Printed Words

Saturday, 1 November 2025

Monthly Wrap Up: Look Who's Made A Comeback in October!

Nothing like waiting until there's 2 months left in the year to make a comeback.

In the last 2-3 years, I definitely did think about this blog and how much I missed yapping digitally about all things books. However, I also didn't want to force myself into it and end up burning myself out again. I've come back with a renewed passion though, which I share about on one of my recent posts.

Can't wait to dive back into the book blogging community and re-connect with you all!

On The Blog

I Discuss:

Four Books That Helped Me Escape My Reading Slump

After almost 3 years of having zero motivation to read, these four books absolutely dragged me out of the worst reading slump of my life!

Reviews:

The Astonishing Colour of After by X.R Pan

Reading Wrap Up

Check out my full wrap up of these reads on @PrintedWordsAnd and keep an eye out for full reviews of these reads up on the blog soon!

How Was Your October?

Four Books That Helped Me Escape My Reading Slump

It has been an incredibly long time since I've felt like I've truly enjoyed reading again. Despite reading some books during the last few years, I would say that I was in a terrible reading slump as I could only get through 8-10 books a year. Those numbers aren’t bad, but I was more concerned about my lack of interest in reading and the significant time I spent doom scrolling. It was definitely a sad thing to realise and I did truly miss my passion for reading.

However, after almost 12-18 months of suffering through a massive reading slump, I was eventually rescued by the following books. They reignited my love for reading again and I could not be anymore grateful for it.

Black Sun (Between the Earth and Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse

I cannot begin to explain how much I love this book. It had been sitting on my shelf for almost 2 years, so I decided to give it a go and was pleasantly surprised by how I was immediately invested and could not put the book down. Roanhorse brought to life a beautifully, tragic tale, driven by memorable characters and vivid and compelling storytelling. It had definitely been a long time since finding myself drawn to every character and attached to each journey. I thoroughly loved every single moment of this read.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Everyone in the book blog community would know of this book by now. I remember 11 years this was heavily spoken about and I am so glad I gave this a go. It was such a magical book to read, I fell in love with the world building and the characters really came to life for me. If you haven’t yet, this is a must read!

Stolen Focus: Why Can’t You Pay Attention by Johann Hari

Honestly, I don’t even know why I decided to or even when I purchased this but turns out I made the right decision. Johann Hari explains that this isn’t a self help book, however, I found it to be helpful in drawing attention to why we, as a generation, struggle to remain focused, are constantly being distracted and essentially being manipulated into behaving in this manner. I’ve always wanted to explore more non-fiction and enjoy Hari’s writing style, as it’s engaging and thought-provoking.

Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn

This book is EVERYTHING. I strongly believe everyone would benefit in reading this at least once in their life. I know for sure I’ll be picking this up every once in awhile because it offers you so much perspective and understanding around love, relationships and identity at any stage in your life. Natasha Lunn put so much time and energy into this and I am so grateful she gave us the privilege to experience these interviews with her

Let me know what books have pulled you out of a bad reading slump?

Please keep an eye out for full reviews. I cannot wait to share my full thoughts with you all.

The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily X.R Pan

Title: The Astonishing Colour of After

Author: Emily X.R Pan

Publication Date: March 20th, 2018

Goodreads | Buy on Amazon

(Purchases made through this Amazon link may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!)

Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: when her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.

Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels ot Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that ont he same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.

Review

The Astonishing Colour of After is a sad book. It's a bittersweet read about a young girl who tries to come to terms with the loss of her mother, questioning every moment that leads up to her death and everything that she will now have to face. I say bittersweet because underneath the grief, the guilt and the pain is a sense of hope, of renewal and of love.

The story itself progressed in a rather surprising way. I went into this expecting it to explore themes of loss, death and how to cope - a contemporary that would portray importance in relationships, what happens when you break and how to heal. TACA does this, it does. What I didn't expect though was the inclusion of magical realisim. Perhaps because I wasn't prepared for this aspect, as I kept reading, I found myself finding it harder to continue to connect with the story and the characters. My main issue lies in that I wasn't sure if I was meant to believe that what was happening to Leigh was real or rather a coping mechanism, something that was concocted from her imagination as a way to understand and process her emotions. I don't think there's anything wrong with imagining elaborate situations to cope with grief - everyone grieves differently - just in regards to the reading experience, I found that because I was questioning the plot constantly, it was jarring and I couldn't fully immerse myself into the book.

