Reviews

i read 5 books in 2024 and i consider that a win

— 2024 Reading Wrap Up —
• what were your latest 5 stars reads?

i consider it a win that i didn’t read any 1-star books but i also didn’t really have the usual time i had to read everything i wanted,, but any number of books read is enough in my book 😌

i have been getting hyped researching and updating myself with new adult sff releases though… and the number of books that sound amazing?!?

my favorite animal is me after coming back from a reading break and finding out about all the new releases, new faves, and previously anticipated books that have already been released…

p.s. as someone who was born in the year of the snake, happy year of the snake 🐍

Books mentioned:
• The Secret History - 4.5
• Middlegame - 4.5
• Tress of the Emerald Sea - 3.5
• Mrs Death Misses Death - 2.5
• After I Do - 4.0

#thesecrethistory #middlegame #tressoftheemeraldsea #afterido #mrsdeathmissesdeath #speculativefiction #brandonsanderson

filed under: books i think about often — animal farm #bookreview

• justice for boxer !!!!
• will probably continue to be a timely novel for decades to come and history in general
• i didn’t expect the commentary on how easily history is edited by those who are left
• the irony of it all 🐷🐖
• the fact that even though the “citizens” had there own faults, i can’t even truly blame them

pigs are ruined for me

5/5 ✨

special mention for @fangirlishwandering ; who inspired the % categories

— kafka & prague
what’s an unexpected bucket list worthy moment to you?

i ended up with a Prague-original copy of Metamorphosis, the country where Kafka lived… from the bookstore that was originally Kafka’s house… where he wrote the book

funny story, i was on an adventure on my own in prague and somehow ended up in Kafka’s old house (that was turned into a bookstore and now sells Kafka’s novels)

the door was this small thing and although i was looking forward to finding a kafka book in prague, it was nowhere near what my intention was at that moment — because i was honestly just looking for a viewing deck to see scenery of the city / water behind the wall 😭 but i think i lucked out and got a better deal :>

the storekeep greeted me when i entered and only when she started talking did i realize where i really was haha

our conversation is history but tldr, i walked out with a new friend and a new book that has to be one of my most cherished pieces in my collection — unexpected book finds tend to do that to you

p.s. prague is beautiful

proof of life with new books from shakespear & co. + kafka house (yes, i am very happy)

a paris and prague haul

— take it slow friends

@shakespeareandcoparis

Libraries I Visited and Money Saved

⇢ what’s your favorite library you’ve been to or want to visit one day?

I visited the Saskatoon Public Library and Calgary Central Library last summer (pictures & vid at the end). Central Library has to be one of my favorite libraries for it’s architecture and practicality. There were even performances when I visited and the sound just echoed beautifully.

I often get asked how I listen to audiobooks as an intl. reader and it’s actually through the Libby app which I have a library card connected to the Saskatoon Public Library.

I am currently living in the Philippines and I’m aware that it is a privilege to have access to a library as stocked as it is. You do need a library card when accessing Libby but if you do have the option, it’s my favorite way to listen and borrow audiobooks. (I can make a list of alternatives I use in a different post)

Computing the stats I got from my own reading habits, nearly 50% of the books I borrowed weren’t available locally and among those that were, more than 60% were more expensive.

Unfortunately, this is the sad reality for international readers. Books are relatively rare and expensive, especially the SFF books that I tend to reach for.

I like being aware of my own habits so it’s interesting to see how different titles are treated internationally compared to their publishing country centers.

Don’t get me wrong, there are local PH publishers but they focus on more academic titles, non-fiction, folklore, and Rizal books etc. (which is where I got my books when I was in college). In short, the fiction market is different —

#chaoticacademia #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreviewer #bibliophile #bookish #bipocbookstagram #bookworm #literature #bookrecommendations #librarybooks #booksofinstagram #jadelegacy #fondalee #fantasybooks #fantasybookstagram

— the secret history — #bookreview

this book put me back in the mood for craving fantasy. this isn’t even fantasy.

You definitely have to understand that this book has a satire undertone to appreciate it. I wouldn’t read this for it’s mystery specifically but more so for the writing, atmosphere and feeling of getting buried into a narrative with characters you aren’t expecting to love. I see why this is a polarizing read for many.

That isn’t to say that I didn’t find the mystery shocking bc I had to close my book and process.

