I wanted to make sure to review the remainder of the novels that I read last December before this month ends, so welcome to this December review wrap-up! I'm going to attempt to keep doing this regularly in 2020, so be on the lookout for more similar posts. But for now, on to the reviews!

I was pleasantly surprised by Love Her or Lose Her! I was nervous going into it because I’d heard early reviews from a few friends who didn’t love it. But I was too curious about Rosie and Dominic’s story to put off reading it for long. And I really enjoyed it! In fact, I might have liked it just a smidge more than Fix Her Up (and that’s saying something because I thought Fix Her Up was great). Love Her or Lose Her is about a married couple that have been having problems for a while and are just on the brink of divorce (Rosie’s ultimatum, if you wanted to know). Rosie and Dominic both end up deciding to try to work through their problems, and ta-dah, you have the perfect set up for a second chance romance. Much like its predecessor, this novel was filled with both humor and heart! I went through an entire spectrum of feelings as I read, which is always the mark of an enjoyable romance. It helped that I really liked Rosie and Dominic as individuals; I really felt for each of them as I read. It also led to my investment in this couple figuring out how to move forward after years of building resentment, neglect and miscommunication, particularly since readers are also treated to a glimpse to the time before when they were head over heels in love. I enjoyed watching the two of them learn more about each other, their relationship, why it fell apart and what they could do to fix it. Love Her or Lose Her was, in my opinion, a truly great companion sequel and worth checking out.

Love Her or Lose Her (Hot & Hammered #2) was released on January 14, 2020 by Avon.

I received an e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley for review.

Vicious is my second V.E. Schwab read (and I’m giving myself props for reading two of her books in 2019), after my friend Lauren picked it out for me to read last December! All I’d really known about this one going into was that 1) it’s about two college friends who experiment with the creation of ExtraOrdinary people and end up becoming enemies and 2) so many people I see online adore this (including my friends Kristin and Lili). I’m happy to report that Vicious was a fun read! I could totally see it doing well as a film or a comic, since that’s generally how I prefer to experience my superhero/supervillain tales. But Schwab did a good job translating the story into actual prose. There are so many merits to this tale: the snappy pacing, the narrative choice of using alternating timelines to build tension and context, the simple but compelling plot, the questions of good versus evil, and the interesting cast of characters. But I didn’t end up personally falling in love with this one for one simple reason: I didn’t feel connected or invested in the characters. Objectively speaking, however, this is an entertaining read and I’d still recommend it overall! [content warnings: suicide (talk and attempts), overdosing, self-harm, drug use, murder, animal death, violence]

Vicious (Villains #1) was published on September 24, 2013 by Tor Books.

My last read of 2019 is the book my sister Rachel picked out for me to read in November (and yes, I was totally late in reading it, but at least I got to it before the year ended): The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion. She was incredibly moved by this non-fiction/self-help book when she initially read it years ago and thought I would appreciate reading it too. And she was right! I really enjoyed the central theme which, as the title indicates, is an exploration of that crossroads between “should” and “must” that we all arrive at time and time again in our lives. Elle Luna offers some perspective on the difference between the two, using her own experiences and with the addition of a couple of relevant quotes. I found it interesting, as she was able to put feelings I’ve had into words in a way that will help me express (to myself and to others) how I feel whenever I arrive at that given crossroads in my life going forward. I finished this one feeling seen and reassured and inspired, and I’m glad I chose to end my year with it. (I also really enjoyed the aesthetic of this one! It’s got such vibrant colors and great quotes from famous personalities.)

The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion was published on April 7, 2015 by Workman Publishing.

If you’re a long-time blog reader, you will not at all be surprised to learn that I adored Tweet Cute.

(Also, if you’re new, hi, hello, so happy to have you here! I hope you’ll stick around.)

Tweet Cute is Emma Lord’s debut novel, a young adult contemporary romantic comedy about two teens (Pepper and Jack) who manage the Twitter accounts for their family’s respective food businesses (Pepper’s family created Big League Burger, while Jack’s family owns a deli) and find themselves head to head online. The two of them also happen to attend the same private school and, unknown to them, have become confidantes via an anonymous chat app.

