FELIX EVER AFTER BY KACEN CALLENDER [BOOK REVIEW]

Hello Lovelies! I’m back with another review, so lets get to it!

I was provided a digital ARC of this book by Edelweiss and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review!

SYNOPSIS: Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle….But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve.

MY REVIEW:

This book was absolutely beautiful. I honestly struggled to come up with what exactly to say for this review aside from that. Felix’s story was was so heartbreaking and so beautiful. The struggle and inner turmoil he went through in this book just made me want to give him the biggest hug ever. This book really opened my eyes and broke me realizing that there are so many people who are afraid and made to feel ashamed of who they are and feel they have or need to hide their true selves in order to remain safe from discrimination. Basically all I can really say is that you should read this book. Its captivating and beautiful and will break and repair your heart over and over again but everything is so worth it.

Rating: 5 Stars

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Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill [Book Review]

Hello Lovelies!

I have another book review for you today so lets get started!

I don’t even know where to begin with this review. I fell in love with it from page one. This book broke and repaired my heart only to then break it again moments late. It’s a beautiful and moving piece of fiction by Stephanie Morrill. I have to say that I simply adore how this book not only navigated a beautiful, precious and tedious relationship between an Italian-American girl and Japanese-American boy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. A time when racism and injustice against the Japanese living in America occurred. I just loved this story of Evalina and Taichi. Two young people in love in a time where it was illegal in most states for them to be married, a time where they were both at risk because of their relationship but still they pushed through.I was rooting for them the whole book! Just couldn’t put it down because I NEEDED to know what happened next .

Looking at the characters I loved Evalina’s heart and passion in this story. Her heart for the injustice inflicted on many people. Her heart for the one she loved and the passion she put into raising awareness for what was going on that so many people were blinded to. Seeing this passion and this heart in Evalina, I found that I related to her very much in that sense as I saw myself in her.

This book is an absolutely amazing piece of fiction you should not skip out on getting for yourself.

 

About Stephanie Morrill

Stephanie Morrill writes books about girls who are on an adventure to discover their unique place in the world. She is the author of several contemporary young adult series, as well as the 1920s mystery, The Lost Girl of Astor Street, and the WWII era romance, Within These Lines. Since 2010, Stephanie has been encouraging the next generation of writers at her website, GoTeenWriters.com. She lives in the Kansas City area, where she loves plotting big and small adventures to enjoy with her husband and three children. You can connect with Stephanie and learn more about her books at StephanieMorrill.com, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

Romanov by Nadine Brandes [ARC – Book Review]

Summary:

The history books say I died.

They don’t know the half of it.

Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them . . . and he’s hunted Romanov before.

Nastya’s only chances of survival are to either release the spell, and deal with the consequences, or enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya’s never dabbled in magic before, but it doesn’t frighten her as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her . . .

That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.

My Review:

“I realized that a part of forgiveness was accepting the things someone had done – and the pain that came with that – and moving on with love.” -Anastasia from Romanov

This book was AH-MAZING.

I’m someone who very rarely reads Historical Fiction aside from a few authors and Nadine Brandes is definitely now a part of this list. My issue with so many Historical Fiction books is that they often feel like I’m reading a history textbook, and this…this was NOT one of those books.

This story was crafted so beautifully, and the ending was beyond perfect. Throughout the whole story I was just in LOVE with the Romanov family. I loved their relationships and love for each other. I especially loved the relationship between Nastya and Alexei! It was beyond beautiful. And I love how the story focused more on the love and relationship between a family more than the love interest story line. I knew nothing about the real-life Romanov family going into this story and the whole time I was reading this book I was just rooting for them and my heart rejoiced and grieved with them and their situation over and over and over again. Their small moments of joy brought me joy and their moments of sadness broke me. I was so invested in this story of their amazing family. I love the strength and the voice Nadine brought to Nastya’s character. She was so easy to connect with and relate to. I love that despite everything Nastya and her family has been through, she is so strong and despite her pain and being faced with many difficult decisions she was never selfish. She always thought about her family and those around her.

