Review: The Little Dictionary of Fashion

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Rating: ★★★★★

I absolutely adored this little book!

This book was written by Christian Dior in 1954 so naturally a lot of it is outdated. For example, there is a lot of discussion on frocks and how to wear them. 

That being said, there is still relevant advice. The overall theme of the book is elegance and accentuating what makes you look good, which is still useful in today’s world. One of my favorite lines comes from the Lingerie definition, “Real elegance is everywhere, especially in things that don’t show…Even if you had on the most beautiful frock, you could never feel your best if you knew that your lingerie was not equally beautiful ” (pg. 73). I 100% agree! 

I also enjoyed learning new fashion terminology like Princess Line (I never knew that style was called that) and Persian Lamb (a fur I have never heard about). 

The whole book has a vintage vibe that I loved. From the cover to the wording to the black and white photos, this book was such a throwback. 

Overall, if you love vintage fashion, the history of fashion, or Dior, you have to get this book! Plus, it’s a cute book to display around the house. 

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Review: Powers of a Girl

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Rating: ★★★★★

This was such a fun guide featuring the ladies of the Marvel Universe! 

I am a huge Marvel fan so I knew I had to read this book. My all time favorite superhero is Squirrel Girl and she is included in this book. 

Each hero gets about 4 pages dedicated to her; complete with a biography and fun facts. I loved that everyone got an equal amount of attention. This book is aimed at a young adult/middle grade audience, so at times the writing and messages can feel slightly juvenile. It’s also more a primer so it’s not going to go in depth into every little detail about these ladies.

Additionally, I enjoyed the selection of women featured. There was a good balance of well known characters (e.g. Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch) and lesser known ones (e.g. Silk, Moon Girl, Hellcat). 

The best part of the book was the artwork. The artwork is absolutely stunning. The artist did a phenomenal job with each portrait. It was refreshing seeing them redrawn in a different style. Every woman looked fierce! 

Overall, I enjoyed learning about all these heroic ladies! I recommend this book for fans of Marvel’s female superheroes or to anyone who wants to learn more about them. It also would make a great gift. 

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Review: The Wicked Ones (Dark Ascension #1)

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Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes. 

This book serves as a prequel to the Disney movie, Cinderella, and explores how Drizella and Anastasia became evil stepsisters. 

The plot was well executed. I liked that the book started off with a prologue in the viewpoint of their father, which helped set up the story and shed some light on Lady Tremaine and her motives. The rest of the book is told in alternating points of view between Drizella and Anastasia, with an epilogue in the viewpoint of Lady Tremaine. The story is fairly basic, but it works. It highlights how the sisters weren’t born being evil, they became evil. 

The character development was also well done. The sisters are very likable in the beginning and you can’t help but root for them to pursue their dreams. By the time you reach the end, you understand how and why they became evil and why they dislike Cinderella so much. 

I do want to note that there is bullying, abuse, and neglect in the story and there isn’t a happy ending. If you’re looking for a light hearted Disney read, this book isn’t for you.

Overall, I really enjoyed this dark dive into the world of Cinderella. If you like villain stories, consider picking this book up!

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Review: This Time It’s Real

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Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes. 

This was such a cute book!

The story centers on the classic fake dating trope, so a lot of it is predictable. I did get major To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before vibes at times, which is not a bad thing because TATBILB is one of my all time favorite books. 

Everything about this book was super adorable and sweet. I loved all of Eliza and Caz’s interactions. They really brought out the best in each other and most importantly, helped each other grow and develop. 

I also liked that the book explored long distance friendship. I haven’t seen that too often in books and it offered a good contrast to the relationship storyline. 

My one critique is that the ending felt rushed. It ended super fast and I wanted to see a little bit more resolution. I would have loved to have seen it end with the final article she was writing for her internship because that would have brought the story full circle (the whole thing started because of a piece she wrote). Also, since none of the blog posts are featured in the book, it would have been nice to have at least one.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! I highly recommend it if you love the fake dating trope and young adult romances. 

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Review: Once Upon a Wardrobe

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Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes. 

I’ve been the biggest Narnia fan since I was kid. It was always my favorite fantasy series growing up and I was utterly obsessed with it. I had read the author’s other novel, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, and loved it, so naturally I knew I had to read this one. 

This was such a magical read! 

This book perfectly encapsulates the wonder and excitement of falling in love with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It reminded me of just how enchanting the world of Narnia is and gave me a huge wave of nostalgia. 

The plot is simple: a young woman seeks to give her dying brother comfort helping him figure out the origin of his favorite book by talking with the author. The simplicity of the plot works so well. It allows the readers to really think about the stories being told and to draw their own conclusions about how Narnia came to be. 

As for the characters, I loved both the main characters, especially George. He was so precious. 

The writing style is fantastic. It’s easy to follow and flows so well which makes the book such a quick read. 

Overall, this was such a heartwarming read (I almost cried while reading it, and that’s saying something because I have never cried while reading a book). If you are a fan of Narnia I highly recommend reading this magical book! 

