OK, it was the book that dragged me into the history books this year, and I'm tremendously grateful to it for that. I fell in love with it incredibly, and after reading it, I felt so empty that I had to let go. 

Isabella and Ferdinand were well crafted and closely following historical events, descriptions and looks, in short, I didn't have a word for them. Their personalities were obviously a bit let go when it came to fantasy, but that's all the trouble. 

The plot was well understood and extremely exciting. The whole thing covered several years right from the beginning to the end of Isabella's life, but it wasn't disturbing at all, in fact I liked that the writer covered several years. The pace was right, just enough not to be distracting, and I really liked the phrasing. The ending ended so well with the discovery of Columbus, of course everyone knows what happened after that, but it still gives a sense of freedom.

Overall, it was a good book that I will definitely reread again in the future!

I'm sure many of you know that I'm a big Hunger Games fan and Evenlark is one of my religions, so it's not surprising that I read this book as well, if only because it takes place from the perspective of the main villain (President Snow) when he was young. I liked the book at first, but I still haven't recovered the magic I experienced during the books and movies. It was a completely different time, with different circumstances and different characters, but more brutal than the original books.

───────────────────

SNOW

All right, all right. Call him a monster - because he deserves it - but i totally understand the reason for his actions, teribble or not but i would have done the same for power. Monster or not, I wouldn't call him evil, because after all, he played with open cards the whole time (which was not observed here) and at one point in his life he did a lot for a few people.  We have always only seen his spoiled, rich and powerful self, but never his past and I think he needed this book to make him more human, because at some point we would all break.

LUCY GRAY

She was so brave, so strong and so naive, but she still somehow caught me. Most of the tribute went crazy and lost in their own minds after winning, but not her.  Lucy Gray did everything for those she loved and fought to the end against the power above her - only to be betrayed. And that song. That is a damn song. No wonder Snow wanted to kill Katniss for it, it was very personal to him.

OTHERS:

Tigris is the tip of my heart, the complete melody of my soul, and I would be able to give her the world, because she deserves it. She did so much for her family and what was the gratitude? They ruined her life.
Sejanus. God, this kid was so annoying, but in a horrible way. He thought he could face the greater power only to lose. Despite all his idiotic actions, I have immense respect for him for giving the ultimate respect that his tribute deserved, because at the end of the day they were all just human, nothing more or less than that.

───────────────────

The plot was basically interesting, but in some places it was a bit slow and boring for me. It was definitely not a love story (even though it had some) and definitely not for the faint of heart.  Basically, it was sad to see how the tributes were treated like animals and how much they didn't care about them, even though they were children.

This was the kind of book that I simply can't comment on, because it was cringe af and I don't feel like I suffered through it, because it was so superficial that I didn't feel like I was reading, and not in a good way. The Mars joke was awkward anyway. 

𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍; 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆!

Ladies and gentlemen, I never thought the day would come when I'd say there would be a book I'd love as much as The Witch's Heart, but here we are, so that's either a sign that my heart has softened (which there is no chance) or that this book was 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓. I know, do you think that there can be anything good with such a title?  Don't be fooled, there really is murder involved, but not in the way you think and the answers aren't as simple as you think, so let me explain.

When Pippa (our main character) takes on the investigation of a murder that happened 5 years ago as part of a school project, she has no idea what she's getting into and to be honest, perhaps neither does the reader itsself. We get to know the whole story step by step, crumb by crumb. In each chapter, the author throws us a puzzle or secret that we have to solve together with Pip before we run out of time. 

