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Romance, Romance & #LoveOzYA February Wrap Up

Mar 2, 2020

I’m not going to like I read a lot of books in February. I was just in a massive reading mood, and I always take that and go. I try and read every single day. It’s something that I have always done and I think it’s something I will do for as long as I can.

Today I’m sharing all the books that I read in February. Again I read a lot of romance last month. It’s something I’ve been doing for the past couple of years and I can’t stop. I love binge reading series and I continued with some that I started in January. But I also read a good handful of YA especially #LoveOzYA, so that was great. I found that I had a good balance this month. But anyway here we go.

The Rocker Series #6-#12 by Terri Anne Browning: I started this series last month and continued reading the books at the start of the month. This series is just fun to read. It’s not fantastic or bad, just good. It was a great way to do some reading without it having to really concentrate on anything.

Lucy & Harris Series #1-#5 by Terri Anne Browning: I really enjoyed reading about Lucy in The Rocker series. So it was great seeing Lucy get her own book. This series was a little intense but I still really enjoyed it overall.

Tainted Knights #1-#5 by Terri Anne Browning: Another series by this author, as I said before, these books are just fun and quick to read. I can finish them in a couple of hours.

Great and Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros: This one is heartbreaking, beautiful and just so good. It explores the notion of guilt and grief, as well as a fresh start. Rebecca Yarros knows how to tear me apart and she did again. The romance in this one is so perfect, it’s a friend to lovers, to absolutely perfect. If you are looking for a romance that is haunting, but also beautiful, then this is for you. Check out my full review.

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim: I loved this book so much. It’s powerful and heartbreaking but in such a good way. It looks at first love, family difficulties, and mental health. It’s a beautiful #LoveOzYA that I think everyone needs to read.

Rockers’ Legacy #1-#2 by Terri Anne Browning: Well I have to continue with this world didn’t I? I was intrigued by the first two books. I liked to see where the rest of this series goes.

This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield: Wow! I have so much to say about this book here, but I don’t even know where to begin. This one is a tough book to read, but it’s also such a good read. If there is any book that you should pick up to read on this list, it’s this one. #LoveOzYA

How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox: Another #LoveOzYA that really tore me apart. This one explores mental illness and grief, while also dealing with trying to get through that last year of high school.

Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu: This one was a great one to pick up in February, breaking up my very emotional reads. This was put a massive smile on my face, but it also dealt with everything that high school brings. This one was a great read.

Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) by Cassandra Clare: I have so much to say about this one, and my full review will be coming later in the week. But this was fantastic, it has everything that I want from a Cassandra Clare novel. But I also know that the rest of the series is going to break my heart.

The Ones Who Got Away (The Ones Who Got Away #1) by Roni Loren: I’ve been wanting to start this series for some time and I finally picked the first one up. It was as emotional as I thought it might be. But I also loved it so much.

And that is it for February. What did you read last month? Did we read anything that’s the same? Let’s Chat!

My Best Friend Picks My TBR

Feb 27, 2020

I did something that I normally don’t do. I handed my TBR off to someone and they picked what I have to read.

When my best friend Ely and I, saw this post from Laura and Fadwa, we knew that we needed to jump onto this. So I handed my TBR over to Ely and she picked 5 books that she wants me to read. We’ve been best friends for some time now and although we have very similar tastes in books, we still vary in what we do like. So this is a test for both of us.

The only rule we have for this is to read the books within this year. We both tried to pick the books that we both already own, so it was a little easier. Both of us complain all the time to one another that we have massive TBR’s and hopefully this will be a way for us to try and conquer them. Even if it’s just a little bit. But anyway, here are the books that she chose for me.

The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray

Ely: I told you you’d probably hate me right off the bat. I know it’s huge, but I have my reasons. Firstly, Goodreads tells me it’s one of the oldest books on your TBR, so you’re welcome. Secondly, I actually really want to reread this myself so what better way to convince myself to do that than to force you to do it with me!

Angel: I hate you! No, I really don’t but, The Diviners has been on my TBR for as long as I can remember. But I always avoided reading it. I have no idea why really. I think it just scares me, which doesn’t make sense because I love bigger books. Honestly, I don’t really have a good excess for not picking this one up, I just haven’t. It has so many themes that I love reading, and I think this is the push that I need.

Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

Ely: I don’t know how you haven’t read this book yet, because I kind of really loved it so you probably will too. It’s just a really sweet contemporary, which I know you love. Besides, I’m pretty sure the rest of the books on this list will rip out your heart, so I’ve got to make sure there’s something a little happy.

Angel: I don’t know how I haven’t read this book yet either. This one has been on my TBR before it even came out, but since I couldn’t get it in Australia right away, I simply forgot. But now I’ve brought it and it’s sitting on my kindle waiting for me to read. I’m going to get to this one in the next couple of weeks for sure. Again it sounds right up my alley and something that I will love.

One by Sarah Crossan

Ely: This book is going to destroy you. Like straight up, you’re going to die. And oh my god I can’t wait. You know I’m going to make you send me updates the entire time you’re reading this, right?

Angel: You like to tear me apart don’t you. I’m a very emotional person, so I cry even at the smallest of things. And the main reason I’ve been avoiding this one and haven’t picked it up is that I know I’m going to be destroyed. But I also love that. I love a book that will wreck me because then I know the author has done something right. I’ve enjoyed Sarah Crossan’s books in the past, so I think I can finally do it.

