That’s what we call PEAK nowadays! ISAGI THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!!!!!
(I remember seeing leaks of this chapter right before my exam, and I was stress5/5
That’s what we call PEAK nowadays! ISAGI THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!!!!!
(I remember seeing leaks of this chapter right before my exam, and I was stressing more about this chapter than about one of the hardest exams in my uni course lol)...more
I'm only on the fourth book of this series, and I can already tell that this is one of t5/5
[novel chapters: 177-237/601]
The reviews contains spoilers!
I'm only on the fourth book of this series, and I can already tell that this is one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read in my life. And I have read over a thousand romance books. It’s a rather long love story, but if I adore the main characters—as I do Inés and Cárcel—I could read even twenty books about them. Watching stupid ads on Tappytoon for two weeks straight to unlock the chapters was worth it because I absolutely adore this story with my entire heart.
So much happened in this book—we began in Caltzea, then moved to the hunting cabin, followed by Mendoza, and finally ended in Bilbao where Cárcel finally met the painter. This volume also had what I had been waiting for the most—Inés is really close to acknowledging that she loves Cárcel, who has already confessed his feelings.
— I never thought it was possible to love Cárcel even more, but it happened. This man does everything with Inés in mind. He would do anything for her. I’ve read tons of romance books with men utterly in love with their women, but Cárcel? His love for Inés is truly beyond compare. The letters he wrote to her in chapters 223, 224, and 225 were so beautiful that I cried the entire time I was reading them. The fact that he calls her "Sol de mi vida, my Inés," which means "the light of my life," made me fall to my knees and cry. He would do anything to ensure she’s happy, safe, and healthy, even if it means putting himself at risk. Inés’s remarkable improvement in health since her marriage to Cárcel is a great example for this. Not to mention, this man literally ran to her the second she wrote him a letter that she missed him, just to spend a few hours with her.
"Inés." That single call was enough to erase all of her thoughts from her mind, like waves receding from a beach at tide. Inés got to her feet and slowly turned toward the voice that had called out to her a few steps away. Cárcel stood under a tree, smiling, with his arms wide open. Inés's cold demeanor melted away as she beamed and ran toward him."
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That’s my real reaction to this scene.
Seriously.
He loved Inés in all four of their lifetimes, and in this book, we finally got a glimpse of some scenes from those lives from his perspective. The fact that he was already worried about Inés and had a big crush on her when they were 14 in their third lifetime made me tear up again. Inés also had a small crush on him, but she probably didn’t understand it at the time. The way he advised Oscar to give Inés the rifle, and then blushed when she asked to hunt with her, showed he was already falling in love with her. Also, the fact that he gave her the same rifle in their fourth life, but this time personally, and that she kissed him while crying after this gesture, made me cry even harder. At this point, I think I cried through half of the book.
And, AND—OMG, he finally starts to remember their lives from the first, second, and third lifetimes. I’ve been waiting for this FOREVER. Cárcel finally meets Emiliano, and many memories from his past lives come back to him. It turns out that the painter also remembers everything from his past life with Inés. I'm already scared about what this fact might bring in the next books.
But nonetheless, here are my favorite quotes from Cárcel once again. I have a feeling I’ll be adding more with each book, as this man just knows what to say.
"You are in my every thought. You are my obsession," whispered Cárcel"
"My mind is consumed with thoughts of you, Inés Escalante. When I rise in the morning, I reach out, hoping to pull you closer to me as you slumber. My nose seeks out your scent before I even open my eyes My heart dreams of burying my face in your neck in the morning sun, inhaling your sweet scent as I escape the grip of sleep... Nothing feels real without you, Inés. It all feels like a dream."
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"Cárcel took her hand as if snatching it up, kissed each fingertip affectionately, and finally pressed his lips firmly against her palm. Just as he did every day upon his return home."
"What is it?" she inquired. "You're breathtaking," he said, sincerity etched into every word"
"He wanted the whole world to know that he belonged to Inés, so that no one would dare to come between them"
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"This is indeed an incident, Balan," Cárcel cut in. "Good heavens..." Arondra's typical exclamation echoed in Raúl's ears. "What kind of incident? Has she been injured?" "This is a momentous incident." Raúl came to a halt a few steps away from Cárcel and frowned in confusion. "But...why are you smiling?" Cárcel lifted his gaze from the letter, a broad grin replacing the gravity that had shrouded his features moments before. "She misses me. Inés Valeztena misses me." […] "She yearns for me..." Cárcel mumbled in a daze, his gaze tenderly fixed on the letter yet again. "You are so endearing that I would die for you, Inés." […] Cárcel appeared lost in his own reverie, murmuring, "She misses me...and asks me to make haste to see her in Mendoza. How adorable..." […] "She says she misses me," Cárcel said again. "Yes, I heard, my lord." Now, he was burying his face in the letter altogether […] Cárcel cut him off. "This is the first love letter I've ever received from Inés. It will become an important piece of Escalante history to be handed down from generation to generation, so it must be preserved properly."
