The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese

 

"To be brave and lay down their defenses. That's when they see each other clearly. And they fall madly in love."

Release Date: December 1, 2021

Genre: Contemporary romance, Christmas romance, fiction

Rating:

Summary:

He loathes the holidays. She loves them. She's full of festive cheer. He's brimming with Bah, Humbugs. Besides unreasonably seasonable names, the only thing Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale have in common is a healthy dose of mutual contempt. Well, that and the same place of employment at the city's most beloved independent bookstore, Bailey's Bookshop. But when the store's owners confess its dire financial state, Jonathan and Gabby discover another unfortunate commonality: the imminent threat of unemployment.

With the Baileys' requests to minimize the expenses, win new customers, and make record sales dancing in their heads, Jonathan and Gabby conclude - barring a financial Christmas miracle - one of them will soon be cut from the payroll. Neither are willing to step down from their position, so they strike a bargain: whoever has more sales in December gets to stay on in the new year; loser will resign. With a lifetime's worth of festive tricks up her sleeve, Gabby should easily outsell her nemesis, except the unreadable Mr. Frost's every move seems purely designed to throw her off her game.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Gabby's deceptive ex won't quit pursuing her, and her anonymous online friend suggests they take a break. Worst of all, as the pressure mounts to save the bookshop and her job, Gabby meets a new, tender side of Jonathan. Is this the same man she's called her cold-hearted enemy?

Maybe he's got a motive she just can't figure out - or maybe Jonathan Frost isn't as chilly as she once thought. Maybe Jonathan and Gabby already know - and love - each other in ways they never thought possible. 

Review:

✅ Autistic representation 

✅ LGBTQIA+ representation

✅ Holiday romance

✅ Grumpy x sunshine

✅ Enemies to lovers

✅ Forced proximity

✅ Workplace romance 

This book started off my holiday romances for December. It was a super cute and quick read! The festive elements throughout the book were an absolute gift. The author paired a different holiday song with each chapter. I *ABSOLUTELY ADORE* when there is a playlist for a book. It is similar to the score for a movie; it really sets the tone for what you're reading to allow better connection and absorption. 

There were many references and conversations in relation to Pride & Prejudice which I absolutely loved. I am always a sucker for a book with Pride & Prejudice parallels or if the book/move is referenced. I also love that the setting of this book was in a bookstore. ALWAYS a sucker for a book with a backdrop of a bookstore or library. I love reading about book lover such as myself. Instant bonding and connection. 

There was quite a hefty dose of spice at the end of the book. While this was a very cute, wholesome story but there was also that perfect addition of sexiness toward the end. Well-deserved after the slow burn. "It's like a reward."

I really loved all the characters, their quirks, and their interactions with each other. I appreciated the LGBTQIA+ and autism representation. I felt that most of the book was very slow to develop then the ending happened in 10x speed. It all moved so quickly. I do think the pacing could have been better but overall think this was a good book! 

Quotes:

"Here's the thing about reading romance: it's taught me an appreciation for a good grovel, but it's also taught me to recognize a toxic character when I see one."

"To be brave and lay down their defenses. That's when they see each other clearly. And they fall madly in love."

"Just because you're loving them differently than they love doesn't make it any less loving. My mom says there are countless kinds of love, and love enough for everyone. That love is an infinite resource whose expressions are just as innumerable."

"Two people, who couldn't have hated each other more at the outset while battling inconvenient desire, ultimately choose humility and forgiveness."

"That ends up really working for them. It's the heartbeat of their connection, being drawn to each other's differences, stretching themselves to narrow that distance between each other without losing themselves. They...grow. Together. And more deeply into their true selves."

"Your capacity for joy," he says quietly. "It's...humbling."

"No, Gabriella. I don't think it's silly or odd or strange or juvenile to hold on with both hands to the best parts of who we are when we're young and not let life take that from you. I think it's brave and badass and infuriatingly impossible not to admire you for it."

