Hello, hello, friends! Today I’m coming at you with an announcement (and sign up) post for the Pondathon II reading challenge. Listen, I know I’m not the best at challenges/readathons but I like to try and add a little fun to my reading life every year. When I first heard about the Pondathon I was too intimidated to join but new year, new chances, right? It seems pretty low-key and thus, low-pressure, which is exactly how I like my challenges to be (lol)! So, if you’re anything like me and aren’t sure whether or not to join, I say, why not? You’re not alone! 😉
Seeing as we’re already well into November this post is coming in a little late and in all honesty, I kinda forgot that I said I wanted to join in this month-long reading challenge! 😂 I know I’m probably not going to slay all the titles on my NetGalley TBR but I hope to at least tick off all the prompts for the NetGalley November Bingo, so that’s what I’m focusing the main part of this post about. First, some information for those of you who don’t know:
NetGalley November is where we dedicated the month to reading just NetGalley books with the aim of smashing through our unread books and boosting our ratios.
This challenge is organised by Emma @emandherbooks and Lisa @tot_and_tales and the community (at least on the NGN Twitter) seems to be pretty active and engaging! Not only are there ratios to boost, but also prizes to be won, sprint reading and perhaps even new friends to make! They’ve also prepared some awesome templates, which I found on Emma’s blog so definitely check that out if you want to join. There’s still time, I say! 😉
So now on to the books that I’m hoping to tackle for my NetGalley November Bingo! There are nine prompts in total and surely, I can at least read nine books before the month ends, right?! Here’s what I’ve got:
There are a couple of other titles that I’m hoping to tackle this month as well. Considering my wonky reading mood I’m hoping that I’ll at least be able to tackle the graphic novels, poetry collections and short stories!
That’s a wrap from me, folks! Let’s see how much progress I make by the time November ends. Are you participating in NetGalley November too or do you just naturally slay your NG ratio? (teach me pls) 😂
Hello, everybody! Today I’m back with a special post for The Magical Readathon 2021. If you didn’t know about this readathon, check out G @ Book Roast’s video below. G has done an incredible job of bringing us this new world full of fantastic characters, magic and so much adventure! I’m honestly blown away by the amount of detail G has put into this readathon and while I’m not the best at actually completing readathons 99% of the time, I couldn’t resist taking part in this because it’s too amazing to pass up!
As a mood reader, I’m not one for fixed TBRs so if I make any kind of reading list, I much prefer calling it a possibility pile as it gives me a bit more freedom to choose what book I read without feeling guilty about not sticking to a TBR. Now without further ado, let’s get right down to it!
In this readathon, we are characters set in the world of Aeldia and we are setting out on The Novice Path to get to our new magical school, the Orilium Academy. On this path we must showcase exceptional skill and wit on at least two occasions, which technically means we only need to complete two prompts to successfully reach the academy but since I’m already being ambitious by joining this readathon, I thought I might as well try going all the way and fulfil all the prompts! *insert determined face*
The Novice Path Entrance: a book with a map
Why did I have a surprisingly difficult time coming up with two books for this prompt? It took a while… But I finally found two possibilities that I wouldn’t mind completing this month! #1 has been on my TBR for way too long as it is (what’s new there though lol)…
ASHTHORN TREE: A BOOK THAT KEEPS TEMPTING YOU (OR TOP OF YOUR TBR)
Contrary to the one above, there’s an endless number of books that would be tempting possibilities for this particularly prompt. These two are the top contenders though because for some reason, no matter what book I read last, these appear on the front page of my Kindle Library each time! Guess it’s a sign?
Again, so many tempting possibilities but these two titles have been on my mind a lot recently. Not sure why but I’m not particularly mad about it cos both look like they’ll break my heart and patch it back up again by the end!
RUIN OF THE SKYE: A BOOK FT. GHOSTS/HAUNTED HOUSE OR OTHER SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS
As The Ultimate Chicken™️, me and ghosts? No, thank you if I can help it! That said, I do have a MG that has been sitting on my TBR for a very long time (#1) and I think it’s the level of ghost-creepy that I can actually handle. The alternative is to read something supernatural so, naturally, it’s vampires for me!
I’ve actually been in a bit of a thriller mood lately so I think both of these books will probably get read this month (I’m probably jinxing myself saying that though LOL)!
This is a difficult one actually because it’s been a while since I’ve had a 5-star read and I thought a few of the books I’ve read recently would’ve been 5-stars but I was wrong. Hopefully, I’m not wrong about these two though—especially for #2 because I love Mog and want more Nevermoor adventures!
I don’t actually have a lot of books with a school setting on my TBR (at least none that come to mind as I made this list) but I am looking forward to reading these two so either of these possibilities are good for this month!
I know it’s April so I’m already late to the party (surprise)… But after quite a bit of debating I’ve finally decided to join the O.W.L.s Magical Readathon this year! I’ve been keen on joining since I first heard about it last year and I’m seriously impressed by the amount of amazing work that has gone into making this readathon a possibility. Exhibit A are the career pages in the booklet that G made–the artwork is stunning! Here’s the announcement video from G’s channel about the readathon in case you’re interested and want to join in too (it’s never too late right?)!
