“That night we were reckless.” His voice cracks. “But god, I’d be reckless with you over and over again if it means ending up here.”
➼ 4.5★
“That night we were reckless.” His voice cracks. “But god, I’d be reckless with you over and over again if it means ending up here.”
this book was like a breath of fresh air. i love it all, from the very beginning to the very end. theo and winter met in a gas station and then found themselves attending at the same family dinner, which turned into a one-night stand, which turned into a positive pregnancy test.
One night only. We never tell anyone. But I’ll probably beg you for another shot, eventually. -Theo Silva
➼ winter tink hamilton ❄️ i’m sucker for characters like winter. she’s a doctor, she’s married with a piece of shit–doctor douche (not mcdreamy at all)–, miss independent through and through. we know winter for her bitchy behavior, for her rudeness and cold act. we know winter for her frozen ice-queen or evil sister nicknames. and let me tell you, she warmed my heart like nobody else in this series. okay, maybe theo too. for me, she’s just insicure, has trust issues and huge daddy issues, bc she’s been raised to hate her sister and be a bitch. but she’s smart and thoughtful. she’s scared bc nobody has ever loved her. nobody has ever taken care of her. she lost so much, she’s scared that good things have an expiration date. but she’s trying. she tries to be a good mom for vivi, a good sister for summer and a good partner for theo. she’s just messy but we love her for being her. she’s admirably strong, she’s a single mom that doesn’t know how to love but does it effortlessly anyway for her daughter and her family. also, she reminds me of nesta and i freaking love nesta.
”Because the very last thing I need in my life is someone who makes me feel like there’s not enough oxygen in my lungs when I’ve only just caught my breath.”
”And I realize in that moment maybe I am heartless after all, because the beautiful girl with the copper hair grinning back at me right
➼ 3.75★
”And I realize in that moment maybe I am heartless after all, because the beautiful girl with the copper hair grinning back at me right now is the one who stole it.”
”Save a horse, ride a cowboy.” is my new motto for my cowboy era.
”Just because you got dusted, doesn’t mean you’re done.”
while you read this book, think about Mary’s Song (Oh my my my) by Taylor S
➼ 4.75★
”Just because you got dusted, doesn’t mean you’re done.”
while you read this book, think about Mary’s Song (Oh my my my) by Taylor Swift✨ omg i LOVED this book. so, i started this just bc i have my fyp on tiktok all about cowboys and riley green. i mean… slay?
”We’ve always found a balance between us, light to each other’s dark and dark to each other’s light, just like the stars said. We make
➼ 3.75★
”We’ve always found a balance between us, light to each other’s dark and dark to each other’s light, just like the stars said. We make room for each other and show up for each other, and when peril comes knocking, we stand and take on death itself together. Don’t let the world ruin us. We may be different trees but we’re growing side by side, our branches intertwined forever. You support me and I support you. That’s how it’s always going to be. Because that’s what sisters do.”
honestly? fuck off. i’m sick of it. i can’t believe i just read 1244 pages of multiple useless povs just to read the worst possible ending. i’m sick of all this drama. it’s not funny anymore. i want my fav characters to be happy once and for all. god i can’t believe i’m saying this but this series is getting me tired bc lately every time i’ve finished a book, i’ve been feeling a hole in my chest bc there’s never something that goes how it’s supposed to go! it’s infuriating. truly. UGHHH onto the fucking next i guess
My tears stopped falling, replaced by a grief so potent it went far beyond tears. It was the type of grief I wasn’t sure I could come back from, the loss of the world as I knew it, and the hopeless fear that those I loved could be laying lifelessly back there somewhere, their souls beyond the Veil, leaving me far behind.
Our happiness was a flower that had bloomed and withered before I’d barely had a moment to breathe in its sweet scent. I had to find a way to buy her an eternal summer where it could bloom once again.
“Take my hand and find me here. I live in the wind and grass, my dear. So when you need me, call my name. You’ll feel me close within the rain. For I, for I, for I, will wait beyond the Veil for you. But please, my love, don’t wait for me. My time is done, my seeds are sown. So live a life of joy and love, and I’ll be watching up above. The greatest show has just begun, my seat is taken, my song is sung. I’ll smile with every smile you take, I’ll laugh with you when times are great. So live for me, and live for you. I’ll see you in the star’s lagoon… I’ll see you in the star’s lagoon.”
“What glory can be found when standing shoulder to shoulder with men and women you don’t even know while united against oppression and persecution? What glory can be found when standing firm against a tide of tyranny so all-encompassing that you feel like a grain of sand trying to resist an entire ocean? What glory is there in seeing Fae you love cut down and butchered by monsters weaving shadows and creatures born of darkness? What glory can you claim when you fight against a leash which has already tightened around your throat? When laws are written against your rights and a false king dons a crown and no one manages to knock it from his over-inflated head?”
“We carry the souls of those we love closest in times of need.”
I wanted him more than I had ever wanted any girl, and the way I felt when we were together like this was so foreign and exhilarating that I wasn’t convinced my need for it could ever be sated.