The characters are meant to be unlikable, it’s meant to feel pretentious, it’s non-linear on purpose, and Richard is meant to feel bland. All of these pull the point of the whole book together and drive the themes throughout the whole story. And it was satisfying.

After reading someone say that Bunny by Mona Awad is a homage to TSH, the parellels clicked and I gained more appreciation for Bunny (both the character and the book).

Even though there are areas of the plot that irked me, I have to admit that this is one of those mystery books that I could actually feel sinking into me. I wasn’t just reading scene after scene happening but was actually feeling how everything played out.

The irony, pretentious ignorance, arrogance, and superiority complexes became the foundational pillars for the ironic problems in this story…

And how it doomed them all.

Addicting read. The reason this wasn’t 5 stars was more for my opinion of how the plot turns out than the actual writing. Personally, I think Donna Tart is good at setting the atmosphere of a book while injecting ironic pretentiousness.

I read it for the vibes and was pleasantly surprised. A good start to 2024, I believe.

— (4.0 stars) —

Thank you travelynpages probably would not have TSH around without you 🥹🩵

#thesecrethistory #donnatartt #darkacademia #chaoticacademia #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreviewer #bibliophile #bookish #bipocbookstagram #bookworm #literature #literaryfictionbooks #bookrecommendations

⇢ q: are you planning to reread anything this year?

8 books that are motivating me to read this 2024:

• The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu
• The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
• Ninth Rain by Jen Williams
• Babel by RF Kuang
• Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
• After Dark by Haruki Murakami
• Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
• Chain of Thorns by CC

Special Mention:
• all of my Brandon Sanderson and Fonda Lee backlogs

Sanderson’s secret projects have me intrigued —!

given my mental workload for med school, I’ll be happy if I can even get through half these books. We’re just enjoying it for what it is this year

‘s 2022-2023 reading wrap up 📖

some years i read 90+ books and some i’m proud to get to 5. I’ve been enjoying exploring more genres the past two years and even though my wrap up only includes books i finished, i’m proud of myself for branching out 😌

Additionally, thank you to everyone who joined my 2023 challenge on Storygraph ❤️ 162 participants and 443 books added, yall are amazing!!

Top Books Mini Reviews:

⇢ Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee (rereads)
I ran out of words a long time ago. Fonda Lee owes me therapy. This series is pure masterpiece with all it’s family dynamics, politics, and high stakes. Epic urban fantasy like no other. I could talk for hours.

⇢ The Drowning Empire series by Andrea Stewart
Steampunk fantasy with a dash of body horror. The perfect blend of fantasy, mystery, and thrill. I need to finish the third book, yesterday.

⇢ The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
I will glady sell my soul to read this book for the first time all over again. One of the best, if not the best, standalone fantasy book I’ve read.

⇢ Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I did not expect it to be so approachable and thought-provoking. Definitely recommended if you want a digestible read to get into classics. I closed this book with a smile on my face.

⇢ On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vhong
Tears were shed!!! My heart grieved, broke, and was stitched back together. I was in their shoes. Everyone needs to read this book. Easily on my favorite books of all time.

⇢ A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
I still remember how this book goes and ends. It’s been nearly 2 years. It hits HARD hard.

⇢ Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
Easily the best Vo book I’ve read. I’m always a lil confused (in a good way) with these books but I welcome it. Always a magical realism rollercoaster.

⇢ The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
This was another reread. I love it. I will for a every long time. Always recommended if you want to get into adult epic fantasy and shfiting from ya fantasy.

MY 2024 GOAL:
enjoy what I read. 🤍🕯

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #fantasybooks #bookreviewer #bookstagramwrapped #bibliophile #bookishwrapup #bookish #bipocbookstagram #bookworm

⇢ ADULT SFF CHECKLIST
but its bipoc/queer/women authors only (part 3)

welcoming the new year with a new and fresh list. may the odds of time be ever in your favor —

I’ve been wanting to post a 3rd part for months but it was hard to curate 30 books, so I was waiting for more releases 🥹

It warms my heart, truly, that so many people enjoy these lists as much as I love making them. What a random afternoon when I found out my lists blew up on booktok HAHA It’s hard enough as it is looking for BIPOC Adult SFF, atleast the community has each other.

That said, these lists are meant for inspiration and awareness of our own reading habits. They aren’t meant to police anyone’s choice of books. 😊 Happy almost 2024!!!