Despite how I felt reading this, it didn't take away from how beautifully written TACA was. X.R Pan's writing is vivid, easy to envision and I'm sure could draw on the feelings of many readers. She was able to depict the beauty of Taiwan, from the culture to the food and the small town that Leigh visits. I also loved how Leigh connected with not just her mother's family but her roots. I do think that the reading experience will be different for everyone, so whilst it may not have been amazing for me, it could be for you.

A Song of Wraiths And Ruins Is One Of Its Kind

Title: A Song of Wraiths and Ruins

Series: A Song of Wraiths and Ruins #1

Author: Roseanne A. Brown

Publication Date: June 2nd 2020

Add to Goodreads | Buy from Amazon (Purchases made through this Amazon link may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!)

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.
But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.
When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

Review

Note: I wrote this review sometime last year, but never published it (don't ask me why).

A Song of Wraiths and Ruins was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I was really excited to dive into a world that included something I had never heard of in books - African Mythology. That was perhaps the most persuasive factor in my excitement for ASOWR release. In fact, it was actually my favourite aspect of the book. Not only did it lend a hand in making the plot much more intriguing, I also felt like I had gained something by learning about the different gods and cultural traditions of each tribe. It truly was an eye opener and one that I was respectfully in awe of.

I will also be honest and say that if it wasn't for this rather fascinating element, I may not have continued past the first 150 or so pages. Bear in mind that I did have rather high expectations for ASOWR. However, as much as Brown's writing was rich - I really enjoyed the world building, being able to envision the scenery and the characters appearance - I felt like the plot was slow, which resulted in a lack of engagement. For most of the first half, I didn't feel compelled to be concerned about what the characters did or which direction the plot went.

It wasn't until the plot was building towards the conflict (midway) and Karina and Malik began to interact with each other that I started to become invested. In fact, the moments between the two characters were my favourite. In particular, the dialogue they shared made the events and the emotions between them feel more real. I don't think I've ever enjoyed dialogue in a book as much as in ASOWR.

Once we got down to the last 200 pages of ASOWR, I was totally hooked. It was hard not to root for our protagonists as a pair and individually. The action had kicked in and the pacing had picked up, creating that exciting and gripping atmosphere I was after. There was also a particular moment between the two main characters that essentially changed my mind about the entirety of the book.

I cannot wait to see what happens to the both of them and again, much like how I felt about A Song of Wraiths and Ruins, I am eagerly awaiting its sequel!

REVIEW: The Island by C.L Taylor

Title: The Island
Author: C.L Taylor
Publication Date: 21st January 2021
Genre: YA Thriller

Welcome to The Island. Where your worst fears are about to come true…

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday: a week-long trip for six teenage friends on a remote tropical island. But when their guide dies of a stroke leaving them stranded, the trip of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare.

Because someone on the island knows each of the group’s worst fears. And one by one, they’re coming true. Seven days in paradise. A deadly secret.

Who will make it off the island alive?

Review

Disclaimer: I received a copy of *The Island* in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited to dive into this once I got my hands on it. The mistake I made was reading right before bed because not only could I not put it down, I scared myself in the process as well.

The Island takes a hold of you and won't let go and there are three factors that contribute to this:

1. The pacing of the story - it's quick to pick up and remains intense until the very last moment. I was captivated and didn't realise I had kept turning the page until 2 hours later, I had finished the entire book.

2. The setting, which created a creepy and suspenseful atmosphere - a tropical island is usually known as paradise but Taylor is able to convey how quickly it can also turn into an isolated and threatening place. I was awestruck by the vibrant and lush setting, much like the characters, before starting to see the dangers around every corner, the longer the characters spent on the island.

3. The characters' observations - this is another tick against Taylor's writing as she was able to manipulate my emotions through the lens of the narrators (there are two in this story). I'm still contemplating why she chose to include those two perspectives but it did make me stop and think as to who was the more reliable narrator.

I was shocked by the ending and thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience at the time. I felt like beyond just being a thriller novel, Taylor was also able to address some really important themes such as trauma, grief and mental health, bringing awareness to these topics and how we should be generating conversation and showing more care to the people around us. I will say though that looking back now, as I finished this a few days ago, the plot wasn't as "hole-proof" as I thought. There are some moments where I can now say didn't read as well or were a little questionable. In fact, I can pinpoint a moment where the characters could have made a different call and things would have turned out for the better. It didn't really make sense to me why the characters never pointed it out.

