Monthly Wrap-Up: August - September

It's September tomorrow and I honestly feel like I was writing August's wrap-up just yesterday. It's crazy. 

August was a strange month. I read a lot, binged Netflix to no end (Arrow and Gossip Girl galore), and started writing my WIP (post about that coming sometime in September). The writing's going slowly-ish, and although I'm struggling not to edit as I go, I'm pretty happy with the progress I

making and the practice I'm getting.    

Life's been okay I guess. I forced myself to do a few "out of my comfort zone" experiences, which caused me incredible stress beforehand but paid off in the end. I just hope to be more "social" in September and stop procrastinating when it comes to making some certain life decisions. I'm scared and worried about them, but I'm trying to trust God. He knows best and He'll be with me every step of the way.     

Posts of the month (excluding reviews & weekly round-ups): 

Waiting on Wednesday #44

A Blog Squad Special

Blog Tour for THE LAST MAGICIAN - by Lisa Maxwell

Waiting on Wednesday #45

5 things Bookworms never want to hear

The Blog Squad: Part 21

My One Year Blogiversary! Interview

Waiting on Wednesday #46

My One Year Blogiversary! Thank you

A Blog Squad Special

Waiting on Wednesday #47

The Blog Squad: Part 22

Waiting on Wednesday #48

The Zookeeper's Wife - 2017 

I only watched 1 movie this month!!! But in my defense, I did binge watch TV shows on Netflix as well...

The One Memory of Flora Banks - Emily Barr

Windfall - Jennifer E. Smith

Starr Fall - Kim Briggs

A Thousand Pieces of You - Claudia Gray

The People At Number 9 - Felicity Everett

The Good Daughter - Alexandra Burt

Seven Days Of You - Cecilia Vinesse

One Of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus 

Silver Blood - Emma Hamm

The Marble Collector - Cecelia Ahern

You Don't Know My Name - Kristen Orlando

I read a real mix of books this month: some bad, some good, some terrible, some amazing. My favourite was The Good Daughter, and my least favourite was either You Don't Know My Name or A Thousand Pieces of You.   

These are some of the books I'm hoping to read this month (emphasis on some...)

(Roar, Cold Malice, Canary Club, and The Empty Grave are eBooks)

My giveaway is still happening! Go enter! 

RT+Follow me & @SKVetterWrites for the chance to win ONE of the books pictured below! INTL okay,ends 9/28, no giveaway accounts #booksbindus pic.twitter.com/kAwpOvvM8W

— AMagicalWorldOfWords (@AmyNikitaWords) August 27, 2017

Happy September (for tomorrow)! Hope you have an amazing month ahead <3

Was August a good month for you? What did you read or watch? 

Waiting on Wednesday #48: THERE'S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE - by Stephanie Perkins

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme originally hosted by Breaking the Spine and now taken over by Wishful Endings that highlights upcoming book releases we're excited to read. On my blog, I include movies as well.

THERE'S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE - by Stephanie Perkins

Publication Date: 26th September 2017. 

Scream meets YA in this hotly-anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss. One-by-one, the students of Osborne High are dying in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, the dark secrets among them must finally be confronted.

This cover is actual perfection. It was basically designed for me, actually, because it has my favourite shades of pink and gives off some deliciously eerie vibes. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

And the story also sounds PERFECT AND WONDERFULLY SCARY 3

Anyone else excited for There's Someone Inside Your House?

YOU DON'T KNOW MY NAME (The Black Angel Chronicles #1) - by Kristen Orlando

YOU DON'T KNOW MY NAME - Kristen Orlando
Published: 2017 - Swoon Reads.
Genres: Young adult / romance / contemporary / thriller
Pages: 280.
Triggers/Content Advisory:  At the end there's violence and implication of torture.
Format: eBook.
Source: Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Seventeen-year-old Reagan Elizabeth Hillis is used to changing identities overnight, lying to every friend she’s ever had, and pushing away anyone who gets too close. Trained in mortal combat and weaponry her entire life, Reagan is expected to follow in her parents’ footsteps and join the ranks of the most powerful top-secret agency in the world, the Black Angels. Falling in love with the boy next door was never part of the plan. Now Reagan has to decide: Will she use her incredible talents and lead the dangerous life she was born into, or throw it all away to follow her heart and embrace the normal life she's always wanted? And does she even have a choice at all?

