This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. A similar meme, This Week in Books is hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found.
Why not join in? Just answer the following three questions in a post and then put a link to that post in the Comments over at Taking on a World of Words.
The questions are:
- What are you currently reading?
- What did you recently finish reading?
- What do you think you’ll read next?
As always, clicking on the cover image will take you to the book’s Goodreads page.
1. What I’m reading at the moment
Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill
Dear lord but this is dark stuff. And possibly all the more terrifying because it’s so easy to imagine something like this happening. Particularly the obsessive preoccupation with weight and external appearance as indicators of a woman’s worth. Deeply troubling… in a good way… I think…
The blurb: In a world in which baby girls are no longer born naturally, women are bred in schools, trained in the arts of pleasing men until they are ready for the outside world. At graduation, the most highly rated girls become “companions”, permitted to live with their husbands and breed sons until they are no longer useful. For the girls left behind, the future – as a concubine or a teacher – is grim.
Best friends Freida and Isabel are sure they’ll be chosen as companions – they are among the most highly rated girls in their year. But as the intensity of final year takes hold, Isabel does the unthinkable and starts to put on weight… And then, into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. Freida must fight for her future – even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known…
2. The last books I read
The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) by Robert Galbraith
Better than The Cuckoo’s Calling, but still not quite “there” yet. Here’s my full review.
Will Career of Evil be the one to win me over? Will Robin leave all the useless men behind her and move onwards and upwards to the fantastically successful life she deserves? I can dream…
The blurb: When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.
But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine’s disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives—meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.
When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before…
AND
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle #2)
Hmn. I’m sad to say I didn’t enjoy this as much as Book 1 in the series. Perhaps because it was rather Ronan-centric and he’s never been my favourite character. Here’s my full review.
The blurb: Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.
One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams. And sometimes he’s not the only one who wants those things.
Ronan is one of the raven boys—a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan’s secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface—changing everything in its wake...
3. What I’ll read next
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
I admit it: the cover won me over. Oh, and I’ve also seen some good reviews 🙂
The blurb: Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.
In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration.
That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo.
AND
Out of Sorts by Aurélie Valognes
I got this from Netgalley. I haven’t read anything in translation for a while and this sounds like a light and breezy read to cheer me up after the darkness of Only Ever Yours (did I mention it’s dark?).
The blurb: Ferdinand Brun hasn’t always been a grumpy old man. Many years ago, he was a grumpy young man. Now he’d much rather spend time with his canine companion, Daisy, than any of his nosy neighbors. But as his behavior becomes increasingly peculiar, his daughter grows concerned and begins to consider moving him into a retirement home.
In order to maintain his freedom, Ferdinand must submit to an apartment inspection by his longtime enemy, the iron-fisted concierge, Mrs. Suarez. Unfortunately, he’s never tidied up a day in his life. His neighbors, precocious ten-year-old Juliette and vivacious ninety-two-year-old Beatrice, come to the rescue. And once he lets these two into his life, things will never be the same. After an eighty-three-year reign of grouchiness, Ferdinand may finally learn that it’s never too late to start living.
Have you read/are reading any of these? What are you reading? Let me know! 🙂
Last week I made heavenly chocolate cake, covered in chocolate fudge frosting and decorated with white chocolate curl and gold sugar stars.
Only Ever Yours – suitable for a book group read for women 40+? Still deciding on my next pick..
I had a proof copy of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows but I gave it away thinking it wouldn’t be
my cup of tea. I was drawn to the cover rather than the content!
Thanks for visiting my WWW post – http://bookboodle.co.uk/2016/02/03/www-wednesday-february-3rd 🙂
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I think Only Ever Yours would work for your book group, particularly if any of the members have daughters – it will scare the heck out of them! There is so much in there that’s recognisable, particularly when it comes to body shaming and obsession with celebrity.
I’m going into Ava Lavender a bit wary… magic realism and I haven’t always got along… so we’ll see 🙂
Happy reading!
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Maybe I’ll just read that one for myself then. I still like the idea of the lighthouse book for book club 🙂
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Only Ever Yours gives me A Handmaid’s Tale vibe. I look forward to your review!
Here’s my WWW post for the week: https://raptureinbooks.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/www-wednesday-25-3rd-february-2016/
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It has quite a lot in common with The Handmaid’s Tale but, and I never thought I’d say this, it’s far darker. Atwood’s story gives you some hope, but this is totally nihilistic *shudders*.
Thanks for visiting and happy reading!
