Funny Story by Emily Henry – ARC Review

 

Title: Funny Story

Author: Emily Henry

Genre: Romance

Publishing House: Viking (Penguin General UK)

Synopsys (from Goodreads): A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Rating: 4/5 stars

 

A huge thank you to the publishing house, Viking (Penguin General UK), for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for this book and for providing me with an E-Arc through NetGalley.

All opinions, however, are completely my own.

 

TW: toxic parents, emotional abuse, absent father

 

This review will be completely spoiler-free

 

Hey there guys, today I’m here with a review of a book from one of my favourite authors ever: Emily Henry. I know this book has come out a month ago, but life got in the way, so better late than ever, here we are with my review of Funny Story.

I have read every single Emily Henry’s romance book, and I love her writing style, her wittiness and her plots. I always say that she’s for me in romance literature what Taylor Swift is for me in music, since they both touch a lot of emotions that I feel with all my heart.

Henry’s books have always been 5-stars reads for me (with the exception of Book Lovers, which still remains my least favourite one). I have to say that sadly this one wasn’t a 5 star for me either. I expected a bit more from it, and while this was still better than most books I’ve read this year, since it is Emily Henry, it didn’t blow my mind. I would still read Henry’s grocery list, though, there’s no doubt in that.

This book is very fun (no pun intended) in its premise, since it follows Daphne, who was dumped by her ex-fiancé. He wanted to get together with his best friend Petra, who was Miles’ girlfriend. Miles is our other main character. In an act of compassion, and equally hurt by what happened to them, Miles offers Daphne, who’s temporarily without a home, to go live with him. You can imagine what happens from there.

I really liked Daphne and Miles’ characters, they had all of the characteristic I search in an Emily Henry’s novel, they were witty, they were still searching themselves, and their banter was top notch. I truly think no one can write a dialogue like Miss Henry. But I didn’t believe in their romance like I believed the other ones in her books. If I have to choose one couple from Henry’s books who probably has broken up after the epilogue, I’m sad to say… this one would be it. I just didn’t feel their tension, or a big chemistry. I felt a lot of affection between them at the end of the book, but I don’t know if it was love yet.

Also, there was a fake dating trope that lasted for the span of literally two seconds, it was thrown there, and it was never picked up again.

But while the romance didn’t totally convince me, what really got to me, and that even made me shed a tear or two was Daphne’s relationship with her father. Henry’s always got the best side-plots in romance books, and that’s something I really appreciate. The love story between the two main characters is not the only focus, and she got, also in this book, to examine some family dynamics that were heavy to read, but I think really formative for the growth of our main character. At the end of the book, I think Daphne found a little bit of the hope she had lost of the beginning of the story and that was beautiful to see.

Okay guys, that was my review for Funny Story by Emily Henry, I highly recommend it if you are in search for a romance with good banter and a good side plot.

Thank you so much for reading,

The Viscount Who Loved Me – Book Review

Hey everyone,
lately, I’ve started reading the Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn, so here’s my review of The Viscount Who Loved Me, Anthony’s story.

Title: The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2)
Author: Julia Quinn
Synopsis: This time the gossip columnists have it wrong. London’s most elusive bachelor Anthony Bridgerton hasn’t just decided to marry—he’s even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended’s older sister, Kate Sheffield—the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate’s the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams…
Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands—and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate’s determined to protect her sister—but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony’s lips touch hers, she’s suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself…
Rating: 2 stars

This review may contain very minor spoilers of the plot

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn is the sequel to The Duke and I, and follows Anthony Bridgerton’s story. While it continues to captivate with Quinn’s signature wit, this novel didn’t completely meet my taste, which is quite sad because it gained a lot of popularity, especially thanks to the TV series, and I had quite some expectations. However, I personally rated it two stars because I found the plot too predictable and the characters lacking in depth.

The story focuses on the eldest Bridgerton sibling, as he is determined to find a suitable wife. This leads him to Kate Sheffield, a strong-willed young woman with a sharp tongue and a disdain for his rakish ways. Their banter and undeniable chemistry set the stage for their romance.

