Author: Jade Bennett

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Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson (GGGTM Book 2)

I….actually have a valid reason for this read. For those who haven’t read my last review, you probably don’t know that ACOTAR is a five-book series, and I planned to read the entire series before moving on. Even though I read AGGTM about a month ago, I didn’t have the other two books in the series, and when I did, the vultures swooped.

My sister has been cast as the villain recently, as all the books I’ve recently bought, it feels like, have been snatched up by her. On top of that, the most horrifying bit is that she doesn’t respect books. I’ve explained books need to be treated well, you have to use bookmarks with my books, and absolutely no dogearing pages! But, she’s basically a psychopath; she breaks spines!! I can’t say no to her because she’ll just roll her eyes and call me eccentric—which, for the record, I am—and then everyone will hate on my love and respect for books. Guys, I’m seriously in the booklover minority over here. Please save me!

Anyway, I got GG, BB and immediately, my sister stole it, as she had also read GGGTM. Then, when I got the third book, As Good As Dead, she also stole that one! Now, basically, the entire series has cracked spines and curling pages, and I feel super uncomfy reading them. I still read GG, BB, but I kept thinking about the fact that I will be warier about letting people, ehem, my sister read my books.

So, back to the important part of this, the review; I definitely like this series and I liked this book a lot. As I stated in my previous post about GGGTM, I’m absolutely not a murder-mystery type. I do enjoy the thriller, who-did-it vibes, don’t get me wrong. But, this was the first murder-mystery book I read, and actually loved it.

The book follows Pip, obviously, the young, determined, sleuth who takes on local disappearances and murders. But, this time around, Pip is trying to leave her detective days behind her. After the horror and threats last time, she won’t put her loved ones at risk again simply in the pursuit of truth and justice. However, a close friend’s disappearance has her breaking her rules and following the clues.

Pip comes into contact with dangerous people, and by the end, she’s been tested and thrown off her feet by what she witnesses. I hope AGAD continues with her tough story and the comfort characters around her (I heart Ravi Singh!).

Genre: Y/A fiction, murder-mystery, thriller

Age: 13+

Rating: 8/10

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Holidays (Christmas-New Year’s)

Hey there! I wanted to post about the Holidays because it’s been pretty hectic and I wanted to keep posting blog posts regularly despite the encroaching horizon of school. Ugh, I wish winter break lasted the whole year long. I would just read books and listen to T. Swift for the rest of my life. Now that’s the life!

Anyway, Christmas was lovely. My sister was here for about a week and we celebrated relatively quietly in Kommetjie. I got a bunch of T. Swift merch and omg guys I got all of the albums IN VINYL (!!!) I love passing by them in my room, even though I can’t play them, I still want to take them out and look at the little forward and all the lyrics. They’re so pretty, and I got Taylor’s Version for Red and Fearless! I love them!!

I also got some other stuff, and we spent a really relaxed Xmas day napping and swimming. For New Year’s we visited family friends renting a place in Arniston, a small town a few hours from the city. Cleo had already gone up there, so we all spent a lovely New Year’s celebration together, watching the fireworks at midnight, and sleeping in the next day. I mostly read, catching up on my favorite pastime and finishing ACOMAF in time for my review (check it out now). On Jan 2, we drove back to Cape Town, stopping in Hermanus to see some other family friends for the day before arriving in the evening. We’re staying on the boat now, doing boat jobs (my dad and anyone he can lure into his traps), cleaning and provisioning (my mom), reading (my sister and I wish myself), and catching up on school (yours truly and miserably).

Soon, we’ll be heading out of Cape Town with Dafne for good, and although everything until then will be hectic and stressful, I still can’t wait and I’m so excited!

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A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (ACOTAR Book 2)

I am officially in love with this series. I have a lot of new things to tell you guys, both in the book, my relationship with this series, my opinions, and what has actually been going on in my life. The latter of these I plan to cover in the Holiday review post I plan to make in the next few days—don’t freak out if it’s later than that; I think we’ve established “the next few days” is code for “whenever I freaking feel like it.”

