If I'm Being Honest by Austin Siegemund-Broka & Emily Wibberley | Book Review
4.21.2020
High school senior Cameron Bright’s reputation can be summed up in one word: bitch. It’s no surprise she’s queen bee at her private L.A. high school—she’s beautiful, talented, and notorious for her cutting and brutal honesty. So when she puts her foot in her mouth in front of her crush, Andrew, she fears she may have lost him for good.
In an attempt to win him over, Cameron resolves to “tame” herself, much like Katherine in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. First, she’ll have to make amends with those she’s wronged, which leads her to Brendan, the guy she labelled with an unfortunate nickname back in the sixth grade. At first, Brendan isn’t all that receptive to Cameron’s ploy. But slowly, he warms up to her when they connect over the computer game he’s developing. Now if only Andrew would notice…
But the closer Cameron gets to Brendan, the more she sees he appreciates her personality—honesty and all—and wonders if she’s compromising who she is for the guy she doesn’t even want.
You know, being yourself isn't permission to be a terrible person.
Author: Austin Siegemund-Broka & Emily Wibberley
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 384
Goodreads rating: 4.02
Publication: April 23rd 2019 by Penguin
Source: Google Play Books
Reading format: E-book
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Review type: Non-spoilery
review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So I read Always Never Yours by the same authors in 2018 and it instantly became one of my favourite contemporary books so when this book came out, the excitement was an understatement. I got it as soon as it came out and started reading it and even from the first chapter, I could see that the main character wasn't supposed to be likeable because I totally hated her. At first, I thought that okay, there's no way this character has no depth right? There must be a reason she's being so mean to people. However, I hated her so much that I stopped reading the book altogether. In addition to my hatred, this book makes a lot of reference to Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew and I know absolutely nothing about that play so I planned to read the play first before reading this book.
The plan was a failure. Fast forward to April 2020, I still haven't read the play or even the synopsis of the play and haven't touched the book ever since that last time. OWLs Readathon hosted by @book_roast changed that for me. For the Herbology Exam prompt, I was supposed to read a book with a title that starts with the letter 'I'. Suddenly, this book shone so brightly on my e-reader library and I picked it for my OWL readathon. No regret, because I love love love this book!
It's easy to misjudge this story as a whole just by reading the synopsis and the introduction to the character. A mean girl trying to change for the better is an okay premise but 'A mean girl trying to change for better FOR THE BOY THAT SHE LIKES' IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS. Reading this book, I saw that I was wrong to judge the story just by what it is described on the surface because this story is just so much more than just a mean girl trying to change to get the boy she likes. It was her trying to be kinder to people and in the process, simultaneously learning to be kinder to herself.
Cameron might be unlikeable at first but as I read her in the process of her 'taming' herself, I learned a few things from her too. Cameron wasn't perfect but she was persistent, intelligent and honest which are my favourite traits of her. She was brave, never beats around the bush and always gets straight to the point. Her unflinchingly honest personality might make her look like she was being mean on purpose but as soon as she learned to be more sensitive about how her words might affect people, that previously annoying trait became her best. I really didn't see how I could ever like her but I end up really liking her in the end.
The friendship aspect of this book was also really wonderful, I love seeing the formation of a new friendship between the main character and her former enemy-kind-of and predicting as well as seeing how this affects her previous existing friendship. It was interesting to see how her changes affect her relationship with those around her; not just her friends but also with her family.
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More than others, I really appreciate Cameron's self-discovery journey on how significant forgiveness is in order to not just improve herself but also in mending the bonds between her and people around her which opens up a lot of many positive possibilities in her future. It wasn't just forgiveness from other people that was highlighted in the book, this book shows that having the courage to forgive the people who hurt you and forgiving yourself are just as important.
Forgiveness is the release that washes the poison from my veins, the anger and envy I could never get rid of no matter how often I apologized. It's impossibly, beautifully easy.
I love that this book, despite being a YA contemporary romance, didn't really focus heavily on the romance and focuses more on the character's growth. Talking about the romance aspect, I'm totally living for it! I was happy that it wasn't insta-love. It's more to enemy-friends-lover trope which I absolutely adore. I love how both Cameron and Brendan just love each other for who they are and push each other to chase their dreams despite the expectation from their family or their own self-doubt.
