After reading about one of BookTok's most popular couples, I can say one thing: They definitely fit together very well, because I didn't really like either of them.

Wes Bennet may be one of the most popular book boyfriends of all time, but I couldn't warm up to him. Sure, some gestures he did throughout the book were sweet, but I can't get over the absolute lack of good communication. Also, giving credibility to the classic "Oh, he is only bothering and annoying you because he likes you" left a really bad taste in my mouth. Some pieces of dialogue further ("You eat like a man." He tries to justify the statement immediately after, but it doesn't help. "This is about the fact that no one is going to buy into the idea of you just casually watching some hoops if you are wearing a ruffly dress and shoes with flowers on them," etc.) supported my opinion that the "Feminist bro" shirt Liz bought him definitely requires some more education on his part before it applies.

If there is one thing you need to know about Liz Buxbaum, it is that she is not like the other girls (her mom died and she likes wearing dresses), and she will inform you about that fact at every possible moment. Her lack of communication and reflection about how her actions affect others is astonishing and should be studied. She is incredibly insecure about every single woman in her life, which leads to her destroying her relationships with every single one.

• Stepmother? If I like her, I will forget my dead mother.
• Best friend? She wants to experience stuff with me, but doing graduation-related things reminds me of the fact that my mom died, so I will just lie to her continuously and never tell her my problems.
• Her rival for the love of her crush? I hate her because her mom made her lunch every day, and, guess what, that reminds me that my mother is no longer alive. Especially painful was her habit of not being honest with anyone, which obviously could not go well, which is something she would know if she actually paid attention to the rom-coms she loves so much. Her best friend seriously suffers in the process, which didn't just ruin the main characters' prom but hers as well. Please, Liz, see a therapist about your unhealthy coping mechanisms. It would improve your life and relationships so much.

Also don't get me started on the double standards in this book. Liz is different than the other girls because she always wears dresses when everyone else wears jeans. This is supposed to be a lovable and cute quirk about her. So why in the world did the guy her best friend went to prom with (because her best friend lied to her and wanted to go with a man instead. Talk about allonormativity...) get ridiculed for the fact that he is wearing a jeans suit to prom? There is definitely a parallel to be drawn there, but I guess Lynn Painter doesn't want to go that far and give this book a lesson.

To clear up any confusion: No, this is not enemies to lovers (maybe annoyance to lovers would be more accurate). No, Wes Bennet is also not a bad boy. Better Than the Movies is a book that tries to play at being a rom-com but instead forces a bunch of miscommunication to take center stage. I am not surprised they break up in book two. This is the logical continuation of the toxic patterns in their relationship set up in this book. I am surprised how many people did not see that coming.

Saddle up, cowboys, because this definitely isn't the Gotham City Sirens' first rodeo!

This comic is an absolute joy. It's hilarious (significantly more than the starting line of my review), has stunning colors that you just can't look away from, and has a story so unique and unhinged that it perfectly fits our main cast.

The art style is sadly a bit inconsistent, but this fact doesn't really take away from the entertainment or the social commentary. Cowboys and capitalistic energy drink companies. What else could I want?

To sum up: the story and main characters are so chaotically lovable that I can't help but be obsessed with this comic, even if the focus isn't on the character development of our main cast.

Was haben Psychologen verbrochen, dass sie so eine schlechte Repräsentation in den drei Fragezeichen Geschichten bekommen?

Es ist nämlich wirklich traurig, wenn ein Teenager mehr über Psychologie weiß, als ein Experte mit einem Studium und Berufserfahrung. Dann kann man nur einen Berufswechsel empfehlen. (Wie auch einigen anderen Personen in diesem Fall)

Abgesehen davon ist der Inhalt der Geschichte echt verrückt, aber eine super Motivation, wenn man nebenbei etwas macht, wofür man nicht viel Konzentration benötigt.

Alternativtitel: Die drei Fragezeichen und die tausend Verräter. Von Minute fünf an (Justus, du schlechter Verlierer, das ist spezifisch an dich gerichtet), wird gelogen was das Zeug hält und auf die ständigen Vertrauensbrüche kann bis zum Ende nicht verzichtet werden.

