MY JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2025 READING WRAP-UP

Eiyo Fadneiras,

How are you guys doing? I hope you guys are doing well. I'm back from my three-day break that I had to take unexpectedly. I had a terrible menstrual pain. Huhuhu... But it's good to take breaks ^_^ And now I'm energetically back to share my March and April 2025 reading wrap-up. Yay! Now let's not waste time and carry on...

#1 DIVINE RIVALS

AUTHOR: Rebecca Ross

PUBLISHER: Harper Collins

GENRE: Romantasy

LANGUAGE: English

PAGES: 353 pages

THE STORY

Iris Winnow quits her job and moves to another town after her mother passed away. She wants to find her brother, Forest. Iris believes Forest is the only family member she has now. Forest joins the army when the war between Dacre and Enva (2/5 gods of Cambria) begins. Forest is missing in action.

Iris owns a magical typewriter. The typewriter is given to Iris by her grandmother, Daisy. With that typewriter, Iris can communicate and write letters to a boy named Carver. Carver owns a magical typewriter, too. Like Iris, Carver also received the typewriter as a gift from his beloved grandmother. As the plot evolves, Iris and Carver start to develop feelings for each other, although they have not met. In fact, Iris does not even know what Carver looks like. How could Iris be so sure of her feelings for Carver?

And in the middle of the story, Iris's rival at her old workplace, Roman Kitt, moves to the same town where she is now. Plus, he is back as her colleague again. As the plot evolves, Iris starts to develop feelings for Roman. Iris is confused. Who does she love? Roman? or Carver?

MY REVIEW

Divine Rivals (DR) is more than just a romantasy read. It's a profound and enduring love story between two people during wartime. The love triangle is not the trope of this story. You need to read the story to find out who Roman is, who Carver is, and the connection between these two. DR carries the enemy-to-lovers and forbidden love tropes.

I like Iris and Roman's chemistry. It's so intense, passionate, and fiery. They are a perfect match. I also like the way Ross hints at romance. DR only has one mild lovemaking scene. The author only describes the characters' strong feelings for each other. And it makes the story swoon-worthy enough.

Besides a profound love story, I also describe DR as an eye-opener read. The story is set during wartime (but the world is fictional). Falling in love during wartime is sad. You don't know how much time you have with your special someone. Maybe one day or less. So it's important to cherish all the time you have together. Reading DR makes me pray harder that no war will happen again. War is just too sad.

Besides romance, DR is also about family, friendship, humanity, hope, and faith. The characters in this story are diverse and make-believe people. This makes the story beautiful. DR has a cliffhanger ending. Yep, DR belongs in a duology called Letters of Enchanment, and Ruthless Vows is the sequel. Overall, I rate this novel 10/10. I absolutely love DR a lot. And I highly recommend it to my fellow bookworms who are romantasy and fantasy addicts. Trust me, guys, you will love Divine Rivals. Plus, the world-building is awesome. Btw, if you plan to read DR,  don't forget to check out its sequel, Ruthless Vows. My review of Ruthless Vows will come towards the end of this post. So please read this post till the end >_<

#2 PANAHAN CINTA MR. AGORAPHOBIA

AUTHOR: Suri Ryana

PUBLISHER: Kaki Novel

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

LANGUAGE: Bahasa Malaysia

PAGES: 855 pages

THE STORY

Thalia Aysara was in trouble with debt. She borrowed a huge amount of money from Abang Joe for her father's medical expenses. Thalia thought Abang Joe was sincere in helping her. But unfortunately, he trapped her. If Thalia could not pay the money, she had to marry him. How disgusting!

Later, Tuan Faleeq Al-Hayyan entered the story. He saved Thalia from Abang Joe. But not long after that, tragedy hit Tuan Faleeq. And this time, Thalia saved him. Three months later, Thalia worked at Al-Hayyan company as a practical trainee. She met Tuan Faleeq again. But he had become a different person. Tuan Faleeq was diagnosed with agoraphobia due to the tragedy he had three months ago. He was only able to calm himself every time Thalia was around.

Thalia became Tuan Faleeq's savior. Tuan Faleeq's parents want Thalia to marry their son. They hoped the marriage would help Tuan Faleeq recover completely. Since Tuan Faleeq had saved her from Abang Joe, Thalia agreed to marry and helped Tuan Faleeq heal. Will Thalia be able to help Tuan Faleeq with this arranged marriage?

