Ultimate control has its downside, especially when it comes to romance. But will it be enough to keep them together?
As a siren Lula Aglaope can bend anyone to her will with the smallest whisper, but she’d give up her power for one meaningful, honest conversation.
She wants a normal life, like the open, true connections the humans seem to pull off with such little effort.
When she meets Alexiares, God of Warding off Wars, all thoughts of normalcy fly out the window. The beautiful demigod cannot be controlled! He’s frustrating, irresistible...and utterly off-limits.
Alex has watched Olympus slowly fall apart. The old gods continue their archaic control of the Universe, denying the progress of humans and other deities. But Alex has plans to repair the damage, and Lula is a major player.
She just doesn’t know it yet.
Falling for her is the worst idea. And just when things move in the right direction, danger arises that no one expects, plunging the sirens into the deadly Olympian spotlight.
With Lula’s sisters missing, and a pile of broken laws surrounding them, will Alex and Lula change the Universe for the better or destroy it?
If you like Kevin Hearne, Molly Harper, and Shannon Mayer, you’ll love this fun paranormal romance steeped in mythology!
Review:
My Songs Curse was seductive, intoxicating and I was obsessed from just that first page. This was a forbidden love story that wove mythology, friendship and love throughout the pages, and I loved every minute of it. If you enjoy paranormal or adult romance, then you definitely need this book in your life!
Each of us has experienced the same. Just a taste. I scratch at the tightness below my throat
Lula lived such a lonely life. She couldn’t be around humans for long, without them changing or ruining themselves. And with her siren sisters scattered across the globe, she was entirely alone. That was until she met Alex. Alex, aka Alexiares, was a demigod from Olympus. He was the son of Hercules and grandson of Zeus, king of Olympus. He seemed to appear in Lula’s life out of nowhere. Yet there were things already in motion. So as we watched the story unfold, through both of their eyes, we got taken on a journey that was mesmerizing.
I cover my hot face with both hands. I don’t want this. The control I possess hangs its heavy weight around my neck, threatening to strangle, and I can’t shrug it off and walk away.
I loved Lula, she was resilient, strong, brave and kind. But she was so lonely. So when Alex walked into her life, everything changed. Being able to have a conversation and kiss someone of their own free will was beyond unique to her. In her 182 years of living, that had never happened. Because when she was around the humans, even a word or laugh from her lips consumed and twisted them. With Alex, she could just be. Yet, them being together was completely forbidden and Lula was unaware of the plans he had for her.
“Godsdammit, Lula, you’re my perfect torture,” he says, breathless.
Alex was sigh and book boyfriend worthy. He was determined, astute, seductive and charming. With being a demigod, so much had been handed to him. Yet Lula was unlike others in Olympus. She didn’t bow down to him and she treated him like an equal. And she not only challenged him but enticed him too. Meeting Lula face to face was not part of his plan, at the moment. Yes he had been watching her, but so much was at stake and in play. Yet from the first moment he spoke to Lula, there was no way he could walk away.
There is only this moment. May it last for eternity.
Alex and Lula together were exhilarating. There was so much chemistry between them, that even them making food together felt seductive. But they were forbidden. A siren was not supposed to be with a demigod. And anything more then a kiss could be catastrophic. I loved that they couldn’t not touch the other, and as the story progressed their moments together were sizzling sexy *fans face*. But there was so much more going on. There was political intrigue, plots about Olympus, a missing siren and so much unknown. With friendship, laughter and loyalty laced throughout the pages, this book was so much fun!
“I want to experience every inch of you more than anything. Every mysterious thought, every blush, every eye-roll. I’m choosing you.” My mouth opens even though I haven’t a clue what to say, but speech is impossible anyway because he closes the distance and captures my lips.
My Songs Curse was a forbidden love story that was mesmerizing. The story-line captured my heart and I always had to know what happened next. And with side characters who felt larger then life, I heart Comus and Rath!, this story was so well rounded out. The ending left us at the perfect place. Yes there was still lots up in the air, but we were left beyond happy and at a perfect resting spot. I enjoyed this story so much, and Minix has definitely created a fan for life!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.
Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.
Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.
Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read, a sparkling new novel that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations.
Review
“I don’t think I knew I was lonely until I met you.”
Well, well, well it’s been a good long while since I’ve read a friends to lovers story that has made me go OKAY WHY DO I ALWAYS SAY I LOVE ENEMIES TO LOVERS BEST??!?!!? amirite?