Ever since this book came out in January I've been hyped to read it. YA thrillers can be hit-or-miss, but this book seemed to get a lot of positive reviews, and so I thought it would be amazing.
I was extremely disappointed.

I buddy-read You Don't Know My Name with my wonderful #squad: Uma @ Books.Bags.Burgers, and Di @ Book Reviews By Di. We all felt similarly about the book and were so disappointed with what we'd hoped it would be an exciting thriller.
Please do check out Di's review HERE, and Uma's review HERE.

Fighter, Faker, Student, Spy...

The writing is childish, repetitive, lackluster, bland, and uninspired. There isn't a single impressive phrase or scene or any profound language and vocabulary, and there is a LOT of telling - in oppose to showing - especially when it comes to Reagan's emotions.
The dialogue is atrocious. It's unoriginal, unrealistic, dry, boring, cheesy, and there's no wit, no subtext, no characterisation at all. It's possibly the worst aspect of the book.

The story's tedious, slow, and predictable. Many incidents are extremely hard to believe (for example, would top-notch secret agents actually allow a teenage boy to participate in and help lead a hostage rescue? Even if the excuse is "he wants to be in the military"?!) and most of the book is completely devoid of physical action. Since it's supposed to be a thriller, that's annoying.
The ending of the book is contrived and offensively manipulative - in terms of the violent content and style of the scene. It's disgusting, and made worse by terrible writing.

"I don't like it when you pretend you're someone you're not. I just want you to be you. Good. Bad. Anxious. I'll still be here."

The characters are flat. They're boring cardboard cut-outs with label-like "personalities". Despite Reagan coming across quite likeable and compelling at the beginning, she too soon succumbs to lazy writing that leaves her one-dimensional and stereotypical. It's a waste.

Reagan's parents are even worse. They're flat, annoying, ridiculously uninspired, and their dialogue is the worst. I very strongly disliked them for the duration of the novel.

There are a lot of relationships in this book that have great potential. Unfortunately, they all lack proper development, pacing, and realism, and thus come across ineffectual and bland. That also contributes to my inability to feel for or root for the characters.
Following on from that, the emotional element just isn't present either. All the emotions in the story are forced and melodramatic, and I couldn't feel for any of the characters; even in situations where I knew I should. There's just no emotional investment whatsoever.

The romance is terrible. Luke has no point in the story outside of being Reagan's love interest, and he's just as flat as everyone else's characters. Not to mention there's no realistic, solid development for his and Reagan's relationship, and the so-called "cute banter" between them is stupid, meaningless, extremely forced, and cringe-worthy.
Luke's boring - and so's their romance.

You Don't Know My Name is a contrived, poorly paced, badly written novel with a weak plot and flat characters. Towards the end it gets mildly exciting, but that's not enough to redeem the entire book.

Weekly Round-Up: Watching and writing

Another week gone and it's almost September. HELP.

I can barely remember what happened this week; only that I watched one episode of Supergirl and then stopped it cos I was bored (truth: I needed to start season 2 of Gossip Girl because I was dying of anticipation) and I also started Arrow season 4.  

My WIP writing's going.......well. I'm hand-writing the first draft, so it's tiring, but I love my characters and my world and I'm really getting into it. So far, so good.  

Posts of the week: 

Book Review: THE GOOD DAUGHTER

Book Review: SEVEN DAYS OF YOU

Waiting on Wednesday #47

Book Review: ONE OF US IS LYING

The Blog Squad: Part 22

Book Review: SILVER BLOOD

Nothing!!! And I won't be starting another book until September. 

But I did finish these two books this week: 

Genni reviews The Wrath and the Dawn

Greg reviews Emma in the Night

Amber Elise reviews Because You Love To Hate Me

Lauren reviews Weave A Murderous Web

Emily reviews When Dimple Met Rishi

Michelle reviews Follow Me Back

Erika reviews Crooked Kingdom

Chuckles reviews The Shallows 

Excitement!! I'm running this book giveaway on Twitter with SKVetter, so head over and enter! 

It's international!  