“I need a free hand to cast,” Caleb said, slipping his hand from Tory’s and she pushed her hand up the back of his shirt to press her palm to his skin there instead. Could have rolled his sleeve back and touched his arm, but whatever Trevor. I wasn’t the touching police. If the touching police were here, they might have a thing or two to say about it, but that wasn’t anything to do with me.
The past should be where we learn from our mistakes, the future is open to all new possibilities.
Were we ever going to be on the same page again, or were we destined to live in different chapters of the same book? Maybe one day we’d be torn apart into stories of our own, written in different languages.
Because fuck that. He may have had plenty of guys before me, but he had never had me.
He looked celestial, like some otherworldly creature created by the stars, his curls turning to liquid gold in the light, and his eyes softening to two pools of the most intense blue I’d ever seen.
My soul shook as that beautiful, powerful, unstoppable mate of mine stepped through the barrier between life and death like it was any other door which she refused to leave closed. She was here.
“Hello, wife,” he purred, the corner of that sinful mouth hooking up.
“We’re the Phoen Dream, Bitchy Flame Eyes, Wolfman, Bitey C, Fish Fury, Dragzilla, Professor Shame and Batty Betty.”
broo what the fuc
➼ 4★
“We’re the Phoen Dream, Bitchy Flame Eyes, Wolfman, Bitey C, Fish Fury, Dragzilla, Professor Shame and Batty Betty.”
broo what the fuck did i just read? istg this is getting really annoying. i really don’t understand why all the characters have to fucking suffer, they can’t literally have a moment of peace bc something bad is about to happen. i’m sick of it!!! i want them to be happy, why can’t they be happy? i mean my fav series of all time is tog and miss girl went through hell, basically died and resurrected like jesus at least five times; so i guess i should be used to it but no this is actually WORSE. i deserve to read a happy ending!! jesus is treating me like I was the one who betrayed him during the last supper.
i loved this book but not as much as the others. the pace was really slow and kinda repetitive. the ending was CRAAAAAZYYYY and so unnecessary?????? like, i threw my kindle bc i’m so freaking mad rn it’s not even funny. istg if book 8 is shit i’m gonna sue their asses! but this book is also about friendship, bromance, sisterhood, love, curses, death, pain and so on… it’s a wild ride nonetheless! onto the next i guess
“We’re the Heirs and the Savage Princess. Darcy and the dudebros. Wolfman, Bitey C, Fish Fury, Dragzilla, and the Phoen Dream.”
istg i
➼ 5★
“We’re the Heirs and the Savage Princess. Darcy and the dudebros. Wolfman, Bitey C, Fish Fury, Dragzilla, and the Phoen Dream.”
istg i don’t even know how to rate these books anymore!!! this shit is CRAZY!!!! can’t say much but these characters need a little bit of luck for gods sake! it can’t be possible that they haven’t had a single minute of peace since the third book???? (we’re at the 6th) onto the next i guess? i’ll most definitely need therapy after this series—mark my words.
She was becoming the queen she was always meant to be. It was just hard to accept that I was never going to be her king.
I wouldn’t break, or cry or let him see a single crack in my façade. I was stronger now. And no man, not even him, would be able to hurt me again.
I hated being tactile with anyone. Anyone except Darcy. Alright, and Darius. Apparently I only liked the D.
“It’s like… when I was on the moon and I could see the earth, I thought about how sad it was that they’d never be together. The moon just watches the earth in all its gorgeous green and blue glory, but it can never, ever touch it. And it made me think of him.” He dropped his eyes. “Everything makes me think of him.”
"You want me to accidentally barbecue him the next time I see him in my Dragon form?"
Jodie Fleming: Mildred takes so many Faeroids she’ll probably be the one impregnating Darius on their wedding night #peenqueen #dragonatrix
I wasn’t sure how long we clung to each other like that, practically forming one body, two halves of the same whole. Just the way we’d been born to be.
Memories of our childhood were bubbling up in me until I felt like I was overflowing with them. The good, the bad, the downright fucking miserable. And yet no matter what we'd experienced over the years, I'd always had this one burning light right beside me, like my very own star set to guide me back home always. Darcy. My other half. My one, truest love.
The two of us were a pair of sorry sons of bitches right about now and I knew all too well the pain of being hung up on a Vega who wasn't yours.
While she watched the rain pouring down from the heavens, I watched her.
I knew what jealousy tasted like, looked like and felt like. Just yesterday, I’d made a girl cry when I overheard her planning to sneak into Caleb’s room dressed in nothing with glitter covering her naked body to ask him if he was horny for the horn. Firstly, Cal was not into that shit as far as I was aware (but I’d be the first to paint my body in glitter and strap a dildo horn to my head if he was). And secondly, no bitch. Just no.
Denial was my best friend who liked to braid my hair and call me pretty.
My heart pounded harder as I stole a glance at his face, his perfectly straight nose, his eyes overshadowed and intense. I’d known him my whole life and I’d realised he was attractive some time around my twelfth birthday.
She was my lucky star.
I needed her. I'd been like the moon without the light of the sun without her all this time. Cold and pale and void of life. But she lit me up and made me burn. And I never wanted to stop burning with her.
