Texas: Ducks (and a dictator goose) and Books

 On December 26th I flew to the U.S to visit my amazing boyfriend, who lives in Texas. This is the second time I've visited him since we started dating, and I just want to say that Texas is so beautiful, especially Austin. 

Sunset from Austin. Yes, this is with no filter!

My boyfriend (hi poookieeeee) took me to watch ducks at Mueller Lake Park. I don’t think I’ve ever talked about this here so here it is: birds are my favorite animals. I may not be able to name specific species from the top of my head like I would do with dinosaurs, but whenever I see those cute babies waddling and hopping around, it’s enough to make my whole week.

*insert jurassic park theme song*

Ducks are generally known as curious and playful. I read on Sally’s Duck Rescue that ducks also grieve and are capable of forming lifelong bonds. However, just like people (and cats) they have individual personalities. “Some are bold and adventurous. Others are cautious observers … while others are chatterboxes who like to be the centre of attention.” Sally writes.

As for geese, they usually tend to be more assertive and protective.

I crouched near an approaching duck, thinking I was gonna accidentally scare it away, but instead got a little closer before it went on its way. Meanwhile, on top of a rock near the lake was a geese being the loudest, other ducks reacting to it as if they were laughing (or telling it to shut the hell up, who knows?). It made me laugh because I imagined it as some sort of dictator giving a speech. It was a very long and emotional one, I’ll tell you. 

As opposed to Instagram, where we always see the white Pekin Ducks (I had to look the names up), there were many different types around the lake. The predominant ones were the Muscovy ducks (the cow-colored ones), and I also remember seeing Mallard ducks (the ones with the green head).

The geese that were hanging around I think they were all Egyptians. The way you can tell ducks and geese apart are by their necks and beaks. Ducks have flat beaks while geese have triangular beaks and longer necks.

left: two pekin ducks and a muscovy duck; right: egyptian goose

While we watched them, me and my boyfriend enjoyed some rice balls. I didn't take a picture of that exact moment, unfortunately, but I have this one. They're sooo damn good.

After that, we went to Austin's indie bookstore called BookPeople. I love coming here, and love knowing how often they host author events. One day I might be lucky enough to catch one; I'm still trying to get over how Ali Hazelwood was coming the evening of the day my flight took place. Sigh.

I always thought they had the cutest table displays, they were very creative. This time they had a Valentine's day themed display with a box where you could insert a note with your favorite book boyfriend's name, or a note to him (I think). Another thing I always look forward to seeing in bookstores are their trinkets. They had the funniest-looking claw clips of which I regret not taking pictures of because they had hot-dog shaped ones and fruits. Then I saw the $28 price tag and I didn't find them funny anymore.

These cat ornaments were so cute too, and a little more affordable.

I ended picking up Kafka's Diaries. I was so happy because they never have Kafka at my local bookstore, so I HAD to take it. I've only read The Metamorphosis by him but after the emotional damage from that short story, I need to know what's in that man's mind.

Another thing I was excited about during my walks with the dogs around the neighborhood were the Little Free Libraries. I always thought the concept was so smart and helpful to others. It made me wish I had brought books of my own to leave there. Except for Zodiac Academy, that book pissed me off so much my boyfriend took me to sell it for $3.67 at Half-Price Books. I think this was the moment where my dislike for these "dark romances" started growing, eventually leading me to consider Fiction and take a little break. I spent a total of two weeks and a half in Texas, so I returned on the 13th. Time went by so fast and I just can't wait to spend time with my boyfriend again and visit more bookstores and libraries. He was able to get a library card from his neighborhood's library. They were undergoing renovations so they were working from their mobile library at their parking lot. It was the cutest thing! 

I asked the librarian about the requirements to work there, because I'm looking to pursue an MLS at Texas Women's University. She was so nice and helpful, and it turns out she also studied there.

Man, I love Texas.

Selfie of me shushing and my boyfriend mewing.

I've also posted a vlog on youtube about my days here (I sadly didn't include the ducks and the dictator goose).

I had such a great time, so I hope you enjoyed reading about it! Until next post <3

- Alondra 💌

When Romance Loses the Plot

Y’all… I need to get this off my chest.

I don’t know if it’s because my frontal lobe is developing prematurely, or if I’m simply outgrowing dark romance and novels with romance as the primary plot.