Last but not least, the authors' take on Katherine was interesting. Katherine was initially introduced as a mean maiden who no one wants to marry because of her attitude which in the end 360° changed after she got married to this one man who claimed he abused her because he just wanted her to change, in the name of love.
Katherine’s not the villain of the play. It’s the people trying to change her.
I thought of giving this book 4 stars because of the problem I had when I first started reading it and what kind of contemporary romances get solid 5 stars, right, but this is my first really great YA contemporary read of the year and it does contain everything that I expect from a 5 stars YA contemporary book so I think it deserves those 5 stars.
You're gonna like this if you like: Mean Girls, 10 Things I Hate About You, non-insta-love trope, interesting family dynamic, new friendship, cute romance.
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare | Book Review
4.19.2020
James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love (Goodreads).
There is no better distraction in this world than losing oneself in books for awhile.
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction
Pages: 624
Goodreads rating: 4.53
Publication: March 3rd 2020 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: Book Depository
Reading format: Hardback
Review type: Non-spoilery
review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm absolutely and utterly wrecked, nothing can ever fix me and I shall never recover from this pain again.
In Chain of Gold, the next generation of Shadowhunters (read: offsprings from the previous series) venturing into their own journey of fighting demons, their discovery of selves and love life. It features the most precious friendship, siblings relationship, blooming romance and friendship and most importantly, Shadowhunters world in all its glory (not). I've never personally understood how a person can love-hate someone until I read Cassandra Clare's books. As much as I love her writing and adore the world and the characters she created, I definitely hate her for putting my babies into such agony which then also hurt me in 1000 ways I didn't know could ever hurt me. I wanna hug Cassandra Clare for bringing the characters I love to life but I also wanna fight her and threaten her into giving them just happy endings.
1. writing style
Clare writes this story beautifully; her writing is so stunning that even the simplest thing, the simplest exchange between characters and the simplest acts could hurt me especially her period Shadowhunters novels. These novels have this romantic atmosphere that comes with a more antiquated and elegant style of writing which makes The Infernal Devices one of my favourite series in the first place and will probably make this new series my second favourite Shadowhunters series.
2. glimpses of my favourite characters from the previous series (the infernal devices)
It's not a secret that I'm a sucker for character-driven novels. This book follows the offsprings of the characters from the previous series, so it's natural that they will feature in this book. It's nice to see the characters I missed so much but what I love the most is how happy they are now. They've grown up so much, they are happily living with their family which brings me to the next point...
3. familial aspect of this book
It's rare to see the positive familial aspect that Chain of Gold showed in YA Fantasy that I have read before. Most YA Fantasy's familial aspects are more to the fight for the throne, dysfunctional family, basically negative ones. The families featured in this book are not just happy but also whole. This generation of Shadowhunters are raised with care and love and that makes me so happy. No doubt, the families are not perfect but they all give a good support system. The Herondales perfectly portrayed a very supportive and loving family in a believable way; I'm still gushing over how sweet the relationship between Will, Tessa and their children is. It is to die for. Besides that, it was also interesting to get to know more about the Carstairs siblings relationship. The bond between Cordelia and Alastair might not seem as strong as other siblings bonds in the book at first but as I read more, I could see that their bond is a very precious one with both of them being protective of each other.
4. introducing Shadowhunters from another part of the world
The fact that Cordelia and Alastair Carstairs are Persian makes me love this book more. Having read Khaled Hosseini's books before, Farsi is not a stranger to me, especially the terms of endearment. It is a beautiful language that I'm very interested in learning. There were also a lot of references to Persian Poem, Layla and Majnun.
English endearments were so limited and bland in comparison, she had always thought: Persians thought nothing of telling someone they loved fadat besham, I would die for you, or calling that person noore cheshmam, the light of my eyes, or delbaram, the thief of my heart.
I also love how some real Persian cultures are adapted into the Persian Shadowhunters' world; for instance, Cordelia wearing a long tunic to a fight and Cordelia's mother protectiveness towards her daughter in terms of her clothes and her socializing with men.
