2023 Life Update + What I’ve been up to and reading! (Babel review, FINALLY)

Hello friends! How have you all been? A year has passed so quickly, and I’m dropping back in amidst my ridiculously long hiatuses so thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading this. So much has happened since last June, the school life and the grind has been as hectic as ever (ie. the main reason for ghosting the Internet), we’re currently in the phase of shifting houses again, got a part time job earlier this year at a local bookstore… so much has happened and time is slipping through my fingers!

Hence, bring on the general life updates (spoiler alert: it’s mostly books)!

ARC Review: Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong | A Searing Finale to the Iconic Duology that Illuminated the timeless tale of Romeo and Juliet

Hi friends!

Yes, the day has come. These Violent Delights which I read earlier in January, emerged one of my favourite books for this year so far, and given the hype, Our Violent Ends is one of mine, and literally everyone’s most anticipated sequel of 2021.

So, let’s talk Our Violent Ends.

Blog Tour: Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan | A Dramatic 武侠 (wuxia)/仙侠 (xianxia) inspired YA fantasy filled with Chinese culture [Review]

Hello friends! First and foremost, guess who finished their exams? Ah after more than 2 months of disappearance preparing for them, I’m back, and I’m thrilled to bring to you my blog tour stop of Jade Fire Gold, one of my most anticipated releases that I’m an #OwnVoices reviewer for as a Singaporean-Chinese. Thank you to Caffeine Book Tours for organising this. ❤

ARC Review: The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker | Folklore, Death and Identity in a Brilliant #Ownvoices Biracial Historical Fantasy set in 1890s Japan

Hello friends!! How has everything been going?

I’ve been busy the past 2-3 months with school, and finally my end-of-year exams start next week with a duration of a week and a half, which explains my inactivity. To everyone else taking their finals, all the best too!!

Anyway, it’s been 3 months since a book wrecked me so much to the edge of insanity (thanks The Burning God and oh by the way, my therapy bills are 3 months and still running just to let you know) and now my pain has been exacerbated with The Keeper of Night coming to claim my soul, truly leaving a hollow, empty shell, devoid of any essence apart from a downward spiral into nothingness.

Double Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh & The Boy With Fire by Aparna Verma | An Alluring, Immersive YA Retelling and An Ambitious But Lackluster Fantasy Debut

Hello friends! Contrary to popular belief, I have not disappeared off the face of the earth, but I admit to disappearing of the face of the blogosphere because: school. My finals are coming up in a month’s time and to say that I’m nervous would be an understatement, so pardon my sporadic appearance, save for a few reviews I’m excited to share about!

Today, I’m finally writing my review of The Wrath and the Dawn, a YA fantasy that is well-loved, as well as The Boy With Fire, a new release that will bring out your inner arsonist. One completely captured my heart while the other broke it, especially with the comparison to The Poppy War.

Double Review: The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman & Descendant of the Crane by Joan He | The Sci-Fi and the Fantasy: Two Beautiful, Twisty and Thoughtful YA Novels

Hello friends! How is July going for you?

For me, after school break in June, it has been such a hectic period loaded with so many projects and academic work. So I apologise for my inactivity and late coming to posts, give me a while to catch up (before I disappear again because of another busy period ah)! However, that being said it has been wonderful to find reprieve in books and I’m truly heartened to share about two beautiful, twisty and thoughtful YA novels that I enjoyed this month!

Blog Tour: Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim | A YA Fantasy Retelling of Curses, of Cranes, of Family, and of Hope 🦢

Hello friends!! Today’s post is a very special one, at least for me, I’m bringing to you my blog tour stop of Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim which was one of my most anticipated releases of this year, and it definitely did live up to my expectations! It comes out tomorrow (6th July) so I hope you’re excited! Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for organising the blog tour as well as selecting me to participate, you can click the tour banner below to view the schedule and follow along!

Double Review: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim & We Are Not Free by Traci Chee | A Whimsical, Fantasy Mulan Retelling & A Poignant Yet Heartfelt WW2 Novel That Touches On Discrimination and Identity

Hello friends! Today’s post is a double review of two books I’ve enjoyed, Spin the Dawn and We Are Not Free, the first being a whimsical Mulan retelling that was lovely but fell a little flat, and the latter being a poignant yet heartfelt WW2 novel touching on important themes that also caused me to bawl my eyeballs out.

Review: Skyhunter by Marie Lu | A YA Sci-Fi that is brutal yet brims with hope, a testament to Marie Lu’s storytelling magic

Marie Lu? The author who nurtured the deeply flawed but compelling Adelina Amouteru? And the one who brought to life the tenacious, rainbow-haired hacker Emika Chen? Yes, yes and yes. She’s also now the one who planted the seedling of Talin Kanami, our protagonist of Skyhunter in the world.

Blog Tour: The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He | a melancholic and moving tale of sisters, climate change and humanity [Review + Giveaway]

Hello friends!! Today, I’m incredibly excited to bring to you a blog tour of one of my most anticipated releases for this year: The Ones We’re Meant to Find, and am pleased to announce that it did not disappoint. It truly struck a chord with me, at its core, a commentary on climate change, technology, the complexity of human nature, sisters and acceptance.

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for organising this book tour and selecting me as a tour host!