Books I Read in February

I’ll make a separate post for the books I read in French specifically! But first of all, I read quite a few books in February, and here’s the non-exhaustive list of them.

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lim
This one had been on my TBR for a while and I’m so glad that I gave it a try. Along with Strike the Zither, which I read in January, this is one of my favourite reads of the year so far. It’s set in a universe where magic works through the preparation and drinking of tea. We follow Ning, who embarks on a journey to find a cure for her sister who was poisoned, and decides to take part in a dangerous competition. It has plot twists and betrayals, and amazing leading ladies, and that’s a win for me. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel! I haven’t had that many 5⭐ reads yet this year, but this is one of them!

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
I carried this one along with me for most of January, and finally finished reading it. I have to say that I was really looking forward to reading it. I really enjoyed some of Colson Whitehead’s previous novels, so I was really curious but in the end I think I wasn’t the targetted audience for thie one. I wasn’t really invested in the story, and even though I wanted for the main character to be successful, I disagreed with most of his decisions… This was a miss for me.

A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
I wasn’t really planning on reading this series in the first place (is something I said for a lot of romance novels, and look where we are now) but I was gifted a free copy at work, so curiosity got the best of me. Basically, if it were a fanfic it would be called a Hades x Perseophone modern AU, and how in hell was I supposed to resist that. I know it wasn’t supposed to be mythology oriented but rather romance oriented, but it was easy to dive in this universe, and I really liked the concept of a modern greek gods era. It does tend to be a bit cringe, but it requires no brain cells whatsoever, and I had a lot of fun reading it.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
One day I will decide that I have read enough Christina Lauren books, but today is not the day. In January I read Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, and in February I read Something Wilder, and I was a blast! This was such a fun, chaotic read, a bit different from some of their other books, but in a good way. In a “oh that’s refreshing!” way. I loved the fact that the miscommunication was kept to a minimum and I loved the side characters. The quest for money part kept me on my toes, and the ending was very sweet. While I would never tell my friends to get back together with their ex, I love a good second chance at romance when it comes to romance novels, and I have to say that this one it was executed in the most epic way possible. Overall, this was a solid 4⭐ read!

An Unreliable Magic by Rin Chupeco
The sequel to Wicked as You Wish which I read a couple years ago and really enjoyed. It reads like the blend between several classical fairy tales from various places all around the world and modern problems and technologies. It’s full of adventures, plot twists and has a fantastical cast of queer characters. It’s a really good under-the-radar YA series in my opinion, and I’m really looking forward to reading the next volume, which for now, is set to be released in November!

And finally, I’ve been reading quite a few mangas as well. I have so many series I’m attempting to catch up with at the moment, and I’m mostly trying to not let it get out of control. I’ll only mention one: Sensei’s Pious Lie by Akane Torikai. I was lucky enough to meet the author back in January, and I finally finished reading this eight volumes long manga series, which talks about sexism in Japan (and by extension in the rest of the world). It’s not a perfect story but it tackles some really important topics, and I’m grateful for that. I am really looking forward to reading more stories by Akane Torikai! I also really like her illustrations, and overall, I just want to support her work!

April Reading Wrap Up

This is an attempt at catching up with blog posts I should probably have written a long time ago. I haven’t been very much active here this year, but I’m not ready to give up on this platform just yet, so let’s give it another go! Here’s a summary of what I read in April ~

Non fiction:

Life Isn’t Binary by Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I picked up this one at a queer & feminist bookstore, because I was curious about it. It explores different aspects of our lives and how they are not as binary as we may think, from gender and sexuality obviously, to other ways of thinking. Nothing is all black or all white, and I really liked the angle that the authors were taking when it comes to pretty much everything in our everyday life. This took me by surprise, in the best possible way!

Young adult:

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I was really curious about this one because I’ve seen it EVERYWHERE on instagram and on tiktok. The French publisher offered to send me a copy, so I jumped on the occasion. It follows Avery, a teenager who mysteriously inherits a fortune, but is forced to cohabit with the descendants of the man who just died, and left her his money and property without any explanation. There are riddles to be solved, and maybe some romance on the way. I have to be honest, I got into this book really thinking that I’d find it overrated, but ended up really enjoying it!