5. supportive, caring and loving friendship circles
I never quite thought of friendship like that—as something that makes you more than you are.
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| The Merry Thieves by @merwildandco |
"The four of you are tightly knit," said Cordelia. "Anyone could see that. And none of you is so simple. Thomas is more than just kind, and Christopher more than beakers and test tubes, Matthew more than wit and waistcoats. Each of you follows his own star- but you are the thread that binds all four together. You are the one who sees what everyone need, if anyone requires extra care from their friends, or even to be left alone. Some group of friends drift apart, but you would never let that happen."
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| The Merry Thieves, Cordelia, Lucie and Anna by @malec_hugs |
"You have been quite a surprise since you came into our lives," he said, and she knew by "our" he meant the five of them, the Merry Thieves and Lucie. "I did not feel that our little group was missing anything before you arrived, but now that you are here, I cannot imagine it without you."
6. lovable and memorable characters
I think some people might hate that this book has many characters but as a fan of the Shadowhunters franchise, I'm okay with it. I love to adore and root for the lovable characters and I love to hate the unlovable characters. For me, Cassandra Clare’s books are about the characters more than anything. I care for all of the characters but like most of the readers, Cordelia surprised me. She's brave, very pure-hearted, super kind (her kindness reminds me of Jem), is not afraid to sound out her opinions and protect the people she loves and is very supportive and because of these, I admire her the most. Some other characters that are very precious to me are Matthew Fairchild and Alastair Carstairs. I just wanna protect these three and see them all happy.
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7. books and stories are important to the characters' lives
"People are only invincible in books," said Cordelia."I think you will find most of the time, not even then," said Tessa. "But at least we can always pick up a book and read it anew. Stories offer a thousand fresh starts."
I'm a huge fan of this world so it's natural that I'm wishing the book to be longer although it's already pretty big with 624 pages. However, I think new readers might find the book to drag a little bit. The last few chapters can be shortened and there wasn't really much addition to the plot development to the last few chapters. The story can feel slow-paced at first but I think it's important for the build-up of the plot. I'm sure there are details from the chapters I think are not important that I probably missed that are significant for the next two books.
1. Is it necessary to read the previous series to read this?
No, you absolutely don't have to. All you have to know to understand the Shadowhunters world is mentioned in the book so you won't be confused. Reading the previous series or at least some of the novella might help you to know the characters and the world more, though. It'll also give you a better reading experience. Chain of Gold does contain some spoilers to The Infernal Devices series, though.
2. Which series/short stories that I can read to give me further understanding of the story?
For series, I suggest you read The Infernal Devices, which main characters are the parents of the main characters in Chain of Gold. For short stories, you can read The Midnight Heir from The Bane Chronicles, Nothing But Shadows from Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy and Cast Long Shadows and Every Exquisite Thing from Ghosts of the Shadow Market.
3. Guide to start reading The Shadowhunters Chronicles?
You can watch emmmabooks's Video on How To Read The Shadowhunter Chronicles
Other Books in the Series:
Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2) – To Be Released
Chain of Thorns (The Last Hours #3) – To Be Released
Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo | Book Review
4.14.2020
BLURB: Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .
A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy was known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes
Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.
I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction
Pages: 465
Goodreads rating: 4.46
Publication: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Company
Source: Popular Bookstore
Reading Format: Paperback
Pages: 562
Goodreads rating: 4.60
Publication: September 27th 2016 by Orion Children's Books
Source: Popular Bookstore
Reading Format: Paperback
review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I've been wanting to read this duology for so long and when they posted the list of casting for the Shadow and Bone TV show last year and I saw that Ben Barnes (the Prince Caspian, the Dorian Gray!) is one of the people who'll be the star of the show, I immediately started reading the Grisha trilogy. And when they said that the show might be released this year, I immediately started reading Six of Crows and oh my God it's totally worth the hype! JUST LOOK AT THE GOODREADS RATING! I rarely see a book that gets rated more than 4 on Goodreads and both of the books in the duology passed 4 which is amazing! I'm having a problem in writing this review because I might just endlessly rant about how much I like it and this whole post will be unorganized so I'm going to put it in a list.