And he wanted to frame this letter because he cherished it so much, even though those three sentences were the only things Inés had written to him-
"Careful. I'll hold it." "Dear Cárcel Escalante. My days here are incredibly tedious and exhausting. I miss you. Could you not come to Mendoza for just a short while?" Raúl read aloud, his tone rising in disbelief. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
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"Cárcel would be moved to tears even if you gave him a branch from that tree over there." […] "Indeed, he is oddly humble when it comes to gifts, but I cannot settle for that," Inés said, not denying Isabella's observation. Even if she presented him with a mere branch, Cárcel would undoubtedly frame it and treasure it forever. He would imagine that the stick held some deep theological or literary significance, however absurd. He was so utterly besotted with her that he had framed her three or four lines of correspondence."
"Cárcel wrapped Inés in a tight embrace. "What do I do when I want to hold you closer, but you're already in my arms?" he mumbled as though in a daze. "That makes no sense," she replied coolly. He tightened his hold. Normally, she would have snapped at him to let her breathe, but Inés simply wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed back. He knew this small gesture spoke louder than words."
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"As long as you want me at your side, you will never need another husband. I plan to live a long and persistent life by your side as long as you do not cast me aside. Inés, I will make sure you will never need another man at your side, even for a moment. In truth, I cannot tolerate the mere thought of another man by your side. It is such an unbearable thought that I already broke two pens while writing this... Laugh at my foolishness if you must, but know this: I refuse to succumb to any fate that would separate us."
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Okay, okay, the last thing and quote. I was screaming when Cárcel heard that Oscar wanted to give the flower crown to Inés, so he left his own behind before he had to leave the capital.
"Cárcel Escalante sent me a messenger early this morning, asking me to compete in the Formente on his behalf," Luciano explained. "He said he needs someone to give you a flower crown since he couldn't stay in Mendoza for the event."
— Witch each book when there’s a scene from Inés past lifetimes I just end up crying. Her returning to Mendoza made me realize even more how much I despise the fake people who have surrounded her and Cárcel since birth, especially Empress, Alicia and Oscar. As more facts about Oscar were revealed in this book, my hatred for him grew to an astronomical size. He tormented Cárcel since childhood because Inés chose him, and now he's trying to kill Cárcel to marry Inés? He is willing to murder his cousin to take his wife, only to repete the history from their past lifetime when he had some psycho obsession over her and tortured her every day. This guy, or rather a nasty rat, deserves to die—preferably as soon as possible.
But moving on to the nicer things. Every time Inés made a romantic gesture toward him, I’m pretty sure my heart was about to explode. Although she’s the grump in their relationship, her small acts of love made me so happy. In this book, she made significant progress with her feelings toward Cárcel. She finally trusted him completely, felt jealousy toward other women despite having no reason to, and began counting the days until she could see him again because she missed him so much. Also, the fact that Inés noticed Cárcel’s new scar, and when she tried to bring it up he dismissed it, so she write to Raul, calling him a rat for not telling her what had happened. I was finally laughing after crying for four chapters straight. Her distress over Cárcel’s injury drove her to buy the most expensive weapons she could find from several shops, all to keep him safe. Her people even began to worry that she was planning to recruit her own army because of it.
"Remember that your body is of equal importance as mine, so always stay vigilant and protect it. From your wife, Inés Escalante de Perez." "Now, take this card and wrap everything beautifully." "Pardon me, madam, but...how does one wrap weapons beautifully?" the shop owner asked, perplexed. "Does this card not give you a clue? Tie silk ribbons around them. Anything looks pleasant with a ribbon." The owner stared at her, speechless."
"Inés shot him a seriously concerned look and pushed away a branch that was about to hit him in the face because he wasn't paying attention to anything but her."
"As he spoke, his hands were busy setting up the skewers over the fire, and he turned his head to give her a kiss on her cheek. When he leaned in to do it again, Inés impulsively turned her head as well, so that his lips pressed against hers. She had forgotten all about her decision to discourage him from trying to make her any happier. Cárcel furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you really want me to be all over you when I haven't washed yet?"
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"No, he's more than fine, he's wonderful. Our time in Calztela has been delightful. That's the reason why I was looking healthier when I arrived in Mendoza. Also, Cárcel has been insistent on ensuring I'm well- fed." "I've never seen you smile like that, Inés," Luciano muttered in awe. Inés stiffly thought back to how on earth she had started smiling without even realizing it while speaking of Cárcel."
