The Final Quarterly Wrap-Up of 2023 | spoiler: this post features four new books to obsess over

🧛🏻 October – December 🍾

Hey everyone!

Long time, no see. I am not promising consistent posts, but as I use my blog as a reading diary, I wanted to share my monthly wrap-up and 2023 wrap-up for my future self’s sake.

I hope you are well and I’m sending best wishes for 2024, especially to the people who need it most.

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🇸🇩 https://eyesonsudan.net/

🇨🇩 https://helpcongo.carrd.co/

🏳️‍⚧️ https://trans–rights.carrd.co/

You will notice many of these books have no comments as I have some actual longer reviews coming here on my blog soon..ish. I could talk about the books twice but I don’t want to. I know you will be impatiently wondering about my thoughts on these books until the time of my reviews. I can only say thank you for your patience! 😇

wholeheartedly recommend

SILVER UNDER NIGHTFALL BY RIN CHUPECO // review coming soon 🦇

A DOWRY OF BLOOD BY S. T. GIBSON // review coming soon 🦇

DIVINE MIGHT BY NATALIE HAYNES 🎧 // I was surprised by how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love powerful women and feminist retellings as much as the next gal, but I sometimes worry they will rely on the notion “power is there if only you take it” when I find it a much too simple phrase, it is just easily marketable. This book felt like a conversation with a well-educated woman about the goddesses in Greek myth. She interpreted the myths and tales from the ancient past to modern interpretations. It really made you think about the people who created the stories and the goddesses themselves. It is a great conversational beginners’ book about Greek myth whilst still offering intriguing ‘food for thought’ to anyone who knows them already. I highly recommend this read, and not just because the author professionally disdains Hades.

THE SEVEN MOONS OF MAALI ALMEIDA BY SHEHAN KARUNATILAKA 🎧 // After Jan @ Inkspun Tales mentioned this book, I decided to read it immediately and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a book I know I will want to reread; to simply experience the story again and to take in all the names and history. It is a historically significant story for Sri Lanka captured through the eyes of Maali Almeida, a self-confessed photographer, gambler and slut. This is his story… from the afterlife. The book is bold in its topics, the unlikeability of the main character and its humour. All of this makes for a more memorable, entertaining and emotional story. It is a book I advise going into with little knowledge so you can get to know Maali Almeida and his journey yourself, but please run to the library, because this book had one of the best voices I’ve read in a long time. You can quote me on that!

casually recommend

GODKILLER BY HANNAH KANER // review coming soon ⌛

THE WAKE-UP CALL BY BETH O’LEARY 🎧 // This is an enemies-to-lovers rom-com which meant I expected the enemies part to be miscommunication. I didn’t find it annoying because Beth O’Leary has plenty of charm. The characterisation is good and I loved the hotel setting. The book would make a great holiday movie. I have to be in the right mood for these books but when I am, they are always pleasing to read.

PRIEST BY SIERRA SIMONE // If you like erotica books with a wider plot, I suggest looking to Simone. I really appreciated the character work/journeys written into her novels whilst containing more intense smut than your typical rom-com. It is a healthy entertaining balance. Priest centres around a priest (go figure) and conversations of celibacy. It was not a one-sided conversation which I think was important and carried a personal journey of one’s self alongside the romance. The subject matter isn’t for everyone but I liked what I got from the book.

THE BELLES BY DHONIELLE CLAYTON // This YA fantasy was a pleasant surprise. The worldbuilding centres around beauty and it was such a fascinating, relevant execution of magic with real-world themes. I would love to explore the worldbuilding, the villain and greater themes from the novel without the YA checklist. By this I mean, the love interest plots were unnecessary. The dialogue felt a little forced as well. However, overall this book is still worth people’s time.

THE LESSONS BY NAOMI ALDERMAN 🎧 // This book reminds me of “If We Were Villains” and “Saltburn”, but with less murder. It is a slice-of-life book and offers an insightful look at human behaviour. In particular, how well do you want to love the wrong people? Any book titled The Lessons is surely about mistakes, this one most certainly is. The subtle ones. From the university’s golden days to the decisions made afterwards. It is a character-driven book with distant personalities existing next to each other but the main character is an observer who wants to be let in. It is intriguing in the way only human behaviour is, it can often lead to disappointment and other strong reflections. There are no great stakes or purpose. It isn’t even anything that hasn’t been said before, but it felt like a reflective, smart read. Ideal for specific readers, I hope you know who you are.

GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA // review coming soon ⌛

I’m the wrong audience

RENEGADES BY MARISSA MEYER // review coming soon ⌛

CHRISTMAS WISHES AT THE CHOCOLATE SHOP BY JESSICA REDLAND // This was a gift so I went in with an open mind but aware that reading a “Hallmark” book isn’t my ideal read. However, the setting of the small coastal town and the chocolate shop was idyllic and charming. Yet this could not defeat the “of course” aspects of this book. Spoilers: The shop she wanted to buy suddenly became available, of course. She didn’t prepare a speech but it was still the best speech ever, of course. The woman with the nickname “BJ” was the one cheating with her boyfriend, of course. (sidenote: I understand not liking the women who knowingly cheated with your boyfriend, but it felt like the woman got all the slut-shaming and harsher judgements. It felt like a vendetta against a type of woman. This was a shame because the love interest’s break-up was handled well).

I understand these types of books aren’t read for shock value or even intrigue, but it felt like the story had no challenges. They were perfect people and it was blatantly obvious what was going to happen. The second half felt a lot more original and engaging so I am glad it improved. Nonetheless, a forgettable read.

★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★★

★★.5

WOLF S1 // I don’t often watch mystery shows but this one I pleasantly enjoyed. It had lots of moving parts and different people to spin an intriguing web. Perhaps not a clever, shocking mystery, but an entertaining, intriguing one. Iwan Rheon is always great on the screen!

GHOSTS S5 // I’ve said this show is a warm hug enough times but I loved the latest season! It is so charming and heartwarming! I will miss my winter watch!

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE S1 // This is such a dynamic show. I adore the acting and emotional reasoning behind the characters. Give me all the essays on it. It may be a vampire show but it is about the very human emotions of them. It was very entertaining and tantalising!

THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR // It was different and intriguing to an extent, but one of the main characters became so unlikeable that I didn’t care what happened to her. I’m sorry.

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Posts I’ve Loved Recently…

I have been a silent admirer as of late, but admire I did.

• Charvi @ Not Just Fiction discussed books marketed solely on vibes and tropes which everyone in the book community needs to read & did the fun keep or chuck TBR challenge!
• Marie @ Drizzle and Hurrican Books shared six blind dates with YA autumnal books! It is a lovely idea and sounds like the perfect date to me.
• Caro @ bookcheshirecat celebrated 6 years of blogging, yay! As one of the loveliest and most dedicated bloggers, reflecting on her blog was fabulous.
• 24hryabookblog discussed what would be included in the dream bookstore. This creative challenge is fun to ponder as don’t we all want to be in the dream bookstore right now?
• Line @ First Line Reader answered all of our questions to celebrate 500 followers! I loved seeing all of Line’s responses, from bucket lists to rewrites.
• Rania @ Reading Between The Dunes has a book coming out next year!! How wonderfully exciting! The Jinn Daughter sounds like an incredible, lyrically written fantasy. I can’t wait to read it.

End of Year Posts:

• Jan @ Inkspun Tales shares her favourite characters from 2023 and anticipated releases for 2024! I adore her blog so please follow it immediately!
• Caro @ bookcheshirecat talks about her favourite books and TV shows of the year. I want to experience every single one of her favourites I haven’t discovered yet! Let’s not forget the post all about stats too!
• Sumedha @ The Wordy Habitat shared her goals for 2024 in an aspiring and aesthetic (as always) post.
• Kristen @ Kristen Kraves Books talks about many 2024 anticipated releases with a separate post for fantasy romance, YA fantasy and more. What a treat!
• Sofi @ A Book. A Thought shared even more 2024 anticipated releases. Every year the books sound even more amazing than the last, here is the proof.
• Ruby @ Ruby Rae Reads made the ultimate post for new stories in 2024, sharing lots of books, movies and TV shows for the upcoming year. Talk about being prepared!
• Elli @ AceReader wrapped up 2023 by sharing their favourite books and reflecting on goals made at the start of the year.
• Morgan @ Morgan Is Reading Again shared their 2023 book statistics and, of course, I loved all the graphs!
• Marie and Nyx @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books talked about their favourite books of the year and I know where to look for my next contemporary read now!
• Charlotte @ Bewitching Books, Ravenous Reads made a grand list of 2024 anticipated books, part 1 and part 2. If you love fantasy, you must read these posts!

What books have you read recently? Do you read books to reflect the current season/celebration? What are your favourite vampire books/shows?