amelianotthepilot's reviews
796 reviews

wow i loved this

I did indeed read it in the wrong order (i read the spin off series, once upon a broken heart, first) but i honestly think it was fine and sorta thought it was cute how i could see the connection to characters retroactively.

Scarlett and her twin have sent a letter to an annual festival runner, 'Legend', every year since they were young. The festival is fantastic and magical but exclusive and full of tricky riddles and mazes but if you win the festival you receive a wish. This year, they finally receive a response and invitation but it feels too late for Scarlett. She's the responsible sister and her arranged marriage is only days away, it's too late now for her childish dreams. However, her twin, Donatella, is carefree and wild and demands they escape their horrible father and situation. Donatella arranges a kidnapping with her most recent man, a sailor named Julian, and they whisk Scarlett away to the festival against her will but when they arrive they're separated and now Scarlett yet again has to be the responsible one and get them out of trouble. Can she find her sister and win the festival before it's too late?

I loveedddd this book! This is what YA used to be!!! The magic! the mystique! The drama! I love the high fantasy vibes and fancy dresses, it's very disney fantasy-esque with wishes and curses and true love and I! Ate! It! Up! I loved the mystery and riddles of the festival. I loved the carnival vibes and spooky threat of it all. I was surprised with every twist and turn and honestly will now read anything Stephanie Garber writes this was delicious.

Mariel is a failed witch, at least by her mother's standard, but when she accidentally summons a demon named Ozorth she's starting to think her mother is right. But perhaps it was just what she needed to sort her life out, stand up for herself, save the town from ecological destruction, and find romance along the way.

This was an eh romcom.

i think this will be my favorite book of the year. its unabashedly queer. its about travel. its about love. its about good food.

this book has everything: a euro tour, childhood best friends to lovers to exes to lovers, second try romance but in the pretties places in Europe all  ✨ paired ✨  with wine and food.

Theo and Kit were supposed to go on a Euro food and wine tour together four years ago but on the flight there, they break up. Four years later, and four years without talking, they coincidentally end up on the same Euro food and wine tour. Their vouchers were expiring and they both separately decided to go solo on the trip until they show up and see each other on the bus. Since their breakup Kit never returned to the US and instead graduated from a fancy patisserie school and has become labeled a sex god by his classmates. Meanwhile, Theo has started a bartending side hustle and is training to pass the sommelier test. Together they decide to act like adults and continue on the trip with perhaps a little sexy competition. They eat and drink their way through London, Dover, Paris, Bordeaux, Saint Jean  De Luz, San Sebastian, Barcelona, Nice, Monaco, Cinqueterre, Pisa, Florence, Chianti, Rome, Napoli, and Palemero. 

Some of the hottest and spiciest scenes I've ever read. 10/10 (poly, bi, nonbinary, queer)

didnt realize how gay this book is

what makes a monster and what makes a man?

A fun addition to the PJ universe. I will say this is maybe my least favorite from the whole series. It read as more of a fun holiday novella but still with that fun PJ charm. I think because these ones are only set in NYC area I'm finding the adventures not as epic or thrilling but at the same time having them set in my home is fun. 

The book takes place over Halloween weekend in NYC. Percy has to do his second quest for a college recommendation letter and this one is a request to pet sit for Hecate while she parties it up around the world during her holiday, Halloween. Can Percy, Annabeth, and Grover with cameo help from some other CHB heroes keep the chaotic pets inline while also hosting a fun Halloween party?

this book was insane. how do these keep getting worse and why are they published at 1k+ pages.

now that Culloden has ended the author has really lost the plot but decided to continue on, her new goal: the Revolutionary War. Jamie and Claire really can't catch a break. 

At this point however, Claire and Jamie are no longer the fun little couple we know and love, Jamie is now a macho controlling man and Claire now lets him get away with it while she toils away with all the women doing 'womanly things'. What I liked about the story no longer exists. 

The plot goes as follows:
-300 pages of nothing happening at a big Scottish gathering on the side of a mountain
-200 pages at Fraser's Ridge Jamie recruiting a militia and then disbanding it (with the most horrific graphic cabin discovery I've ever read)
-300 pages of nothing happening at Jocasta's wedding
-finally, something happens! but all in one chapter: a murder, fire, and evil man with everything resolved
-200 pages of militia from a random person's journal perspective
-

Roger hung and then saved

(yet again the most horrific thing and all the characters are super insensitive towards his recovery for 100+ more pages)
-100 pages of this weird climax with the dumbest plan I've ever heard

to kill Stephen Bonnet (SPOILER unsuccessful)

Ending with the revelation that

Jem can indeed go through time

and also the return of

Ian !who they've been talking and moaning about all book but then ask him 0!ZERO! questions when he shows up!!!!

Not only was this books train wreck it was full of spelling mistakes and continuity errors!!! But honestly that tracks cause there's clearly no editor for a 1000pg book.

you know i love tea...and perhaps my fault. this does not have the tea you're looking for but instead made me reflect on being a woman in society and in the limelight. 

Anna Marie addresses her mental health struggles during the pandemic, her pup Petunia's health journey and loss, and her approach to harvesting her eggs even without having plans of ever having kids. 

gay

i don’t know how this is considered a modern classic the writing isn’t very good and the characters are very flat and boring. the tv show and movie really bring the characters to life and create a dynamic story where this is just a pedophilic rambling queer bait story. 

what do you mean “her breasts crushed against his chest”?!?!? she’s 5!!!!! 

i was informed that Anne Rice named claudia after her deceased child. Yes, the heavily sexualized female vampire stuck in the body of a 5 year old named after her very own child. perhaps she should go to therapy instead of writing a book.

also dear god why are there no chapters in this book!!?

The plot follows Louis recounting his vampirical life story to a reporter with a tape recorder. An interesting premise that sadly is boring to read but great to watch/listen to. Louis is changed by another vampire, Lestat, who is very selfish and largely frivolous in manner. Lestat wanted a mindless companion which is very queer coded and although Louis does seem attracted to Lestat it is overall an abusive and unhealthy relationship that peaks when Lestat baby traps Louis with a 5 year old vampire, Claudia.

This book can be credited for creating the modern vampire story and I find it interesting how even here vampires are inherently gay but over all the story was lacking and extremely uncomfortable to read with multiple instances of weird pedophilic behavior (ie. Claudia sexualized all the  time, the two boys that Claudia presents to Lestat as a present, and the young boy Armand keeps). My only conclusion is that Anne Rice herself is a pedophile.?