"I know I don't get it, in the sense that I don't have diabetes, but...maybe I understand it a little, living with something persistent and beyond your control. You can't take it off or walk away from it or lay it down for awhile. And even when you've become accustomed to its reality, when it's not really bad or good, it just...is, sometimes it's hard when you're with others. When you feel that sense of difference and distance from them as you deal with the part of yourself that they don't understand, that you have to think about in social situations and in your daily life in ways they don't."

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

 

"It's not just the fluency, but the confidence. I know who I am. I don't need to be more hearing or prove my deafness. I can bring both worlds together. Just being myself, I'm complete."

Release Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: YA

Rating:

Summary:

Lilah is stuck in the middle. 

At least, that's what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes-when you don't feel "deaf enough" to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world's expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change.

When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who's just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah's responsible for (and overwhelmed by)-and then there's Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing. 

Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah's not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she's reading them wrong? One thing's for sure: Lilah wanted change, and things here are certainly different than what she's used to.

In her sweet and swoony debut, Anna Sortino delivers a poignant coming-of-age story and a revelatory exploration of Deaf culture, its vastness, and its beautiful complexities. 

Review:

This utterly adorable YA novel incorporates deaf and blind representation that is paired perfectly with a sweet coming-of-age story and it is a completely welcomed breath of fresh air. 

Anna Sortino does an impeccable job incorporating the diversity of the deaf/HOH community while also weaving a heartwarming tale about finding your community and falling in love at summer camp. 

 I have been looking to read books with more representation and I think this does a fantastic job. I highly recommend! 

This was also my first time annotating a book before. I don't think I will be showcasing any of annotations anytime soon...I am a bit shy while I am trying to navigate this new element of reading. I thoroughly enjoyed annotating this book though. I felt a deeper connection to the story and the characters. I definitely cannot wait to continue annotating books as I read but also interested in re-reading some of my favorites to annotate! 

Quotes:

"There's so much energy, emotion, and personality that goes into ASL, and it clearly translates to their approach to this job. The way they move around, eager to take up space. It's not just vocabulary and grammar that I need to learn, but also how to set my expressions and movements free."

"This is how I want to embrace my disability and the access I need. It's not hearing loss, it's Deaf gain."

"It's not just the fluency, but the confidence. I know who I am. I don't need to be more hearing or prove my deafness. I can bring both worlds together. Just being myself, I'm complete."

"There's still plenty of summer left," he says. "And a whole life ahead of you. You can keep finding yourself again and again. The important part of all of that is just being true to what your heart tells you."

I'm in Love with Mothman by Paige Lavoie

 

"If I am your Moth, you are my flame." Then, in a voice as dark as the night sky, he says, "I couldn't stay away even if I wished it."

Release Date: December 2022

Genre: Fantasy fiction, paranormal fantasy, paranormal romance, contemporary romance

Rating:

Summary:

22-year-old Heather is suffering from an epic case of burnout.

So, just like any other young influencer, she abandons all of her social platforms, gathers up her best flowy dresses, and moves to a desolate cabin.

Heather imagines spending her #unplugged days traipsing through the woods and tending to her garden. However, her cottagecore fantasy is turned upside down when a wounded cryptid crashes into her roof - and her heart.

With no help from her internet followers, and the local monster-hunter growing suspicious, Heather's quiet life in the wilderness has suddenly become a little more complicated. To make matters worse, she thinks she might be falling in love with the brooding winged man in her living room. 

Review:

A delightfully peculiar romance. I feel that is one of the best ways I can describe this book.

This book was a gift from my sister, Madi. I sent her on a mission to the bookstore to surprise me with a pick to read! She definitely blew ANY expectations I had right out of the water. I was so shocked when she gave this time. I asked for a surprise and she definitely delivered. I have never read any book like this before: a cryptid romance. I figured it was a great theme for October and I'd give it a shot! Side note: I do truly adore when people buy books for me to read and they are completely under my radar and surprise me. It warms my whole heart! 

I genuinely thought I would be able to breeze through this book fairly quicky but I will say, it took me the whole month to get through. I just didn't find myself reaching for this book, excited to read it. I'll be honest, sometimes it felt like a chore. I feel like this book wildly exceeding my expectations while simultaneously missed the mark on all my expectations at the same time. If that is even possible? 