🕯 What books are you looking forward to reading?

Med School has taken over my life because I have read a total of 6 books this whole year 🥹 but… we trudge on !

i read a quote recently that went:

“I refuse to mask my happiness over little things”

so whatever happiness looks like for you this holiday season, I hope you are able to enjoy it freely — at the same time, keeping in my thoughts and prayers those who are finding the past months or year a little (or a lot) harder than before ☁️

📖 I’m jumping reading between The Secret History and some other books (as usual). Craving for Ken Liu books…. I’m scavenging for more new BIPOC Adult SFF, send help ~

#bookstagram #bookstagramph #fantasybooks #bookish #bipocbookstagram #chaoticacademia #simonjimenez #thespearcutsthroughwater #jadecity

i treat book quotes how some people treat blurbs… and sometimes i just buy a book due to the sheer number of trusted recommendations that i get from my bookstagram friends

they have yet to let me down and The Spear Cuts Through Water doesn’t seem like it’s going to be the first casualty 🥹 i read “lola” in the first sentence and SHIVERS went down my spine in seeing a Filipino/Tagalog word in a mass published novel by a major publisher in Adult SFF. I waited for this day— and you best believe I RAN for a copy 🤍 i am shaking to begin.

Update:
I read more and this book is so filipino coded in the best ways possible.

P.S.
I got the last copy in my local bookstore’s branch~

#thespearcutsthroughwater #simonjimenez

it’s been a hot minute since i checked up here but i missed everyone 🤍 i just finished my thesis and all my requirements

and after the hectic past few months, this book just really called out to me 🥹

have have your reads been recently? lmk if you have new faves, i’m so outdated in the book community~

— “Sleep felt productive. Something was getting sorted out. I knew in my heart—this was, perhaps, the only thing my heart knew back then—that when I'd slept enough, I'd be okay.

not my usual content and this isn’t book related but i just wanted to share small snippets of my night yesterday 🥰 @saythename_17

i made myself too senti making this but everything about that night was worth it! @ho5hi_kwon i will horanghae with you however many times you like till forever

#seventeen #saythename17 #betsbulacan

books i loved this year as svt songs ~

it’s funny that whenever i post a diverse list of books or do something that promotes bipoc book curations there’s always someone who feels that white men are being “attacked” and “excluded”

why are people so pressed when BIPOCs and women share books written by BIPOCs and women? over ones written by white men?

obviously if you want to read sff books written by white men you can go look at other recommendation lists… literally 90% of adult sff rec lists have them

so here are more books i loved this year written by women and BIPOCs based on songs written by this asian group that i’m seeing tomorrow because i will never shut up 🤍

p.s.
you don’t need to be familiar with kpop to relate to this post because i think the lyrics cut up here already convey a lot about what aspects of the book i love, even metaphorically

.

this post was inspired by @vanillalattereads’ bts one <3

snippets of life and books recently ;

🕯 what things are you looking forward too?

current reads —> i’ve been going back to this quote ever since i read it and i just felt it needed a place on my feed. it’s from The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali, it’s both romantic and has political commentary,, very thought provoking and day dream provoking 🥹 the romance is so soft

life —> hoping everything works out and me and @cerizeseries meet at the svt concert on saturday 🫶🏼🤍 my mind is so distracted by the concert at this point i’m too excited 😭

storygraph challenge —> it’s so crazy to me that a lot have already joined the sff reading challenge! i wanna post an official announcement soon to share but hugs to the 30+ participants and 120+ books in the first day 🤍 it’s giving me a lot of motivation for 2023

the fact that middlegame is better at writing m/f character relationship development over time than most romance books and it isn’t even a romance book…

the characters aren’t even romantically involved because they’re twins

top tier i believe, i already know this is on my fave books of the year list

— what are your top faves of the year?