Either way, back to the book review. Guys. Guys. That is the only word I have left in my vocabulary apparently. I know that I shouldn’t write reviews right after I’ve finished a book because my emotions are too raw and there’s a possibility they’ll cloud my actual rating of a book. Like, I could have really loved a book initially and given it a relatively high rating, but then I realized that I didn’t actually like it as much as I remembered.

That danger is always present, but I feel the threat of not having a raw enough memory of the book just as acutely, if not more. I would rather give a generous rating to a book that may not be my ultimate favorite than forget how much I fell in love with a book and give a horrendously lousy review because of my crap memory. Besides, I trust my memory enough that I don’t think I would forget if I didn’t like a book and give it a high rating.

That’s my reasoning in case you were wondering how I go about reviewing. Anyway, back to this wonderful book. This book was absolutely amazing, but I feel like reading it was a rollercoaster. The book itself is really long (620-something pages), but the way I went about reading it was a little hair-brained.

I started A Court of Mist and Fury a few days after Christmas, but it was extremely slow going in the beginning. This was because I was getting back into the rhythm of school, i.e. falling back underwater in paperwork. So, I started the book but only made it about 50 pages in before we went on vacation for New Year’s. I knew then that I would have plenty of time to get into ACOMAF, and, sure enough, I immediately began tearing through the book.

However, I had lent my sister ACOTAR a few days before, and, boy, she literally inhales books. I have never met someone who reads faster than her or my other sister, and I began to feel very stressed as the pages between us got smaller and smaller, even as I tried frantically to read more. It was a losing battle, and she managed to finish ACOTAR before I finished ACOMAF. Therefore, on New Year’s Day, I found myself staying up late to finish the book.

Even as I write this, my sister’s sitting next to me already halfway through ACOMAF. I have no idea how we’re going to manage the next three books in the series. Just what I needed: added stress in my book as well as reality. Thanks a bunch, Cleo, love you.

Either way, I absolutely loved this book, despite trying to speed ahead. I am officially Rhysand’s property, and I ship Feysand until my dying days. I’ve also already started A Court of Wings and Ruin, so I’m totally ripping on Tamlin and the rest of those @-holes. I’m also so into the Inner Circle vibes (Cassian, my baby) and I love the whole friend group. I totally also ship Cassian and Nesta (what’s their couple’s name?).

But, the whole vibe of the book is so awesome, and I get warm fuzzy feelings just thinking about Feyre getting her bad beotch energy back on. She absolutely deserves how she’s come so entirely into herself and I love Rhys for helping her do that.

Genre: adult fantasy, romance

Age: 16+

Rating: 10/10

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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

OMG! I have been waaaaiting for this! Bring the beat in—because I’ve finally bought and read the first book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas (amen to the goddess of fantasy). 

This book and the entire series have been on my list for so long, and I’m ashamed that I’ve never read SJM before now. She’s a staple in the fantasy, faerie, and Booktok realms. But, as soon as I saw this book at a second-hand stall in a market, I leaped for that sh!t. You should’ve seen it—I became like the wind for this book!

Anyway, I bought it about a week ago and had to finish my current read before I could start reading. And, honestly, I encountered a stressful problem when I began reading A Court of Thorns and Roses. 

Okay, don’t get too angry at me—especially because I already proclaimed my undying love for Ms. Maas—but, when I started ACOTAR, I…wasn’t…really…into it? I know, I know, hear me out!! It was just a little too hard for me to follow the worldbuilding and there wasn’t as much *spice* as I had hoped there would be…until there was. Then, about a hundred pages in, it got pretty good and my expectations were met well and truly by the end of the book. I honestly have been so hyped up for this series that I thought it wouldn’t be what I wanted it to be. 

But, between Tamlin and Rhysand (“Feyre, darling” = *screaming uncontrollably*), I found my peace in out-of-this-world handsome High Lords that have a particular fondness for one mortal girl. I also have a soft spot for Feyre, even though I got a little bit of Pick Me and grumpy vibes from her. We’ll have to see how well she holds up in the next books if she’s even in them. I hope she is, as well as Nesta, who I feel like I’ve heard she will be. 