writing style
For some people especially those who don't read fantasy a lot, it takes time to get used to the writing style since it's considered a higher fantasy in young adults but when you get used to it, it becomes more engaging and addictive to read. It's not very lyrical and metaphorical so it's easier to read but it's not skimmable because there are details you don't want to miss. The two books are written in multiple first-person point-of-view and that makes it more interesting to read because you can learn about a character more through what they think. Leigh Bardugo created these diverse characters with easily distinguishable characteristics. All the characters are written very humanly and third dimensional; there was no trouble in making the characters come to life in my mind. In terms of world-building, learning this part of the Grisha universe was a fantastic experience. The world-building is great and since I already read the previous series by her which sets in the same world (read: the Grisha trilogy), I didn't have a problem with it anymore. Some people might have a problem jumping into the world right away so I advise you to just read the first few chapters without any haste so that you can understand the system better.
plot
This book is a total page-turner, thanks to the stunning plot. The plot is not slow-paced at all, it just keeps going on; the book was filled with actions through and through. There wasn't any chapter that I didn't like or feel bored reading because every single detail and piece of information that you get from even a chapter made the story a whole lot better. There are some fight scenes in this book and although I usually don't like fight scenes, those scenes were written so wonderfully in this book which made me enjoy reading them. The characters seem to enjoy every fight so much that I enjoyed the fight with them. What I enjoyed reading more was the tricking scenes as well as the planning scenes. Reading them at first, I was nervous for them because the characters' plans sounded like something impossible to do. And every single time, I was surprised.
It's just wrong talking about this book without talking about the characters individually so the first one I'm gonna talk about is Kaz Brekker, the persistent leader with a strategic mind. He's the mastermind behind every plan and every heist. He's a risk-taker but also unconsciously taking care of his crew. He insists that every plan he makes is just for money and that if any of his crew dies, he would not have single care but that's a lie. Kaz Brekker is the greatest trickster and the best thief. You can guess that with his seemingly ruthless personality, he had a terrible past but you could never guess what he went through to make him the way that he is.
characters
If you have been reading my book reviews, you'll know I'm a character-driven reader. Give me a trashy plot but rootable characters, I'll still give the book more than 3 stars. And this duology, ladies and gentlemen, is a heaven-sent for a reader like me. Basically, I just rooted for all the characters as a group and as their own individuals. The blurb was written Breakfast-Club-like where each character have their own role in the group and this is the reason the characters are so easily distinguished. They have their own voices in my mind; I have this habit of sorting voices for every character when I read and sorting voices for the characters in this book was so easy.It's just wrong talking about this book without talking about the characters individually so the first one I'm gonna talk about is Kaz Brekker, the persistent leader with a strategic mind. He's the mastermind behind every plan and every heist. He's a risk-taker but also unconsciously taking care of his crew. He insists that every plan he makes is just for money and that if any of his crew dies, he would not have single care but that's a lie. Kaz Brekker is the greatest trickster and the best thief. You can guess that with his seemingly ruthless personality, he had a terrible past but you could never guess what he went through to make him the way that he is.
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The second character that is literally everyone's favourite is Inej Ghafa, the Wraith. She's the spy of the group. She has very great stability skills; she can walk on ropes like we walk on roads. And what I like the most about her is her strong personality. With that strength, she was able to withstand almost everything that came her way. Instead of crippling in fear due to her traumatizing past, she used her trauma as a motivation to carry out everything she needs to.
But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren’t chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway.The next character, Jesper Fahey is the clown of the group which is usually my type but because of Kaz's existence, Jesper wasn't my favourite FAVOURITE but nonetheless, I love him. On the surface, he's a playful flirt with great ability in gun-shooting. Wait, can we talk about how rarely we see people using guns in fantasy books with magic? I love that they used guns here lol. Back to Jesper. Despite his playfulness, he's actually hiding something that you could not have guessed dun dun dun *wink wink*.
