comes to Fantasy. Holly Black really has me wondering what she will come up with in the next books.

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My twin Lilly @ Lair Of Books also read The Cruel Prince and you can check out her Spoiler-Free Review here! We asked each other the same 5 questions. And while chit chatting about the book through our FaceTime dates, I found that we felt the same and loved The Cruel Prince. Just like me, this was her first time reading a Holly Black book. In asking what was her experience like reading Holly Black for the first time, Lilly responded that she had a great experience. She enjoyed the dark writing, the lush world building and complex characters. Trust me bookish peeps, you should’ve heard her talking about this book, she was really ecstatic! I then asked her who was her favorite character and she responded with Jude! I mean it’s not that hard to love Jude, she’s pretty awesome. We then started talking about fae books and comparing it to other fae books we’ve read, we asked one another what made the world of Elfhame stand out. Lilly responded that the characters in The Cruel Prince were flushed out and there were also many descriptions in the story such as lush food, the laws, the do’s and don’ts of humans in Elfhame, and there was also political intrigue. In Cruel Prince, we meet Vivi who is the main character’s fae sister and opposes the idea of living in Elfhame. We asked one another if given the choice, would you live in the human world as a fae or would you live as a human in the fae world? Here is where Lilly and I started a fit of giggles! Twin said that she would live as a human in the fae world so she can figure out how to become a fae. She would network her way in similar to Jude and get to know the undergrounds of Elfhame. Lilly, you smart. Lastly we asked one another a vey important question. Do we plan on reading any of Holly’s other books? And the answer to that is OF COURSE!! Lilly definitely wants to read The Darkest Part of the Forest as her next Holly Black book.

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that is all for today book nerds! have you read the cruel prince or plan on to? what are your thoughts? i would love to chat in the comments!

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Secrets of the High Priestess by Nicole Tone Poetry Review

Title: Secrets of the High Priestess
Author: Nicole Tone
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Format: e-book
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pub. Date: Jan. 2nd, 2018

Synopsis:

Secrets of the High Priestess explores trauma, recovery, and the role of women in a world that’s begun to change physically, with melting ice caps and changing sea levels, and socially, as we accept new definitions of truth and gender roles.

 

 

 

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*thank you to the author for reaching out to me*

Poetess, Nicole Tone, reached out to me and asked me for an honest review or to blurb her book. I decided to do both because this book needs to be read. Before going into my review, here is what I wrote as the blurb:

Nicole Tone’s poetry will have icicle’s ripping through reader’s hearts with every single word. Secrets of the High Priestess is a raw collection of cold truths that will leave you wading for more in a sea of self-reflection. Be on the lookout for this poetess, she will not disappoint.

Tone’s poetry really marked me. This poetry collection isn’t the pretty kind. There are poems about eating disorders, gender roles, love poems. Nicole writes about the girl she wants to be and yet shares who she was, these are her secrets. The unfiltered secrets that leave you at grasp. She takes us deep into her thoughts. Secrets of the High Priestess has both short poetry and long poetry.

i really look forward to reading more poems from this poetess. here are some of my favorite poems from this collection:

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a crack in the ground split open

the earth yawning wider

swallowing up every

magic white rabbit

every mad queen

until there’s nothing but a cliff

on the edge of a void

that today we call beautiful

but tomorrow

will be sold to the

highest bidder

— wonderland is a lie

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we train wild animals

break them

bend them to our will

and call them our partners.

how can we be equals with

creatures we demand submission from?

how can i find freedom

on the back of a broken thing?

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i celebrate the anniversaries of the times

i lost pieces of myself,

the way other people celebrate birthdays.

on this day,

i gave you pieces of my heart.

on this day,

i gave you the shattered pieces of my soul.

i celebrate the days i lost the things

i can never get back

if only to remind myself

how

far

i’ve

come.

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and that is all for today’s review! happy release day to nicole tone! a kindly reminder to cross review on goodreads and amazon, it help’s us indie authors get noticed. this poetry collection will also be sold worldwide ❤

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3 Mini Poetry Reviews

Hey all!!! I am still trying to get into the swing of things with coming back to blogging. Life’s been a little hard and just out of the loop. Having family here from PR amongst other personal things, I feel like stability isn’t quite by my side. Anyways! I’ve read poetry in October and I don’t really have much to say but READ IT lol. All of these are 5 star reviews! So without further ado, let’s get started!