This is only my second Emily Henry book but you better believe she has already skyrocketed up to the top of my favorite authors in the contemporary genre. Her writing is so crisp and her banter is hilarious but also REAL. Sometimes when authors lean too hard into banter it becomes almost TOO funny and therefore unbelievable. Like…are people really that funny? Are they always able to have these off the cuff back and forths??? Nahh lol.
Poppy and Alex though hit all my favorite everythings. They met in college and found out they were from neighboring towns but had never met before. They are different enough that their friendship easily wouldn’t have worked out…only that it did. Because not only are they special, but they are special to one another. They are the kind of person that you meet once and have this chance and maybe almost seemingly nonexistent spark with, maybe don’t see for some time, and then meet up and boom–it’s destiny. Does that make sense? It does for me because I had the same exact experience with my husband in college and looking back at the continuous CHANCE encounters of it all makes me giddy.
So, yes, I love this book for the reminders that it served me but also because of how it was told. We get snippets of their past and of their present. We find out what makes their relationship special, where things may have went “wrong,” where they fell in love, where they just couldn’t let one another go. The vacations themselves were also a perk to me because it’s the dead ass of winter here and any picture that can be painted of sunshine and warmth is a balm to my soul.
Overall I think…nay, I KNOW I loved this more than Beach Read even though that was soo, so good, too. I cannot wait to get my hands on anything and everything she comes up with next.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver comes the first book of the Scholomance trilogy, the story of an unwilling dark sorceress who is destined to rewrite the rules of magic.
FINALIST FOR THE LODESTAR AWARD • “The dark school of magic I’ve been waiting for.”—Katherine Arden, author of Winternight Trilogy
I decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life.
Everyone loves Orion Lake. Everyone else, that is. Far as I’m concerned, he can keep his flashy combat magic to himself. I’m not joining his pack of adoring fans.
I don’t need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I’m probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I’ll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world.
At least, that’s what the world expects. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that’s crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school certainly does.
But the Scholomance isn’t getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone’s idea of the shining hero, but I’m going to make it out of this place alive, and I’m not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either.
Although I’m giving serious consideration to just one.
With flawless mastery, Naomi Novik creates a school bursting with magic like you’ve never seen before, and a heroine for the ages—a character so sharply realized and so richly nuanced that she will live on in hearts and minds for generations to come. The magic of the Scholomance trilogy continues in The Last Graduate.
“You know, it’s almost impressive,” he said after a moment, sounding less wobbly. “You’re nearly dead and you’re still the rudest person I’ve ever met. You’re welcome again, by the way.”
It goes without saying, at this point, that I am obsessed and would die for character driven stories: if not for the most amazing buildups, for the agonizingly painful build up to something almost always extraordinary. Do I think this book had some epic end? I don’t know-I think it was epic, in its own right, but it wasn’t some crazy battle to the end or anything. What it 1000% DID accomplish, though, was one of the most satisfying cherries on top of an incredulous El sundae, where we get the most gratifying payoff of the cutest non-storyline ever. Seriously. I know, vagueness is vague but….it’s good. It’s worth it. It’s just so deliciously underhandedly subtle and fleshed out. The genius behind this…I still can’t put my finger on how it made such a dark story so cute.
I’d like to claim I couldn’t bring myself to go, but I’ve got quite well-developed willpower when it comes to doing necessary work. I just have very little willpower when it comes to indulging petty resentment.
But enough of that. This book was so much darker than I ever thought it would be. It honestly makes me wonder if my radar is off, if my mind is inexplicably broken, if I have some gear that’s broken inside my brain for how little my radar has protected me lately. I guess I’m just coasting through books these days, assuming because it’s labeled YA it won’t be weird or nasty or downright gory-I’ve seen more gore in YA lately than I’ve seen in years, it feels like (I’m not complaining), and I owe it all to my lack of being in the loop for years because of my children. It’s a weird sort of vindication to have found so many wins in one year/one summer, and I’m really immersing myself to the point it’s onto the next one each time I put a book down. I’m a monster. I’m insatiable. And this book was just another I added to my 5 star pile in 2021.
…probably every instinct he had was now going wild with the desire to put a stop to my not-yet-begun reign of terror. Naturally that made me want to go and launch said reign of terror immediately, but first I had to sit through two hours of language and one of Maleficaria Studies.
