I literally scoured the entire blogosphere because I have forgotten how to write a wrap-up post: that’s how long it’s been. But fear not, I am not going to hurdle boring lists of books at you. Just going to share a few recent favorites. It’s been a weird few reading months. Everything I picked up turned out to be a two stars or three point five at best. I was this close to going into a slump. But thankfully, I did find a few favorites and it’s not a lot compared to the total number of books. But some of them were incredibly unexpected and totally stole my heart. So, here’s 6 books from the past three-four months which made life worth living. Literally.



A classic fantasy/sci-fi middle grade with talking animals, bear kings, air balloons, deadly operations, witches, and a fierce little Lyra – I loved it. It is a box of nostalgia. Personally, I don’t think that this book should be labelled as middle grade because despite the protagonist being a twelve year old the book pretty much reads like a YA and it low-key reminded me of Lord of the Ring’s writing style although they are nothing similar.
Not exactly fast-paced, but it doesn’t drag with unnecessary details either. Exceptional character development, world-building, and some of the best side characters. I am not too sure about the plot yet but for a first book, it seemed enjoyable enough. I am interested to see how it expands as the series continues. The audiobook is the best thing ever and I highly recommend it. Definitely planning on continuing this series!



The last book in the kiss quotient series ~THIS BOOK HAD NO BUSINESS BEING THIS GOOD! This book is hands down my favorite in the entire series. This actually came as a huge surprise and here’s why. Most of my fav books are my favs because I resonate deeply with the stories or the characters. But in this case, everything was polar opposite of me. It was unexpected and everything I wanted. I am very good at saying no to people and doing things that primarily make me happy. It was borderline scary reading about Anna and her mental struggles as a people-pleaser besides being autistic.
This book is definitely not a light read. It made me laugh out loud, it made me cringe, it made me cry with sadness and happiness and it still managed to be relatable – I have no idea how. It definitely didn’t have a lot of romance it in as compared to the other books in the series but I am a sucker for mental health rep and this book was a balm to my heart. And not to mention Quan. I had this different picture of Quan in my head and I very much expected him to be this clichéd bad boy protagonist but Helen just made him a real person. And his story broke my heart and stitched it back together. It was interesting to watch them work out their differences so incredibly different and yet tied together. This series has been pure joy and I am definitely reading whatever Helen Hoang puts out in the future.



Yes, another unexpected favorite. I didn’t like the first book in the series very much. And the second book was meh for me but the ending was pretty darn intriguing. The only thing that made it better was the arrogant little privateer. However, there was too much inconsistency with the pacing and the plot kept on lagging. But lo and behold the third book. Loved it. Absolutely loved it.
I didn’t even realize how much I would miss the characters until I turned the last page. It was beautifully done in my opinion. I am very picky about endings in usual. Not a lot of series end in a satisfactory way but this series had one of the best endings I have ever read. It was so bittersweet. Guys! I couldn’t stop the tears. It felt so fair and so unfair. I despised the character developments in the second book honestly, but after the third book when I think of the first one – it seems like these kids have grown so much damn. They deserve every spark of happiness. okay. I need to stop. I think this is a great series for anyone getting into fantasy or someone looking for some good-old fantasy story with clichés and satisfactory endings.



This book is a bundle of joy. You know when you read a book and get this feeling like everything is so eerily similar to your life, it’s almost like the author has specially written the book for you? Well, that’s the feeling I got from this book. I don’t think I can give constructive criticism for this book, because that’s how attached I am at this point.
But it has Asian rep, Muslim rep, Mental Health rep, LGBTQ rep, and most importantly we have the fake dating trope! And *drumroll please* the best part of the deal is that – the boy buys her a dozen books a week. The characters were incredibly realistic and fleshed out. I am not too sure about the side characters but they are not half as bad. Easy to read, easy to follow – just get it already! I think my most favorite part of the book was the poems which were sprinkled every few chapters and they stole my heart <33



Read this book if you haven’t already! This is one of those books which you wish you could read for the first time again after finishing it. I had given up on the thriller genre because I read so many that they stopped surprising me. And although I had predicted the ending for this one, it was so beautifully done that I kid you not I threw it across the bed.
Finished it in four hours. Fast-paced from the very first chapter, not cliched, stunning side characters, secret tunnels, too many riddles, and intense power play. I must warn that there is a slight hint of a love triangle in it but hey, give it a chance. It’s worth the read. And the cliffhanger will leave you tearing your hair out but lucky for you the second book is out already. You can find my detailed review here.



