Sarcasmic Life

Slow Burn has been one of my favourite tropes of all time - the anticipation, the tension, the second-guessing, the little moments. I live for all of those. But unfortunately, this is not a trope that is found frequently in my experience. Or at least, well-written slow burn romances. It is not an easy trope to write and it shows. The littlest mistake or impatience in the plot makes it all drain down the pipe. But when it works, oh, it works .  Here are some slow burn romances that really, really did it for me: From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata The first book in the list is, of course, by the Slow Burn Queen: Mariana Zapata. No one writes it better than her, tested and proven. Another trademark of her books is how the setting is usually in the professional sports world. From Lukov With Love follows two figure skaters who hate each other but now have to work together for at least one season. It is not my favourite book by her, but it is the first one I read and I was an instant ...

MONSTERS OF VERITY by V. E. SCHWAB BOOKS: This Savage Song, #1 Our Dark Duet, #2 REVIEW: It’s Victoria Schwab. Of course it is a heart-breaking, emotionally-wrecking, hangover-inducing and satisfying read. I am not even going to start with the synopsis – this woman brings ideas completely out of this world, makes us read them non-stop for 4 craving days, and then leaves us in a numb state for the next 4 days. More, even. I read this book three months ago and I am still hungover over it. The story-telling that Victoria can do is unparalleled (except, maybe, Holly Black, call me biased I don’t care). This story is set in Verity, a fictional, futuristic American state, that is so choked full of violence that it is actually manifesting in physical forms – corsai, malchai, sunai . And if that wasn’t enough, the capital of Verity, V-City, the city plagued with almost all the monsters, is divided into two parts – one owned by Callum Harker (I hate him and I love him and I hate him...

  ELVEN ALLIANCE SERIES by TARA GRAYCE BOOKS: Fierce Heart, #1 War Bound, #2 Death Wind, #3 Troll Queen, #4 Pretense, #5 Shield Band, #6 NOVELLAS: Elf Prince Elf King Heart Bond REVIEW: Okay, so, this was a series my Tumblr bestie had been forcing me to read for almost a year before I finally felt like reading an elf fantasy romance. And I must say, I am so grateful to her for recommending me this beautiful, beautiful series. Essie is the only princess of Escarland and is the apple of the eye of her brothers Averett, Julien, and Edmund. Escarland had been at a war with their neighbouring elf kingdom, Taranhiel, for a few years before the kings of both kingdoms were killed and a brittle treaty was signed. Now fifteen years later, the tensions are high and Essie proposes the brilliant idea of a marriage alliance to encourage peace – thinking the elves would refuse, thanks to their revulsion of humans, and finally do something at their end. But no one would h...

A ROYAL AFFAIR SERIES by LEXY TIMMS BOOKS: Royally F*cked, #1 Royally Screwed, #2 Royally Obsessed, #3 REVIEW: This was my first time reading this author, and I must admit I wasn’t expecting go read beyond the first twenty or so pages. But, oh I did. I finished the whole book in a single day (with half a day left) and I was not disappointed. Actually, I was disappointed, but not for reasons concerning the writing. The writing was great: slow at first but then it became really engaging and I must applaud the author for the well-paced humour. The world-building was contemporary fiction, and I don’t know if it was real enough (I have no idea how it works in European monarchies) but was nice enough. The story is about Alora, a broke American overachiever who is doing double majors in one of the most prestigious universities of Europe while juggling a lot of part-time jobs to make ends meet. One of these jobs include tutoring, and enter the crown prince (and only prince) of Eldinburgh...

THE GRACE YEAR by KIM LIGGETT STANDALONE REVIEW: If this wasn’t the height of morbidly gratifying, I don’t know what is. The blurred world-building, the cruel and tortured characters, the grisly scenes and the bone-chilling story. All of it will leave you in a semi-comatose state for days (weeks, months). Even though the start was somewhat slow, I couldn’t bring myself to put it down from the first page. (From the damned epigraph: “A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze.”) And God, if that epigraph wasn’t the perfect foreshadowing. The women in the fantasy were exactly like a trapped rat who didn’t know it was trapped. Or at least, that was what the protagonist used to believe. Romantically, it’s a love triangle. I, personally, don’t really like them and I didn’t like it here, either. But I cannot say I was dissatisfied. It was a series of heartbreaks and I loved it. I loved the bittersweet ending even more. (And I loved Michael the most, ...

THE LONE CITY CHRONICLES by AMY EWING BOOKS: The Jewel, #1 The White Rose, #2 The Black Key, #3 NOVELLAS: Wishing Well Sil’s Story Ash’s Story Lucien’s Story House Of Stone Garnet’s Story REVIEW: Six out of five stars. Absolutely unable to understand the plethora of negative reviews on this jewel (pun intended) of a story. The characters were diverse, their development was amazing and the world building was great – and without any early instalment weirdness too! The plot was original and compelling, taking us through a roller coaster of feelings. There were characters who you can’t help but love and there were characters who you just cannot stop hating, ever (*cough* Countess of Stone *cough*). Scenes you will just melt for and scenes that will chill you to bones. But all of it will definitely make you forget that they are not real, if only for a few chapters....