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MOST ANTICIPATED 2025 RELEASES // adding 80 books, 20 movies & 4 shows to my list and yours
IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL POST OF THE YEAR… almost. One of the most wonderful if we’re dealing with the nitty gritty details here *sighs* Anyway, love how I say every year that I’m limiting my list to books I only genuinely want to read. But when I looked at what was on last year’s post,,, yeah hah not sure how many I did read.. But I mean it this year. I pinky promise. Speaking of how I did this post last year, we’ll be chatting all things books and films, and I do think I’ve gathered QUITE the list this year. We’ll call it a comprehensive list, because I think I’ve picked what will be the best of the best. I know, smug much. But I’m only being honest folks. Lol with that, I think we should drive right in! books — JANUARY Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot by Alexis Hall (1 January 2025): have I started this series? No. But do I love this author and want to read all they write? The answer would be yes. A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young (7 January 2025): I’ll pose an almost similar question because have I read ANYTHING…
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DECEMBER 2023 RECAP // wrapping up the last reading month of the year ft all the romance, austen addiction, great films & job searching
Once more I am fashionably late but you all know the drill at this point. Let’s jump right in! — Betting On You by Lynn Painter {★★★★☆}: when she said When Harry Met Sally inspired YA rom-com, suddenly I appeared. Out of nowhere. Can’t explain it. But living my best life and she was cute as heck. Now I just need to catch up on Painter’s previous YA release so I can come out of shameville. Tysm to Simon & Schuster for the eARC via Netgalley. More thoughts in my GR review here <3<3<3 If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane {★★★★☆}: Finally got back into my McFarlane groove and she truly is a genius!!! And men suck hardcore. Whilst this one does not top Mad About You for me, I loved it nonetheless. I related so deeply to Laurie’s insecurities and adored her as a main character. I do think I wanted a bit more from the romance? Read more in GR review here xoxoxo Persepolis Volume 2 by Marjane Satrapi {★★★★★}: Finally finished this one after having to put it down for thesis writing. Ugh Satrapi is a GENIUS and I have so much appreciation for her.…
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THE BEST OF 2023: BOOKS, MOVIES & SHOWS // ranking my top reads and watches of last year in journal spreads ft. some honourable mentions
At least the wait was not long in between. You could at least be grateful for that. I’m kidding. Yes I am embarrassed it took this long. But I’m wrapping up 2023 with a BANG. One might say that I’ve been ~inspired~ or,,, creative? Who’s to say? Not me. But I saw some people on TikTok do these journal spreads for books and suddenly I had FOMO. But, of course, I’m not about to make spreads for all the books I’ve ever read (never going to do that btw) but I thought I’d start with my favourite reads of the year for funsies. Then suddenly LIGHTBULB! I am going to share them here. And I’ve written reviews for basically all of them so to switch it up, I’m sharing my favourites in pretty graphics aka journal spreads I created on my iPad. That was long-winded but I hope you understood. Before we get into the books, I do have movies and shows to share. Whilst I have not made spreads for each of them individually, I have made some rankings. Enjoy the ride *wink wink* BEST OF 2023: SHOWS Hope you were here yesterday for my 2023 recap, and in…
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JUST LIKE MAGIC BY SARAH HOGLE // spoiler-free book review: all you need for Christmas is this whacky, heartwarming & festive romance ft. a longing for the living holiday spirit!!!
Took me long enough to get to this one but I have gotten off my lazy ass and gosh am I in love. Let’s just get into the holiday yelling because there is a lot of it!!!!! Title: Just Like MagicAuthor: Sarah HoglePage count: 360Date published: 4 October 2022Genre: Adult magical realism romance 🎄 Synopsis: Bettie Hughes once knew the comfort of luxury . . . before she lost all her money. Long obsessed with her public image, Bettie boasts an extravagant lifestyle on social media but in reality, she’s broke and her family has no idea. Christmas, with all its pressure to meet familial expectations, is looming when Bettie plays a vinyl record of ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ backwards and accidentally conjures up Hall, the Holiday Spirit, in the form of a charming and handsome man. Once the shock wears off, Bettie knows she’s stumbled upon the greatest gift: a chance to make all her holiday wishes come true, plus a ready-made fiancé. But as some of Bettie’s wishes lose their charm, she finds herself thrown off-kilter by Hall’s sweet nature. Suddenly, grumpy Bettie finds her heart merry and light. But the happier she gets, the…
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TWICE SHY BY SARAH HOGLE // spoiler-free book review: a cinnamon roll of a contemporary romance that you absolutely need to warm your cold hearts <3
Read this literally a year ago and I have only just managed to get my hands on a physical copy and I need to yell at you all about this delightful book. Ugh, it’s so good and underrated and let’s just get into it!!!! Title: Twice ShyAuthor: Sarah HoglePage count: 302Date published: 6 April 2021Genre: Adult contemporary romance 🌳 Synopsis: Can you find real love when you’ve always got your head in the clouds? Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start. Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn’t the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who’s as grouchy as he is gorgeous—and it turns out he has very different vision for the property’s future. Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other…
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MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2022 // top 15 books of the year in an unorganised order
Ahhh it’s my favourite time of the belated year. Let’s ignore that minor detail and focus on the positives today folks. I’m only a week late so not too shameful. I,,, my list is stunning this year but I’ve also yelled about a lot of them already so you probably know what books I’ll be talking about. Also yes I am aware Chloe Gong is not on this list and there are two reasons for that: 1) I got busy this year and 2) my mental health is not prepared haha. Not even an exaggeration, that book will give me a heart attack. Prepare for all of her books to be on the 2023 list *wink wink* Oops, Taylor Jenkins Reid has also not made an appearance but can you guess? I’m behind. Yep. Related posts: Top Books of 2021 2022 Mid Year Freak Out Tag I’m doing it slightly differently this year because I’m indecisive with the usual honourable mentions list so I’m putting them all together and we’ll rank near the end. Idk just roll with it *hides* Shall we just get started? Indeed. TOP 15 BOOKS OF 2022: (in semi order) ♥ Every Summer After by Carley…
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MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2021 // a whopping bizarre top 8 ft. some honourable mentions
Life is currently a mess and I really wanted to get a lot more end of year posts out this month, but alas, 2021 will just have to close on the messy path it was already on. I have no idea what I’m writing but we’re rolling with it *nervous laughter* Apologies as I did have a fun idea for a Christmas recommendations list, but I just had no motivation to get it done. You’ll have to wait until next year folks. As usual, lowkey doing this post is stressful because I leave it till the very last day of the year JUST IN CASE a new favourite needs to squeeze on here. There hasn’t been one but it’s okay, at least I’m wrapping up all the books. Related posts: Top Books of 2020 2021 Mid Year Freak Out Tag Today I have 15 books in total to talk about, 7 are honourable mentions and 8 are the top favourites. I’m chuffed with this selection, though I’ll try and keep this post short and sweet so we can zoom through them. Very excited to talk about them, so let’s get into it! HONOURABLE MENTIONS: in no particular order (maybe least…
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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…
