maudsmeets's reviews
121 reviews

Update, 2021: As predicted, I no longer think about this book and its cast of characters much. I would still recommend it, but it's not high on my list. Oh well, still a fun time.

Review from 2019:
If you want to read something that will hug you tight and whisper in your ear that there will always be people that accept you for who you are, this is a good choice.

I find it really difficult to review 'rom-com' books. Whilst I'm reading them, I'm on cloud nine and feeling fuzzy and soft, and then two weeks later, I've forgotten most of the details of the story. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, for me those are: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and The Fault in Our Stars, these are the books that hit really close to home. 

I'm not sure if Red, White & Royal Blue will be an exception to this rule. 
That being said, I still recommend it. It made me really happy. This novel was really, really, really, really cute and sweet. So, whilst I'm sure I'm going to forget most of the characters and things that happened (I can already feel details slipping from my mind) I will never forget how happy it made me. There were a lot of giggles and ereader notes such as 'MY HEART', 'AUGDSUBAD FEELS' and 'MY QUEEN. ICONIC. LEGEND.' 
It felt like reading about an alternative universe. A world similar to our own, but one where there's a little bit more hope.
A world where a single mother with a biracial family is president of the United States. A world where the people who usually fall behind have a chance to stand front and centre.

All of the diversity and representation in this story was wonderful to see. There is too much to mention, just as it should be. Our cast of characters showcases various sexualities and races. I think this story has the potential to do something really important: make a lot of people feel seen. 

A compelling and unique fantasy story that tackles some really interesting subjects. It talked about what trauma can do to a person, prejudice and racism, what it means to be a villain and the price people pay for power. 

A quick warning: this book is brutal. If you have certain subjects you don't want to read about I would first look up a list of trigger warnings. Your mental health is more important than any novel. Please look after yourself and do your research.

This book was excellent. The writing was easy to read but intricate. Most of the characters were really fleshed out, especially the ones that were introduced to us in the first half. Some of the members of the Cake could have used a bit more development in my opinion. The world was vivid and easy to imagine. The Poppy War transported me to another world. A harsh and brutal world, but also a world full of power and people willing to fight.

I flew through the first half of this story, but after that the story really took a turn and it felt like the novel was split into two halves. Everything just changed drastically, our circumstances, our cast of characters and the atmosphere of the story. This makes me intrigued to see what will happen in The Dragon Republic. I'm excited but I also think it won't top the first 250 pages of this story for me. I can't help it, I'm weak for fictional fantasy schools. Rin her character also really took a turn in the second half of the story. I find it difficult to explain how I feel about it. It was good character development, it felt natural, but I kinda wish her character would have gone in a different direction. So I liked it but I also didn't. I just- I loved Jiang (He's a fictional character that I would love to sit down and have a long conversation with, preferably with a cup of tea.) and I agree with him. (If you've read the book, you know) You know, at the end, what Kitay said when he heard what happened? That's exactly how I felt. I'm still conflicted. Let's see how I feel when I read The Dragon Republic.