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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The Art of Falling for You - Maya Hughes

The Art of Falling for You by Maya Hughes
Genre: NA Realistic Fiction

Blurb (on back of book): If looks could kill, I’d be a charred pile of ash on the sidewalk.
I need to know why she hates me.
Bay Bishop aka The New Girl is my new neighbor. In her glasses and stage crew black clothes she has a knack for fading into the background.
She’s probably the only one who rolls her eyes when I walk past instead of cheering on my last touchdown play. But before I can shove her into the recesses of my mind filed under “Not my problem” she lands herself smack dab in the middle of my dreams.
I catch her singing with a voice unlike any I’ve heard before that taps into feelings I shouldn’t have for the girl who avoids me at all costs.
With three months until graduation, the final play is on. Only it’s not for more points. It’s for Bay.
Unlike my success on the field, this win is anything but assured. But I can’t stop myself from taking the risk.
There’s no flashing scoreboard.
There’s no cheering crowd.
There’s only her and me.
The countdown clock is ticking. The only thing scarier about finding my first love will be losing her.

MY OPINION: ****

I was not expecting this book to be as enthralling and addicting as it was. I had heard so many good things about it from YouTube and TikTok but I wasn't too interested in it after the first hundred pages and even contemplated DNF-ing it. However, I'm glad I finished it because I ended up LOVING the ending and am anxiously waiting for the next book after that cliffhanger.

I love the popular-boy/quiet-girl trope because it's so incredibly unrealistic but adorable. It's definitely very Wattpad-esque so any published book I can find with these addicting Wattpad tropes instantly go on my TBR. Dare is the popular football player and Bay is The New Girl. She's the only one who doesn't seem to be affected by Dare's charms, which makes him want her all the more.

I loved the dynamic between those two. The angst, the flirting, the rolling-eyes-I-hate-you-but-I-don't relationship was too good. When they finally got together, it felt so natural and realistic and not forced, which is something else that I particularly enjoyed.

Dare has lived a hard life in an abusive home. However, he's kept it well-hidden from those at school and nobody really knows the extent that he is affected by his father. His main goal is to get into college so that he can leave, but his father may have messed up that chance for him as well. I felt for Dare so much because he broke the mold of typical stereotypical jock. I liked how we got to see his backstory and read from his perspective to truly understand his character and his mindset of not being good enough for Bay. 

Bay has always been called The New Girl, despite being at the school for three years. She's a very talented musician but tries to keep her voice for herself after her father dies. She's left with his guitar and her voice, both of which affects her mother, seeing as it's a living reminder of her father's loss. However, Dare catches Bay singing outside in the middle of the night and ever since then, he's really the only person she allows to hear her sing. I loved this about their relationship because it added a unique connection to their characters that made the ending all the more powerful. 

The ending is really what sealed the deal for me. I hated it, I was not expecting it, and I loved it. I get that that's a contradiction but I was not expecting the two to act the way they did seemingly out of nowhere and I cannot wait for the next book to see what happens. I know there's set to be a time jump, especially after what was hinted in the last chapter, so I'm excited to see the character growth of both Dare and Bay in the next book, and how that will affect the dynamic of their relationship. 

This book was beautifully-written. Nothing seemed forced or scripted and the angst was at an all-time high. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a NA romance to get out of an awful reading slump (like me!) and experience seemingly typical tropes in a new light.

Main Character: Dare, Bay
Sidekick(s): Friends, family
Villain(s): Misunderstandings, abuse, death, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book is all very real to life

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