RT+Follow me & @SKVetterWrites for the chance to win ONE of the books pictured below! INTL okay,ends 9/28, no giveaway accounts #booksbindus pic.twitter.com/kAwpOvvM8W

— AMagicalWorldOfWords (@AmyNikitaWords) August 27, 2017

Did you have a good week? What are you writing at the moment? What have you been watching or reading? 

SILVER BLOOD (Series of Blood #1) - by Emma Hamm

SILVER BLOOD - Emma Hamm
Published: 2016.
Pages: 274.
Genres: Young adult / fantasy / fae / romance
Format: eBook.
Triggers/Content Advisory: Some sensual scenes and fantasy violence.
Source: Thank you so much to the author for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

A PROPHECY TO FULFILL Two hundred years ago, our world changed forever. Two realms combined in an explosion of magic. One morning everything was normal and the next? Every human body was host to another magical creature who had thoughts and a mind of its own. However, with power comes darkness. Someone wants to wipe this earth clean and will stop at nothing to consume it. SHE IS NOT A HERO Or so she thought. Wren had grown up with another voice in her head but had never considered herself magical. She doesn't have the talents other people have. She certainly doesn't have the abilities anyone else has. But she is charming and manages her business quite well. She deals in emotions and makes people happy. It's a simple life, but it's hers. HE THINKS SHE COULD BE Burke was a bodyguard first and always. He had been sent to collect her and deliver her in person to the most powerful creatures in their world. But the moment he steps through the broken door of her shop, his world changes forever. She's strange. She's uncomfortable. And she's so damned beautiful. He is convinced she is part of a prophecy that can save their world. But how to convince her?

For a debut, this book is amazing. And if you love unique fantasy, you need to start reading it now.


The best thing about this book is that it's incredibly unique and imaginative. And not in the silly, abstract way that makes you think "wut the heck is going on this is so weird I can't understand why it's been published"; no. Silver Blood is a riveting, refreshing debut that stands out in the sea of independently published YA novels.

The atmosphere is electrifying and the imagery vivid. The world building is deftly spun, and Hamm gently whispers it to spellbinding life. The writing's strong, but occasionally the narration is clumsy and awkward. There's also a lot of telling - primarily at the start of the book - and the beginning also suffers from very tedious info-dumping. But that does fade as the story progresses.

The story is constantly entertaining. It's fast-paced, unpredictable, intelligent, and tightly plotted. The descriptions are deeply evocative, and the dialogue is witty, characterising, and compelling. It's fantastic.

                        “Come with me," he said fiercely. "I will keep you safe."--------------- "How can you?" The whisper sounded like a scream to his ears.

Wren is a lovely heroine. She's vulnerable, spunky, capable, independent, and doesn't let anyone push her down. When Burke does an undoubtedly unacceptable thing by coming in while she's bathing, she doesn't excuse his behaviour and instead demands an explanation, all the while letting him know he's done an inappropriate thing. In a world where YA heroes constantly get away with inexcusable things because the heroines are too awed by their hotness and secretly turned on, it's awesome that Wren sticks by her guns and lays the blame where it belongs in situations like these: on the guy. And to Burke's credit, he respects her boundaries.
But I don't like how Wren spent the last quarter of the book. I can't give spoilers, so I'll just say that she's reduced to an incapable damsel. As much as I felt sorry for her, it did mean Burke got to do the rescuing and basically save the day, and I don't like that Wren was so incapacitated and docile. I wanted her to have a big part in saving herself.

The secondary characters are equally compelling. I love Jasper and Lyla and how original and three dimensional they are, and I also like the depth of Burke and Pitch's characters.
But I do wish the villain had been as fleshed-out.

The romance is very swoony and sweet and I especially enjoyed the dream sequences between Burke and Wren. But I don't like how Burke was frequently overprotective - he respects Wren, certainly, but his protectiveness frequently becomes too much. That leaves me undecided about the romance.
Otherwise, however, Burke compliments Wren's character well.

Silver Blood is a beautifully crafted and utterly unique fantasy, dazzling in its characters and world-building. While I didn't always like the romance and where the story found Wren towards the end, it's an entertaining, clever, and marvelous debut that I highly recommend.

The Blog Squad: Part 22

We are a group of three book bloggers situated on different continents but brought together by our love for books and a penchant for talking about them. We’ve joined our forces to create a collaborative series of posts about book blogging and we hope you’ll enjoy the discussions. 

