"I'd rather not surround myself with someone who'll hurt me just to get ahead."
To tell you the full and entire truth, I apply for arcs of Ali Hazelwoo"I'd rather not surround myself with someone who'll hurt me just to get ahead."
To tell you the full and entire truth, I apply for arcs of Ali Hazelwood for my very best friend, who loves her as much as I love Nora Roberts. She gets to devour them, and I get to enjoy the journey of watching her love an author so entirely. It's not that I don't enjoy Ali's books, because I do, and more so with each that I read, it's just that I wouldn't pick them up on my own time if I didn't have a reason to do so.
I think that has officially changed with Not in Love. I love when you can watch an artist build their craft over time, come into themselves, and find who they are in whatever they create. Ali's voice gets more and more clear with each story she tells us, and this one really hit for me. I loved Rue's reasoning for what she does, how she feels, and how unapologetic she is at being herself. It's so rare to see a female character not be made to change while also remaining kind-hearted and good. She never pushes who she is into other people's faces, doesn't expect them to like her, and keeps to herself whenever she feels like a bit too much for the world.
Some may say she puts herself into a box. I say that she respects her boundaries and never pushes herself to be something she isn't. It's beautiful, creative, and entertaining. I was lost in getting to know her. It was so relaxing to watch someone fall in love with a person and not an idea. Because I think that's what Rue and Eli had been missing, why they thought they would never find a person to love. They didn't take a moment to understand that it comes from falling in love with a soul. Choosing someone, no matter how broken you feel or act. Being there for all the parts of someone they believe isn't enough.
And while all of Ali Hazelwood's books are love stories in one way or another, this one was a friendship story as well. Of how sometimes friends break your heart, and sometimes that hurts so much more than any other. How sometimes you trust the wrong people, and sometimes it isn't because they're terrible, but because they thought they were doing the right thing, selfishly, for themselves.
Eli and his friends joke about how "it's the friends you make along the way" that matter, but I think that is the true gift of this story. That it is the friends you make along the way. That it always should be. That they're going to encourage and embrace you for all you are without any gains or expectations other than a shared joy in never holding yourself back.
I loved this book. I'm so grateful to my own very best friend that gets me to read things I never would have picked up on my own. I can't imagine not having been able to read this, experience it, love it. Thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to slow-burn fall in love with Ali Hazelwood. I hope you can feel just how truly honest this review is. ...more
"Only once we understand who we were, and what we are now, can we claim our future."
Thank you NetGalley and the author for granting me access to a dig"Only once we understand who we were, and what we are now, can we claim our future."
Thank you NetGalley and the author for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’m so grateful for many reasons, but the biggest always being how much I adore Xingyin.
I was absolutely positive at the end of Heart of the Sun Warrior that I didn’t have a favorite, that I wasn’t sure who I wanted her to choose. It’s something you figure out when that choice is finally made, and I’m so glad Sue Lynn Tan hasn’t kept us waiting any longer for Xingyin’s choice. It’s exactly what I wanted for her, exactly what she needed, exactly what she was probably working towards in the now three installments of her story. I’m so grateful for an ending that is truly just another beginning. The epilogue I would have done anything for, and received. Again, I say, I am so grateful for these stories.
Because this isn’t just the end we’d been waiting for. It was an alternate twist to the myth these books revolve around, one that I found just as compelling and exciting as the first. Heart wrenching, and yet beautiful for its truth. Because decisions, no matter their outcome, should never be taken lightly and that was so extremely present in these words. I was so proud of the way Chnag'e was brave even while condemned, and how she took her punishment without argument. In any circumstance, I believe she would have done the same thing, because she knew how much she hurt the one she loved.