If any of you survive, make sure I have an open casket. The world deserves a few more moments with this face.Next coming is Wylan, THE CINNAMON ROLL OF THE GROUP. I gotta admit, I got a soft spot for him in my heart. Despite his bad fighting skill, he has one of the greatest minds among the crews. He's not just the cinnamon roll of the group, he's also THE GENIUS OF THE GROUP. He also has a backstory that you could never guess as well as the character who has the greatest character development throughout the story. He really went from not knowing how to fight to bomb a super badass bunch of bad guys.
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Nina Zenik is the sassy one of the group; she's like a mom (especially to Inej) but also a very badass Grisha with GREAT GRISHA POWER. She's bold and not hesitant in sacrificing herself for what she believes in and I really admire that about her. Her friendship with Inej is something I adore very much, it was so amazing how much a friendship can grow so much in a span of a short time. And last but not least, Matthias Helvar, the witch hunter which admittedly, is my least favourite character and despite that, I really root for. He grows up brainwashed about so many things so what he has done is quite forgivable. Like, Nina, he's also unhesitant to sacrifice himself to protect what he loves and fight for what he believes in. He's very protective of Nina and reading how much he loves Nina just melted my heart. We girls need to get a man who loves us like Matthias loves Nina!
This book does feature romance but it's not the centre of the story. It's more like a sub-sub plot. Every character has their own backstory and that's why even when what they do is very questionable, you just can't help but root for them.
I have been made to protect you. Only in death will I be kept from this oath.
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FAQ: Do you need to read the previous series?
No, you can absolutely read this duology without reading the previous book! This book is set after the previous series and reading that series will totally give you a better understanding of the world but most people just read this duology straight away and it's okay!
For a better reading experience, you can listen to this Grishaverse playlist made by Bueno. The playlist fits the books perfectly. I was a little sceptical about reading while listening to music, it's just isn't my thing but right after Nainowale Ne (Padmaavat movie soundtrack) played, I was hooked.
If you're still unconvinced to read this duology after reading my review do check out some of these posts:
If you're still unconvinced to read this duology after reading my review do check out some of these posts:
You're gonna love this if you like: a fantasy heist novel featuring six ragtag, disreputable characters, from varied (traumatic) backgrounds and walks of life, forming a found family and taking on rich dirtbags who don’t deserve their money (Book Riot).
Prep For Ramadan! | 7 Things To Do
4.12.2020
01. Finish qada (replace) the days I missed fasting from previous years
This is no stranger to us, especially the ladies. I finished my qada already, Alhamdulillah, but since there are more than two weeks more before Ramadan starts, I'm thinking of fasting some more just in case I forgot any day that I missed. Don't delay it anymore, people. And if you have fidyah debt you should pay, don't forget to pay it!
02. Start practising some sunnah especially sunnah (voluntary) fasting
Aisyah reported: I never saw the Messenger of Allah fasting for an entire month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more than he did in Sha’ban. (Al-Bukhari)
It was reported that Rasulullah PBUH fasted more in Sha'ban because it is a month in which the deeds are taken up to the Lord of the worlds, and he likes that his deeds be taken up when he is fasting (Al-Nisai). Besides this reason, I believe that fasting the month of Shaban can serve as our training for Ramadan, both spiritually and physically. Same goes to other sunnah deeds; if we start doing it earlier than Ramadan, we will be more used to it and it's not really hard for us to do it during Ramadan. We can also start to stop doing all the lagha (useless) things we usually do in our daily life. We don't need to stop doing it abruptly, slow progress is more than okay as long as we try. Allah SWT doesn't just see the result of something we do but also our efforts in doing it.
03. Revise my prayer and Quran recitations
04. Prepare a Ramadan TBR
In case if you're not familiar to book talk, TBR means to-be-read. As someone who loves books so much, Ramadan, for me, is one of the most wonderful time to read. I don't really know why, but it just is. Last Ramadan, I spent the whole month finishing The Shadowhunter Chronicles, which has 11 books and it was fantastic. However, this year I got an idea of preparing a special TBR list for Ramadan; if you can get rewarded by doing something you enjoy, why not do it right? The books can be fiction and nonfiction, as long as you think it'll help you self-reflect and improve in any way. I personally prefer religious books but if you want to do this, you can put anything that you think is suitable for your TBR.