 A MAGICAL WORLD OF WORDS - AmyNikita 

 BOOKS.BAGS.BURGERS - Uma K 

 BOOK REVIEWS BY DI - Di Hewlett

Do you binge-read series? Or read them as they're released? 

I will do both, it really just depends when I get to a book/series! 

If there are books being released by a favourite author I will read them as they are released because I won’t be able to hold myself back. Then there are the series that I just haven’t managed to get to that I’ll end up binge reading either all of the series or to whatever book has been released.

There are numerous reasons that I might not have gotten to a series - either the hype was too strong and I avoided it for too long, or I just don’t have the time in my reading schedule (because let’s face it I will NEVER have enough time to read all the books I want to read!) or maybe an amazing series somehow just slipped under my radar.

I’m not sure which type of reading I prefer - obviously I love binge reading a series because I happen to be able to get all the books without waiting forever to resolve a cliffhanger… But there’s something to be said about that delicious anticipation of the next instalment to a favourite series.

That totally depends! Sometimes I find out about some awesome series only after the entire series has been released so depending upon how much I like book 1, I might binge read or get to each book leisurely. Sometimes with some really popular series, you can’t not know about; I end up picking up the book as soon as it releases or requesting for an ARC. I think both have pros and cons. Sometimes binge reading a series can put me in a reading slump and sometimes reading books right when they release is also a problem as I forget certain events in the previous book! But I just thought about it and I realize I don’t binge read that often!

In what order do you read series with novellas? 

My favourite is to read all of the novels and then go back to fill in with the novellas, but if I am awaiting for new releases in a series then I might read the novellas as they are published. I don’t like reading out of publication order though, so if 1.5 was published after book 2 then I’ll wait to read 1, 2 and then 1.5 both to avoid spoilers but also more importantly to read the books in the order that the author intended them to be read.

I mostly read the novellas after I’ve read the whole series. For some reasons, I’m scared of picking up novellas in the middle. I like not knowing certain things during the series and having them be revealed to me afterwards. Reading them while I’m reading the series feels like I’m giving myself spoilers! I think only once or twice have I read novellas while I was in the middle of the series.

Do you do 'book by book' reviews or whole series reviews? 

I generally do book by book reviews. Both can be quite tricky though! I don’t like to include spoilers in my reviews and this can be tough on a long running series in which events and the plot in sequels hinge on circumstances set in the previous books! Whole series reviews I find tough as well because if I’ve read all of the books there are certain points that I want to make about a particular book and I find that difficult to fit into an entire series review.

I’ve only done book by book reviews so far but I’ve been meaning to do a series review for some of my favorite series like Harry Potter, Vampire Academy and The Raven Cycle. I read Harry Potter and Vampire Academy way before I started blogging so I haven’t even written book by book reviews of them! And I believe writing a book by book series now would be difficult as I’ve read the entire series! So yeah, I plan start doing series reviews sometime in the near future.

Come check out my answers over at their collab posts!: 

 BOOKS.BAGS.BURGERS 

 BOOK REVIEWS BY DI 

 We hope you’ve enjoyed Part 22 in our series of discussion posts! Please talk to us and let us know YOUR answers below. What do you think of our responses? If you have any specific questions you’d like us to address in the future, please let us know in the comments section below. 

Stay tuned for next week’s questions!

ONE OF US IS LYING - by Karen M. McManus

ONE OF US IS LYING - Karen M. McManus
Published: 2017 - by Penguin.
Genres: Young adult / thriller / contemporary / romance / drama
Pages: 360.
Format: Paperback.
Triggers/Content Advisory: Themes of sex, drug-use, and suicide.
Source: Thank you so much to Penguin Random House SA for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Yale hopeful Bronwyn has never publicly broken a rule. Sports star Cooper only knows what he's doing in the baseball diamond. Bad boy Nate is one misstep away from a life of crime. Prom queen Addy is holding together the cracks in her perfect life. And outsider Simon, creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, won't ever talk about any of them again. He dies 24 hours before he could post their deepest secrets online. Investigators conclude it's no accident. All of them are suspects. Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you'll go to protect them.