#middlegame #seananmcguire #everyheartadoorway #fantasybooks #bookstagram #bookstagramph #bookrecommendations #bookblogger #readergram #bookishpost #bookish

happy bts cb day btw 💜 (yea i brought my pcs to egypt)

#bookish #bookblogger #bookstagram #bookstagramph #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #bookrecommendations #bibliophile #bookworm #mybookishfeatures #neutralstyle #readersofig #booksbooksbooks #bookishfeed #explorepage #fantasybooks #readerscommunity #unitedbookstagram #bookstafeatures #mybookfeatures #myliteraryfeature #cozybooks #mybeigelife #bookishpost #bookishlove #favoritebooks #bts #parkjimin #borahae

frankenstein and egypt is such a summer reading vibe

my friend said: “You really do be reading a philosophical book about resurrection, creation, and monstrosity in the land that mummified its pharaohs and gave us the book of the dead - talk about timeliness”

⇢ what was the last place you visited?

classics era unlocked (ft. the female classics authors)

⇢ what are your favorite classics?

my drifting state of mind has me leaning towards books that have a timeless feel to them recently. I didn’t expect the nostalgic and friendship-oriented undertones Frankenstein has and the letter style beginning hooked me

it’s funny that i never realized it was set in switzerland either

i feel my mind has been drifting from bookstagram too lately and i know the world is in chaos again, my heart is with everyone who’s going through it right now 🤍 i hope you can still find comfort somewhere on the internet, *hug*

“peruse the stories of the untold heroism of ordinary people.”
- Gideon Lasco

i don’t find very many non fictions i’m interested in or end up loving bc it’s not usually what i reach out for when i read for entertainment

but every now and then i stumble upon (what i think are) hidden gems that comfort the parts of me that need comforting 🥺 i’m still reeling from what’s been happening here in the Philippines but my copy of ‘The Philippines Is Not A Small Country’ arrived today … and I accidentally ended up reading a third of the book in one sitting 😌

but it has really given me the hope and comfort I needed while opening my eyes to more than a few things. Even TSOK and Pet have been very timely reads bc of the social injustice themes that are hitting hard.

happy rest of the week and i hope all my fellow Filipinos are finding comfort in something right now! Definitely recommend reading this book if you need hope injected back into you for our country or need your eyes opened 🫂🤍 mahigpit na yakap friends!

#gideonlasco #thephilippinesisnotasmallcountry

lonely castle in the mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

⇢ what book/s made you feel emotional?

there are few books that i can claim i full-on sobbed while reading that I couldn’t see the pages anymore but this is one of them.

the story is built around these children that find that they can enter their mirrors and be transported to a place with a castle. However, of course, something like that can’t last forever.

this is the kind of portal magic that leaves a lot to be explained and focuses a lot more on the characters themselves. It is in that style that is a little straight to the point and sometimes sentences felt off but I feel that has to do more with the translation since this was originally written in Japanese. I did love the writing aside from the pacing but the style made it feel more raw and real, that you can’t help but see either parts of you or people around you in them. That’s how it was for me at least.

i do have reservations about some plot points and how it all ties together but the character developments were on point 😭 I buddy read this with Kacie @tangledintales and we both agree that, no matter how slow u initially find it, u get to a certain point and just cannot help but marathon it to the end.

the story so successfully highlights the unique friendship built over friends you create when you are “young” and are just starting to figure out your place in the world. As the characters are mostly middle school aged, it explores how these friendships can be seemingly complicated to navigate at times.

The unlikely friends and memories you make when you’re “forced” to spend a certain amount of time with people in school (or some place else 👀) also hit me in the middle of my very soft heart.

i found out that the author wrote this book bc of the lack of mental health rep/discussion in Japan and so mental health is very prominent!! 🤍

Perfect for those who love magical realism animes like Your Name. It was nostalgic to me and the longer I’ve spent away from this book, the more my appreciation grows. I feel that’s one of the best things about finding a good book that resonates with you on a level u didn’t know u had.

4.0

bookish questions

thank you to @domis.reading @readsbyiz @paperbackboy @skimmingspines @eurydicereads for tagging me !! i love these questions. tagged some people who i think haven’t done this yet, as usual no pressure 🤍

🕯 genre you stay away from: maybe self help books?? otherwise i actually think i read everything as long as i find it interesting

🕯 worst habit as a reader: reading multiple books probably 😂 i sometimes have 7 books i’m in the middle of lmao. And finishing books i don’t like out of spite 🤣🤣 but i am also a firm believer in the DNF!! Life is too short to read books you don’t love amiright

🕯 do you read the synopsis: mostly yes but i rely more on what other readers say about a book rather than reading the full synopsis bc i have encountered too many books wherein the synopsis of a book would spoil the entire ending 🥲

🕯 do you read used books: yessss!! i wish we had more accessible thrift shops here in the PH though