Whether you read Historical Fiction on a regular basis or not I 100% recommend this book.

**NOTE: I was given this book (from NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review/opinion**

Things I Learned From Doing A Readathon

Hello Readers!

Quick side note before I start I should let you know to read all the way to the end of this post. Got some details on an amazing giveaway for you!

My apologies on my absence. Considering what my life is like at the moment, posts my not be done as often for the next bit (just until I can actually get my crap together anyways…At the latest I’m thinking MANY posts will be written during christmas break but up to that point I’ll have some posts here and there.)But today’s post is here! So wait no longer.

So in the midst of my crazy schedule which has consisted of mostly Schoolwork and Art (for school) with a dash or writing, reading, and planning youtube videos (so I can just find a day to film a million and one of them) I found the time to meet up with my bestie and we decided to do a 12 hour readathon. (We were gonna do 24 hours but adult life commitments interfered with that)

It was LOADS of fun and so, I decided to share some things I learned from doing a readathon that you might find helpful if you do one yourself one day.

 

1. Bring MORE books than you will actually end up reading.

The LAST thing you want in the middle of a readathon is to run out of books to read O.O (that didn’t happen to me but its good to remind peoples) So always make sure you bring more books than you think you might need. (I brought 6 books and read 2 and 1/2 of them in the 12 hours)

 

2. Have a Timer Going

My friend is a million and one times smarter than me and decided to have a timer going. It was helpful when we stopped for dinner so then we knew EXACTLY where we left off before going and eating dinner or taking a break…or sometimes we got talking so often the timer got paused for that too XD

 

3. Have LOTS of food

Food is good so obviously you are gonna need lots of yummy (and mostly unhealthy) food with you! Its essential.

 

4. Take breaks

Yes, the goal is to read for a certain amount of hours without interruptions. BUT taking a break is necessary. Whether its a quick bathroom break or you need to go make a cup of tea or something then just get up, pause your timer, and take a break. My friend and I both found that after about 3 hours our eyes were getting sore and we needed a break so we would just stop the timer and chat for a bit or go make tea, or eat food or something. (at one point I was dancing around the kitchen while I waited for the kettle to boil so I could make tea so yah…) Yes, the goal is to get TONS of reading done but don’t wear yourself out either.

 

5. Tea and other caffeinated/sugary drinks are essential.

Need I say more?

 

6. Prepare to beat MUCH discomfort with comfy things!

So my one complaint about this readathon is that I didn’t take into account the beating up my old lady bones would get while doing this. I couldn’t really move for the next few days (More just because I literally have old lady bones and am almost always in pain/discomfort but sitting on a floor for hours on end didn’t help) so plan ahead. Set up an air mattress or stack cushions/ pillows to keep yourself comfortable but I will warn you. As it gets late into the night DO NOT climb into a bed. Or you will doze off. *is guilty cause this happened to me*

But seriously. Ask my friend how often I kept moving around because I couldn’t get comfortable. So prepare for that. Also Pyjamas are good too.

 

 

7. If you are reading books to review, write the reviews as you go!

If you are reading the books to review them (as I did) I suggest writing the review as you go. The reason being because you can compile all your notes and thoughts in one notebook (I have a book review notebook) or something and then you can flesh out more of the review later on. The reason its so effective is because you are going from one book right to another. So if you know you want to review the book, take a few minutes to write out your thoughts or the review as you go.

 

So those are the things I’ve learned #’s 1 and 6 are super important in my mind BUT either way I hope you enjoyed it! Have you done a readathon? If you haven’t are you planning one soon? If you have, what are some things you learned while doing one.

 

 

Until Next Time,

Adriana Gabrielle

Also, if you want to spend next NaNoWriMo writing your novel in a castle in France, you MIIIIIIGHT wanna check this out: Write Your Next Novel In A Castle Contest

 

 

Shoutout to my bestie for letting me join in on this readathon with her! ❤