Fiction:

We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets ⭐⭐⭐.5
Translated from Dutch, this book was utterly fascinating. It tells the story of a group of content monitors before they slip into paranoïa and conspiracy theories. It’s an eye opening story about the dark side of social media, and although I would have enjoyed it had it been a bit more developed, I’m really glad that I found out about this book.

Concerning My Daughter by Kim Hye-Jin ⭐⭐⭐
Translated from Korean, this novels is told from the point of view of a woman who, due to circumstances, ends up living with her daughter Green and her girlfriend, and finds it difficult to accept this situation. We watch as Green goes to protests, and fights against the homophobia of her workplace. All the while her mother worries about her, and what the future may hold for her. I was really curious about a book tackling homophobia and prejudice in South Korea, but ended up mostly frustrated throughout the story. I guess I was hoping for more.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (reread) ❤❤❤❤❤
In case of doubt (or a reading slump) it’s always time to reread a favourite. This was my second read for this one, and I loved it just as much as the first time.

Mangas:

Sasaki to Miyano vol.1 & 2 by Shou Harusono ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Livres en français:

Les manigances de Margaux de Caroline Kant ⭐⭐⭐
Reine de cœur d’Akira Mizubayashi ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Romance:

I had covid back in April and was stuck at home for a very long week, during which I ended up falling down the Bridgerton rabbit hole… And of course I proceeded to read the entire series in the following weeks. And its sequels. The first one definitely isn’t my favourite, but once I got past it, I completely fell in love with the series!

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐
An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐
When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I listened to the audiobooks narrated by the amazing Rosalyn Landor. She really gives life to those characters, and is probably one of the reasons I enjoyed these book so much (other reasons being the humour, and of course the stories themselves.) My favourite stories were Colin’s, Francesca’s and Hyacinth. I’ll be looking forward to future seasons of the show on Netflix, and you’ll probably catch me reading more of Julia Quinn’s books later this year because I can’t stay away for long!

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one is a collection of second epilogues for all of the books in the Bridgerton series, and it also includes a short story about Violet Bridgerton which I absolutely adored.

Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn ⭐⭐⭐
Immediately aftherwards, I picked up the first book in the Roseby series, which takes place following the previous generation of Bridgertons as well as their neighbours. I had fun reading this one, and the characters are definitely likeable but this was not my favourite of them all, mostly because the main character Billie really leaned of the trope of the “not like other girls” trope, and like, we got it but it’s not that good a trope.

Belated T5W: All About my Current Obsessions

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted on Goodreads. Feel free to join the group here. The theme for this week was “current obsession” and I knew I had to give it a try because I’ve been obsessed about quite a few books lately, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to talk about them online once again (both my coworkers and my instagram followers have heard enough about them already…)

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
(and obviously the rest of the series, who am I kidding)

The first pick on my list is Bridgerton! I speed watched both seasons back in April, and then proceeded to read entire series, as well as all of the Rokesby novels. I actually listened to the audiobooks narrated by Rosalyn Landor who is absolutely brilliant. And I will probably end up reading more of the spinoffs at some point, although my obsession with this particular piece of fiction is reaching a more reasonable at this point. However, the fact that Netflix just announced that Colin and Penelope would be the leads for next season was the perfect cherry on top of my cake, as Romancing Mister Bridgerton was definitely my favourite book in the series!

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Like everyone else, I watched Heartstopper as soon as the show was released. I then proceeded to rewatch it immediately, and have seen it three times at this point. I of course reread the comics in between, and at this point my entire tiktok FYP is Heartstopper edits. I practically squeal every time purchases a copy of the comics at work. Needless to say, I loved the show to pieces, I can’t wait for season to as well of course as volume 5 to be finally released, and of course, I’m ever so grateful that this particular piece of fiction exists into the world. That being said, I haven’t read the Nick and Charlie novella yet, and it’s a pleasure to know there’s content I have yet to consume when it comes to Heartstopper.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

I reread One Last Stop in April and it brought me great joy. I could talk about it nonstop if given the opportunity. Right on cue, the French translation was released earlier this month, and I can now gush about it at work and irl as well as online. This is truly one of my favourite books, and I wish everyone would read it.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

I’m a huge fan of Sarah Dessen, and Along for the Ride was one of my favourite books when I was a teenager. My biggest regret is that I borrowed it from the library, and never got to have my own copy. For some reason, and despite the fact that it’s extremely cliché, it really spoke into my soul (who am I kidding, it’s probably becayse I too was a quiet kid with good grades who dreamt of going on an adventure). Anyway, now that Netflix has released the movie (which I loved as well!!) I get to talk about it again and recommend it to people, and I am dying to reread the book ❤