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
Since last Wednesday I’ve managed to read… three books!
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend ★★★★★ This was such a wonderful, fast-paced and heartwarming adventure! There may be a lot of elements that are similar to and remind me of Harry Potter but to me, this was just as enjoyable. The characters were all funny, charming and very quirky. The pacing was also fast and I couldn’t recommend this more if you’re looking for a simple, well-written fantasy/adventure to take your mind off current world news. Review coming soon!
Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu ★★★★☆ The ending of this book should be illegal! What a bleeding cliffhanger–if Wildcard didn’t already exist I would be pissed (and I absolutely mean this in the best way)! 🤣 This book was a helluva journey and I was here for every minute of it! The Warcross world gave me strong Ready Player One vibes but a simplified and easier to understand version that made reading it a breeze. I was sucked in from chapter one and I became fully invested in all our characters! Really keen to see what happens next… Review coming soon!
The Sunday Potluck Club (The Sunday Potluck Club #1) by Melissa Storm ★★¾ It took me several tries to actually get into this book but once I did it was a fast and fairly easy read. That said, it left me feeling pretty “meh” and was very different to what I expected. I thought there would be chats shared during the Sunday Potluck Club but what I got was insta-love, a lot of romance angst, and not particularly likeable characters… I really didn’t feel for any of them!Review coming soon!
I’m writing this the day before so who knows if I’ll have finished another book by the time it posts! But today is Bali’s Day of Silence and is basically the Balinese New Year. It’s a cultural/religious event that happens every year and it’s basically when everything shuts down and we’re not allowed to use electricity, listen to music or do work amongst other things. Internet gets shut down, TV and radio networks don’t broadcast and well, when we say day of silence, we really mean it! The purpose of the day has always been for quiet introspection/meditation as we start a new (Balinese) calendar year. People stay quiet and indoors or in their housing complexes and the silence is actually palpable–it’s a heavy weight but not at all unpleasant (at least to me). I know it sounds extreme to a lot of people but it’s actually pretty nice to disconnect even if for a day. As a book loving introvert it’s really no biggie for me but a lot of people freak out big time! I’m certainly getting a lot of time for reading these days (and I’m not mad about it)! 😅
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
Since last Wednesday I’ve managed to read four books:
Check, Please by Ngozi Ukazu ★★★★½ I have been gushing non-stop about this web comic since I discovered it. I binged on it and caught up to the most recent episode in a few hours. I can’t wait to see how it ends! This was such a joy to read and it’s exactly what I needed this week. It’s got a wonderfully hilarious group of characters at its centre and a heartmelting and swoon-worthy LGBTQ+ sports romance 🥰 Review coming soon!
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley ★★★★★ This book basically took me by the feels, shook me and shouted FEEL IT ALL. I was not ready for how emotional this book would make me! It was a beautifully written novel about grief and love. It was a love letter to books and who doesn’t love a boo about books?! This completely swept me away and made me fall in love with words all over again and I’d highly recommend it.Review coming soon!
The Dark Between Stars by Atticus Poetry ★★★½ This is my first time reading anything by Atticus and overall I did enjoy reading this collection, even if it was a little bit all over the place/disjointed. There were some poems that were more than a little “meh” but there were also many that hit close to home and made me a little teary eyed. This isn’t the best collection of poetry but there are a few on here that might be new favourites.Review coming soon (probably)!
The Bromance Book Club (Bromance Book Club #1) by Lyssa Kay Adams ★★★★☆ Leading man Gavin and the guys in the bromance book club are what won me over in this book. I struggled with Thea a bit, although overall found her character likeable enough. Her sister on the other hand was a completely different story and I disliked her intensely. The banter was on point and I loved how passionate the guys were to better themselves through romance novels. Read my full review!
(eARC) Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo, Lilian Klapakowsky ★★★☆☆ The artwork in this graphic novel is superb and made me love it more. The book talks about an issue that affects so many people, myself included, so I was really excited for this storyline but I was let down. We’re promised a journey through recovery, self-acceptance and love but we don’t get much of that. Plus the ending was so abrupt and pretty disappointing.Review coming soon!
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
Since last Wednesday I’ve managed to read four books:
Only When It’s Us (Bergman Brothers #1) by Chloe Liese ★★★★½ I LOVED this romcom! I was swooning the whole read through 😍 Ryder and Willa were total opposites who balanced each other out so well and their chemistry was absolute fire! The slow burn of this one really had me on my toes, demanding for it to happen already. It was perfection! I loved that this served more depth than I expected. Review coming very soon!
What the Other Three Don’t Know by Spencer Hyde ★★★☆☆ This gave me Breakfast Club vibes and it had potential but it just fell flat for me. I didn’t connect with the characters, especially Indie who is our MC and only POV. I wish we got to learn more about the characters and get the story from their POV! I did like the book’s message though. We can be whatever we want to be no matter what society tells us!Read my full review.
Best Fake Fiance (Loveless Brothers #2) by Roxie Noir ★★★½ This was another one that I was so-so on. I liked Charlie and Daniel but this didn’t pull me in as quickly or as much as I’d hoped. They were a cute couple though and Rusty was such a firecracker I was laughing so much whenever she opened her mouth. Review coming soon.