I also know it’s still early to be picking sides, but I wanted to share my process of which team I’m on. At the beginning of the book, to my despair, I was simping hard over Tamlin. I mean, he’s literally BLONDE—how pathetic is that? But, what can I say: I have a soft spot for doomed, bad boy High Fae! Either way, I was wondering if he was endgame…until we met my love Rhysand. I know this man(?) is questionable and morally pitch black—pun intended—but boy, does he get that fire going?! I am a total goner for him and I can’t wait to see him and Feyre in the next books because I think they end up together. 

So, please, please, please send me the rest of the series for Christmas! I know you guys are not always appreciative of my reviews, but I will step up my game if you send me the rest of this series as a Xmas present—also the rest of my TBR would be much appreciated! Thanks, love you guys, and Happy Holidays!! Mwah!

Genre: adult fantasy

Age: 15+

Rating: 9/10

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1/2 Summer, Fall, And Winter Of 2022

I won’t even try to apologize; you guys know me so well that you probably aren’t even surprised that it’s literally been months since I posted an actual updating post—not including my B-Tay post and all of the book reviews. Oops! I guess if you’ve been following my blog for the past while, you almost definitely know how finicky my posting schedule is, and how I love to post but school is the bane of my existence and academic validation is the object of all my desires (my fav line from Bridgerton). So, you really shouldn’t be surprised by my tardiness and childlike inability to keep my promise of posting regularly. It’s really your fault I haven’t posted in so long. Gaslighting? Check!

Anyway, back to business, I have a few updates about the past four (five?) months. After Cambridge Prep, which I believe was my last experience, I flew to the US for my family’s regular summer visiting and traveling time. I saw family and friends, went camping, and had a pretty regular and fun summer back there. Then, my sister, parents, and I all flew back to SA for the beginning of my 9th-grade year!!

It’s been so exciting starting high school, and I love all my classes…most of the time. As we know, I’m very centered and stressed about school, even when things don’t seem that stressful. I’m self-aware enough to know that I tend to panic or freak out if a deadline for an assignment is getting dangerously close and I don’t feel at all secure in my project. Although, this fear and stress are pretty unfounded; I almost always get my assignments in on time and in a form that is satisfactory. However, the added stress of finally being in high school has kind of exacerbated this stress.

Either way, I made it through my first semester intact, and with a few other interesting extracurricular happenings. I had my dance assessments (talk about stress—yeesh!) about a month ago, and I think those went fairly well. Again, in my self-aware fashion, I know that I’m definitely not near the top of my class in dance, and that’s fine. I only started a year ago, and I’m not naturally gifted. I’m just really grateful I was given the opportunity to make friends and grow in my dance abilities. My assessments went fine and now I’ve left the program.

Similarly, I ended my school semester (for the most part) at the beginning of December, and since then, I’ve had a really cool experience! On the 4th, I went to a volunteer program in Kwa-Zulu Natal, which is a province in the eastern part of South Africa. I went for a week to volunteer on a game reserve that was creating a summer program for the kids to teach them about animals and conservation. It was so much fun to interact with the kids, see the animals, and just spend time on a game reserve. I loved it!

Cleo also accompanied me there and volunteered with me, and we traveled back to Cape Town on the 10th. When we got there, we immediately began hosting and vacationing with our grandparents, who had arrived from the US the same day. Since then, we’ve been basically day-tripping all over the city and the surrounding towns, including vineyards and a few days in Kommetjie at the house. It was super fun hanging out and having a small early Christmas with my grandparents, but we all know that there is a certain time limit we all feel the effects of when with family if you know what I mean *raise eyebrows cause I’m petty*.

My grandparents left on the 18th, and we had a quick breather for a day before my sister arrived last night. She’s staying for a quiet Christmas with us, which I’m more excited about than I thought I would be. I know, can you imagine it? Me, excited for a family-focused holiday that involves stressful planning of presents, clothing, and food, as well as a long night of consuming alcoholic beverages and socializing. The sky must be falling! But, in reality, even though we are planning presents, food, and semi-nice clothing attire, I think it’s going to be a quiet Christmas, mostly because it’s just the five of us.

