#the entire fae v humans storyline was also
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death-rebirth-senshi · 9 months ago
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Every time my mom watches Maleficent I think that I might have liked that movie more in isolation
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epithmia-moved · 3 years ago
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     the  first  installment  in  a  comprehensive  list  of  reasons  detailing  the  causes  that  stem  mana's  deep  struggle  with  feeling  a  distinct  lack  of  humanity  within  themself. 
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        ι .         the  disconnection  mana  has  always  felt  that  has  only  grown  larger. 
     mana  has  never  felt  a  sense  of  ‘connection’  with  anyone.    with  being  able  to  be  a  part  of,    or  just  to  exist  as  a  member  within  any  sort  of  community.    they  can  understand  people,    occasionally  emphasize  or  relate  in  the  bare  minimum,    and  they  can  somewhat  safely  navigate  a  conversation  and  express  care  from  time  to  time  —  but  they  do  not  think  those  things  are  possible  to  have  reciprocated  towards  them.    and  if  they  are,    it  is  often  rare  mana  feels  it  as  such  and  not  just  the  other  person  doing  it  out  of  favor  for  the  notion  of  ‘kindness’  or  ‘propriety’.    mana  often  does  not  feel  like  most  benevolent  gestures  are  done  for  who  they  are  themself. 
        ιι .         the  lofty  weight  of  having  tasks   ‘ only  the  warrior  of  light ’   can  do. 
     xiv’s  cast    (  for  the  sake  of  the  storyline  at  times  and  then  even  just  outside  of  pushing  it  for  the  plot  )    makes  it  a  very  well  known  thing  that  there  are  insurmountable  feats  that  only  the  warrior  of  light  is  capable  of,    and  they  wave  it  around  either  none  too  lightly,    adding  a  sense  of  pressure,    or  with  way  too  much  casualness.    either  way,    the  result  of  it  ends  the  same:  it  feels  like  being  disregarded  as  a  person  in  a  sense.    many  people  see  a  very  specifically  crafted  image  of  mana,    based  entirely  off  of  what  they  hear  or  know  and  of  their  own  feelings  and  opinions,    and  none  of  it  includes  the  actual  being  who  struggles  and  exists  beneath  it  all.    and  it  really  shows.    a  decent  amount  of  people  treat  mana  openly  as  a  world  preserving  savior  first,    which  is  fine  to  a  degree,    but  thus  treat  them  as  an  average  person  second  in  result.    even  those  who  detest  mana  for  that  moniker  do  so  but  just  in  a  much  more  hostile  manner. 
        ιιι .         the  ritual  for  the  kojin’s  blessing,    and  henceforth  mana’s  inability  to  drown. 
     in  stormblood,    for  one  reason  or  another  i  am  unable  to  recall,    mana  was  put  up  on  the  chopping  block  to  take  part  in  a  sacred  ritual  from  a  turtle  -  like  race  of  people  in  order  to  progress  and  prepare  to  slay  their  beloved  deity,    resurrected  and  turned  primal.    though  i  stand  firm  by  mana  giving  consent  to  it,    there  was  also  a  direct  sense  of  urgency  and  there  being  no  other  definitive  way  for  their  plans  to  remain  a  general  straight  shot  without  it.    so,    thus  did  they  took  part  and  receive.    and  while  this  may  not  initially  seem  like  such  an  important  thing  in  hindsight,    it  is  and  it  matters  a  lot  to  mana.    because  what  normal  person  can  breathe  underwater,    indefinitely  ?    imagine  for  a  while,    forgetting  this,    and  holding  your  breath  as  normal  does,    only  to  realize  that  hey  !    it  doesn’t  matter. 
     another  case  in  point  of  this  was  an  event  in  which  while  running  amok  in  a  land  dictated  by  fae  in  shadowbringers  after  killing  their  king  titania  turned  lightwarden,    mana  was  separated  by  them  in  their  attempt  to  ‘keep’  mana,    and  woke  up  from  complete  unconsciousness  in  the  bottom  of  murky  water.    their  companions  in  the  mean  time,    while  washing  up  and  arriving  to  shore  expressed  a  deep  concern  and  worry  over  their�� well-being  and  possible  location.    only  for  it  to  basically  lose  some  of  it’s  impact  when  it’s  more  or  less  recalled  and  brought  up  in  a  summary  by  the  scions  that  ‘‘ thankfully,  it’s  not  like  you  would’ve  died  down  there  anyway,    what  with  you  breathing  underwater ’’.    it’s  …  both  an  event  that  feels  like  comfort  and  a  slap  in  the  face. 