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I think I’m the happiest about the fact that Inés finally realized Cárcel would never cheat on her or even glance at another woman, because she is everything to him and he would do anything for her. Her development, from wanting a divorce to achieve her plan, to becoming a woman who was falling deeply in love with her husband because she knew he loved her with his whole being, was just everything. It took a lot of time, of course, but the journey was worth the wait.
Inés literally went from this
"Some women would daydream about a wedding after a simple exchange of smiles. As for Inés, she was the type to daydream about the divorce and the custody discussions after the wedding."
to this
"I mean it this time. I truly want it." She took a deep breath and declared with conviction, "Not an heir for our families. I want a child of our own."
"And she wanted a child who would resemble both him and herself-a living testament to their love."
"She wanted to take him in completely, to be the only one to see him. She wanted to whisk him far away from this wretched palace and the pain of this world, to a place where he could see and hear only her. If she could achieve that, she felt that she wouldn't mind if the world behind her crumbled to ruin."
"Because, in the end, he belonged to her. Because perhaps, she had become his, too."
and I absolutely love that.
Some of my favorite things about this book. I just don’t want to forget them, so I had to write them down here.
— There were so many great scenes that perfectly captured their dynamic in this book.
"The farther the destination, the earlier you should get going, Cárcel," she insisted. "Is that so? I might just die from how adorable you are being," he commented. "Go ahead and die, then. Let's get going. Hurry up." Her cold retort came almost immediately. Undeterred, he stepped closer and cupped her cheeks in his hands. She shot him a warning glare, but he believed this was her own fault for being so endearing. "One more kiss before I die." He showered her face with kisses, refusing to let her go until Inés whacked him on the head."
— The hunting lodge chapters and then the reunion scene in Caltzea? These two are the hottest couple. They are really the epitome of a couple where the hero worships the ground the heroine walks on and is the cutest, most devoted partner, but their intimate relationship leads to rooms being destroyed after their nights together.
"You have to come while looking at me, Inés. Always." She had let out another sobbing moan. "Because I'm the only one for you now. Because you chose me this time. Because I am yours."
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— I hope Isabela turns out to be a good character, as she seems to be so far, and becomes the mother that Inés never had.
"It would have taken forever if I hadn't. I am very protective of my time and my family." Isabella made the remark casually, but Inés had never received such care from her own mother, Olga-not even in times of dire need during her past life at the palace"
— I also really hope Inés’s relationship with her brother in this life will be good. He truly loves her and would do anything for her, so I look forward to seeing them hunt together with Cárcel in future books.
"I would lay down my life for you, Inés. Whatever path you choose, I shall bear the burden of it all. So, do what you wish. Don't worry about our father, mother, or even me..." […] "End the crown prince's life, Inés. Take your revenge into your own hands, like the woman of Perez you are. If it frightens you, I'll do it for you." "You have nothing to do with this, Luciano." "My hands are yours, Inés, for we are both Valeztenas. If I take his life, it shall be as though you did so yourself. The same holds true in reverse. We are in this together." "And once Oscar is gone, what then?" "Then I shall ensure your survival." "How?" "Perhaps I shall start a war."
This scene from their second life made me tear up a little.
— More secrets about Inés’s past lives were revealed, especially the fact that the priest who married her and the painter told her it wasn’t what "Lord had planned for her" and that she would regret it one day. I hope this means that Cárcel was her one and only destiny. I really hope it's true, as all the clues so far suggest it might be.
— The last thing is that I love the subtle hints the author gives about both of them seeing each other as each other’s sun. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but in the prologue of the manhwa, Cárcel sees Inés and calls her "My sun," so I really hope I’m right.
"Cárcel squinted in her direction as if blinded by the sun, his admittedly pretty eyes fixed on her as he stood there blankly until Alejandro was only an inch away from his face. It was strange, because he had his back to the sun."
"I wish for everything you ever wish for to come true, my sunshine. And I hope I am always at your side as you do whatever you want."
Once again, I end up writing a long ass review, but I just can’t help myself—I could talk and talk and talk about this story forever because I love it so much. The fourth book is the last one fully translated on Tappytoon so far, so unfortunately, I had to take a break from the series, which yes—is painful, but I want to binge the fifth book in one go, so I have to wait....more
The third book gave me so many feels. I was either kicking my feet and blushing at Cár4.25/5
[novel chapters: 114-176/601]
The review contains spoilers!
The third book gave me so many feels. I was either kicking my feet and blushing at Cárcel being so in love with Inés or crying to the point of getting a headache. We got so many beautiful and heartbreaking moments in this volume. I absolutely loved how much their relationship has already progressed. Not only their relationship but both Inés and Cárcel as individuals, too.
The action still takes place in Caltzea, but this time we got to see more scenes of the main characters socializing, attending banquets, and inviting people over, which sometimes led to problems. We also get glimpses into their second and third lifetimes, mostly from Inés's perspective. Once again, I have to say that she is truly one of the strongest heroines I have ever read about. I just want her to find happiness in her fourth life with Cárcel. She deserves it so much after everything she's been through.