Think Gossip Girl meets Thirteen Reasons Why. And driven by the hype, I couldn't wait to read this book.
Although it didn't completely win me over, I still enjoyed it.


The writing isn't anything amazing, but it is addictive. It's absolutely compulsive reading - I literally couldn't breathe sometimes because I was so riveted. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It's overwhelmingly gripping, more-ish, and entertaining. The tension never stops climbing, and although the final climax didn't make me go "Wow!" the twists along the way certainly did. It's taut and unpredictable and kept me guessing.
Add to that the dark, creepy factor: The book is also incredibly chilling. I had this haunting coldness crawling down my spine for most of the book, and I love how there's this very real darkness to the story.

The whole high school setting is on point. So often I find that authors make it too stereotypical and forced, but I think McManus nails it in this book. It's utterly natural, and not cheesy or cliche at all.
But I wanted the story to be more juicy. And I blame the lack of that on the writing, which never gives that gossipy, juicy sort of vibe. The story's good, but the writing compromises its potential.
Another small negative regarding the story: I wanted more of a blow-out climax. It is cool and there's nice action, but I guess I wanted more physical fighting and with more of the characters involved. The way it is, it's slightly disappointing.

“Unless one of us is lying. Which is always a possibility.”

“I want to kiss her more than I want air.”

I liked the characters. Addy and Nate are the only ones with real growth, but my favourites are still Bronwyn and Nate (Nate is so hot and swoony oh my gosh).
I loved how McManus bent the stereotypes a bit and gave each teen a detailed back story, but I do think they could've been more vivid. Basically, no one leaps off the page. At the end of the book I wasn't left with a big impression of anyone; they needed more depth.

But I did love watching their individual lives fall apart (as awful as it sounds to say that). I enjoyed watching the cracks begin to show, the secrets begin to emerge, and the relationships start to break - or build. The characters' stories are good, but their personalities could be deeper. 

The romance between Nate and Bronwyn is amazing, and easily my favourite aspect of the book (they're also one of my new favourite ships of all-time). They are so beautiful and hot together, and I ship them hard. I loved the slow-burn of their relationship, and their swoony scenes are so sexy. I also adored their chemistry - which no doubt comes from their contrasting personalities.
BUT. I hated how their relationship, uh, resulted (I'm trying to avoid spoilers here...). It's rushed and random, and the event of Evan feels completely out of character for Bronwyn. It's unsatisfying and annoying.
The romance is wonderful, but the way the book handles it towards the end of the story is weird.  

One of Us Is Lying is a thrilling, fun, and exciting story with plenty of knockout twists and a gorgeous romance.

But the characters never truly come alive, and the writing isn't anything amazing.

Waiting on Wednesday #47: BEFORE SHE IGNITES - by Jodi Meadows

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme originally hosted by Breaking the Spine and now taken over by Wishful Endings that highlights upcoming book releases we're excited to read. On my blog, I include movies as well.

BEFORE SHE IGNITES - by Jodi Meadows

Publication Date: 12th September 2017.

Before Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer. Since the day she was born, she’s been told she’s special. Important. Perfect. She’s known across the Fallen Isles not just for her beauty, but for the Mira Treaty named after her, a peace agreement which united the seven islands against their enemies on the mainland. But Mira has never felt as perfect as everyone says. She counts compulsively. She struggles with crippling anxiety. And she’s far too interested in dragons for a girl of her station. After Then Mira discovers an explosive secret that challenges everything she and the Treaty stand for. Betrayed by the very people she spent her life serving, Mira is sentenced to the Pit–the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. There, a cruel guard would do anything to discover the secret she would die to protect. No longer beholden to those who betrayed her, Mira must learn to survive on her own and unearth the dark truths about the Fallen Isles–and herself–before her very world begins to collapse.

This book looks AMAZING. Incredibly unique synopsis, gorgeous cover, and I've heard that the anxiety gets excellent rep. Mira also seems to be a complicated, original heroine, and I love how it seems to be a story about self-discovery and as much about internal conflict as external.

Anyone else excited for Before She Ignites?

