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dearrivarie

Hello there! March came and went and I may have disappeared for a minute as unintentional at it was. After fighting off the lows of February, I was determined to dive head into the new month only to be quite literally overwhelmed with work-related tasks. I'm still struggling under all the paperwork that I need to fill out before April and second tri-mester grading, but we're here to wrap up the tiny bits of media I've managed to consume this month.

My reading speed definitely tapered off in March but looking back, I don't feel disappointed by the low numbers. Am I finally coming to terms with balance and being okay with occasional slumps? Someone pinch me if that's the case. Audiobooks have single-handedly saved my reading "consistency" because even though I ended up putting down two books because I wasn't vibing with the story, the format kept me reading almost every day of the month.

           

covers are linked to an affiliated bookshop link where, if purchased, helps to support my blog at no additional cost to you!

a psalm of storms and silence by roseanne a. brown
audiobook - ★★★
This book left me feeling incredibly conflicted - on one hand, the storytelling remains masterful and the portrayals of the characters' journeys is raw and heartbreaking. On the other hand, their characterizations irritated me so much I thought of dnf-ing this book multiple times and only finished out of sheer will. The ending scenes redeemed the story from a solid 2.5 to 3 star rating but I can't exactly say that I enjoyed this sequel. I understand everything the characters went through and the choices the author made but it just wasn't my cup of tea. (sad)

a magic steeped in poison by judy i. lin
ebook - ★★★☆
read my review here
I have often been envious of all the love that coffee shops and the world of coffee receive so to find a book inspired by the magic of brewing tea was right up my alley. This is a story that's as lush and gorgeous as the cover and premise and left me wanting more from the world. This debut has everything from a fascinating world and magic, high stakes politics, and a competition with unpredictable turns.

red white and royal blue by casey mcquiston
audiobook - ★★★★
review to come
I have the internet to thank for constantly screaming about this book for years and keeping it consistent on all my social media feeds because I finally picked this up and it was the dose of serotonin I needed to keep me alive this month. This book had me grinning like a complete idiot and the love between the characters is one of the most precious things ever to be written down on paper.

Despite having a couple comebacks on my radar for the month, I spent most of it listening to Apink and Taeyeon's albums. With that said, G-idle's TOMBOY is so addicting and I've added a handful of songs from their album to my playlist since its release. Technically Trip and Siren were at the top but for the sake of something new, I didn't include them on the list. 😅

On a life note, I was able to get a better grasp of my mental health and overall felt more stable. There were still some ups and downs but considerably less plummeting (?) so I'll consider that a win. I was super busy with work and honestly felt exhausted all the time, but March was expected to be a big energy drain with no breaks. On the bright side, April break is less than 2 weeks away and I am absolutely counting the days when I can sleep in and wake up not feeling like my life force has withered away.

Watch my highlights here! 

While March wasn't great on the creative side of things and I'm very glad it's over, it wasn't the worst. I was able to accomplish some big tasks on my future to-do list and feel a sense of accomplishment amongst my repetitive daily routine. 

How was your March? 

8:00 AM 4 Comments

"The stars are not a straight road but a split stream, each breaking into smaller ones, infinite possibilities outlined across the sky."

 isbn: 978-1250767080 | pages: 384
      publication date: March 29, 2022 | source: tour/netgalley
     genre: young adult, asian historical fantasy, mythology
     rating: 6.8/10 
     
Writing: 7 | Atmosphere: 8 | World-Building: 7 | Plot: 6 |  Characters: 7 | Impact: 6

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    |    B O O K S H O P * 
     B O O K D E P O S I T O R Y    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S

chasing of dreams
A Magic Steeped in Poison is a beautiful debut novel that combines all the elements I love of political intrigue, high-stake competitions, and delicious Asian food. It left me absolutely drooling with the many mentions of juicy dumplings, flaky desserts, and all the soups of my childhood. The story follows Ning who unknowingly poisoned her sister and killed her mother with a cup of tea. When a competition offer arrives for all the shennong-shi of the kingdom to compete for a position at court, Ning is forced out of her village and into the treacherous schemes of court politics. Amidst a competition that could save her sister's life, there's also dissent coming from the people as the rumors of Banished Prince's rebellion begin to rise again.