Which, can I just say, is just so refreshing. I don’t even truly know how I’m reading, at the moment, as I can’t seem to shake my illness, but I am demolishing each book thrown at me, and I’ve re-read two different sets of stories back to back within a few months. Who even am I? That being said, this poor book probably shouldn’t have stood a chance. I mean, I kept picking it up and eventually zoning out, yet it held my attention so raptly that I couldn’t help to forge on through the plague of zombie-mindedness. I am shocked I got even a flicker of a feel, seeing as how I feel emotionless and dead inside-but, hey, perhaps this was the perfect read, as the snark was at a 10/10 level, and it kept me laughing long into the night.
Boys often think for about ten seconds that they might want to go out with me, and then they look into my eyes or talk to me and I suppose get the strong impression I’m likely to devour their souls or something. Also, in Orion’s case, I’d been aggressively rude to him and nearly got him killed by mimics.
But, aside from what I was talking about earlier and will probably [but definitely will] expand on, the thing that worked most for this book was the level of anger and snark that emanated off of our dark heroine. It actually almost broke my heart how mean she was to Orion, but he seemed to like it so who am I to feel bad for the poor dude? At one point I felt so inexplicably drawn to her inner thoughts that I had to do a double take to make sure it wasn’t ME who was talking. The way she ALWAYS has to get something snarky in, the way she views everything, the way she portrays it to us and breaks it down into a hilarious, dark version with morbid humor about every situation added much needed levity to a book centered around a school that basically devours it’s students to keep it running (but why).
Thanks to my freshman-year Maleficaria Studies textbook, I know that our deliciousness goes up another order of magnitude every six months between thirteen and eighteen, all wrapped up inside a thin and easy-to-break sugar shell instead of the tough chewy hide of a grown wizard. That’s not a metaphor I made up myself: it’s straight out of the book, which took a lot of pleasure telling us in loads of detail just how badly the maleficaria want to eat us: really, really badly.
And I can’t even begin to describe how this book helped me kind of coast through the worst days of my illness, but it did. I don’t know how, but her inner ramblings-which are 90% of the book, seriously-just spoke to me on a higher level, one that kept me grounded and not so miserable. Perhaps because she was so miserable herself? I suppose that’s something that people should know, going in, if you live under a rock-this author is very wordy (Uprooted, anyone? Another FAV!) and doesn’t rush any one under any circumstance for any reason. And that’s why it’s so amazing once you make it to the end-it’s always extraordinary, even if its unconventionally so.
Instead I’ve spent three years putting it off and coming up with convoluted plans for how I was going to arrange my dramatic revelation and meanwhile, at the first chance I got, I just started being as rude as I could to every enclave kid who crossed my path. I’d certainly done my very best to chase Orion off. If he wasn’t a towering weirdo who liked that in a person, I’d have succeeded.
And finally, my favorite favorite plot point: The whole plot literally revolves around our MC’s vehement denial that she and Orion are dating. I was lol’ing the. Whole. Time. Like clockwork when she’d ground it out of her clenched teeth or in her mind, her little reassurances to make sure we readers knew she knew better and it annoyed her people thought so. And that’s the other thing-she spoke to us sometimes, addressing us as readers, and it cracked me up, too. I am so odd, but it just made me chuckle.
My anger’s a bad guest, my mother likes to say: comes without warning and stays a long time.
So, in the end, I guess I never even knew what this book was about, because it was nothing I’d have ever expected. I still really don’t get it, but I guess that’s the fun of it, and that’s what makes the Orion and Galadriel moments that much sweeter. I can’t say it’s for everyone (it’s definitely not), but for those, like me, that like bitch humor, snark, and character driven plots…it’s literally a hole in one.
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Literally my favorite storyline (and it’s arguably a large portion of the plot, if you ask me (I know you didn’t, but)) in the book is the ‘We are NOT dating’ struggle the MC passionately shuts down throughout the novel-seriously, it’s like a subtle plot that slayed me. And Orion’s complete obliviousness to the whole debacle lol. 5 stars just for that hilarious drama
A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.
Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.
Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.
The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.
Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other?
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CASTLES IN THEIR BONES by Laura Sebastian Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my review below and make sure to enter the giveaway!
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“Like Mama always says,” Beatriz murmurs. “We’re three stars of the same constellation. Distance won’t change that.”