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Title: soft in the middle
Author: Shelby Lafreniere

synopsis: Warning: these poems contain soft subject matter. About love, heartbreak, body image, how absolutely breathtaking girls are, flower blooms and starlight.
This is a small sampling of poems from my larger collection called ‘soft in the middle’, available for free download here.

Review:

Currently, soft in the middle is a small sampling of poems from shelby’s larger collection that is to come. This sample previews 25 poems filled with self-reflection, heartbreak, family, darkness, stardust, and other topics. I cannot wait for the full collection because this sampler was amazing. I felt like Shelby really put her feelings and emotions all on paper. Her poetry reflects different parts of her and I can’t imagine what else she has in store with the full collection. here’s one of the poems (format changed a little because of the blog):

THE LANGUAGE OF STARS

she looks up at the night sky
and often finds that what she sees
is what she feels inside

when the stars float brightly
she thinks
breathing is like swimming
the water holds me so gently
the weight of everything
is easy to hold

when the clouds cloak the world in darkness
she thinks
it’s getting harder
to dream
of possibility

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Title: the sun and her flowers
Author: Rupi Kaur

synopsis: Divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, the sun and her flowers is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. A celebration of love in all its forms.

this is the recipe of life
said my mother
as she held me in her arms as i wept
think of those flowers you plant
in the garden each year
they will teach you
that people too
must wilt
fall
root
rise
in order to bloom

Review:

Trigger Warnings: Rape, Harm

OMG THIS COLLECTION HAD ME A BALL OF TEARS!!!! I loved this one more than Milk and Honey to be completely honest. the sun and her flowers is a poetry collection divided into 5 different sections and each section is dedicated to a certain theme. This book has poems filled with heartbreak, self-love, immigration, family, culture, friendships, growing, learning, and on and on and on. This collection is raw and simple. Her poems go straight to the point. I connected so much to the heartbreak poems, immigration poems, and family poems. As a woman of color myself, the poems where Rupi talks about her family coming here from another country really hit home for me. It made me cry but smile at the same time because to see that a woman of color is talking about these things, our struggles here on a land that doesn’t really want us made me feel like “wow someone other than me gets it”. here’s a poem:

they have no idea what it is like
to lose home at the risk of
never finding home again
to have your entire life
split between two lands and
become the bridge between two countries

– immigrant

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Title: Pillow Thoughts
Author: Courtney Peppernell

synopsis: Make a cup of tea and let yourself feel.

Pillow Thoughts is a collection of poetry and prose about heartbreak, love, and raw emotions. It is divided into sections to read when you feel you need them most.

 

 

Review:

Trigger Warnings: Self-Harm, Suicide Ideation

Another favorite poetry collection added to the list of favorites that keeps piling up. This collection is divided into 10 different sections: if you are dreaming of someone, if you are in love, if you are heartbroken, if you are lonely, if you are sad, if you are missing someone, if you need encouragement, if you are soul-searching, if you need a reason to stay, these are for you. I was moved by so many of these poems, I felt Courtney’s emotions through each section which all flowed beautifully. Her poetry is filled with love, sadness, despair, loneliness, and positivity. To me, her words were simply pure. I cannot wait to read more by this author! here’s a poem:

Of all the important things you must do today, there is none
greater than showing kindness to your heart. For even the
brightest make mistakes and the wisest do not have a thing
to say. Be gentle with yourself, forgive yourself, even on your
darkest day.

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and that is all for the mini poetry reviews! have you read any of these or plan to? i would love to chat in the comments about poetry!!!

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Warcross by Marie Lu ARC Non-Spoiler Review

Title: Warcross (#1)
Series: Warcross
Author: Marie Lu
Genre: YA SciFi Thriller
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books
Format: ARC Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu—when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths.

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

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***Thanks to BookCon and Penguin for providing an ARC.