Anyway, hope you all are having a lovely holiday break and living it up wherever you are; whether rain or shine, it’s still Holiday Season, baby!! I really love Christmas, if you couldn’t already tell. Oh, I forgot to tell you, guys! My grandparents got me T Swift merch!? Agh, I love it so much. They got me a “Taylor’s Version”, a Red (TV) sweatshirt, and a Red ring!! I can’t believe it and I love them!

Bye, guys! Happy Holidays

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If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

Wow. Okay, so I just finished this book yesterday, and I have many thoughts about it. Firstly, I absolutely loved reading it. The angsty, art academia and theatre vibes quickly became a favorite, but I also loved the friend group. Secondly, the Shakespearean references and decoding were such an interesting and captivating draw for me. Shakespeare is definitely a great way to narrate a story, as there are so many different characters and feelings within the plays. And thirdly, the ending had me absolutely convinced that there needs to be a sequel. I have to know what happens! It’s bad enough that the very last two pages are as cryptic as they are; at least give me something else to continue this story.

Now, I can’t give too much away about the ending, but I can say that it is one of my favorite cliffhangers of all time, including in movies, books, and other media. It’s just so darn open-ended. Like, there are a thousand theories that I could come up with about where the ending leads to. But, none are the top ones because they all seem plausible. I’ve never been so delightfully confused!

This book is probably for an older audience, as some language and actions were for older people. Also, it does require at least a basic understanding of Shakespeare, or some knowledge about his famous plays and plotlines. I don’t have a great understanding of him, but I have read A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Rome and Juliet, and Othello. I’m also a little familiar with the general characters and hazy plotlines of Macbeth, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and others. So, unless you know about Shakespeare or have read one or two of his plays, I suggest deepening your understanding or looking up the plays mentioned in If We Were Villains. ‘Cause, there are a lot of them!

But, aside from those small bits—advanced Shakespearean and some adult scenes—I think EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK! Of course, I say that about every book, but with this one, I seriously think that, whatever your favorite genre, you’d definitely love this book!

Genre: literary fiction, murder mystery, romance, dark academia (is this a genre? I hope it is)

Age: 14+

Rating: 8.5/10

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Beach Read by Emily Henry

OK, I wasn’t looking for an emotionally intense book after Where the Crawdads Sing, so I picked out this popular BookTok book that everyone is saying is such a cutesy little rom-com. I haven’t read anything by the author before, but this book as well as her other one, People We Meet On Vacation, which is also on my list, is supposed to be pretty good.

I also wanted some beach vibes to get me excited for summer here, as I’m rarely ready for all the heat around the Holiday Season. But, as soon as I started reading, I knew this one would wreck me. I read this book in a day and a half, and boy, was I crying that night. I have an embarrassing video locked on a device that remains confidential of me crying and holding the poor book.

Can you honestly pick up an enemies-to-lovers, beach-themed book and expect yourself to have a safe emotional detachment from it? NO. It’s like an unwritten rule that enemies-to-lovers books rule your soul while you read them. Combined with that beachy, The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes, and bam, I was a goner.

Beach Read follows our broke, struggling, and mentally unstable protagonist January Andrews as she moves to a small beach in Lack Michigan following the death of her father, which she is still coming to terms with. There, romance writer January finds herself procrastinating her writing so much and in such a confused and unstable place, she eventually strikes up a deal with the devil.

Agustus Everett detests romance and happy endings. As a writer of bleak and “coldly h0rny” fiction, he and January have been enemies and rivals since they attended university together years ago. Gus has also moved to the same small town on the beach, and, coincidentally, finds himself, neighbors, with January.

The two are less than thrilled to find themselves in such proximity, but, they spend more time together and eventually begin to work together and help each other out of their quarter-life crises.

The intimacy and vulnerability of this book were perfect, and I loved the tropes and begrudging sexual tension. My sister prefers enemies-to-lovers in fantasy and high stakes, but I kind of like the contemporary ones like Beach Read.

Genre: romance, fiction

Age: 13/14+

Rating: 10/10

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Happy 33rd B-day, TayTay!!

Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! I know I’m a day late, but I swear I planned this; I didn’t want to take the spotlight from our girl, Dr. Tay, so I’m only posting this today instead of her actual birthday, which was yesterday. I’m so excited about this particular birthday because it’s the first Taylor will be celebrating officially with yours truly in her fandom.

As some of you already know, my Taylor Swift obsession is a bit of a long story. Like all true idols, Taylor was omnipresent in my childhood and I’ve never known a world without her Gorgeous presence in it. But, I never had a Thug Life until about January of this year. Of course, I am a much better person because of this development, but my sleep has sadly died along with my sanity—they’d definitely say that “We Were Happy” before, but were we really? Also, my social life is currently non-existent, so It’s Nice To Have A Friend in Taylor, but no one else.

Anyways, until the beginning of 2022, I had never been a sell-my-soul fan, but I had been a local American girl who listened to her popular songs and knew of her. That all changed at some point this year. I wish I had an Everything Has Changed moment, but I like to think of it as more of a Dancing With Our Hands Tied kinda thang—I was destined to become a Swiftie eventually. Look What You Made Me Do, Taylor, now You Belong With Me forever.

Now, being a Swiftie is a good enough term for most people, but for ME!, as someone who knows how versatile Dr. Swift is All Too Well, I feel the need to identify myself further. I love Taylor’s songwriting, musicality, storytelling, and general Mastermind-ish shenanigans. I absolutely love how she owns this world, and I am so grateful to be living in a world with all of the art activism and beauty she brings into it. Don’t Blame Me for all my references and voodoo stuff; I’m just a Swiftie.

Let’s take a moment of silence to thank Taylor, as well as Andrea Swift, God bless her, for coming into the world on December 13th, 1989, and creating something that is hard to put into words for me. I hope she has The Best Day with her loved ones, and I can’t wait to see what comes this year! #SpeakNowTVpls

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Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

I. Am. Not. OK. Don’t even try to talk to me. I finished this book in literally two days, and I haven’t been able to think straight since. I am emotionally wrecked! Someone, please call the ambulance, because this is the book that finally broke me.

I know I say this about every book, but this one is really my favorite book. I absolutely loved the storyline and the plot. But, more than that, I fell in love with the girl we follow, the young teenager we learn about, and the woman we inevitably never understand. The protagonist, Kya Clark (pronounce it Key-uh, but it might also be KI-uh), is one of the most beautifully written and created book characters I have ever come across. I don’t think I can reveal a complete summary of the book because YOU NEED TO READ IT, but I definitely want to give credit to this amazing character I love.

Kya lives in North Caroline in the 1960s and 70s. But, she doesn’t live like most of the people in the area; she lives in the marsh. All alone in the wild wetlands along the coast, this young girl has a tough life. From the very beginning, she is resilient and brave, never backing down from each curveball or full-on sledgehammer thrown her way. Throughout her story, she is confronted by hostility, superstition, and cruel gossip from the town close to where she lives. Kya’s called the Marsh Girl by everyone, and her reputation as a wild, illiterate animal keeps her closed off from the town.

Where the Crawdads Sing follows Kya’s brutal and beautiful story alongside a mysterious murder that takes place in the present, i.e. 1969-70. As the story progresses, we learn that not only did Kya know the future-murder victim/town golden boy, Chase Andrews, but they also had a long history.

The murder mystery stays pretty much invisible for the whole book, but the end plot twist was so satisfying. I can’t reveal what it is, but let’s just say that Kya and her secrets will never be shared with the outside world. Estranged and on The Outside her whole life, Kya Clark’s life remains mysterious to the town that has so ostracized her.

I loved Kya’s character so much, and this story touched something inside me I haven’t even met yet. It’s definitely a re-read for me, so I hope you’re interested enough to GO BUY IT NOW!

P.S. If our girl, Dr. T Swizzle likes it enough to write a bangin’ song about it, why are you still even on this page reading? GO. BUY. IT! (Check out Carolina or burn in hell—don’t look at me; I don’t make the rules)

Genre: contemporary/literary fiction

Age: 13+

Rating: 10/10 (#already sold my soul to the author)