This book made me realize just how much I love Cárcel. I'll probably say this in every review from now on, but seriously, this man makes me blush in every single chapter. I need to list everything this man did in this book that made me love him even more, so let's get right to them. — Cárcel cried when he found out that Inés's mom called her a defective product. This scene was so precious, because it showed how much he loves her. — This man literally notices the smallest details about her.
"Cárcel seemed the kind of man who didn't care about remembering details, and yet when it concerned Inés, his memory exhibited meticulous precision like the sharp, heavy bayonet he wielded"
— He almost bought the entire jewelry store for Inés, because he couldn’t decide on the color of the gems because she looked beautiful in all of them for him. It was also the first gift he ever gave to any woman. — His love language is without a doubt physical touch. If he only could, he’d spend every moment of the day kissing—especially covering her face with kisses, holding her, and keeping her close. — He is trying to find the best possible doctor for Inés, because he worries about her health. In fact, if he could, he would carry her everywhere because he's scared something might happen to her.
"While Inés seemed to consider her condition a great weakness that would be nothing but a burden to her husband, Cárcel was the kind of man who would welcome such a burden with open arms. In fact, considering his blind affection, his strong obsession, and his slightly perverted interest in her, Raúl imagined that Cárcel might even go above and beyond that."
This man truly lived by the "in sickness and in health" vow.
— Cárcel smokes his cigar outside on the balcony, even when it’s freezing cold, because he thinks Inés doesn’t like the smell. She doesn’t mind the smell though. — This man was over the moon every time he found out that she was worried about him.
"What else happened? What other adorable things did Inés do because she was so worried about me?"
"She even checked to see if you were breathing and lifted your eyelids," he added. "That's adorable," Cárcel commented. "She also fumed when we told her you were merely sleeping," Raúl continued. "So precious..." "[…], she insisted on staying to watch over you." "She couldn't keep her eyes off of me," Cárcel muttered"
— Just every moment when Cárcel was completely smitten with her.
"He shoved a piece of bread in her mouth before she could argue back. She chewed the food first, and he watched her like the most adorable sight in the world. "You're so cute when you chew. I wish you could see how adorable you look-" […] "I'm not cute," mumbled Inés. Even despite her sleepiness, her firm voice sounded annoyed. Cárcel chuckled and pulled her closer to him, duvet and all. "Your cuteness will be the death of me,"
"I don't want to leave because you are too adorable," said Cárcel."
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"When she hung her head low, Cárcel continued to kiss her hair. "I like it when you call me your husband, Inés... My heart melts every time I hear you say that."
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"All he talks about is you. In the morning, his orders are about you. When he gets home, he asks about you. Before bed, he also..."
"If he confessed his emotions and she turned her back on him, he would wish for nothing but to drop dead. Without her, none of this would matter. He wouldn't feel this way if not for her. Indeed, he loved her."
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"It doesn't matter if you don't care about her betrayal. I don't care whether you care for me or not," Cárcel added, turning to face her with his back to the sunset. "What matter is that I love you."
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"Cárcel continued to ramble on like a madman. "I might die of a heart attack induced by her sheer adorableness. Incredibly endearing." Raúl grew genuinely concerned for Cárcel. At this rate, if he discovered Inés had indeed spied on him for a while, he might suffer a heart attack from overexcitement."
"Damn it, your mistress is too adorable," muttered Cárcel. "She really knows how to throw me off my feet." […] "So adorable...I want to chew her up from head to toe." […]please keep this a secret from her." "A secret. How adorable."
THIS MAN. THIS MAN.
"He could hardly imagine how heavenly it would be to be loved by his wife. The thought alone was enough to make Cárcel feel like he was walking on air."
"But just looking at you brings me joy," Cárcel muttered despondently"
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"I can't dictate what you say," she pointed out. "Why not? Go ahead," Cárcel urged. Inés raised her slightly reddened face and grimaced, stating firmly, "No. I refuse." She looked endearing even when she was showing such blatant aversion to his words. "I find it stimulating when you order me around," Cárcel confessed. "So it's solely for your benefit," she said with a huff. "I won't indulge." "Please, Inés, command me."
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"Kiss me, Inés." She looked at him with a hint of irritation and leaned in to kiss him. The whole universe was telling him one thing: this had to be love"
I wasn't planning to write another long review again.. but I just need to mention some of my favorite moments from this book so I don’t forget them. Let's get to those now then. — Chapters 126 and 127 were so damn hot. Like, seriously. — Inés getting revenge on the two officers who spoke badly about Cárcel at the banquet. — Cárcel throwing Iglesias' jacket off the balcony because he was jealous. — The carriage scene when Inés kissed Cárcel for the first time on her own and when they had that talk. I'm so sad it wasn’t in the manhwa. — Maybe not my favorite moment, but I was literally crying reading chapters 159 and 160. I absolutely despise Oscar. I wish him the most painful death. — The moment Inés realized Cárcel loved her in their second life—or, as far as she knows, their first life. I was crying so hard.
