Reading all the sapphic romances // February TBR

You can tell I’m motivated and invigorated to read because, as I’m planning out these books, it’s early January. I’m just wanting to read everything all at once which, of course, is impossible to do, so planning my TBRs ahead of time is helping me fulfill this need.

Despite Valentine’s being only 1 day out of 28, in my brain February is the month of reading as many romance books as possible and that’s exactly what I’m going to do!! There are 10 books on this TBR and 2 less days to read them than normal (something I always forget about) so we’ll see how this goes.

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My main focus this month is going to be sapphic YA romances, specifically the ones released in 2022 that I was dying to read, but just never got around to:

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales – There are three reasons I want to read this book 1) it’s a Sophie Gonzeles book and she hasn’t let me down yet, 2) it’s a reality-dating show were two girls fall in love with each other instead of their shared exboyfriend, and 3) the Taylor Swift title reference.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston – I’ve been curious about McQuistons YA debut since before this was even out and yet I’ve still not read it. That’s gonna change this month. Despite the plot giving me Paper Town vibes, a book I hated, I am keeping my fingers crossed that I’m going to love this one.

She Get’s the Girl by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick – This cover is so beautiful that whenever I think about this book, the only thing my mind thinks of is the cover and not the plot. I actually can’t remember what the plot is in the slightest, I just know it’s F/F, written by a married couple, and I’ve been desperate to read it for months.

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While those are my top 3 books I hope to read, they’re not the only sapphic romances on this TBR as I also really want to read …

For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding – It’s happened a few times now but I never cease to get excited and giddy when a publisher reaches out and offers me a copy of a book, as was the case here. This book is set in Hollywood which I’m always on board for, especially since it follows a scriptwriter (I’m doing a whole class on scriptwriting this semester!) and a movie star!

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlan – AGHH I’m so happy to have this book and I will force myself to read this, even if it involves staying up all night. I only know as much about this book as the cover is telling me – cheerleader and a jock – but if this disappoints me I do think I’ll cry.

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I had a really great month! // January Wrap Up

I’m writing this in advance because I am starting my year being organised so this is probably old news by now but GUYS!!! I went to The 1975 concert in Newcastle last night and Lewis Capaldi came out, tricked us into thinking he was Harry Styles, and sang Love Story by Taylor Swift. What the actualy fuck!!

I went to this concert because my friend really wanted to go and I’m always down for a concert, even if I don’t know many of their songs. Screaming “Don’t fuck it, you muppet”, watching Matt Healy be … well, Matt Healy, and getting to be there for Lewis Capaldi guest starring was well worth it though.

This wasn’t the only thing that made my January so good though. I’ve also managed to read — books spanning out of my comfort genres, new releases, 2022 books I wanted to read, and getting off to a good start with my 12-for-12 reading challenge!

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These books were disappointing :(

Hello :))

I am annoyed. Last year my boss offered me my job back after summer even after I said I’d be studying abroad and wouldn’t be back until the New Year, they just told me to get in contact with them, which I did. I emailed, they didn’t reply, so a couple weeks later I re-sent my application when I say they were hiring.

Listen, I don’t think things should just be handed to me, but I think I can be forgiven for assuming I’d get my job back after they literally said “hey we’d love to have you back next year”. But nope!! I got an email today from the same woman that said this to my face stating that they wouldn’t be going forward with my application.

I’m not mad about not getting the job. I’m mad that they offered me the job back only to backtrack on that and ghosted me when I got in contact with them like they told me to.

As you may be able to guess, I’m feeling frustrated at the minute so it seems to me that it’s the perfect time to talk about the books that disappointed me in 2022.

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A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

My problems with this book is that it’s a book of two very different halves. I went into this book thinking it was going to be a YA Dark Academia with a hint of paranormal as an acclaimed teen author enrolls at a boarding school with an infamous history of witchcraft. The first half definitely leant into my expectations of it being a paranormal novel, but there was a very abrupt shift to a more murder mystery vibe for the second half.

I really wish this book would have picked a lane and stayed in it (prefferably the witchy sort of lane because I’m always going to enjoy that more). Besides that though, I finished the book with question marks still floating around my head. I was super excited about this one and it let me down.

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12 for 12 – books I’m aiming to read this year

In a heartbreaking example of betrayal my dog just ditched me. He was curled up niceley next to me on my bed, living his best life, but nope. He’s gone to watch Transformers with my brother. Heartbreaking. Does he not know I only have two weeks left at home which means I only have a finite amount of snuggles!!

Sigh. It’s sad. What’s not sad is my 2023 overall TBR. Well, actually it is quite sad that I’ve not read these books but that’s why they’ve made it onot my 12 books challenege!

I know that this challenge is meant to be made up of 12 books recommended by 12 friends but I have 0 bookish friends. I really liked the idea of 12 books for 12 months though so I’m rolling with it and using it as a way to hold myseld accountable and read these damn books!!

tried really hard to colour co-ordinate and also carefully place these covers. it did not work exactly as planned.

