• Discussions,  TBR

    TOP 20 BOOKS TO READ IN 2020 & NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS // this is incredibly late but hi reading and blogging goals ft. an ambitious tbr

    Okay wow, this post is a tad late. I literally forgot that I hadn’t posted this and it’s been ready for MONTHS. Sorry about that. Better late than never though right? I’m jumping on the ’20 books to read in 2020′ bandwagon. I’m going to keep this short because I do have a sort of second instalment to this post planned with 2019 releases. Keep ya eyes peeled. And then I also had some new year’s reading resolutions so I thought I’d just combine those two posts into one. So it might be a whole mess. Have fun? TOP 20 BOOKS TO READ IN 2020 So instead of listing off why I want to read 20 books, which I’ve come to realise is not a practical idea and will be boring, I’m just going to name some that I HAVE TO GET TO. Like when 2021 comes around, anybody and everybody has permission to punch me in the face if I still haven’t read them. And then just a smol list of some other titles *wink wink* ♥ the priority list!!   Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo: Caitlin and I are going to buddy read the series this year so…

  • Monthly Recaps

    MARCH RECAP // back home, getting my mojo back and to a better April

    Hello, there my friends, how are we all holding up? Boy is the entire freaking world glad that MARCH IS OVER!! Thank the high heavens. Anyways, I’m attempting to get my recap up early so that I can share my APRIL TBR on time. But without further ado, let’s get into it. One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus {★★★★½}: it is a true sadness that I only read ONE book last month, and that it only took me half a day to do so. But it’s fine. I really loved this book, which is a huge shock and also a pleasant surprise. But yeah, I had SO MUCH fun with it and thought that it was really well done. I was super invested in the mystery and really liked the main characters. I thought the plot was well done and the writing was easy to read. It was a tad slow at the beginning but otherwise, there aren’t any complaints. I actually already a whole review of this one up if you’d like to check it out – click here. Thanks to Penguin Random House SA for sending a copy my way!!   My list here is quite…

  • Miscellaneous

    TOPPING THE TBR BOOK CLUB IS BACK // an announcement ft. our rebranding & my readathon tbr

    Hello there friends This is a slightly different post from me but I’m so super excited about this new project that I just wanted to scream about it over here. If you’ve been around for a while you’ll know I started a book club with a few of my local bookstagram friends. Like really, ages ago. But everyone kind of got busy so we decided to take a break. It was later just my friend, Melleny and I, and we tried to get it back and running like a year ago, we yet again got busy. But you know, with all this time at home due to this virus, we thought well what better time to get the restart the book club. And omg I am SO EXCITED ABOUT IT!! we rebranded Anyways, introducing to you TOPPING THE TBR – the book club dedicated to crossing books off your TBR. It’s a tough task I know. Anyways, this is the new logo profile photo that I FREAKING LOVE and am SO proud of, if I do say so myself. We just really wanted to put together a book club that is lowkey and easy and just have fun. ➳ Follow…

  • Monthly Recaps

    JANUARY & FEBRUARY RECAP // end of holidays, starting uni and some reading

    Yes hi hello. I AM BACK. Wow, people I know I said I would try to not just disappear off the face of the earth and, of course, I don’t keep my promises WHOOPS. I literally just realised it had been a mont Again WHOOPS. I’m so bad at warning people I know. Anyways, the university has been A LOT. Which is why I haven’t been active. Like anywhere. I occasionally post on Instagram. True emphasis on occasionally. So… yeah. We’ll get more into that later. Let’s just get into the small number of books I’ve read so far this year!   Aristotle & Dante Discover The Secrets of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz {★★★★½}: I think it’s now become my thing to start the year off with a gay book? We’re living a good life up in here. Anyways I just decided it was about time that I read this book and boy oh boy was it a delight. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a full five star but it was almost there. The characters man!! They’re just such smol beans who require hugs. Lots of hugs. They’re also chaotic drama queens who make no sense at all but it’s…

  • Book Reviews

    SERPENT & DOVE BY SHELBY MAHURIN // spoiler-free book review: a great enemies-to-lovers romance and witches

    Look I don’t know who I am anymore either. Like actually being on time with book reviews? Who dis? Can you tell that was past me a month ago who forgot I could post this book review?? Because yes. Anyways, hi hello there friends of the interwebs. I am terribly sorry for disappearing for a literal month. And I’m going to explain why in my recap (which is going to be both January and February in one oh well) which should be up in the next few days. But I wanted to post this so that I’m not a complete blogger failure. So feast your eyes on this messy review and sit tight until I can actually come up with a schedule and back to posting. We’ll all pray for a miracle. Also read look at me reading A POPULAR BOOK ON TIME?? Well alomost on time, and not like 3 years later. Truly I must be a new person. Anyways, let us just get into the review *squealing noises* Title: Serpent & Dove Series: Serpent & Dove book #1 Author: Shelby Mahurin Page count: 519 Date published: 3 September 2019 Genre: New adult historical fiction fantasy ✧ Synopsis: Two…

