The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde - UPDATED REVIEW

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde  Genre : Classics Blurb (on back of book) : Oscar Wilde’s only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind. UPDATED REVIEW MY OPINION : ****** I would like to start out this review by stating that this is undoubtedly m
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Serenading Heartbreak - Ella Fields

Serenading Heartbreak by Ella Fields
Genre: NA Realistic Fiction

Blurb (on back of book): My first love was my brother’s best friend.
A lead singer in their band.
A picture of rugged perfection.
And a drunk soul mate who couldn’t commit.
My second love was an arrogant baseball player.
A player in every sense of the word.
A smooth-talking, reliable best friend.
And a chance at something beautiful and true.
The problem with having a first and second love?
That would be loving them at the same time.
My story isn’t some sexy triangle.
It’s exquisite agony.
Fate gave me two men to love,
but none of us knew which one I could keep.

MY OPINION: ****

I think I've been going through an awful reading slump that's mainly due to a combination of school and lack of interest. However, this book was exactly what I needed to really start to enjoy reading again. 

It gave me incredible Wattpad-vibes, which is something I can never complain about. I love the brother's-best-friend trope more than anything and this book was no exception. It also featured a love triangle that I thought I would hate but ended up really enjoying. Both boys were amazing and I can't imagine being put into her position and having to choose between them. 

I love these Wattpad type books in which the characters make-up, break-up. The jealousy factor and the heartbreak factor is also something I love reading about because it makes it all the more heartwrenching and powerful. It's a guilty pleasure and these unrealistic, overdramatic relationships are definitely great for getting out of reading slumps.

Stevie was not the most likeable character for me but I did understand where she was coming from. As I said, I can't imagine having to choose between two boys that I loved equally for different reasons. I wish she would have been less fickle and back-and-forth wishy-washy between the two but I can't say that I blamed her. I think she also was able to be manipulated way too easy and had no qualms about forgiving Everett again and again and again. She also makes a lot of bad decisions that I couldn't help but shake my head at. 

The first boy, Everett, is a childhood friend and her brother's best friend and bandmate. He's had a harsh childhood which has caused him to take up extreme levels of drinking. I hate to say this but I'm a sucker for this type of boy--a little toxic but nice to the one girl. I KNOW that it's a bad thing and I wouldn't ever allow myself to be manipulated like Stevie did in real life but in terms of a FICTIONAL sense I loved Everett. I hate to say it and I definitely do not condone the romanticization of this toxic relationship and toxic manipulation BUT I loved Everett.

The second boy, Aiden, was also ADORABLE and someone who you couldn't help but love. He's the epitome of nice boy-soft boy-golden-retriever-boy and you can't help but fall for his charms and his good heart. There were times when I was full Team Aiden and times when I was full Team Everett which I really thinks goes to show how well-written the relationships and the characters were in this book. 

I do think Stevie made the right choice in the end, despite my love for the other boy. I also think the ending was a bit unrealistic but also it added to the happily-ever-factor that we all expected so I will forgive what happened.

I would like to point out that Stevie did not cheat on either of the boys when she was with either of them. However, I do think emotional cheating was a strong element in this book, as shown by the pain and heartbreak she caused both boys and they caused her. I liked how it was written in the book because people tend to ignore the fact that emotional cheating and emotional manipulation is a real thing. 

The song lyrics and band-music element throughout this book were enjoyable and really added to the heartwrenching element, especially for those who were Team Everett. At times, the book did feel a little slow-going and there were a lot of plot twists that I felt were a bit outlandish or irrelevant but overall, I was captivated and finished this book in the span of one day. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a love-triangle, romantic, slightly toxic love story. 

Main Character: Stevie
Sidekick(s): Everett, Aidan
Villain(s): Toxicity, manipulation, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all very real to life.

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