Again.
"At last, the truth dawned on her: he had been in love with Inés Valeztena. Always."
— When Inés asked Raul to check on Cárcel because she was afraid she got him sick. — The kiss Inés initiated when Cárcel was sick. — The study scene where she was reading, and Cárcel just looked at her like she was his whole world.
"For a while now, he had been sitting with his chín resting on his hands and his clear blue eyes fixed intently on his wife's face, smiling from ear to ear. "Inés," he called out, seeking her attention. She ignored him, her focus on the pages before her. "Look over here, Inés." "Why?" she asked. "Just because," he replied, a playful lilt in his voice." […] Cárcel's bright smile didn't wane even as her gaze shifted away from him. Look at my dear Inés, dedicated to her reading when she's already so brilliant, Cárcel mused inwardly."
He is so cute and in love that I just wanna
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— The scene where Cárcel was worried about Inés hurting her hands, even though she was the one who slapped him while he was unconscious. Get yourself a man who doesn’t care that you slapped him, but only worries about whether you hurt your hand doing it. — The chapter where they were together watching the fountain, and Cárcel’s thoughts about Inés then. The whole chapter was just absolutely gorgeous.
"Perhaps the mermaid reminded him of her because he loved her just the way the soldier loved the mermaid. He didn't mind drowning to spend the rest of his life with her. He forgot to breathe sometimes when he was with her. He was so foolishly in love with her. But-she didn't have feelings for him, just as the mermaid did not love the soldier back."
I'm so close to catching up with the manhwa, so I'm really really excited to read the next book. It's also the last book that's fully translated so far on Tappytoon, so I'll probably have to take a short break from this series, but I can't wait to devour it regardless....more
The novel really turned out to be much better than the manhwa. Starting The Broken Ring, I didn’t think I’d become so en4/5
[novel chapters: 1-65/601]
The novel really turned out to be much better than the manhwa. Starting The Broken Ring, I didn’t think I’d become so engrossed in the story that after the latest manhwa chapter, I’d be running to read the books it was based on, but that’s exactly what happened. I was pretty much desperate to read all the books, but it was nearly impossible to find them all available in English online. Only the first two books were translated and available to buy on Amazon—so I got those—but the rest were nowhere to be found. The whole series consists of ten books, with the last two being side stories. The only source for the third and the rest of the books was Tappytoon, which is translating three chapters a week, so that's where I'll continue reading the third book and the rest in the future when they translate them. I've heard that the translation isn't the best, and that the Tappytoon version even adds sentences that weren’t in the original book, but I was so eager to read it that I honestly didn’t mind. I'm actually really glad I read the novel too, since the manhwa left out some scenes, dialogues, and character thoughts that I think were pretty important to the story.
The rest of my review contains spoilers!
If you plan to read this story, I think it’s important to know that it’s the kind of story where you definitely need to trust the process. It starts off in a way that might make people dislike the book and stop reading, which I completely understand—I would have done the same if I hadn’t read the spoilers, but thankfully, I saw them, and I continued, which it’s something I’ll never regret as The Broken Ring turned out to be one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read. Two people, four timelines, the love they shared in each of them, and the countless challenges they faced along the way, which certainly didn’t make their love story an easy one.
I think the biggest issue people have with The Broken Ring—the one I mentioned in my last paragraph—is the fact that Cárcel slept with a lot of women before he and Inés were married. Listen, I absolutely despise cheaters and men who are manwhores. Seriously, I wish them well. In hell. And I’m not trying to justify Cárcel’s cheating at the beginning of their story—I hate it. I hate that he was sleeping around so much. But this isn’t your typical "cheating case". This book definitely doesn’t normalize cheating either, as people, Inés’ family, and especially her father shame him for it and weren’t happy that he was marrying her. But, as I said, it’s not your usual "cheating in books" situation.