        ιν .         the  blessing  of  hydaelyn,    the  echo. 
     it  is  not  so  much  the  simple  act  of  having  the  echo  that  makes  mana  feel  a  lack  of  humanity,    it  is  the  way  in  which  many  others  describe  its  strength.    they  have  not  been  the  only  person  ever  to  receive  it,    and  they  were  certainly  never  the  very  last  either.    but  it’s  remarked  upon  by  ally  and  enemy  alike  that  the  sheer  intensity  of  that  protection  and  extra  strength  is  otherwise  very  uncommon.    and  this  can  tie  back  and  loop  into  the  ‘list  of  things  only  the  warrior  of  light  can  do’  reason,    because  having  that  blessing  was  the  key  opening  up  the  floodgates.  you  have  the  echo  ?    there’s  an  organization  of  people  who  do  that  take  up  the  job  of  maintaining  nationwide  threats  and  problems  that  often  lie  beyond  our  nation  leaders  themselves,    you  should  get  in  here.    you  have  the  echo  ?    Great  that  means  you  can  help  us  kill  these  primals,    who  happen  to  be  highly  dangerous  summons  of  various  peoples  gods  /  their  important  historical  /  cultural  figures  because  normal  people  can’t  get  near  them  without  essentially  becoming  mind-controlled  fodder  forever.        rinse  and  repeat  x3  but  with  even  more  daunting  tasks  and  responsibilities. 
      ν .         mana’s  aether  mutation  and  the  seeming  lack  of  a  solid  presenting  identity. 
     the  fabled  appearance  altering  i  always  mention  /  allude  to  x20.    this  hurt  more  than  any  of  the  previously  mentioned  points.    especially  because  this  came  about  the  time  in  mana’s  character  growth  where  they  had  made  considerable  headway  in  their  emotions  and  in  having  stable,    healthy  emotional  bonds  and  in  slowly  grasping  a  sense  of  genuine  worth  and  important  to  their  own  life.    then,    in  one  of  the  most  painful  and  incomprehensible  ways  ever  imagined,    mana  is  literally  dying  over  a  prolonged  period  of  time  and  turning  into  a  monster  that  does  not  differentiate  between  friend  or  foe  while  still  trying  to  save  a  world.    in  front  of  these  same  loved  ones  to  boot,    who  have  very  ….  emotional  responses  in  return  (  i.e.  literally  backing  away  at  one  point  ).    and  in  the  aftermath  of  it  all,    could  not  bear  to  look  at  themselves.    they  even  hid  some  of  the  changed  attributes  of  themself  using  glamour  magicks  for  a  very  long  time  and  refused  to  let  anyone  close  to  them  /  accept  most  physical  touch  and  interactions. 
     they  also  experienced  yet  another  period  in  time  of  which  they  cannot  recall  any  coherent  memories  from  while  under  the  light  warden’s  corruptive  aether.    it  happened  twice  —  in  which  mana’s  self  control  was  not  enough  to  keep  the  vicious  instinct  and  desire  to  consume  at  bay  —  a  viera  from  yx’maja,    a  stonemason  from  the  crystarium.    they  were  never  found.    and  if  they  were,    mana  was  never  told  nor  did  they  hear  about  it.    mana  does  not  have  direct  memories,    but  they  do  have  faint  flashes  of  imagery  at  the  very  least  when  they  really  manage  to  force  it  out.    and  there  is  enough  of  a  feeling  of  dread,    other  unnameable  emotions,    and  a  strong  enough  hunch  for  mana  to  be  able  to  piece  the  picture  together  for  themself  of  what  they  had  more  than  likely  done. 
     and  aside  from  all  of  this,    mana  found  out  the  truth  of  their  existence.    they’re  not  even  who  they  thought  they  were  on  a  fundamental  level  —  they  are  a  fractured  shard  of  someone  else.    imagine  being  someone,    finally  finding  the  footholds  of  a  possible  identity  of  who  you  want  to  be  when  unaffected  by  anyone  else’s  input,    and  getting  told  that  you  are  not  even  a  person.    let  alone  your  own,    full  being.    you  are  just  what  survived.