Based on this description alone, you can likely imagine the shenanigans that ensue. Lord does a great job balancing the humor and heart of this story as it unfolds, and I found myself smiling, cringing and tearing up in turn. The story is also set in New York City, which automatically made it even more special to read. And Lord goes out of her way to mention so much delicious food (Grilled cheese! Milkshakes! Monster Cakes! Kitchen Sink Macaroons! I just want them all!) that inspired major cravings.

But what truly makes Tweet Cute special, and what personally sold me on it, were our two main characters: Pepper and Jack. They both felt like real people that I would’ve been friends with as a teen. I really appreciated the individuality afforded to them both, as well as the fact that they each had to go through an entire process of understanding themselves and their relationships better as the novel progressed. There were specific aspects for each that I found relatable (Pepper sorting out what she actually wants versus what she thinks is expected of her; Jack dealing with internal upheaval over how his parents treat him versus their treatment of his twin) too, and that certainly helped me really get invested in each of their stories. (Also, their friendship and romance is the cutest thing ever, and I am on the #PepperJack ship for sure.)

I’m really just here to affirm that this novel is delightful! It’s one of the best books I’ve read so far in 2020, hands down, and I am very much looking forward to anything Lord will be releasing next.

Tweet Cute is out today, January 21, 2020, and published by Wednesday Books.

I received an e-galley via NetGalley from the publisher for review.

The Paranormal Book Club is a casual book club I'm in with my friends Rachel, Kristin & DJ, and it came into being because we decided we wanted to revisit (or experience for the first time) a few older YA paranormal books and series together. We read our first book together in 2019 (it was The Iron King by Julie Kagawa)... and then promptly dropped the ball. But we were really determined to pick things up again this year, and after figuring out a more manageable schedule, I really think we're going to be able to do this pretty regularly.

This month, we all read Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl. Of the four of us, I was the only one who'd read it (though we'd all seen the movie). I was curious to see if the novel would hold up to what I remembered, and what the other three would think. 

The first time I read Beautiful Creatures was before my days as a book blogger and Goodreads member. I was looking forward to revisiting it with the Paranormal Book Club this month, simply because I did remember enjoying it (even when it scared me) all those years ago. Plus, because we all had very strong opinions about the film (spoiler: not my favorite), I was curious to find out what the other three would think.

What was your favorite quote or passage, and why did it resonate with you?

"The right thing and the easy thing are never the same." That line definitely stuck out to me because it's so true. Or, at the very least, it tends to feel that way to me when I'm faced with making a choice between these two things in my own life. I've learned (sometimes painfully) that picking the right thing might be harder in the present, but will lead to better things in the future... though it doesn't mean I always make the right call.

Which character did you relate to the most, and what was it about them that you connected with?

I'm going to pick my one of my favorite characters as my answer: Marian Ashcroft, who is a librarian and the Keeper of the Lunae Libri. Not only do I relate to the fact that Marian loves books a whole lot, but she's loyal to those she cares for and also is willing to help however she can (even with the restrictions placed on her). She's also got a firm understanding of who she is, and I can always really connect with that in a character I read about.

Was there anything you wanted to see more of in the book, like more page time for a secondary character or a plot point you wish was explored more?

I've always enjoyed Ridley Duchannes, and obviously would like to see more of her story. (Thankfully, the spin-off series is apparently about her, so I may just be getting my wish!)

What are your final thoughts? Would you read this book again and/or continue with the series? Would you read another book written by the same author/s?

I still ended up enjoying the novel on this second read! Overall, this book is very compelling! The biggest appeal it has for me is the lore. It feels very rich in detail and potential for future plots, and I’m curious to see how it continues to expand in the rest of this series. I also thought the plot was entertaining, if typical of a YA book in that era in many ways. There are just two things that knocked my overall rating down a bit: 1) not being a big fan of either Ethan or Lena in general and 2) being only mildly invested in their romance (and finding a lot of it cheesy, admittedly). I’d overall still say that I liked Beautiful Creatures a lot, and I’m hoping to read the rest of the series before the year ends.