The premises are quite good: Anthony’s internal struggles and Kate’s resilience to surrender to her love for him against all her best intentions. Who doesn’t love an enemies-to-lovers story? However, The Viscount Who Loved Me suffers from a very predictable plot and pacing issues. Moreover, the romantic tension between Anthony and Kate is palpable, but the execution felt formulaic, lacking the spark that makes enemies-to-lovers romance novels truly memorable. As a result, their relationship did not resonate as deeply with me as I was seeking a more profound connection between the two main characters. One of my main issues was with Anthony. His character, in particular, felt a bit one-dimensional, and, at times, I couldn’t really stand him.

In the end, while I could appreciate the light-hearted and entertaining aspects of this novel, it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. However, this is just my opinion and many readers loved reading The Viscount Who Loved Me and the Bridgertons series as a whole. So, I think, if you haven’t read it yet, that you should give it a try nonetheless. 

 

 

Let Me Retell You: Hades & Persephone

Hey readers, today I’m back with the Let Me Retell You series and it’s time to talk about two of the most prominent figures in Greek mythology: Hades and Persephone. Their story has been told many times, let’s see some of them.

A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova

The first book in a romantasy series, A Deal with the Elf King incorporates the most well-known elements of the myth of Hades and Persephone and it also adds the element of choice, which was a nice touch that I appreciated. If you’re looking for a romance fantasy series, this might be the perfect read for you!

Persephone: Hades’ Torment by Allison Shaw

If you’re in the mood for a graphic novel, then I’ve got the perfect retelling for you! Through beautiful artwork this graphic novel depicts Hades and Persephone falling in love.

A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

A Touch of Darkness offers the characters of Hades and Persephone in a contemporary setting, which is definitely something new and exciting. Gods in the modern world? Sign me up please! Also, this is the first book in a series completely dedicated to Hades and Persephone. 

Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone

This gothic novel is the first book in a fantasy series and it definitely offers a Hades and Persephone storyline which I think will be developed a lot more in the second volume. But the elements are there even in this one, the pull of the Lord Under and a girl who’s scared but also fascinated by this complex figure.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Mythology and Indian culture meet in this YA fantasy book that tells the story of a girl who becomes queen and the mystery she has to unravel in order to save everything she loves.

These are all the retellings I have for today, I hope you liked my choices and if you have others to recommend, please share them in a comment down below. 

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman – Review

Title: Funny You Should Ask

Author: Elissa Sussman

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Then. Twentysomething writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing book deals, she’s in the trenches writing puff pieces. Then she’s hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker. The Gabe Parker–her forever celebrity crush, the object of her fantasies, the background photo on her phone–who’s also just been cast as the new James Bond. It’s terrifying and thrilling all at once… yet if she can keep her cool and nail the piece, it could be a huge win. Gabe will get good press, and her career will skyrocket. But what comes next proves to be life-changing in ways Chani never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing.
Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a heavy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles, laser-focused on one thing: her work. But she’s still spent the better part of the last decade getting asked about her deeply personal Gabe Parker profile at every turn. No matter what new essay collection or viral editorial she’s promoting, it always comes back to Gabe. So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she’s forgotten about the time they spent together, years ago. But the truth is that those seventy-two hours are still crystal clear, etched in her memory. And so… he says yes.
Chani knows that facing Gabe again also means facing feelings she’s tried so hard to push away. Alternating between their first meeting and their reunion a decade later, this deliciously irresistible novel will have you hanging on until the last word.

Rating: 3/5 stars

This review is completely spoiler-free!

It was about time I finally read this book. It was starting to collect so much dust on my bookshelf that I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get to it, but, luckily, here we are with the review! I have to admit that I was intrigued by the plot because many people suggested it if you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. If you know me, you are already aware that Evelyn Hugo is one of my all-time favourite books and I get why it is compared to it, the vibes are similar, but, in the end, it didn’t live up to my expectations. Let’s see why.