Prince Charming (Royals #1) by Rachel Hawkins

Ely: I haven’t actually read this one myself so I have no idea what I might be subjecting you to here. But I’m kind of tossing up about whether I want to buy this one or not, so you might as well be my guinea pig. That’s what friends are for!

Angel: I got this one last year when I was in Denver and I just haven’t had the chance to pick it up. I know I’m your guinea pig most of the time, but that is okay. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this one and it sounds like something that I will adore. It sounds so damn cute.

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare

Ely: Okay but I desperately need someone to talk about this with. And you know you’re going to want to read it before Chain of Gold anyway, so really I’m just helping you out here…y tearing your heart apart multiple times. You’re so welcome.

Angel: Again I don’t know why I haven’t picked this one up. I really don’t. I’ve read a couple of stories, but not the whole thing. I have a physical copy of this and plan to read it real soon. However, I’m currently reading Chain of Gold (And loving I might add), but I will be picking this up soon. I always find anthologies hard to read sometimes, nevertheless, I can’t wait to read it.

And that is it for this post! I’m hoping to get to at least some of these books in March, but I never really know. Have you read any of these books? Are you planning on it? Also, don’t forget to check out the books I choose for Ely. Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Great And Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros

Feb 25, 2020

Great And Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros

Pages: 400
Publish date: February 25th 2020
Publisher:Entangled: Amara
ISBN: 9781640638167
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

How do you define yourself when others have already decided who you are?

Six years ago, when Camden Daniels came back from war without his younger brother, no one in the small town of Alba, Colorado, would forgive him—especially his father. He left, swearing never to return.

But a desperate message from his father brings it all back. The betrayal. The pain. And the need to go home again. But home is where the one person he still loves is waiting. Willow. The one woman he can never have. Because there are secrets buried in Alba that are best left in the dark.

If only he could tell his heart to stay locked away when she whispers she’s always loved him, and always will…

Great and Precious Things is a heart-wrenching story about family, betrayal, and ultimately how far we’re willing to go on behalf of those who need us most.

Great And Precious Things:

I received an earc of Great And Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros via the publisher for review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

Going into Great And Precious Things, I knew that I was going to be torn apart. Rebecca Yarros really knows how to hurt me. I’ve cried in nearly every one of her books. I’m not even joking here, she knows how to tear me into little pieces and leave me there. And I was right because Great And Precious Things really did tear me apart – but gosh was it beautiful.

Great And Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros follows Camden Daniels comes home from war. And he doesn’t get the heroes’ welcome. No, he comes back to a town that hates him to the core. That despises him and wants him gone. But he knows he has to push that aside because his family needs, even if his father hates and doesn’t want him there either. Because Camden killed his brother. The town knows it, his father knows it, and Camden knows it. There is only one person in the town that Camden is there for. But it’s also the one woman he could never have.

Olivier Guillard

Camden was such an interesting protagonist. It’s not often that I read books with a male protagonist at the forefront. If they are a protagonist, it’s normally because they are the love interest. But Camden was front and center and that alone intrigued me. Yarros has a real good knack of writing characters that have fantastic arcs – and Camden was no different. The reader gets to see Camden go on a journey. A journey that is long and hard. Not only does it have to deal with the grief of losing his brother, but also the guilt that he was the one responsible.

Sometimes it was really hard being in Camden’s head. He is filled with guilt and with how everyone is treating him in town, that takes its toll. But I also loved seeing Camden’s soft side. The reader is really able to see that he feels everything and that really shapes Camden into the person that he is. And while at the start he let everyone in town walk all over him, as the novel goes we get to see Camden let the guilt go and stand up for himself.

Willow was such a nice female protagonist in Great And Precious Things. I loved that she didn’t take over the novel. She was able to stand her own. Like Camden, the town has really influenced the way that Willow presents herself. But, Willow has also been through a lot and she has to try and work her way out of those things. Willow was really easy to get along with. She felt very real while reading the novel, she had her faults. But that is what made her such an enjoyable character.

freestocks

The relationship in Great And Precious Things had many ups and downs. But it was beautiful. Camden and Willow together, just fit for me. They worked. There weren’t any ifs and buts. They just did. One of the things that I loved most about the romance was that the ‘climax’ in the book wasn’t because of miscommunication or because of Camden or Willow. It’s not often you see that in a romance novel and it was great. I adored that Camden and Willow had so much history, it made for this rich romance that I got swept up in. Their connection was spot on.

Another thing that Rebecca Yarros does extremely well is exploring the notion of family, and things were no different in Great And Precious Things. While I normally prefer the representation of good family dynamics, sometimes there need to be representations of bad families. Both Camden and Willow have a lot of trouble with their families, but it was also nice to see them both try and work things out.

Another major focus of this book is the notion of Alzheimer’s. Camden’s dad has been suffering for a couple of years before he arrives back in town. It was really hard to read certain scenes in Great And Precious Things, because of the way that Camden’s father reacts. Most of the time he can’t stand the sight of Camden and that was really hard to read. Because the reader is able to see that Camden loves his father and wants what is best for him. Even if it’s breaking his own heart. I think that Rebecca Yarros was able to represent the ups and downs of Alzheimer’s throughout Great And Precious Things. And gosh did it hurt at parts.

Sorina Bindea

Overall, Great And Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros is heartbreaking, beautiful and just so good. It explores the notion of guilt and grief, as well as a fresh start. Camden and Willow were perfect protagonists that each had their own story. Rebecca Yarros knows how to tear me apart and she did again. The romance in this one is so perfect, it’s a friend to lovers, to absolutely perfect. If you are looking for a romance that is haunting, but also beautiful, then this is for you.