This is massive, well written, and basically pure magic. The author fixed a lot of things that bothered me in canon. They finally addressed Harry's abThis is massive, well written, and basically pure magic. The author fixed a lot of things that bothered me in canon. They finally addressed Harry's abuse, and he's finally able to confront every adult who allowed it. Draco and Harry's relationship is fleshed out in much more detail here. Everything is done so well. It makes me excited to think about how masterful this fanfic is. The author takes Harry from his third year to his sixth year and gives Harry a real life and the people around him. I think this is my favorite part, watching Harry become a person. The characterization is so perfect. When he faces Voldemort, he's a completely different person. It feels like an episode of "What If?"
I swear, when I read this, I realized how bad Harry is in canon. There are little things we miss out on, just because the plot is always focused on the battle at hand. Like the love potion. In this fanfic, Harry gets properly shaken up, and everyone around him rally to support him against this horrible thing that almost happened to him. God, I had so many epiphanic moments reading this. Even I saw Harry incorporate more people into his life instead of just limiting himself to the two of them. Dumbledore is really horrible in this story. I think it's eye-opening. Some of the things he did in canon are actually discussed here, and we can talk about how bad it actually is. Also, I definitely think Lily and James are going to make it very clear that Petunia is the worst guardian. They keep sending him back there. That's amazing. It's like they took the original story apart, cleaned up the mess, and made it a thousand times better. ...more
If reading The Duke and I has reminded me of anything, it’s that reading should be fun. Yes, there’s serious reading, work reading and educational reaIf reading The Duke and I has reminded me of anything, it’s that reading should be fun. Yes, there’s serious reading, work reading and educational reading but fun reading is the best. This novel is pure fun. It’s cheeky and witty with the aim to entertain and delight.
Regardless of anything else, the core of The Duke and I is the relationship between Daphne and Simon. One thing both the book and series have in common is that the chemistry between the two main characters is entrancing. Perhaps, more so in the book as their friendship is possibly showcased better there. The dialogue and inner thoughts that readers are privy to in the novel really set out the beginning and development of their friendship. That friendship is the key to building their romance and is ultimately what helps them through their more difficult times.
The Bridgerton family unit a whole offers some of the most humorous scenes of the novel. The interaction between the older children and the younger ones make for a very endearing read. I think the novel also does a better job of exploring the family dynamic and thus makes Daphne’s desire for a family of her own more potent. Of course, the series is able to take us away from the central characters and we have the opportunity to understand several other siblings even better.
✨He Falls First ✨Roommates-to-Lovers ✨Golden Retriever x Black Cat ✨Woman on the Run
I was so excited to get Shep & That's story and they were EVERYTHING!✨He Falls First ✨Roommates-to-Lovers ✨Golden Retriever x Black Cat ✨Woman on the Run
I was so excited to get Shep & That's story and they were EVERYTHING!!! I felt so protective over Thea because what she went through was absolutely horrendous and I could totally understand her need to stay lowkey and be cautious. But it was obvious that in order to live her life, she had to come out of all that and I was so glad that Shep was so patient with her. The way he understood her and never pushed her to the point that she would get uncomfortable was commendable! This book was heavy at times but the side characters made it feel much more lighter! I liked seeing Anson & Rhodes again and I must say that, Sutton's story has caught my interest!
Delicate Escape had all the elements I love about Cowles' books, but there's one thing she does like no other and that's creating a found family that makes you feel as if you're a part of it as a reader.
Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.
Clementine works hard for what she loves, she is sometiSometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.
Clementine works hard for what she loves, she is sometimes impulsive, mostly lets her heart make decisions for her. Sometimes, she has to be dragged out for an adventure, but then she also would never say no to having one. Especially one of the travelling kind with her aunt. Clementine’s world changes when her aunt dies and she inherits her apartment. Something is off for Clementine, she has to deal with grief, not only the grief of losing a loved person but also the grief of what her aunt’s presence did for her. She is dimmed, somehow, not allowing herself to really break down, she feels like she needs to push through but there is always that shadow of a loss. She still doesn’t lose her spirit and lets herself fall into things that might be scary, emotionally.
And then there’s Iwan who rents her aunt’s apartment for one summer seven years in the past. They meet one evening when the apartment decides to send Clementine back in time. Even though her aunt told her about the magic of the apartment and Clementine believed it, she never truly understood until that point. After some initial (pillow) fighting, the two decide to make their situation work and hit it off immediately. Iwan calls her Lemon and cooks for her, is super sweet and open and lovely and cares for her. None of them plan to fall, but after a weekend of not leaving the apartment, the two of them fall.