The plot was really interesting and the premises seemed very good. The timeline is divided in two: the past and the present. Throughout the book we keep switching between them and we get to see how Chani felt during her first interview with famous actor Gabe Parker and how, nowadays, things have changed for both of them during a second interview.
My main problem with these timelines was that I was more interested in the parts that took place in the past than in the present days. I felt like there was not so much chemistry between Chani and Gabe nowadays. Chani was grumpy all the time and I didn’t really tolerate her. And Gabe was so submissive, there is almost no reaction on his side if not in the final part of the novel. On the other hand, I really loved seeing the various interactions among Chani, Gabe and Olly, Gabe’s best friend, when they took place in the past. I was captivated all the time by every single thing they were doing.
Another thing that I liked about this book was how every chapter ended with an article or a review that gave the reader a wider perspective of what was happening, like how a certain action was perceived by the world or other magazines. In my opinion, it gave a more insightful vision of what actors have to go through all the time. This was something that I appreciated in Evelyn Hugo as well.
Going back to the present timeline, I still think that it was more boring and there were few things that caught my attention. Not to mention the ending. I won’t spoil anything, but I’ll just say that I didn’t like it: too rushed, too inconclusive and also a bit anticlimactic.
Anyway, I still think that this book is a good and entertaining reading, so if you do want something that can match the Evelyn Hugo vibes, I think this could be a nice choice.

So, these were my opinions about Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman, hope you enjoyed reading about them! If you would like to let me know your own thoughts or you would like to talk about what I said in this review, leave a comment down below! Thanks for reading.

Watching Books – April 2024

Hey guys, how are you? I cannot believe that it’s already May, the warm season is upon us and I couldn’t be happier about that, sunny days are upon us, and with that, we have also some bookish adaptations news I want to discuss with you. We had some exciting ones last month, so get ready, and let’s get started!

 

• The first news for the month regards the movie based on the book Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder. It will be released in theatres on December 6^th of this year. The movie is directed by Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood) and Amy Adams (American Hustle, Sharp Object) plays the main role in it.

 

 

• A massive and exciting news if you like the Dune franchise: the third movie Dune: Messiah, based on the novels by Frank Herbert, is officially in development at Legendary. This movie is supposed to have a 12-year gap in the plot from the events of the first two movies, and the director, Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) revealed that the screenplay is still in the early stages of development.

 

 

 

• We have the first promotional picture of Sam Claflin (Love Rosie, Daisy Jones and the Six) in The Count of Monte Cristo .  It is of course based on the classic story by Alexandre Dumas.
  This one is supposed to come out in September of this year, and it will supposedly debut on the Italian channel Rai 1 (a commissioning broadcaster of the project).

 

 

 

• We have the trailer for the movie Maxton Hall, based on the book Save Me by Mona Katsen. The boarding school/romance movie will come out on Amazon Prime Video on May 9^th. You can watch the trailer here.

 

• And speaking of Amazon Prime Video projects, we heave the first promotional pictures of the TV series based on the book My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows. We also came to know that the series will debut on June 27^th I’m so excited, I love historical TV shows, and this seems to have romance, humor, a wonderful aesthetic, all of it.

 

• Elliot Page (Juno, The Umbrella Academy) is going to produce an adaptation of the novel The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer. The sci-fi novel is following two boys from enemy countries and the rescue mission they’re going on together. Oh, and love is also involved. It seems really cool.

 

 

• While we are all waiting for our beloved Polin season (at least I sure am), we came to know that season 4 of Bridgerton, based on the historical novels by Julia Quinn, will begin filming in June, and it should follow Benedict.

 

 

• Three amazing casting news for the third season of Heartstopper, based on the famous comics by Alice Oseman. Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) has joined the cast in the role of Jack Maddox, Eddie Marsan (Hancok, The Illusionist) will play Charlie’s therapist, Geoff and Hayley Atwell (Christopher Robin, Agent Carter) will play Nick’s aunt, Diane.

 

 

 

 

• We have the first promotional pictures from the movie based on the acclaimed novel It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. It will premiere on the 21^st of August of this year.

 

 

 

• And last, but certainly not least, I’m so excited to say that we have the first trailer for the movie based on the book This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens. I loved the book, and this trailer seems so, so, so good, I can’t wait to watch it. The movie will premiere in UK and Ireland on the 3^rd of June.

 

Okay guys, these were all the news for this month, I hope you enjoyed them, and please let me know your favourite in a comment down below.

Thank you so much for reading,

 

My May 2024 TBR

As you may know by now, I’m not that good at following TBRs. However, now that I have (sadly) little time to read, I’ve decided to try to plan some of my reads each month. April hasn’t been a lucky month for my readings, but I’m very hopeful for May. So here are the books I’m going to read this month
Let’s see together what they are!

Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Title: Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgertons #4)
Author: Julia Quinn
Synopsis: Everyone knows that Colin Bridgerton is the most charming man in London. Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend’s brother for…well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret…and fears she doesn’t know him at all.
Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone’s preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can’t seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same – especially Penelope Featherington! The girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide…is she his biggest threat – or his promise of a happy ending?

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn is the fourth novel in the Bridgertons saga. I have to admit I haven’t read the previous novels in the series, and I usually don’t read something without having read the other installments. This is an exception. I’m a fan of the TV series, so I’m already familiar with the characters and the setting. I have decided to read this fourth book in anticipation of the new season, which will follow Colin and Penelope’s story. I’m in the mood for a good and comfortable read, so I’m just guessing this is the right one for me at the moment.  I expect it to be a delightful historical romance novel that will offer me an engaging story filled with witty banter, charming characters, and a captivating romance.

Chi dice e chi tace

Title: Chi dice e chi tace
Author: Chiara Valerio
Synopsis (my translation): Scauri, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, is the last town in Lazio, a place neither beautiful nor ugly, with its own disheveled grace. Here, in the 1970s, Vittoria moves, arriving with Mara, perhaps adopting her, perhaps kidnapping her, so many things are said. Vittoria, with her laughter that starts low and ends sharp, is a detached and affable woman, welcoming and evasive; she bought a house where everyone can come and go, and she opened a pet boarding house when in-town veterinarians only care about cows and rabbits. Vittoria has never argued with anyone and has never changed her hairstyle. Her generosity is inexhaustible, some of her habits have become common fashion. The town doesn’t understand her, yet feels drawn to her. Vittoria is found dead in the bathtub, a stupid accident, an improbable end. The town accepts it because it knows how to understand misfortunes and keeps quiet. Lea Russo, however, does not. Lea, who is a lawyer, has a husband, two daughters, and a life full of commitments, has always been fascinated by Vittoria. She doesn’t want to settle for what she has always had in front of her eyes. She wants to understand how Vittoria died, and who she really was. What emerges about the woman, her unsuspected past, pushes Lea Russo along a path that is difficult to advance on, and from which it is impossible to turn back. Here she discovers the evanescence of identity, hers and everyone else’s. Here she discovers, without being able to count them, how many faces violence has.

Chi dice e chi tace by Chiara Valerio is presented as a dark story of characters, an investigation into an unusual province, and a portrait of women in constant mutation. Here nothing ever remains still, passions, anxieties, truths, and mysteries, the silences of the present and the noise of the past. I like very much Valerio’s writing style and her ways of expressing her ideas. I’m very eager to dive into this story and be swept away by it.

Talking at Night

Title: Talking at Night
Author: Claire Daverley
Synopsys: Will and Rosie meet as teenagers. They’re opposites in every way. She overthinks everything; he is her twin brother’s wild and unpredictable friend. But over secret walks home and late-night phone calls, they become closer—destined to be one another’s great love story.
Until, one day, tragedy strikes, and their future together is shattered.
But as the years roll on, Will and Rosie can’t help but find their way back to each other. Time and again, they come close to rekindling what might have been.
What do you do when the one person you should forget is the one you just can’t let go?

Last but not least, Talking at Night by Claire Daverley is our book club pick for this May.  This is presented as a tender love story that will leave readers experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions. And I’m so very ready for that! I bumped into it because it was compared to Normal People by Sally Rooney and One Day by David Nicholls: that’s why I know I’m going to love it!

Okay, guys, here are the three books I really want to get to this month. What are your plans for May? Let me know in the comment section down below!

If you like this book, then read this other one! #6

I always enjoy recommendations based on something I have already read, so here are a few reading suggestions that I hope you will enjoy!

The Charm Offensive – The True Love Experiment

Both these books have a main character featuring on a dating show to find their true love. Obviously things will not go as planned, and their love match might end up being someone they have never considered.

Twisted Games – The Bodyguard

I have decided to match these two novels because they have the same trope, which is the one featuring the relationship between a famous person and their bodyguard. In Twisted Games a princess falls for her new bodyguard and the two of them need to navigate what it means whereas in The Bodyguard we have a renowned actor and his bodyguard who fall head over heels for each other even though they both know they should keep business and pleasure separate.