Here you have Virtual Reality, Bounty Hunters, Tokyo, plus tons of Diversity! Warcross, the biggest known virtual reality game across the whole world. Everyone links in to watch, this is one huge phenomena. 10 years ago, Hideo Tanaka who’s Japanese created this virtual reality called NeuroLink through a pair of glasses and since then, the world has changed. Emika Chen, a Chinese American bounty hunter and hacker, struggles in real life to make ends meet and pay her bills. She and her roommate, Keira, are about to get evicted within days. Due to the virtual reality world, gambling has become a serious issue where people buy things off through NueroLink and sell them in the real world, converting notes to money. After Emika loses a bounty and the money that came with it, she gets impatient about how she’s going to survive another day. During the Warcross championships, Emika comes up with an idea to hack the games and take a power-up in order to gamble and make it into money. What she doesn’t know is that when she hacks into the game, the game glitches and she is automatically thrown into the game to be seen by everyone. LITERALLY EVERYONE IN THE WORLD. In an instant, Emika Chen becomes an overnight sensation and her life changes in an instant. Emika Chen is worried about getting another arrest due to her hacking the Warcross Championships but what she doesn’t know is that Hideo has other plans for her, he flies her off to Tokyo and the rest is for you to read.

I am not new to Marie Lu, one of my favorite series happens to be Legend and if you’ve read Legend, then you’re in for a nice surprise with this one. Marie Lu has created such a detailed rich world in Warcross, she transported me from my own life to Warcross. She isn’t complicated with her words, Marie Lu knows how to explain everything smoothly and still have you imagining a vivid world. She draws you in with her plot, characters, and setting. I was addicted to this book and couldn’t stop reading it. Marie Lu is an amazing writing.

I loved every single character. We meet a wide range of characters filled with diversity and I am so happy that Marie Lu made this organic, as it should be. It never felt forced and I wanted to hug ALMOST (some I couldn’t stand) all of these characters lol. We first meet Emika Chen, our Chinese American MC with rainbow hair. Who is this amazing kickass chick from the boogie down ayyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!! (aka the bronx for those who don’t understand NYC lingo lol). Emika has been through a lot in life and Marie Lu definitely tells us how she got to where she is, her story was very heartwarming. We also meet Hideo Tanaka, the Japanese billionaire who created Warcross and everything that comes with the NueroLink. I feel like his character was a little trope-y lol (if that’s a word), if you like the “guy who has a shitload of money but has tons of secrets” trope, then you are going to love Hideo.

We also meet TONS of side characters that I really enjoyed and look forward to maybe reading more in the next books to come *fingers crossed*. We have from the Warcross Championships: Asher, Hamilton, Roshami, and Ren. I enjoyed all these characters and how flushed out they were. Marie Lu definitely gave us great insight to them.

I LOVED THIS BOOK AND I NEED THE OTHER BOOK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HOW IS THAT MARIE LU IS GOING TO DO THIS TO ME WITH THAT ENDING?!?!?!?!? *THROWS A TANTRUM AND DOESN’T CARE WHO’S WATCHING*. This book was just utterly amazing. A lot of people compare this to Ready Player One, I tried reading that book and couldn’t get into it so if you are like me, then I would say to still give this one a shot because it’s amazing and vastly different. I loved the way she gave us enough information on the characters but it never felt like info-dump. Marie Lu always gave a smooth transition (in my opinion).

I really cannot wait to see what Marie Lu does with the rest of the series and how it ties into some of my theories. If you read Legend, then you’ll know what I’m talking about lol. I remember staying up for a few hours researching connections. You can still read Warcross without reading Legend though.

Marie Lu is definitely an auto-fave for me and now I need to marathon The Young Elites trilogy for sure. I definitely recommend Warcross!

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have you read Warcross or anticipate it?? or any Marie Lu book at all? let’s chat in the comments! i would love to know your thoughts!

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Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco Non-Spoiler Review

Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

 

 

 

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Set in the late 1800s, the opening pages start with our main character Audrey Rose in a laboratory working on a cadaver. Immediately you get the feel and tone of the book, very mysterious and dark. In a society where misogyny is on a all time high, many people expect Audrey Rose to hide her love for science and all things forensic medicine which includes dead bodies, Audrey Rose has a different take.

To get away from her father’s madness and society’s rules, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory. Audrey has been helping her uncle with the corpses of this madman serial killer, theorizing and trying to figure out who it is and why are they doing this. When trying to go public with help backfires on her, she starts secretly searching for clues and the answers she is searching for will lead to something never expected.

The writing was very well done. I honestly feel that the author wrote this book in a realistic way. Yes, some parts were boring but they felt authentic and necessary. Kerri Maniscalco definitely gets into detail with the mutilation of the bodies and how they were killed, therefore please read with caution if gore isn’t your thing. Definitely do not eat and read this book at the same time. However, I actually loved that the author wrote those scenes in such detail, showing us how dark this book can get without filter.

“the dead speak to those who listen. Be quieter than even them.”