SEVEN DAYS OF YOU - by Cecilia Vinesse

SEVEN DAYS OF YOU - Cecilia Vinesse.
Published: 2017 - by Hachette Children's Group.
Genres: Young adult / contemporary / romance /
Pages: 304.
Format: Paperback.
Triggers/Content Advisory: Themes and incidents involving sex, drugs, and alcohol. Severe bad language.
Source: Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan SA for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sophia has seven days left in Tokyo before she moves back to the States. Seven days to say good-bye to the electric city, her wild best friend, and the boy she’s harbored a semi-secret crush on for years. Seven perfect days…until Jamie Foster-Collins moves back to Japan and ruins everything. Jamie and Sophia have a history of heartbreak, and the last thing Sophia wants is for him to steal her leaving thunder with his stupid arriving thunder. Yet as the week counts down, the relationships she thought were stable begin to explode around her. And Jamie is the one who helps her pick up the pieces. Sophia is forced to admit she may have misjudged Jamie, but can their seven short days of Tokyo adventures end in anything but good-bye?

Prepare to meet one of the most fantastic chick-flicks of the year. I adored this book and you should too ;)


The writing's excellent. It's fast-paced, entertaining, witty, and I loved Sophia's sassy narrative voice. I was constantly laughing out loud. The dialogue is brilliant, snappy, and flows and sparks like the wit of a teen TV show flick. It's delicious.
Vinesse is also an incredibly perceptive writer, and her observations of the characters and circumstances are relatable and perfectly acute.
The only disappointing thing about the writing is the bad language. There're frequent F words and blasphemy, and it's disgusting.

But where this book really shines is in its impeccable vividness. Every scene is effortlessly easy to imagine, and it is exceptionally tangible: bursting with the rich culture and with every sight, smell, and taste leaping off the page. It's immersive in every form of the word.
The descriptions were my favourite aspect of the book. I was utterly soaked in the stimulating atmosphere, scenes, and Japanese culture.

“It might not be distance or time that takes you away from people. Maybe you decide when you let them go. But I can't let go yet.”

“You’re terrifying the way a book is right before it ends. You know? When you have to put it down because it’s too much to take in at once. You are the most terrifying person I know.”

The story's fast paced and very entertaining. The plot points are quite weak, but it's still a delightful story that's hopelessly romantic and well-told. I was never bored. But the plot isn't particularly substantial.

Like the rest of the book, the characters are well imagined and vivid. I didn't love any of them (except Caroline) but they're all very human and three-dimensional and interesting. There're also some great, dynamic relationships, and they're complicated and realistically messy.  I especially loved the growth of Sophia's relationship with her sister, Alison.
But I did long for more closure in regards to some of the relationships; specifically between Jamie and his parents, and Sophia and her friends. I was unsatisfied about those at the end of the book.
Another thing I didn't like was how immoral the characters were (not so much Sophia, but her friends). They sleep around, they're crude, they frequently get drunk...It's dirty and repulsive.

The romance is sweet. I didn't love it because I never really liked Jamie (nothing personal, he just never won me over) but there's chemistry between him and Sophia, and I liked how he brought out the best in her. But I was never shipping them passionately.

Seven Days of You is a delightful, engaging romantic flick with strong characters and stunning, evocative writing. You'll be utterly swept away. 

But the immorality and bad language are terrible.

THE GOOD DAUGHTER - by Alexandra Burt

THE GOOD DAUGHTER - Alexandra Burt
Published: 2017 - by Avon.
Genres: Adult / thriller / contemporary fiction
Pages: 528.
Triggers/Content Advisory: There is an gang rape scene with occasional referrals and flashbacks. There's also one vague sex scene, and frequent, disturbing violence and gore.
Format: Paperback.
Source: Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball SA for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

What if you were the worst crime your mother ever committed? Dahlia Waller's childhood memories consist of stuffy cars, seedy motels, and a rootless existence traveling the country with her eccentric mother. Now grown, she desperately wants to distance herself from that life. Yet one thing is stopping her from moving forward: she has questions. In order to understand her past, Dahlia must go back. Back to her mother in the stifling town of Aurora, Texas. Back into the past of a woman on the brink of madness. But after she discovers three grave-like mounds on a neighboring farm, she'll learn that in her mother's world of secrets, not all questions are meant to be answered...

WOW: I thought there would never be a thriller to rival The Girl on the Train. This book is a gut-load of despicable pain and tragedy, but it is so, so good.