The heroine—Inés, a woman from a very important noble family, after surviving, as far as she knows, two previous lives, wasn't strong enough to enter another relationship. So, in her fourth life, she made a plan at the age of six to marry Cárcel, knowing that he would eventually cheat and sleep with many other women. He was the most angelic and handsome boy in the entire kingdom, and every woman wanted him, so he was the perfect candidate for her plan. Since she was six, she had been basically "manipulating" him to cheat and lose interest in her completely, so eventually she could divorce him and be left alone. I know it sounds pretty insane, but she had her reasons. In her second life, she committed suicide because Oscar—the future emperor/prince, who married her—was raping her and constantly cheating, which led to her miscarrying four times. He blamed her for the miscarriages, rather than his own venereal diseases. On top of that, his family treated her horribly. In her third life, she ran away with a painter to escape her second life's marriage to the prince. At first, things seemed fine—she married the painter and had a baby with him—but it didn't last long. In the end, her brother killed the painter, and the royal family planned to murder her baby. Desperate, she took her own life and her child's to escape the horrors they were about to face. Her past lives were absolutely awful, so I'm not surprised at how she acted in her fourth life, or why she pushed Cárcel to be with other women. She knew that once he did, she would be able to file for divorce and ultimately be left alone, and eventually die of old age rather than by suicide. So yes, Cárcel cheated on her, and I will always hate him for that, but there's more to the story. What's crucial to understand is that Cárcel loved her in all four of their lives, even when they weren't together in two of them. He never married anyone else in any of his lives because he always loved only Inés. He even helped her husband—the painter she had a child with—and had to watch her being married to Oscar, who basically tortured her. So yes, yes, yes, I know he cheated at the beginning when they were still engaged in their fourth life, but his love for her, and the fact that she was his one and only true love across all his lives, is enough for me to overlook the cheating.
But finally moving to the main characters, specifically Inés Valeztena de Pérez. I absolutely loved her. She invented the definition of a strong heroine. Despite enduring hell in almost all of her lives, she still had the power to keep going. She was extremely smart, intelligent, and sarcastic (which I love about her), funny, and just everything I love about female main characters.
"Some women would daydream about a wedding after a simple exchange of smiles. As for Inés, she was the type to daydream about the divorce and the custody discussions after the wedding."
"Whenever these governesses started their lessons by teaching her how to obey her future husband, she inevitably fired the governess. Therefore, she never had a governess for more than four days."
Cárcel Escalante de Esposa—our hero who I hated at the beginning but grew to love with every chapter. I know what he did while they were still engaged was unacceptable, and I hate him for it. However, just before their marriage and after their wedding, he became the most faithful man ever, completely obsessed with his wife. Even when Inés tried to surround him with beautiful women to fulfill her plan to make him cheat on her, he never did—all he saw was Inés. He even bought her a house he heard had saved someone's marriage, so they could be together. He would unexpectedly smile at work while thinking about her, and people were amazed at the sight. He was STARVED for her—seriously, STARVED—but still respected her boundaries, which later in the story made her more open and brave in her sexual life. And that's just a glimpse, as he did so much more in the next books.
"He could tolerate just about anything to have Inés Escalante share his name and bedroom for the rest of his life."
“At this rate, you’ll be carrying me around the house by tomorrow morning,” Inés muttered. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I would happily—” “I do mind,” Inés said firmly. “I guessed as much,” Cárcel replied."
"Inés clearly didn’t care for his opinion, and Cárcel liked that about her."
"Everything about Inés was driving him insane."
Me at this information:
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And, he definitely was a boob man.
I also saw on Twitter that each volume's cover has a meaning, and the first book features a sample of ceremonial uniform from Cárcel's wedding attire—I love it.
But anyway, I just love this story so much, despite it not being something I usually enjoy, because of the manwhore hero. I just can’t wait to read the next books to find out how Inés and Cárcel’s story ends. The day they announce that this series will be published in paperback, I will definitely be the first in line to buy it....more
The word "masterpiece" was literally invented for this manga. I can’t believe these were the last chapters written by the author of this phenomen4.5/5
The word "masterpiece" was literally invented for this manga. I can’t believe these were the last chapters written by the author of this phenomenal story....more
These next three volumes were absolutely phenomenal! Without a doubt, they’ve become some of my all-time favorites in the entire manga. I litera4.75/5
These next three volumes were absolutely phenomenal! Without a doubt, they’ve become some of my all-time favorites in the entire manga. I literally couldn’t put it down—my eyes were burning, but the action was so intense that taking a break was not an option. But anyway, once again, here are some of my thoughts on these volumes.
— When I saw Mr. G in one chapter, I wanted to punch my screen and throw my tablet out the window. — I don’t know why, but the chapters feel shorter now? — My reaction at the ending of chapter one hundred fifty
[image] — THE SKULL KNIGHT!!! I love him. — More Casca and Guts moments! These two are going to be the death of me. The hug scene almost made me cry. — I absolutely loved the moments when Puck and Isidro were together. Whenever these two are together, it’s never boring, and their banter had me laughing more than once. — More new characters! The group following and fighting alongside Guts is getting bigger and bigger, and I couldn’t be happier about it....more
Attack on Titan was one of the wildest and most extraordinary reading experiences of my life. Hajime Isayama created a masterpiece that I will neve5/5
Attack on Titan was one of the wildest and most extraordinary reading experiences of my life. Hajime Isayama created a masterpiece that I will never be able to forget. If you saw my updates, you probably know that I devoured the whole manga in the span of four days. I could not stop reading. It’s sad that it took the author almost twelve years to write this and I read it in less than a week, but I'm glad I decided to pick up the manga now—I have already watched the anime four years ago—as I don't know if I could have survived waiting for chapters when almost every one ends on a cliffhanger.
