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Book Couples Opinions

Happy Monday bookish people! And Happy Valentine’s day! Today I wanted to bring you some of my opinions on the couples – or characters that are often shipped together in some cases- in some of the books that I have previously read.

There may be spoilers in this post so read at your own risk.

Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn – Camille and Ada

Camille and Ada are already dating when the book begins and there is a lot of tension growing between them throughout the book and I enjoyed the relationship because they seemed to be struggling through real problems that readers can relate to even though it is a fantasy book.

Dangerous Remedy (Battalion of the Dead #1) by Kat Dunn

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh – Celine and Sebastian

These two have an enemies to lovers thing going on which I really enjoyed. They are both very strong and feisty characters that bounce off each other. I think their relationship fits well within the plot and doesn’t take over. I am looking forward to seeing how these two characters develop in the rest of the series.

The Beautiful: Amazon.co.uk: 9781524738174: Books

Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen – Petula and Jacob

This was one of the first books I read that fit properly within the contemporary romance genre. It has a simple enough story but it is full of heartache and delving into characters with mental health issues that are also trying to navigate a relationship. I liked the build up to Petula and Jacob getting together but their relationship throughout the rest of the book was difficult to read about because I didn’t completely understand the struggles they were experiencing.

Optimists Die First : Nielsen, Susin: Amazon.co.uk: Books

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton – Ned and Cecelia

Again these two characters start off as enemies which I love in books, also the reason they meet was one of my favourites in the books that I read last year. Their personalities lend to some very sassy dialogue and I enjoyed their pairing. The only thing is that both of them love their freedom and don’t seem the type to be in committed long relationships.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo – Lira and Elian

To be honest this book didn’t get much emotion from me, it was an average rating from me and so I didn’t feel that much for either of these characters or their relationship. I feel that the two characters were thrown together to make it into a Little Mermaid retelling but actually neither of them fit together well in my opinion.

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern – Zachary and Dorian

I don’t feel like I saw enough of this couple. The Starless Sea is my favourite book ever and I would enjoy any couple that was written into it. It was great to see LGBTQ representation in this book and the only way to describe the way this couple was portrayed is enchanting.

The Starless Sea: TIKTOK MADE ME BUY IT! The spellbinding Sunday Times  bestseller.: Amazon.co.uk: Morgenstern, Erin: 9781784702861: Books

Not Here To Be Liked by Michelle Quach – Eliza and Len

This is another book that I struggled to get any enjoyment from. I felt that the whole romance was forgotten generally or just used to forward the author’s views on feminism and the place it has in relationships. I really like Len as a character but I didn’t feel that Eliza was fleshed out more than a 2D character.

Not Here To Be Liked : Michelle Quach: Amazon.co.uk: Books

The Upside of Unrequieted by Becky Albertalli – Molly and Reid

I love this pairing. Reid was one of my favourite male characters until I properly started reading fantasy and he’s nerdy and sweet and exactly the type of man I like in books, and in reality actually. Molly is a very interesting character and I enjoyed being taken along with her as she discovered so much about herself and what she wanted.

The Upside of Unrequited : Albertalli, Becky: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – Thomas Cresswell and Audrey Rose Wadsworth

One of my all time favourite couples. Thomas Cresswell is charming and intelligent and completely annoying but I love him. Audrey Rose is also incredibly intelligent and full of fire and personality, she lets nobody stand in her way and that sets them up for very interesting moments.

Stalking Jack the Ripper: 1: Amazon.co.uk: Maniscalco, Kerri, Patterson,  James: 9780316273497: Books

Caraval by Stephanie Garber – Julian and Scarlett/ Tella and Legend

Okay so there are two main couples in the Caraval series of books. The first is Julian and Scarlett, which I think are probably my favourite book couple ever. They start as enemies – do you see the trend starting here?- and develop feelings later but I love that Scarlett struggles to trust him, it fits perfectly with the plots and if there was a lot of tricks happening I would have trouble trusting him too.

Then there is Tella and Legend. Currently, I haven’t read the third book yet, I don’t love them as much. I think they would make a good pairing, he offers her the enchantment and the mystery that she craves but they don’t have as much of a spark in my opinion.

Caraval (Caraval, #1) by Stephanie Garber

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – Cath and Levi

I don’t usually like romance books but this one I ended up loving. Cath reminds me of myself in a lot of ways, particularly her shyness and then Levi is cheeky and cute and I would honestly love to find a Levi in real life to be with, you just know that no matter what he would be there for her.

Fangirl : Rowell, Rainbow: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco – Wrath and Emilia

Emilia is a headstrong witch who, when her sister is murdered, decides to investigate for herself and summons a demon, Wrath. Wrath is so morally grey that I never know if he’s on the good side or the bad and this just draws me to him, the same as it does for Emilia and I think they challenge each other both physically and mentally which is great to see in book characters.

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

The Lady in the Tower by Marie Louise Jenson – Eleanor and Phillip Stanton

Another pairing that starts off as enemies, I really can’t help but have a type. I love the historical nature of the relationship, the bending of the boundaries. He is so charming and charismatic that I can’t help but like him even when the main character doesn’t. I liked the way this was a slow burn and you saw the moment when it all changed for Eleanor and she realised her feelings.