Overall, I think if you are a thriller fan, *The Island* will be right up your alley. It's got the suspense, mystery and engagement a thriller needs.

21 Books I Want To Read In 2021

The time has come for a new Yearly TBR. I've gone for 21 not just because it is 2021 this year but also because last year I read 20 books and so the extra 1 will be somewhat of an achievement for me.

If you've seen my reading list from last year then you might recognise some of the titles on this list - I didn't get to as many as I had wanted to.

I tried to select a wide range of books, from fiction to non-fiction, various genres and a mix of diverse authors. In a sense I am trying to read intentionally. So without further ado.

2021 TBR LIST

Books Mentioned

The full list can also be found on my 2021 Reading List Shelf

What Do You Want To Read This Year?

2020. That's it, that's the title.

Honestly what can be said about 2020 that hasn't been said already? I have spent a good amount of time throughout this year reflecting on what 2020 has come to be but also more specifically, how it has affected and ultimately changed me.

I sat down and thought of some words that I could use to describe this year for me: tumultuous, unexpected, challenging, learning, self-care, adapting, being alone, healing, appreciating, perspective, overcoming. Of all these words, I was happy to see that healing and appreciating made the list.

Yes, 2020 was a difficult year on so many levels, but personally for me, it was also a year of taking the time given back to us and finding purpose for it. It allowed me to slow down and really reconnect with the passions I had been too "busy" for, work towards goals I had put off and most importantly become more self aware of where I was mentality and how best to heal.

One of the passions that I fell back in love with was reading! And not just that but blogging. Ironic because I haven't posted since October but consistency has never been my strongest suit on here. Oops. I am so, so proud of myself for being able to actually enjoy reading again as well as reaching a total of 20 books. It probably doesn't seem like much compared to many other readers out there but considering the previous years I barely read anything, 20 books is a great achievement for me. I can also say that I read some high quality books that pushed me to think critically, reflect and learn.

My Year of Reading

These were the 20 books I read this year

Quick Stats

11 were YA books
4 were Middle Grade
2 were Non-Fiction
May and June were my biggest reading months, finishing 5 books in each month.
6 five star reads
13 new authors
I read 4/13 of my 2020 Reading List

My Top Five Books

Final Thoughts

Like I said, I felt like I read some really great quality books, especially with my average rating this year being 4-4.5. It could be that I have an easier rating system but I thoroughly enjoyed every read and they all remain memorable to me. I tried to broaden my range of books, from genre to authors and I want to continue to do so. I'm glad I read books from Australian authors set in Australia as well as discovered new authors that I now want to continue supporting. I wanted to read some classics but didn't get to it, however, was happy to have read some non-fiction. I definitely dropped off reading by the end of the year (October onwards) but doing this review actually makes me quite excited for 2021 and what I will end up reading!

How Was Your Reading Year?

Five Shows I've Been Loving Recently

Interrupting our usual Tuesday schedule of Top Ten Tuesday posts, I instead wanted to share what shows I've recently been watching and have to come love. For some time I was rewatching good old comfort shows just as a way to pass time. However, I finally decided it was time to find some new series to get into and I've been thoroughly surprised by how much I've enjoyed the following shows.

1. Raised By Wolves

Source: Binge

"After Earth has been destroyed, androids must raise children on a mysterious planet. Meanwhile the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences."

Hands down, this has been the most bizarre show I've come across. For those familiar with Scott Ridley, you most likely would be aware of his particular writing and visual styles. I, however, have never watched anything produced by him. So yes, I was in for a huge shock, which I loved. The strangeness of it all kept me invested in the show, thinking "surely it can't get worse", and was proven wrong every episode. There's a lot to think about regarding religion, morals, nature vs. nurture and what makes you really human, which I really appreciate. I'm not just consuming the show, I'm actually engaging with the content. I also want to applaud the actresses and actors for delivering incredible performances so far. I cannot wait for season 2!

2. Carmen Sandiego (Season 3)

Source: Netflix

A master thief who uses her skills for good, Carmen Sandiego travels the world foiling V.I.L.E's evil plans - with help from her savvy sidekicks.

My girl is back! If you didn't already know, I am an avid fan of the Carmen Sandiego series on Netflix. I did feature it in my "Five Movies & TV Shows That Will Delight Your Inner Child" post and mentioned how much of 12 year old I really am for loving animated series and movies. I find every episode enjoyable, for its adventurous nature alongside learning tidbits about the different countries she travels to, which is essentially the whole point of the Carmen Sandiego franchise. It's a shame that season 3 wasn't as long as the previous ones, however, the show has been renewed for a fourth season so yay!

