Book Review: The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book two of The Kiss Quotient made me laugh, cry, and also made me want to hug Esme as she tries to navigate the new world of America (well not a “new world” to me, but a new world to her). I really loved the fact that she decided to get a job and got her GED, even though she was trying to seduce Khai, who is autistic and was trying to hide the fact that she’s got a little girl at home. I also loved the fact that Khai was learning how to love her, even though he thinks that he’s not suited for love AT ALL, and that each time Esme asks him if he loves her, he tells her no and shuts her down, which I was honestly proud of, though at the same time a bit upset, because he didn’t know how to tell his feelings.

I cracked up when Quan and Michael (yes, MichaelStella was in this book, but only a little bit) taught Khai about sex after the first time he and Esme got their swerve on, and Esme was mad at him the next day (which I understand) and then the most beautiful thing happened-when Esme went to cut his hair, Khai told her that he was austistic and showed her how he wanted to be touched-which once again, reminding me of the cutting hair kink I didn’t know I have until now.

The whole motorcycle situation almost made me want to hit Khai in the face, but then after he explain why he kept it in the garage, I understood completely, but to yell at Esme like that??? I really didn’t think that he needed to go that far-just explain calmly and she’ll understand it. But just watching the both of them grow, even though they had to go through some rough bumps in the road. I’m gonna be really sad once I read the last book in this series, because I really love this series so much, its one of my favorite series this year.

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Book Review: A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So I listened to the audiobook of this, and I loved it. The narrator took me on this journey with Saffron, who was trying to solve a mystery featuring a very poisonous plant. I'm thinking about getting the physical copy of this book so I can read it again, because it was that damn good.

I think what I liked about this book was the fact that it was in a school setting. I also like how I can relate to Saffron and also ship her with Alexander as well. They are my favorite double-team when they are trying to solve the case. I happen to like Alexander in this book more than I thought-being helpful and giving advice and questioning her while she tried to solve the case. It's one of my favorite books of all time, and now all I want to do is reread it and love it even more.

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Book Review: Dragon's Oath: A House of Night Novella by PC and Kristin Cast

Dragon's Oath by P.C. Cast
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I haven't read a House of Night novel in a long time, so reading this one was kind of refreshing. I liked the growing relationship between Anastasia and Dragon, is was cute tbh. I liked the magic and stuff that happened in it.

The relationship between Dragon and Anastasia was really cute, really snarky at times, but they loved each other. So that was really cute to read. I also liked how Anastasia did the spells as cool, calm and collected, all the white Dragon protected her. It was very cute and very romantic, all the way up to the end, when it jumped back to the present day, where Dragon swore to find her again when he died. (as you can tell, I wrote this in my book journal so things are going to repeat themselves, and I'm sorry about that).

The one thing I really didn't like was the fact that Kalona's Raven Mocker was in the book, controlling the human. It almost felt like I was reading a weird chapter of an old anime fanfiction I used to read when I was in middle school/high school or something like that. I loved this book as a teenager, but as an adult it was an eh. The Dragon x Anastasia story was cute, tbh.


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Book Review: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (Mo Dao Zu Shi) volume #1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG. I loved this book. Yes this book has some mistakes, but other than that I liked it. I just fell right back in and enjoyed the ride, laughing at some parts (especially all the Wei Wuxian parts). The thing that shocked me throughout the book is the fact that Lan Zhan talked a lot, when in the show he barely said a word. But I did crack up when he got drunk, acting like a child as he tells Wen Ning to go away, and Wei Wuxian trying to make sure Lan Zhan didn’t do anything.

When they meet Nie Huaisang after all this time, why the first thing that came to my mind was, “Hand over the pokemon and no one gets hurt!” and Nie Huaisang going, “Okay, okay, take it easy, take it easy!” just cracks me up-it was so good. Then the whole thing with Jin Ling and Jiang Cheng…that’s an ooof, tbh. I knew the grape/Jiang Cheng hated Wei Wuxian, but to be that cruel to him (and Wei Wuxian giving out Mo Runyu’s name and not his real one)

But other than that, I really liked this book. It made me laugh, made me go ‘damn’ that one time when Lan Zhan told the seniors to drag him inside the house. Wei Wuxian became a favorite once again, and now I like the juniors and also Nie Huaisang, also I like the photo of Nie Mengjue-very different than the one from the show. He looks very handsome and hot, and I like that.

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Book Review: Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again, Chloe Gong KILLED IT in this book. I am still in emotional damage land, but it’ll be okay. I loved each and every moment of the book, and yes, I cannot wait for her next book in a new series, Foul Lady Fortune. The ending made me think about where Juliette and Roma now; did they actually die or did they fake their own deaths so they can go somewhere else and live their best lives?? Did they actually die??? What’s going to happen to them now??