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

I think in all fairness that this was my most anticipated release of 2022 and boy was it worth the wait. I’m perfectly aware of the fact that I already mentioned another Casey McQuiston book on this list, but I love all of their books to pieces so they deserve it. Also, as mentioned previously, I am really going down the obsession path these days so it only makes sense. I even managed to get a signed copy, which gives me all-the-more-reason to constantly talk about it. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a YA coming of age story which reminded me of a mix between John Green’s Paper Towns and every other “queer kids doing theatre” story I have read and loved (including but not exclusive to: Act Cool by Tobly McSmith, Where I End and You Begin by Preston Norton, as well as Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli). It shows fantastic friendships, great shenanigans and of course, all sorts of adorable teenage romance. I’m so glad I read this book, it’s the perfect example of serotonin impersonated in a book! Do yourself a favour and read it! (If it seems like your cup of tea of course, because it certainly is mine!)

And that’s it for today! Thank you so much for reading this far, feel free to share in the comments what book you’ve been obsessing with lately!

It’s Monday What Am I Reading?

I haven’t done one of these in a while, but as I sual, I’ve been reading quite a few interesting books, and I wanted to share a bit more about them!

I just finished reading:

The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite
After finishing Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur, I was in the mood for reading another sapphic romance, and picked up this one since it had been on my TBR for quite some time. This one is a historical fiction that deals a lot with the place of women in science and art, which is why I wanted to read it (in addition with the fact that I needed a bit of fancy dresses and romance in my life). I really enjoyed the audiobook, and ended up giving the book 4 stars.

Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
This is another book I was really curious about. It’s a queer (M/M) modern retelling of Grease and I loved it to pieces. I read it over the weekend, and ended up giving it 4 stars as well. The French translation for this book is getting released in April, and the publisher was kind enough to provide me with an ARC can’t wait to share it with my YA readers art work! (And I also badly want to rewatch Grease in order to be able to really make all of the parallels…)

I also read one literary fiction book which was translated from Portuguese (Brasil). It’s called We All Loved Cowboys by Carol Bensimon and it follows Julia and Cora who used to date but lost touch after both of them moved abroad. On a whim, they decide to reconnect and go on a road trip together. Over the course of their trip, old feelings and old secrets resurface. It’s a quick read, and I rather enjoyed it. I gave this one 3.5 stars.

I’m currently reading:

Life Isn’t Binary by Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi, which I picked up at a feminist bookstore last weekend. As expected from the title, it challenges different ways through which society is always presented as binary, from the dichotomy between good & bad, but of course also through gender and sexuality, and more. It’s really interesting so far.

What I want to read next:

Nobody is going to be surprised when I say that my TBR is currently out of control. I don’t really know what I’m going to read next, but I do know that I have a copy of The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and I’m really curious about it, so this might be my next read. Either that, or some French literary fiction.

February Reading Wrap Up

We’re making progress through the month of March, but it’s not over yet so in consideration, it’s not too late to post my February wrap up. I managed to read 16 books last month, and I loved pretty much all of them. So without further ado, here comes the list!

Young Adult:

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one had been on my radar since it got released, and since we just got the French translation available I decided to read it to share the love with my YA readers at work (and so far, it’s been a success!) I listened to the audiobook and I completely fell in love with the story. It’s cute, with just the right amount of drama and family secrets, and I’m so glad I decided to read this book ❤

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jen Wilde’s books have been on my TBR for the longest time. Since I was looking for a light read, it felt like (finally) the perfect opportunity to read this one, and I can now safely say: I don’t know why I waited this long. I love books that are set with a fandom background, and this was no exception. It’s cute and hilarious, and I can’t wait to read more books from the author!

The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Ones We’re Meant to Find also is a strong case of I-waited-for-the-book-to-be-released-in-French so I’d have the perfect excuse to indulge in it, and Wow, it was incredible. I loved the world-building and the concept of the story all-in-all. It was beautifully crafted and thought-provoking. The characterization of AIs reminded me a bit of Klara and the Sun which I’d read over the summer, and also really loved. It’s unique and well(written, and I can only recommend it.