3. Sweet Magnolias

Source: Netflix

Lifelong friends Maddie, Helen and Dana Sue lift each other up as they juggle relationships, family and careers in the small, Southern town of Serenity.

I've only finished the first episode but already I'm in love. I am a sucker for TV shows revolving around small towns and the lives of the people living in it. There's comfort in seeing how these towns people bind together to protect each other but underneath is drama just waiting to burst out and threaten everything they are familiar with. The three ladies, Maddie, Helen and Dana Sue definitely play a large part in me being invested (only after one episode) in the show. I've found their friendship endearing, wanting to be part of this trio and only hope the best for them. Also, the colouring of the show is quite satisfying to the eye, which is an added bonus. If you're a fan of Good Witch, which I am as well (no surprises here), this would be right up your alley.

4. Good Omens
Source: Prime Video

Aziraphale and Crowley, of Heaven and Hell respectively, have grown rather fond of the Earth. So it's terrible news that it's about to end. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing. The Four Horsemen are ready to ride. Everything is going according to the Divine Plan ... except that someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist. Can our heroes find him and stop Armageddon before it's too late?

Based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet's novel Good Omens, you'll find Michael Sheen and David Tennant delivering a rather spectacular and humorous performance of a devil and angel trying very hard to stay on Earth - even if it means going behind the back of their "team". I actually read the novel awhile back and would have to say this is another rare moment where the visual adaptation has made me appreciate the book more than what I originally thought of it. I found when I read it that there was a lot going on and it did become hard to keep track of (review here). However, the TV show does a great job in laying out the characters and plot line, making it a lot more understandable. A big part of that is having a narrator walk you through it all.

5. Criminal Minds (too many seasons)

Source: Prime Video

Profilers who analyse the most twisted criminal minds.

This is a re-watch for me. It's been awhile since I've seen the show so I picked up where I left off and then went back to season 1 to do it all over again. If anything, Criminal Minds is very much a guilty pleasure for me, which is utterly strange to say considering how gory and disturbing it is. I managed to binge basically 14 seasons in 4 weeks before my dreams started morphing into serial killer dreams. That made me slow down slightly. Still, I find this show fascinating for seemingly being able to open up the mind of a very troubled person to understand why they commit such crimes and keeping me on the edge of my seat every episode. Of course I am totally aware that this show is overly dramatised and not all cases can be solved in a 45 minute time frame but it makes for a thrilling watch.

What Have You Been Watching Recently?

Why You Should Read The Firebird Series Now

Series Title: Firebired
Author: Claudia Gray
Publication Years: 2014 - 2016

I was meant to write this review as soon as I had finished the series, which was just about 2 months ago (if I'm not mistaken). However, despite me wanting to write a raving review, I got stuck multiple times on how best to express how much I adored it all. So I let myself sit with it and really mull over my thoughts. I've finally been able to point out three reasons as to why you should read the Firebird series now.

Review

1. Gray's impressive world-building.
Gray's exploration of parallel universes gave way to some of the most exciting and memorable world-building I have come across. It's already a great feat in my eyes to produce one solid world for a story, let alone the 2 to 3 different dimensions the characters travel to and fro in each book. As I read, I felt like I was being transported into each universe with the characters. I could envision every aspect that made each world uniquely it's own - the experience was vivid and realistic. This alone made reading the Firebird series exceptionally thrilling and fun.

2. The amount of thinking and reflecting involved.
Setting her story amongst various dimensions also invited a whole lot of thinking and reflecting on my end. There were so many questions regarding morals, how to determine right and wrong, evil and good and whether you could really justify bad decisions if you have good intentions? I love reading novels that force me to really assess each scenario and decision and action made by the characters, because it means I become invested. I put myself into their shoes and think, think hard, about what is ahead.
Moreover, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the idea of multiple dimensions really existing in real life. Obviously, this is taking the tool out of the plot and not really necessary when you're reading, but I found it interesting to take the situations in the book and questions Gray was posing and applying it to my own life. What would I do and how far would I go to save the people I love? Equally, if there were multiple Traceys out there, I would like to hope that they are living healthy and prosperous lives.