The Wishing Game – Charlie and the chocolate factory/A Series of Unfortunate Events

If you have read The Wishing Game, I think you’ll get why I have decided it to match it with The Chocolate Factory. The idea of the contestants who get to go to the famous author’s island perfectly resembles what happens with Charlie and the golden ticket. 

I have also decided to pair this story with A Series of Unfortunate Events because I believe in some way these books just give off similar vibes and I truly think people would enjoy both stories. 

Season of Love – The Ride of Her Life

In Season of Love the main character Miriam inherits a Christmas tree farm from her great-aunt and so she moves there and decides to try and save it from bankruptcy, with the help of Noelle, the manager of the place and the one who feels most threatened by Miriam’s presence on the farm that she now feels like a true home. In The Ride of Her Life it’s Molly who inherits a horse farm from her late aunt. She will need to save the property with Shani’s help, the woman who took care of her aunt and who still works on the property. I think you can clearly see the similarities these two novels share and that’s why I’m pairing them together.

That’s all for today, I hope you enjoyed these recommendations.

Talk to you soon,

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson – Review

Title: The Final Empire (Mistborn 1)

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Synopsis (from Goodreads): For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the “Sliver of Infinity,” reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler’s most hellish prison. Kelsier “snapped” and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.
Kelsier recruited the underworld’s elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Then Kelsier reveals his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.
But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel’s plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she’s a half-Skaa orphan, but she’s lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets. She will have to learn trust if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.
Brandon Sanderson, fantasy’s newest master tale-spinner and author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the prophesied hero failed to defeat the Dark Lord? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises that begins with the book in your hands. Fantasy will never be the same again.  out

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This review is completely spoiler-free!

So, here we are with a new review of one of the books of my Reading Challenge! This was (finally) the time to read the first book in the well-known and beloved series of Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. And now I know what the fuss is all about. Let’s talk about it better.
First of all, as usual, the writing style. I have to admit that it was very good. It was always fluent and my eyes kept reading without any problem. Sometimes I felt it to be a bit slow, but it gave the right pace to the reading experience and to what was happening in that moment.
What I really enjoyed about the writing style of this author is that everything has its place. I knew that Sanderson is a master in creating stories, but I didn’t expect them to be crafted with such attention to the detail. Everything happens for a reason and is explained why it happened or why it didn’t happen. Every single thing is explained and all the pieces work together because they can. There is nothing left to chance or without a reason. And that’s what I really admired all the time. I felt like I was embraced all the time, and safe, because I knew I could trust the author and be led all the way through the plot.
Now, the plot is something that really kept me glued to the pages. Every now and then there is a new discovery that makes you even more curious about what will happen next and I was so happy with that. Even in some slow parts I never felt bored and for me this is one of the greatest qualities a book should have.
Talking about the cast of characters, I must say that I have created a special place in my heart for all of them. My favourite two were Vin and Kelsier, the true engines of this novel. I really loved reading about their points of view, the relationship that grew between them and how both of them learned from the other. It was such a breath of fresh air and now I’m so eager to read more about Vin and what will await her in the next installments!
You might wonder why I gave this book a 4.5 star rating instead of a full 5 stars. The only reason is that I expect so much from the future two installments of this trilogy that I want to reserve the highest rating for one of them. Consider me sold, I’m obsessed with Vin’s story.

So, these were my opinions about The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, hope you enjoyed reading about them! If you would like to let me know your own thoughts or you would like to talk about what I said in this review, leave a comment down below! Thanks for reading.

Books as Songs from The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

Hey there guys? How are youuuuu? How are we all holding up? I’m literally so overwhelmed because yesterday “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift came out, and are we kidding? And she also put out a double album? I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, I’m so freaking overwhelmed. I like it soooo much through my first listens. It’s very different from what I expected but it was so good, I definitely enjoyed it a lot. And now, we are going to pair these songs with some books. And also, I hope you don’t mind, I’m so sorry guys, but this time I won’t give long explanations as to why I chose every book, there are literally 31 songs, I could be here all day and night. You will have to just go with the lyrics for this one, and my brief comment, I’m so sorry again.
Oh my God, are we ready? Let’s go.

1. Fortnight by Post Malone

“And for a fortnight, there we were

Forever running to you

Sometimes ask about the weather

Now, you’re in my backyard, turned into good neighbors

Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her”

Book: Everybody here is lying by Shari Lapena

It’s giving murder in a small neighbourhood and cheating to be honest.