Romance:

Delihlah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake ⭐⭐⭐⭐
As soon as this book was released, I saw it everywhere on bookstagram, so in all fairness I had to check it out as well, and wow I loved it. It’s the perfect blend of cliché and sexy, and exactly what I was looking for I absolutely loved the chemistry between Claire and Delilah. On top of that, the relationship between Delilah and her step-sister was so full of misunderstandings and well-hidden care for one another it really had me melt into a puddle, and I can’t wait for the sequel to read Astrid’s story!

The Rommmate by Rosie Danan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rosie Danan’s book had been on my TBR for a while, and I’d heard many great things. I really enjoyed it, so of course once I finished it I had to pick up the sequel as well. I loved both Clara and Naomi’s story, and can say I’m really glad I decided to check those out!

Spoiler Alert by Olicia Dade ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
All the Feels by Olivia Dade ⭐⭐⭐⭐
So once again it seems, we face my favourite combo: romance and fandom. I devoured both of these, and I can’t wait to read the third ok in the series!

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Since I was in the mood for romance novels, as this post has proven so far, I decided to check out The Love Hypothesis as well. I had seen this one everywhere on Tiktok, and was really curious to see whether or not it was worth all the hype. Well I definitely thought that it was. I’m a sucker for the fake-dating trope, and I absolutely loved the relationship between Olive and Adam. I’ll be looking forward to Ali Hazelwood’s next books!

Graphic novels & mangas:

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one is another book I’d seen quite a few times around on bookstagram, and I was really curious about it. It was all sorts of cute and adorable, and definitely something I’d love to reread when I feel down! (Sapphic graphic novels are the best, please feel free to recommend more of them because I can’t get enough…)

Old-fashioned Cupcake by Yan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’d purchased this one after seeing someone I follow on instagram recommending it, and I’m glad I followed their advice. It was adorable and sexy and also had lots of amazing foods, really what else could I ask for!

A Witch’s Love by the End of the World by Kujira ⭐⭐⭐
This was the last volume in the story, and I have to say I was really invested in it in the beginning, but I felt a bit let down by the ending. It was still a solid trilogy though, and I’m really glad I decided to read it!

Magus of the Library vol.4 by Mitsu Izumi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am loveing this story. It’s full of books and adventures and amazing characters. I actually just purchased volume 5, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the story has in store for us.

Blue Period vol.1 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
After watching the anime on Netflix, I wanted more and decided to check out the manga. I only read the first volume so far but I absolutely loved it, and so far, I can’t get enough of that universe!

Books in French:

Le gosse de Véronique Olmi ⭐⭐⭐
Nom de Constance Debré ⭐⭐⭐

And that’s it for today! Thank you so much for reading this far, and I hope you have a wonderful day ❤

January Reading Wrap Up

It’s a good thing I decided to get back into blogging back in January, and then proceeded to not post a single thing throughout the entire month of February… I could argue that I’ve been busy with my work and then my week of vacation but that wouldn’t entirely be true. One thing’s for sure though, I HAVE been busy reading 20 books in January, and that’s what I wanted to talk about for today!

Young adult:

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was my first 5 stars read of the month. It has a badass heroine, some giant mecha robots and a polyamorous relationship. It’s action packed but also deals with abuse and political intrigues. This book is heavy but it’s also truly amazing and I’m so glad I picked it up! [I recommend you check the trigger warnings before picking up that book]

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I always love a good book that makes me cry, and this was no exception. We follow Julie who is mourning her boyfriend, who just passed away in an accident. One day, desperate to hear his voice, she calls him… And he picks up the phone, allowing her a second chance at saying goodbye. You’ve Reached Sam is a beautiful book about grief and friendships, and I loved it with all my heart.

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Of course I had to pick up the seventh book in the Wayward Children series as soon as it was released, and I loved it just as much as I loved the previous ones. It’s a really good series, and I love how Seanan McGuire manages to surprise me with every new volume. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us when it comes to the rest of the series!

Romance & Fiction in general:

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was my first read of the year, and I basically binge-read it on January 1st! I wanted to start the year with something seasonal and fluffy, and this is exactly what I got. On top of that, it has one of my favourite tropes aka a time loop, which for some reason I really loved, and this one was no exception. It was my second Christina Lauren book, and there will definitely be more in the future!