The setting and society were very on point. Maniscalco definitely does not hold back with how misogyny took place in this time, sometimes to the point where it was a burden on our main character, Audrey Rose. It also made me cringe sometimes. It sucks that this was something that was very prevalent in that day and age (we still live through it now just not as heavy), however, Maniscalco took that and made it her own. She wrote scenes that showed us how strong Audrey Rose is.

We meet a few characters throughout the book. Some of my faves including Audrey Rose, Thomas, and the Uncle Dr. Jonathan Wadsworth. All three of these are on the same hunt for the serial killer. Thomas who was pretty much Dr. Jonathan Wadsworth apprentice definitely gave me bad vibes in the beginning of the book due to his quiet sarcastic attitude. There were times when I told myself “booooyyyyyy if you do not stop right now” lol. I loved the banter between him and Audrey though! They had me giggling.

“Science never abandoned me the way religion had that night.”

I definitely grew a soft spot for Audrey’s uncle because he always meant well and definitely tested Audrey and Thomas’s limits when it came to forensic medicine. I was sad to find out that Dr. Jonathan Wadsworth and Audrey’s father, Lord Edmund Wadsworth were not in speaking terms. In actuality, Lord Edmund hated the thought of her daughter being in that laboratory for reasons the book gets into later on.  Lord Edmund’s paranoia left Audrey and her brother Nathaniel in a state of despair, not knowing what to do. Lord Edmund’ s madness is due to the death of his wife, Audrey and Nathaniel’s mother. I also enjoyed Nathaniel’s character and their sibling relationship. He was very understanding to his sister’s love for the science and curiosity but also very cautious.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the second installment, Hunting Prince Dracula. The character development and the way things flowed was great. Now if you’re wondering as to why I gave the book 4 stars it’s because I found the book to be a bit predictable and some scenes were just boring. Other than that, I really enjoyed Stalking Jack the Ripper.

I loved the characters, the setting, and even the subtle steampunk elements. If you know me, you know I love steampunk. I am also a huge sucker for late 1800s to early 1900s London except for the misogyny of course because we don’t need that. Kerri Mansicalco definitely did a great job with transferring me to this world every time I opened the page.

And that ending??!!?? Although I predicted it, I was still shocked with how some things came about and I kept flipping the pages like nobody’s business. I would highly recommend this!

 

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have you read stalking jack the ripper? what are your thoughts? do any of you anticipate hunting prince dracula? let’s chat in the comments!

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maroon daydreams by Cheyenne Raine Poetry Review

Title: maroon daydreams
Author: Cheyenne Raine
Publisher: CreateSpace
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

maroon daydreams is a collection of poetry that dives into experiences of healing, living life, daydreaming and all the aftermath of decisions we make and wishes we chase after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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loved this short poetry collection! i thought it was vivid with imagery and the words flowed together beautifully. cheyenne raine divides maroon daydreams into four different sections which are healing, experience, daydreaming, and aftermath. each section has poems centered around the sectioned themes.

what i love most about this collection is the way i felt while reading it and how i felt afterwards. cheyenne raine left me with feelings of hope, love, and self-reflection. she took her emotions and wrote them down with every ounce of her soul.

i thought this collection was very dreamy and magical. i cannot wait to read more by this author!

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some of my personal favorites from the collection:

pressed flowers have dried up in between the journal
entries i created, they have the faintest scent of life. i
once wrote about you and how you managed to create
a resounding echo of bliss in my life. i once found the
words that embodied your untamed spirit and
described your captivating smile. once. now, there
are dead flowers that smell like the rain and small
entries that cannot grasp who you are.

– scent of life

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i choke on cigarette smoke. i want to leave these
strangers, yet, their stories are so wild and unique.
so, i stay and listen. their eyes close as they
remember who they were and why they were rebels.
my eyes are wide with curiosity, waiting to hear their
words fabricate a tale of good and old times.

– they were rebels

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i will rise,
my fists full of flowers
and my soul full of light.
isn’t is the gentlest of things
that show the most strength?
where the blossoms push through dirt
and the sun illuminates the dark–
there, you will find me.

– fists full of flowers

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you make it easy to
believe in magic and light.
your smile is a million
ocean waves crashing
into my small soul.

– easy to believe

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that is all for this review! cheyenne raine is a self-pub author, please remember to cross review on amazon! it helps us out. let’s chat in the comments!