Break the Rules (Loveless Brothers #3) by Roxie Noir ★★★★☆ Yes! Levi is the one that I love 💞 Once you look past his loner “weird mountain man of nature” exterior, he has a soft heart of absolute gold and watching him deal with his feelings for June was so heart warming. I loved him! Plus I really loved June and I related to her so much. Everything about this book was sweet and it fit both their characters very well. Review coming soon.
Can someone please tell me how it’s only just Wednesday when it absolutely feels like it should already be Friday? Anyone? This week fully needs to be over please lol
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
Since last Wednesday I’ve managed to read five books:
Magic Unleashed (Venators #1) by Devri Walls ★★★★☆ This was a fast-paced and action-packed fantasy full of all the supernatural creatures that your heart could ever desire! No, seriously. There are fae, werewolves, vampires, elves, witches/wizards, goblins, giants, shapeshifters and DRAGONS! I was surprised by how quickly I read this and by how much I enjoyed it! My blog tour review post will be up tonight!
The Deep by Alma Katsu ★★★½ I was expecting to be scared out of my wits reading this but thankfully it wasn’t as scary as I thought it’d be. It was also completely different to what I expected! Katsu’s writing is atmospheric and the mystery works its way under your skin. Her characters, however, confused me a bit. Still glad I gave this a read though–it was certainly different to anything I’ve read! My FFBC blog tour review is up tomorrow!
The Guy on the Right (The Underdogs #1) by Kate Stewart ★★★★½ I wrote an extremely gushing post about how much I loved this romcom. Theo and Laney and their love are absolute perfection *chefs kiss*. Their banter was spot on and I loved watching their friendship and romance grow. The pot gummy scenes might be one of my favourites of all time! Check out my review.
The Guy on the Left (The Underdogs #2) by Kate Stewart ★★★★★ I didn’t think I could love a hero more than I did Theo but I WAS WRONG. Who’d have thought it’d be Troy to win me over as well? Definitely shook me! This was a wonderful slow-burn redemption love story and ugh, it had me seriously feeling all the damn feels. It was SO GOOD! Review coming very soon.
Enemies with Benefits (Loveless Brothers #1) by Roxie Noir ★★★½ I’m glad I checked out this series because I love the family relationships and banter, but it wasn’t my favourite romcom (I think I’ve been seriously spoiled by the underdogs)! There’s no denying that the physical chemistry between the two was hella fire, but I wanted more of an emotional/personal connection with the characters. Review coming soon.
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
Since last Wednesday I’ve managed to finish four books and three of them were four blog tours!
Jack Janson and The Storm Caller by Andrew Marsh ★★★☆☆ I don’t normally read MG books but I am always keen to step outside my comfort zone. I read this for a blog tour and it ended up being more enjoyable than I anticipated! I can definitely see the younger audiences it’s aimed at really enjoying the story and connecting with the characters. It’s a good introduction to fantasy!Check out my full review.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Adapted & Illustrated by Fred Fordham ★★★★☆ This was a very quick read that I finished in a matter of a few hours. It’s a good adaptation of the classic and really brought the story to life. While the art style wasn’t my favourite kind, it very much suited the era of the book and gave it a ‘old school/classic comic feel’. Would definitely recommend it for those who would like to read the classic but don’t have much time.RTC
Havenfall (Havenfall #1) by Sara Holland ★★★½ This was my first book by Holland but I’m keen to check out her other books now. Due to the mystery element this was a much slower paced fantasy than I expected but it was still enjoyable. I kept second guessing who could be trusted, but I’m glad I got the villain right at least! I read and reviewed this as part of the FFBC Blog Tour!Check out my full review.
The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai ★★★★★ This book was absolutely stunning. It was such an intimate telling of Vietnam’s history beyond the Vietnam War and from the unique perspective of a northern Vietnamese family. This story is filled with so much tragedy, suffering and heartbreak, but also so much love and hope. The Tran family’s resilience and ability to overcome hardship was inspiring and brought me to tears. I’m part of the blog tour for this book so my review will be coming up (sort of) soon!
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
Unlike last week when I set a new personal reading record, I haven’t read much since last Wednesday and only managed to finish two books. The past week has been pretty stressful with my move and I’ve had some busy evenings this week.
Vengeful (Villains #2) by V.E. Schwab ★★★★★ Didn’t think I’d love Vengeful more than Vicious but there we have it! This series is amazing and it’s everything I never knew I wanted in a sci-fi fantasy book. I love the concept of ExtraOrdinaries and some of their abilities are so killer (maybe literally). Check out my full review.
Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1) by Rin Chupeco ★★★★☆ Although I had some issues with the writing and world building (in that there was a lot to take in) I ended up really enjoying this read! I loved the concept and the alternate history modern world where fairytales and Carly Rae Jepsen all exist in the same reality. I also loved the found family vibes of the Bandersnatches and after a twisty ending, I’m keen to see what happens next!My FFBC blog tour review post will be up TOMORROW!
dinipandareads. 