Last month I won the Calendar Girl special Spring Time Whirl Book Bingo challenge and got to choose this month’s theme. I decided to go for favorite adaptation as there are so many great screen adaptations of books being made today. The old truth that the book is always better is simply no longer true!

We have for example the great Netflix adaptations of books such as To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, All The Bright Places and Quicksand.

And not to mention the new amazingly well done BBC/Hulu adaptation of Normal People. I’m so in love with this adaption! It’s so true to the original and catches the unique voice from the book. Even though the book revolves around the relationship between Marianne (the school’s weirdo) and Connell (the school’s popular jock) from high school through university, it’s not a very romantic story. It’s more of a deep psychological study of two people struggling to maneuver through life and how the two protagonists develop as people. I’m so impressed how that is manifested in the series as well. It could so easily have been transformed into a cliché romance, but it’s not at all. The darkness and intensity, the raw and honest portray of modern love, class and politics and the lasting effects of trauma from the book are all still there in the series as well.

There are also some adaptations that are not only as good as the books, but even better (in my opinion). For example Ready Player One where I liked Wade’s character so much better in the movie. In the book he and Aech’s friendship was not at all as strong and easy-going as in the movie. In fact, the way Wade and Aech talked in the book irritated me. And the part in the book where Wade was hiding out alone in his apartment and turning from chubby to super-fit just felt out of place for the story line, so I’m glad that was left out completely in the movie.

Another example is Noughts & Crosses where the screen adaptation is better, tighter and with a better love story than in the original story in the book. In the HBO series the love story makes much more sense as they are older when they really fall for each other and more aware of the consequences. The role of Sephy’s parents are also better portraited, and not to mention Sephy herself. In the book she comes across as quite childish at times. (But I do love the book too, and especially to get more background to Sephy’s and Callum’s friendship.)

But my winner is ...

Harry Potter!

I don’t think that Harry Potter, or “the boy who lived”, needs much of a presentation... we all know the story about the orphan Harry, who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard and gets a visit from Hagrid who tells him he’s been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At Hogwarts Harry practices magic under the guidance of the kindly headmaster Albus Dumbledore and other school professors along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry also discovers that he is already famous throughout the magical community, and that his fate is tied with that of Lord Voldemort – the internationally feared Dark Wizard and murderer of his parents, Lily and James. The series revolve around Harry’s struggle to adapt to the wizarding world and defeat Voldemort.

The reason why I chose Harry Potter as my favorite book adaption is because the movies are not only true to the wonderful, magical universe that J.K. Rowling created, they even expand upon and enrich the novels from which they were adapted. It’s just amazing how they have managed to give life to the setting and characters of the book’s magical world and how many of the world’s best actors that have been part of the film ensemble. It’s also very special to be able to follow the lead actors growing up and growing into their roles as the characters that I love and carries with me in my heart forever. I truly believe that Harry Potter is one of greatest characters of all times, both in the books and in the movies. With her Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling has helped so many troubled and lonely children, giving them hope and bringing them joy, in a way that is utterly amazing. There’s even a research study proving that the Harry Potter books help children to be more accepting of LGBTQ+ persons, so the books (and movies) are literally making the world a better place.

Since the release of the third book in the Angelheart Saga, Beyond Forever, there has been such an amazing buzz and so many wonderful reviews, posts and shoutouts for the books. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

​For example, Laura at Lost in a Book Review saying that “I strongly believe that everyone (aged 15+) should read the Angelheart Saga, these books cover such important topics that some find difficult to discuss, for example, the difficulties faced by people who are transgender and, people who are struggling to tell their friends and family that they're gay. I said it in my review of book two but I'm going to say it again, I applaud Annie’s bravery for including these topics in her book and congratulate her for doing it perfectly!”

You can find Laura’s full review here: Review Beyond Forever 

Additionally, Pareesa at opaqueelove, said that “Beyond Forever is a beautiful book. The book allows you to experience mature romance and feel Erica’s dilemma. Annie Woods has done a commendable job at creating her characters. All main characters of the book Erica, Sasha, Tyler are designed with perfection.” You can find Pareesa’s full review here: Review Beyond Forever 

Irma, at Irma the Book Whisperer, also gave Beyond Forever a 5 star rating, saying that ”Beyond Forever is a beautifully written story of healing, letting go, and making room in your heart for hope and love. This story as well as the two prior help you remember that all the hardships you go through are only temporary, you will always grow and come out better in the end. I had some jaw dropping moments. I swooned, I cried, I gasped, I truly felt so many emotions. I feel like I knew these characters. Like they were real people. Again I fell completely in love with Erica and Him, even if He did deserve my wrath sometimes.” You can find Irma’s full review here: Review Beyond Forever 

Thank you to everyone who has sent congratulations and made such amazing posts, photos and shoutouts for Beyond Forever and the other books in the Angelheart Saga! The beautiful photo above is from Jenny at levicorpvs_.