I REALLY like Castles in their Bones, the newest series from Ash Princes author Laura Sebastian. It’s essentially three stories smushed together in a single book, with threads weaving the stories together. It’s definitely has shades of Three Dark Crowns, but the sisters are working together instead of against each other. There’s so many twists and turns, y’all aren’t ready.
“You wish to appear smaller?” she asks, shaking her head. You are a queen. Why shouldn’t you take up every bit of space you deserve?”
As I mentioned above (and in the book synopsis) the story follows three triplet princesses: Daphne, Sophia and Beatriz. On their their 16th birthday they are sent to rival countries to marry princes and secure their country’s relations at their behest. However, thanks to their mother’s training since they were young, they are lethal and skilled and ready to bring down each of the countries so they can be ruled as one. Naturally, things are not as simple as that and the plan becomes complicated as each girl settles into her role and meets new allies and enemies.
It shouldn’t matter what he believes in, it shouldn’t make her heart beat faster, it shouldn’t let her forget, even for a second, who she is and why she is here. But it does, and that makes it dangerous.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of because as I mentioned before, there’s essentially three independent stories going on (with small things keeping them intwined). I really liked all three of the sisters. When I was reading Three Dark Crowns, I definitely had my favorite sister, but I really couldn’t pick a favorite from these three. They all had great things about them, and while their stories ebbed and flowed with excitement, I truly was rooting for all of them.
As for the side characters, I loved getting to know Leopold, Bairre, Pasquale, Nico and Ambrose. They each brought something great to the table, even if they all aren’t necessarily the *good guys.* There’s plenty of other side characters too, but I can’t say I was as much of a fan of them or their actions. I enjoyed each of the romances for the girls, but I don’t want to say more due to spoilers. None if it is too deep, but it was really lovely watching each of them feel something for someone other than their sisters.
The world-building was really unique, as was the magic system. I can’t say I’ve really read anything else that is even close to star magic. For lack of a better word, it was really magical ha. Each country felt really unique and realistic, especially when it came to the star magic rules.
And how about the ending, hmm? Well let’s just say I audibly gasped and put my hand over my mouth. I know it’s fade to black and there’s a chance (I don’t care what the epilogue says) that what we are told happened didn’t necessarily. Until we get book two, I refuse to believe it *plugs ears and closes eyes.* If Sebastian really did do THAT, then WOW. That was really bold. But I remain in denial/optimistic for now.
Please grab this book right now! It released on February 1, so no excuses! Yes, sometimes it gets a bit confusing jumping between the stories and keeping track of all the characters, but it is so worth it. The way the stories were threaded was incredibly well done and the book really kept my attention. I am anxiously awaiting the follow up to this one and seeing what comes next for these three girls who really need a hug and a vacation.
“It’s always easier to love people who need us than people we need, I think. Being needed makes one powerful. Needing, though, makes vulnerable.”
Other Reviews:
“Enchanting…filled with captivating court intrigue and espionage.” –Kirkus Reviews
“A page-turner that brilliantly blends magic, romance, and adventure. A twist ending leaves readers reeling but ready for the second installment in the planned trilogy.” –Booklist
“Sebastian excels at world building…and a few tantalizing open threads certainly warrant interest in the future two volumes in this trilogy.” –The Bulletin
“An extravagantly built series starter” –Publishers Weekly
About Laura:
Laura Sebastian grew up in South Florida and attended Savannah College of Art and Design. She now lives and writes in London, England, with her two dogs, Neville and Circe. Laura is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series: Ash Princess, Lady Smoke, and Ember Queen, as well as Half Sick of Shadows, her first novel for adults. To learn more about Laura and her books, follow @sebastian_lk on Twitter.
As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.
That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding... six-pack abs.
Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.
Review:
His hand closed into a fist on the table, jaw clenched tight as he nodded. “Awesome. We could chat about how nice this place is—” “It’s appalling.” “—or the taste of the sushi—” “Foot.” “—or the best movie in the Fast and Furious franchise—” “Fast Five. Though I have a feeling you’re going to say—” “Tokyo Drift.” “Right.” He sighed.
No words can truly describe what I’m feeling right now. Surely they’re inadequate-or repetitive-since all I’ve done is gush about contemporaries for weeks now, but there’s something more, I fear, to be said that hasn’t before. I don’t quite know what it is, but in all the books I’ve read within the last month, they’ve all had such an intensely unique quality so embedded into them that you couldn’t possibly take away their ability to reach deep into your soul…if that is, in fact, what you were looking for. But no, The Love Hypothesis didn’t necessarily knock any of my other new discoveries out of top place, only…joined them. But I’d be lying if I said the word I was looking for wasn’t ‘special’. This book was special. And I think the damnedest thing is this-it’s special simply for coming into existence, and special because of the wonderful things it made me feel.