Or maybe I’m just not in the mood!

But I haven’t been in the mood for a couple of weeks now.

My first read of the year was How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn, and obviously, it was a Christmas romance. However, I enjoyed it because of the competitiveness between the main characters, and knowing about the everyone’s business in the town (so I love gossip, sue me!). But when it got to the ~steamy~ parts, I was just… bored. 

I was listening to the audiobook as I cooked/baked, my boyfriend unfortunately falling victim to hearing Storee and Cole get busy with a candy cane. It was just hilarious, but the chemistry? Don’t ask me where to find it.

I usually pick romances as a pallet cleanser after binging fantasy books, but lately they’re not hitting as they used to. I’m currently reading The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore and it’s not bad, but I can’t help but fantasize about Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas.

As I was miserably walking around the airport last night (God, I miss my boyfriend), I started listening to Lights Out by Navessa Allen and I didn’t get past chapter 2. This is all I had to say:

Lights Out by Navessa Allen


yk what it’s my fault.

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Instead of desperately jumping into other reads (which I kind of did in the past 48 hours), I thought: what if I try some fiction? It’s not my usual genre of preference, but I have to admit I’ve been drawn to it ever since I read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Malibu Rising. If it has messy family drama, I’m all in. 

During my trip to Texas my boyfriend let me pick some books, honorary mentions being Franz Kafka’s diaries and My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh. The Hotel Nantucket I bought at Office Depot’s bargain books bin, and I’ve seen it so many times it felt like it was waiting for me to finally buy it. These were my picks:

Books in picture:

• Franz Kafka’s Diaries
• The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
• Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
• The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore
• My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

I don’t know if it’s the over-saturation of porn without plot on TikTok, but I think it’s time I return to my fantasy books and also explore the fiction genre beyond my academic assignments. My comparative literature professor was the one who recommended Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, and I ended up crying to my boyfriend about Gregor Samsa. “He was such a good man,” I would say. 

Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good romance story with well done character development (like Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez). But lately, it feels like the popular romances are written on a rush to get to the spicy parts. It’s not insta-love anymore (a trope I already hate), but insta-lust. So, in the meantime, I’m staying away from the #Booktok table displays in bookstores. Life is too short to not read books with characters you root for and love stories that make you smile to yourself like a dumbass whenever you think about it. 

I have a feeling 2026 will be a good reading year! 

- alondra 💌

Review: The Awakening

The Awakening by Caroline Peckham
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

DNF at 75%

I’m sorry but… although it was entertaining I felt ZERO attachment to these characters. I wasn’t expecting the professor x student, which is a trope I already despise. I didn’t read far enough to see an actual romance develop so someone please enlighten me and spoil everything to me.



At the same time I was listening to the graphic audiobook and as a puerto rican, listening to Diego using random Spanish words annihilated me every time.

There were some parts were I assumed I was supposed to cheese over, like when these abusive characters would say things like "you're mine" "she's mine" "my source" etc. I just cringed. I didn't find them attractive at all. And them admitting it's not fun anymore when the twins just accept the bullying? No thanks.



never talk to me or my son ever again

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Mourning Doves on a Sunday

 How do you cope through grief?

Do you use humor to the point your relatives begin to wonder about your sanity?

Do you clean the house like a maniac?

Do you distract yourself with baking, knitting, or reading? 

Or do you journal, as if writing a letter to your godfather will let him know you wanted him to see you graduate?

I do all of the above. 

I was so happy when the universe granted me one more Thanksgiving and Christmas to spend with my godfather; because I spent nights begging while praying, "Just one more."

Once 2024 arrived, I knew I looked like a fool asking for another.

Just one more.

But the universe knew I would be asking every year, had it granted me my wish again. 

But I couldn't bring myself to be more selfish as I grew more aware of how much he was suffering while he continued to get ill. So I came to terms with the fact that the man who raised me was going to die.

The man who's responsible for my dinosaur obsession, my passion for fantasy and useless knowledge about the history of the Earth. He would've loved to see the Jurassic Park lego set I built with my boyfriend.

During my 21 years of life, I have grown to cherish sunny Sundays that made me feel so nostalgic. When I was a kid, whenever he had errands to do or family to visit during Sundays, I tagged along. After he would offer me a mint from his ridiculously abundant candy stash (the middle armrest's only purpose), we would hit the road. Then, as he tapped the armrest along any Salsa song that was playing, I would stare at the sky and repeat words in my head until they no longer felt like words. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I knew I was happy. 