🕯 favorite read from last year: JADE WAR and JADE CITY

🕯 favorite classic: (english classic, so far) the book thief / jekyll and hyde— but i really need to read more and find a classic that i am absolutely head over heels for

🕯 book you always recommend: i feel like this is obvious but in case you are somehow not aware— GREEN BONE SAGA BY FONDA LEE

🕯 current read: starless sea, oathbringer, elatsoe, jade legacy (reread), and jade fire gold

🕯 book you didn’t like: i’m sorry to everyone who loves these— A Little Life, The Song of Achilles, The Night Circus, Arsenic and Adobo, and Aurora Rising

🕯 books you are looking forward to: The Sword of Kaigen (my next read, i promise!!), The Picture of Dorian Grey, Pachinko, Wuthering Heights, Rage of Dragons, also everything sanderson and fonda lee always

i’m watching the Miting de Avance 🇵🇭🌷as i post this and i’ve lost count of how many times i’ve been emotional bc Hope for us, fellow Filipinos, feels so close
(2022 Philippine Elections is only about 2 days away)

It came and it went. I already want to reread it.

⇢ what book brought you peace?

The Jade Setter of Janloon lowkey gave me the closure I needed and even though this isn’t a word I would usually use to describe GBS— it made me feel: peaceful.

I told myself I was going to take my time reading this but it just wasn’t happening yall 😭

As a Green Bone Saga supremacist, ofcourse I loved it. We follow the high ranking members for the most part in GBS that it was more than lovely to actually see the world of Kekon from the relatively more ordinary citizens of the clans <3

I definitely recommend reading this post-Jade Legacy though, so that you can find inner peace again haha. Best reading order for maximum healing.

We take for granted such mundane things and with the whirlwind drama of the Kauls… this was a poetically simple but heart warming reminder even though we, as the readers, revolved around them— the world of Kekon/Janloon does not.

My heart is very full 🥹 I NEED MORE.

— [my GBS thoughts; part 2 of many] (spoiler-free)

psa: the magic system in Green Bone Saga is actually very simple if you think about it but…

@booksforcee @paperbackboy said it well: what makes Green Bone Saga so intricate is how this very simple magic system is complexly integrated throughout the entire political, societal, and commercial systems while still integrating it’s historical background and how separate cultures interact.

I felt it when Alice said that a lot of the other magic systems in fantasy feels like it’s stuck on top of the Earth 😂🤍 and as @eurydicereads @readwithakth said: who said Fantasy is only limited to dragons and elemental sword fights?

I am so over the colonizer mentality that the only good fantasy stories are those that have morally righteous characters that can do no wrong. That the only good stories are those with clear heroes and the only epics are medieval…✨

I say, Let characters make mistakes !
Let characters be human !
Let characters be real people !
Let fantasy be nuanced !

Let authors tell fantasy stories that aren’t only through Western and European eyes !

There are so many ways to tell a story that if we limit Fantasy to the Sandersons of the world, it feels like we’re just fitting into the stereotype that all “Fantasy” is the same.

(I love Sanderson tho don’t fite me i’m fragile)

— [my GBS thoughts; part 1 of many]

the “fantasy” in Green Bone Saga discussion (spoiler-free)

i reread pages of Jade Legacy whenever i need to feel alive and as more people get into the Green Bone Saga I wanted to discuss how the “Fantasy” aspect of it really is…

i think some people tend to forget that this is an Urban Fantasy so if you are looking for Medieval sword fights every other page with magic spirits flying around… i am here to tell you that you’re not getting any of that here. But is that really so bad???

One of the main themes in Green Bone Saga itself is how Jade (the fantastical stones that make up the magic system) shouldn’t be the center of a person’s life and that the ability to use it should not be the deciding factor of someone’s competence or strength.

The magic system in GBS is on the back burner most of the time in that it isn’t used how you normally expect it to be in traditional Epic Fantasy because it focuses more on how Jade affects the world’s geopolitics. Jade is inherently used both as a source of conflict and as a driving force for the plot without it feeling other-worldly. That is not to say that there are no Jade-enhanced fights and that you don’t get to see it being used all the time anyway. Though maybe it might not seem so because it is a very normalized part of all the characters’ everyday life. Which honestly, the fact that Fonda Lee was able to create an Urban Fantasy society that doesn’t feel removed from ours while still being able to create a mind-scape that feels entirely it’s own… is nothing short of breathtaking to me.