I loved the behind-the-scenes-esque part two, and I loved seeing Liwei and Wenzhi again. Though maybe, especially, Liwei. He’s grown so much since we first met him, and it only made me more proud. This was the ending you hope and wish for an author to give you. A gift. I’m so blessed I got to read this one early, and I hope you all grab your copies today so you can feel a tiny bit of this joy as well....more
I was so lucky to get an arc of this sweet little book from Netgalley. I cannot thank the powers that be enough for"Hope doesn't hurt you. People do."
I was so lucky to get an arc of this sweet little book from Netgalley. I cannot thank the powers that be enough for pointing me in its direction! It's not something I would normally pick up, but don't let its summary fool you... because it's a gem in disguise. Much like Opal (ha! see what I did there).
Opal, long-standing nice girl, wins the lottery. She's a never-say-no-girl, an I'll-give-you-another-chance girl, a tender-hearted-hopeless-romantic girl. She's an artist, full of hope, and wanting to make a difference in small but effective ways. She's probably you, she's definitely me, and I loved following along as she tried to figure out what to do with... too much money to even grasp.
She does what all artists dream of and buys a flower farm (obviously), without realizing it's failing (because of course it is), that comes with an angry Pepper (not the kind that goes with salt). This of course leads into forced proximity hate to love that NOBODY!!!!! can get sick of. I was enthralled and I was so happy to be a part of their world ...more
"Isn't love just an overwhelming desire to solve the mystery of another human being? Science is full of mysteries, and men and women trying to get to "Isn't love just an overwhelming desire to solve the mystery of another human being? Science is full of mysteries, and men and women trying to get to the bottom of them."
You know who loves the earth? Christa. Christa loves the earth and all the creatures it sustains, and she makes a living out of that love and joy and respect. Before she knew anything at all, she knew she loved where she was placed, and I think we could all find the lesson in that if we looked hard enough.
"Scientists fall deeply in love with something and spend their lives obsessing over it." ...more
Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley and Ali Hazelwood for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Due to an ar"Other people's approval is a powerful drug."
Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley and Ali Hazelwood for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Due to an arranged marriage, Misery finds herself in enemy territory. It’s a premise that calls us to it, a story that writes itself, and I’m so happy to say that I liked it. There was a lot I think I could have done without, and it took me forever, but it was more than worth the time I put into it.
Ali Hazelwood just gets better, and this was so unlike anything she’s written so far. It was captivating in its vulnerability simply because you have to search for it. Misery is a badass, she wants nothing but a future she creates. To find herself in a forced decision to be all but that, watching her grow into something new, and better, it was really something special.
Lowe was even better to get to know. I never really know what I’m going to get with a leading man in an Ali book, but this one surprised me. He was just like all the rest, but with a hint of vulnerability the rest didn’t possess. He’s selfless, much like all my favorite fictional leaders, and he’s loyal to a fault. He would give up everything for his people and the wife he didn’t expect to find such hope in. That, too, was special.
I never know what I’m going to get when I pick up an Ali Hazelwood book, but I love when they surprise me. I’m really starting to look forward to her releases simply because it’s exciting to find out what she’s going to do next.
Pick this up on February 6! I know I will be....more
Oh, Ashely Poston. What would I do without your words. This book felt so normal until its end, and suddenly I "I wanted to get lost - and stay there."
Oh, Ashely Poston. What would I do without your words. This book felt so normal until its end, and suddenly I need to pick it back up and start from the beginning again. There is such an art in an ending, and yet, does this one actually end? Do any of our favorite books? The question gets asked a thousand times in these pages and yet I still don't know the answer.
To go on a tangent for a moment, Edward and Bella are going to live forever in my mind, never aging, forever standing still, and there is something so beautiful in the understanding that fiction can truly make time stand still for a little while. So that we can get lost, and stay there. I loved watching Eileen realize and grasp that concept, and finally understand that fiction is meant to stand still while we move on. This is the first book by Ashley I wasn't pushed to turn the page, but instead, sit in their curiosity and love.
It was new, it was a different experience, and it was just as magical as every read can be if you give it the chance.
