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FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL & MAY RECAP // i’m back! ft. uni was a lot, many essays, new fave books, mental health updates & ST4
God, I’m awful, but we’re used to this by now, right? Uni kept me busy hence this recap with far too many months in the title but better late than never. Semester literally started in February so you’ve missed it all, and there’s much to catch up on. I’m excited to be back, and you know the drill, let’s stop rambling and get into it! — Required Reading for The Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristen R. Lee {★★★½☆}: I read this for a blog tour and have already posted a whole review, so I won’t talk too much about it. This is a NA contemporary that deals with racism and microaggressions on modern college campuses, which I’ve never seen talked about in fiction, so I loved that. Overall, I loved the message and thought this was a solid debut, though it wasn’t as hard-hitting for me as I anticipated it. Big thanks to Crown Readers at Random House for the eARC and Turn The Pages Tours for having me on the tour. Complete review here! – It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey {★★★★☆}: Who else would have thought I’d be here telling you about how much I enjoyed this book?…
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HAPPY NEW YEAR AKA MY DECEMBER 2021 & JANUARY 2022 RECAP // a slightly late recap but I watched a ton of movies and read only a bit oops
Um yeah so big oops. In my head, it’s definitely not nearly the end of February when I finally post this. You can pretend with me. Combining into two months because I’m terrible and I also only read one book in January welp. You came for chaos right? I have warned you in the past,,, Let’s not waste time and just get into it! — Wait For It by Mariana Zapata {★★★★☆}: Extremely chuffed at the progress I’m making in my quest to read all of Mariana Zapata’s work. Apparently this one was my longest read of last year, which I did not notice so props to MZ for making me think her romances are short. HAVE I MENTIONED HOW MUCH I LOVE HER??? The way MZ writes romance is unlike any other and I’m constantly comparing other romances to her’s. I just,,, I’m forever sad about it. Though nothing has been able to top Lukov for me, this story was so endearing and heartwarming and I loved every page. Trigger warnings for loss of a parent/sibling. I absolutely loved how this book focused on parenting and raising kids, not in the traditional way. I loved Diana when we met…
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2021 READING AND BLOGGING RECAP // last year in review ft. 2022 tbr, reading challenges, pie charts & new years goals
Hi hello to my first post of the year! I didn’t realise it was the first until now and in general, it’s very late. I tried to get this recap post up a lot earlier, but I’m going to cut myself some slack because last year I highlighted how I once posted this in April so… I think I deserve a pat on the back, eh? Anyways, I’m here semi on time and perhaps less enthusiastic than usual. But I’m a stats freak now and at least I’m getting out some content, right? I hope you’re okay with Ruby being slightly off-beat today. 2021 absolutely sucked and I hated it and am glad its over, but hey, the reading was good! Mostly keeping this post the same as last time, though adding a couple of sections to it. I didn’t do a mid-year check-in because,,, life. Since I didn’t get the chance to build any anticipation, here’s your chance to take your guesses on whether or not there will be a high amount of ebooks and romance in this post *hides* But anyways, let’s dive right in! READING STATS AND OVERVIEW You know, I’m actually really chuffed with reading overall…
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YOU’LL BE THE DEATH OF ME BY KAREN M. MCMANUS // blog tour book review: I devoured this YA mystery ft. fun premise and loveable characters
Hi hello lovely friends! And welcome to my (one day late IM SO SORRY) You’ll Be The Death of Me tour stop which I’m just so so so excited to be part of. This year has been crazy lately but this book was exactly what I needed and I devoured it. Big thanks to The Write Reads for having me on this tour, I’m so happy to be here! Title: You’ll Be The Death of MeAuthor: Karen M. McManusPage count: 326Date published: 2 December 2021Genre: Young Adult mystery thriller ♢ Synopsis: From the author of One of Us Is Lying comes a brand new addictive thriller. Ivy, Mateo and Cal used to be close – best friends back in middle school. Now all they have in common is a bad day. So for old time’s sake they skip school together – one last time. But when the trio spot Brian ‘Boney’ Mahoney ditching class too, they follow him – right into a murder scene. They all have a connection to the victim. And they’re ALL hiding something. When their day of freedom turns deadly, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out . . . It’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with…
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JULY RECAP // oops vacation made me a reading machine ft. book mail & a readathon tbr
Hey hey friends and how are you all doing? Unfortuneatly streaks never last when it comes to recaps, as you’ve all probably noticed I’m a tad late to this one. Not as late as quite a few other times though. I can only do so much folks. Anyways, apparently I read A TON last month and I’m also now a superhero. Let’s get into it! – Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey {★★★☆☆}: not going to linger on this one too long because I honestly don’t have all that many thoughts anymore. According to my GR review, I finished this on the very first day of July, so that explains a lot. I had high hopes for this one but it unfortunetaly was just rather average. I didn’t hate it, but expected more. It was also weirdly sexual for a book about only just over 18-year olds. Idk that didn’t sit with me very well. Teens have sex, yes, but I don’t need to read about them sexually thirsting over each other. Read for a fun NA contemporary, I guess. – Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid {★★★★★}: TJR HAS DONE IT AGAIN AND I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Listened to…
