noun [kee-smash] a random string of letters and symbols typed out on a keyboard or touchscreen, used to signal intense emotion in written communication:
I might be a big fan of high fantasy, but every once in a while, I get an itch to read a fun supernatural story–usually featuring vampires or witches. Which is why I knew I would loveModern Girl’s Guide To Magic by Linsey Hall when I first picked it up, and I was right.
A light and charming story about a witch with wonky powers trying to prove herself, The Modern Girl’s Guide To Magic by Linsey Hall is a fun cozy read with just the right sprinkling of magic and romance.
While I have sort of stopped reading historical fiction as I grew older, there have been a few rare gems that I do come across now and then. The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swannby Virginia Pye is one such amazing book. A love letter to readers, writers, and librarians, The Literary Undoing Of Victoria Swannis an inspiring story about a woman who chooses to defy patriarchy with her written stories.
If you have been here for a while, then you must know about my love for fairy tales, folklore and fantasy. When I picked up Song of the Mango And Other New Myths, I was expecting a collection of fantastical, whimsical stories rooted in Filipino folklore and mythology, that would sweep me off my feet and take me to places that could only exist in my imagination.
I got all of that and so. Much. More.
At times enchanting and captivating, at times unnerving, Song of the Mango by Vida Cruz-Borja is an anthology like no other. With stories that openly and joyfully celebrate Filipino culture and heritage, Song of the Mango And Other New Myths is an epic collection of fantastical stories written with great, vivid imagery, along with elements of Filipino folklore as well as modern and contemporary themes.
The older I grow, the more fondness I seem to have for romance novels. And the love stories that resonate with me the most are usually the ones where two people need to overcome impossible challenges to find their way back to each other.
With a charming premise, a stunning cover design, and praises from top publications in the industry, The Keeper Of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan promises an enchanting tale of love and healing. But does the story live up to its praises?
In my opinion, that would be a BIG NO. Here’s my review of The Keeper Of Lost Things; I forced my way through all 336 pages of this disappointing novel so that you don’t have to.
The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters has been on my most anticipated July release list, and I am so happy that I got the chance to finally dive into this amazing, sapphic horror fantasy last month. It was everything the blurb promised: full of magic, a heaping of gothic horror, and an irresistible thriller/mystery to bind it all together.
This is my third time re-reading The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and once again I find myself completely awestruck by this beautiful gem of a story.
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo tells the mesmerizing, gripping and heart wrenching story of a global super star named Evelyn Hugo, as she fights tooth and nail to pull herself out of poverty and become one of the highest paid actresses of Hollywood. The real mystery though, is her seven marriages, and her insistence in doing an interview with an obscure journalist.
Shocking, scandalous and riveting, The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo is a gripping novel that explores themes of feminine sexuality from the glittering lens of Old Hollywood. Each time I finished this book, I was left a sobbing, weeping mess.
I am going to keep this review short, or else this review will end up becoming a 1500+ words rant about how male authors need to practice nuance and sensitivity when writing books about women and issues regarding women. At the very least, they should hire female sensitivity readers who can point out some of the problems I will mention here and how to write them better.
The Rape Trial Of Medusa tells us the story of a very well-known Greek mythology, but with a twist. Set in modern times, we witness the trial of Medusa who was raped and blamed for her beauty, and unfairly punished by Athena.
If there is any book that I can say have made a profound impact on my life, then it would be The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Misunderstood to be a children’s book by a surprisingly large number of people, The Little Princeis actually a book for young adults, providing us with thoughtful guidance and insights as we learn to navigate through life and all the complications and messes it brings us.
Twenty‑four‑year‑old grad student Lizzie Bennet is saddled with student loan debt and still living at home along with her two sisters—beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. When she records her reflections on life for her thesis project and posts them on YouTube, she has no idea The Lizzie Bennet Diaries will soon take on a life of their own, turning the Bennet sisters into internet celebrities seemingly overnight.When rich and handsome Bing Lee comes to town, along with his stuck‑up friend William Darcy, things really start to get interesting for the Bennets—and for Lizzie’s viewers. But not everything happens on‑screen. Lucky for us, Lizzie has a secret diary.
This review is part of The Calendar Girls monthly blog event, hosted by the lovelies at Darque Dreamer Reads and Never Not Reading. To know more about The Calendar Girls, click here
I have always been a lover of classics, but Jane Austen’sPride and Prejudice holds a very, very special place in my heart. With a main character who is as witty, charming, and yet flawed as Elizabeth Bennet, the complicated yet strangely relatable family relationships (relatable only if you are a young adult female from a Southeast Asian country such as myself), and Austen’s viciously funny narration style, it’s hard not to love Pride and Prejudice.
And it’s equally hard not to love it’s very clever, very funny and extremely endearing modern-day retelling: The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su and Kate Noble.