“Though, I’ve been thinking about this a lot.” He waited patiently for her to continue. “And I think that it would be best if we laid down some ground rules. Before starting.” “Ground rules?” “Yes. You know. What we are allowed and not allowed to do. What we can expect from this arrangement. I think that’s pretty standard protocol, before embarking on a fake-dating relationship.” He tilted his head. “Standard protocol?” “Yup.” “How many times have you done this?” “Zero. But I am familiar with the trope.” “The . . . what?” He blinked at her, confused.
Cut the melodrama and what you really have here is just a perfectly imperfect romance book that busted through my not-so-intact-at-the-moment crusty exterior. It really just slid into it’s place beside The Spanish Love Deception and You Deserve Each Other like it belonged and…that’s not wrong? It’s scarily accurate how happy this book made me. That’s not to say it didn’t have its flaws that did poke at me, but, in a way, they were so minute, so worthless a flaw that I really struggle to even bring them up.
“You put in expired contacts?” He sounded personally offended. “Just a little expired.” “What’s ‘a little’?” “I don’t know. A few years?” “What?” His consonants were sharp and precise. Crisp. Pleasant. “Only just a couple, I think.” “Just a couple of years?” “It’s okay. Expiration dates are for the weak.” A sharp sound—some kind of snort. “Expiration dates are so I don’t find you weeping in the corner of my bathroom.”
Did it perhaps have too many amazing tropes? Did the love interest fall right into the category of enemy turned ally turned friend turned ‘oh wait he is and was always into me’? Was Olive your typically dense about who the hero is into heroine?
Yes. The answer is all of the above. But here’s the kicker-where some may label these weaknesses, they are actually their strengths. (Yes, this whole paragraph was a love letter to Michael Scott.)
I like tried and true tropes. They are just….I’m sorry-if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But, like, do it better? And did the author do them ‘better’? I don’t know, really, but what I DO know is that she did them well. And, I’m just going to say it here: I freaking LOVE the inexperienced heroine trope. SUE ME. I DO NOT CARE. When done right…that shit is
And here…it was just…okay: admission time. My weak little fantasy heart about burst every minute of every part of these last few books because of the-ahem-intimate scenes because I. DO NOT. READ. MANY. SEX SCENES. So. All these contemporaries I’m devouring at once (unintentional but I’ve leaned into it)? They are sending my libido into a spiral because she is not used to using the red hot sweaty emoji…and I have sent it to Arielle no less than…hmmm….30 times between these three top books I’ve read? I can’t even.
Like I said, I’m goo, and I’m a sucker for these tropes and I will clearly die on that hill, but-I digress-back to this particular….thing. This was done so well. So NOT cheesy. So NOT uncomfortable or weird or out of the park that not once did I kind of pause and think about how to digest that sentiment (lol) or that move, or that moment. It was perfect. It was adorable. It just totally made the book. It made me so giddy and so happy and gave me the most butterflies. And….this is the first time I’ve ever (in recent history, perhaps I did years ago) addressed sex in my review. I steer clear of that but this-It feels important, ya know? And, oddly, I hold it near and dear to my heart, clutched closely within my talons.
It was an even fancier hotel, and Olive rolled her eyes, wondering why people felt the need to waste thousands of dollars in lodgings for Adam Carlsen when he barely paid attention to his surroundings. They should just give him a cot and donate the money to worthy causes. Endangered whales. Psoriasis. Olive.
BUT. ANYWAY. Enough of writing about sex like a creep-Olive. Olive was that heroine that you find yourself so protective over. I’ve read quite a few contemps in this abomination of a binge and I’ve rolled my eyes a LOT at the naivety of these MCs. AS IF YOU COULD NOT TELL THESE MEN ARE IN LOVE WITH YOU- COME. ON. But Olive. She’s-again-special.
“Carlsen. Is he blackmailing you? Did he find out that you’re an aberration and pee in the shower?” “First of all, it’s time efficient.” Olive glared. “Second, I find it oddly flattering that you’d think Carlsen would go to these ridiculous lengths to get me to date him.” “Anyone would, Ol. Because you’re awesome.” Anh grimaced before adding, “Except when you’re peeing in the shower.”