2. The Tortured Poets Department

“And who’s gonna know you?

If not me

I laughed in your face and said, “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith

This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’rе modern idiots”

And who’s gonna hold you?

Like me”

 

Book: Alone with you in the ether by Olivie Blake

We love a torturous moment and a torturous book, not gonna lie.

3. My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys

“My boy only breaks his favorite toys, toys, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

I’m queen of sand castles he destroys, oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

‘Cause I knew too much, there was danger in the heat of my touch

He saw forever so he smashed it up, oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh”

Book: Happy Place by Emily Henry

The saddest Emily Henry’s book, I said what I said.

4. Down Bad

“Fuck it if I can’t have him”

“I might just die, it would make no difference”

Down bad, waking up in blood

Staring at the sky, come back and pick me up

Fuck it if I can’t have us

I might just not get up”

 Book: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

You just have to trust me on this one, she was down bad, and then something changed, if you like romantasy give it a go.

5. So Long, London

“Thinking how much sad did you think I had, did you think I had in me?

Oh, the tragedy

So long, London

You’ll find someone”

Book: Atonement by Ian McEwan

London, tragedy and sea references, I swear I have it all.

6. But Daddy I Love Him

“And I’m running with my dress unbuttoned

Screaming, “But daddy I love him”

I’m having his baby

No, I’m not, but you should see your faces

I’m telling him to floor it through the fences

No, I’m not coming to my senses

I know it’s crazy”

Book: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Do I even have to explain this one?

7. Fresh Out the Slammer

“And no matter what I’ve done, it wouldn’t matter anyway

Ain’t no way I’m gonna screw up, now that I know what’s at stake here

At the park where we used to sit on children’s swings

Wearing imaginary rings”

 

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

Listen, I really don’t want to say that I see Taylor’s personal experience in this one (I would never Joe), but starting to breathe again after a relationship that felt wrong is a strong theme in this one.

8. Florida!!! Ft. Florence and The Machine

“So I did my best to lay to rest

All of the bodies that have ever been on my body

And in my mind, they sink into the swamp

Is that a bad thing to say in a song?”

Book: Weyward by Emilia Hart

Witchy vibes, disregard for men, a haunting melody, what could you possibly want more? This is my favourite song, I think, you guys.

9. Guilty as Sin?

“These fatal fantasies giving way to labored breath taking all of me

We’ve already done it in my head

If it’s make believe

Why does it feel like a vow

We’ll both uphold somehow?”

Book: Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

I’m so sorry about Joe Alwyn for this one, I know the irony of it all, but just, this book was just so good for this song.

10. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?

“So I lеap from the gallows and I levitate down your street

Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream

“Who’s afraid of little old me?”

I was tame, I was gentle ’til the circus life made me mean

Don’t you worry folks, we took out all her teeth”

Book: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Literally I think this horror and haunting novel could go well with this song, it is one of my favourites in the album, the build-up is just so good.

11. I Can Fix Him (No Really, I Can)

“His hands so calloused from his pistol softly traces hearts on my face
And I could see it from a mile away
A perfect case for my certain skill set
He had a halo of the highest gradе
He just hadn’t met me yеt”

Book: Reckless by Elsie Silver

Listen, my brain is completely gone by this point, this just gives me bad cowboy vibes, so what better choice than this one?

12. loml

“If you know it in one glimpse, it’s legendary

What we thought was for all time was momentary

Still alive, killing time at the cemetery

Never quite buried”

Book: In Memoriam by Alice Winn

Do you want to cry as you were doing while listening to this song? Don’t worry besties, I got you covered.

13. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

“Cause I’m a real tough kid

I can handle my shit

They said, “Babe, you gotta fake it till you make it” and I did

Lights, camera, bitch, smile

Even when you wanna die”

Book: When in Rome by Sarah Adams

If you want popstar with a broken heart finding love in a small town romance, this is the one for you, I enjoyed it a lot.

14. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

“And I don’t even want you back, I just want to know

If rusting my sparkling summer was the goal

And I don’t miss what we had, but could someone give

A message to the smallest man who ever lived?”

Book: Acts of Desperation by Megan Dolan

Tortured poets and girls being ghosted all over again, I think this is a perfect fit for this track.