Ashley writes, "Not all love happens as first glance - sometimes, it takes a reread at the exact right (or wrong) time in your life." I think that encompasses Eileen exactly, from start to finish. Realizing what the reality of love is rather than the dream that romance books paint for us. You fall into is gradually and then all at once, you fall into it because someone treats you the absolute right way, attempts to understand every little piece of you through trial and error. It isn't always on the first try, sometimes it's many attempts in, sometimes it sneaks up on you after knowing someone or something forever.
Watching her understand the differences between her favorite book: what she wanted to happen vs what could come instead. It was just so lovely to see someone recognize that each person you meet, each book you read, they're all going to be perceived in a different way from every person who opens their heart to it. We're meant to interpret differently, we're not meant to all be the same.
This book was so incredibly special because of its message. The timeless happy ending with a little snippet of: there might not only be one. And I loved it. I can't wait to read it again....more
"He'd fight to kill while she fought to live. She firmly believed that gave her the advantage."
It's so difficult to put into words how this book made "He'd fight to kill while she fought to live. She firmly believed that gave her the advantage."
It's so difficult to put into words how this book made me feel. Especially because I don't think I actually know the full impact of it yet. It's hard, and it's special, and it took me on a journey like no other author can. Nora Roberts puts such heart into her stories and I love getting lost in them.
This one is particular hit me extremely hard. It took a long time to get through it simply because I kept crying. I couldn't stop. Whether it be the loss of her parents or the mind blowing love of her grammie, Thea's story was one hit after another. I can't even imagine going through what she did and still waking up the next day, and maybe that's why it felt so surreal to be a part of it.
But even outside of that, outside of who we watch her become, I loved the world building of video games and what goes into it. I love that Thea was a little weird learning how to wield a sword, a little quirky with her schedule and her seemingly packed away life, and a little lonely to never look passed her grandma, her brother, and her childhood best friend. As someone who feels a little lonely for all the same reasons, it was like an understanding and a reflection all in one. Maybe she opened me up to a new possibility, maybe she made a dream come true for me.
Because she also gets to fall in love with her childhood crush, who.... let's just say that you should imagine Harry Styles falling in love with you one summer. In this universe Harry Styles has an adorable kid who lights up his life, and Thea could use a little light in all her dark.
Because the darkness is always looming when you watch your parents get murdered. And wow did this one hit home because of it. I'm always so thankful to read a Nora Roberts book, but I'm especially thankful to net galley for letting me do it early....more
"If I can give my whole heart to love without fearing the cost, I will regret nothing.""If I can give my whole heart to love without fearing the cost, I will regret nothing."...more
"I always see it, you know. It's a shame to hide a smile like yours."
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The Hating Game, but make it How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. There were a few "I always see it, you know. It's a shame to hide a smile like yours."
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The Hating Game, but make it How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. There were a few things I really enjoyed in this book, but they sort of make me a hypocrite when I try to put it together with what I didn't like.
I loved the idea of not trusting your first impressions, aka the app that the plot revolves around, but I also dislike that females constantly have to apologize for those first impressions. It halts the idea of growth and doesn't allow either party to move on. I think if the ending didn't revolve around that, the book could've been so much more than what it is.
I don't take comparing it to two of my absolute favorite rom coms lightly. I really enjoyed their dates, their minds, and honestly, the friendship they built together as well. I love that Marina isn't left to having only Lucas, but a group of friends that support her as well.
I really did love this story, and I absolutely want to search up more from this author.
"She deserved happiness, and no one was going to hand it to her on a silver platter; no, she had to reach out and take it for herself."
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Thank you "She deserved happiness, and no one was going to hand it to her on a silver platter; no, she had to reach out and take it for herself."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Ash and Bronwyn are two hearts full of need they don't know how to ask for. Wow was it sweet to watch them grow together. They just needed some healing, and I'm so glad they were able to bring it to each other.