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐈 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄:
✎ The main character.  My goodness, it's very, very rare to read about such an active, funny, smart and persistent character as Pip was. Nothing can stood in her way when it came to fulfilling her goal and she did everything to prove her point, even if it meant that her life was in danger.
✎ The plot. A fast-paced, mysterious, adventure-filled plot? Count me in! The story flowed very nicely by itself and didn't really force anything, it simply draws you in and won't let go until you figure it out the killer. It built up nicely, with the right speed and the right amount of interest, and it captivates you all the way, so that you spend days wondering if you know every little detail for sure. 
 ✎ The characters. I beg your pardon, but a book where the characters have actual personalities and backstories? When I say that books do need to develop and get to know the characters, I'm talking about something like this.Honestly, I can't say how long it's been since I read a book where everyone got an equal place in the plot at the right time and in the right amount. Each of them has their own dark little secret and none of them are clean, so that makes everyone a suspect.
✎ The little illustrations. It was a great idea to add visual content because it helped me better understand what was happening, where and how.
✎ The love story. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it that, but something similar happened between Pip and Ravi during the book. I liked that they got a little attention, but just the right amount and didn't take away, but added to the whole thing.
✎ The twists and turns. Almost every chapter had a twist or secret (or cliffhanger ending) that I could literally die for. These were the reasons why I was so captivated by the book, because I always wanted more and more.
✎ The killer. In Andie's case, I don't really know who I can call the killer and who I can't, because both Becca and Elliot are guilty of the fact that this happened, but in fact neither of them did it completely on purpose (or maybe the former), you can say Andie invited the wrath of the Fate, in short, for me, she is  the only one who participated fully in her own death. In Sal's case, justice is much simpler.  I actually believed that he didn't kill himself and that someone else did it to him, but I never guessed that it would be Elliot, especially not that he would do it so cruelly.  But I appreciate that he stayed with him while Sal was dying and told him about beautiful things, because no one - no matter how depraved - deserves to leave the living alone.
✎ The end. The ending was simply beautiful, but at the same time heartbreaking, but it gave me the peace I wanted.

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈 𝐃𝐈𝐃'𝐍𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄
✎ I don't know when I signed up for the fact that Barney would grow so close to my heart and that my heart would hurt so much because of his death, but oh my god I SOBBED. I have no problem with death, but the death of animals is very difficult for me and I honestly feel his death was unnecessary, only being used to symbolize shock factor and cruelty (even though he accidentally drowned). 

Honestly, 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲, and that's understandable, because it happens to me too often that I guess the killer before anything serious happens, so it is not enjoyable for me at all, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭. I loved this book, or at least I really enjoyed it, because it gave me the kind of puzzles that I need, not too difficult, but not too easy and ultimately not unsolvable. I recommend it to anyone who wants a quick high school read with secrets, mysteries and trials!

So there is the lyrics (by Emily Jeffri);
Oh do you remember me?

No, I don't. There are some kind of moments, scenes, texts buried deep in my memory, but well no, this could not be remotely called a memory.

This book was a journey, but really.  I can't really decide if I liked it or not and I'm really struggling with the rating right now. But maybe that's okay, I just need to get some sleep before I do anything rash. 4 stars for now, I'll decide later.
Yes, another Victorian book, and about Queen Victoria's daughter?  Yes, sorry I'm obsessed with history and them. This story starts with the early childhood years of Victoria (Vicky), the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (they were very creative with the name Victoria in 4 generations), but by the end we get an adult, independent and very intelligent woman whose ambitions will steer the country of Prussia in a better direction (the later  German Empire)

───────────────────

VICKY

Vicky was a very lovable personality.  Not only her parents' favorite, but mine too. She had so much courage and so much will to fight that it's unbelievable, thanks to her managed to partially realize her father's dreams. She cared about her children even though they caused so much trouble for her sometimes, but she was only their mother (and unlike her mother Victoria) she loved them very deeply and always wanted the best for them.  She was a very loyal and devoted wife to Fritz, theirs was a beautiful love story. Her relationship with her siblings was cute, especially with Alice, whom she met often.

FRIZT

When I say that I want a loyal husband, I will use him as an example.  He not only loved, but also protected Vicky, helped her through the most difficult times, through hell and hell, so that she could have the life she deserves by his side. He was definitely not a lover, but a soldier, but he still became one of the best husband and father when he got his family.