And somehow, for some reason, the skies were always so blue and crisp. As if God himself took his time painting it for me. As if He subconsciously prepared me for my godfather's absence once I learned to associate the blue skies with the smell of his car's leather seats, and being awakened by mourning doves during a Sunday nap.

I've been so busy with college and traveling to the hospital that I haven't noticed it's been weeks since I heard a mourning dove. Until Friday, which was the day he passed away. But I promised myself to take it as a good omen, of love and comfort. That everything is going to be okay as long as I don't forget to look up and not take for granted the skies he–from now on–will clear for me.

Life Update and New Beginnings

Consistency is my worst enemy, lol. 

Anyways, long time no see!

I've been focusing on college, and it has brought me nothing else but joy. Because I've finally switched!

For the second time, I transferred to another university and this time I'm here to stay until it's time for the exchange I hope to do; studying abroad has always been a goal and I can just feel the possibility inching closer.

I transferred to the University of Puerto Rico (Rio Piedras) and despite the judgmental looks of pity from my previous private university classmates, I am so happy to be here. Those judgemental looks stem from the university’s reputation, which often brings out differing opinions from the people I talk to. Some think of it as the best university in Puerto Rico, meanwhile others only offer me a stank face.

First day of class at UPRRP (August, 2023)

The humidity as I walk around campus will be the death of me, but–once again–I couldn't be more happy to be here. I'm so proud of myself for having the courage to act quick as soon as I find a new passion and not feel ashamed of my desire to study in as many places as my scholarships will allow me to, LOL.

I currently have 15 credits, and I have to admit that although I have been nothing but responsible with my assignments, I'm struggling to find a balance between work, college assignments, studying, my social life, and other hobbies. I've been meaning to get back to my YouTube channel, so we'll see how that turns out.

I've also been reading A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, which is the third book in the ACOTAR series, and I have been HOOKED from the start; so expect a good review on this one :). Audiobooks have been of great help lately to get more reading done, and it's actually motivating me to read more. Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to surpass my reading goal this year by a few books :D.

Do you like audiobooks? Which books have you been reading lately?

Twisted Love (Twisted Series #1): Review

Before I share my Goodreads review, I'd like to point out that y'all didn't lie to me about Alex Volkov, lmao. 

Twisted Love by Ana Huang is a grumpy x sunshine trope where we're introduced to Ava Chen (Miss Sunshine) and Alex Volkov (Mr. Grumpy). While Alex likes to drown himself in his own angst and the world's darkness, Ava is a ray (ends up being his ray) of sunshine, softhearted and always searching for the good in people. Even in Alex's multilayered heart.

My Goodreads Review:

Twisted Love by Ana Huang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure when or how, but I'd started seeing Ava less as Josh's baby sister and more as a woman. A beautiful, pure-hearted but feisty woman who might be the death of me one of these days.

Okay... I understand what people said about the book's pacing; it was a little weird. I wouldn't have minded if the book was around 500 pages if it meant all the plots in the story would've been developed with more detail. It felt like they rushed through Alex and Ava's relationship's development just to get into the bigger stuff (Ava's trauma and Alex's revenge, or whatever); and it truly just felt... bland. I think the spicy scenes saved it a little bit.

Overall, it's not that it was a bad book, but it could've been better. What the fuck was Operation Emotion? It was so dumb, please 😭.

Either way, since I loved Bridget so much I'm so excited to get into the second installment, Twisted Games. Hopefully, it's even better! :D

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Haunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet #1): Review

 

I finished Haunting Adeline last night and here's my summary alongside my Goodreads review :)

Summary of Haunting Adeline by H.D Carlton

Adeline Reilly is an author who moved into Parson's Manor, her childhood home; but also where her great-grandmother's murder took place. At her book-signing event, she is noticed by none other than Zade Meadows, who becomes immediately obsessed with her. 

Zade has built a vigilante organization called Z, which targets sex-trafficking rings and has the purpose to dismantle-- no, destroy the government. During his free time, he enjoys stalking Addie and terrorizing her, but is also surprised to learn the dynamic excites her. As Addie investigates her great-grandmother's unsolved murder case, she finds herself before the coincidence that they both fell in love with their stalkers.