Three stars? And on the favs list? Yep. I have seen so many contradictory reviews going around about this book and I agree with literally all of them. The characters are underdeveloped and the story was lackluster. The pacing was medium but it is one of those books which are incredibly easy to read and you just fly through. BUT it was such a wholesome read for me!
I am a huge fan of k-drama and k-pop and just the Korean culture in general. And personally, I had a great time with this book. A breezy read – exactly the kind you need to get away. Loaded with cuteness, teenage hormones, and angst. It was lovely. I recommend this book if you are crazy about the Korean culture and I suggest that you don’t go into it with a lot of expectations. Just think of it as all your fav k-drama moments but in writing. Don’t think too much and let the sweetness flow through you.
Aaand it’s a wrap baby. Now, you guys tell me some of the books that you have devoured recently and hopefully shed your tears over. What do you think of all these books? Have you read these? Loved these? And don’t tell me if you hated them. See ya in the comments below! <33
- blog tour: pre-reading thoughts on Swan Song Of My Era
- book review: the dragon heir || a bold debut novel
- 18 books by black authors || celebrating black history month 2022~
- blog tour: love and other sins ft. a feeble attempt at journaling
- february book releases to devour;

Ashmita!! So happy to hear that most of your reads the past few months were all so highly rated, I’m really excited to read The Heart Principle and Counting Down with You, so your reviews are making me excited!! 💖
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Ah, Cherelle!! Long time!! Thank you and I truly hope you enjoy the heart principle and cdwu ✨ these books are stunning 💜 happy reading and have a great reading month ahead 💙
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Ooh I read The Inheritance Games just last week and while it could certainly have been better in a lot of aspects, I found it to be an enjoyable mystery read so there’s that.
Lovely list you have there!
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You’ve had such a great reading month! So happy to see you loved His Dark Materials and all the others!
Here’s wishing you a happy October! 🥰
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Amazing reviews! I felt the same with Ruin and Rising and it’s only after we finish the series and look at it from distance we see it was really amazing in all aspect even with not that good middle book of trilogy.
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The golden compass, I have seen web series His dark materials. Really interesting.
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Just finished ‘Writers and Lovers’ which was cool and dealt with a wannabe writer’s inner feelings about her career aspirations, two guys she kind of wanted and her mother’s death.
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It was really enjoyable! It does have its downsides I agree, but it was a really enjoyable and one-sitting read. I think most people will have a great time with it. Thankx rach! 🐙✨
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Thank you soo much yesha! I know right! I think one of the main reasons avid fantasy readers might not enjoy the first book is because it is jam packed with common tropes and there is nothing special except for the world which is also a slight bit different from other usual fantasy worlds. But beginners can actually have a great time with it. And the series as a whole it very wholesome. ✨
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Aha yes!! I have been meaning to watching it! Just want to read it first. Is the show as good as they say it is?
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I too want to read. I heard some books are different from movie.
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That sounds so intriguing!! Will definitely look it up. Thankx for sharing Jamie ✨
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Yes it is! I do hope you enjoy it when you give it a go. The books are worth a read. 🐝
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Aahh ruin and rising has been on my TBR list for a long time 😂😂 I didn’t really enjoy the first two that much so I’ve been putting this one off. I’m definitely going to read this now after hearing your thoughts on it! Great post!!
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I have to try to read it.
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How exciting! I can’t wait to read Inheritance Games and The Heart Principle!! Some of my recent favorites are Lobizona and The Love Hypothesis ❤️
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Honestly, I’ve been in a little bit of a reading slump lately! So, this was a nice post to read! I read the Northern Lights last year – and I’ll admit it was a bit hard to get into, but personally, I think you’ll enjoy the 2nd (The Subtle Knife) a lot more as the new character, Will has a lot more of an interesting backstory and personal development! Also, there’s a his dark materials series which is really good! It’s on BBC in the UK and HBO in the US! You should definitelty watch that if you’d like to understand the plot more!
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Some of these are on my tbr! And I’ll deffo br checking them out sooner rather than later. Great post!