If you're interested in what I'm going to read during Ramadan, do follow me on my Instagram account at @nerdbilla. I'm planning to write a Ramadan TBR post on my blog as well but who knows if I'm actually ever gonna post it. I usually update my TBR on my Instagram so do follow me there.
05. Prepare a Ramadan Podcast Playlist
Podcasts are something I'm really liking these days. I've been listening to crime podcast, self-help podcast but the ones I really love are the religious podcasts. I started listening to Mufti Menk's podcast a year ago and I really loved it. Since his podcast is recorded during a real talk with audiences, it feels like I'm there in the event, listening to his talk. One of my goals for each Ramadan is to lessen the amount of music I listen to and I think that podcasts will be a great substitute. Podcasts by Mufti Menk, Yasmin Mogahed and Nouman Ali will be up there in my Ramadan Podcast Playlist but some other podcasts that I've been loving lately are the ones by Ustaz Addien and Dr Zulkifli Mohammad Al-Bakri. I'm definitely gonna put some self-help podcasts too in the playlist. If you're interested in making one, you can try making it on Spotify or Castbox. You can also download Syok! app and play Naura Sharing podcasts, they're very great too! You just can't make a playlist using their playlist but they're a very good option too.
06. Start my Ramadan Quran recitation
07. Find a women-only usrah
Having an usrah circle was one of the best things everyone can do during Ramadan. It enables you to socialize and have a heart-to-heart talk with your circle, do some sharing, learn something from your circle member and you can also do the khatam together thing (divide pages to everyone in your circle to make sure all of you get to khatam the Quran). During this pandemic time, it's unadvised to go out for usrah meetings but social media can play a huge role to make it possible. With WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangout, if even akad nikah can be held, why don't we have usrah meetings through social media? If you're with your family during this time, you can also do it with your family members. After all, usrah literally means family. Do all the activities you can do in usrah groups but with your family! It will be fun and rewarding, I promise.
I hope all of my fellow Muslim can prepare well to meet our very missed and precious month, Ramadan. During this time of distressing pandemic, this Ramadan might not feel like our usual Ramadans. Since the Restricted Movement Order (RMO) is extended, Taraweeh can't be held at mosques anymore and there will be no trips to bazaars at all. Even then, our spirit to celebrate Ramadan should not fade. I pray that all of us will be safe, well and healthy to greet the upcoming Ramadan with full spirit. Stay safe, take care, practise good hygiene and social distancing and please stay home.
marching away from march | a wrap-up
4.02.2020
Hello people! Are you healthy and well? How's your social distancing and self-quarantine going? Have you gone mad yet because you can't go out? For me personally, I'm okay with staying home all day (read: nerdy introvert) because I'm with my family and during this hard time for literally everyone around the world, it's everything I need (besides foods, internet and other basic needs, of course). It'll be nicer if my little brothers will shut up for a few minutes during the day, though.
Books read in March...
○ Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo
○ Percy Jackson and the Olympians (PJO) by Rick Riordan
Six of Crows duology is one of the most acclaimed series in the book community and now that I've finished the second book, I totally see why. The plot and writing are top-notch and you can't help but love and root for the characters not just as a group but also as individuals. I love that the readers get to know the backstories for each of the characters and learn why they are the way that they are.
March unexpectedly became the month of reading fantasies for me, as I literally started devouring Percy Jackson and the Olympians right after I finished Crooked Kingdom. I didn't even expect to finish Crooked Kingdom on March but I ended up finishing a whole series after Crooked Kingdom. Bored during quarantine? Totally not me. When I told my friends that I haven't read PJO, the gif below mirrors my friends' literal reactions.
Grateful for that, though. PJO was a fantastic series. It's written for middle-grade but me, a teenager on the verge of turning into an adult (am I a young adult?) also enjoyed it very much. The writing style was easily understandable and the plot was simple, not really complicated but intriguing enough to keep me reading which was the exact reasons I devoured the series in a very short period of time. My favourite thing about this series was the funny narrating style and the fun experience of learning how human the Greek Gods actually are. I am so excited to start reading Heroes of Olympus which is the sequel series for PJO but my brain is still exhausted from reading too much adventure so maybe next month.