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Hoping for a strong start // January TBR

Hello and welcome to my first TBR of the year.

Will 2023 be the year I actually commit 100% to these monthly TBRs? No. Probably not, but I’m gonna keep at it. They’re always books I’m really in the mood for at the start of the month but that does usually end up changing as the weeks go by. I still like having my TBRs as kind of a guide for each month.

Janauary I’m hoping to get off to a strong start so I’ve got 3 current reads I’m really hoping to finish soon, and then 4 other books that are top priorities.

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Currently Reading:

My favourite books of 2022!!

Happy New Year everybody!!!

On one hand I’m terrified at how quickly time is flying, but on the other hand I’m really looking forward to everything coming up this year – concerts, finishing second year of uni, applying for an internship, paris (fingers crossed). I’m also looking forward to the 2023 reading year.

Before I get too excited and ahead of myself though, I have to talk about my favourite books of 2022!

I read a lot of books this passed year and while I could have had a couple honourable mentions, the best of the best were not hard to pick out.

I’m just going to be going in order of when I’ve read these. I do not have the mental capacity or energy to actually put them in numerical order :))

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My 2022 in Books // Happy New Year!!!

With just one day of 2022 we have officially made it to the end of the year!! As I’ve felt the need to say since 2020: well done everybody. Give yourself a pat on the back.

Looking back at 2022, I have to say that I’ve had one of the best years of my life: finishing my first year of uni, Conan Grey concert, my best uni friend staying with me in Spain for 10 days, studying abroad in the United States and all the amazing things I got to do there.

It was also a really great reading year for me as I managed to read 116 books! That is crazy to me considering how busy I’ve been. I did start the year tracking my reading on Storygraph so I’d have so many stats come this end of the year but … I forgot all about that because I’m terrible.

As always though, today I’m going to be taking a look back at my reading year 🙂

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Mariah Carey is back on ice// December Wrap Up

Hi hello.

I’m getting straight to the point with things today because the last time I took my time writing a blogpost my computer froze and, despite saving every now and then, I lost the entire thing. I was fuming and cannot handle a repeat of that.

There’s four more days left in the year but I’m drawing a line under things. If by some miracle I squeeze in another book I’m going to include it towards my 2023 reading goal. I’m doing this because in December I read exclusively Christmas books!!

With me being in the States for the majority of December, I really wanted to get myself in the mood for Christmas by reading festive books. Sadly that didn’t happen. I just did not manage to get in the holiday spirit. I’ll try harder next year. Despite that though, I did have a lot of fun with the hoilday books I read!

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My True Love Gave to Me Anthology edited by Stephanie Perking

End of December/early January this anthology was on sale on Kindle so I was very prepared when it came to my Christmas TBR. I was actually looking forward to picking this one up for weeks before it was conventionally acceptable to do so.

I class an anthology as a win when I enjoy about half of the stories. Anthologies are usually composed of such a mixed bag that I like to give them this bit of lee way compared to other books. I’m happy to report that I enjoyed 3/4 of the stories in this book. It got off to a really great start with Rainbow Rowells opening stories, there was a cute one set at a Christmas tree nursery. Besides from one or two that I didn’t really connect with, I had a really great time with every single one of these.

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Best books I read this Autumn!

Finals. Are. Over!!!!!!!! This morning I submitted my final paper and am officially free from all universtiy induced stress until February. Two months of living la vida loca.

Because I’m riding this high, it only makes sense to continue on the celebration by talking about the best books I’ve read over the last three months. I’ve read 27 books between September and November. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read recently but here are my best of the best

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The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

I had been saving this book specifically for Halloween after receiving an ARC last year but not getting to it in time. Not only was I thrilled that I followed through for once and actually picked this up for the spooky season, I was even happier that I loved this book.

What I’ve Been Watching … #10

Hello people of the internet.

I am officially down to the last week in the United States of America and I have a lot to do: 2 and a half more final projects to get done, a suitcase to buy and pack, an annoying amount of documents to fill out just to leave the campus and country.

I’ve actually been working on part of my final all afternoon and I need a break so I’m here today to talk about what I’ve been watching recently 🙂

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Interview With the Vampire – Season 1

When I saw this trending online I jumped on the bandwagon. If memory serves, I started watching not long after episode 3 or 4, and then watched weekly from that point on which was fun. With short series like this I like watching weekly and getting to read everyone’s takes and theories on the episodes.

This was a really interesting series, so much more than just vampires – it’s got toxic relationships, lots of subtext. Louis and Letsat are deeply in need of psychological help but they made for some very entertaining TV. My favourite part was when Lestats bursts onto the train and is wearing the conductors hat and using the guys head like a puppet. A psychopath with a sense of humour. I would also like to make it known that I would lay down my life for Claudia.

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Ghosts (every season except the last cause I don’t want it to end!)

Why have I not watched this series sooner? I absolutely loved Horrible Histories and Sorry I’ve Got No Head as a kid and if you didn’t get to experience the joy of watching those on CBBC after school then I’m so sorry to you.