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Review: Go the Distance (Twisted Tales #11)

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Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes. 

This is only the second Twisted Tale I’ve read (the other being Reflection, which coincidentally has a somewhat similar storyline) so I can’t rank it in comparison to the others. 

This was such a fun read! 

I love that the book focused on Meg instead of Hercules. Meg is one of my favorite Disney characters and is so underrated. This book not only gave Meg her own story, but also dove into  her past and showed more of her relationship with Hercules that we didn’t see in the movie. 

Other characters from the movie are also in the book including Phil, Pegasus, Zeus, and of course Hades. There are also plenty of new characters. I would have liked to have seen a little more of Hercules, but given that this is truly Meg’s story, his lack of presence was justified. 

As for the story, I found it entertaining and full of adventure, while also still having a lot of heart. 

Lastly, I loved that it is revealed (on page 252) that Meg’s last name is Egan. In case you didn’t know, Egan, is the last name of Meg’s voice actor (Susan Egan). 

Overall, if you are a fan of the movie or Meg, I recommend this book! 

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Review: Take Command

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Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes.

This was a very insightful read! 

What I liked the most about this book was how accessible it is. It’s written in a very clear and concise way which makes it easy to follow and absorb. 

The advice in the book is very practical and doable. Nothing feels out of reach or too hard to do. The anecdotes and stories from real life people also make the advice more relatable. 

The organization of the book is also on point. Organization is so critical in nonfiction books because it is easy to get lost in them if not done well. This book is broken up into 3 parts, with multiple chapters in each part outlining a more focused subtopic. At the end of each chapter are 1-2 pages summarizing the the main points and action steps, making it easy to reference a particular topic without having to reread the whole chapter. 

The book ends with a short concluding chapter which I really appreciated. One of my biggest pet peeves with nonfiction books is when they end with no wrap up. Concluding chapters always make the book feel more complete. 

Overall, I recommend this book if you are looking to venture into a self-help book! It’s a quick and easy read and will definitely encourage you to take command of your life. 

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Review: The Lady of the Mirrored Lake (The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven #2)

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Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic follow up to the first book! I loved the first one and was not disappointed by its sequel. 

This book picks up where the first one left off and is full of nonstop action and adventure. It is just as faced paced as the previous book. 

I really enjoyed seeing the characters grow and develop. Issylte has become quite the fierce lady. She has come a long way since the beginning of book one. I also loved seeing Tristan and Issylte’s relationship blossom. The first book was a lot of setup for them so I was happy to see the payoff. I was glad that their relationship wasn’t insta-love and that it took time for things to turn romantic and intimate. 

One thing this book (and the series so far) does really well is foreshadowing events (i.e. through Issylte’s visions). I love the anticipation and it was so satisfying whenever a foreshadowed event came around. 

Like the first book, the world building is amazing. In this book, we are shown even more cool locations and meet more amazing characters and creatures (like mermaids!).

Overall, this was a wonderful installment to the series and I am excited to find out what happens next! If you’re looking for a new fantasy series to read, definitely check this one out. 

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Review: Heavenly Days

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Rating: ★★★★★

What a luxurious book! But that is no surprise considering this is a book from the iconic brand, Hermès. I should expect nothing less from the fashion house. 

I’ve had my eye on this book for a while and I am so glad I purchased it. The book is beautifully made. It has a gorgeous linen cover in the brand’s iconic orange. The pages inside are so thick. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a book with pages this thick. It also a built-in ribbon bookmark, making it super easy to mark your place. 


As for the content, I loved the little cartoons. They were all so witty and the illustrations were adorable. Reading them made me smile over and over again. I enjoyed seeing how the Hermès box was incorporated in each drawing. I also liked how the cartoons were organized by season/event/holiday which made it flow very easily. 

Overall, this is a stunning coffee table book! I highly recommend it if you want to add a touch of Hermès to your bookshelves (or coffee table). It would also make a great gift. 

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Review: The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven (The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven #1)

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Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free for promotional purposes.

This book took me by surprise (in a good way)! It’s a retelling of the Tristan and Issylte tale. I first became acquainted with this tale from another series and immediately became a fan of their story, so I was very excited to see it redone by another author. Not only is this book a Tristan and Issyle retelling, but it also weaves in Arthurian myth and has everything you want in a fairy tale: an evil stepmother, a princess in disguise, lots of magic, and a plethora of fantasy creatures. 

I loved how fast paced the book was. There was never a dull moment. Sometimes fantasy books can take a while to get into the story, but this book dove right in. I was flipping through the pages just wanting to know what would happen next. 

I was also impressed with how easy the book was to follow. The book does not have a map, glossary, or a list of characters that you sometimes see in fantasy books. I was able to understand everything that was happening and the world effortlessly. 

Lastly, this book is written in dual POVs (Issylte and Tristan), which was the perfect choice. I loved knowing what both of them were thinking and the dual POVs helped illustrate their development well. 

Overall, this was an amazing start to the trilogy. I cannot wait to read the next book. If you’re looking for an easy fantasy read, check this book out! 

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