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Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel Non-Spoiler ARC Review

Title: Black Bird of the Gallows
Series: N/A
Author: Meg Kassel
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: ARC paperback
Release Date: September 5th 2017
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.

What’s more, she knows something most don’t. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

 

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*I want to thank BookCon and Entangled Teen for providing me an ARC!*

Angie Dovage is a teenager trying to live a low-key life where people forget her story and what’s happened with her mom. In small town Pennsylvania where nothing much really happens and everyone lives their day to day life, Angie Dovage is going to meet her new next door neighbor who will drastically change her life. Once her next door neighbor moves in, Reece Fernandez, something supernatural tries to attack Angie. Yet, every time Angie goes through an attack, she notices that Reece is there. Angie is dancing with a harbinger of death and when she finds out out why Reece is really there in this small town Pennsylvania, it’s either saving everyone or staying alive.

I thought the writing was okay, easy to read and understandable. Meg Kassel wrote the setting in present times so there wasn’t much world building. The author really focused on the descriptions of what was a Harbinger of Death, Beekeepers, and the crows. I found that to be a problem (in my opinion) because this is a short book of 308 pages and sometimes she would explain over a few times what these three things do rather than focus on the plot. There was a point where I put down the book and asked myself “is this book part of a series? cause if so that would make more sense as to why she’s giving us much detailed descriptions.” Goodreads didn’t give me anything so I went to her website and found that she’s working on a novella and companion novel.

Meg Kassel also wrote a lot of tropes. If you do not like instalove, then you might want to steer away from this book. There’s also the neighbor who happens to be a supernatural trope, the girl who wasn’t doing much with her life till a guy walked in trope, and many other tropes but I won’t mention it because I don’t want to spoil the book.

We get to meet a few characters throughout this book. We meet both main characters Angie and Reece. Angie Dovage lives with her father and she hasn’t had the best life. Losing a mother to drugs, her life in school isn’t the best because everyone knows of her story. Angie is focused on music and the band she’s in with her two friends, Deno and Lacey. Reece is the new mysterious attractive guy that every girl in school is swooning over. Instead of being the quiet bad boy, he instantly gets a long with everyone in school and get’s into the hockey team. We also meet Angie’s father in the story who happens to be really present in her life and I have to say that I really enjoyed that aspect.

I also have to say that these characters weren’t flushed out as I would like. I feel that I’ve read these character arcs repeatedly throughout the years. I didn’t really find them relatable and it would’ve been nice to see them grow naturally but the tropes didn’t really help with the growth because a lot of their (Angie and Reece) decisions were based off emotions.

Overall, I found this book to be very predictable. If you like LUX by Jennifer L. Armentrout and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, then I would definitely suggest you reading this book because it has ALL the same elements.

For this being a short book, I thought there was a lot more descriptions going on rather than plot. The plot really took place in the last few chapters. I know I mentioned this already but I really wish the author would’ve taken more time focusing on the plot, building the characters, and giving us just more of the world.

Angie asked a lot of questions about what the Harbinger of Deaths do and what Beekeepers are, how the Crows are involved in all of this. Yes, those are very important questions, however, Meg Kassel was explaining this way too much. And yes, it is important to the plot and what happens but there wasn’t a flow with plot and getting to know these paranormal elements. Therefore, sometimes the book felt too jumpy instead of an organic flow of things.

There were a few things that rubbed me the wrong way as well when reading this book which I can’t just let slide over without mentioning.

• There was a part in the book when the author compares Cadence (name of town) to Afghanistan. “Cadence is not Afghanistan. It’s southwestern Pennsylvania.” I thought that was very insensitive of the author to write.
• There is also a scene where Angie is drenched in water, she’s unconscious, and Reece stated that she was freezing and in shock. She wakes up and notices that her clothes is hanging on a chair and she was changed into a t-shirt which was alarming to her. She calls it to his attention, she’s asking questions about what happened, and he gets really defensive which I didn’t like at all. We get a character who’s been really nice and cool throughout the book but then when he get’s questioned on what happened while she’s unconscious, he turns into a dislikable person. “You were freezing and in shock. I had to get you warm and dry. I’m not sorry.” He also didn’t apologize which really pissed me off.
• “what are you, suicidal? leave me and go.” this type of sarcasm is a no from me.
• Reece Fernandez so happens not to be latino at all so there went my hopes and dreams of a latinx character being involved.

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that is all for this review. i would love to chat in the comments about your thoughts! if you have any questions, please feel free to ask ❤

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