In a fantastical world where Jade is equated to power and how we spend most of the story with characters embodying how we, as a society, shouldn’t attach such notions (power and competence) to pre-decided abilities and materialistic objects… it’s funny how some people’s interpretation of this is that there needs to be more Jade battles or that it isn’t Fantasy enough 😭😭

That’s enough for now, i’ll save more GBS talks for another time~ I have too much to say.

— ASIAN READATHON CHECKLIST

early happy Asian Readathon month !! 🤍✨

*i separated the books i want to read into each of the prompts based on my loose interpretation of them ✨ as a mood reader, i probably won’t end up finishing them all tho. me putting Jade Legacy twice was not an accident :)

I wanted to point out that even though this is technically a month-long readathon through May and it’s a great way to promote Asian-authored books… there are also 11 other months in the year for you to read these books!

Again, this is not at all an exhaustive list because it only reflects the books that I personally am most interested in reading immediately and I do highly recommend checking out the Storygraph Directory for more books from authors around Asia!

As a lot of people here pointed out previously, most of us already read/prioritize Asian-authored novels the whole year round so this is almost like any other month but I do want to take this as an excuse to give more people a reason to pick up and discover more Asian-authored novels themselves, especially the ones that they have been putting off for one reason or the other.

“Diverse reading means adjusting your perspective of what good literature means.”

^I shall keep repeating that quote until everyone understands

⇢ What’s an Asian-authored book that you love that you feel is underhyped?

#booklist

— ASIAN READATHON

As a mood reader, I don’t make monthly TBRs but @readwithcindy is once again hosting my favorite readathon every year: the Asian Readathon. So this is my priority-TBR of Asian-authored books that I will be choosing from in May (…but also for the rest of the year)

The publishing industry, especially Fantasy, is geared towards promoting Western-centric stories all the time so I love these events that focus primarily on Asians and our different ethnicities. In a lot of modern literature nowadays, I personally find myself falling in love more with the deep-set character work and mental health/society-conscious themes that Asian-authored Literature/Fantasy weaves into their respective stories. May it be about a family and their geopolitical wars or children who can go through shiny mirrors…

This is not at all an extensive list and just reflects what I think my mood will be for the next few weeks but it might help some of those who are looking for where to start with Asian Fantasy/Lit. Ofcourse, I highly recommend looking into the Storygraph Directories for more books that might be better suited for you:

•Lonely Castle in the Mirror (currently reading with @tangledintales)
•The Jade Setter of Janloon
•Pachinko
•The Sword of Kaigen
•The City Inside
•Kaikeyi
•The Cartographers
•Norwegian Wood
•Untold Night and Day
•The Memory Police
•The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
•Our Violent Ends
•The Atlas Six
•Jade Fire Gold
•Portrait of a Thief
•Beasts of a Little Land
•Klara and the Sun
•Human Acts
•Time is a Mother

⇢ Will you be participating in Asian Readathon? Do we have any similar books that you also want to get to soon?

#pachinko #theswordofkaigen

🍃 : what was your latest 4 or 5-star read?

[ if you liked this book… try this! ]

this is proof that i have recs other than Green Bone Saga LMAO. these books have either similar tones, themes, or plot points and i love all of them:

Evelyn Hugo & Siren Queen
— themes/commentary on media culture and centered around a starlet. (similar queer rep 👀 iykyk)

Mistborn & The Bone Shard Daughter
— starter epic fantasy, set in a kingdom that is falling apart, unforgettable twists

The Little Prince & Everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too
— illustrated books that are actually deep, whimsical, comforting, and thought-provoking

The Poppy War & She Who Became the Sun
— historical asian fantasy with morally questionable MCs that make crazy decisions

Good Omens & The Library of the Unwritten
— humorous devils, angels, and found family… chaotically deep if you think about it

The Shadow of the Wind & The Starless Sea
— mysterious books that are also about books and is whimsical

Circe & Ariadne
— women run the world greek mythology retellings

The Infernal Devices & Fair as a Star
— victorian romances with soft bois and less spice

The Diviners & Lovely War
— YA historical magical realism that highlights western racial disparity

🤍

#favoritebooks

“You don’t win alone. That’s just how it is.”