THE OTHERS

The beginning was so beautiful.  So, so beautiful, a wonderful family. I did well to read that book about her youth, because it made things easier to put together. Queen Victoria and Albert's married life and family simply brought me comfort that no one and nothing else could. Then came death. I can't tell you how much my soul wept when Albert died. I mean I knew about it, it's history, but even then my soul was torn apart. Everyone complained about Queen Victoria's rude manners and how she didn't care about her children so much, but no one thinks about the fact that she lost her husband, her soulmate, her partner, and she had to endure all this with a straight back. Honestly, I would have gone crazy in her place, I would have lost my mind from grief and sorrow. Still, she tried to do the best she could and really help her children, even when everything turned into hell for her.
Willy and the other children became the tip of my heart, the brightest stars in my sky. I don't really care what kind of disability they have, how hard it was sometimes for them to study and behave, in my eyes they have never done anything wrong. The others don't really deserve a word, because either I didn't get to know them enough or I hate them

It honestly portrayed the hardships of the Prussian court, the state of the country and the wars in a very authentic way, but I could have endured several chapters from Vicky's childhood, because it was still my favorite. I'm not saying it was a short read, nor that the plot was completely gripping, but it wasn't as bad as many people make it out to be. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.

I try not to judge an entire genre because of one book, because so far I've come across really wonderful historical fictions, but somehow I didn't like this one the way i should have.  Maybe it was me, because I suffered a lot with it and I don't really remember it all, or at least I don't want to. My biggest problem was that I just couldn't identify with the book the way I wanted to. I could sense from the beginning that this was going to be an uphill battle, when five chapters later I was just waiting for the book to pull me away. This was definitely not my book, i might have liked it in another life, but not now.

──────────────────

Annabelle was a very smart, persistent and stubborn main character, but she grew on me in this short time, maybe the only one in this book who deserved real attention. I really liked that she was such a free spirit and that she fought tooth and nail for what was right. In fact, I can't blame her for anything, because she always spoke the language of facts and I deeply understand why she would have been able to throw away everything to keep her future safe. Speaking of the future, her past is also interesting, one might say. At least I didn't really expect that, I knew there was something in the background, but it wasn't that she had an stillborn child, so that surprised me.

I know I should slide in front of him on my knees, which was still the case in the first half of the book, but as I got to know him more and more, I stood up and walked in the other direction with my back facing him. I don't like alpha males who are so protective of the other that they don't even let them breathe, okay? But hate aside, I respect him for taking care of her and treating her fairly. Not many other men would have been able to do that. Honestly, I couldn't really adjust to him, sometimes he was so happy that it's a wonder he didn't fly away, and the next moment he would have been able to kill anything in cold blood.  This man taught me a huge lesson about setting my expectations higher and in the process made me hate him for a whole lifetime. Strange, isn't it? I think I will stay with him in this passive-aggressive situation. Basically, I'm sorry for his past, but I don't fully understand why he threw away his entire future for just one woman (I don't understand love, I know, but any logical person would say that).
──────────────────

I suffered with the love story, because it should have been an enemies to lovers (at least many people promised it), but instead we got a trope that I don't really know what to call it, which somehow got stuck between stranger-hate-to-lovers. Even now I feel that those two don't really fit together, not because their social rank or anything else would not allow it, but because they are simply like fire and water and not in a good way. But somehow they still work (or try to), so I guess it's just me.

My other bigger problem was that practically the side characters had no meaning, no depth, they were mostly just there, sometimes they appeared, but they didn't really add anything to the plot. Sebastian's little brother running away didn't make any sense, especially since he was not even punished for it, and then there was Annabelle's cousin, who appeared at the beginning, then reappeared towards the end of the book, but he didn't really make any sense.

I don't want to dwell on this (I'm not used to it), but now I have to talk about the cover of the book, so the fact that it has nothing to do with the story (apart from the fact that he took her home when she was walking) is just a marketing ploy.

The plot was boring, very boring and it was full of clichés (really an industrial amount). Regardless, I enjoyed it in some places and tried to love it, even though it was a failed attempt.

I don't really recommend it for people who want to read something big, but it's perfect for an afternoon snack.