-
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH A.Y. CHAN // chatting to the author of The Legendary Mo Seto series about middle grade adventures & martial arts!! [ad]
When I tell you I have been excited for this post for literally a year, I do not kid and I am so excited to chat with this adorable author and her adorable series!!!! I’m too excited so let’s get right into it <3<3<3 Book #1: The Legendary Mo SetoBook #2: Martial Arts StarSeries: The Legendary Mo SetoAuthor: A.Y. ChanPage count: 320Date published: 4 June 2024 / 6 May 2025Genre: Middle grade 🥋 Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Modesty “Mo” Seto dreams of being a Taekwondo champion. Even though her mom disapproves, Mo can always count on her dad, who is her number one fan and biggest supporter. Lately, Mo has been on a losing streak, and it doesn’t help that she keeps losing to her archnemesis, Dax, who’s much bigger than her. If only she were faster, stronger, not so petite. Mo can’t even lean on her dad like usual with how distracted he’s been lately. When Mo learns about the chance to audition to star alongside her idol and legendary martial artist and movie star Cody Kwok, she knows this her chance to prove to her dad, to the world, and to herself that she can compete with anyone, no matter…
-
IMMORTAL CONSEQUENCES BY I.V. MARIE // blog tour book feature: i am far too excited for this ya rivals to lovers dark academia set at a boarding school for the afterlife!!!
Gah, sucks to have grown up responsibilites or else I might have read this book on time… she says as they drag her away. I’m being honest I swear! Okay okay okay I’ll shut up and welcome you all to my spot on the Immortal Consequences Blog Tour <3<3<3 Title: Immortal ConsequencesSeries: The Souls of Blackwood Academy book #1Author: I.V. MariePage count: 512Date published: 29 July 2025Genre: Young adult fantasy 🥀 Synopsis: Six students at Blackwood Academy, an enigmatic boarding school located at the edge of the afterlife, must compete for the once-in-eternity chance to change their fate—or risk remaining stuck in purgatory forever. An unputdownable debut full of hairpin twists, shock betrayals and world-defying love, for fans of The Atlas Six. Welcome to Blackwood Academy: the legendary school located at the fringes of the afterlife, where students are fated to spend the rest of eternity shepherding lost souls. Once a pupil enters the school’s arched gates, there is no way out…except for the Decennial, a once-in-a-decade celebration that rewards nominees who pass its trials with a choice: formally graduate and join Blackwood’s magical elite, or venture into the unknown and cross over to the mysterious Other Side. Wren…
-
BETTER HATE THAN NEVER BY CHLOE LIESE // spoiler-free book review: the feisty childhood enemies to lovers romance you didn’t know you needed in your life!!!
This one definitely *wasn’t* read some time ago,,, no idea what you’re talking about! Here let me divert your attention to THESE Moving on and into this scrumptious little book gem that I have been waiting a while to shove in your faces <3<3<3 Title: Better Hate Than NeverSeries: Chloe LieseAuthor: Chloe LiesePage count: 336Date published: 10 October 2023Genre: Adult contemporary romance ❤️🔥 Synopsis: Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won’t even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno. Despite their friends’ and families’ pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she’s only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn’t sure she can trust his charming good-guy act. When Christopher’s persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned…
-
ARCANA: THE LOST HEIRS BY SAM PRENTICE-JONES // spoiler-free book review: say hello to your next fantasy graphic novel obsession!
The fact that I had this down in my calendar a month late tells you how my life has been lately but hey at I did realise the my error and feel bad about it so hopefully you can forgive me? Big thank you to Toppling Stacks Tours for having me <3<3<3 Title: Arcana: The Lost HeirsSeries: Arcana #1Author: Sam Prentice-JonesPage count: 384Date published: 24 June 2025Genre: Young Adult fantasy graphic novel 🃏 Synopsis: Debut author/illustrator Sam Prentice-Jones explores fighting against your destiny and reconciling the actions of your ancestors in Arcana: The Lost Heirs, a tarot-inspired fantasy graphic novel for young adults. James, Daphne, Koko, and Sonny have all grown up surrounded by magic in the Arcana, an organization of witches that protects the magical world, run by the mysterious and secretive Majors. Eli Jones, however, didn’t even know other witches existed . . . until he stumbled into James. As James introduces Eli to the world of the Arcana, he finds the family he never had, and a blossoming romance with James. The five new friends soon realize that sinister things are afoot and everything may not be what it seems at the Arcana. When the group delves…
-
THE FAVOURITES BY LAYNE FARGO // spoiler-free book review: the angsty figure-skating romance of my dreams, you need to read it!
If you think about it, I’m only a few months late to this one! Look at the pub date, the book only *just* came out… she says as they drag her away. Cue the tears in this review,,, Title: The FavouritesAuthor: Layne FargoPage count: 464Date published: 16 January 2025Genre: Adult contemporary romance ⛸️ Synopsis: To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession. An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end. As the ten-year anniversary of their final…
-
NOTHING LIKE THE MOVIES BY LYNN PAINTER // spoiler-free book review: finally reviewing one of my fave 2024 reads & taking a nap on the highway because,,, wesliz!!!