Six of Crows duology is one of the most acclaimed series in the book community and now that I've finished the second book, I totally see why. The plot and writing are top-notch and you can't help but love and root for the characters not just as a group but also as individuals. I love that the readers get to know the backstories for each of the characters and learn why they are the way that they are.
March unexpectedly became the month of reading fantasies for me, as I literally started devouring Percy Jackson and the Olympians right after I finished Crooked Kingdom. I didn't even expect to finish Crooked Kingdom on March but I ended up finishing a whole series after Crooked Kingdom. Bored during quarantine? Totally not me. When I told my friends that I haven't read PJO, the gif below mirrors my friends' literal reactions.
Grateful for that, though. PJO was a fantastic series. It's written for middle-grade but me, a teenager on the verge of turning into an adult (am I a young adult?) also enjoyed it very much. The writing style was easily understandable and the plot was simple, not really complicated but intriguing enough to keep me reading which was the exact reasons I devoured the series in a very short period of time. My favourite thing about this series was the funny narrating style and the fun experience of learning how human the Greek Gods actually are. I am so excited to start reading Heroes of Olympus which is the sequel series for PJO but my brain is still exhausted from reading too much adventure so maybe next month.
Watched & currently watching...
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| Happy 10th Year to Victorious! |
Currently watching: Crash Landing On You, Memories of Alhambra
Music that played in my head 24/7
(basically, a fangirl rants)
○ CALM by 5 Seconds of Summer(basically, a fangirl rants)
CALM was incredible. It made me cry thinking how the members have grown up so much from singing about a girl who looks perfect standing there in their American Apparel underwear to acknowledging how crappy people they were in the past towards the people they love, promising that they're changing and asking for second chances to give the people they love their best. It wasn't their best album (Sounds Good Feels Good) or my favourite album (Youngblood) but my favourite 5sos song is definitely from this album.
○ Kid Krow by Conan Gray
I started watching Conan's Youtube video in 2016 when my younger brother introduced me to him, my brother was such a huge fan of Conan's big mess of curly hair back then and I've never stopped following him ever since. So yes, watching him grow from singing, recording and editing in his room to this loved "gen-z's ascendant king of sad boy pop" singer (billboard's word) was another semi-emotional moment for me. Kid Krow had me sobbing on my bed after dancing and dance again and sob again, it was an emotional roller-coaster journey. I'm definitely rooting for whatever he has next.
○ Cherry by Harry Styles
So I literally woke up one day and "don't you call him baby" played in my mind and never stop playing ever since.
Some life updates
○The first half of March was actually good. With my first lab of the second semester and another field trip which was absolutely fun, life was treating me real good. My friends and I got to hangout lesser than we did in February but we weren't too busy to chat and catch up.
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| The field trip was held before the RMO and even then we took precautions very seriously (wore mask, stayed clean and used hand sanitizer all the time, etc.) in case if you think the field trip was during RMO. |
○Life had been literally chaotic lately. With all the quizzes, assignments, labs, exams, classes that are postponed and some other assignments that need to be submitted right after this RMO ends, my anxiety is at its peak. And don't even get me started about how anxious I am about COVID-19. The first few days after going back home from uni, I literally isolate myself in my room and go out only when I really need to because I was afraid that I carried something bad from uni but alhamdulillah, I'm very much fine and so is my family.
○My uni postponed our second half of the semester to June, which means I'm having my semester break earlier. The next semester will start two weeks after this semester's final exam ends, 2020 is going to feel like so much longer than 366 days.
Just a PSA, wherever you are, please stay safe and be careful. Stay clean and hygienic and make sure you're social distancing. Don't go out from home if it's not necessary. If you have any symptom, make sure to go and take the test at your nearest clinic/hospital. Be thoughtful of people around you, think of those who are more vulnerable to this pandemic. Stay healthy!
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| Yoon Se-ri says to wash your hands and STAY HOME |
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