This is my first read by this author and boy did it become a favorite. I can't wait to find some time to check out some more. The way Britton weaved through love was beautiful, and I just wanted more.
I think the only reason I can't give this five stars is because of the... well, bugs. Did I know about them going into this? Absolutely, but who can pass up a free book with incredible writing? I'm so lucky to be able to review books, and I don't want to let one little phobia keep me from the greats.
And this one is just that: one of the greats.
Its disappointment turned into love. Making your way in a world that doesn't make space for you. Making a family when yours doesn't treat you like a part of theirs. It's kind, and understanding, and loving. Words can be so fun when put together like this.
"To be truly brave, first you must be afraid—and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting "To be truly brave, first you must be afraid—and to be afraid, you must have something you cannot bear to lose."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I can't really put into words how much I enjoyed this book simply because the end threw me off so much. But not so much that I can say I felt anything but pure enjoyment for the entirety of the read.
Did anyone else feel completely gobsmacked by the end?? Someone please message me about it. I need someone to talk to about it.
While the romance was fun, I think the friendships really took center stage in this story for me. I was thoroughly entertained by their shenanigans, the way they fell into each other. It was ridiculous and heart warming all at the same time. High stakes, historical, and hysterical. A true comedy inside some fantastical re-telling of a King Arthur story. I'm thinking about buying it on audio just to get the full experience (especially now that I know all the punch lines). I had so much fun with these kiddos.
I officially need more queer, romantic comedies?? I've read so many good ones this year. I never get bored, never get lost, can never get enough.
Best of all, was how this book made me feel when I finished it. I tend to ruminate on fiction these days, wonder how much of reality can fit into it. When you find a queer love story that takes place in a time where to be public about who you were was punishable by death, you wonder how on earth stories like that could be buried by time and history for so long. Sometimes, always. There are so many brave people we never got to hear stories from.
Fiction likes this allows those voices to be heard in a way they never could be. It's beautiful, and lovely, and reminds us how not-alone we have always been. There's always been someone just like us sometime in time, we just need to find them.
Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was swe"You're my favorite thing."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was sweet and gave me the nostalgia for Christmas that I crave as soon as October hits. The last three months of the year are so much better when you're dreaming about Christmas trees. I feel like I do that all year, and here's the proof.
Christmas movies have always been such a weakness of mine. I'll watch them anywhere, anytime, no matter what the world looks like outside. I've lost a bit of that as I've gotten older, found it more difficult to stay in the magic of the holiday, so picking up Christmas stories has become a hobby of mine as well. When I got accepted for this arc, I was overjoyed. Mostly because I hadn't found the right one yet.
In this one, I absolutely did. It's light hearted and steamy... even if it's getting colder outside with every passing day (thank goodness). There's forced proximity, a very cold world outside, and a misunderstanding that changes a life that could have started two years ago. It's sweet, it's funny, it's absolutely everything I wanted.
I think what I liked best is that just because Becca is a stereotypical happy-go-lucky girl, it didn't mean she couldn't be a smart, capable, woman as well. It made me think of my favorite person in the world, and best friend. It's always so lucky when you find a friend in a book.
"A myth finds a way to remember itself. It makes a new shape, rising out of a shallow grave in glory."
Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a "A myth finds a way to remember itself. It makes a new shape, rising out of a shallow grave in glory."
Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Especially because this is the story Medusa has always deserved. I was enchanted and enthralled the entire time. I don't think there was a single second of this book I didn't want to devour. I can't wait to buy myself a physical copy during the holiday season.
We all know the story of Medusa, but what makes this retelling so good is the way it was written. The perspective it was written from. The life this story was given. It wasn't the side of the monster we've always heard, but instead that of the victim. The voice of the story that should have always existed.
The only reason Medusa has been classified a monster for as long as she has is because of the complete misunderstanding an un-reliable narrator has driven into humanity for centuries. A myth she may be, but that doesn't mean her story hasn't been told a thousand different ways and misunderstood in a thousand more. Think of how little cadence a woman's story has always held in the media.