Auch wenn durch das ständige Vor und Zurück der Beute nicht so viel passiert, ist es doch ganz unterhaltsam eine drei Fragezeichen und Skinny Norris Allianz zu sehen. Auch wenn sie damit endet, dass sich jemand nach Südamerika absetzen möchte.

Alternativtitel: Die drei Fragezeichen und die tausend Verräter. Von Minute fünf an (Justus, du schlechter Verlierer, das ist spezifisch an dich gerichtet), wird gelogen was das Zeug hält und auf die ständigen Vertrauensbrüche kann bis zum Ende nicht verzichtet werden.

Auch wenn durch das ständige Vor und Zurück der Beute nicht so viel passiert, ist es doch ganz unterhaltsam eine drei Fragezeichen und Skinny Norris Allianz zu sehen. Auch wenn sie damit endet, dass sich jemand nach Südamerika absetzen möchte.

Man kennt es bereits: Wenn die drei Fragezeichen unterwegs sind, ist die nächste Sekte nicht weit.

So absurd Das weiße Grab auch ist, die Geschichte ist doch ganz unterhaltsam. Man lernt auch ganz neue Dinge: Die drei Fragezeichen können beispielsweise top Ski fahren, obwohl sie aus dem warmen Kalifornien kommen und Justus wahre Liebe sind scheinbar Astlöcher. Lieber nicht zu viel hinterfragen und einfach nur zuhören.

Die drei Fragezeichen Folge, in der anscheinend niemand Allgemeinwissen besitzt. Sehr schön, dass die Jungs nur mehrere Stunden für das offensichtlichste Rätsel überhaupt brauchen.

Griechische Mythologie scheint nicht so ihre Stärke zu sein.

When reading some series, you can't fully see how a story is going to conclude after the first books, but once you reach the end, you can't help but think: "Yes. This is how it was always supposed to be."

Eyes of Kings is one of those books.

Where book one was a story almost exclusively about the games and Calla's and Anthony's places in them, over the course of the series the focus that was once narrow widens. We get to see the unique world-building in all its glory. Eyes of Kings shows us Talin and the inhabitants' stakes in a story that is largely written by our central players but also many new characters who also want a piece of the kingdom. It proves itself to be a worthy ending. A big showcase of all the characters we have got to know over the course of the Flesh and False Gods series. It's a love letter to the kingdom of Talin and also the story it was inspired by.

Over the course of the three books I completely fell in love with this unique setting and the characters. Their banter, their dynamics, but also their fantastical powers that break the bounds of what we thought possible in the previous books. This is how fantasy is supposed to be. The stakes increase over the course of the series, and every hint clicks beautifully into place so we are left with a finished picture that shows us what was under our noses all along. And Chloe Gong is ALWAYS there for a good plot twist.

Oh, I can't wait for this book to be unleashed and sent into the wide world. Chloe Gong, the world is not ready for this series' conclusion, and if readers lose their minds, that's completely on you. I hope you are ready.

Thank you to Saga Press and Chloe Gong for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.

What do mysterious garden gnomes, scarry raccoons, cult members, and an unbothered gas station clerk have in common? After book one I still don't really know, but they all seem to favor a certain mystical gas station...

As someone who first encountered Tales from the Gas Station in blog form and read the book after, I highly recommend reading both. It's incredibly entertaining to work out where the book and the blog work in tandem, as well as finding the scenes where bonus information can be gleaned from the significantly higher word count of this book.

The story itself is chaotic and disastrous, timelines are all over the place, and expectations are constantly overturned. And all of this beautiful chaos is the detail that makes this story work. Jack is not our ordinary main character, and he lets us see it at every turn.

Furthermore, while Jack Townsend constantly tries to catch you unawares with insane plot elements, you are also frequently hit over the head with profound concepts that bring up questions I have never thought to ask before. (Especially belief system of the mathmetists is fascinating and not a horrible thought to keep in mind during your day-to-day life. Minus their end solution, of course.)

Tales from the Gas Station: Volume one is chaotic but enjoyable and utterly memorable at the same time.