My Goodreads Review:

Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All I want to do is break her. Shatter her into pieces. And then arrange those pieces to fit against my own. I don't care if they don't fit--I'll fucking make them.

Regardless of the controversy around the book, I'm glad it actually met my expectations. It's important to highlight that dark romance is not for everyone and one should always read the trigger warnings at the beginning of every book. I expected it to be more darker as the dramatic people on TikTok made it out to be, but since it's said the second installment is even darker: I'm ready.
The story always had me on edge, although at some point I was so invested in Zade's work that I stopped caring about the toe-curling smut and Adeline's internal battle with her morals, to be honest.

I want to slap him. But the asshole would probably like it, and then turn around and slap me back. And my dumbass self would probably like it, too.

Also, I really didn't care about the murder case she was trying to solve, it felt slightly irrelevant.
I still loved this book, though.

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The second installment of this Cat and Mouse Duet series is "Hunting Adeline" (The similar titles can be confusing, I know lol), and if you're considering to read this duet while not being used to what the dark romance genre consists of, I suggest you read the trigger warnings on the author's website or wherever you're buying these books from.

May TBR: Books I hope to read in May

 May is finally here and you know that means: the semester is almost over! Meaning… I’ll finally get to couch-potato around with no guilt of procrastination, only feeling the existential dread of waking up for my retail job.

I have a few forms of escapism, but reading is my top one. Especially during those times I’m feeling blue. Therefore, I can’t put into words how excited I am to finally have more time to read during the summer, since I won’t be having a summer semester (slay).

So! Let’s begin with my May TBR (hopefuls):

1. Twisted Love by Ana Huang 

I’ve heard nothing but AMAZING things about this book— no, about the entire series. Twisted Love is the first book of the Twisted Series by Ana Huang and I’ve seen people raving about it on TikTok; especially about the MMC of this book: Alex Volkov. Or in my co-worker’s case, Christian Harper (from the last book in this series, if I’m not mistaken). At the moment, I think Rhys Larsen (from the second book, Twisted Games) will be the one to win me over out of the four. We’ll see. 

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart. 

But when he’s forced to look after his best friend’s sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.
A melt.
A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

Yup, and I’m here for it.

2. The Fine Print by Lauren Asher

I’m gonna admit this once; every book I ignore, every book I end up reading and loving. I hope this will be the case here, too. I do judge books by their cover, so I really didn’t pay attention to what people said. Until my co-worker talked my ear off about it (I adore you, Paola; thank you), and now my interest has been piqued. 

And here we are.

It’s hard for me to make summaries of books I haven’t read; but what I can confidently say this is about a billionaire who appears to be a shit-boss, at least this one. And we already know what happens when a stubborn girl meets someone like that in a romance book. This is also the first book of the Dreamland Billionaire series; they’re three books, three brothers. 

And I’m ready.

3. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Again, at the moment I don’t have any expectations for this book. I’ve seen it on TikTok but I just kept scrolling past it, like the book I previously mentioned. I think what pushed me to buy this book at last was another friend (I love you, Leandra) posting about how she was speeding through it. And by that you can tell how easily influenced I can be when it comes to books, lol.

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

This is the first book of the series, and seeing people vlog about themselves sprinting to the bookstore for the next book makes me curious. 

Here’s the rest of the blurb:

“To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.”

4. [Finish] Haunting Adeline by H.D Carlton

I’m 85% into the book, and so far I have loved every single bit of it. Dark Romance is a genre that is definitely not for everyone, but I’m surely getting into. It’s always important to read the trigger warnings in the beginning!

Haunting Adeline is the first book in the Cat and Mouse Duet by H.D Carlton. To summarize, the main character, Adeline, has a stalker. However, she has an internal struggle with her morals because anything that scares her, also excites her. 

I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me.
I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh.
But my words don't affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave.
He's always there, watching and waiting.
And I can never look away.
Not when I want him to come closer.

I’m reading this book at the same time as one of my managers (hi!), and it’s honestly so funny to rave about specific scenes in the book and watch our co-worker’s faces distort with confusion and shock. Anyways, once I’m done with this one I’m immediately hopping into the Twisted series. 

I don’t know why instead of finishing a series in one go, I just go for other books. I’m assuming it’s so I don’t feel that painful dread of finishing a series and realizing none of it was real. 