I absolutely loved the cozy, cottage core vibes this book gives. I, too, would like to disconnect like Heather and spend some time in the cottage tending to my garden and baking pastries. I also think I would be like Heather and struggle immensely because my dreams are way more picture perfect than reality more often than not. I loved that Heather was this extremely feminine, romantic character. I also absolutely loved the LGBTQIA+ representation in this book AND chronic illness representation. It was unexpected and I appreciated that! 

This was a really wholesome romance. Don't get me wrong: there was a substantial amount of cryptid smut. This is not a book for the faint of heart. BUT the love between Heather and Moth felt so genuine and it was really sweet to experience their love blossom. It felt like two people who had been lost for so long who finally found each other. 

All respect to everyone who loves these kinds of novels. It was just extremely hard for me to forget that he was a moth...a moth man. There is also a second book coming out where they get engaged. I will not be continuing my journey with Heather and Moth but I wish them all the best. 

Quotes: 

"Put some gratitude in your attitude!"

"Be good to these woods, and I'm sure you'll be very happy here."

"It's hard to get into the groove with cleaning if I don't have the right playlist."

"I hold tight to the vintage copy of Pride and Prejudice tucked under my arm. I can - and I will - have my cute tree-climbing-moment if it kills me."

"At the top of the tree, with the hem of my dress blowing in the breeze, I feel like a rebellious Victorian lady who refuses to bend to society's norms."

"You are my forest witch."

"You -" Before I can process the tenderness of his voice, his hand cups my face just under the chin. "-are a wildflower; vibrant and unpredictable; wherever you choose to settle, roots will follow."

"If I am your Moth, you are my flame." Then, in a voice as dark as the night sky, he says, "I couldn't stay away even if I wished it."

"My love, flame, and flower - everything he calls me makes me feel precious and wanted."

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

 

"But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart - by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute."

Release Date: April 11, 2017

Genre: Thriller, mystery, literary fiction

Rating:

Summary:

ENTER THE PLAYERS. There were seven of us then, seven bright young things with wide precious futures ahead of us. Until that year, we saw no farther than the books in front of our faces.

On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it.

A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory; a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. 

But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students' world of make-believe. In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent.

Review:

This book is sublime for a moody, dark academia, autumnal read. I highly recommend dim-lighting (candlelight would be even better), rainy ambience, and a warm beverage to really offer the most immaculate vibes.

This book was absolutely riveting and impossible to put down. The dual timeline was exceptional. I love the duality between his past and his present as well as how they intersect. The concept was so unique and the writing was fantastic. I love the way M.L. Rio pieced together this book, set up similarly to a Shakespearean drama. The book is split into five acts and there are scenes within the acts. There are Shakespeare references and quotes throughout the book. I have a very base level, minimal knowledge of Shakespeare and theater but found this very easy to read. Do not think you need to be a devout thespian or Shakespearean to enjoy this.

I personally didn't connect with any of the characters and, shockingly, I was content with that. When I am reading a book, I try to connect with a character and find parallels between our personalities or shared experiences. However, while reading If We Were Villains, I truly read this story as if I was watching a play in the comfort of my cushioned seat in a theater.  I was safely detached from the characters and their self-destruction but completely in awe of the raw emotion. Without any spoilers, the ending completely wrecked me but then sprinkled potentially a dash of hope. 

This book was everything I expected but also, nothing I had anticipated all at the same time.

A moment of perfection: when I closed this book after reading the final words, I was left in a moment of contemplative silence and deep reverence. THAT is an extraordinary book for me. A book to render me speechless but completely thoughtful. 

Quotes:

"When we first walked through those doors, we did so without knowing that we were now part of some strange fanatic religion where anything could be excused so long as it was offered to the altar of the Muses. Ritual madness, ecstasy, human sacrifice."

"For someone who loved words as much as I did, it was amazing how often they failed me."

"You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough."

"But that is how a tragedy like ours or King Lear breaks your heart - by making you believe that the ending might still be happy, until the very last minute."