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney ⭐⭐⭐
This one was the book I started in 2021 and didn’t have the chance to finish because the end of the year was super busy. I read Normal People back in Spring and really loved it so of course I was looking forward to reading more of Sally Rooney’s books! As expected I really loved the writing, but I’m not really sure how I felt about it in general? In some passages I was deeply moved, but some other times I didn’t really care what was happening… It was a good book, but definitely not my favourite.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert ⭐⭐⭐⭐
After seeing this one EVERYWHERE on bookstagram, of course I was bound to read it eventually. It has fake dating and mutual pining, which is just as good as it sounds. I really enjoyed it, and I’ll be looking forward to reading the rest of the Brown Sisters trilogy (and yes, I accidentally started with the second one for some reason).

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one also is a strong case of after-seeing-it-everywhere-on-booksta-of-course-I-had-to-read it, combined with the fact that it was just released in France. I was a big worried that it would be overhyped, and also really wanted to like it; and I did. It was a beautiful, moving book about a young woman who desperately wants to be happy. I loved following Nora on all of her different, possible lives, and I’m really glad that I gave in to the hype.

Date Me Like You Mean It by R.S. Grey ⭐⭐⭐
I hadn’t read an R.S. Grey book in years, but I was in the mood for a romance book and found this one while scrolling through my downloaded books on my kindle so I decided to give it a try. It has a lot of miscommunication, but the mutual pining makes up for it, and I ended up quite enjoying this one.

Enemies Abroad by R.S. Grey ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was such a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance, which follows two teachers who seemingly hate each other and end up stuck on a three weeks trip to Italy together. And suddenly, in between wines and pastries, it turns out they might not hate each other? This was such a fun, delightful read, and I’m really glad that I gave it a try ❤

Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops by Shaun Blythell ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one isn’t actually fiction but since it’s the only non-fiction book that I’ve read, it will just sit along with the rest. This book is exactly what it sounds like: the author, who owns a second-hand bookstore, describes all the kinds of (annoying, weird, oddly specific…) customers you can find in bookstores. It was hilarious and relatable and I’m so glad I finally read this one!

Books in French:

Les Accords Silencieux by Marie-Diane Meissirel ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one is a stunning historical fiction following several families through three generations, all around the globe from WWII New York to present day Hong Kong, from China to Germany and to India. Little by little (and mostly through tragedy) the reader slowly figures out that all of these characters are linked through one stunning Steinway piano which traveled all around the world. This book was heartbreaking and beautiful, and gave me hope in the end. It was truly beautiful, and I’m really glad that I gave it a try in the end!

Steglitz by Inès Bayard ⭐
I rarely give books 1 stars, but I had to when it comes to this one. Maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea, but on top of that the plot was really hard to follow despite the fact that nothing was happening, so there’s that.

La fabrique des souvenirs by Clélia Renucci ⭐⭐⭐
This was a lovely book set in a universe where people can buy and sell memories. While attending the premiere of a play in a memory from 1942, the main character falls in love with the woman sitting in front of him and starts a wild chase to find out what happens to her. I really enjoyed the premisse of the book, as well as the writing, although I felt that in the end the story dragged on for a bit too long.

Mangas:

I Think Our Son Is Gay vol.3 by Okura ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Apothecary Diaries by Nekokurage vol.7 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Blue Flag vol.2 by Kaito ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Witch Hat Atelier vol.4 by Kamome Shirahama ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magus of the Library vol.3 by Mitsu Izumi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kazun vol.1 by Ryou Ikuemi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 Seconds Before the Witch Falls in Love by Zeniko Sumiya ⭐⭐⭐

Monday Reading Update #15

It’s a new year and I’m trying to settle back into old habits because I LOVE blogging, and I actually really missed it. I still have been reading quite a lot, and am determined to keep it that way. So hopefully I will be back with reading updates more regularly!

I just finished reading:

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
I decided to kick off the year with a romance novel, so I picked this one on January first and finished it yesterday. I hadn’t read any seasonal book yet this winter, and I had been eyeing this one for a while. It was the perfect book to start the year with. It has the cutest childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, loads of holiday cliché, and a time loop which is a trope I can’t get enough of ever since I was destroyed by Before I Fall many years ago. (I say that as if I read loads of books with that trope, which I don’t, but I still love it dearly.) Anyway, In a Holidaze was the perfect sweet book to start my hear, and I’ll be looking forward to reading more Christina Lauren books this year! (And I 100% blame booktok fo that.)

