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Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1)

4/21/2021

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Picture
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 465
Overall: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Cheers Factor: 5/5
Pairing: Old Fashioned

This is a Kaz Brekker drink if I’ve ever seen one. It’s serious, hardcore and perfect for a gangster like Kaz to hold in one hand with a weapon in the other.​

Picture
Ingredients
1 ½ oz whiskey
1 teaspoon of simple syrup from raw sugar
A few dashes of water
2 dashes Aromatic bitters
1 ice ball
Orange peel

Instructions
-Add simple syrup, dash of water and bitters to glass and combine by stirring
-Add ice ball to glass
-Rub orange peel on rim of glass
-Pour whiskey into glass
-Pinch orange peel over drink 
-Garnish with fresh orange peel
-Enjoy


“‘That’s what he wants, not what he needs,’ Kaz said. ‘Leverage is all about knowing the difference.’”


Take a Shot: There is a mysterious drug circling around that is intensifying Grisha power and then subsequently killing them. Kaz Brekker is hired to break the scientist who created the jurda parem and he compiles a ragtag team of his friends and accomplices in order to get the job done Ocean’s Eleven style.

“The life you live, the hat you feel - it’s poison. I can drink it no longer.”


Setting
I love Ketterdam! It’s super cool and grungy and an intriguing place to be. Bonus points because the book has a map. I also love all of the different locations we get to see. I do love the Ice Court as well; it's a very fun journey our characters take to fun and exciting locations.

Characters
I love the multiple perspectives from all of our motley crew. It’s really a great way to read an ensemble novel and Bardugo does an amazing job of weaving the different perspectives together. I love how Nina is depicted as being a curvier woman and that is never compromised and it also isn’t demonized as well. The diversity of backgrounds of the characters is also amazing too. We get to see a lot of them grow and become Also shameless plug for Kaz and Wylan. They are my two favorite characters and I love them.

Plot and Themes
The Ocean’s series with George Clooney and Brad Pitt have been some of my favorite movies for a very long time. Additionally, I love the show Peaky Blinders and this book is a perfect mix of that. The heist aspect of the novel is truly so well written that the action just keeps you guessing all the time.

Conclusion
This book made me fall in love with the Grishaverse and was truly a turning point in my love of Leigh Bardugo after finishing Shadow and Bone. It’s a great book for lovers of ensemble books with high stakes and great action.
Reasons to Raise a Glass: STRONG. FEMALE. CHARACTERS., fast paced, good action, high stakes
Too Strong: I wish it wasn’t YA so they could curse (like it would be so good)

​Click read more for more of my thoughts and spoilers! You have been warned spoilers are after the read more.​
​

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Caraval (Caraval #1)

4/13/2021

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Author: Stephanie Garber
Pages: 401
Overall: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Cheers Factor: 4/5
Pairing: Crimson
This drink turns out a little purple but I think it’s how I see the color of Scarlett’s dress.


“Like poison dressed up in an attractive bottle.”

Picture
Ingredients 
2oz whiskey (I used Buffalo Trace)
1oz chambord
¾oz lemon juice
2oz cranberry juice
Blackberries (can be frozen or fresh)
Ice

Instructions
-Combine blackberries (around 5) and lemon juice in shaker and muddle
-Add whiskey, chambord, cranberry juice and ice to shaker
-Shake well
-Double strain over glass with ice
-Garnish with blackberries
-Enjoy

“The words ‘I’d rather die’ passed Tella’s lips far too often.”


Take a Shot: Scarlett has been writing letters to Master Legend of Caraval for years in hopes of getting a reply and somehow securing a ticket for herself and her sister. The last letter she sent she mentioned her upcoming nuptials to a secret Duke and Master Legend sends tickets for Scarlett, Donatella and Scarlett’s fiancé. However, this year's Caraval is different and Scarlett is about to find out just how much Master Legend likes to play games.

Setting
I thought the setting was quite cool. I liked the concept of a Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire style tent deal where Caraval takes place. I felt it was a little lacking in overall world building and my understanding of where everything was. I did however, love the names being in Spanish that was a nice touch to read those. 

Characters
I felt annoyed at times with our protagonist and her naivety because it was slightly cumbersome. However, it makes sense with the story we are telling. I did really love Julian and the way that he was fleshed out. Overall, the characters are compelling and you do root for them.

Plots and Themes
I liked the main plot and the arc our characters follow. I did get a little lost by some of the sub plots as I was reading, but I have a feeling they will be addressed in later novels so I’m not knocking it too hard.

Conclusion
I really liked this book. It was a super easy read and didn’t take me very long at all. It was smooth in the way the writing is done. If you liked Panic by Lauren Oliver then you will definitely like this title. The stakes feel very similar between both novels. 
Reasons to Raise a Glass: sexy Julian, fun descriptive outfits, easy to read
Too Strong: character’s are a bit naive, some plot points lost me.

Click read more for more of my thoughts and spoilers! You have been warned spoilers are after the read more.​

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In Five Years

4/1/2021

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Author: Rebecca Serle
Pages: 255
Overall: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Cheers Factor: 4/5
Pairing: Bright Side
This is a light pairing that’s super tasty and reminds me of our main characters best friend Bella. It also reminds me of my best friend Bella with the light taste and possibilities for cute presentation.

​Ingredients
1 ½ oz gin (I used Breckenridge)
½ oz Aperol
1 oz lemon juice
1 egg white
Aromatic Bitters
Lemon wheel
Ice

Picture
Instructions
-Fill shaker with ice
-Add gin, aperol, lemon juice and egg white to shaker
-Shake for about a minute
-Strain into a glass without ice
-Garnish with bitters and lemon wheel
-Enjoy

“This is the thing she’s wanted forever. This right here. This is love.”


Take a Shot: Dannie has it all. The boyfriend, the work ethic, and soon to be the job after her interview. On the night of her engagement she falls asleep only to wake up five years later in a bed that isn’t hers,  an apartment she’s never been in, in a neighborhood she detests, wearing a ring that isn’t her engagement ring and with a man who isn’t her fiancé. The catch is, it’s five years later. After an hour in this future time, Dannie returns to herself in present time and can’t shake the thought of her night five years from now. 


“She is life incarnate. What would happen if we just pretended we’d never heard?”


Setting
I love the New York setting of this novel and it did a great job of not over explaining to the degree of becoming too minute in the details that I wouldn’t feel lost. Personally, I liked the details we were given and it was fitting 

Characters
I didn’t love the characters individually, but I loved the relationships the characters had with one another. I loved the depth of the relationships that we didn’t see. It was reminiscent of Normal People to me which is beautifully private while still being a book. The friendship between the main character and our best friend is just so sweet and the kind of friendship that I feel like I don’t read frequently enough. I love the love displayed outside of romantic relationships towards other characters.

Plot and Themes
This one hit me with the We Were Liars kind of feel and I really liked the plot. It was meant to be a quick short novel so it felt somewhat underdeveloped and I don’t entirely love all of the insinuations throughout. However, I think it’s overall very moving and as someone who has experienced a lot of similar experiences to those depicted in the book it felt very real and raw.

Conclusion
I would recommend this book to anyone who loved We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and Normal People by Sally Rooney.
Reasons to Raise a Glass: friendship between main character and best friend, ending tie in
Too Strong: the pacing, realistic factors of real life were ignored

To read a more of my thoughts including spoilers click read more!
​

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    Cheers Factor

    Each book here at Cheers&Chapters is rated based off of certain categories that are genre specific, however every book will get a Cheers Factor. The Cheers Factor  is how much we wanted to raise our glass while reading it. So get your glasses ready and cheers!


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