I love getting emotionally attached to characters on paper.

It’s extremely fun.

Absolutely.

Anyways! That’s the current TBR for now. Maybe if I stay away from Amazon and the nearby bookstore, I might be able to follow through with this list; for at least a month. I’m a book behind schedule, according to my goodreads. The goal is to read 15 books this year, and I’m confident I’ll reach it. Maybe I’ll try to surpass it and reach 20 :). 

If I keep to this list, I know it’s going to be such a good reading month! I can feel it. ❤

- Alondra ♡

Friends, books, and hot chocolate

Kari being gorgeous, as usual <3

Two blog posts in a week? Sickening; I love that.

Although it has only been two days since my last post, it has actually been a week since I decided to reduce my screen time by deleting all social media apps from my phone and only accessing them through my laptop. Since apparently social media apps are designed to make you addicted to the mindless scrolling, using desktop is not as visually appealing and you grow bored quicker. It's true for me, at least.

During the week, I hung out with my friend Crystal and we set off to the quest of finding the Juicy x Forever 21 collection at nearby F21's. We were unsuccessful, though; and if we found them, they didn't have them her size. But she did end up trying other dresses; see how pretty she looks in this one?

I absolutely loved how it looked on her, but she insisted the pattern looked granny-like. Obviously, I took offense to that because I love granny patterns. And whatever, anything we see granny-like is just about perspective. It was popular when they were our age, and when we're 70, younger generations (if global warming allows it) will find Shein clothes old-people-like. So, who cares? Definitely not me, because I love granny-like stuff.

 Long live granny stuff. Grannies rock.

She was too lazy to take her pants off again and just slid them down, lmao.

She ended up trying this dress afterwards, and I think it looked just as beautiful on her! 

Before we mall-hopped somewhere else, we ended up getting gelato popsicles. And the whole time I was happy I forgot about my phone's entire existence.

I remember mentioning how I wanted to start baking more, but I would also like to add cooking to that. So, yesterday I went to the bookstore with my dear friend Kari and picked up some books, 2 of them being cookbooks. (Do you prefer cookbooks or online recipes?)

Books in picture (top to bottom):
- The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
- Quick and Easy: Simple, Everyday Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less by Women's Weekly
- Simple Pasta: Life Made Easy. Life Made Better. by Odette Williams

Quick and simple.

Those are the key words that made me buy them. Because no matter how overly-ambitious I am with new hobbies, when it comes to cooking I would rather do the babiest of baby steps. Not because I'm afraid of burning my house down, but because I can't bear the idea of food going to waste from doing something wrong. So... baby steps, for once in my life, lol.

However, before I start experimenting with these cookbook recipes, I've been dying to try this cookie recipe I ran into on Instagram:

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A post shared by Лера🤍 визуал • создание контента (@leralylyk)

If it wasn't for Laura Bray's post about her cookbook library, I wouldn't have taken it as a sign to finally move my ass get a physical cookbook. Because she's right, getting to the actual recipes online while being bombarded with random pop-ups and long intros does get annoying eventually.

I've also been reading faster thanks to my new kindle! <3 It finally arrived!

I'm currently reading Haunting Adeline by H.D Carlton and the physical copy was simply too heavy, for some reason. So now I can enjoy my dark romance at a faster pace without building muscle on my wrists. 

I seriously love going to the bookstore; the peace is immaculate. And their hot chocolate is very comforting. 

And with friends it's even better! (I love you, Kari).

My average screen-time is still at 5 hours; the goal is to get it down to 3 at least! I'm also even planning to buy a prepaid flip-phone for when I fly to Florida to visit my dad, is that too extreme? Maybe, but it sounds fun; might even add a Nicki Minaj ringtone to it if possible.

With all this free-time away from my phone, hopefully I can show you the process of my attempt at those heart-shaped cookies. Who knows? Maybe I'm a master baker and I haven't discovered it yet.

Duff Goldman is quaking.

- Alondra ♥︎

 

Book Review: The Deal

    

Yes, I'm alive and well!

    And recently came out of a major post-ACOMAF (A Court of Mist and Fury) reading slump. After reading fantasy, I always like to pick up romance books which don't require too much energy from my brain; so I picked up The Deal by Elle Kennedy. And boy, it wasn't what I expected. Next time, I'm gonna think fourfold before taking another book recommendation from one of my now-not-so-favorite booktubers. I feel betrayed... again.