3. Magueritte and Paul's relationship
I wouldn't say I usually read a book purely for the romance aspect, unless it's a romance of course. However, I was very invested in Magueritte and Paul's relationship throughout the entire read. It came down to the idea of destiny. Would Magueritte and Paul, after facing so many difficult challenges and running through different universes, meeting those versions of themselves, still find each other again? Will destiny play it's part in their relationship? That question was deeply embedded in the series. It became hard not to think about and slowly I was caught up in wanting to see them grow, learn about and from each other and ultimately, find the happiness they deserve.

To read my review for the first instalment, A Thousand Pieces Of You, see here.

Favourite Book: A Thousand Pieces of You
Book Ratings A Thousand Pieces of You: 5/5 Ten Thousand Skies Above You: 4/5 A Million Worlds With You: 4.5/5
Series Rating

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Quotes I Love

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This is an immensely difficult topic to discuss. For all the books that I have read, I'm sure I like at least 2 to 3 quotes in there, so imagine choosing just 10? In all honesty, it stressed me quite a bit.

Top Ten Book Quotes I Love

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who'll decide where to go.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

"corrode", v.
I spent all this time building a relationship. Then one night I left the window open and it started to rust.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavendar by Lesyle Walton

She spent her days trying to forget the sound of his voice, her nights trying to remember.

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

So I wait for nothing, knowing full well that I am waiting for nothing. But somehow I cannot help but wait.

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman

And yet, out of the blue, a moment would erupt so suddenly between us that the words I longed to tell him would almost slip out of my mouth.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

I learned that there is good in this world, if you look hard enough for it. I learned that not everyone is disappointing, including me.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

We go on our hands and knees and crawl towards the truth.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere in between.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

You're mad, bonkets, completely off your head. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

There was a girl, and her uncle sold her. Put like that it seems so simple.

No man, proclaimed Donne, is an island, and he was wrong. If we were not islands, we would be lost, drowned in each other's tragedies. We are insulated (a word that means, literally, remember, made into an island) from the tragedy of others, by our island nature and by the repetitive shape and form of the stories. The shape does not change: there was a human being who was born, lived and then by some means or other, died. There. You may fill in the details from your own experience. As unoriginal as any other tale, as unique as any other life. Lives are snowflakes- forming patterns we have seen before, as like one another as peas in a pod (and have you ever looked at peas in a pod? I mean, really looked at them? There's not a chance you'll mistake one for another, after a minute's close inspection) but still unique.

Without individuals we see only numbers, a thousand dead, a hundred thousand dead, "casualties may rise to a million." With individual stories, the statistics become people- but even that is a lie, for the people continue to suffer in numbers that themselves are numbing and meaningless. Look, see the child's swollen, swollen belly and the flies that crawl at the corners of his eyes, this skeletal limbs: will it make it easier for you to know his name, his age, his dreams, his fears? To see him from the inside? And if it does, are we not doing a disservice to his sister, who lies in the searing dust beside him, a distorted distended caricature of a human child? And there, if we feel for them, are they now more important to us than a thousand other children touched by the same famine, a thousand other young lives who will soon be food for the flies' own myriad squirming children?

We draw our lines around these moments of pain, remain upon our islands, and they cannot hurt us. They are covered with a smooth, safe, nacreous layer to let them slip, pearllike, from our souls without real pain.

Fiction allows us to slide into these other heads, these other places, and look out through other eyes. And then in the tale we stop before we die, or we die vicariously and unharmed, and in the world beyond the tale we turn the page or close the book, and we resume our lives.

A life that is, like any other, unlike any other.

And the simple truth is this: There was a girl, and her uncle sold her.

I'm not going to lie, inserting in an entire passage is cheating the whole "quotes" thing, but this still remains as memorable to me as the first time I ever came across it.

What Are Your Favourite Quotes?

The Waiting List: A Dozen New Releases To Look Forward To In October

The Waiting List is a feature hosted by PrintedWords&, to highlight some of the new, exciting releases for the upcoming month!

October Waiting List

Young Adult

1. Magic Lessons (Practice Magic #1) by Alice Hoffamn

Genre: Paranormal/Historical Fiction

Release Date: October 6th, 2020

Maria follows the man who has forsaken her to Salem, Massachusetts and it is there that she realised she has not only caused herself distress but also cursed her entire family. How can you not want to read this?

2. We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: October 6th, 2020

Three friends set out to find the truth of how the death of someone they loved happened.

3. Beyond the Ruby Veil (Beyond the Ruby Veil #1) by Mara Fitzgerald

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

Queer, dark YA fantasy. That is all.

4. Simmer Down by Sarah Smith

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

We're talking food and love all packed into one book? Sign me up right now!