MY REVIEW

Panahan Cinta Mr. Agoraphobia (PCMA) is the first novel by Suri Ryana I read. Sykur alhamdulillah, I enjoyed it a lot. This story has an interesting plot and storyline. I like how the plot evolves. It's very neat. It gives me a feel-good feeling. The characters that Suri Ryana created for her story are make-believe people. I like Thalia Aysara's character. She's not so mild and dainty. She knows how to be fierce when she has to. She's a go-getter indeed.

Tuan Faleeq was quite arrogant and cold at the beginning of the story. But as the plot evolves, he changes into a swoon-worthy hero. Auuuwww! I also like Suri Ryana's writing style. Very chic and neat. It makes it easy for me to visualise every scene. 

Overall, I rate this novel 9/10. I highly recommend this novel to those who are into office romance K-dramas like Business Proposal, The King The Land, and What's Wrong With Secretary Kim. Trust me, you guys will love PCMA.

#3 PAPER TOWNS

AUTHOR: John Green

PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury

GENRE: YA Mystery + Coming-Of-Age

LANGUAGE: English

PAGES: 305 pages

THE STORY

High school senior, Quentin Jacobsen, had always loved his neighbour, Margo Roth Spiegelman, secretly. One night, Margo invited Quentin to join her on an all-night road trip. Quentin accepted Margo's invitation. They had fun together and returned home at 3.00 am.

But the next day, only Quentin showed up at school. Margo went MIA. Margo's disappearance became the talk of the school. Everyone wondered, where did Margo go? Why did she run away? What happened to her? However, Margo left clues to her disappearance. Quentin and his friends decided to go on a quest to search for Margo. The breadcrumbs lead them to one unavoidable question: Who is the real Margo?

MY REVIEW

Paper Towns has a very interesting premise and plot. Even the title sounds very intriguing. I like that the author includes mental health and the need to be seen as yourself in this story. I believe that's what everyone needs. This novel is quite a page-turner. The first and second parts of the story are very intriguing. Every chapter ends with 'What happens next?'. But unfortunately, the story becomes a bit dragging towards the end. I wish the author would just go straight to the point.

Even though Paper Towns belongs to the mystery genre, it still has some romance in it. I like Quentin and Margo's chemistry. They seem so perfect for each other. But it is so sad they have to part ways. Well, falling in love at a very young age is sad. That's because you have other things to pursue first before you can be together. 

Overall, I rate this novel 7/10. This novel is a good book to read, especially for those who are into the mystery genre. But it is not a novel I want to read again and again. Maybe because of the ending :'(

#4 LORD ROWORTH'S REWARD

AUTHOR: Carola Dunn

PUBLISHER: Canvas

GENRE: Historical Romance

LANGUAGE: English

PAGES: 248 pages

THE STORY

The story is set during the Regency era in England. Viscount Roworth hopes his clandestine activities on behalf of the British army will help him restore his family fortune. He also hopes to build a name in the Brussels elite society. The only thing that is blocking his way is a young woman named Fanny Ingram.

Fanny Ingram is beautiful but fierce and independent. Rank and social standings aren't her things. Her unique charm is something Lord Roworth can't resist. Can Lord Roworth win Fanny Ingram's heart?

MY REVIEW

This story has a very plain plot, premise, and storyline. Nothing is intriguing about it. But I do believe this novel is good for light reading. I like that the author includes some real history events in her story. It makes a plain story interesting to read. This novel is also small size. So it can be a good book to tag along with during vacation. Plus, the cover design is very chic. Love the illustration on it ^_^

Overall, I rate this novel 6/10. I do recommend this novel to those who are into the historical romance genre. I also recommend it to those who are looking for something light to read.

#5 COUNTING MIRACLES

AUTHOR: Nicholas Sparks

PUBLISHER: Random House

GENRE: Contemporary Romance/Slice-of-life

LANGUAGE: English

PAGES: 344 pages

THE STORY

A bitter 83-year-old man, Jasper, lives alone in a cabin bordering the national forest. Jasper is a total lonewolf. He is not a people person and only has his old dog, Arlo, as a companion. Jasper once had a happy life and a beautiful family. But one tragic night took everything away from him. When Jasper hears of a white deer being spotted in the forest, he becomes obsessed with protecting it from poachers. White deer are believed to have a spiritual meaning. And those rare creatures once inspired Jasper's grandfather and father. 