— haikyuu, green bone saga, and bts all in one just feels right to me

3 years since I first discovered haikyuu and it is only now that I am healed enough to start rewatching and rereading the whole thing without crying over every little foreshadowing. I was surprised that I started noticing and paying attention to different things this time around… I guess that’s further proof that we interpret stories depending on who we are at that given time.

It’s interesting that this series has no direct antagonists, just a bunch of protagonists of their own worlds clashing and fighting for what they want 🥺… but it makes for one of the most completely fulfilling stories I have come across in any kind of story telling media (Yes, more than Green Bone Saga if it’s about all the characters). I will stand by it for a long time.

To anime only ppl, I definitely still recommend the manga and finishing it bc the manga version of the second half of the series is legendary on a level only manga formats can achieve— ✨

sidenote: that meme of Jimin (end swipe ->) jumping like that looks like he could be a volleyball player in haikyuu and it is immensely funny to me 🍃😩

#anime #mangarecommendation

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@themoonwholistens

The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives, #1) by Brandon Sanderson | REVIEW

~ Althea ~

Dec 22, 20213 min read

The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives, #1) by Brandon Sanderson | REVIEW

If you’re intimidated by this book/series, don’t be. Seriously, don’t be. It’s a vast world but I assure you that Brando Sando has got...

41 views

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len | ARC REVIEW

~ Althea ~

Nov 14, 20215 min read

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len | ARC REVIEW

I FOUND IT. I think I found my favorite YA Fantasy of the whole year (slightly ironic since this is releasing Feb 2022 and I'm writing...

50 views

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman | ARC REVIEW

~ Althea ~

Apr 10, 20216 min read

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman | ARC REVIEW

ATTENTION! if you're interested in some afterlife, magical cyberpunk, Westworld meets Warcross goodness filled with rebel groups, high...

53 views

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan | ARC REVIEW

~ Althea ~

Feb 27, 20214 min read

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan | ARC REVIEW

I will never get tired of all the Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy books releasing this year. ABOUT THE BOOK Title: She Who Became the...

108 views

We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

~ Althea ~

Jan 23, 20214 min read

We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

Happy end of the week! It felt like it went by so fast but at the same time, I didn't really feel it? Not like that's necessarily a bad...

31 views

One of the Good Ones | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

~ Althea ~

Jan 9, 20214 min read

One of the Good Ones | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

It is time for one of my favorite seasons: Inkyard Press' Seasonal Blog Tours 😂 Today is my stop and I am hyped to be bringing to you...

130 views

ARC Review | Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote

~ Althea ~

Nov 24, 20203 min read

ARC Review | Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote

I'm trying out a new format for my images headers! How do you guys like it? A lot has happened in the Philippines recently but thank you...

35 views

~ Althea ~

Nov 9, 20204 min read

In Tune by Yeyet Soriano | REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

It's my stop today and I am so honored to be blasting off this week-long book tour for In Tune by Yeyet Soriano !! All of the tour hosts...

52 views

~ Althea ~

Sep 10, 20202 min read

ARC REVIEW | Toro by Andrew Avner

”To be truly nobel and brave is to have the courage to follow your dreams and your heart.” FORMAT READ: Audiobook SIMILAR VIBES: Coco...

22 views

Review | A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson | a small town murder mystery

~ Althea ~

Aug 27, 20203 min read

Review | A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson | a small town murder mystery

“But sometimes remembering isn’t for yourself, sometimes you do it just to make someone else smile. Those lies were allowed.” FORMAT...

179 views

Review | Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire | after narnia?

~ Althea ~

Aug 27, 20202 min read

Review | Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire | after narnia?

”You shouldn’t close doors just because you don’t like what’s on the other side.” FORMAT READ: Audiobook GENRE: Magical Realism, Young...

14 views

Review | The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3) by Neal Shusterman | thought proving dystopia

~ Althea ~

Aug 26, 20204 min read

Review | The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3) by Neal Shusterman | thought proving dystopia

“We are imperfect beings," Munira said. "How could we ever fit in a perfect world?" FORMAT READ: eBook GENRE: Science Fiction (Dystopia),...

65 views

ARC Review | All of Us with Wings by Michelle Ruiz Kell

~ Althea ~

Aug 25, 20202 min read

ARC Review | All of Us with Wings by Michelle Ruiz Kell

"You're family now. Whether you live here or not, you're stuck with us." FORMAT READ: eBook SIMILAR VIBES: The Sun is Also a Star...