I know the ending is quite controversial, not everyone is a fan of it, but I personally liked it. It wasn't exactly how I wanted this manga to end—I’m a hopeless romantic and I love eremika—but the message that Isayama showed with it was strong. Unfortunately, I don't think we humans will ever learn from it.
Now that I've finished this story, I can finally move on to my favorites in it. So let's start with the characters—in no particular order,
╴Mikasa Ackerman, I love her, I love her, I love her, ╴Hange Zoë, how can you not like this crazy woman? ╴Levi Ackerman, do I have to explain myself? ╴Erwin Smith, just- no comment, I don’t want to think about it, ╴Armin Arlert, I just love this blondie, ╴Eren Jaeger, honorable mention, because he with long-ish hair is my exact type of man
My favorite volumes, ╴Attack on Titan, Vol.8 ╴Attack on Titan, Vol.16 ╴Attack on Titan, Vol.20 ╴Attack on Titan, Vol.33 ╴Attack on Titan, Vol.34
Anyway, as I said, one of the best stories I have ever read in my life. If you haven't read or watched it yet, I highly, highly, highly recommend it!!...more
I LOVE this series. I ADORE this series. I WORSHIP this series. I TREASURE this series. I’m ON MY KNEES for this series. I want to start a NEW RELI5/5
I LOVE this series. I ADORE this series. I WORSHIP this series. I TREASURE this series. I’m ON MY KNEES for this series. I want to start a NEW RELIGION for this series. I want to PROPOSE to this series I want to MARRY this series. I want to DIE for this series. I’m INSANE for this series. I want to buy EVERY POSSIBLE COPY of this series. I want to START A FAMILY with this series. I want to worship this series on my knees UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.
I don't remember the last time I was so absorbed in some books that I couldn't function like a normal person. I got up, I went to read this book, I ate and read this book, I read instead of studying because this book was more important, I tried to sleep and thought about this book, I was taking a shower and couldn't wait to finally go to bed and read this book instead of going to sleep. I don't know what kind of crack R.F. Kuang put into this trilogy, but I'm absolutely obsessed. I know Rebecca will never see this, but thank you. Your books reminded me why I love reading.
I never expected the second book to be even better than the first one, which I already rated five stars - and believe me, it’s a rare occurrence for me to rate a book that high - but yes, it pushed the first part off the podium. The plot, the twists, and that end. There was action after action, even when it seemed calmer, suddenly something happened and instead of talking a break for a second, you kept reading because you had to know what was happening. If there was one thing I would wholeheartedly recommend before starting this series, it would be to not get attached to any of the characters. Seriously. This is definitely not your typical young adult fantasy story where all the characters got what they deserved, whether it was a happy ending or not. It’s a book about war, its ugly and painful consequences and the people who, regardless of age, had to participate in it, losing their loved ones, friends and even themselves.
The characters here clearly stole the show. Kitay, the greatest best friend, I never thought I could love this man more, but I do. Nezha, I know he has a lot going on in his complicated life, I hate him for what he's done, but I don't think it's possible for me to dislike him. Ramsa, Suni, Baji, Venka, I love these people, I have become so attached to them, I just love them with my whole heart. You could see here how much these characters had changed, how the war had changed them all, from young people with aspirations to people who lost some faith in their future but still wanted to fight for what they thought was good.
"But eventually, you'll have to ask yourself precisely what you're fighting for. And you'll have to find a reason to live past vengeance"
"Fire and water looked so lovely together. It was a pity they destroyed each other by nature."
Let's not forget about the most important character here, Fang Runin. You could so clearly see how much she had changed since the first book - from a still young girl attending her dream academy, to a girl who had lost many important people, to a girl who had to make choices that no child should have to make, to a girl who people treated like a machine, not a human, to a girl who was lost and wanted to give up, but still found the strength to fight. I think her character was portrayed in the most real and authentic way. She was far from perfect, but are any of us perfect? She was not, but that doesn't change the fact that she's still one of the best characters I've ever read about. Did I agree with all of her choices? No, some of the paths she chose frustrated me or I just simply didn’t understand them, but I kept forgetting that she was a young girl who grew up in difficult conditions, and when she finally found herself in the place she chose, a war began in which due to her newfound abilities, she had no choice but fight. I have this great feeling that I know what will happen in the third book with her, and not only with her, but for my own peace of mind I will try to be delusional and pretend that I am wrong.