The Lady in the Tower - Scholastic Shop

I am going to leave this post here as I have included a lot of great pairings but if everyone enjoys this I have plenty more couples to make a part 2 or part 3!

Monthly Wrap Ups

December Wrap Up!

Happy Saturday bookish people! If I am scheduling this right this should be my first post of 2022 which is crazy because 2021 went by so fast. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year and that you are all excited about what 2022 could bring.

So let’s talk about what I did or didn’t read in December 2021 and what I thought of the books!

  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – none of you will be surprised that again, no I haven’t read this book yet. I will but I didn’t get to it in 2021.
  • All Of Us Villains by Amanda Foody – I was so excited for this one but I wasn’t in the mood to read such a dark fantasy so I am hoping to read it soon.
  • Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson – I didn’t get around to this one either.
  • Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia – I did not read this book.
  • Good Girl Bad Blood by Holly Jackson – I did read this one! I liked it but not quite as much as I enjoyed the first book in the series.
  • In the Crypt with the Candlestick by Daisy Waugh – I did not read this one.
  • It Sounded Better In My Head by Nina Kenwood – I didn’t read this book.
  • Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco – I really wanted to get around to this one but in the end I didn’t.
  • Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens – I read this one and I really loved it, except for the ending.
  • Murder in Midwinter – I started reading this one but I haven’t quite finished it.
  • Not Here to be Liked by Michelle Quach – I read this book but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
  • Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – I also was very excited to read this but I didn’t in December.
  • Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian – I didn’t read this book.
  • The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict – I did read this one and I have posted a book review of it.
  • The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – I didn’t read this one
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – I wanted to read this one but then I heard some reactions to it and it has put me off a little bit.
  • The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – I read this one and I liked it but again it wasn’t as good as the first book in the series.
  • The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – I didn’t read this one
  • Traitors Kiss by Erin Beaty – I didn’t read this one either
  • Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – I didn’t read this one
  • Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson – I did not read this
  • Well Met by Jen De Luca – I did not read this one.

So from my TBR i ended up reading five and I started reading one other. On top of my TBR I read Murder on Christmas Eve, Rivers of London, Unsolved Deaths, and six of the books in the Pony Mad Princess series. That brings my total of book read to 14 in December which is a great amount.

That’s it for my December TBR, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Bookmas 2021, Monthly TBRs

Merry Bookmas Day 1 – 1st December – December TBR

Happy Wednesday bookish people! And a merry bookmas! As I announced last week I am going to be posting every day in December and this is the first of these posts. Of course I had to start my blogmas/ bookmas with my TBR for December so I hope you all enjoy reading about what I plan to read in December and the thoughts I already have about the books.

My December TBR:

  • Well Met by Jen de Luca – This month I have included lots of books that are outside of my comfort zone in my TBR and this is one of them. It mentions a Renaissance fair and that sounds very unique and interesting.
  • The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – I read his first book either this year or last year, I can’t quite remember and it was very enjoyable so hopefully the second book lives up to it.
  • Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia – I am interested in reading this book because it has been compared to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and I loved hat book.
  • Kingdom of The Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco – I love Kerri Maniscalco’s work and Kingdom of the wicked is no different, I can’t wait to be back with Wrath and Emilia.
  • Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson – The description makes me think of Six of Crows a little bit so I have high hopes for this one.
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – again this book is on my TBR, I will read it eventually!
  • Not Here to be Liked by Michelle Quach – I’m not usually drawn to this genre but the synopsis really interested me and I’m not completely sure why.
  • All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody – this is like a very dark version of the Hunger Games mixed with family gangs.
  • Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson – I love her books and a fantasy book about magic and nuns sounds amazing.
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – again, another book outside of my comfort zone but I am looking forward to giving it a chance.
  • In The Crypt With A Candlestick by Daisy Waugh – a 1920’s themed murder mystery makes me think of Agatha Christie which I love so hopefully I will enjoy it.
  • The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood – this is written by the writer of Death In Paradise which is one of my favourite TV shows so hopefully this book is good too.
  • Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – I love the Caraval series and this book follows one of the characters from that so I’m excited to read it.
  • Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – this is a book that I have heard a lot about so I want to get around to it soon.
  • Traitors Kiss by Erin Beaty – I don’t know much about this book other than it has a lovely cover.
  • The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict – this is a festive themed book that I am excited to read
  • It sounded Better In My Head by Nina Kenwood – I don’t know much about this book either, other than it is outside my usual genre
  • Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian – it’s set in an ice cream shop, I don’t need to know anything else about it.
  • Good Girl Bad Blood by Holly Jackson – I loved A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder and I can’t wait to read the second one in the series
  • Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens – another festive themed book that I am very glad I managed to get onto my TBR.
  • The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – I have seen so many good things about this book and I know it has comedy in it so I should enjoy it.
  • Murder In Midwinter – a collection of crime short stories set in winter should be a nice change of pace.

That’s it for my December TBR, have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?