"How tremendous the agony of unmade decisions."

"Through the thorns, to the stars."

"Actors are by nature volatile - alchemic creatures composed of incendiary elements, emotion and ego and envy. Heat them up, stir them together, and sometimes you get gold. Sometimes disaster."

"The thing about Shakespeare is, he's so eloquent...he speaks the unspeakable. He turns grief and triumph and rapture and rage into words, into something we can understand. He renders the whole mystery of humanity comprehensible."

"The future is wide and wild and full of promise, but it is precarious, too. Seize on every opportunity that comes your way and cling to it, lest it be washed back out to sea."

"Hatred is the sincerest form of flattery."

"Nothing unites men like a common enemy."

"I don't know, it's like I look at you and suddenly the sonnets make sense. The good ones, anyway."

"When did we become such terrible people?" "Maybe we've always been terrible."

"How could we explain that standing on a stage and speaking someone else's words as if they are your own is less an act of bravery than a desperate lunge at mutual understanding?"

"Make art, make mistakes, and have no regrets."

"You can't quantify humanity. You can't measure it - not the way you mean to. People are passionate and flawed and fallible. They make mistakes. Their memories fade. Their eyes deceive them."

"The water, too, was still and I thought, what liars they are, the sky and the water. Still and calm and clear, like everything was fine. It wasn't fine, and really, it never would be again."

The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

 

"You can have good things, but you have to let yourself have them."

Release Date: April 11, 2023

Genre: Fiction, contemporary romance

Rating: 

Summary:

Suddenly unemployed and on the brink of eviction, Cassie Evans is left with two choices: get a new job (and fast) or fire up her long-untouched OnlyFans account. But the job market is terrible, and as for OnlyFans...Well, there are reasons she can't go back. Just when all hope seems lost, an ad for a live-in nanny position appears to be the solution to all her problems. It's almost too perfect - until she meets her would-be employer.

Aiden Reid, executive chef and DILF extraordinaire, is far from the stuffy single dad Cassie was imagining. He shocks her when he tells her she's the most qualified applicant he's met in weeks and practically begs her to take the job. The idea of living under the same roof as Aiden-with his hands that make her hind-brain howl and eyes that scream sex-feels dangerous, but with no other option, she decides to stay with him and his adorably tenacious daughter, Sophie.

Cassie soon discovers that Aiden is not a stranger at all but instead someone who is very familiar with her-or at least her body. Given that he doesn't remember her, Cassie is faced with an impossible situation. As their relationship heats to temperatures hotter than those reached in any kitchen Aiden has ever worked in, Cassie struggles with telling Aiden the truth, and the more terrifying possibility-losing the best chance at happiness she's ever had.  

Review:

If you have been looking to add a super sexy book to your TBR, look no further. The Nanny ABSOLUTELY delivers. 

✔️ Forced proximity

✔️ Found family

✔️ Workplace romance

✔️   Zaddy single daddy

                                                      ✔️    Spicy 🌶️

I absolutely loved the modern elements to this book, referencing Taylor Swift albums, OnlyFans, Shrek, etc. I do think that the OnlyFans aspect could have been utilized more. 

The connection between Aiden and Cassie is INSTANTANEOUS and HOT. Muy caliente! 🔥While Cassie and Aiden did have instant chemistry, I would have loved to spend more time really developing their connection OUTSIDE of the sexual tension. 

The two best characters in the entire book: Wanda and Sophie. They are hilarious side characters! Together? They are even better! (This is also saying a lot because I normally do not enjoy children but I loved Sophie's personality and mannerisms). 

There are lots of serious, mature elements that are expertly mixed in with the light-hearted nature of this book. I think it is a great "filler" book because it is a super easy read. Definitely recommend! 

Quotes:

"You can have good things, but you have to let yourself have them."

"The dream is  coming home to someone who loves  you every day."

"I'm trying to pull myself out of my gloomy mood by blasting Taylor Swift's entire discography on the drive to the restaurant, but even my Spotify seems to be against me today, playing entirely too much evermore and not nearly enough Red. It's like the universe wants me to cry today."

