BOOK REVIEW | The Court Of Miracles by Kester Grant

"You must make your enemies your allies. And if you can't do that, then destroy them.

Them, and all who follow them, so that fear doesn't come for you when you sleep." 

A diverse fantasy reimagining of Les Misérables and The Jungle Book. Fantastic!

A great Young Adult fantasy novel with a wholly original plot and great world building. 

This book is set in 1828 Paris after a failed revolution; in times that are dark and sinister with a royal regime lacking any real interest or compassion for those less fortunate themselves. These royals are merciless and pretty much live for themselves and fellow nobility, leaving the remaining residents of Paris to live in famine, poverty and despair. As a result nine underworld criminal guilds known as the Court of Miracles have formed. Our protagonist Nina, is a very talented cat burglar and is a member of the Thieves Guild. When her adopted sister Ettie attracts the unwanted and terrifying attention of the Tiger (the lord of the Guild of Flesh), Nina is forced to embark on a dangerous path to protect Ettie and do all she can to keep her safe and out of the ruthless clutches of the the Lord of the Guild of Flesh. Breaking into the palace of Louis XVII, stealing from royals, seeking allies with ghosts and facing her fears, Nina's will to protect her younger adopted sister forces her into the worst parts of the dark underbelly of Paris. But saving Ettie from the Tiger risks setting off a vicious war between the guilds. 

Admittedly, it started a little slow with a lot of information and world building thrown at you. I did become slightly worried that the plot wouldn't have much suspense or keep my interest. However it was totally worth the slow plot as that all changed a few chapters in and I was enthralled into an underworld of secrecy, law, thieves, assassins and more! 

This book is beautifully written with amazing descriptive language and little stories of revolution thrown in between chapters. I loved the historical aspects of this book and the way in which the author greatly captured a dark Paris in a unique and interesting way. The court systems and 'Guilds' where also really well explained and added SO much more depth; it made the story and the protagonists feelings and decisions easier to understand and empathise with. The characters where also a very well done element of this fantastic book; all unique and likeable which made you invested in them and the story so much more. The main character in this book was probably the best thing about it. Starting as a small, quiet girl relying on her sister and leading a sad average life, she later becomes a fierce and brave admirable woman who you can't help but cheer for through out the story. Her character development was very well done!

I greatly enjoyed this book and once I got through the slow start I couldn't put it down! I cannot wait for a sequel as the story of Nina and Ettie doesn't seem to be over just yet. Their friendship and sisterhood warmed my heart and proved that love trumps all. A four star read that I'd highly recommend if you love a good fantasy. If you’re not a fan of romance in your books, then this book is for you! There isn't any romance in this book but there is definitely enough to suggest there could be in a sequel. Instead, this book greatly focuses on sisterhood and friendship and i adored it. 

Available:  04/06/2020. 

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Thank you for reading, 

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Les Misérables meets Six of Crows in this page-turning adventure as a young thief finds herself going head to head with leaders of Paris's criminal underground in the wake of the French Revolution.

In the violent urban jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, the French Revolution has failed and the city is divided between merciless royalty and nine underworld criminal guilds, known as the Court of Miracles. Eponine (Nina) Thénardier is a talented cat burglar and member of the Thieves Guild. Nina's life is midnight robberies, avoiding her father's fists, and watching over her naïve adopted sister, Cosette (Ettie). When Ettie attracts the eye of the Tiger--the ruthless lord of the Guild of Flesh--Nina is caught in a desperate race to keep the younger girl safe. Her vow takes her from the city's dark underbelly to the glittering court of Louis XVII. And it also forces Nina to make a terrible choice--protect Ettie and set off a brutal war between the guilds, or forever lose her sister to the Tiger. 

BOOK REVIEW | The Love Hypothesis by Laura Steven

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a lovely cute read. The aspects of physics made it so interesting and gave it much more depth. I could definitely tell that a lot of research had gone into this book and I actually learned a thing or two about some scientific theory ha! The representation in this book is also a really good thing about it. The main character was so fun and well written and the innuendos added so much more humour. I also liked how the book had some good emotional elements and was a story showing a young girls journey to self discovery and sexuality. I really adored both her dads especially Vati he was a hilarious character! A book that I read with ease and thoroughly enjoyed. 3.5 stars!

Rating: ★ ★ ★.5 

Thank you for reading, 

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Physics genius Caro Kerber-Murphy knows she’s smart. With straight As and a college scholarship already in the bag, she’s meeting her two dads’ colossal expectations and then some. But there’s one test she’s never quite been able to ace: love. And when, in a particularly desperate moment, Caro discovers a (definitely questionable) scientific breakthrough that promises to make you irresistible to everyone around you, she wonders if this could be the key. What happens next will change everything Caro thought she knew chemistry – in the lab and in love.

Is her long-time crush Haruki with her of his own free will? Are her feelings for her best girl friend some sort of side-effect? Will her dog, Sirius, ever stop humping her leg?