”There was only one enemy that mattered, and it was time we defeated him. Together.”
someone pls check if i’m still alive bc i think i
➼ 5★
”There was only one enemy that mattered, and it was time we defeated him. Together.”
someone pls check if i’m still alive bc i think i might have had a heart attack???????? WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED? in this book everything went to shit. EVERYTHING. idek HOW, but the things that happened here… i can’t put them into words… and the worst thing is that i must read the novella before knowing what will happen next… someone pls tell me if the authors will give darius a fucking break????? lord knows how many times i cried for him and the injustices that keep happening to him. i’ll need therapy once i finish this series.
“I promised you a friendship bracelet,” I teased. “We can get together for a slumber party another time though.” He snorted a laugh at me as he backed up. “I’ll treasure it always. Goodnight, Tory.” “Goodnight.”
Caleb...fucking Caleb with his fucking face and his fucking blonde hair and his fucking fangs which he got way too close to my girl way too often, not to mention what he did with the rest of his fucking body and- Not my girl. Never my girl.
We were wearing leggings and sports bras, our hair tied back and looking very twinny in our matching outfits. I kinda loved it.
“You two are...well, fuck the law for saying you can’t be together,” Darius said, folding his arms. My heart squeezed at his words and I saw so much pain in his eyes that I strode forward and wrapped my arms around him. […] “Fuck the stars too, Darius,” I breathed and his muscles tightened around me as he held me close. “Fuck every shining, gleaming one of them.”
He was the kind of friend who would stand up to my bullshit, bristle in response to my resting bitch face, call me out on my own crap, push me off a roof when I cheated him and have my back to the brutal, bitter end. Ride or die. In short, the best kind of friend there was. Which considering the short time I’d known him seemed insane, but I just knew it was the case.
Darkness was starting to fall and the shadows were thick between the trees, but there were no shadows in my heart tonight, there was too much brightness in me to let them in.
“I love you, Tor,” I breathed, just because sometimes people needed to hear that. And maybe I didn’t say it to her enough. “Love you too, Darcy,” she whispered.
He’d come to me in my room last night, wrapped me in his arms and held me like the world was ending.
“I hate the days I don’t get to wake up with you,” he said, his voice rough from sleep. “For a second I thought it was one of those days.”
“The stars might have decided that you can never be mine,” Darius said roughly, refusing to move away from me. “But I am yours. No matter what. I don’t care where we end up or who we’re with, I’ll always be yours. And I’m going to fix the damage I did to us even if the stars don’t care. I’m going to prove to you that I could have been worthy of you if I’d just listened to my heart sooner.”
I headed back to Blue with my heart pounding, feeling like a teenager with his first crush. I’d never had that all-consuming first love everyone talked about during my school years. I’d thought it wasn’t for me. But I guessed the stars had decided to keep me waiting a little longer. And now I had it, I was determined for this love to be my one and only. My last and everlasting.
“I love you, Roxy,” he said in a rough, dark voice which held no room for lies or falsehood, no space for tricks of cruelty. Only the truth. I could feel it just as keenly as I could feel the rush of his magic beneath my skin. A tear slipped from my eye, searing a burning trail along my cheek as it spilled from my flesh and fell between us. How many times had I ached to hear someone say that to me? How many times had I wondered if anyone even could love me like that? I might have denied it to myself more times than I could count, but I’d been aching for this for a long time. Needing it more than I’d ever wanted to admit, more than I’d ever needed anything. And not just from anyone. I needed it from him.
She pulled me into her arms and I held onto her, clinging to the other half of me. My twin, the night to my day. She was in pain too, and somehow in her arms it felt a little lighter. Like she was carrying some of mine and I was carrying some of hers.
I could have said a thousand bad things about Darius Acrux, but the best ones shone brighter, outweighing them so they were all I could see.
No one would ever own my heart but that man. It was a truth cast in iron, impossible to undo. And if I had to wait months or years or an eternity for him, I would.
“I don’t care that you’re here. You could be on the moon and I’d still find a way to love you.”
“And there was me thinking it had something to do with you not wanting anything from a jumped up lizard asshole who doesn’t know his ass from his elbow and is only good for hate sex?”
I could have thrown a silencing bubble over us, but what was the point? I didn’t care if they knew how I felt about her. They were our family and despite all the reasons why they should have been encouraging us to stay apart, they’d been trying to help push us back together. Because when it came down to it, they cared about our happiness more than some fucking throne and I should have realised a lot sooner that that was more important too.
“Forever is a hell of a long time to give to someone you don’t trust. But what if forever was just a day? What if all we had was today and the clock was ticking down to midnight? What if giving yourself to me meant just that? Being mine until the strike of midnight. Would you be mine forever then?” […] “Forever?” I confirmed, moving so close to her that the sweet scent of her skin enveloped me and I never wanted to exhale again. “Forever,” she agreed, with a finality that weighed on us so heavily that for a moment I couldn’t breathe.
wtf just happened???????? i don’t know whether to cry, yell, throw something out of the window
➼ 4.75★
”The stars picked us for each other.”
wtf just happened???????? i don’t know whether to cry, yell, throw something out of the window… WHAT KIND OF ENDING WAS THAT???????? i’ll need at least two weeks of vacation to recover from this. onto the fucking next
”No matter what happened though, I knew Tory and I had each other. And that was enough. We’d been through so much together during our live
➼ 5★
”No matter what happened though, I knew Tory and I had each other. And that was enough. We’d been through so much together during our lives, but since we’d arrived at Zodiac our bond had grown even fiercer. We would ride out the storms of our fate together, hand in hand. And no one could ever take that from us.”