This story is no less. This story has always deserved so much more.
I hope you'll pick this up to find the voice Medusa has always deserved. For that alone this will be one of my favorite books of the year. In her own words she gets to be so much more than a cautionary tale told to children. To those who "need" punishing. We get to see all the injustice she received, understand it, and endure it beside her rather than watch her go through it alone.
She never deserved to be alone. I love that because she never deserved that, her snakes received personalities. It gave so much more to this long told story that I really expected. The shock and excitement of it made this experience so entirely new and exciting.
For those who never heard her voice in the way you believe she deserved, know that this is worth the time you'll spend in a sad story. In a heartbreaking, unending, constant story told among the world and never loud enough to be heard. This could be the start of finally being heard....more
"Never underestimate the importance of butterflies, it'll eventually wear off, of course, but when the going gets tough, sometimes it's just the memor"Never underestimate the importance of butterflies, it'll eventually wear off, of course, but when the going gets tough, sometimes it's just the memories of the butterflies that are enough to pull you through."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was just exactly up my alley and precisely what I've been looking for in a rom com. As soon as I saw that How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days had an inspiration in this I wanted it more than I needed to breathe.
It didn't let me down even a little bit.
I was entertained and so, so full of joy the entire read. Which really only happens when you read that special book that you just GET. I loved the relationships between every character, I love how they built and never felt stagnant. Sometimes I feel like characterization gets so lost in a romance plot because you're always working towards one goal, but it was never lost or forgotten here. I loved it. 2000 romcoms never let us down, and this book stems from all the best.
The way Devon Daniels brought the universe she created to life was absolutely incredible. I will definitely need to look into more of her books simply for the way she writes. The subtle references that link to almost any time of day, any experience, any setting was just magnificent. I was truly just blown away by everything. I felt like I was right there with the characters experiencing the same story that they were.
I've also never been a huge fan of the modern dating ideals, meeting online and then in person and falling in love. It's one thing when you meet your friends that way, but how do you build romantic chemistry with only that? It's always baffled me, and I love that this book touched on that and absolutely seemed to be on the same page as me for it. I can't wait to give this another read and maybe bump it up to 5 stars. For some reason, I'm not feeling it right now, and I really don't want to say more simply because I want everyone to read this book with barely any information just like I did.
It's the perfect book to do that with. It's just full of so much joy, which, when going into winter, does not get taken lightly. So here's to a probable favorite comfort story, I don't think it will ever get old.
"In the places where we've both been broken, being together makes me feel whole. As soon as I fell in love with you, I knew I couldn't be without you."In the places where we've both been broken, being together makes me feel whole. As soon as I fell in love with you, I knew I couldn't be without you."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pansexual representation! I'll give it an extra start just for that. I don't think I've actually read a book with a pansexual rep and boy was it worth the effort of getting through the rest of this. And the fact that I found two at the same time is insane as well, talk about luck! (Insert Imogen Obviously)
I think my only real problem with this book is how completely modern it is. I don't like a modern love story, and because of that, I should really stop trying to read them. I'm a sucker for romance in person, up front, and unquestionable. Shown through action as well as words. This book didn't really hold that for me. Social media just should not feel like a main form of communication, there should be some outside of it.
A visible relationship is all well and good, but that isn't all love should be.
The representation of addiction and mental health was overabundantly present, and while I love a good representation, I can't take when there is too much of it. When it becomes who someone is rather than a motivation for who they could be. Please know this is an opinion, and has no hold on how you feel about a story.
I hope other people can find what I didn't in this one. I still made it through!
"How amazing it was that readers could be led by the hand to feel and react."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this"How amazing it was that readers could be led by the hand to feel and react."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I will always, always dislike the cheating trope. Even if a book revolves around reading and the love for it, I will never be able to get past it. There is never going to be a good reason to cheat on someone. This was, however, a very dark and funny read, so I couldn't quite give it the one star I was rooting for the whole read.
