I will always associate rose gold, white apples, and blood-red kisses with this book. Although I have yet to see a white apple. “Once Upon a Broken Heart” is comparable to a dreamlike state with pretty and whimsical words. It transports me from reality to a dazzling world of mischief and chaos. I hardly had any expectations coming into this book, and yet, this story exceeded any unknown expectations of mine. The back-and-forth tension between Evangeline and Jacks was what first piqued my interest, and Garber’s descriptive writing kept me reading until the end of the book. I love how hopeful Evangeline is throughout the book, and how she loves with her heart on her sleeve, as I see a resemblance between her and me. It is always a great time when I read a sunshine character and morally grey character paired together, and Garber phenomenally created such a black-and-white difference between them, making the storyline that much more entertaining. The high stakes of life and death always tickle curious human nature, and overall, this book is a perfect segue for the next book in the trilogy, “The Ballad of Never After,” which I plan to read.

#rockpaperscissors

Who knew a fun children’s hand game could be turned into a twisted story? As suspenseful as this book is, it also had some charm. Alice Feeney describes the London and Scotland sceneries in an incredible way, giving them a dreamy feel while also adding to the book’s nightmarish vibes. The story was perfectly paced. The subtle details mentioned throughout, that were revealed at the end of the book, flew over my head.

#theinheritancegames

As someone who grew up playing board games like Candy Land and Battleship, this book was truly a board game with a love triangle in the mix. This story focuses on Avery playing a game that will determine the outcome of her life. What drew me into the story wasn’t just what Avery was up against, it was Jameson and Grayson, two complex characters part of the game. Although the story does not focus on the love triangle, as a romantic at heart, it was a great addition to the plot.