unwrapping books picks what i read 🎁 wrapped up risk - episode eight

If you watched this month's TBR Cluedo, you'll know I got forced into putting Daughter of the Moon Goddess on my TBR for this month, okay? And I wasn't planning on reading it. It is wrapped up. So I said in TBR Cluedo, I am determined, I am, I've got a fire, as I say in Drag Race, got a fire under my ass to prove myself this week. I'm determined I'm gonna find Daughter of the Moon Goddess wrapped up. Usually when it's wrapped up, I just pick a book. Like, I don't even think about it, just pick it and I unwrap it and I read it. We're on a hunt, right? I know it's a hardback, I know it's a fairly thick hardback, we're gonna try and find it. This is all the books that we've got left. There's a few over here, but they're just paperback, so it's not that. These three, no, those three are all looking, this one looks a bit thick, in my opinion, so does this one. I don't think it's that, is it that thick? No, I don't think so. I don't think it's that thick. I think it's gonna be one of these three. I mean, like, the difference, these could, these, like, could be the same book. I mean, look, they're, like, the same thickness. They are literally almost all, like, the same. I have no ******* clue, guys. Because some of these I know, like, this one I'm pretty sure is, like, yeah, that's, like, slightly cropped. It's not that. I don't think it's that one. Or is it? I don't think it is. I'm already doubting myself. That looks like a cropped one as well to me. Like, it doesn't look like a full size. Yeah, that's cropped. Okay, I feel like I've got a 33% chance of picking the right one here. If I get it right, I don't want you guys thinking I've, like, oh, she's cheated. Like, I know my books. I feel like if I'm looking for it, I do have a 33% chance of getting it right here, okay? If I get it right, it's because I've tried to. I feel like one of the green ones. The green ones are giving me the vibes. Nico, which one do I pick? Okay, this one. This one. Apprehensive, nervous, bit scared, also weirdly calm, perhaps on the verge of hysteria. What is it? What got the flu? The cat got the flu, the dog got the chickenpox. Okay, are we ready? Wow, did I really just let that pick what I read? Nico? Yes! Oh my god, it's almost like I'm a genius, you guys. I didn't think I'd actually do it. I was, like, chatting big ----, like, yeah, I just knew my books. Like, I didn't think I was actually gonna do it. Okay, we're gonna read George of Ming Goddess, aka one of the most gorgeous books that I own. Look at her. Look at her. I'm obsessed. Okay, it's happening. We're finally gonna read George of Ming Goddess. I adore this edition so much. I mean, look at her. Sorry, Nico. Okay, I gotta stop talking because Nico's about to leave because he's getting mad at me for talking. He's giving me that look. So I'm gonna go. I'm gonna start George of Ming Goddess. I'll let you know when I'm a bit of the way through. Maybe, like, every 100 pages I'll check in, roughly. Um, I don't know what to expect. So I'll check in with you on what the plot and what it's giving in our first check-in. Okay, um, I'm in a rush and my room is a mess. I think I've hidden it all from you. But, like, if you can see anything, it's not my fault. So, hi. It's been ages since we filmed the video where we unwrapped this because things happened, videos got switched around, but we're finally reading George of Ming Goddess. And, um, I don't know how to feel. Oh, ----, you guys. I don't have the time to collect my thoughts in a manner that, like, makes it this easy to talk about and, like, makes me speak in a diplomatic way. So we're just gonna go for it, okay? Speedrun. I'm about 100 pages in. The vague plot of this is that we're following the George of the Moon Goddess. She has to flee her home with her mother because her mother has been imprisoned and the people who imprisoned her could find out about her existence. And back on the land, she ends up learning alongside the emperor's son and the emperor was the one who imprisoned her mother and she, like, through a series of events is now learning alongside him and, like, his study buddy, basically. They held a competition. Okay, my first point in this is that I'm not sure all the plot leaps make sense. Like, for some reason, the emperor and empress were holding, like, a competition to be a study buddy with the prince. Like, what? Is that, like, a cultural thing that we just don't have? Like, I can't imagine, like, I don't know, Will and Kate holding a competition to study with Prince George. Do you know what I mean? I just can't. There's questions there for me. And I hate to say this. You guys know this book has been one of my most anticipated books for a long time. Um, it's a little bit cringe. You better f***ing take that back right now. You better f***ing stop right now. I'm not sure there's something about the narration style or maybe the audiobook narrator, but, like, I'm just gonna keep listening to audiobooks. I tried. I've just finished my Goodreads video where I read all those thrillers and, like, I am incapable of reading without an audiobook at the moment. There's something about the narration, either that