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welllpthisishappening · 4 years ago
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Welllp These Are Books: the February 2021 Edition
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Most of my last month was spent on deadline and waiting for people to respond to my emails, which meant I did not have the time (or energy) to write much of anything, but had plenty of time to read, quite frankly, an absurd number of books. Some of which were very good, some of which were very cheesy, and some of which I have now told multiple people was quite possibly the worst book I have ever read. As always, though, what are my opinions if I am not sharing them with the internet? Ridiculous headlines, links, and those aforementioned opinions under the cut. As always, part two, feel free to send me any and all recommendations. It cannot possibly be worse than this one book. Seriously, you’ll understand in a second.
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Quite Possibly the First Book I’ve Gone Out of My Way to Buy On Release Day Since Breaking Dawn, Which Says a lot About Me. As a Person.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.
The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.
Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.
Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.
I’m not kidding when I tell you that I was counting the days until this came out. I was kind of indifferent to Nesta after the original ACOTAR books, but intrigued enough that I was like, I need to read this, and then I did read this and now I care quite a lot about Nesta. And how in love with Cassian she is. And vice versa. Because, let’s be honest, dude is in l o v e. There were some parts of the story I was not super into — namely, Ferye having to die in childbirth. Like, you’re telling me Cassian could have his guts hanging out at one point and we don’t know how to do a c-section? Nah, that ain’t it. Also, pregnancy as a storyline is not always my favorite thing, but more on that in a second. Also, also, here’s a bunch more words about ACOSF.
A “Huh, So That Happened” Sort of Ending. Which Was Disappointing.
A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer
Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone--even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.
Fight the battle, save the kingdom. Meanwhile, Lia Mara struggles to rule Syhl Shallow with a gentler hand than her mother. But after enjoying decades of peace once magic was driven out of their lands, some of her subjects are angry Lia Mara has an enchanted prince and a magical scraver by her side. As Grey's deadline draws nearer, Lia Mara questions if she can be the queen her country needs.
As the two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and an old enemy resurfaces who could destroy them all, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer's Cursebreaker series.
I loved the first book in this series. Absolutely adored it. So much so that I pretty quickly got the second one and read it. Enjoyed that on its own, but like I said in that one ask, I’m fairly certain A Curse So Dark and Lonely could have very easily been a standalone story. Should have been a standalone story? There was just SO MUCH going on here, and not nearly enough of it was resolved. Plot points just hung by the end of the trilogy, I was not ever entirely convinced Rhen and Harper were actually in love, let alone liked each other, and I thought Rhen got the very short end of an exceptionally cracked stick by the time the whole story wrapped up. Really, I think this  tried to do too much in not enough time and there should probably be another book. Also Lia Mara getting pregnant was dumb. There I said it.
Free Books On Amazon Unlimited That Were Better Than Expected, But Also Read Like Fic
The Bargainer Series by Laura Thalassa
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.
Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.
But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.
For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.
If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.
No one is going to be able to convince me this wasn’t ACOTAR fan fic. I don’t care about timing or dates, or whatever. The similarities just...did not stop. In all three books, even. There were three books in this series, by the way. Most of which I really enjoyed. I read them all in like four days of email waiting, so they must have been doing something right. Des was a good love interest and I really liked the flashbacks in the first book. Also Callie didn’t super annoy me. That being said, whoever edited this book. Oof. Some of the prose was so goddamn cringe, I literally lol’ed. Right out loud. Every now and then it was like we had to be reminded that Des was a BAD GUY ™ but it felt very Edward “I’m a killer, Bella” Cullen, and Callie’s internal monologue was occasionally hysterical. Not in a good way. Also Temper was the worst. She was so annoying. Every time she talked, I was like, oh, her again. The first book was the best one.
HITTING ALL MY ROM COM BOXES! BASEBALL! ROMANCE! PINING! ONLY VAGUELY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN THEY HAD SEX IN THE PORT JEFF DUGOUT BECAUSE I’VE BEEN IN THE PORT JEFF DUGOUT.
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means.
Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)
Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)
Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)
Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)
Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her...
Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite.
Legit, I saw the description for this and I was like—did I write this? Kind of. (Shameless plug to read my own rom com, it also has baseball and pining) It didn’t matter, I loved it. Seriously, it hit all my rom com boxes: childhood friends, best friend’s sister, coming back home under duress, FAKE DATING and, let’s be honest, I am not immune to the use of “baby girl” as an endearment. Every time Travis called Georgie “baby girl” I was like, oh, ok, this is cool. It was cool! I only have two quips. One, that the fake dating didn’t last a little longer. The pacing of the story felt very quick, but that’s also this genre’s style. So I kind of get it. And two, that it happened in Port Jefferson, which is a town in Suffolk County that I have not only been to, but have spent significant time in. Meaning I could picture every single thing, knew exactly where they were and have used the exit on the Northern State Parkway that the final moments of the book took place at. The Port Jeff girls basketball team won a Long Island championship last weekend. In real life, not the book.
