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Diverse genres & stories that shape us 📚 | Reviews, bookish questions, & fun | Book blogger | Turn the page with me!
📚: Atmosphere

Historical fiction!! It all started with The Nigh

Historical fiction!!
It all started with The Nightingale. I thought I was just picking up a sad little war story — but no, Kristin Hannah said “Gotcha!” and pulled me straight into historical fiction.
Now I can’t stop. I’m emotionally damaged and educated 😂

The funny thing? I used to read historical romance when I was a teenager (my mum would kill me if she knew this 🤣) — so I guess it kinda makes sense that I’d fall for historical fiction. It’s just… fewer corsets, more trauma.

So tell me —
📚 What’s a genre you discovered by accident and it totally became one of your faves?

#BookishQuestion #HistoricalFictionLover #KristinHannah #TheNightingale #Bookstagram #ReaderHumor

Ok guys… I dipped my toe in dark romance. 😅 Yeah,

Ok guys… I dipped my toe in dark romance. 😅
Yeah, I know. This is way out of my comfort zone. Like, light-years away from anything I usually read. But hey — sometimes you just need a change of scenery, right?

So I started with these two. They’re part of a series but can be read as standalones. My verdict? I didn’t hate it… but I didn’t fall head over heels either.

Scarred follows a girl out for revenge after her father’s death. The king killed him, so she plans to marry the king’s son and destroy his family from the inside. Everything’s going according to plan… until she meets the king’s brother. Cue instant lust and moral chaos.

Wretched is a modern setup — a DEA agent goes undercover in a drug-dealer family, determined to bring them down… until he falls for the boss’s daughter, who is basically the walking contradiction of everything he stands for.

Both books seriously challenged my moral compass. I found myself thinking, “Wait, am I really rooting for this?” more than once. 😂
And yes, I did skip some torture scenes — I just couldn’t. I get it, that’s what makes it “dark,” but whew, my conscience needed a breather.

Also… the spicy scenes? 🥵🥵 My goodness. Someone hand me some cold water because wow. Emily McIntire did not come to play.

Between the two, Scarred was my favorite. Maybe because I could empathize with the scarred prince and understand his gray areas a bit more. Wretched though? Yeah… it was definitely dark and twisted. I struggled a lot with that one.

Will I read dark romance again? Maybe. It wasn’t bad — just extremely challenging for my delicate little conscience 😂. I’m no puritan, but let’s just say I’ll save this genre for when I’m in a real reading rut and need something completely different.

💫 Scarred — 3.5⭐
💫 Wretched — 3⭐

Now tell me — do you like exploring new genres or do you stick to your comfort zone?
And if you’re a dark romance fan… any recs for a gentle re-entry? 😅

#DarkRomanceBooks #EmilyMcIntire #Scarred #wretched #Bookstagram #emilymcintireauthor #darkprince #rebelking

Judge Plot Twist👩🏾‍⚖️ is back with a new case: the

Judge Plot Twist👩🏾‍⚖️ is back with a new case: the infamous DNF. Three letters that divide the reading world. Some say it’s self-care, others call it betrayal. Do you quit halfway when the plot drags—or do you stay loyal till the bitter end, just to say you did? 👀

Is DNF’ing the ultimate act of rebellion… or a crime against literature (and dare I say the author) itself? The jury (that’s you 👇🏾) must decide.

❓When do you usually DNF a book—after a few chapters, halfway, or never?

❓Do readers owe books a fair chance, or is our time too precious for guilt reads?

#BookishLaws #JudgePlotTwist #CourtOfReaders #DNFCrimeOrRight #BookNerdProblems #ReaderConfessions #BookstagramDebate

📖 Book review! Rating: 3.75 ⭐ Have you ever heard

📖 Book review! Rating: 3.75 ⭐

Have you ever heard of graphic non-fiction? I hadn’t — until my local library surprised me with this one. It’s my first time reading a book that’s both a memoir and a graphic narrative, and honestly, I’m so glad I picked it up.

Mira Jacob, born in the U.S. to Indian parents, explores identity, race, and belonging through conversations with her young son. She talks about being a darker shade of brown — facing colorism from relatives in India and racial prejudice in post-9/11 America. Through these dialogues, she also revisits the pressure to get married, the longing to fit in during high school, the cautious hope that came with Obama’s presidency, and the fear that followed during Trump’s rise.

The graphic format made it easy to read — full of sharp dialogue and humor that balances the heavy themes beautifully. The only thing that tripped me up was the timeline. She jumps back and forth between different moments in her life, and sometimes it’s not clear when each scene takes place. Also, some themes felt less developed than they might have been in a traditional memoir.

I finished it feeling grateful to have discovered that graphic books aren’t just comics. They can hold memory, truth, and emotion just as powerfully as prose.

💭 Any genre you’ve discovered lately — one you didn’t know existed until you read it?