BOOK REVIEW | DID I MENTION I LOVE YOU? BY ESTELLE MASKAME

Okay so I didn't really know what to expect from this book... the storyline sounded really interesting and i'm a sucker for ya romance books they're totally my guilty pleasure. However the whole 'main character falling in love with her stepbrother' storyline did make me a little apprehensive. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this book and ended up giving it four stars on goodreads although,  I probably would have given it a 3.5 if I had the option. 

So I won't lie; this book is full of cliches and is very cheesy at times but I found that once I was a couple of chapters in I couldn't stop thinking about reading it when I wasn't. You know when a book just consumes your thoughts and when you aren't reading it your mind is constantly wondering whats going to happen next? well that is how the book made me feel. 

At first I didn't really understand how the main character Eden could possibly fall for her stepbrother Tyler because he just seemed like a totally awful person and I didn't fathom how there could be more to him and also how he could redeem himself. However, I like how the forbidden romance unfolded between the two. 

An aspect of this book I really enjoyed was the mystery surrounding Tyler and why he was such a 'jackass' as described by Eden. This element of the story made it all the more intriguing. I would have to argue it was a little bit of a slow burner but worth the wait. The ending did seem a little bit rushed to me in a way *SPOILER WARNING* as the whole story builds up to everything happening just so that Eden and Tyler could be together; they have finally admitted their feelings to one another, Tyler has ended things with Tiffany yet all of a sudden Eden decides to quit at the final hurdle... After Eden realised her feelings for Tyler she did everything she could to continue things with Tyler in a way and seemed very enthusiastic in pursuing their forbidden romance. Then suddenly Eden out of nowhere decides to do the right thing and end things just as things can begin... It was kind of disappointing and even though  it was a good element to the story and more realistic it could have been executed better and not so abruptly. The rushed ending to the story and slightly strange epilogue is what decreased by rating. But I did really enjoy this book and I can't wait to pick up book 2 in the future! 

Thank you for reading, 

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

When sixteen-year-old Eden Munro agrees to spend the summer with her estranged father in the beachfront city of Santa Monica, California, she has no idea what she’s letting herself in for. Eden's parents are divorced and have gone their separate ways, and now her father has a brand new family. For Eden, this means she's about to meet three new step-brothers. The eldest of the three is Tyler Bruce, a troubled teenager with a short temper and a huge ego. Complete polar opposites, Eden quickly finds herself thrust into a world full of new experiences as Tyler's group of friends take her under their wing. But the one thing she just can't understand is Tyler, and the more she presses to figure out the truth about him, the more she finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn't – her step-brother.

Throw in Tyler's clingy girlfriend and a guy who has his eyes set on Eden, and there's secrets, lies and a whole lot of drama. But how can Eden keep her feelings under control? And can she ever work out the truth about Tyler?

Did I Mention I Love You is the first book in the phenomenal DIMILY trilogy, following the lives of Eden Munro and Tyler Bruce as they try to find their way in an increasingly confusing world. 

CURRENT LUSH FAVOURITES

I thought i'd write a little post on my current favourite Lush products that i now couldn't be without! What's not to love about Lush?! Cruelty free affordable goodness that i promise your skin will most definitely LOVE. I've always had problematic skin (a combination of dry & oily - more oily than anything) and recently my skin hasn't been it's best; resulting in a little lush skin care splurge. So here are some of Lush's skin care products that have definitely helped improve my skin. 

Lush | Dream Cream

On Lush's website it is described as being 'A soothing and cooling cream that is designed to go on even the most sensitive and easily upset skins.' It is also described to be soothing, calming, balancing and restorative. I have to say i agree! I use this cream as a body lotion when i get out of the shower each night and my skin instantly feels softer and smoother. I will admit it has a strange scent but is ultimately a treat for my skin, especially during these cold winter months that make your skin a little drier than usual. 

Lush | Ocean Salt

This body scrub is my favourite body scrub i've tried so far. The salty citrus fragrance instantly makes me feel fresh before i even apply it to my skin. The small sea salts help to exfoliate and remove any dead skin, leaving my skin soft and rejuvenated. I like to use this every other day. 

  

Lush | Mask of Magnaminty

On the label this mask claims to help fight eruptions and outbreaks and return your skin to tip top condition. I wouldn't say it has returned my skin to 'tip top condition' but it certainly has made my skin feel and look healthier. I love the minty-fresh scent and find that it works really well for my combination skin. Furthermore, it also helps to exfoliate the skin on my face without being too harsh. I use it 1-2 times a week to exfoliate my skin. 

Lush | Tea Tree Water

I absolutely love this stuff. It has massively helped my skin by reducing redness and break outs. I use this once each night by spraying a few pumps onto a cotton pad and wiping it all over my face. I feel that it has helped reduce the oiliness of my skin and has now become a permeant part of my skin care routine each night. 

Lush | Grease Lightning

This is by far the best spot treatment i have used. I wouldn't say it has cleared my skin, but it helps to decrease the size and redness of a blemish. I also feel a lot better using this spot treatment as i know blemishes aren't being irritated by chemicals, but soothed by natural ingredients instead. If you're looking for a cheap and natural spot treatment, this is for you!

I hope you enjoyed this little post & get the opportunity to try each of these products! Let me know your experience with any of these products in the comments! 

Jodie x