This is the Trojan War from a different perspective. From the one that is usually forgotten or left aside in favor of the flashier perspective of the war from the front lines.

The End Crowns All is different. It shows us what could be going on behind the Walls of Troy and succeeds in writing a beautiful alternative ending for our main girls. The story is rich on queer representation. Especially the asexual representation of Cassandra is incredibly well written and is woven into the story casually. Since Bea Fitzgerald draws inspiration from her own experience, the representation doesn't just feel natural but realistic as well.

This book shows us the cruelty of men who caused this war as well as the gods they follow. The specific mix of Cassandra and Helen's tactic of trying to appease the gods while simultaneously aiming to foil their plans and keep each other safe lets you draw comparisons to modern systems of power, which keeps this take on the classic Trojan War interesting and relevant.

New takes on classics with a side of feminine rage are exactly why retellings are such a beautiful way to explore famous stories through a new lens. The End Crowns All did not disappoint on that front. Is it a 100% faithful retelling? No, but if you read the story with that in mind, you are going to have an excellent time.

No notes, Six of Crows books just never disappoint.

A Darker Shore isn't just a nice bonus to read if you enjoyed the previous Grishaverse books. It elaborates on the world-building, offers you glimpses into the current lives of our beloved crows, and also features beautiful art pieces that you can't help but admire. The riddle elevates the experience and makes it feel like you are investigating along with the inspectors and (without telling you too much) made me smile and hope for possible future stories.

Let's also not forget about those awesome extras that have earned a special place on my bookshelf. A Darker Shore: Letters from Ketterdam isn't just a fun read, it's a full experience that brought me right back into my Grishaverse-obsessed past self.

If you are a Six of Crows fan, you will not want to miss out on this!

Strange Cases? The strangest case related to this story is how there are not more people excited about this book coming out!

Strange Cases by Riotbones has many well-crafted aspects. My biggest enjoyment while reading was seeing all of the creativity that went into the beautiful paneling and the art style that makes the action so easy to follow that you can't help but swipe from page to page until there are none left. The premise is also incredibly promising, even if it felt like due to the book's length, the potential wasn't realized to its full extent. The ending also ended up feeling rather rushed.

You could also criticize the fact that some scenes felt overlighted and had barely any shadows, even if they would have been reasonable and would have added to the atmosphere. Nonetheless, this small critique can be overlooked when you see all of the beautiful, moody nighttime scenes, where the colors shine, especially when the supernatural is involved. I also loved the breaks in the story in which we get to hear local tales. Those pages really strengthened the worldbuilding and made me (and definitely future readers as well) feel a deeper connection to the setting and gave me an even bigger appreciation of the time and thought that went into this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.

You know that feeling when you don't eat your favorite food for a long time, but once you do, it's even better than you remember? That is Chloe Gong's writing to me.

Vilest Things once again showed why she quickly climbed the ranks to become one of my favorite authors. She manages to balance the intricacies of mysteries to hide just enough so you can't see the resolution with a steady stream of information that readers need to keep guessing and stay invested. The big reveals are always a treat, and Vilest Things also doesn't break that pattern of excellence. It immediately made me want to pick up Eyes of Kings and read until the final page is turned.

The interesting character dynamics add even more flavor to the story and manage to enrich the book even past the already lush world-building. Calla Tuolemi, especially, has a strong mind of her own and follows her ambitions mercilessly, a trait that is both fascinating and destructive in its nature and is an incredibly powerful aspect in driving the plot forward. The further we get into the series, the more layers we get to see of each character, which is probably one of the reasons why I enjoyed this sequel even more than the first book.

Strong characters, incredible world-building, heart-wrenching betrayal with a fight for power at the heart of it? Oh, I loved this and can't wait to see what Chloe has in store for our characters!

The second collected volume in Storm's solo run also does not disappoint. It has a stunning art style, entertaining storyline, and beautiful paneling, but I sure hope you paid attention to the celestial family tree, because your knowledge about different entities' alliances is being tested here.

So before reading, study up and reread the masterpiece that is volume one.