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The Golden Compass is a fabulous story, and I will definitely add it to my queue for my son. Thanks for the reminder!
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the inheritance games is on my tbr! wonderful post, glad you found some news favorites💜
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Ahh a few of theses are on my list toread too!! Xoxo, counting down with you aswell as the heart principle – so i’m happy you liked thoses!
We cant keep meeting like this & last chance books have been two of my favorites xx
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OMG what a brilliant collection! I am still guilty of not reading the Shadow and Bone series. Will get started with it now🙈💕
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I didn’t like the first kiss Q. Was pretty boring. So left it at that. After a few pages. And ahh, xoxo! Wish they were real!
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Ok I just added all of this to my tbr also I was holding back from reading the heart principle as I didnt like the bride test that much but now I really wanna read it
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My TBR is over-over flowing after this post
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counting down with you was so cute ✨
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Great wrap up, hope you have an amazing October 💜
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Thank you! And you too! 🎃
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I know right! 🐙
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😈 that’s the goal ✨
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Ahh I hope you enjoy these books!! And I personally found the heart principle way better than the bride test. But many people think otherwise. If you are looking for more romance, I suggest u skip it. But if you love mental health stuff then READ IT ALREADY! happy reading ✨
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Agreed. It was a tad bit boring. But the narrator was super good. And I was listening to an audiobook. So I didn’t really feel the slow pace that much. And yes! Xoxo was a delightful read ✨
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Ah, thank you!! Haha no worries. I hope you get to them soon. Happy reading! ✨
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Those are some delightful reads! I hope you enjoy them Kristina!
I have heard a lot about last chance. Both of them sound stunning. Thankx for sharing 💜✨ happy reading!
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I hope you enjoy it! Thank you! And me too. ✨
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You’re welcome! ✨ It is indeed! I hope your son enjoys it!! 💜
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Thank you Georgia!! ✨💜 I hope you enjoy these books when you get them! Wish u a lovely October! 🎃
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Ahh I totally understand. Reading slumps are not just annoying. They can be draining too. Don’t force urself to read until you find sth that u really want to. And yes. Northern lights was hard to get into but I had the audiobook. And it was like a whole another experience. ✨ I highly recommend it. And yess!! Will is such a mature character. I like it better already. Yes, I should. Thank you Zainab. Have a lovely October 🎃
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Lobizona yes!! I read about that book somewhere. I am looking forward to reading the book. And thank you! I hope you enjoy it 💚
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😂😂 I can totally understand. I almost gave up. But I really wanted to read the soc duology and read it in publication order although it’s not necessary. I hope you enjoy it because the last book was definitely worth sticking arnd. Thank you! Have a great October 🎃
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Hey!!! You have got a really greatttttt blog here! Wonder how I missed it!
Anyways… I’m buying the second one for sure! I’ve actually heard quite a remarkable review on that from others as well!
Love the way you put out your reviews! It’s comin from a “reader heart” 💖
Aathmana
Read love live
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Aahh Aamna, I am so sorry. WordPress spammed ur comment 🤦 thank you so much! And to you too! ✨🎃
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I really enjoyed The Kiss Quotient, but never continued the series. Your review makes me want to dive back in. Sounds like this final book had a really big impact on you. Great reviews!
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I loved your thoughts on The Northern Lights. It is and has been for years my absolute favourite book, however I honk that the first time you read it, it can be difficult to get into. The series as a whole is utterly brilliant but again I think you need to read it multiple times to really understand the world that has been created especially as the books get more complicated as they go on.
You are absolutely right the audiobook is gold.
I don’t think it should be middle grade fantasy either. Although I read it age 7 I think the themes explored are darker than you would normally expect from books for that age group.
Sorry I’ve rambled on so much, I really enjoyed this post and will definitely be reading some of the blooms on there. ;D
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