She has this thing where she doesn’t process emotions, doesn’t really fall too deep, doesn’t…feel things. I don’t know. She’s been alone in the world, so she doesn’t want to cross any lines to lose the ones she DOES have in her life (excusing a few missteps, I’d say), and her social cues are okay at best. And instead of it annoying me when she assumes things and doesn’t quite get it-or understand-what’s going on, it’s endearing (to me), precious. You want her to see but…then again…you LIKE her NOT to see because you know that payoff will be, again…
SPOILER ALERT: It was. It was SO worth it. My lord.
He studied her for a few seconds. “Does that seem like a likely scenario to you?” “About as likely as me fake-dating you.” He nodded, as if conceding her point. “Okay. Black, I guess.” She snorted. “Figures.” “What’s wrong with black?” He frowned. “It’s not even a color. It’s no colors, technically.” “It’s better than vomit green.” “No, it isn’t.” “Of course it is.”
And then Adam-Dr. Carlsen. Can we just take a moment to appreciate all these special men Chelsea has decided to horde in her closet? There’s enough room, it’s a walk-in. I gave them each their own shelf for when I’m feeling low (tonight is one of those, I wonder who I’ll visit? (ADAM)). Joking (Not really). But Adam. Dear, sweet Adam. Man, what an ass. What an absolute ass to not care what people think of him. To not care they might judge him because he is dating a student. What a JERK to jump right on board to help Olive out, to always be there for her and to provide her with days worth of food because she really can’t afford it herself. Man. I just can’t. I can’t believe this asshole, always looking out for Olive. (See. See what I did there?)
“Adam? Are you okay?” He stared at her cup and took a step back. “The smell of that thing.” Olive inhaled deeply. Heaven. “You hate pumpkin spice latte?” He wrinkled his nose, moving even farther away. “Gross.” “How can you hate it? It’s the best thing your country has produced in the past century.” “Please, stand back. The stench.” “Hey. If I have to choose between you and pumpkin spice latte, maybe we should rethink our arrangement.” He eyed her cup like it contained radioactive waste. “Maybe we should.”
All jokes aside, Adam was that silent guy, the eat your feelings guy, the one who inevitably has unrequited love for a girl who doesn’t see him as anything other than the most highly acclaimed professor at her university and most notably known jerk and know-it-all. But you can see, always, what he is doing for her, how he is always there for her when she needs it, when she’s low-always encouraging her and her biggest support. And when she is breaking his heart with her words, I LOVED this author for highlighting those moments, letting us see the jaw clench (yesss), the shuttered eyes of disappointment (ohhh boy), and the swallows-oh those tortured male lead gulps of ‘I’ll take whatever you give me but damn if you’re not breaking my heart’ (mmmmmm OMGGGGG combusting). As you can see, I am not impartial and I am biased. Take of this review what you will.
“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you”
All this being said, I’ve only really gushed and only really talked about things in a super spazz manner (There is a reason I wait a couple days after finishing to write a more coherent review) and probably haven’t convinced you one way or another-your loss-other than deciding I’m off my rocker and you really now know I am certifiably crazy, you’ve confirmed this (though, to be fair, I’ve warned you many a time). But, I like to think that the happiest moments are what will drive a reader to WANT to try a book. When I see a quote I love from a book I don’t know, and I get those INSTANT butterflies…I know I’m in for, at minimum, at least that one epic moment that the quote was derived from. And, ya know, that’s really what reading is about. Yes, a couple things bothered me, and it took a while for me to decide I loved it…but when I did? It was magical. And I hope it’ll be magical for you, too.
“I’m starting to wonder if this is what being in love is. Being okay with ripping yourself to shreds, so the other person can stay whole.”
*****
Guys. Guys. My heart. My heart. I cannot form words. I cannot form sentences. I’m laying here in a pile of goo feels and I don’t WANT to be whole again. This book was so perfectly imperfect and just…all the best tropes. I want to cocoon myself in these feelings and never let go…but that’s not how it works and I’ll just have to find a way to hold onto this feeling for as long as possible.
For now? Rereading all my favorite parts. They include Adam, of course. And…well, it’s all the parts. I wana re read ALL the parts. Lord help me.
My Song's Curse (Duet of the Gods #1)
People We Meet on Vacation by 
A Deadly Education (
Castles in their Bones (
The Love Hypothesis (