I'm really glad we started out the year on a mostly successful note (except for poor DJ), and I'm looking forward to our next Paranormal Book Club read. If you're curious about what everyone else thought, check out their posts:

Hello, Chelly

Super Space Chick

This Life in Fiction

Friends, I'm so excited to officially announce my participation in the Pondathon, which is a co-operative and story-driven readathon that's being hosted and run by CW from The Quiet Pond. I've been excited since CW started sharing teasers for this readathon, and I can't wait to join in on all the fun.

The readathon will be taking place from January 24, 2020 through March 7, 2020. The main aim of the Pondathon is to read books and collect points to protect the friends over at The Quiet Pond from the encroaching malevolent forces that threaten our friends in the forest. But CW has gone above and beyond to create teams (which allow you to participate in different ways), side quests, character templates and a story to follow as things unfold.

INFORMATION ABOUT JOINING THE READATHON

• Sign up anytime between January 18, 2020 to March 5, 2020.
• Pick your team, create your own animal character for the Pondathon & create a character card!
• Create a post - whether on your blog, Instagram, BookTube, Twitter with #Pondathon included to share your character and the details of this readathon.
• Don't forget to share your updates on social media! You can tag @thequietpond or @artfromafriend on Twitter or Instagram. We'd love to see all of the beautiful and awesome characters that you create! 

Rebel by Marie Lu | I can't believe that I still haven't gotten around to reading this! I'm determined to get this series ender read sooner rather than later, particularly after hearing Marie say that it not only revisits the world of the Legend series but also has ties to the Warcross duology.

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso | I've been dying to read this one since I received it last year! It sounds like an interesting fantasy read with a fierce heroine, and I'm also a fan of the fact that it's written by a Filipino author.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee | I'm a fan of Stacey Lee's work, but I haven't yet read her latest release. This is historical fiction about a girl who is a housemaid by day and an advice columnist by night, and it sounds brilliant.

Wicked as You Wish by Rin Chupeco | I'm woefully behind on my Rin Chupeco reading, but I also can't resist the lure of her upcoming March release. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this title, and I definitely hope to get to it within the next month.

The Honey-Don't List by Christinas Lauren | I've got so many hefty titles on this list that I felt like it was necessary to include at least one fun romance read. Christina Lauren are my go-to for that sort of story, and I'm really excited about their upcoming release!

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas | I fully intend to read this one on release day, if not sooner (if I get lucky). I've been eagerly anticipating a new story from Sarah! It'll be fun to see what she does with an adult urban fantasy, and I'm dying to get my hands on it.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare | Like the previous book, I also fully intend to read this one on release week, if not sooner (if I get lucky). It'll be my last read of this readathon! I'm really excited to start a new story in the Shadowhunters universe, particularly in this historical era.

We're over halfway through the first month of this new year - can you believe it? Anyway, today's post is another look back at 2019, and this time, I'm going to be sharing my favorites in film, television, music and a few other areas today. (I also highlighted my favorite reads of 2019 last week, so don't forget to go and check that out!) 

I don't watch a lot of films, so I had a pretty small list to consider when coming up with my list. The only live action film that warranted a spot was Avengers: Endgame. I've been a really big fan of the entire Avengers film franchise (and have seen every single film), and it's been a joy to get to experience an entire era with these characters. To witness it all come together in a film (and to get those epic battle scenes at the end)? So, so good. 

Otherwise, all of my favorite films from last year were animated - My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (a great addition to this franchise, with an enjoyable standalone plot and some fangirl-worthy moments), How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (a bittersweet finale to this franchise), Into the Spiderverse (we watched this early in the year, and I'm obsessed with how clever, thoughtful and fun it was and how much it taught me about the Spiderverse), Klaus (a Christmas film with a take on the origins of Santa Claus that gave me all the feels) and Frozen II (my newest Disney film obsession - I wrote an entire post about it!).