"You've never seen Shrek?" "No." "Sophie. It's a cultural phenomenon. An epic love story. A comic masterpiece. I can't in good conscience allow you to continue through life without having seen it." 

Happy Place by Emily Henry

 

"You're in all of my happiest places."

Release Date: April 25, 2023

Genre: Fiction, contemporary romance

Rating: 

Summary:

Think of your happy place...

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college - they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except now - for reasons they're still not discussing - they don't.

They broke up five months ago...and still haven't told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group's yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week, they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale, and this is the last week they'll have all together in this place. They can't stand to break their friends' hearts, and so they'll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laidback charmer who never lets the cracks show. It's a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week...in front of those who know you best?

Review:

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

Emily Henry does it again. This woman is a true artist. The way she wields words to make such a beautifully crafted masterpiece. Happy Place holds such a special place in my heart (alongside Book Lovers and Beach Read).

I almost did not read this book. I was 95% committed to the fact that I was not going to read this book (while the 5% was devastated that I was not going to read Emily Henry's latest novel). The premise of this book just did not strike my fancy. I absolutely despised the idea of reading about two ex-lovers being forced to pretend they are a happy couple and relive all the good as well as bad memories.

However, SO many people were raving about how good of a book this was. I finally was convinced. 

This was giving me such strong 500 Days of Summer vibes throughout most of the book where you are seeing where everything went wrong in the relationship. For the majority of the book I was absolutely dreading what I thought was the inevitable but this book blew my expectations out of the water! IT WAS SO PHENOMENAL. I am SOBBING.

Such beautiful lessons and beautiful characters in this book. This book makes me feel like I am in my happy place. My heart is so full and so warm. I need to go to Maine on vacation ASAP and re-read this book. Who's with me? 

Quotes:

"It doesn't matter how busy life's been, how long the five of us have gone without seeing one another: meeting at the cottage is like pulling on a favorite sweatshirt, worn to perfection. Time doesn't move the same way when we're there. Things change, but we stretch and grow and make room for one another. Our love is a place we can always come back to, and it will be waiting, the same as it ever was. You belong here."

"Like even when something beautiful breaks, the making of it still matters."

"Love means constantly saying you're sorry, and then doing better."

"There doesn't need to be a winner and a loser. You just have to care how the other person feels. You have to care more about them than you do about being right."

"I understood then, the immense honor it is to hurt like she does. To have loved someone so much that the taste of maple syrup can make you cry and laugh at the same time."

"I want my life to be like-like making pottery. I want to enjoy it while it's happening, not just for where it might get me eventually."

"You're in all of my happiest places."

"You, you, you."

"No," he says quietly. "In every universe, it's you for me. Even if it's not me for you."

"I love you," I tell him. "In every universe."

"Because there's nowhere I wouldn't go for you."

"Are you saying I can come home?" "I'm saying," he murmurs softly, "it's not home unless you're there."

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

 

"For every Nesta out there - climb the mountain."

Release Date: February 16, 2021

Genre: High fantasy, romance, fiction

Rating:

Summary:

AN UNFATHOMABLE POWER

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it. 

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and it only burns hotter as they are forced to work closely together.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance - and healing - in each other's arms. 

Review:

Last night with a storm raging outside my window, I finished A Court of Silver Flames. As the pitter patter of rain echoed through my ears, I cried as my journey reading this beautiful series came to an end.

What is left to say? What words exist that I can conjure up to describe these feelings and these emotions? I think I will be spending an eternity searching to find the perfect words to say that truly encompass how this series has made me feel. 