13 views

Review | Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody | it's diverse

~ Althea ~

Aug 20, 20202 min read

Review | Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody | it's diverse

“Sometimes we're not who we want to be because we're supposed to be something else.” SIMILAR VIBES: This Savage Song, Daughter of a...

18 views

ARC Review | The Switch by Beth O'Leary | wholesome and endearing contemporary

~ Althea ~

Aug 19, 20203 min read

ARC Review | The Switch by Beth O'Leary | wholesome and endearing contemporary

“Never been one for worse-case scenarios... when they happen, you cope. And usually it’s the ones you never think of that get you so......

12 views

BOOK REVIEW: Vengeful (Villains, #2) by V.E. Schwab

~ Althea ~

Aug 11, 20203 min read

BOOK REVIEW: Vengeful (Villains, #2) by V.E. Schwab

“Maybe we are broken. But we put ourselves back together. We survived. That’s what makes us so powerful. And as for family—well, blood is...

20 views

BOOK REVIEW: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

~ Althea ~

Aug 11, 20203 min read

BOOK REVIEW: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

"You and everyone you know are going to be dead soon. And in the short amount of time between here and there, you have a limited amount...

20 views

ARC REVIEW | Night Bloomers: 12 Principles for Thriving in Adversity by Michelle Pearce

~ Althea ~

Aug 10, 20202 min read

ARC REVIEW | Night Bloomers: 12 Principles for Thriving in Adversity by Michelle Pearce

“The best decision I ever made was to bloom in the dark.” GENRE: Self-Help, Psychology PUBLISHER: Ixia Press PUBLISHING DATE: September...

9 views

Review | 806 by Cynthia Well | travelling vibes

~ Althea ~

Aug 10, 20202 min read

Review | 806 by Cynthia Well | travelling vibes

"Now don't you go falling in love"

17 views

Review | The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2) by Mackenzi Lee

~ Althea ~

Aug 8, 20202 min read

Review | The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2) by Mackenzi Lee

“I’m learning there is no one way for life to be lived, no one way to be strong or brave or kind or good. Rather there are many people...

16 views

"we are all pieces of what we remember"

- City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Let's connect on Instagram

The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives, #1) by Brandon Sanderson | REVIEW

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len | ARC REVIEW

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman | ARC REVIEW

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan | ARC REVIEW

We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

One of the Good Ones | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

ARC Review | Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote

In Tune by Yeyet Soriano | REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

ARC REVIEW | Toro by Andrew Avner

Review | A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson | a small town murder mystery

Review | Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire | after narnia?

Review | The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3) by Neal Shusterman | thought proving dystopia

ARC Review | All of Us with Wings by Michelle Ruiz Kell

Review | Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody | it's diverse

ARC Review | The Switch by Beth O'Leary | wholesome and endearing contemporary

BOOK REVIEW: Vengeful (Villains, #2) by V.E. Schwab

BOOK REVIEW: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

ARC REVIEW | Night Bloomers: 12 Principles for Thriving in Adversity by Michelle Pearce

Review | 806 by Cynthia Well | travelling vibes

Review | The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2) by Mackenzi Lee

SUBSCRIBE TO MY MAILING LIST

"we are all pieces of what we remember"

- City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

​

Let's connect on Instagram

The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives, #1) by Brandon Sanderson | REVIEW

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len | ARC REVIEW

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman | ARC REVIEW

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan | ARC REVIEW

We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

One of the Good Ones | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT

ARC Review | Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote

In Tune by Yeyet Soriano | REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

ARC REVIEW | Toro by Andrew Avner

Review | A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson | a small town murder mystery

Review | Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire | after narnia?

Review | The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3) by Neal Shusterman | thought proving dystopia

ARC Review | All of Us with Wings by Michelle Ruiz Kell

Review | Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody | it's diverse

ARC Review | The Switch by Beth O'Leary | wholesome and endearing contemporary

BOOK REVIEW: Vengeful (Villains, #2) by V.E. Schwab

BOOK REVIEW: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

ARC REVIEW | Night Bloomers: 12 Principles for Thriving in Adversity by Michelle Pearce

Review | 806 by Cynthia Well | travelling vibes

Review | The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings, #2) by Mackenzi Lee

SUBSCRIBE TO MY MAILING LIST