Month: April 2022

So This is Ever After

The dreaded thing has happened. My first DNF of the year. If you don’t know DNF means did not finish, and readers hate finding a DNF read. A couple of years ago I would power through books, even if I didn’t like them. One day my boyfriend said to me, “why are you wasting time reading books if you’re not enjoying it?” and I realized he had a point. I read because I like it, for enjoyment, and if a book isn’t enjoyable to me, I shouldn’t finish. It doesn’t make me a bad reader, and it doesn’t make the book a bad book. Not every book is for every reader.

So This is Ever After has a great premise. What happens after the hero is triumphant? What happens after the evil is defeated? In real life, people don’t just cease to exist after winning a battle, so Lukens wrote the book about after. I was really enjoying their writing; it was a specific thing for me that made me DNF. There is a trope I can’t stand and will almost always ruin a book for me., lack of communication. When it’s clear to the audience that two people are crazy for each other, but somehow neither of them is picking up on any of the very clear clues. Is it possible that it could happen in real life? Absolutely, I’ve seen it happen. But when I’m reading about it, or watching it, it makes me crazy. It’s something that I feel could be done without, so when I realized this entire book was going to be a miscommunication trope, I couldn’t do it.

While DNFing is always disappointing, it doesn’t always mean you won’t try again, or try something different by the author. I will definitely be trying something else by them. I could tell from the writing that I would like something else by them, this book just wasn’t the one for me. I’m very hopeful for my next read.

Rating

Love on the Brain

Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project—a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia—Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward. Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school—archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away. Perhaps it’s her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas…devouring her with those eyes. There’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?


Ali Hazelwood, you have done it again. I have once again devoured a story you have written. Another love story, Gina? Yes. I’m apparently in a mood, and Ali Hazelwood has delivered. I was worried after her debut, “how will she do it again?” “She’s an exceptional writer, but will her story be as good?” The answer is, she’s amazing and I will forever read her stories.

I loved the characters. Nerdy scientists may just be some of my favorite characters to read. They were quirky, but not in an unrealistic, creepy way. They developed nicely. I laughed, and cried, and felt a whole range of emotions. The side characters were charming and fun, and while I wished I got to see more of everyone, I would not have wanted to take anything away from the story.

The two main characters, Bee and Levi, made my heart feel large and my head hurt. Normally the lack of communication trope makes me irrationally angry, but in this book, it was almost charming. Trope-wise it had one of my all-time favorites: when the man falls first. There’s just something so romantic to a story when you see a man fall in love with the woman, and then patiently waits for her to catch up. And let me tell you, Levi was patient.

Overall, I won’t say this book wasn’t without its flaws. I’ve read too many books to say any book is truly perfect. However, this book was exactly what I wanted it to be. Funny, romantic, quirky, emotional. It had it all. I am desperate for another novel by Ali Hazelwood.

Rating

My Very Hopeful April Book List

I’m hoping for a better April than I had March. Overall March was not great, and I didn’t get the chance to read as much as I wanted to. With some personal stuff going on, as well as being sick I was only able to read 3 books in March. In April I’m aiming to read 6 books.

Up first I have Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood. Given how much I loved The Love Hypothesis, I’m incredibly excited to read this book coming out August 23, 2022. I like to go into books by authors I know I enjoy blind, so I don’t know much about the synopsis, but I’m hoping for another grumpy/sunshine trope.

For the second book, I’m hoping to read So This Is Ever After. It was pitched to me as Carry On meets Arthurian legend, and honestly that was enough to have me asking for a digital review copy. The way I screamed when I woke up and saw that I was approved was a little bit embarrassing.

Third, we have Hotel Magnifique. The synopsis of this book gives me Carnaval and The Night Circus vibes. When I saw Edelweiss had this title available, I pushed the request button so fast. I just hope it lives up to my expectations.

Fourth, fifth, and sixth are all from one series. I’m going back into the world of the Shadowhunters and finally reading The Infernal Devices. Many years ago, I read all six of the Mortal Instrument books and I loved them. Just last year I decided I wanted to read EVERYTHING in the Shadowhunter world, and I wanted to do them in the order Cassandra Clare recommends. I read The Mortal Instruments part one, so next is The Infernal Devices. My only fear is that I will get obsessed and not want to leave this world until I finish, and that is so many books.

April will hopefully be full of great reads, and while I’m excited to read all these incredible books, I’m hopeful that life will allow me to actually read what I want to read. Everyone wish me luck!

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