I’m currently reading:

The last book I started in 2021 was Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney. I’ve heard great things about it, and I really loved Normal People. I’m about halfway through it and I’m really curious as to how the story will all unfold. Hopefully I get to finish it this week.

I also started reading Get a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert — or rather, listening to the audiobook. Again, I’ve heard many great things about this one and I was really curious about it. I think I’ve read a third of the book so far. It’s just the beginning, but I’m really enjoying it! And it also felt like a good book to start the year with.

I want to read next:

I recently got a copy of The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He because it had been on my radar for a while. It will be released in France in February and I wanted to read it beforehand, so I think I will try to make it my next read. I’ve heard amazing things, so I’m really excited!

What are you reading this week? Do you have reading plans for the year?
I’ve set up my reading challenge to 150 books like I did in 2021. Other than that, nothing in particular, I simply will read whatever floats my way, and hopefully fall in love with many stories. In addition to that, I think I will also try and reread some favourites!

Unreleased Books I Recently Added to my TBR

This post could also have been called “2022 releases I’m excited about” actually! This year is slowly coming to an end, and though I’m not one to make monthly TBR lists, I do relentlessly add books to my TBR shelf on Goodreads, and I wanted to talk about five future releases I’m really excited about today.

The first one is Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee. It’s actually the very reason that I’m writing this blog post: when I saw how stunning the cover, I just wanted to share it with the world. It’s a companion novel to Dragon Pearl which I also loved, and I’m so glad I’ll get to go back to that universe! Basically, it’s a space opera blended with Korean mythology, and the main character is going to be a nonbinary tiger spirit. The publication is expected for January and I am REALLY EXCITED.

The second book is one I stumbled upon on twitter earlier this week. It’s called The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, and it’s a romance novel that involves fake dating and bodyguards. The cover is adorable and it seems right up my alley: sign me up. It’s announced for July 2022 though, so I still have a long way to go in the meantime.

Next we have Kasie West’s upcoming book, Places We’ve Never Been, which is set to be released in May. I have read few of her books, but I loved them with all my heart. They are cute and wholesome. This one involves a good old friends-to-lovers romance and a road trip: that sounds just a perfect. AND of course, the cover is adorable.

I also added Out of the Blue by Jason June, which is also set to be released in May. From what I gathered, it’s queer and it has mermaids: I honestly couldn’t ask for anything more. Plus the cover is really adorable. (And that being said, I should really read Jay’s Gay Agenda while I wait for this one to be released…)

And finally, of course we have Casey McQuiston’s upcoming book I Kissed Shara Wheeler. Given how much I loved their two previous novels, of course I want to read this one. It seems to have a bit of a mystery vibe, and some humour as well. I’m really curious about what’s in store for us this time, and I can’t wait for May!

What about you? Any 2022 release you are really excited about? (Now that I think about it, I’m also dying to read the final book in the Pandava series by Roshani Chokshi…)

T5W: Brighter Days

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted on Goodreads. Feel free to join the group here. The topic for today was “brighter days” aka books that brought a smile to your face and I picked up five YA (or like, older YA) romances that made me swoon endlessly. I’m still unsure where I stand on romance when it comes to my own life but I do know a cute romance book always lightens up my mood, and makes me think of Spring/Summer!

I’ll Be The One by Lyla Lee

First of all, this book is amazing. Second of all it features one of the most strong-willed characters I’ve read about it contemporary YA. And third of all, the romance is absolutely adorable. Blend in a kpop contest and some wonderful friendships, and you have I’ll Be The One. This book was truly inspiring, and reading it just put me in a good mood overall, so I thought it would fit on that list perfectly! [TW for fatphobia and homophobic parents]

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

I had heard so many great things about this book, in particular when it comes to the anxiety rep, so I had to check it out and boy did it not disappoint. This will probably be my favourite read of the month! We follow Penny as she leaves to college, and Sam who works at a coffeshop and is dealing with a hard breakup. An unlikely bond form between the two of them when they meet, and they begin exchanging texts constantly. Relationships are so much easier that way… Until real life gets in the way. I read this almost in one sitting, and I love dit with all my heart. I would definitely it if you are looking for a soft romance! [TW for depression and anxiety]

Love from A to Z by S. K. Ali

This was one of my absolute favourite reads of last year, and one of the most wholesome romances ever. Seriously, I couldn’t put this book down. We follow the two main characters, Adam and Zayneb who meet once at the airport, and a second time through people they know. They both have a journal of wonders and oddities, they have a lot in common but also seem to live a world apart. This book was absolutely stunning. It deals with many important topics of life, such as family, grief, friendships but also racism and more. The characters are unique and will always hold a special place in my heart. [TW for racism and islamophobia.]

Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao

This was also one of my recent reads. I listened to the audiobook in January I believe, and I completely fell in love with it. First of all, the concept is absolutely perfect. It is THE fake dating trope and I’m not sorry to say that it always works with me. Second of all, I loved the fact that the characters were very human, they made mistakes but they always tried their best to follow their dreams.

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth

The concept of this book was too perfect for me not to fall in love with it. Over the course of a summer, Saoirse and Ruby decide to go to cliché dates, the ones that lead the main characters in a movie to fall in love with each other, as a sort of falling in love montage, but of course, they promise each other that this is just for the summer, and that they will not actually fall for each other. I will let you guess what happens next… Honestly, just give me books with plots that approaches that of a trope-y fanfiction and I will simply fall in love with them. If you haven’t read this one yet then I would definitely recommend it, especially as a summer read and summer will be here soon!

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And that’s it for today, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a wonderufl day!

Top 5 Tuesday: Cute Romances

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Shanah @ The Bionic Book Worm. The topic for today is “cute romances” and I thought I would give it a try, but it was not as easy as I thought it would be! When I think about my all time favourite books, they would not necessarily qualify as cute romance stories. One Day for example, is an epic love story, and one of my absolute favourite books, but definitely woudn’t work for the prompt. Anyway.

As I attempted to make a list for today’s top 5 I realised that I don’t actually read that many cute romance books? I find it hard to define my favourite genre, to be honest. I like fantasy, and when it comes to contemporaries, I will be more likely to go for books dealing with mental illness, so not necessarily romance. There is also the factor that we are looking for cute romance, so for example books like This Is How You Lose the Time War would not match the prompt. I’m talking about this one because it’s one of my latest reads, and I absolutely loved it. However, while it’s strong on the romantic side, and stunningly beautiful, it would not qualify as cute.

Nevertheless, here come five favourite picks for this weeks topic ♥

Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali

I’m going to kick off this list with one of my latest reads because I absolutely LOVED it. This book was super cute and sweet. Yes, it absolutely deals with super important topics such as islamophobia and grief. It’s also a book about friendship, and family, and seeing the many wonders of the world. But you can’t also deny that it’s a romance. A very cute and beautiful romance. I binge read it, all the while thinking JUST HOLD HANDS ALREADY.

A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard

This one is one of my favourite books ever. I think it has to do with how much I could relate to the main character. Heck, I’m sure of it. And also I probably read it at a time when I really needed it. The depiction of thought spiralling and anxiety was absolutely on point. And the romance was beautiful and cute. It was realistic and heartwarming in my opinion. This book will always have a special place in my heart.

Once and for All by Sara Dessen

I felt like I couldn’t write this post without including a book by Sarah Dessen, because she does write some amazing YA romance. The last one I read was Once and For All, and it has so many cliché romance elements but I did not care. Both Louna’s first love and current romantic interest make up for cute stories. On top of that, this book contains a numerous amount of weddings. It’s a feel good book that also has some character developments and deals with grief, because that’s how Sarah Dessen seems to like writing her characters. Some of my favourites also include Along for the Ride and The Truth About Forever and I’m pretty sure they would also have worked here but I wanted to choose something that was a bit fresher in my mind!

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Of course I had to include Heartstopper as well. As soon as it had crossed my mind, it became obvious that this adorable web comic more than belonged on the list. It is the epitome of a cute romance.

Let’s Talk About Love by Kathryn Ormsbee

The romance in this book is so pure and cute. Both Alice and Takumi are pure cinammon rolls. Their relationship was full of adorable clichés, and they cared for each other so much. I’m swooning just thinking about it. Yes, I do love epic love stories, but I’d trade them any day for such a cute romance.

Now that I got started with this list I keep getting more and more ideas of cute romance books. Turns out I actually do read some. So i’m going to include two runner ups that were among my favourite reads of 2019: Don’t Dare Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno, and Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon. And that’s it for today, thanks for reading ♥