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! can’t explain with words what i’m feeling rn but FYI i’m writing this on my iphones notes!!!!! SCREAMING!!!!!!!!!! i’ll be quick bc i have to start the fourth RFN!
★ this book had me on a chokehold and i’m not even exaggerating. this is addictive. and i’m literally obsessed. so far, best book of the series!
★ caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb or darius? caleb. darius. darius. caleb. caleb. darius. darius. caleb. caleb. darius. darius. caleb. caleb. darius. darius. caleb. caleb. darius. darius. caleb. caleb. darius. darius. caleb. this me trying to know which one is the better lover or character in general. it’s really hard to choose ngl, but i think i’m gonna go with my first choice.
✨DARIUS!!!✨
★ the miscommunication here is pissing me off bc i’m dying to have my fav characters together and the authors keep keeping them apart. hate sex is hot but i want them to love each other!!!!! UGHH i can’t believe i’m saying this, but i’m really minding the slow burn. REALLY. i’m going mental here. no jokes.
★ darcy is growing on me little by little and i love her so fucking much (i still prefer tory)
★ all vampires are charming or just caleb altair? just a genuine question. bc the way he makes me blush OH LORD.
★ but ofc i must stick with mr dragon himself. darius acrux, thank the stars you exist!!
★ overall, this was adventurous, spicy, mysterious, intriguing, full of action and more! i loved it so so much. bless the day i decided to start this series! onto the next...more
”I may have been no match for his magic but my balls were as big as his any day of the week.”
wtf did i just read? i’ll be quick. ➼ tor
➼ 4.5★
”I may have been no match for his magic but my balls were as big as his any day of the week.”
wtf did i just read? i’ll be quick. ➼ tory: she’s still my fav twin. i love her sassiness and her sarcasm. and i love the fact that she can’t stfu for the dear life. but if she stops for a moment—just for a moment—to be that stubborn and finally hook up with THAT SOMEONE, so i can finally rest… my lord, i want to shake some sense in her.
➼ darcy: i miss her blue hair!!!!! she’s not blue anymore without her blue hair, right? i really really like her. she’s finally starting to speck up for herself and i’m glad bc she’s almost as a badass as tory. the kiss in the pool? holy fucking hell. i need more!!! gimme gimme
➼ darius: i knew i picked the right bastard! who wouldn’t want a hot golden dragon as a lover? spoiler: everyone would bang darius mf acrux! something happened to him at the end of the book and i’m dying to know wtf changed in him i’m definitely starting the third book after i’m done with this review…
➼ caleb: sir? could you be any more charming? i don’t think it’s humanly possible! y’all this mf has enough rizz to sold and save the economy. i don’t usually go with blondie but caleb altair has a special place in my heart. the pegasex was too funny tho…
➼ seth: meh. tbh, i really liked you in the first half of the first book but some things cannot be forgiven and you fucked up big time bro. i hope darcy makes him suffer.
➼ max: couldn’t care less. i’m glad he got the rush.
➼ lance: oh man, lance orion is something else. but he really needs a wake up call. i love his relationship with darius, but he needs to fix another relationship at the moment… i’m begging you
overall, i really enjoyed this book. idk if i enjoyed it more than the first one tho. i guess they’re kinda even? this one has more romance and there are two spicy scene, which imo were quite good. the world building keeps growing and the magic system is widening too. onto the next
”The most important thing I’d learned in life? You can’t trust people. And you especially can’t trust boys with wicked smiles and equall
➼ 4.5★
”The most important thing I’d learned in life? You can’t trust people. And you especially can’t trust boys with wicked smiles and equally wicked intentions.”
omg??? this book was actually so interesting and intriguing, if i didn’t have to study, i would’ve eaten this up in two days. since lots of ppl don’t know whether to start this series or not, this review will be completely SPOILER-FREE.
︵‿︵‿୨♡ ａｂｏｕｔ ｔｈｅ b o o k ♡୧‿︵‿ this story follows Tory and Darcy, twin sisters and orphans. they just turned 18 and escaped their last foster family. they don’t have much money and we know since the very first chapter that both tory and darcy try to earn money from illegal action. one night, tory meets professor orion. he explains to her that they’re from another world and they must attend the zodiac academy (basically Hogwarts), where they’ll have an inheritance and a roof on their heads.
now, i feel like i should explain a couple of things that might make you interested in this series. the new world to which tory and darcy are going, is a fae world (don’t think about neither tog nor acotar), called solaria. the fae ppl are divided in orders (vampires, werewolves, sirens, dragons etc…) and every person belongs to one. they also have powers which are basically 4 elements (fire, water, earth and air): a person can have one, or max 2 elements.
that said, i should say how the school works. there are ofc the 4 houses (one for each element), with a captain. everyone has an atlas, which is an ipad/iphone with apps and shit. they get every morning their horoscope and they also have an app called faebook—a social network slay— which is hilarious if you think about it. but basically they’re all ipad kids. another interesting thing is that the buildings in school are named after the planets. okay, i think this is all you need to know, the amount of info is enough to make you intrigued in this series!!