#GoodTalk #MiraJacob #GraphicMemoir #NonfictionBooks #BookReview #Bookstagram

I’ve been a little MIA lately, but I’m trying to g

I’ve been a little MIA lately, but I’m trying to get back on the horse 😂. What better way than with some quote therapy from the last book I posted a review about?

Quote 1️⃣ After her mum’s death, she realizes her marriage was still standing because her mum was the one holding it together—masking what was broken with smiles, games, and little family outings.

Quote 2️⃣ When your home is organized, your mind follows. You literally create space to breathe and hear yourself think.

Quote 3️⃣ Such a beautiful reminder that what’s within us ripples outward. If you want to radiate love, fill yourself with love first. It always starts from the inside.

Quote 4️⃣ There were a few quotes in this same format throughout the book — “_____ is self-care.” Sadly, I didn’t write them all down and couldn’t find them online later 😩. But I loved this one. Simple truths that land softly but stay with you.

Quote 5️⃣ I hesitated adding this one because it sounds cheesy 😅 but I couldn’t help it. There’s something about the contrast — how he’s quietly been seeing her, knowing her, long before she ever noticed him. I’m weak for that kind of slow burn.

Complete this sentence in the comments:
“——— is self-care.”
(And no cheating with “buying books is self-care” 😂)

#SummerRomance #AnabelMonaghan #BookQuotes #RomanceBooks #Bookstagram0

✨ Book review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

✨ Book review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan ✨ 3.5/5⭐
I really don’t know what to make of this book. It left me… perplexed, but in a good way. All I know is that after reading it, I cleaned and organized the hell out of my closets 🤣. Funny how your state of mind can be seen in the way your house is organized—and how organizing can clear space in your mind.

Mini synopsis:
Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own house (and life) are in chaos after loss and divorce. Between raising three kids, working, and barely staying afloat, romance is the last thing on her mind… until she reconnects with Ethan “Scooter,” who helps her rediscover joy, connection, and herself.

My ♥️
✨Her kids, especially her oldest daughter. Closed off, struggling with belonging, unsettled by divorce, resentful of her mum’s struggles—every detail felt real.

✨Ethan a.k.a. Scooter. With a nickname like that, you’d expect a clown, right? But he’s surprisingly mature, playful, and so good with kids.

✨Ali herself. Watching her slowly find her footing—organizing her home, dressing better, facing grief, showing up for her kids—was quietly moving.

My💔
Nothing specific—it’s a sweet book, just not a five-star for me. The romance is light, but I liked how it mixed in themes of grief, single motherhood, and the tough questions of parenting.

✨ Deep takeaway: This story made me reflect on the quiet ways our environment mirrors our state of mind. What are we modeling to our kids? What does our home communicate—not to impress others, but to nurture ourselves and the people we love?

❓Do you prefer romances that are heavy on love stories—or ones that weave in themes of family, grief, or self-discovery?

❓Has a book ever inspired you to change something small (or big!) in your real life—like habits, home, or mindset?

SummerRomance #AnnabelMonaghan #RomanceReaders #BookReview #RomComBooks #ReadersOfInstagram #JudgePlotTwist #Bookstagram

⚖️ The Bookish Court is back in session! Listen… w

⚖️ The Bookish Court is back in session!
Listen… we all have shelf-sitters. Don’t lie 👀. Blame it on Bookstagram, blame it on our never-ending TBR, blame it on vibes. We’re not hoarders, we’re historians. We’re building a legacy, y’all! 🤣

But here’s the million-dollar question: is this harmless aesthetic—or the ultimate betrayal of literature itself? Should the punishment fit the crime, or are we all guilty anyway?

💡 Reader’s note: go easy with your verdicts, because on this case… we may all be guilty. 😅

❓Confess: how many books on your shelf are strictly for the vibe?

❓If a book never gets read but looks fabulous—punishable or forgivable?

#BookishLaws #ShelfSitterTrial #JudgePlotTwist #CourtOfReaders #BookNerdProblems

📚CR: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She says

📚CR: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She says creativity grows through small, daily acts.

Well… my birthday month is here 🎂(yay!) and I’m taking that to heart. But not just for art — for me.

So this September I’m doing 30 Acts of Me: one small act each day to reinvent myself, celebrate myself, and basically make 39 my ✨main character era✨💁🏾‍♀️.

Some acts will be simple (try a new tea, change my hairstyle). Some will be sensual (a fragrance hunt, slow bath, karaoke night 🤭).

By the end, I don’t want just a list of things I did. I want to look back and say: I practiced becoming.

✨ What’s one small act you’d gift yourself this month?
✨ And tell me… would you ever give yourself a “birthday month” too, or am I just dramatic? 🤣

#BookishThoughts #BookCommunity
#ReadersOfInstagram #BookLovers
#BirthdayMonth #BirthdayVibes
#ReinventionJourney #SelfGrowthJourney #TheArtistsWay
#DailyActsOfJoy #SelfCareMatters
#ChoosingMe #CreativeLiving

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