15. The Alchemy

“So when I touch down

Call the amateurs and cut ’em from the team

Ditch the clowns, get the crown

Baby, I’m the one to be

‘Cause the sign on your heart

Said it’s still reserved for me

Honestly, who are we to fight thе alchemy?”

Book: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

 

Me and Taylor both love some football romance for us. First of a long list of football songs we’ll have in the future guys, here we go.

16. Clara Bow

“You look like Stevie Nicks in ’75

The hair and lips

The crowd goes wild at her fingertips

Half moonshinе, a full eclipse”

Book: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Oh Daisy, you would have loved The Tortured Poets Department. And this song was written for you.
Also can we talk about “You look like Taylor Swift, in this light, we’re loving it?” Cause I might go crazy if we don’t.

17. The Black Dog

“I move through the world with a heart broken

My longing state unspoken

And I may never open up thе way I did for you

And all of those best laid plans

You said I needed a bravе man”

Book: Normal People by Sally Rooney

Do you know when you see your ex out living his best life and you start thinking about what you had? Exactly.

18. imgonnagetyouback

“Whether I’m gonna be your wife, or

Gonna smash up your bike, I haven’t decided yet

But I’m gonna get you back

Whether I’m gonna curse you out, or

Take you back to my house, I haven’t decidеd yet

But I’m gonna get you back”

Book: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

She really said “I’m gonna give a song to all the second-chance romance girlies out there”. And girlies is gender neutral.

19. The Albatross

“And when that sky rains fire on you

And you’re persona non grata

I’ll tell you how I’ve been there too

And that none of it matters”

Book: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

This book still haunts my mind even years after I read it, and this song will too, I think my favourite in the second part of this album.

20. Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus

“So if you want to break my cold, cold heart

Say you loved me

And if you want to tear my world apart

Say you’ll always wonder”

Book: Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

Ill-fated lovers? A story of a meant to be love that never seems to actually have a realization and it is not meant to be? I think this could be it (also this is our May book club read for the month and I am EXCITED).

21. How did it end?

“Come one come all

It’s happening again

The empathetic hunger descends

We’ll tell no-one

Except all of our friends

But I still don’t know

How did it end?”

Book: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

The autopsy of a relationship that’s dying is the main theme of this book, and also of this song, so win-win.

22. So High School

“Are you gonna marry, kiss, or kill me (Kill me)

It’s just a game, but really (Really)

I’m bettin’ on all three for us two (All three)

Get my car door, isn’t that sweet? (That sweet)

Then pull me to the backsеat (Backseat)

No one’s evеr had me (Had me), not like you”

 

Book: Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

Classic high-school romance, I loved this book, it’s so sweet and fun, just like this song.

23. I Hate It Here

“Secret gardens in my mind

People need a key to get to

The only one is mine

I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child

No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears”

Book: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

She literally says it in the song, so I guess this was the reference for this piece of work. I love when she combines music and books.

24. thanK you aIMee

“All that time you were throwin’ punches, I was buildin’ somethin’

And I couldn’t wait to show you it was real

Screamed “Fuck you, Aimee” to the night sky, as the blood was gushin’

But I can’t forget the way you made me heal”

Book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I was a bit struggling for this one, but I think both this song and this book have a strong theme of bullying, so I think this could be a good choice.

25. I Look in People’s Windows

“I look in people’s windows

In case you’re at their table

What if your eyes looked up and met mine

One more time”

Book: One Day in December by Josie Silver

This book follows someone who sees another person one time at a bus station, and then she believes to be in love, so I saw the resemblance.

26. Prophecy

“Hand on the throttle

Thought I caught lightning in a bottle

Oh, but it’s gone again

And it was written

I got cursed like Eve got bitten

Oh, was it punishment?”

Book: The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

I can’t even begin to describe what this song did to me, I was a crying mess. I know this book talks about a woman who’s cursed, same as this song, and I just love female rage, what can I do?

27. Cassandra

“So, they killed Cassandra first ’cause she feared the worst

And tried to tell the town

So, they filled my cell with snakes, I regret to say

Do you believe me now?”

Book: Cassandra by Christa Wolf

Sometimes it’s just as simple as that, but I’m a Greek mythology girly, so I love all these references, and this song is so beautiful.