In Which Spinoffs Continue to be my Kryptonite. Especially Well-Written Ones
Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler
Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can't stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana's determined to prove that she belongs...even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town's hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.
And really...how hard could it be?
The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it's not getting any easier now that his dream girl's back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it's clear she needs help, fast...and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It's an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong...together.
I mentioned The Tourist Attraction in my January list, and this is the second in the Moose Springs trio. And it’s so good! I wish people were all as nice to Lana as Rick was. It’s what she deserved! More small-town antics, more kissing, another moose. This one was just as cute as the original book, especially because it brought back original characters and Zoey and Graham were so goddamn adorable as a committed couple I genuinely feared for the state of my teeth.
Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler
Former Hollywood darling River Lane's acting career is tanking fast. Determined to start fresh behind the camera, she agrees to film a documentary about the picturesque small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. The assignment should have been easy, but the quirky locals want nothing to do with River. Well, too bad: River's going to make this film and prove herself, no matter what it takes.
Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.
Easton Lockett may be a gentle giant, but he knows a thing or two about survival. If he can keep everyone in line, he should be able to get River and her crew up and down Mount Veil in one piece. Turns out that's a big if. The wildlife's wilder than usual, the camera crew's determined to wander off a cliff, and the gorgeous actress is fearless. Falling for River only makes Easton's job tougher, but there's only so long he can hold out against her brilliant smile. When bad weather strikes, putting everyone at risk, it'll take all of Easton's skill to get them back home safely...and convince River she should stay in his arms for good.
Wrapping up the Moose Springs trio, this one might have been my least favorite, but that’s not really saying much. Since I loved them all pretty equally. River and Easton’s banter was grade-A, top-notch, which is a one-way ticket to my reading-heart. Maybe part of the problem (I say problem like there really was one) was that most of the story took place on a mountain. I kind of wanted more small-town shenanigans, and updates on the condos and the state of the town and Graham being mayor. Still, this was very cute. I swooned multiple times. I’ll probably read anything Sarah Morgenthaler writes from here on out.
Seriously, What Is YA? Does Anyone Know?
The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh
In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to   seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans is a safe haven after   she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent in the middle of the carnival season,   Celine is quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its fancy soirées and even its danger. She becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of  the group's enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain.
When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in Sébastien's own lair--the second dead girl to turn up in recent weeks--Celine battles her attraction to Sébastien and suspicions about his guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.
After a third murder, New  Orleans becomes gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the  loose--one who has now set Celine in his sights. As the murderer stalks  her, Celine finally takes matters into her own hands, only to find  herself caught in the midst of an age-old feud between the darkest  creatures of the night, where the price of forbidden love is her life.
Like I said last month, I put a hold on pretty much everything Renee Ahdieh had written in my library. And this was just as good as the last series I read. Her world building is just—chef’s kiss, gorgeous. I dream of writing this airy, magical way, that makes you feel like you’re in New Orleans. That being said, I do not know what kid is reading this because apparently this is YA and I had to read every single word to figure out what was going on. Now, I know there are two more books in the series, but this one felt like a lot of set up and I spent most of it being like...will this make sense eventually? It did, but only during a very rushed climax of final few chapters. The sequel isn’t available on Kindle at the library, and I haven’t bought it yet. So, that’s probably kind of telling.
In Which You Cannot Always Depend On Old Favorites
No Judgments by Meg Cabot
When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.
But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.
But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.