And Benedikt and Marshall-how are they in Moscow?? Are they happy where they are??? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND NOT ENOUGH ANSWERS.

But let’s get into the book review, shall we?

First off, Shanghai is going through a bit of a change. With the Nationalists and the Communists about to butt heads, every Scarlet and White Flower are killing each other in the streets, and Juliette and Roma are trying to find the monsters that were still in town. They don’t actually do that, with both Juliette and Roma keep trying to kill each other, especially when it comes down to someone blackmailing the gangs to give them a huge bunch of money.

They thought it was the Frenchmen doing what Daxter (I believe his name was) told them to do when he died, but in reality, it was something else. Rosalind had betrayed the Scarlet Gang and her punishment was bad, and Juliette and Roma, along with Benedikt and Marshall (yeah about Marshall…) found out who was the blackmailier and when the found that out, they found out a bunch of things as well.

For example, Juliette didn’t really kill Marshall. Marshall was hiding in a White Flower safehouse, alive and well, but has also watched out for Benedikt. Marshall is also the son of the Kuomoingtang General, General Shu, which shocked me and threw me off a bit, because I thought it was Seo for Marshall. But it turns out that it is, since Seo is Marshall’s mother’s name. Then when the Nationalists and the Communists are attacking each other, along with the Scarlets and the White Flowers, that’s when Marshall learns about his father’s order and knocked him out (ha ha).

For Kathleen and Rosalind, those two never seen each other, but then once the whole Nationalists/Communists attack happened, Kathleen dropped that name and went back as Celia, and helping the workers before they were viciously killed by the Nationalists, thinking that they were Communists (no). But Celia survived thanks to pushing down a body as he let loose a gunshot, and Rosalind pulled her out under those bodies.

Also the ending kinda shocked me and left me with a whole bunch of questions, and seeing Alisa at the end made me smile, and the short story was really good. Cannot wait for a really good reread of this series, because it was that good.

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Book Review: Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen by Alison Weir

Katherine of Aragón: The True Queen by Alison Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is very dense and very exciting at the same time. You are reading the story of the first Queen in the Tudor history that was kind, stood up for her rights, and also very devoted to her stupid husband Henry. But before I go into my rant of why the holy hell I really don’t like Henry, but at the same time knows every single damn thing about his reign and each of his wives. This time, we start with his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.

This novel blew my mind a bit. There were things I didn’t even know about Katherine until I started reading this book, and I have to say, I really love how we see things in her perspective. I like how she tried so hard to fight for her rights and Mary rights, as her husband Henry turns his back on her and falls in love and marries Anne Boleyn, which I really don’t hate that much (not anymore) but in the book I really did. You read about the reformation through Katherine’s eyes and how she felt about it, which made me love her more.

Through her exile we see her dealing with sickness as she worries for her relationship, in which Henry keeps trying to get the divorce he wants in order to marry Anne Boleyn. She keeps her strength even through the trials and tribulations she went through-worrying about Mary, being an obedient wife, and also being a warrior, trying to keep her composure, even when Henry is exiling her and swearing up and goddamn down that they are not married-even taking away the title of Queen, something that Katherine is and it’s something that Henry’s men were trying to tell her that she didn’t have, that she was now the Princess Dowager.

I really like Alison’s writing, it was okay and exciting, nothing to run home and tell mama about. There were some parts I really didn’t agree with (Henry being a total dick, for one) but then after I read everything , I wanted to give this book a three star, but then after I thought about it, I decided to give it a four star.

Now for the rant about Henry VIII…YOU SIR, (even though he’s dead) DOESN’T DESERVE ANY KINDNESS, ANY HOLIDAYS, I HOPE YOU DON’T GET THAT PROMOTION YOU WANT, YOU DESERVE NOTHING!!!! Treating your first wife like that HOW DARE YOU, SIR?!

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Book Review: Murder at the Piccadilly Playhouse by C.J. Archer (Audiobook)

Murder at the Piccadilly Playhouse by C.J. Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Took me a couple days to read this via audiobook, and I have to say, I really like this book. This is my second time reading a C.J. Archer book, and I have to say, I really like the Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, and I want to read more of them.

One of the things I like about this book is that Cleopatra didn’t give up. She did stop the investigation a couple times in the book, but then she didn’t give up; she kept at it until it was over, till she solved it. There was still the whole ‘enemies working together but yet we yearn (well Cleo just secretly simping after Harry, tbh)’ thing in this book, but as I kept reading on, I really liked how she solved the murder while dealing with her grandmother, Fanny and her family.

I like the twist and turns in the mystery, and I was on the edge of her seat to find out what was going to happen next. Even though Cleo solves the whole mystery herself, I was glad she didn't give herself credit, only gave credit to Harry’s private investigation office, even though she asked him multiple times to give her a spot here, and he refused. But I can’t wait to read more of this series because I love it so much.

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