The problem is: leaving the apartment sends Clementine back into her own time and she won’t see Iwan again for months. But from time to time the apartment sends her back over the course of the summer and the two always pick right up where they left off, talking, falling in love. While in Clementine’s present, she meets Iwan again, though he changed and while he is still him, there are parts that Clementine can’t really combine with the Iwan from seven years back.
And I absolutely loved this part and how it was written. The different timelines and how both characters are changing. We get glimpses of Clementine’s own past, then see it in contrast to her present and same goes for Iwan. They’re both younger, more naive in a lot of ways, then grow up and into the person their surroundings shaped them to be but also the persons they wanted to be. And while there are many contradictions and differences to the person they thought they knew, they cannot let go of each other. Time and time again they meet, they discover something new, yet something known. Their relationship was so well written, I got every little detail and nuance in change, making these characters come alive in my head. They see the best of each other, also the very worst, they also bring forth the best in each other and accept them for who they are, even if it doesn’t always fit the picture they made in their heads. The story captures them and their growth and development so very well.
Another thing I really loved about The Seven Year Slip was the aspect of grief. At the start of the book, Clementine’s aunt has been dead for 6 months and while she seems to function normally, there are little things that show her grief. She is lost without really realizing that she is. She stopped painting and travelling, both things she was passionate about but always did with her aunt. The empty apartment somewhat haunts her. But I loved how Clementine was so full of love for her aunt and how her loss was written and how Clementine deals with her grief and who she lets in and become a part of it.
“Don’t.” Harry made himself swallow his tears back, the choked little sob that was threatening. “Don’t say that you were a burden. I loved you—all thr“Don’t.” Harry made himself swallow his tears back, the choked little sob that was threatening. “Don’t say that you were a burden. I loved you—all through it. Do you understand? I loved all of you.”
“First of all, I’ve always wanted you to touch me. Always. My whole life. Both lives—the one from these past three weeks and the other one, ever since I was eleven. Sometimes I wanted to make you angry enough to hit me, Potter. Just so I could have you touch me.”
This story is roughly split into three parts: part one has Harry at 10 years old, learning about magic for the first time, dealing with his Dursley induced trauma and neglect, and melting adult Draco's heart. The second part covers their lives from after-Hogwarts until the accident: the first time Harry met Draco again after the trial, all the times he called upon him for potions help with cases, etc. The last part is the most complex: Draco made a temporary solution which transferred his life years to Harry, and thus Draco is reduced to age 11 and Harry returns to age 31. He has to figure out the cure, which involves aging up Draco by one year every few hours to days, and he has to take care of Draco while he relives all the worst moments of their teenage years together.
The first part made me cry multiple times: seeing Harry's trauma responses, not understanding what it is like to have parents or even someone who loves and cares for you. This Harry also has dyslexia and stunted emotional growth, both of which change Draco's heart for the better when he realizes he isn't this perfect, rich, famous hero he had thought he was. I love child-Harry. He is so open, willing to let his heart show, still has capacity for love he hasn't entirely eradicated. It is beautiful to see how Draco cares for him at his most vulnerable moments.
The second part gave both Harry and Draco time to shine as an adult. I think most fanfics would have written this middle part and left it at that, and it would have been a great story. With the added age-warping, though, this part mostly serves to show why both of them can be more open to their opposites child selves, how they got to a place where they really benefit from that age warp. It also showed their tempestuous relationship throughout the decade, how they went from bitter enemies who couldn't empathize with one another at all, to a point where they both realize they care for one another but are unable to speak up.
The last part resumed the telling right at the end of the first part - when Draco put his temporary solution on the both of them, transferring his years. Adult-Draco had left a letter and a book behind, which he wrote to Harry to help him solve the problem permanently. And also left a young-Draco right there, for adult him to deal with with no preparation. It, and the following chapters, were a beautiful mirror to the beginning of the story: Harry doesn't believe he has magic, he is actually in his 30s, or that the Dursleys are all old, until Draco proves it to him. Draco immediately believes that he is actually 32. Harry is mesmerized by Mister Malfoy, with his magic tricks and interesting food. Draco is a spoiler brat who already knows how to do basic magic, doesn't want to be around Harry much, assumes a lot of things, and turns his nose up at all the food.
Anastasia ⋆｡☽˚｡
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