Tanner Hughes went to Asheboro, North Carolina, to search for his long-lost missing father. Tanner has never met his parents. His mother died while giving birth to him. Tanner was raised by his grandparents. Tanner wants to follow in his grandfather's footsteps by joining the army. He has no plans to settle down. But when in Asheboro, Tanner meets Kaitlynn Cooper, a doctor and a single mom. They both feel an immediate connection. But Kaitlyn is aware that Tanner will be gone in just a few weeks.

Jasper, Tanner, and Kaitlyn aren't expecting a miracle. But that may be exactly what is about to alter their future together...

MY REVIEW

Counting Miracles (CM) is just as beautiful as all of Nicholas Sparks's novels. CM is not just a story about romantic love. It's a story about life, hope, faith, and family. Believing in qada & qadar is the main message of this story. Qada & qadar refer to divine decree and predestination, respectively. Qada signifies the divine judgement or ruling, while qadar denotes the pre-determined or measured destiny of all things. 

CM has a good plot, storyline, premise, and characters. I like the connection between the three main characters. Nicholas Sparks also portrays relationships well in this story. I like the chemistry between Tanner and Kaitlyn. I like Kaitlyn's relationship with her children, Cassey and Mitch. And I also like Jasper's relationship with his dog, Arlo.

CM is a spiritual story about unconditional love. This novel is good for soul-healing. Plus, the author shares a lot of good values in this story. I absolutely love this novel a lot. I cried towards the end of the story. It touches my heart deeply. I'm giving CM a 10/10. I highly recommend it to all of my fellow bookworms. Trust me, guys, you are going to love Counting Miracles. And reading CM will make you see the world and life differently.

#6 RUTHLESS VOWS

AUTHOR: Rebecca Ross

PUBLISHER: Harper Collins

GENRE: Romantasy

LANGUAGE: English

PAGES: 420 pages

THE STORY

Ruthless Vows (RV) is the sequel to Divine Rivals. Iris Winnow returns to Oath wounded and heartbroken. Roman Kitt is missing in action. And the war is not over yet.

Iris is not going to give up. She vows to search for Roman no matter what. Roman is trapped in the underworld. He is now a prisoner of Dacre (god of the underworld). Roman lost his memories. Hoping to gain back his memories, Roman begins writing again -but this time for Dacre.

One day, a strange letter arrives beneath Roman's wardrobe door. And his memories slowly come back to him. Roman strongly feels connected to the person who wrote him the letter. There's something about that person that makes Roman feel at home every time he communicates with her.

Roman and Iris are drawn together by words again. They vow to do anything to be together again. Will their love end the war or their world?

MY REVIEW

Like Divine Rivals, Ruthless Vows (RW) is another work of art from Rebecca Ross. I like everything in the story- the plot, storyline, premise, characters, and moral messages. All are just beautiful and blend well ^_^

War sucks! That's the main message the author wants her readers to bring home. Yes, war is bad. It kills humanity. War is based on ego and greed. But what do you get from war? Nothing! The world will never grow and move forward because of war.

I already liked Iris Winnow's character when I read Divine Rivals. And I like her more when I read Ruthless Vows. Iris is an awesome female lead. She's sweet yet strong. She's also a go-getter and knows what she's doing. Plus, she has integrity, too. She is one in a million and once in a lifetime girl.

My most hated character in the story is Dacre. Dacre is stupid, cruel, egoistical, and greedy. He reminded me of Donald Trump. Hahaha :P Dacre is obsessed with Enva (goddess of the sky). He started the war because his love for her was unrequited. Geez! How delulu!

Overall, I rate this novel 10/10. I absolutely love this novel. I highly recommend it to my fellow bookworms. For those who are fantasy addicts, Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows (Letter of Enchanment duology) are two novels you must not miss. Trust me, you'll be amazed by Rebecca Ross's works. Her world-building is awesome, too. 

After reading Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, Rebecca Ross has become my favorite author in the fantasy genre. I can't wait to read her other works, especially the Elements of Cadence duology - A River Enchanted, and A Fire Endless.

Okay, so these are the six novels I've read during March and April 2025. Thank you for reading this reading wrap-up. Insya-Allah, the reading wrap-up episode will be back in June. So, what is the best book you read during March and April 2025? And what do you like about it? Does it make you see the world and life differently? C'mon... let's geek about our favorite books together ^_^

Okay, this is all for now. I'll see you guys again in my upcoming post. XoXo ^_^

Sincerely,

Fadima Mooneira ^_^

(Authorpreneur, Novelist & Crafter)

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MY JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2025 READING WRAP-UP