this book has very long ass chapters, so prepare yourselves bc some chapters are 40 minutes long. criminal, i know. but the writing is good, very colloquial so it’s not hard to follow; it’s basically told by 18yo, so it’s pretty simple. the pace is pretty fast. and even tho the chapters are long, the story is captivating enough that you don’t get bored or annoyed by the length. a lot happens, but at the same time you have enough time to learn about the magic system, the world building etc…
★ tropes ★ this is a fantasy/bully romance. so yeah, the vega sisters have hot enemies/bullies. even tho, it’s also a romance, this has no romance whatsoever at least til 87% of the book. so don’t expect an insta love or something bc you’ll be disappointed. and i wouldn’t consider it a slow burn either. i’m pretty sure we’ll see more of the romance part in the other books, but so far it’s almost nonexistent.
now, let’s talk about the characters really quick. ➼ tory is badass but with a hint of fear that makes her even more relatable. she’s more extrovert than her sister and she always speaks up for her and darcy. she’s also interested in fashion and buy clothes for both of them. idk much about her to fully describe her and convince you to love her. just know that she’s my fav twin so far.
➼ darcy is calm as the water and her blue hair. she’s an introvert, she definitely has trust issues and she’s the kind of person that always feels bad or guilty about treating badly others. she’s an early bird and the kind of girly who reads horoscope every morning. i really liked her but not as much as tory. but she’s cool nonetheless!
➼ professor orion is a professor of the school (duh). he’s the one who came to the mortal world to pick up the vega sisters. he’s mysterious and sus asf. and ofc he’s also hot asf.
★ the celestial heirs ★
“Max Rigel,” (the dark skinned demi-god). “Caleb Altair,” (the blonde haired beaux next door), “Darius Acrux,” (my sin-filled fantasy). “And Seth Capella,” (the long haired lothario).”
ofc i had to spend two words about them. starting by my fav bc i love bastards.
➼ darius acrux is a bastard through and through. he’s the captain of the house of fire and ofc he made it his mission to make tory’s life a living hell. he’s a hottie too.
“Fire focus, House Ignis. We aren't for the faint of heart.
➼ caleb altair is the captain of earth house. he’s charming and the classic bad boy who doesn’t start things but still enjoys wickedness. he’s blond but i must admit he has rizz.
“Earth focus, House Terra. And terror is exactly what you'll get if you don't fit in.”
➼ seth capella was hard to figure out bc there were moments i liked him, and then he did something stupid and i was like “i hate you sm”. he’s the captain of air house, he has long hair and ofc he’s handsome too.
“Air focus, House Aer. Life with us is a breeze.”
➼ max rigel is the worst tbh. he’s the captain of water house. he likes to feed on emotions, especially fear. he used this against ppl to make them suffer. tbh, idk much about him bc he wasn’t so present in this book.
“Water focus, House Aqua. My house is for those who have what it takes to face the deadly sea of life in Zodiac without flinching.”
they’re all bullies and don’t want tory and darcy in the zodiac academy, so they try to make their lives a living hell. but hey, it’s bully romance after all, it seems only fair that you have mixed feelings about them.
overall, this book was really amazing. it kept me interested from the beginning to the last page. the story is intriguing and keeps you curious all throughout the book with the Falling Star mysterious identity. i’d definitely recommend this series so far, even tho it’s really long, i think it’s worth a try. onto the next!!
”I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her.”
➼ 4.75★
”I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her.”
this book didn’t disappoint AT ALL. at first i was quite confused bc the world building is INSANE. but then things got more and more interesting. if you ask me to explain a little bit of the world building or just what this book is about, i’m afraid i must disappoint you for two main reasons: 1. i can’t spell half of the names in the book 2. i’m still quite confused
what you have to know is that is entertaining. JOKING!
➼ dianna serves kaden, who wants to get the book of azrael, and ancient relic that can do many things.
“Even if you hate yourself, I’ll love you for the both of us.”
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : London Boy-Taylor Swift
PLS CHECK TWs BEFORE READING THIS
➼ 5★
“Even if you hate yourself, I’ll love you for the both of us.”
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : London Boy-Taylor Swift
PLS CHECK TWs BEFORE READING THIS BOOK THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!! IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN!!! omg? i’m actually too stunned to speak but i LOVED this book. i wouldn’t consider it a dark romance since it was the sweetest love story i’ve ever read. niko and bran are the sweetest and cutest couple i’ve ever encountered!!! i was giggling and blushing all the time. this book is considered a dark romance but has nothing dark. but let me explain.
bran struggles with depression and self-harm, but i wouldn’t say it’s something dark. on the contrary, i appreciate the fact that the author–once again–gave space to delicate matters. although the reason behind his struggling was dark indeed. when i found out the reason, i cried so hard and you could’ve heard my heart breaking into million pieces. this was not my first time reading about depression or self-harm. i’ve read painful books and i’d like to point out that imo, rina kent wrote about these matters beautifully, bc i could feel myself close to bran; understand his struggling and his personality–how he coped with his demons. it was so painful sometimes that i wanted to hug the shit out of him.