  • Book Reviews

    THE QUEEN OF NOTHING BY HOLLY BLACK // book talk: is the folk of the air series worth it? ft luscious writing and delicious romance

    Huh I really just did that to myself didn’t I?? I mean I can truly only blame myself. I… had heard a lot about this series. But they didn’t really seem like my thing? Then I had serious FOMO so decided what the heck let’s do it. I’d planned on reading The Cruel Prince right away but I heard that the cliffhanger at the end of book two was INTENSE. So I waited until this finale came out and binged them all. Which btw, is the BEST ONLY way to read series, as I have come to conclude. This is going to be a strange sort of review. I don’t have that many thoughts on the first two books, at least enough to do whole reviews. Or I’m just lazy and don’t feel like doing ones for them all. I mean probably that. So I’m not going to talk about either of them separately. I hope this post isn’t too confusing. As if every other of my blog posts aren’t confusing either HA. ** Preface: this post is going to contain spoilers of book three later on, but you shall be warned hehe ** Because this isn’t a book talk on…

  • Book Reviews

    TWEET CUTE BY EMMA LORD // blog tour book review: the best YA rom-com ft. snarky banter and baking

    I am so excited to talk about this book OH MY GOSH. Achievement reached: I actually read this before the release date!! Which is new for me because I’m such a mood reader and am always late. But yes ACCOMPLISHMENT. And as you read in the title, this book was just such an unexpected favourite. I was totally taken by surprise, having heard next to nothing about this book apart from a pitch on Instagram. And I knew I needed to read it. And boy did it not disappoint. But without any further ado, let us just get into how brilliant this book is. A huge thanks to St. Martins Press & Wednesday Books for inviting me to join this blog tour! Title: Tweet Cute Author: Emma Lord Page count: 368 Date published: 21 January 2020 Genre: Young Adult contemporary ♥ Synopsis: Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account. Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t…

  • Blog awards

    REAL NEAT BLOG AWARD // my first ever nomination ft. school subjects & happy books

    Hello there friends! So apparently I was nominated for a blog award?? And I didn’t know about it until recently so am I only now getting around it welp. A huge thanks to Daria @ Bookaholic’s Therapy for nominating me, so sorry it took so long. Anyways, I’m just going to answer all the question and hopefully not fail at these. THE RULES Display the Award Logo. Thank the blogger that nominated you and post a link to their blog. Answer the questions from the blog who nominated you. Nominate 7-10 bloggers. Ask them seven questions What is a book that made you happy? My immediate thought was to say Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston but in the spirit of trying not to be repetitive as I usually am, we’re going to go with Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks. I don’t think I’ve talked about this one too much so I decided it needed some spotlight time. This a graphic novel and also lowkey my all-time favourite one (of the ones I’ve read so far as I only started reading them last year). It was just such a delight. The art style is just…

  • Anticipated releases

    MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASES OF 2020 // hello new decade ft. pretty covers & queer books

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! This post could’ve gone up earlier if I had planned it properly. But I’ve been busy so only managed to get it up in 2020. Oh well. Next year is such a weird year for book releases oh my. There are only really a ton of debuts, which is cool. But I also don’t know what to expect of them. So this could either be the best or worst year for new books? And I can’t find ANY December releases to put on here. Welp. Go publishing?? Enough rambling though, let us just get on with it. JANUARY Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen (7 January 2020): this cover is just WOW. And I honestly can’t gather much from the synopsis apart from travelling and underground clubs?? Either way, it is very intriguing. And definitely one I’d like to read asap. One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus (7 January 2020): tbh I don’t have high hopes for this one. But I have at least fairly enjoyed this author’s previous books so I hope this one is good. But we’re always nervous when sequels come out to what is supposedly standalone?? We’ll see how this…

  • Discussions,  Lists,  Recommendations

    MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2019 // top 10 reads ft. some honourable mentions

    Hi hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE. Yes, I do leave this to the final day of the year because you never know. I’ve seen one too many read a favourite of the year after they do this post and I don’t plan on making that mistake. I sound way too stern than I should be considering the post whoops. Anyways, I only say that since I did, in fact, read a favourite in the final week of the year. See, good planning. Anyways, I know we all say this but literally where did the year go?? Honestly, I had it in my hands and it just slipped through my fingers. It’s 2020 tomorrow?? Like what??* I’m going to uni next year like WHAT. It’s all a lot. Trying to keep myself together as we enter a new decade. *If you’re wondering where my anticipated release list is, well it’s coming, I just like to live on the edge okay. That meaning I’m terribly late and didn’t do much planning. It’ll be posted in a few days  Anyways, without further ado let us just commence with the list. Let’s please pretend that I don’t talk about most of these all…