    To summarize, in this book Hannah Wells, a music major student, makes a deal with Garrett Graham, a.k.a the captain of Briar's hockey team. Garrett convinced her to tutor him in exchange for helping her make her crush, Justin, notice her by pretending to date and make him "jealous". Obviously, you wonder: how long does this go until one of them stops feeling like they're pretending? 

Not long, trust me.

Here's the rest of my review from Goodreads:

The Deal by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"I know you're into me, Wellsy. And I'm definitely into you. Would it be so bad if we made this thing official?"

Although I loved Garret Graham, my high expectations were not met. At first, I felt like it started off really well, until halfway through the book the main point of the story gets sort of... lost. This book was sold to me as a "fake dating" trope, since Hannah and Garrett agree on him helping her crush notice her by pretending to date in order to make said crush jealous, that is in exchange of becoming his tutor to improve his GPA; hence the god-forsaken title.

However, this "fake dating" only happened like twice, and I just wish the author developed it more, rather than jumping to corny shit revolving around Garrett's father and Hannah's self-concept of being "broken". Which brings me to my next point: is it me, or was the topic of rape being tossed around like nothing?

How could you possibly consider that having Garrett give you an orgasm is going to "fix you"? HELLO?


I was really looking forward to enjoy this series, but I don't think I will be reading the rest of it. :/



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2022 reading wrap-up

 

The end of 2022 is near and I can proudly say that it was a good reading year, and I hope 2023 is even richer!

This year I started a bookstagram and I'm so happy to be part of such a lovely community, and I'm hoping to expand it even more by my plans for a Youtube channel once I get over my shyness. 

Here I will be sharing the 11 books I read this year, along the reviews I left on Goodreads. Some you have already seen here on my blog, some you haven't; so let's begin!

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

DNF at 52%.

Just like everyone else, I was excited for some vampire-forbidden-love type of trope. But how come I’m on page 233 of a vampire book and I there’s not a single hint about the existence of vampires?

I can handle slow plots, but the constant overthinking from Celine and her dArK SEcReT had me annoyed to the max.

Anyways, the plot felt really slow and painfully uneventful.

It really wasn’t for me 💔.

 

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My second CoHo book.
Although it didn't make me cry as people told me I would, I can't deny this book was so beautifully written. And don't even get me started on Cap; he was the best character. His back must be hurting from carrying this entire book.

"... Seems in my past life, I was shot right in the ass. Must have bled out."

Iconic.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's a 3.5 to me

Although it didn't blow me away, I had a lot of awww moments. These were my favorite quotes:

"You are so pretty one of these days I'm going to lose a finger in my garage because I can't concentrate with you so close to me. You are so pretty that I wish you weren't so I wouldn't want to hit every guy at school who looks at you, especially my best friend."

She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

(Basic, I know. But I would cry forever if someone ever said this to me.)

"Just so you know," he mimics me,"I would chop that table up and use it for firewood before I would ever choose anything over you."

If you read this book, you'd know these quotes are from after the half of the book. Because honestly? The book was uneventful until it picked up around 25-30%. I may have gotten a bit emotional at the end, but only because it shows how much Drew cares about Nastya; I thought it was wholesome. But besides that, I barely felt anything.

My conclusion is: I think it's a good plot, but in the beginning, it was really slow and uneventful. I was bored during most of it. But it wasn't a bad read.

I think I have mixed feelings about it, lol.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay... it gave. And that plot twist managed to get a gasp from me.

A friend recommended me this book, and she was right; it was actually good. I enjoyed it because from the beginning it was a page-turner and as a slow reader, I'm proud of myself because I finished it in a span of 3 days, lol.

Also... am I the only one who wasn't a fan of Cadence and Gat's romance? Ever since Cady saw him sending the letter to Raquel, I stopped liking him. >:((

Another thing: Johnny was my favorite character, he was so hilarious.

"Can't we talk about sex or murder?"

"Never eat anything bigger than your ass."

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If she was destined to burn in Hell, I would burn with her.

This book was a big slay and my first step into falling in love with YA fantasy. Also, Lou was such an amazing character; and sometimes I found myself relating to her personality. She was just as lovely as Coco. And don't get me even started with Ansel, I didn't expect myself to adore him completely.
And Reid... I fucking love him .