”Day in and day out, I have to exist. To be out there and fucking stay there. In the middle of people with blurry faces and names and personalities. All day, I tell myself that I belong with them and that I’m not in fact battling with incessant nausea that saturates my lungs with every breath. That’s what I do best. Pretend. Swallow it all down. Smile.
bran is the classic introvert who has insecurities but tries to look good in front of others, he needs validation especially from his twin brother, Landon. their relationship started as a shitty one, but then slowly became one of the most beautiful brotherhood i’ve ever read. ofc, it made me appreciate more landon. brandon is also pretty reserved but loved by everyone. since he’s also demisexual (which means he likes sex only when he likes the person, so he’s not totally asexual but he’s not the opposite either), has always had a problem with expressing his sexuality, feeling ashamed or uncomfortable which led him to only date women. it’s easy to relate to him and put yourself in his shoes, bc he’s real, you know? he’s not perfect, even tho he pretends to be all the time. he has flaws which makes him more authentic. i really appreciated how niko helped him exploring his sexuality, being there for him whenever he needed while never judging him. he’s also controlled and organized and needs to follow a routine otherwise he’d go mental. he kinda has OCD. he’s also very possessive of niko. at first, he didn’t want to have niko’s attention but once he realized he was in love, he was a goner. he cooked for him and dried his hair (AWWW).
niko is the opposite of bran. he’s full of energy, always smiling, grinning, and being an infuriating ray of sunshine. he’s confident and loyal. open with his sexuality (he declared he was bi at 14) which makes him not ashamed at all. he doesn’t like clothes and prefers to go around half naked.
”He’s effortlessly the most attractive specimen to ever walk the earth, beautiful in his confidence, loud in his assertiveness, and absolutely hotheaded in his loyalty.”
he’s anything but controlled, let alone organized. but somehow his personality and bran’s are a match made in heaven bc they’re perfect for each other. they balance each other in the best possible way. even tho niko is the classic gangster, full of tattoos and with a trend of punching ppl, he’s also the sweetest person ever. he loves bran deeply and he never treated him like shit. since the beginning, he’s been thoughtful and caring. it’s the understatement of the century saying he fell first and harder but we love niko for that. he’s also funny and very possessive and territorial. he called him lotus flower and tattooed a lotus flower with brandon’s name on his chest, close to his heart, exactly where he said he was waiting to fill the blank space with something special. CAN I HAVE A NIKO TOO???? he also waited for bran to feel comfortable enough to come out, which is something that someone mustn’t take for granted. he understood bran and helped him in accepting himself. he had patience and love for both of them.
the romance was just perfect, as you may have already understood by my previous words. their love was so genuine and cute that filled my heart with happiness. but they weren’t just cute and sweet an so on, they were also hot asf. yeah, you heard it right: the smut was chef kiss, 5 out of 5, highly recommended. this wasn’t my first time reading a MM book, but so far this one is my fav. there was jealousy, possessiveness etc. but even those were so cute i was blushing every time! also, there was a moment that made me laugh my ass off and it was when bran’s father meets niko for the first time. i’ll leave you a piece of his inner monologue bc it’s too hilarious to not mention it.
”He can’t possibly be worse than Killian. Anyone is better than Killian. It was an exaggeration on Bran’s part to emotionally prepare me. Again, no one can be worse than Killian. Those were the thoughts I had before I went to bed last night, and I woke up today in a proper fantastic mood. Until now. Or, more accurately, since I walked into the kitchen and saw the motherfucking gangster who’s built like a fucking wall, standing beside my son.” […] “Dear fucking God, I know you’re out there somewhere and I beg you, take this arsehole and give my son a normal lover. Just once, I want fucking normal. First I get a psycho son. Okay, fine. Love that. Best challenge of my life and pretty sure I passed it. I didn’t need to have my daughter with a psycho boyfriend. And now, it’s the psycho’s psycho fucking cousin. What the fuck have I done to deserve that? Was I a mass murderer in a past life or something?”
btw killian is much worse than niko…
so, overall, i’d recommend this book bc it’s really worth of your time. i bet my ass you’ll fall in love with niko and bran bc they’re precious like that. rn i’m torn between them and jer and cecy for the first place as best couple of the series. i’ll need to think about it bc this shit is hard.
“Oh cool, you remember! Nice to officially meet you, Brandon. Or, hold on! I actually found you a perfect nickname. Lotus flower. You know, because you managed to bloom so beautifully while surrounded by the muddy swamp that is Landon. Isn’t that so fucking poetic?”
“I love you, little bro,” he whispers. “I need you to know that. I need you to know you’re the first person I loved unconditionally and always will. I might annoy you, might act like a dick to get your attention, but that’s only because the thought of losing you scares the living fuck out of me.” “Love you, too, Lan.” I exhale against his neck, my chest nearly bursting with emotions.
If a few weeks ago someone had told me my lotus flower would be taking me on one date, let alone three, I would’ve called an ambulance. But here we are on our third date. That’s right. Third. Outside. With people around us. And he’s not panicking. I stare down at his hand in mine, our fingers intertwined, and I discreetly pinch my nape. That hurts. This is not a fucking dream.
“I’m going to sleep.” “Wait for me!” A huge body slams into mine, crashing me into the bed. I groan as I try to push him off me, but it’s impossible.