I started writing this review being like "how can I choose which book and character is my favorite? It is impossible to choose" blah, blah, blah. Let me make this clear: this series is heavenly, divine, other-worldly. Every book, every character, every word should be devoured and worshipped. The found family, romance, adventures, world building: exceptional. Now, with that being said, I discovered that I do have a favorite and that is 110% okay! I was convinced that A Court of Mist and Fury was going to be my favorite. The breathtaking love between fated mates Feyre and Rhysand. However, once I finished reading it, I realized that A Court of Silver Flames, is my favorite book out of the series. I despised Nesta Archeron when she was first introduced. She was a foul woman but there always seemed to be something lurking underneath the surface. More to this character than meets the eye. All of that was unearthed in this book. The character development in this book was unmatched. The uphill battle that Nesta faced but ultimately came out victorious once she conquered her inner demons. The undying love that she felt for Cassian but initially refused to accept. He kept coming back. He never gave up and kept reaching out his hand. Always here for a forced proximity trope and this book delivered. Also, ALL THE SPICE SCENES WERE DELICIOUS. The found family trope still extremely prevalent and profound in this book. The entire storyline with the priestesses and the Valkyrie. This book felt the most human to me, the most real. Nesta Archeron, you have my whole heart. You have given me so much strength. 

I had spent so long listening to other readers talk about how amazing this series was. I never believed it to be true until I finally decided to pick up the first book. Now I curse myself for taking so long to be part of this magic. To be part of this community of wonderful human beings who we all love this series, these characters, with our whole being. Throughout it all, I realized something very important: the feeling of home. I am home. 

Quotes:

"For every Nesta out there - climb the mountain."

"She had been born wrong. Had been born with claws and fangs and had never been able to keep from using them, never been able to quell the part of her that raged at betrayal, that could hate and love more violently than anyone ever understood."

"She was a wolf who had never learned how to be a wolf, thanks to that cage humans called propriety and society. And like any maltreated animal, she bit anyone who came near."

"So Nesta had become a wolf. Armed herself with invisible teeth and claws, and learned to strike faster, deeper, more lethally. had relished it. But when the time came to put away the wolf, she'd found it had devoured her too."

"Never again. Never again would she be weak. Never again would she be at someone's mercy. Never again would she fail. Never again, never again, never again."

"I am the rock against which the surf crashes. Nothing can break me."

"She would not be mastered by anything again. She was the master of herself."

"I have been broken once before," Gwyn said, her voice clear. "I survived it. And I will not be broken again - not even by this mountain."

"I wish for us to have the courage to go out into the world when we are ready, but to always be able to find our way back to each other. No matter what." 

"The first time I saw that look on your face, you were still human. Still human, and I nearly went to my knees before you."

"You're an arrogant bastard." "And you're a haughty witchy. We're evenly matched."

"He had called her Lady Death, and he was her sword."

"Keep reaching out your hand."

"But I still don't know how to fix myself." "There's nothing broken to be fixed."

"I am going to tell you that you will get through it. That you will face this, and you will get through it. That these tears are good, Nesta. These tears mean you care. I am going to tell you that it is not too late, not for any of it. And I can't tell you when, or how, but it will get better. What you feel, this guilt and pain and self-loathing-you will get through it. But only if you are willing to fight. Only if you are willing to face it, and embrace it, and walk through it, to emerge on the other side of it. And maybe you will still feel that tinge of pain, but there is another side. A better side."

"Nesta had loved Cassian since she'd first laid eyes on him. Had loved him even when she did not want to, even when she had been swallowed by despair and fear and hatred. Had loved him and destroyed herself because she didn't believe she deserved him, because he was all that was good, and brave, and kind, and she loved him, she loved him, she loved him."

"She whispered, "And I am yours." Those golden threads between their very souls shone with the words, as they formed a harp strummed by a heavenly hand. For it was music between their souls. Always had been. And his voice was her favorite melody."

"Ataraxia, she had named that magic sword. Inner peace."

"The world was beautiful, and she was so grateful to be in it. To be alive, to be here, to see this. She stuck out a hand over the railing, grazing a star as it shot past, and her fingers came away glowing with blue and green dust. She laughed, a sound of pure joy, and she cried more, because that joy was a miracle." 

"Amren put a hand above Nesta's heart. "That's the key, isn't it? To know the darkness will always remain, but how you choose to face it, handle it...that's the most important part. To not let it consume. To focus upon the good, the things that fill you with wonder." She gestured to the stars zooming past. "The struggle with that darkness is worth it, just to see such things."