28. Peter

“And I didn’t wanna come down

I thought it was just goodbye for now

You said you were gonna grow up

Then you were gonna come find me”

Book: Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise

Oh my, I love a good retelling, and this seems to focus on the character of Wendy so well,  so I think this could be a wonderful fit for the song.

29. The Bolter

“All her fuckin’ lives

Flashed before her eyes

It feels like the time

She fell through the ice

Then came out alive”

Book: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Sometimes I think I’m funny, but bless you Amy March, you would have loved The Tortured Poets Department, the woman that you are.

30. Robin

“You got the dragonflies above your bed

You have a favorite spot on the swing set

You have no room in your dreams for regrets”

Book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This is a sweet ballad about the innocence of childhood, so I could only pair it with my favourite childhood book of all times, this is so sweet.

31. The Manuscript

“The only thing that’s left is the manuscript

One last souvenir from my trip to your shores

Now and then I reread the manuscript

But the story isn’t mine anymore”

Book: Writers and Lovers by Lily King

A book about how writing gives the main character something to live for is what I thought could be best for this wonderful song that closes this very, very, very long album.

Okay guys, we have come to an end and I really hope that you liked this article cause I spent so much time on it, I’m not even kidding.

Please tell me if you liked The Tortured Poets Department, and which was your favourite song at first listen.
Thank you so much for reading, and I’ll talk to you soon,

Little People, BIG DREAMS – Arc Reviews #26

The Little People, Big Dreams series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this Earth, no matter what difficulties they encountered in their lives. These stories are concise, but that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable. The language is straightforward and conversational, and it works very well for the younger reader and the elder. I think they are a brilliant and fantastic way to introduce little children to such important figures. Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara is a writer and creative director, and she’s the mastermind behind most of the books of the series. I really love that Vegara collaborates with many different illustrators to give each person/book a personal style, showing her readers that everybody is unique. I’ve been in love with these little books for quite some time now, and I’m happy to show you two of their latest releases for the month of June.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lincoln Children’s Books (Quarto Publishing Group), I had the opportunity to read this cute little book in advance in exchange for an honest opinion.

Taylor Swift

Title: Taylor Swift
Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Illustrator: Borghild Fallberg 
Synopsis: Little Taylor grew up on her family’s Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania. Then, at age six, she went to her first concert – she saw LeAnn Rimes, the country musician. At that moment, Taylor fell in love with country music! Some of the kids at school didn’t understand but Taylor managed to shake it off!   She took her first steps towards stardom by recording a demo of cover songs and sent it to record labels in Nashville, the home of country music. However, while, she enjoyed singing others’ songs, she knew all too well that she had to express herself in her own words. So, she started writing her own lyrics and melodies and her natural talent for putting her feelings into words shone through.   After signing with a record label, she started working on her first album. Called ‘Taylor Swift’, it became very popular, very quickly. She earned a number one single on the country music charts. Then, she released her second album, ‘Fearless’, which was country-pop instead of just country and suddenly, everyone knew her name. She won a Grammy for her work and started to write more and more pop music for her albums. She wrote heartfelt lyrics loved by millions around the world.   Despite the obstacles in her way, Taylor has always stood up for what she believes in, and always believes in herself! This powerful book will never go out of style.
Rating: 4 stars

This is the story of Taylor Swift, a talented singer who became a star. During her career, she has always encountered obstacles, but she has overcome all of them with determination and with her talent. She is a great inspiration for children and adults. Her music is empowering and everyone can relate to it. She is an example: if you believe in yourself and your dream, you really can achieve it!

Simone Biles

Title: Simone Biles
Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Illustrator: Borghild Fallberg 
Synopsis: Growing up in foster care, Simone’s gymnastics training was an anchor in her life. An energetic child, she loved to tumble and spin in the air at gymnastics class and began her career as an athlete when she was just 14 years old. Astonishingly, at the age of 19, she had won four gold medals for the USA. Despite the hardships, she has faced them all to become one of the greatest athletes of all time and an advocate for mental health awareness.
Rating: 4 stars

Here we have the story of Simone Biles, one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time. Since she was a little child, gymnastics training has always been her passion. She trained hard, despite the hardships, and she is now one of the greatest athletes ever. Moreover, she advocates for mental health awareness.

Okay, guys, that’s all for today. I hope you’ll enjoy reading these little books. Bye for now!