The language, the writing, is where the book truly comes alive. It is incredibly emotive, bursting with sensory details. The vocabulary is astounding, the writing raw and real, and the tone gorgeously atmospheric. It's so rich and literally tangible, and I was completely sucked into the breathless, horrifying world.

It's exciting. Creepy, horrifying, dark and terrifying, but so gripping. It's clever but not remarkably so, and I did guess the twist a while before it was revealed, but I must admit I didn't actually mind. The story's strength is in its characters and writing, not its mystery. It's not so much about the destination, it's about the journey. And it works fine that way - even for a thriller.
The suspense is thick and intense, but it's a bit of a love-hate thing for me. I felt like the author kept dangling the climatic answers to the many secrets right in front of me, and then snatching them away to prolong the revelations for yet another chapter. It's not a deal breaker, just a bit frustrating and worth mentioning.

{She} was a strong woman; strong but damaged. Those are the dangerous ones.

The story is heartbreaking. The horrors experienced by the characters are twisted, vile, agonising, and intense. It's dark and extremely sad, with deep internal and moral conflict festering beneath the surface. I think the author is talking as much about justice as she is about relationships.

The characters are fascinating and realistic. They're elusive, complicated, and hurting. The changing points of view (I think there are at least three women who get the chance to tell it from their perspective) do get a bit confusing at times, but as the story processes and the perspectives get limited to Quinn and Dahlia, it's fine; just the getting there is a bit bumpy.

I didn't love any of the characters, but I ached for them. I loved all the different, diverse relationships because of their depth and twisted dynamics, and I adored how the layers of each character's personality slowly get peeled back. Each person is unique and three dimensional, and Burt gets inside each individual mind brilliantly.
The romance of the story can hardly be called a subplot, but I have to mention it because I loved it. I loved Dahlia and Bobby's relationship. I loved their relationship arc, their individual storylines that effect each other, and that their romance never once distracts from the main plot. It's a surprisingly mature and realistic romance, and I adored it.

The Good Daughter is a standout of the genre. With its excellent, extremely evocative writing and vivid, dynamic, painfully flawed characters warped in darkness and brokenness, it's as much about human nature as it about secrets. It's a story that digs deep - literally and metaphorically - and has forever made an impression on me.

Weekly Round-Up: Netflix and reading and writing

PEOPLES! I've changed my blog post font - please tell me what you think? Is it easier to read than the previous one? I need feedback! And while you're at it, I'd really appreciate it if you could tell me what font you use for your blog... I'm looking for the perfect one, and I'd love to know what you find works for you.

Thanks :) 

And I also changed my blogger header! I'd love to know your thoughts on that too? 

In other news, it's been an average week. I'm still going strong with my WIP, have been reading a fair amount, and been watching a lot of Gossip Girl (I'm officially addicted. It's my new darling). I finished series 1, but I'm going to take a break from it before starting series two and make a start on Supergirl instead. Which I've been dying to see. 

A small warning: there'll be blog posts from me every day for the rest of the month. I have a lot of reviews coming, and am hoping to get a "fun" post in there somewhere too. So stay tuned :)   

Posts of the week: 

Film Review: THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE

My One Year Blogiversary! Interview

Waiting on Wednesday #46

My One Year Blogiversary! Thank you

A Blog Squad Special: Infographic

Book Review: The People At Number 9

Still going with these two books :)  

I finished one book this week (review to come): 

THIS ARRIVED AND I DIED OF EXCITEMENT

Except I haven't read And I Darken yet, so I need to get hold of it soon. 

GUYS GUYS GUYS I WON A HARDCOVER AND FREAKIN' SIGNED COPY OF THIS GORGEOUS BABY I HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATING FOR LIKE A MILLION YEARS AND I LITERALLY COULD NOT BELIEVE I ACTUALLY WON THE COMPETITION I THINK I HAD A FEW MINI HEART ATTACKS WHEN I GOT THE EMAIL

Melissa shares her Writing Journey

Julie shares her Wonder Woman Art

Kariny reviews Roar

Brittany reviews Roar

Brooklyn reviews Illuminae

Alyssa reviews Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Tanya reviews Wish You Were Here

How was your week? What are you reading or watching? Have you read any of the books I got? What did you think of them?