Tag: ya contemporary

Review: Misrule

3/5 stars

I put off reading this for three years, omg.

This was not my fave in the series. Maybe because it’s been so long since I adored the earlier instalments. I didn’t like that there was a greater focus on Phil, Phil’s mother, a funeral, etc. Like it felt like there was a lot of ‘waiting’ for things to happen– which, yes, adds to the tension, but not for 300/400 pages of the finale. Boo.

I wish there was a greater presence of Finn, he v much pulled a New Moon Edward and was like “to save you, I’m peacing out, goodbye” and then at the end was like “oh HeyYYyYYY.”

I loved when Finn called Pearl his “Pearl-friend” (not girlfriend haha).

I was so psyched to get into the fairy realm and explore all of the fairy-ness. But we hardly got any. It was a whole lot of blacking out. AHHHH.

What I did appreciate, as a NSW young adult: there were so many references to the HSC and it was gr8. I related. It was cute.

I feel that the first 250 pages should’ve been cut, and more should’ve been extended from the ending. I feel ripped off.

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Best and Worst of My 2020 Reads

Long time, no see! 

The last time I posted was in September 2020. I’d apologised for my absence, but who cares. I hope you’ve all had a great year despite our universal challenges. When lockdown hit, I (eventually) thought (after the seven stages of grief, naturally): yay, cozy. Time to stay inside for the year, focus on my studies and just keep reading. 

 

For some reason, my university thought “you know what? Here is an unprecedented amount of work and expectations for you all. Enjoy ‘staying at home’, you bludgers.” 

And to top it off, I began my year-long journey for Honours. I can positively say: I hated 2020’s impact on my learning at uni. But that’s over, and I’m not going to think about it again until mid-Feb. 

 

Since I was in my fourth year of university, I’ve had to complete a lot of readings. As in, seven days a week, 9am til 11pm, researching and reading. As you can imagine, I was fatigued on reading, and I didn’t want to spent my breaks picking up an anticipated YA novel or non-YA literature, including SJM and Cassie Clare’s newest releases– who am I? What has uni done to me??? 

 

Here are fave books of 2020: 

The Runner Ups (3 or 4 stars): 

The Perfectionists 

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Published: 7/10/14

Format: Audiobook 

Rating + Review: 3.5/5 stars 

Yes No Maybe So 

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Published: 4/2/20 

Format: Audiobook 

Rating: 3/5 stars (no review because I got distracted for 6 months) 

The Wicked King 

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Published: 8/1/19

Format: Audiobook (even though I pre-ordered a copy) 

Rating + Review: 3/5 stars — this was the worst instalment IMO

The Evil Queen 

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Published: 20/7/19

Format: Paperback 

Rating + Review: 4/5 stars

The Hand on the Wall 

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Published: 21/1/20

Format: Audiobook 

Rating + Review: 4/5 stars 

Four Dead Queens

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Published: 26/1/19

Format: Paperback 

Rating + Review: 4/5 stars

Queen of Air and Darkness 

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Published: 4/12/18

Format: Hardback 

Rating + Review: 4/5 stars

 

And now… for the 5/5 stars: 

The Fountains of Silence 

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Published: 1/10/19

Format: Paperback 

Review: Read this even if you hate historical fiction

Happily and Madly 

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Published: 21/5/19

Format: Hardback 

Review: If you loved We Were Liars and Gossip Girl’s Season 2 Premiere, READ THIS 

Red Hood 

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Published: 25/2/20 

Format: Hardback 

Review: FEMINISM. SO MUCH FEMINISM. I FEEL SO EMPOWERED. READ IT. 

House of Salt and Sorrows 

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Published: 6/8/19 

Format: Audiobook 

Review: Gruesome and picturesque. Gothic with pretty girls. 

A Curse So Dark and Lonely 

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Published: 29/1/19

Format: Paperback 

Review: THE SECOND BEST BEAUTY AND THE BEAST RETELLING AFTER ACOTAR. 

The Queen of Nothing 

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Published: 19/11/19

Format: Audiobook 

Review: I’M RUINED. RUINED. 

The Grace Year 

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Published: 10/10/19 

Format: Paperback 

Review: I told all of my friends to read this. FEMINISM. SEXY CHARACTERS. DYSTOPIA. LOVE. 

 

Here are some of the books that I simply ‘did not vibe with‘: 

Call Down the Hawk

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Published: 5/11/19

Format: Audiobook 

Rating + Review: 2/5 stars

DEV1AT3

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Published: 25/6/19

Format: Paperback 

Rating + Review: 2.5/5 stars 

The Lady Rogue 

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Published: 3/9/10 

Format: Hardback (disappointingly, I own this) 

Rating + Review: 2/5 stars

King of Fools

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Published: 30/4/19 

Format: Paperback 

Rating + Review: 2/5 stars

What were your hits and sh*ts of 2020? 

My First Ever Book Unhaul (18 Books Purged!)

As I grow closer to ending uni, and my new beautiful New Adult hardbacks find a temporary-home on the floor, I find myself needing to rid myself of books I bought back in 2015. It’s time to let go of some classic YA paperbacks, as well as some double ups, as well as 1/5 starred disappointments. 

Continue reading “My First Ever Book Unhaul (18 Books Purged!)”

The Best Books I Read in 2019

I didn’t reach my Goodreads Reading Challenge, nor did I have much time to enjoy YA fiction (too many uni papers to read through, the last thing I wanted to do after 8hrs of research was touch a book!). Consider this a short but sweet list of books I enjoyed in 2019, from least to most memorable.

Continue reading “The Best Books I Read in 2019”