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A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER BY HOLLY JACKSON // spoiler-free book review: multi-media madness aka the most twisty YA mystery thriller
Hi hello friends, solved any mysteries lately? Oops I kind of did and now I’ve become incredibly arrogant. Accidents happen. Anyways, happy realease day to As Good As Dead, the third and final instalment in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. Thought it’d be fun to post this review as book three is out today so there you go. I finally got around to this absolute whirlwind and it was just as fantastic as everyone said. Let’s get into the review! Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to MurderSeries: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder book #1Author: Holly JacksonPage count: 433Date published: 2 May 2019Genre: Young Adult mystery thriller 📌 Synopsis: The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will…
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YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER BY SARAH HOGLE // (mostly) spoiler-free book review: the perfect laugh out loud adult rom-com ft. second chance enemies to lovers gloriousness
Hello and welcome my beautiful friends, how are we on this fine day? Apologies for this belated review, life has been crazy and I haven’t had the time to put it together. But I FINALLY read this book and it was just as brilliant as everyone said it would be and !!!! Let’s just get into this review because I need to gush! Title: You Deserve Each OtherAuthor: Sarah HoglePage count: 368Date published: 7 April 2020Genre: Adult romance contemporary 💍 Synopsis: When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut. Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They’re preparing for their lavish wedding that’s three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him. Naomi wants out, but there’s a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in…
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MID YEAR BOOK FREAK OUT TAG // 2021 edition ft. fantastic books, reviews galore & books I need to read asap
We’re fashionably late to this tag today and I also have to be annoying & ask HOW WE ARE ALREADY HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR?!? It can’t be true. I refuse to accept it. Let’s reuse last year’s terrible joke and deem this month the bookish Christmas in July. Just to lighten the mood about the horrendous fact that time moves too fast for us mere humans. I’ll stop now. Let’s get into the questions!! BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ THIS YEAR SO FAR ✯ Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi I truly don’t know what more I could say about this book. Because I’ve definitely talked everybody’s ear off already and my throat is hoarse from all the screaming. However, I’m still going to throw this book at your face and force you to read it and cry with me. I’ve been having awful luck this past year and a half when it comes to finding new favourites and/or 5-star reads. I lowkey cry myself to sleep about it. Kidding. But it does astound me because I never used to have this problem. Anyways, this book got a lot of mixed reviews when it came out and I didn’t really take note…
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STARFISH BY AKEMI DAWN BOWMAN // spoiler-free book review: stunning writing & brilliant social anxiety representation
Hello, my friends LOOK WHO FINALLY READ THIS BOOK!! It is I. The biggest failure of tbr followers. Lmao, what did I even say?? Anyways, yes I finally got around to reading this book which was been on many a tbr and though I didn’t ~love~ it as much as I expected to, I enjoyed it nonetheless. Let’s get into this review. Which is smol but I wanted to chat with you anyways. Title: Starfish Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman Page count: 352 Date published: 5 April 2018 Genre: Young Adult contemporary ✧ Synopsis: A half-Japanese teen grapples with social anxiety and her narcissist mother in the wake of a crushing rejection from art school in this debut novel. Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real-life will begin. But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend…
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WRAPPING UP 2020 IN FILM // a smol list of 2020 favourite films AND anticipated movies & tv shows of 2021
Hello, and how are we doing today? I don’t know which one of you kept me in your prayers and manifested this but LOOK WHO IS ON TIME WITH END OF YEAR POSTS? What a crazy time to be alive tbh… No, but seriously. This is the last of this set of posts that I have planned and I’m quite chuffed with myself. Before I get on with the films, lemme just explain the title. Now, I don’t know if you heard but the world kind of shut down last year? I mean, it still is in a lot of places. But that meant that a lot of movies also didn’t get released. And also we couldn’t go to the cinemas (AS IT SHOULD BE!!). Plus, I also didn’t watch all that many movies last year anyways? I rewatched quite a few of my old favourites, which shouldn’t shock you by this point. So my favourites list is VERY VERY SMALL. Therefore I thought I’d just combine both my favourites and most anticipated shows. Got it? Good. Let’s get started. FAVOURITE MOVIES OF 2020 If you’re new to how I talk about my favourite movies, then I’ll just briefly explain.…