Also, the way she constantly fantasizes about all the ways her husband could die? Edge of my seat. Darkly hilarious. Could not stop reading for that alone. Very strange, unfairly enticing.
Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an hone"You're never really lonely if you have a book."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While I didn't love this one, the third act break-up and especially the grand gesture at the end, I enjoyed sitting with it and giving it a chance. There was just so much more to be expanded on, and while a base level book can be interesting for a time, it doesn't always hit the spot when you're searching for something else.
The only thing that really kept me going in this one was how supportive Hailey and Wes were of each other's goals and dreams. They never really gave up on either thing and really worked together to be better. It was a nice dynamic!
It probably didn't help that this is the third book in a series and I haven't read the first two.
"There's beauty and magic in lots of small things we overlook every day. You just need to watch out for it."
Oh my gosh was this exactly what I needed!"There's beauty and magic in lots of small things we overlook every day. You just need to watch out for it."
Oh my gosh was this exactly what I needed! Thank you NetGalley and Jax Calder for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved every second of my time with it. I've been in such a slump over Red White & Royal Blue that nothing has peaked my interest until I happened to run into this.
Spoiler: I've already bought a paperback copy and cannot wait to get it this week and transfer all my favorite highlights from my kindle. It was just so much fun.
I've always loved friends to lovers so much more than any other trope. Add on forbidden romance, discovery of self, great communication, and a story book setting and I'm set for... well, ever. Is this extremely fictional? Absolutely, but that's the best part of reading books sometimes. Imaginary lives that could never be real, but feel that way for a short period of time.
Callum is misunderstood and kind beyond imagining. Life has never really treated him all that fairly, and because of the chaos his brain tends to create for him, no one has ever really taken the time to get to know the real him. He lost all those that loved him without question too quickly to have a home base, and life never really pointed him towards the right one. That is until he's interrupted one day and told that he's no longer eleventh in line to the throne, but the new Prince of Wales.
He goes on a journey of figuring out a new path, responsibility, and truly sticking to something for the first time in his life. Not because he was unreliable before, but because he had never been given true permission to be himself. Enter Oliver, the Prime Minister, and the man Callum has always looked up to for his strength of character and power in an unforgiving world.
I'm so glad I stumbled upon this, and I hope you'll go find a copy as well. Especially if, like me, you're still unable to focus on anything other than the Prince being in love with someone he "shouldn't" be. This was the perfect bandaid....more
"He felt the seismic shift, his deformed pieces slipping back into their original form. One word repeated on loop in his mind: hope."
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Thank you Ne"He felt the seismic shift, his deformed pieces slipping back into their original form. One word repeated on loop in his mind: hope."
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Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am absolutely the target audience for this book. When you can get past adults acting like teenagers for about half a book simply because you're enjoying it so much... well, that's a pretty big deal. I loved following Thomas and Julia's love story. Whether it be because I have my own ideas of what I always wanted my love life to look like and they all seemed to be reflected here, or if I just love a good friends to lovers coming home story, the world may never know.
I love when your partner motivates you, and always wants to be next to you, and is completely and utterly in love with the idea of wanting to spend life beside you. I adored watching Thomas' crush turn into full blown love, watching Julia realize maybe not all guys suck. I love a good "we haven't seen each other in years and you look amazing" stare. I love when forced proximity turns into voluntary proximity with a side of "oh my god I love this person?"
This book had it all. Add to it the love shared by two writers and fleeting happiness and the acknowledgement that happy isn't the default and you have to work for it every day. I thought this book was so fun, so sweet, and I can't wait to buy myself a copy now that I know I love it as much as I did. I'm so thankful that I get to try books out and love them before getting my own copy and loving that even better.
Feeling as lucky as Thomas and Julia are to sit next to each other and write.
paige (ptsungirl)
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