“By the way, I noticed you had no food in your place, so I ordered you some Italian pastries for breakfast.” I grin. He loves me. I just know he does. Okay, he doesn’t, but he cares, and that’s a good start.
“Listen to me, you thick fucker. I’ve been tolerating your nonsense for far too long, but enough is enough. You’re not my peer, friend, or anything in between. So crawl back into your hole and stop being in my fucking space or I will crush you.” “Talk dirty to me, baby.”
He kisses me like he will never let go of me. Like he’ll burn for me as hot as I burn for him. I want this moment to last forever, please and fucking thank you.
”You’re the fire to my icy heart, and while I loathed that at the beginning, I soon came to the realization that I can’t survive without t
➼ 5★
”You’re the fire to my icy heart, and while I loathed that at the beginning, I soon came to the realization that I can’t survive without that fire. My feelings for you are nowhere near conventional. They’re neither proportional nor measurable, and that heart you melted and the emotions you provoked belong to you. I’d rather be smashed and broken to pieces with you than be whole without you. I’d rather remain a beast for you than become a man who has to survive without you.”
hey siri, play “RUNRUNRUN” by Dutch Melrose
hell must be frozen bc i just gave 5 stars to a dark romance. WHAT? i know right? never thought i could love a dark romance as much as i loved this book. i started this series with zero expectations but i did have them for this book, bc since the beginning i’ve been curious about jeremy and cecily. and they didn’t disappointed at all!! yes, some things such as gun in the pussy AGAIN were questionable, but what do you expect from a dark romance? and yes, jeremy has the classic dark romance mmc vibes, but he’s more than that! SHOCKER!
cecily is a fragile girl and since something traumatizing happened in her past, she closed in herself and closed out her loved ones too. she suffered of sleeping paralysis and she sometimes zoned out from the rest of the world. she suffered a lot bc of her trauma and it broke my heart bc it’s so relatable, so real, you can easily put yourself in her shoes. i cried for her and i’m not ashamed to admit i cried for a dark romance which is a first. but i also think she’s so strong in her fragility. she’s resilient and so brave. she also started to explore her sexuality which is something she was ashamed of. she has a specific kink which made her feel different and weird (in her opinion). ngl, i don’t like that kink, but who am i to judge? the most important thing is that there must be consent, ALWAYS.
”He was also the first person who gave me courage not only to pursue my fantasy, but also to not be ashamed of it. He opened my heart, my world, and made me feel pretty again. I liked wearing some skirts, shorts, and revealing stuff when we were alone, because he looked at me like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
so yes, the things jer and cecy did were by mutual consent, which is something i appreciated a lot. it’s not that obvious in a dark romance. anyway, i’ve loved her since the very beginning and i even came to love her more. she’s thoughtful and the mom of the group. she suffered in silence but had always a kind word for everyone. she helped her loved ones every time she could, which sometimes meant to get hurt in the process. but she doesn’t mind, she loves her friends and family to death, and she has the biggest heart. i loved her character development and she has now a special place in my heart.
jeremy is a good guy trapped in a body of a bad guy. he grew up in a toxic environment and had to deal with a lot of violence all through out his childhood and teen years. but for cecy, he fought both his and her demons. he can be sweet and thoughtful; he’d die for his family and friends, and for cecy too. he bought her special editions of mangas since they’re her fav, he cooked for her, he took care of her. he fought her battles and helped her with her trauma. he did everything to get to know her better; he listened to her when she talked about her reads and he always asked about her day. he’s over protective and territorial but let’s be honest, we love a jealous man it’s my toxic trait.
”Jeremy is considered the dark beauty type. He’s that one person you know is handsome, beyond attractive, but his actions paint him as more monstrous than beautiful. Destructive. Unapproachable. And he seems absolutely content with that image.”
yeah, he also stalked her and did some questionable things but it is common knowledge that dark romance = toxic traits. i just pretended to be blind and dumb, and i suggest you to do the same!
the romance was amazing imo! it’s not a secret that lately i’ve been struggling to enjoy romance books. this one made me fall back in love with the genre and i’m so glad. the smut was also pretty good and very very hot!!!! overall, this is a great book, the story is really good and it actually has a plot. the characters are interesting and they can make you feel anger, happiness, sadness; they entertain you a lot since they’re not bland, and you get to know them better by finding out details about their personalities step by step. i’ve never thought i could ever love a book of this genre, but here i am giving it 5 stars bc even tho there were things i don’t agree with, it still gave me the chance to feel different emotions and start to appreciate this genre a little bit more! so yeah, go and read this book bc everybody needs to meet jeremy fucking volkov and my sweet precious cecily knight! yes i’m definitely recommending it
”My mouth devours hers for all the time I couldn’t. For all the time she was out of reach because I was a rigid dick who only ever sees the world in black and white. Cecily is neither. She’s the gray. She’s the colors. She’s every rainbow I never thought to stop and watch. I kiss her because this is the only way I can show her how much different she is for me and how much her absence affected me.”
“There’s no shame when I’m in Jeremy’s arms. He doesn’t judge me. He wants me to own that part of me.”