I need someone to whack me over the head this point. I’ve run out of excuses for myself and I’m tired of it. Cross all of your fingers and toes I can start reviewing books closer to when I read them,,, ICYMI this *author interview* – click to read Anyways, many tears in this one, let’s get into this godforsaken book! Title: Nothing Like The MoviesSeries: Better Than The Movies book #2Author: Lynn PainterPage count: 442Date published: 1 October 2024Genre: Young adult contemporary romance 🍿 Synopsis: For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: the strong-willed girl next door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off for college to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process. Flash forward months later, and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him. Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with rom-com-worthy grand gestures she loves.…
-
ORDINARY LOVE BY MARIE RUTKOSKI // blog tour book feature: happy pride!!! here’s a sapphic romance to add to our neverending tbr piles
Let’s talk about another book I haven’t read yet but she willll be lovedddd. Hopefully. At least you can enjoy my poor Maroon 5 performance. Let’s dive right into my spot on the Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski blog tour <3 Title: Ordinary Love Author: Marie RutkoskiPage count: 400Date published: 10 June 2025Genre: Adult romance 🌈 Synopsis: HERE’S NO SUCH THING AS AN ORDINARY LOVE STORY When Emily catches sight of Gennifer Hall at a party, she is transported back to the moment they fell in love as teenagers. Their connection was electric, and they thought it was forever. Twenty years later, Gen is an Olympic runner, the career she strived for, while Emily is living a picture-perfect Manhattan townhouse, two young children and a wealthy husband, Jack. But Jack’s controlling behaviour is spiralling, and Emily has lost sight of who she once was. Now, despite Emily’s fracturing marriage and the pressures of Gen’s career, they are drawn back together by a magnetic attraction. After years of heartbreak, missed chances and misunderstandings, will they finally get a second chance at first love? 🌈 🌈 Big thanks to Little Brown UK for the eARC via Netgalley & having me on the tour!…
-
YOU BELONG HERE BY SARA PHOEBE MILLER & MORGAN BEEM // blog tour book feature: a gorgeous ya graphic novel that’ll punch you in the gut!
I’m on fire just a little bit and I kinda like it? Anyways, very excitied for my stop and the final stop of the tour celebrating You Belong Here! Let’s get into it 🙂 Title: You Belong HereAuthor: Sara Phoebe MillerIllustrator: Morgan BeemPage count: 256Date published: 4 March 2025Genre: Young Adult contemporary 💜 Synopsis: A young adult graphic novel following Essie through heartbreak, star-crossed romance, teen drama, and the question on every high-school senior’s lips: where do I belong? It’s the first day of senior year and seventeen-year-old Essie Rosen is already over it. Her best friend went off to college and barely responds to her texts, her brother’s on the other side of the country in rehab, every conversation with her mom becomes a fight, and her long-term boyfriend, Bruno, feels weirdly distant. Essie’s counting down the days until she can escape her Long Island hometown and join her bff at NYU, where she’s SURE she’ll get into the acting program she’s dreamed about for years. But when Essie gets dumped AND botches her college audition, her entire trajectory changes. Instead of doing community theater, she ends up slumming it in the school play, where she’s cast opposite the…
-
A TEMPEST OF TEA BY HAFSAH FAIZAL // blog tour book feature: yell at me to read this vampire heist fantasy book, now out in paperback
My ambitions bested me once again but I did need a bump on the head to remind myself about this book. So let’s say everything happens for a reason and be excited about this book together why don’t we? No more focusing on the negatives! Welcome to my stop on the very last day of this tour celebrating the paperback release of A Tempest of Tea ~ keep reading to find out why I’m frothing at the mouth! Title: A Tempest of TeaSeries: Blood & Tea book #1Author: Hafsah FaizalPage count: 336Date published: 25 February 2025 // original 20 February 2024Genre: Young Adult historical fantasy ☕️ Synopsis: Why save the world when you can have tea? On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone. Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum.…
-
THE BEST OF 2024: BOOKS, MOVIES & SHOWS // ranking my favourites of last year in journal spreads ft. honourable mentions
Somehow I thought I was terribly late to this post but turns out last year me also only posted this in January. Enough chatter, let’s get right into my absolute favourite post to make every year. And just as we did last year, I’ve decided to show you my faves in journal spreads, because this is my blog and why the heck not? best of 2024: tv shows honourable mentions: In order: All The Light We Cannot See, Sharp Objects, True Detective S1, True Detective S2 In order: 3) Bridgerton S3; 2) My Lady Jane; 1) Heartstopper S3 best of 2024: movies honourable mentions: In order: How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000); The Wind Rises (2013); The Princess Bride (1987) In order: 11) Turtles All the Way Down (2024); 10) Parachute (2023); 9) Monkey Man (2024); 8) The End We Start From (2023); 7) Challengers (2024); 6) Wicked: Part One (2024); 5) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024); 4) Poor Things (2023); 3) Dune: Part Two (2024); 2) The Boy and The Heron (2023); 1) The Wild Robot (2024) best of 2024: books honourable mentions: Mostly in order: One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus; Your Blood, My Bones…