I have to admit that, just like many others, I was confused in the beginning but as I kept reading I was able to catch on. I'm a very slow reader, and I almost fell into a reading slump; but as soon as Reid and Lou married, the book immediately turned into a page turner for me.

A witch and witch hunter bound in holy matrimony. There was only one way such story could end--a stake and a match.

I found their dynamic to be so hilarious and wholesome; you can bet I squealed like a 14-year-old when he finally calls her "My little heathen". I passed away.

Anyways... I'm excited to run to my nearest bookstore and get my hands on Blood & Honey; I hope to enjoy it as much as I did this one! <3 br="">
p.s: Reid finally cursing was one of my most favorite things.

"Why the fuck is everyone in this kingdom trying to murder my wife?

 

Fallen by Lauren Kate
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

DNF at 67%.

I really, REALLY wanted to love this book because I thought I would, since I totally fell in love with the Hush Hush saga. Unfortunately, however, this felt like a bad copy-paste. Nora Gray and Bella Swan had more personality than Luce; and Daniel was boring, lol. I was rooting for Cam, mostly.

I'm sure 13-15 year old me would've loved it, though.

Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thierry's hand came down on my shoulder. You see magic as a weapon, Reid, but you're wrong. It simply. . . is. If you wish to use it for harm, it harms, and if you use it to save... Together, we looked to Toulouse, who tucked a flower behind the woman's ear. She beamed at him before rejoining the crowd. It saves.

Although I enjoyed watching Reid improving his relationship with magic, it makes me sad to say this one didn't really feel memorable to me. I'm hopeful, though! Because I'm assuming this isn't just a filler book, but a [slight slowly painful] buildup to the next one, which I've heard people say it's really good.

Overall, it gave me Harry Potter and the Order of the Phenix vibes; you know, where nothing really happens because it's just the characters getting ready to face the shit that's about to go downhill and the only way it gets "interesting" is because someone dies?

Yeah, you know what I'm talking about.


I look forward to Gods & Monsters ! I have a feeling it'll be better <3 br="">

Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Before I go on to explain why I have a love-hate relationship with this book, I'd like to point out that Archer Hale just became one of my favorite book boyfriends; he was so precious.

... I was going to give it a try. For Bree. Only for Bree. Because I thought that would make her happy. And I'd do anything to make Bree happy.

Archer and Bree's story was so beautifully developed, and this is the first time I read a book where the love interest is a mute. That's what I loved.

But what annoyed me to shit were the sex scenes after really deep, emotional moments between Archer and Bree; they had me rolling my eyes.
I'm sorry... but I don't think I could ever feel aroused after trauma-bonding over how I watched my father die.



I really wanted to love this book as much as my favorite BookTuber and the reviews here said I would. Other than Archer keeping my standards in check, I barely felt anything.





Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Men had a funny way of blaming the devil for things he didn't like. It was strange that we were called evil when humans were the ones who enjoyed watching us burn.

I was immediately sold when I read the words "witches" and "princes of Hell", and I am so happy that know this book exceeded my expectations. Kerri's writing captivated me, honestly. I never felt bored.

I was hoping we got to meet all the princes of Hell in this book, but that's okay, because it makes me more excited to meet the others in the next one :). Speaking of princes, I'm in love with Wrath (although i'm kinda mad at him rn). I seriously can't wait to read more about him and Emilia in Kingdom of the Cursed <3 br="">This story managed a few gasps out of me, and just for that I give it a 4.5; definitely worth a read.

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have never found so much comfort in a book, this is all I wanted. This is the happy ending Lily and Atlas deserved and–... I'm truly at loss for words.
Atlas Corrigan is the best book boyfriend I'll ever know and I'm sure of it.


I'm definitely not sobbing while I'm writing this btw.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Already half-way through the book I knew this was going to be a 5-star read. I just KNOW the grip this series is gonna have on me as I keep reading through the other books.

Tamlin had won my heart but as soon as Rhysand was introduced I immediately folded.

I can't wait to turn this series into my new personality and talk people's ears off about it, because I've been loving it since the very first chapter. Also, I know I'm not the only one who got reminded of Beauty and the Beast; which made me love it even more.

I wish more than ever to get taken away to a faerie continent where all I get to do is paint and read, shm.