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Oh man, I don’t even think I can fathom a situation worse. The Handmaid’s Tale made me ill, having no hope? Wow.
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Out of Sorts sounds light and lovely…hopefully exactly what you’ll need after Only Ever Yours!
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Fingers crossed. The blurb made me think of another French book: The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which I enjoyed.
Only Ever Yours just keeps getting darker! When you think things can’t get any worse… 😦
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I always think good dystopian fiction should be entirely plausible. If you aren’t freaked out reading it then its not doing its job. Glad your enjoying Only Ever Yours.
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I agree 🙂 That’s why, although it isn’t exactly an “enjoyable” read, it is a good book – very thought-provoking. I wish I belonged to a book club, as this is the sort of thing you could argue about for hours.
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My book group on Goodreads is reading it at the moment. Feel free to check it out. It’s called Goodreads Ireland.
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Oh, that’s great. I will do. I think it might have to turn into a therapy session though. I can’t see things turning out happily for any of the characters.
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And thank you!
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No problem.
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Hi,
Your first blurb reminds me of The Stepford Wives. Wow. I will more than likely read it sometime in the future.
Shalom,
Patricia
http://www.patgarciaschaack.com/thinking_it_over/2016/02/wippet-wednesday-february-3-2016.html
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There are echoes of The Stepford Wives, The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984… The author has taken her influences from lots of places and updated the ideas with more contemporary concerns about social media and body image. It’s dark and disturbing but very thought-provoking, so I think she’s done a good job.
Thank you for visiting. I’ll check out your post now 🙂
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Only Ever Yours looks like an interesting read. Hadn’t heard of it but I like the sound of it from the blurb. Can’t wait to see your review.
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It’s very good, but I think it’s one to avoid if you’re already in a black mood… it certainly isn’t cheery!
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It doesn’t make you think “at least my life isn’t that bad”? 🙂 Might leave for a bit till I’m feeling happier.
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Haha! That’s true! Makes you grateful for many things 🙂
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The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender is on my TBR!! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
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I’m looking forward to it, even though I’ve had a troubled relationship with magic realism in the past. Who wouldn’t want to hear more about a girl born with wings?! 🙂
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I thought it sounded good and it looks like a light read so I’ll hopefully get to it eventually!
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That cake looks incredible! I’m in awe of your baking skills. Teach me your ways 😛
I’m bummed that you didn’t like The Dream Thieves as much as the first book. I am also not a big fan of Ronan so now I’m nervous to read it.
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The Dream Thieves was still good (particularly the last third), but if did feel a bit like the author was trying to stretch the series out with a diversion into “Ronan world” before continuing with the main story in book 3 and 4. We’ll see…
Thank you! I’m currently coming up with ideas of a Valentine’s themed bake. I think hearts will feature (I’m SO original!). 🙂
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Wow but Only Ever Yours sounds super dark. ‘Ava’ doesn’t sound quite as dark, but I still sense tragedy and bad things. Sometimes I go through times when all the books I’m reading are ‘dark’ and I often find myself deliberately searching for something a lot lighter as a palate cleanser of sorts, like a favorite comedy from when I was a kid/teen. Do you have any sort of method to dealing with a lot of dark books on your plate?
Thanks for visiting my WWW, and happy reading!
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If things get really dark, I will retreat to Howl’s Moving Castle! It’s one of my all time favourites and never fails to cheer me up 🙂
Thanks for visiting and happy reading!
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I actually like Ronan.. And maybe that’s one of the reasons I liked that book. Well, maybe you’ll like the next one better.
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I don’t dislike Ronan… I think it was more that I wanted to spend more time with the other characters who I prefer. I’ve heard good things about the next one, so I’m going in optimistic! 🙂
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The Raven Boys has be on my TBR forever now. Happy Wednesday!
Here is my WWW:
https://katiesjumbledthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/www-wednesday-2316/
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It hung around on mine for a while too! Only the impending publication of the final book has given me the shove I needed to read them. That and seeing them in the library, calling to me! 🙂
I’ll check out your post now!
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I started Only Ever Yours yesterday! I’m not very far yet but I agree that it’s dark stuff. I’m enjoying the voice and pacing so far. 🙂
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It gets darker. And just when you think things can’t get worse… they do. Uf! It’s been hard to read at points. But then, I suppose that’s a sign of how good the writing is.
I’ll definitely need something cute and fluffy to read after this! 🙂
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No kidding! I have about a third left to read and actually had to take a break today because I think I started to get indigestion, ha ha. :S It was just after the part where they are learning about sex-ed from pornos, basically. I think what I find most unsettling is how many of the perceptions and behaviours aren’t a stretch for many people in our present-day society, even if the story setting is extreme. Hope to finish it tomorrow! Might need some light YA, like Eleanor and Park, after this one!