This is a story that once again highlights a main character whose goals and heart are incredibly family-oriented and I loved it. Despite her family getting very little page time, they still represent such an important pillar in her life and become a force that guides her through all the underhanded maneuvers of court. This made falling into her story so seamless and I was easily able to root for her.  Ning's experience highlights the injustice between social classes and the thinly veiled prejudice of the rich, but her newfound friendships and alliances all help her to navigate through and let her incredible affinity towards the magic of tea shine.

"Grief has a taste, bitter and lingering, but so soft it sometimes disguises itself as sweetness." 

fighting for life
Did I happen to mention how hungry this book made me? On top of all the food, the entire magic system based off of tea was incredibly fascinating and something I can't wait to explore more of in the sequel. As the first book in a duology, the author does a great job setting up the exposition to the greater political conflict and intertwining that with the shennong-shi competition. With that being said, because there's this big focus on alluding to the bigger issue at hand, there were moments that dragged or felt inserted for extra action/dramatics and didn't quite fit the general flow of the story. 

I do hope that the sequel dives more into the characters themselves especially to flesh them out and provide them the page time to develop their relationships more thoroughly. Could this be the first book where I wanted more of the romance? I am absolutely relieved that the sequel comes out in August and until its release, I'll be holding on by drinking many cups of tea and dreaming of pork buns.


thank you so much to TBR AND BEYOND, Feiwel and Friends, and Judy I. Lin for providing an e-arc for this book tour - all thoughts are 100% my own. please click on the banner to check out the other amazing stops!

m  o  o  d  b  o  a  r  d
images from unsplash, pexels, and tumblr - tea / garden / girl / soldier


a  b  o  u  t     t  h  e     a  u  t  h  o  r
website / twitter / instagram / goodreads

8:00 AM 4 Comments

There’s way more distance keeping us alive than there could ever be between Illinois and San Diego. But we don’t feel any of that inside. We just live. Funny how those two thousand miles seem so much bigger.

     isbn: 9781534471276 | pages: 384
     publication date: November 16, 2021 | source: library, e-book
     genre: adult, science fiction, fantasy, lgbtqia+, fiction
     rating: 7.7/10

    A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    |    B O O K S H O P * 
    B O O K D E P O S I T O R Y    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
links with an (*) are affiliate where, when used to purchase gives me a small commission to support my blog at no extra cost to you!

the hold of the past
There are moments where a book just feels so incredibly introspective that when you finish, there's this blanket of amazement and a hint of disbelief at how something so simple could make such a big impact. This was 100% the affect that When We Were Them had on me and a couple weeks later, I'm already itching to go back and re-experience this story. This is a novel about friendships and the difficult changes that come with life's crossroads - Willa makes a decision that comes back to haunt her present and jeopardize her future and she has a week to figure out how to make things right. 

Following both the present and the past, Willa reveals the details that led her to "the big decision" and Laura Taylor Namey breathes life into the friendship between her, Luz, and Britton. There was something so comforting about their relationship and the unspoken understanding the trio had amongst themselves. The writing of this novel feels so vastly different from the author's previous works because of how subtle its delivery is. The syntax is almost too quiet and gentle, but somehow manages to create a sense of urgency to find the truth. Instead of being deterred by the slower pacing, I was able to take the time to connect with the characters and their experiences, their individual idiosyncrasies that made them so special, which led to a better understanding of their decisions and actions.

the hope of the future
As Willow is figuring out her past and repairing her present, there is also an element of grief and healing woven into her plot. Like Namey's The Library of Lost Things, the conversation around mental health feels incredibly intimate and genuine. The writing exposes the readers to the quirks of the characters and how their growth is affected by the changes around them. Through Willa's perspective we're able to understand why their friendship was so important to her and how that mindset led to her struggle in the present as she comes to terms that the past can't hold them back from the future that's waiting for them.

I wish I had this book at the crossroads between high school and college because it would have reframed my mindset so much. When We Were Them frames change in the light that it can't be avoided and when it comes, see the paths of growth and renewal because there are unlimited possibilities that lie ahead. This also officially solidifies Laura Taylor Namey as one of my favorite contemporary authors and displays her range when it comes to writing both stories that bring the cutest butterflies and stories that leave you lost in reflection.

images taken from unsplash and pexels



10:30 AM 2 Comments
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DearRivarie

DearRivarie
Hi there! My name is Rivalie (Riv for short). Welcome to my blog where I share book reviews, discussions, and more fun things! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fantastic day! 🌸

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