I love Meg Cabot. That should be stated upfront and at the very beginning because for a very long time I have claimed that being Meg Cabot was my dream job. I’ve read pretty much every book Meg Cabot has ever written and was fairly certain I’d be into these once I did read them. Only I was...not. Not really. Everything in this book happened so quickly, I felt like I was the one in the hurricane. People were kissing and then they were having sex and there was a storm and pets and then—it was over? The pacing was all over the place, I had no idea why Drew and Bree liked each other, some guy kicked a dog at one point?? It was weird. Which leads us to—
No Offense by Meg Cabot
A broken engagement only gave Molly Montgomery additional incentive to follow her dream job from the Colorado Rockies to the Florida Keys. Now, as Little Bridge Island Public Library’s head of children’s services, Molly hopes the messiest thing in her life will be her sticky-note covered desk. But fate—in the form of a newborn left in the restroom—has other ideas. So does the sheriff who comes to investigate the “abandonment”.  When John Hartwell folds all six-feet-three of himself into a tiny chair and insists that whoever left the baby is a criminal, Molly begs to differ and asks what he’s doing about the Island’s real crime wave (if thefts of items from homes that have been left unlocked could be called that). Not the best of starts, but the man’s arrogance is almost as distracting as his blue eyes. Almost…
John would be pretty irritated if one of his deputies had a desk as disorderly as Molly’s. Good thing she doesn’t work for him, considering how attracted he is to her. Molly’s lilting librarian voice makes even the saltiest remarks go down sweeter, which is bad as long as she’s a witness but might be good once the case is solved—provided he hasn’t gotten on her last nerve by then. Recently divorced, John has been having trouble adjusting to single life as well as single parenthood. But something in Molly’s beautiful smile gives John hope that his old life on Little Bridge might suddenly hold new promise—if only they can get over their differences.
This isn’t a sequel SEQUEL, but another one of those “exists in the same universe,” or same town, as it were, and it was better than No Judgments. Molly and John actually had a few legitimate conversations before they started kissing. The conflict was still weird and sort of forced, this was not Meg’s usual banter (I fell like I can call her Meg at this point, y’know?) and, again, the ending just felt like it...happened. I don’t know guys, maybe I should just reread The Boy Is Back. Or that quasi Persephone-Hades series. It’s been awhile. On that one, at least. I read The Boy Is Back like six months ago.
ABSOLUTELY INFURIATING ROM COM THAT I CANNOT BELIEVE I FINISHED, SOMEONE GIVE ME A PRIZE FOR FINISHING THIS
Fight or Flight by Samantha Young
The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to   Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn't hell enough, a cloud of   volcanic ash traveling from overseas delayed her flight back home to   Boston. Her last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was thwarted by an   arrogant Scotsman, Caleb Scott, who steals a first class seat out from   under her. Then over the course of their journey home, their antagonism somehow lands them in bed for the steamiest layover Ava's ever had. And  that's all it was--until Caleb shows up on her doorstep. 
When pure chance pulls Ava back into Caleb's orbit, he proposes they enjoy their physical connection while he's stranded in Boston. Ava agrees, knowing her heart's in no danger since a) she barely likes Caleb and b) his existence in her life is temporary. Not long thereafter Ava realizes she's made a terrible error because as it turns out Caleb Scott isn't quite so unlikeable after all. When his stay in Boston becomes permanent, Ava must decide whether to fight her feelings for him or give into them. But even if she does decide to risk her heart on Caleb, there is no guarantee her stubborn Scot will want to risk his heart on her...
When I tell you guys that this was the worst book I have read in recent memory, I am not kidding. Might actually be the worst book I have ever read. Bar none. And that’s saying something because one time I had to read Ender’s Game in college and that, like, physically pained me. This was awful. Awful people. Awful plot. Awful resolution. AWFUL. Where to start? Well, I’m not going to apologize for spoilers, because God help us all, do not read this book. Ava has been through so many horrible things in her life it was like someone was trying to set a record. Bad parents, cheating ex-boyfriend, dead former best friend who was former because of the cheating ex-boyfriend. Naturally, this made her a control freak because—of course, or something. And Caleb! Oh my God, fucking Caleb Scott. The dickwad. I’ve never rooted for anyone to not get the girl more. When Ava “broke up” with him (they were never really together) I might have cheered. Shitty things does not give you an excuse to be a dick, and Caleb was a dick. Seriously, he started crying about how his ex-fiance KILLED THEIR BABY and I was like—this cannot possibly be a real book. It was! With lots of abortion opinions out of FUCKING nowhere, and weird possessive behavior from, like, every dude in it. Both Ava AND her best friend (not the dead one, a different one) got assaulted at one point. I kept reading solely because I was desperate to see how they rationalized Ava and Caleb getting back together at the end and they didn’t. He showed up on her flight when her boss came up with a fake work trip so he could sit next to her on the plane. What? WHAT?? It was so dumb. So bad. I can’t believe I read it. 
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