5. Magic Dark and Strange by Kelly Powell

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: October 27th, 2020

This made my most anticipated release for the last half of 2020. Catherine has the ability to wake the dead, so that they may fulfil any final actions they could not do whilst alive. However, for every hour they are brought back, Catherine loses an hour from her own. One night, after being assigned a task and enlisting the help of Guy, they stumble upon the body of a boy who is very much still alive.

Middle Grade

6. Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker

Release Date: October 6th, 2020

7. Cinders and Sparrows by Stefan Bachmann

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

Adult Fiction

8. Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Genre: Thriller

Release Date: October 6th, 2020

A family's vacation away from civilisation is interrupted mid-way when a couple arrives at their vacation home claiming to be the owner of the place. With a sudden blackout and no access to technology can the family trust this supposedly harmless couple?

9. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

Genre: Romance

Release Date: October 6th, 2020

I am ultra excited to get my hands on this. I'm not much of a romance reader but to think that the actor of a famous TV series who is also a secretly popular fan fiction writer for the series ends up dating his number fan just got to me.

10. Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhho

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

11. Come On In by Various Authors

Genre: Anthology

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

This also made my most anticipated releases for 2020, combining a number of stories about immigration and what comes with it.

12. The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

Genre: Romance

Release Date: October 13th, 2020

I need Christmas, and I need it now. I'm officially done with 2020 at this point.

What Are You Looking Forward To Reading?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want To Read In Spring

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
We've stepped into spring here in Australia, which makes me absolutely happy to greet warmer weather and clearer skies. Albeit, we're still stuck inside, but it's nicer sitting in front of a window with the sun shining through rather than feeling like I want to be in bed to hide from the cold all the time. So with this change in season, what books will I be looking forward to reading? Here are 10 books I would love to get through this spring!

What Are You Planning To Read This Season?

Tilly & the Lost Fairytales Changed My Opinion On Its Entire Series

Title: Tilly the Lost Fairytales
Author: Anna James
Series: Pages & Co #2
Publication Date: September 19th, 2019
Add to Goodreads

A magical adventure to delight the imagination. The curl-up-on-the-sofa snuggle of a series from a uniquely talented author.

Tilly Pages is a bookwanderer; she can travel inside books, and even talk to the characters she meets there. But Tilly’s powers are put to the test when fairytales start leaking book magic and causing havoc . . .

On a wintery visit to Paris, Tilly and her best friend Oskar bravely bookwander into the land of fairytales to find that characters are getting lost, stories are all mixed-up, and mysterious plot holes are opening without warning. Can Tilly work out who, or what, is behind the chaos so everyone gets their happily-ever-after?

Review

The second instalment in Pages & Co has proved to be much more enjoyable and memorable. Tilly and Oskar make their return after learning of their wonderful bookwandering abilities. This time they're armed with all the information they need in order to travel in and out of books as safely as possible. Or so they thought. Tilly and Oskar are thrust into an entirely unusual and highly dangerous situation, inviting what I had hoped would happen in the first book of this series - adventure, excitement and intrigue.

As Tilly & the Bookwanderers (review here) had already outlined the world, character and how the magic of bookwandering worked quite thoroughly, I greatly appreciated how little recap was involved in Tilly & the Lost Fairytales. Instead, I was almost immediately transported into the adventure that awaited our duo and enjoyed the pacing of the story. James' writing was also a lot better, in the sense that this time, rather than feeling like I was being told of what was happening, I could visualise each scene, the characters actions and emotions. This led to me feeling as though I was part of Tilly and Oskar's journey, that instead of a duo, I was part of a trio. This was exactly what I was after from this story, and any middle grade novel for that matter. The feeling of being part of a quest with the characters, immersing myself in the challenges and excitement that comes with it. That's really all the fun in reading middle grade stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed what James brought to this series this time around, flying through the book in one sitting. I've also learnt quite quickly that the Tilly's story is in fact not a stand-alone like I initially thought nor is it a duology, which I told myself was the case. Instead, the Pages & Co series is a trilogy and am eager to get my hands on the latest release, Tilly and the Map of Stories, to be part of Tilly and Oskar's next adventure.

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers with POC & Black Characters

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a Cover Freebie, so I wanted to highlight 10 12 (yes I am cheating) beautifully illustrated covers that feature coloured and black characters. I am loving how the book publishing industry is opening up for owned-voice stories and for non-white readers to see representation of them on covers. Covers are linked to Goodreads