I also don't watch a lot of tv in general, but I have eight (!) series that I can include this year. There are two live action series that deserve a mention (though I have admittedly not finished either one - and I promise I'll be remedying that this year): Good Omens (drawn to it for Tennant and the plot of an angel and a demon teaming up to find the Antichrist and prevent the end of the world; stayed for Tennant, Sheen and the plot) and The Witcher (which is so magical, and is such an interesting take on the story of a Witcher named Geralt and his adventures).

The other six series are all animated! There are two series I haven't finished yet either: Snow White with the Red Hair (which I'm currently rewatching for Friends with Anime; it's a delightful shojo fantasy story about a girl who escapes marriage to her kingdom's prince by traveling to a neighboring kingdom and working as a healer) and Rising of the Shield Hero (a Dungeons and Dragons style story where four ordinary young men are transported into a magical world and expected to be the heroes of said world).

There are four series I did finish or at least get up to date on: Gen:Lock (I was so shocked at how invested I got in this story that features five new recruits that get involved in a new program centered around weaponized neuroscience in the form of mechas), My Hero Academia (We finally binged all the seasons that were out and I fell in love with the story of these young kids studying to be professional heroes), Gakuen Alice (the sheer amount of screaming I did over this shojo series about a school for kids with special gifts, otherwise known as "Alices", was... a lot) and Fruits Basket (this reboot is a gift from the heavens, and I have fallen even more in love with this story of a girl who finds herself involved with a family that has a curse where a number of the members turn into animals of the zodiac when hugged by the opposite sex). We're also still keeping up to date on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and obviously loving that with all the nods to the original stories and characters and everything new that it's bringing to the table.

Maggie Rogers ("Heard It in a Past Life", released January 2019) | I am obsessed with Maggie and her music. There's just something magical and unique about the combination of her vocals, music and lyrics, and I have not stopped listening to her album since it first dropped. (I also made it the soundtrack of my autumn, since that's the vibe the album gives me!) It's brilliant! My personal favorite tracks are Retrograde, Light On, Fallingwater and Back in my Body.

James Bay ("Oh My Messy Mind", released May 2019) | It's not really surprising to have James appear on my favorites list again because he's one of my favorite artists. I love all of his work, and this is true of this new EP. It's a bit of a throwback to his original style on Chaos and the Calm, and I am here for every single bit of it. My personal favorite track is still Peer Pressure, but Break My Heart Right is a close second.

Taylor Swift ("Lover", released August 2019) | I'm always eagerly anticipating Taylor Swift's album releases, because she has, over the last decade, become one of my constant soundtracks in life. This album is brilliant. It's the culmination of an era, it's beautifully done (from the incredible music to the clever lyrics) and I'm properly obsessed. It's my favorite of her albums (though I still think Fearless could give it a run for its money) to date! My personal favorite tracks are Cornelia Street, Death by a Thousand Cuts and Cruel Summer, but I love all the songs so much.

While these are the top three albums I had on repeat for 2019, I also listened to a few more albums that are worth a mention: Westlife ("Spectrum"), the Jonas Brothers ("Happiness Begins"), The Script ("Sunsets and Full Moons") and Ariana Grande ("Thank U, Next").

I also wanted to mention a few other favorites from this year! I was able to watch a good amount of Broadway shows this year that I really enjoyed, including Kiss Me, Kate (the dance numbers in this show were epic!), My Fair Lady (which was hilarious and endearing and also inspired me to want to write a romance similar to it), Moulin Rouge! The Musical (honestly, the spectacle alone is worth every single cent you pay to see it) and Jagged Little Pill (the way all the songs on this Alanis Morisette record are used is clever and the story is heart-wrenching). I also attended the Portraits and Dreams seminar that Maggie Stiefvater hosted about writing, and it was illuminating! And last, but certainly not least, I played most of Kingdom Hearts 3 this year (I literally only have the final boss to beat at this point) and it was so, so much fun.