Calendar Girls is a monthly blog event that has a specific theme, voted on by the participants, where some amazing book bloggers get together to talk about a particular book they love or think fits the theme the best. Last month, they held a special Spring Time Whirl Book Bingo challenge. ​I was so inspired by this challenge that I managed to win and get Bingo first! Yay! Here is my bingo row (left one down):

~ To Kill A Kingdom for Fairytale Retelling
~ Only Mostly Devastated aka “Grease goes gay” for LGBTQIAP+
~ The Music of What Happens for Squad Goals
~ A Throne of Swans for Cover Love
~ With The Fire On High for Diversity Rules

​And as price, I got to choose the theme for the June Calendar Girls! And I chose...

Drive-in Movie Day: Favorite Book Adaption

​Can't wait to rant about good and bad book adaptations... If you want to join in, please find more info here: Calendar Girls June Theme

For all you Dutch bookworms, the bookstagrammer Kimberly Reich is now hosting a giveaway of First Came Forever. Head over to her Instagram (@kimberlyreichh) for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of the first book in The Angelheart Saga series. This giveaway is open until May, 7th. GOOD LUCK!

Happy Book Birthday to my beautiful third book, Beyond Forever! Can’t believe it’s here! Finally!!! So excited (and nervous…) about sharing it with you all!

Thank you to all of you that have supported me along this journey that started with an image I got when travelling along Highway 1 in California about five years ago. This, still ongoing journey, has resulted in the release of First Came Forever in August 2017, the sequel Forever Disguised in June 2018 and now this, the final installment in the Angelheart Saga trilogy, Beyond Forever, being released today!

If you want to get your own copy of the book it’s available here:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Book Depository / Pegasus Publishers / Add to Goodreads
​

The beautiful photo above is from the cover reveal by the awesome bookstagrammer Dena (@poroline_).

You guys, the first review of Beyond Forever is here!!! It’s by one of my favorite book reviewers, Elsa Gomes (bookstagram @bookishaurora) and it’s absolutely fabulous!

Here are some of the wonderful things she said about the book:

“This final installement in Erica, Sasha and Tyler’s story is super angsty, frustrating and very addictive. Once I got into the story and everything started unravelling I couldn’t stop reading. So much was going on, so many plotlines progressing, everyone was slowly getting their ‘happy ending’ except the three main charaters and for a while there I thought she really wasn’t gonna end up with either of them. But she does don’t worry. This book ends with and HEA and a little cliffy into what I think will perhaps become a second generation series. One can only hope.”
​
“Beyond Forever was an amazing, angst filled and even suspenseful conclusion to the series. I was on the edge of my ‘mental’ seat waiting to see what happened next and who Erica would live happily ever after with. This book packed as many if not more punches as the other books, it was filled with all the royal or otherwise dramas, the murder plots, amazing friendships and family relationships and, of course we can't forget, the epic loves.”

Read the full review here: Beyond Forever 5 star review by Elsa Gomes

And look at this absolutely gorgeous aesthetic that Elsa made for the book:

So grateful and happy for this wonderful shoutout for Beyond Forever by one of my absolute favorite authors in the world, Becky Albertalli!

This is such an honor! I’ve just been informed that Ezvid Wiki has included me as one of six YA authors worth checking out in their published wiki 6 Talented Authors Penning Young Adult Fiction! For those not familiar with Ezvid Wiki, it’s one of the largest and most comprehensive video wiki sites in the world, providing useful, unbiased information and actionable guidance to hundreds of millions of people. I’m so grateful to be recognized as a talented author writing compelling young adult stories by Ezvid. It truly is a great honor!

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART to all of you who participated in the cover reveal for Beyond Forever yesterday! I am overwhelmed by all your beautiful posts and all your love and support! It was such an emotional day. Thank you thank you thank you!

Here are some of the beautiful photos from the reveal:

Photos by nkliterarynerd, bound_to_writing and preciousbooksworld.

Photos by being_a_bookishgirl, poroline_ and booktales_and_donuts.

Photos by the_mystique_reader, nerdgull and bookishaurora.

Photos by the.b00kreader, allbookedup_23 and komal_bibliomaniac.

Photos by anabellasbooks, lethal_library and brunetteandthebooks.

Photos by thecrazybookishgirl_, ssabasays and annes_book_nook.

Photos by twinslifeinpages, irma_jurejevcic and rovingsavant.

Photos by readinganonymous, booksshack and poroline_.

IT’S HERE! The cover for Beyond Forever, the third and final book in The Angelheart Saga trilogy! I’m so excited to share it with you all! Isn’t it gorgeous? 

I love it! I think my publisher did an amazing job creating a cover that goes so well with the covers of the other two books in the series and the series in the book, which is this:

True love is a promise you keep forever. But what if there’s a difference between first love and true love?
 
​Picking up the pieces of her broken heart, Erica Lindell has started to believe in a future again. A future together with her former archnemesis Tyler, who has not only married her to keep her safe, but has taken on her son as his. Only to find her whole world being turned over again when her lost love, Sasha, aka Prince Alexandre, suddenly returns from the dead and forces her to make an impossible decision. A decision that will break hearts and change lives forever.
 
In the heart-wrenching finale to the enchanting Angelheart Saga trilogy, dark secrets will be revealed, devastating choices must be made and the fate of Erica, Tyler and Sasha will be determined once and for all.

 
Beyond Forever will be released on April 30th, but it can be preordered already now from Pegasus via this link: Beyond Forever preorder