I spend a full minute of intense staring at the sparkling heart but still can’t find an explanation for it. One thing’s for sure, I like it, and it caught me completely by fucking surprise since it’s the first time she’s sent one. Then I notice that she attached a picture of a box of waffles I had delivered to her apartment earlier. “How did you know I love waffles?” It’s in her stupid journal. I think they’re her comfort food whenever she wants to feel better. I thought she might need a pick-me-up after last night.
“Who says I’m shaming you?” Her defensive stance turns into that of careful bemusement. “You’re… not?” “Why would I buy you those if I were?” She narrows her eyes. “Why did you buy these, anyway?” “So you can read them here.”
“Pick something.” “I don’t have an appetite.” He stares at me from above the menu. “Why not?” “Are you seriously asking me that after you stalked me, assaulted some random guys, and kidnapped me to God knows where? Food is the last thing on my mind under the circumstances.”
“I’m more open about what I enjoy sexually and I even get to be my nerdy self and talk about my mangas and studies without sensing that he’s getting bored. In fact, he listens attentively, as if everything I say is important, and I don’t think he realizes that, because I’m a little nervous around him, I resort to talking in order to expel that energy. I also appreciate how he never judges me about anything. Hell, he even buys me mangas, comfort clothes, and my favorite tea—while calling me a stereotypical English who loves their tea.”
“One day, and I mean soon, I’m going to make this woman my wife. My partner. My everything. She’ll be my always, and I’ll be hers. Forever.”
“What did Aelin promise you?” Hasar smiled to herself. “A better world.”
It was my first time doing a tandem read but I’m glad I did
➼ 4.25★
“What did Aelin promise you?” Hasar smiled to herself. “A better world.”
It was my first time doing a tandem read but I’m glad I did bc I loved the journey. For those who don’t know about it, I’m about to explain how it worked for me. It was pretty simple bc I found on google a pdf where the books were divided in chapters and I followed that chart. As I said earlier, I’m glad I chose to do the tandem read bc it made the experience better and I was able to enjoy both of them since the timeline is the same. Empire of Storms follows Aelin, Rowan, Aedion, Dorian, Manon, Elide and Lorcan’s povs; while Tower of Dawn follows Chaol and Nesryn’s pov. There’s another character’s pov but I’m not gonna tell you who bc spoiler! So, you have to find out yourself. I definitely recommend the tandem bc imo Tower of Dawn is a little bit slow and the chapters are longer, while the pace in Empire of Storms is faster and a lot happens; so switching between the two keeps your interest on all the time. Ngl, it’s draining bc it’s like reading a 1200 pages book—it’s heavy. However, the stories are beautifully written as always and the foreshadowing is MINDBLOWING! All the events in the previous books are connected to these two and it’s such a beautiful experience, so enjoyable that I really don’t have words to explain.
SPOILERS AHEAD
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾му тнσυgнтѕ‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ I enjoyed this book, the story is good, but I found some chapter being boring and long. The world building grew once again, and new characters and creatures are introduced. Ngl, some things were confusing but idk whether it’s bc I was reading two books at the same time or bc they really were confusing. The pace is neither fast nor slow, it’s kinda normal I guess but as I said earlier, I think that some chapters were boring… nah scratch that. Nesryn’s povs were boring. Tbh, I didn’t care about her nor did I care about Sartaq but I read what happened to them anyway, since those moments were crucial. SJM doesn’t write without meaning. So, my advice is: if you have trouble staying focused, keep reading anyway, trust the process bc the things you’re gonna learn are vital! The romance was good tho! That said, let’s talk about the new part of the world where Chaol and Nesryn found themselves. Antica is a beautiful city of the Southern Continent where the Khagan reigns. Don’t ask me what a Khagan is bc it’s too complicated to explain with words. All you have to know is that he’s the boss period. Antica is nothing like Rifthold and the Torre is a really important monument bc it’s where the Healers reside. Everyone respects healers, the Khagan and the royal family too.
It was my first time doing a tandem read but I’m glad I did bc I loved the journey. For those who d
➼ 5★
“A storm is coming. A great storm.”
It was my first time doing a tandem read but I’m glad I did bc I loved the journey. For those who don’t know about it, I’m about to explain how it worked for me. It was pretty simple bc I found on google a pdf where the books were divided in chapters and I followed that chart. As I said earlier, I’m glad I chose to do the tandem read bc it made the experience better and I was able to enjoy both of them since the timeline is the same. Empire of Storms follows Aelin, Rowan, Aedion, Dorian, Manon, Elide and Lorcan’s povs; while Tower of Dawn follows Chaol and Nesryn’s pov. There’s another character’s pov but I’m not gonna tell you who bc spoiler! So, you have to find out yourself. I definitely recommend the tandem bc imo Tower of Dawn is a little bit slow and the chapters are longer, while the pace in Empire of Storms is faster and a lot happens; so switching between the two keeps your interest on all the time. Ngl, it’s draining bc it’s like reading a 1200 pages book—it’s heavy. However, the stories are beautifully written as always and the foreshadowing is MINDBLOWING! All the events in the previous books are connected to these two and it’s such a beautiful experience, so enjoyable that I really don’t have words to explain.
“A court that wouldn't just change the world. It would start the world over.”
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