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I had to read bits of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell afterwards to cheer myself up!
I think the bit that most disturbed me (and all of it did) was the scene where the girls are discussing a case of domestic violence between celebrities and one of the girls says something along the lines of “I’d give anything to have him hit me”. I actually felt ill at that point. Like you say, so many aspects of the way women are regarded, regard themselves and each other in the book are so true/close to the present, it’s chilling.
I really need to read Eleanor and Park. I’ve enjoyed all the Rowell I’ve read so far and I’m sure I’d like it 🙂
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I just finished it and…ugh…I need a hug! And some antacid tablets! :S I wish I had some Rainbow Rowell to dive into now, haha. Absolutely, the domestic violence part left me chilled, as did the many plot twists. Even when freida was Darwin’s favourite for a while, I knew it was problematic, and had this sickening feeling it was all going to blow apart – bingo! The Ceremony was so deflating, especially when some of the companions were so bewildered they couldn’t recall who they had been paired with. I kept hoping it would all turn out in the end, and isabel and freida would escape – like offred at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale – but then, theirs was a world in which women cannot win. I thought the author did an excellent job of demonstrating how the women internalized their oppression and turned on each other as ruthless competitors, despite being raised as “sisters,” right up to the end with chastity-ruth turning on freida, exerting what power she had. Sigh, I’ll be thinking about this book for a longtime. I guess my only real criticism was that I found the figurative language to be a hyperbolic at times, but then again, perhaps that is more accepted within the genre? All in all, I thought it was a great book, nothing like the YA I grew up with. I haven’t read something so compulsively in a while, and even though it was deeply unsettling, it was still great to be so drawn into a story. 🙂
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I’m hoping for really good things for Robin in career of evil as well! She’s a great character. Happy reading and thanks for participating in WWW Wednesday!
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I like her a lot. Matthew just doesn’t seem worthy of her… yet.
Thanks for hosting and happy reading! 🙂
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Agree! I’m very anti-Matthew.
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Woah, Only Ever Yours sounds terrifying, it sounds like the young adult version of The Handmaid’s Tale. I might have to read it, as I’ve read The Handmaid’s Tale twice. And I actually ordered The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender yesterday, so it’ll show up in my mailbox soon 😀 I’ve wanted to read it ever since early last year.
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Only Ever Yours is actually darker than The Handmaid’s Tale, and that’s not something I ever thought I’d say!
I’ve had Ava Lavender on my list for a while too. Ever since I fell in love with the beautiful cover! 🙂
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Yikes! After glancing through a couple of reviews it seems like it might be too similar, but it’s only $4.34 on Amazon so I just bought it XD It got me curious.
The Ava Lavender cover is stunning, it’s probably one of my favorite covers out there!
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Only Ever Yours sounds like an intriguing read! I also want to read The Dream Thieves soon (maybe next month), and I got my copy of Ava Lavender mostly based on the cover and good reviews as well. 😉 That cake looks delicious by the way!
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Thank you! It was very tasty, although I think I prefer chocolate fudge cake 🙂
Only Ever Yours is good, if rather disturbing. Review up tomorrow (if I’ve recovered by then!).
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It’s been a while since I made anything chocolate, but I’m planning on making some chocolate-banana muffins this weekend since I have guests over. I love cake as well, but I will leave those recipes for when it’s colder outside. 😉 Good to hear Only Ever Yours was good!
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Only Ever Yours sounds good, mainly because of the similarities with Handmaid’s Tale. I’m putting that on the TBR list! I’ve only read one Maggie Stiefvater (Scorpio Races) and always thought about checking out her others…maybe I won’t worry about it! Out of Sorts sounds adorable! Here’s my list http://hollykerr.ca/3325-2/
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It’s turning out to be far darker than The Handmaid’s Tale, mainly because there was some hope in Atwood’s story, but Only Ever Yours is just black through and through. I think I’ll definitely need Out of Sorts to be cheery 🙂
I’ll check out your post now…
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I just put a hold on it at the library! 🙂
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Yikes! I don’t think I could read Only Ever Yours. I need to tell my friend about it, though. Sounds right up her alley.
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At times it has been hard going, I won’t lie. It’s very good and thought-provoking, but you need to be in a happy place when you read it or it could leave you quite miserable!