be the narrative voice or the audiobook narrator, that is cringe. It's that age-old problem of, oh, why a book cringing me out? Because I'm not loving it. And I've already bought the sequel, the special edition of the sequel, that, like, it's beautiful. I was gonna check in every 100 pages, but I'm starting to feel like I won't have enough to say to you. I'm liking some of the imagery. I'm liking there's moments where, like, I get really into it and then I just get sucked out of it. So that's my kind of initial feeling. I don't have many other thoughts for you other than that right now. I want to love this so bad. Like, so bad. But I don't know. Anyways, this evening I'm going to an event. I'm going to RFKong doing a talk in London about Yellow Face and I'm so excited. So I'm just about to leave. That's why I'm in a rush. So I'm gonna continue reading this on the train. I'm taking this and I have the audiobook. So hopefully I'll make good progress with this whilst I'm in London. But I am so excited! Oh my god, I watched RFKong when she did a talk for Babbel. I watched it online. But I'm so excited to go in person and meet her. I'm so excited. So I'll take you along with me and just wish me luck that this ends up becoming better on the way there because we need it. Autumn breeze and a mug of tea Sister's pottery made for Building a home Been alone Since your way to this life Okay, hi. Meeting RFKong! Oh my god, amazing. The talk was amazing. The whole experience was amazing. I cannot wait to read Yellow Face because I think it's a really important book in terms of what it's saying about the publishing industry and stuff. So I'm so excited. Anyway, this is another Yellow Face vlog. But also I'm ill, if you can hear. I've had like a throat... Basically, I had an ear infection that has become like a throat infection kind of thing. I'm not sure but this is like good. This is me after a couple days of it being better. But I'm about 350 pages into Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Now, there's multiple feelings at the moment. Number one, I said it was cringe, right? I think the better way to actually describe this is cheesy. I just accepted that I'm kind of a cheesy bitch that loves pop music. Yeah. Right? And with cheesy, you've got to lean in if you're gonna enjoy it. And I've decided to lean in. So everything that was kind of cringing me out before, I'm now leaning into as like cheese and I'm enjoying it. So there's that. That's the positive. There is elements that I'm enjoying. There's also elements to it that I'm really not enjoying. Oh my god. I think this has made me ill. This book has made me ill. Whenever like a book is really disappointing to me, I feel like I get ill because my body's in denial. Okay, number one, there's a love triangle on this. I don't like love triangles at the best of times. But especially when it's so obvious who the main love triangle is. Like the main pair is. I'm like, what's the point? And also the romance is not romancing for me. It's not. My part is not going pitter-patter. Like with both of the romances in the love triangle, it's like she's like, Oh, do we have feelings for one another? Is there something there? And then suddenly they're in the deepest love to ever exist. With like no, nothing to make us feel that. We're just told like, Oh, our undying, undefeated, forever love. Like it feels so traumatic. There is no build up to the romance. We're just supposed to be convinced that she's suddenly really in love with this guy or suddenly really in love with this guy. And I don't believe it. I actually, I actually, actually don't believe it at all. Yeah, I don't feel anything in the romances. She's like, Is there something? Oh my God, my heart is burning at the thought of it. Like it's just not doing it for me. So that's number one. I feel like a lot of the characters in this feel very flat. I feel like the whole book feels very flat. Like the events that's happening feel very flat. Simultaneously rushed. Like there's a lot that happens off page and stuff. And I also have a big problem with the fact that a lot of people are describing this as like, Is it adult or is it YA? It's kind of new adult. It's somewhere in the middle. This to me reads as young YA. I'm not kidding you. There is something about the writing style that isn't for me. It is like overdramatic. Yes, I like, I always say give me camp, right? But this is like overdramatic. Do you know what? This isn't a read. I'm, some people love this. It perhaps is just not for me. Although I am gonna have to read the second in the series because I've bought it already. It reminds me of how I used to write when I was a kid. And I used to write like Jonas Brothers fan fiction where like I'd meet the Jonas Brothers and suddenly Nick would be in love with me and wanting to be like me to be his girlfriend. Like this is when I was like eight. I was like writing it on my computer on Word. You know what I mean? Like living my author fantasy. It kind of reminds me of that. Like the narration, the narrative voice is so overdramatic. Everything is like over described and over felt. Um, so I'm not loving it to say the least. You guys, I'm so sad. This is one of my most