I could probably write and write about this book forever, but I'll stop here and just say that I highly recommend it with my whole heart. I know that this is a series that you have to be in the right mood and time to start, I picked it up after it had been on my shelf for two years, but it was so worth it. Despite the pain, tears, betrayal and trauma I experienced here, it was worth it....more
I don't remember the last time I read a book in Polish, probably about two years ago, but I don't know what I did in my life without this book. Thi5/5
I don't remember the last time I read a book in Polish, probably about two years ago, but I don't know what I did in my life without this book. This story was so real, raw, heartbreaking, and just beautiful in it all that it felt like the author put real people in this book and let them tell the story.
The view on family, girlhood, motherhood, marriage, being a child was presented in the most humanly real way I have ever read about. I hope this book will be translated into more languages because I really think everyone should read it. Everyone, no matter what age, because the book touches on many important topics that can make everyone rethink a few things. Highly, highly recommended....more
Four hundred highlights, two hours of sleep, a few mental breakdowns later and it’s over—not exactly over, because it's only the first part, but I 5/5
Four hundred highlights, two hours of sleep, a few mental breakdowns later and it’s over—not exactly over, because it's only the first part, but I still can't believe that this book has been published and I've read it. It feels like a dream I don't want to wake up from, but at least I can finally say that my most anticipated read of the first half of the year turned out being pretty much everything I wanted it to be. I know this series is really far from being perfect, but I always suddenly go blind when I see some negative opinions about it, because for me it's perfect and that's all that matters.
So let's get to the point of why this book turned out to be almost everything I wanted. The rest of my review contains spoilers!
one We finally got two points of view. Don't get me wrong, I loved reading the first three books from Neil's perspective—it was quite traumatic at times, but I still loved it because I adored his character, but Andrew's point of view would do wonders, so I’m incredibly happy that we got to see Jean and Jeremy's book from their both perspectives. It’s just the beginning of their story, but I was glad about it.
two Honestly, after finishing All For the Game books, I didn't expect it would one day stop being a trilogy and instead become a series. Even more so, I didn't expect the fourth book to be about Jeremy Knox and Jean Moreau, because I don't remember them having even one conversation—but I personally think that Nora couldn't have paired them better. I know a lot of people liked the idea of Jean and Kevin, but in my opinion, even though I know they would look good together, I think Jeremy is the most perfect partner for Jean. It was quite obvious here that Jean had some type of feelings for Kevin and Renee at some point in his life, but after everything he'd been through, he needs someone to brighten up his life, and Jeremy is the perfect candidate for that.
Jeremy Knox was the most precious, kind-hearted man and I can't wait to watch them fall in love in the second book. I just know that he will kiss Jean's scars, learn French for him, be the most caring and thoughtful partner who will never leave him and will always be a safe place for him. Already in this part, we could see that these two were slowly getting closer to each other through certain gestures and looks that even their team members noticed, so I can't wait to see how their relationship develops in the second book.
three Nora knew what she was doing when she put Jean in the USC Trojans, because what could possibly be better than having him live with a sunshine Captain who takes care of everyone and two chaotic lesbians who have treated him like one of their own from almost the beginning? What's better than this? Jean was literally saved from a place where if you don't follow the rules you die, and then brought to a court where the game is supposed to be fun for you and where your teammates, instead of torturing you, cook with you and want to take pottery classes with you. His change from thinking this way
"Jean said, “I will hate them, but I will do what I must to survive."
to this
"Laila’s foot hooked around the leg of his stool, the ridiculous way Cat bobbed and danced as she made an absolute mess of the island, and the heat of Jeremy’s shoulder where he sat almost pressed into Jean’s side.
Friends, he thought again, and this time it almost felt real."
was the most perfect thing. He still has a long way to go to be truly happy, or at least content with his life, but you could already see that he had changed since the beginning of the book.
This was basically me when I read that last quote.
[image]
four We had a few cameos with the Foxes—Andrew, Neil, Kevin, Renee, and my favorite Coach Wymack, who still can't stand their bullshit but would do anything for them.
"Jean noticed how Andrew and Neil moved like they were caught in each other’s gravity, in each other’s space more than they were out of it, cigarette smoke and matching armbands and lingering looks when one fell out of orbit for too long."
I teared up a little when I read this.
Okay, not a little.
A lot.
five And lastly, Riko is definitely dead and six feet underground. This time I didn’t tear up, but started smiling.
I still can't believe this book exists and I'm already praying that the second part comes out this year because I need to see Jean and Jeremy in their "I'm in love with my teammate" era. I need their friendship—finally acknowledged by Jean, to blossom into something more, and I hope Nora gives us even more of them in TSC2. I can’t wait.
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may 2024
Yes, after rereading it, I am changing my rating to five stars....more
aleksandra
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