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Only Ever Yours sounds quite interesting, even if it is dark. If I get in the mood for a dark story, I’ll pick it up. I’m eager to see how you feel about it by the end. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender has been on my radar for a while, but I’m worried that it’ll turn out to be another depressing tale.
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I have slight misgivings about Ava Lavender too. I was seduced by the beautiful cover, but the title does stress the “sorrows” so I’m not expecting a cheerful story. Perhaps I should have planned to read a funny, uplifting book after Only Ever Yours and before Ava Lavender… I may have to rethink how I choose what I read – it’s all quite haphazard 🙂
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I adore Only Ever Yours. It is terrifying though!
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It is! I was wondering if it was just me being soft, so I went to Goodreads and was reassured that everyone seemed to find it frightening!
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I think you’ll like book three of The Raven Cycle more. That one is more focused on Adam. Only Ever Yours sounds terrifying! I’m not sure if I could read that book. Here’s my post for the week. 🙂
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I have heard good things about book 3 – I’m looking forward to it!
It is terrifying! It is about as far from a “fun” read as you can get.
Thanks for visiting and happy reading!
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My friend read the strange and beautiful sorrows… and she really enjoyed that one. Hope you like it too 🙂 it’s on my TBR pile.
Shame you didn’t quite enjoy the 2nd The Raven Cycle, I really want to read them all, eventually 😉
Have another fab reading week x
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Thank you! You too! 🙂
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Ahh some great books on here.. I also want to start reading the Raven Cycle series… This year too!!!
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I always get to series so late. But sometimes I’m glad, this way I don’t have to wait forever for the last installment 🙂
Thanks for visiting my post and happy reading!
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Yes that’s very true.. You don’t have to wait too long for the rest of the books for the series to come out and find out what happens next.. The Raven King is coming out this year right.. And that is the final book?
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The Raven King is out at the end of April and it’s the last one. So once I’ve read Blue Lily, Lily Blue I’ll only have a few weeks to wait until I can find out how it all finishes 🙂
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I’m quite taken with Out of Sorts, sounds like this one might have a bit of depth to it… Happy reading.
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I hope so! I just hope for something with a happy ending after what I’m currently reading 🙂
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Oh, oh! I read The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender last year and I really loved it! I was also drawn in completely by the gorgeous cover but I really enjoyed the story. It’s very beautifully written. I’ll look forward to seeing your review!
Thanks for visiting my WWW! 🙂
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Ooo, good! I’m looking forward to it 🙂
Happy reading!
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I’ve really enjoyed the Robert Galbraith books. I love the dynamics between Cormoran and Robyn.
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So do I! I’m hoping for further positive developments in book 3 🙂
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Book 3 in the series is very dark. But I couldn’t put it down!
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Yikes. Only Ever Yours does sound dark.
I’ve seen The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender around but I hadn’t actually read the blurb. It sounds very intriguing. Might have to keep it on the radar.
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I’ll have to see how I get on with it. At the moment, I’m guessing whatever her sorrows are they can’t be as bad as the stuff going on in Only Ever Yours… nothing beautiful about that at all 😦
Might need to re-read some Rainbow Rowell to cheer myself up! 🙂
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I want the cake. Can I has the cake? *drools to the point of embarrassment*
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I would love to give you the cake! 🙂 🙂
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Finished Alice in Zombieland, btw. Ended much better than it started.
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Good! I’ll look forward to your review. Although I’m not generally a fan of horror, I’m quite in favour of zombies 🙂
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Its not horror -_- . Its….. hmm… pardon the upcoming pun, but its almost like a re-vamped twilight. That sort of teen drama, but with a main character that actually has a personality.
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Only Ever Yours sounds really good, but then I really like dark dystopian stuff. Happy reading!
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I like a good dystopian story too, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for just how black this one is. I’ve finished now and I’m still recovering! 🙂
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I hope you enjoy The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender! (Boy, is that a mouthful!) It’s on my TBR and I’ve heard some intriguing things. 😀
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I know! I think they got away with such a long title because the cover is so beautiful what the book is called really doesn’t matter 🙂
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Ronan isn’t my favorite character either, but I enjoyed his story a lot. You might enjoy The Blue Lily Lily Blue more.
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I hope so. I like the characters as a group and they weren’t really getting on as a group in the second book. I’ve been told that in book 3 they’re back working together again and on the main mission of finding Glendower, so it sounds good! 🙂
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Yes. I hated all the time Ronan spent away from everyone. I like them all working together. That’s the main reason I love this series so much. The friendships are so unique and essential to the story.
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