anticipated books and I feel like everyone else has loved it and I'm just really not loving it. I'm gonna go finish it now. I'm just gonna go ahead and finish it. It is still one of the most beautiful books I own. Um, I'm still gonna read the second one at some point but I'm very sad. Don't even talk to me. Yeah, um, I'm giving it 2.5 stars. What is wrong with this girl? I am one like emotional wave and bursting into tears right now. I don't even know what to tell you. I looked through the Goodreads and everyone has given this five stars. All of my friends who I usually have similar reading taste to five stars, five stars. Five stars. Every night. What? Daughters of Moon Goddess, I'm giving two and a half stars. Yeah, there was just something about the writing that really didn't work for me in this. I can't explain to you how every sentence is over the top. She'll be like, He looked at me and my heart soared like the sun rising in the early winter. Let me find examples because it's like every second. Oh, here we go. A tenderness bloomed within me as precious and frail as the first sunshine after winter's frost. Like every... It's just over the top with like metaphors and ----. I don't even remember what metaphor is anymore. But it's like, it's too much. A deep scent infiltrated my senses, opulent and sweet like a gilded forest. Sandalwood, my mind whispered, roused from the fog that enveloped it. Like it's just too much. It is just too much. It's too much. I can't. I'm shaking. I'm physically shaking. I don't like the love interest. The main character pretty much annoys me. I'm going to choke. I don't understand. Like what? There's a book I read recently that was a popular book where I was like, Guys, I just don't understand. I feel like I'm reading a different book to you. I feel like I'm reading an entire different book. Like I feel like we have not read the same book here because I don't get it. I don't understand why everyone loves this. And I'm so sorry. This was a five star prediction for me. A five star prediction. Like listen, I ******* bought the special edition of the sequel. What do I do now? What do I do? I don't think I want to reread the sequel. I never do this. I would never. I barely buy special editions of books. I bought it because I loved this edition so much and I was so determined that this was going to be five stars. It didn't even cross my mind that this could be less than four. Like I didn't even, I didn't see that as a possibility. And what do I do now? What do I do now? I think I'm just gonna put them both on my shelves. Maybe with the spines out. Because the spread edges are gorgeous. Like I think, I mean I own it now. But like maybe one day I'll read it but I'm not adding it to my series spreadsheet. I don't think I will read it because I really, I just didn't like it. What? I can't, I actually can't wrap my head around it. What? I just, I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. I disliked it. Actively. And I don't get people saying that this is like an adult YA, like new adult. It's like young, I just don't, I don't get it. I don't like love triangle because it's pointless. I don't like it. There we go, 2.5. I'm giving it like not a two because I do think there is, there is quality there. And like if everyone else is loving it, there must be something. I think it's just writing I didn't enjoy and a combination of lots of different things that I don't enjoy in my books. When I give it a two, it usually is like, I think that's a pretty bad book. 2.5. It gets a half because I guess I could see elements that if I didn't hate elements of the book, which there are elements that I don't understand how everyone doesn't hate, but what have you. I can see maybe I'd enjoy it. Maybe, I don't know. I'm trying to ship. Now I'm saddled with a sequel that I'm not even gonna read. I can't believe the one time I actually bought a special edition. Fate clowns me. So there we have it. I'm probably just gonna put them, like I said, on the, on my bookshelf. So there we have it. What a day. What a moment. You guys, I don't even want to talk to you anymore. I am so upset. I don't even know how to end this vlog. What a disappointment. I'm gonna have to go cry a little bit, I think, to get over this. But I hope you enjoyed this vlog, even though I was ill and it was a little bit of a long place. I met RF Kwan. There we go. Listen, Yellow Face is gonna be a five star. I know it. I believe that RF Kwan is gonna become one of my favorite authors of all time, by the way, because Babel is in my top five books of all time. And I just believe. I believe. And I love how she's doing something different with each book. Like, she's got like a literary thriller out now almost. Like, it's so cool. Anyways, she was lovely. She was incredibly intelligent. She was the highlight of my week. But, um, let's just pretend Daughter of the Moon Goddess never happened. It was a five star prediction, you guys. And it's... Anyways, if you got to the end of the video, comment the moon emoji for Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I love you guys. I hope you're having better luck with your reading than I am at the moment. And I'll see you soon in another video. Bye!