We’re back with another Sundays in Bed With… meme! This meme dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning and is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve spent your time reading in bed or wish you had time to read today.
I’ll be spending the rest of my Sunday night trying to focus on A Rather Vengeful Accord by Danielle Knight. This is my current Illumicrate buddy read with Chris and I’m ngl, there’s something about this book that seems to constantly send me to sleep whenever I read it. ๐ There’s also something about the writing that’s making it tough for me to actually retain what I’m readingโI don’t know what it is, but I hope I gel better with it soon!
My main thought right now is that I really wish the world-building was better. ๐
What book do you have in bed with you this Sunday?
Hi friends, I’m excited to be back with a blog tour review today! I’m here to share my thoughts (and a few favourite quotes) as part of the blog tour hosted by Toppling Stacks Tours for The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh.
Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!
The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publication Date: 2 June 2026 Genre: YA Contemporary
Rating: (4.75 pandas rounded up)
๐SYNOPSIS
From the celebrated author of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow comes a poignant novel about a Syrian American girl who uses a magical sketchbook to turn her grief into art, painting miraculous murals of her motherโs life in Syria.
Seventeen-year-old Jihad Dabbagh has always seen life with a heightened sense for colors, one of many magical blessings the women in her family possess. But Jihad’s gift changes depending on her mood. When depression sets in, the world is a colorless oasis, and in the wake of her mother’s sudden death, the world has become a permanent shade of grey.
Broken by tragedy, Jihad’s family doesn’t believe her color loss. Her father sends her to the elite Braxton Academy to finish her senior year. There, Jihad’s name and hijab put a target on her back. Her haven comes in the form of an old sketchbook carved from a tree in her hometown in Syriaโa country she only knew through her mother’s stories. Jihad hasn’t picked up a brush in over a year, but finds herself channeling the colors of her hurt, pain, and grief as she paints the story of her mother’s journey in Syria.
When graffiti of that same mural starts magically popping up all over New York, her art goes viral and the world takes notice, the threat of legal consequences is imminent. To reclaim her voice, Jihad will have to paint a new future for herself and Braxton, guided by the resilience of her mother’s story.
Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Classism, Murder (mentioned briefly in recounting)
OK, honestly, I do think this is a solid 5-star read, but I havenโt been able to stop thinking about how I wanted certain parts of that ending to be a little bit differentโand it has been nagging at me since I finished thisโso Iโm giving it a 4.75. ๐คญ That doesnโt really make it any less of a 5-star quality read, though, and it is also one of my favourite YA contemporaries in a long time!
TL;DR:ย The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue enraged me. It filled me with sorrow and sadness, and maybe even a lottle bit of hatred, but it also infused me with hope. I lost track of the number of times I cried while reading thisโtears of anger and frustration at injustices, tears of grief and sorrow, and also tears of joy for true and simple kindnesses that were healing. Jihad and Jamie were complex and wonderfully crafted characters and I loved the friendship that grew between them. By the end of this review, youโll definitely be able to tell that this book made me feel MANY things.ย ๐ย This was another stunning novel by Katouh and it has solidified her in my YA auto-buy authors list, because even if her stories always gut me, she always manages to soothe my heart by the time we reach the last page. What a gift!
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
Wow, I had no ideaโor at least I completely forgotโthat I didn’t do a monthly wrap-up for April, so I guess I’ll be combining April & May this time. I’ve been so exhausted and brain fog heavy these past two months, that aside from my weekend away in May, I don’t really remember anything else that’s happened. ๐ It’s probably because nothing has happened (other than work issues and my trip), but sometimes it’s discombobulating not remembering what happened a month ago, lol.
I announced a mini-hiatus at the end of April, and I really thought that I would still post every now and then in May, but I pretty much wound up going MIA. I think I just don’t have the energy for much these days and so it was needed, but as always, getting back into the groove of things always takes time. I think I might still be a little here-and-there in June, but I’ll try to slowly start to be more active!
My highlight in May was the pre-birthday trip that I took myself on to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) which is about a 6 hour flight in total with one transit through Singapore. I went specifically to get a tattoo with an artist who I’ve admired for a long time and who’s based thereโthankfully, it all worked out and I wound up spending about 4 days there. It was a really quick trip but I’m quite happy that I did it! I actually don’t have a photo of my tattoo but I do have the video the artist shared on her page. I’m really happy with how it turned out. ๐ฅฐ The majority of my tattoos are black so I’ve never had this much colour on me before. I’ve been really careful with the healing process so far and it seems to be looking good although I notice some colours (like the very light green) don’t show up as well on my dark skin, but I t hink it still looks really good. I’m so pleased I got it done! ๐
Special thanks to the author and Feiwel & Friends for providing a digital ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Behind Five Willows Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Publication Date: 26 May 2026 Genre: Young Adult Historical Romance
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
๐SYNOPSIS
From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly drawn together.
As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber to make a little extra money. Itโs dangerous work, but she loves itโespecially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favorite author, known as Black Lotus.
When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldnโt be so terrible… if it werenโt for the young manโs uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.
As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. Heโs kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his fatherโs son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.
When his best friend falls hard for a girl of lower social status, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated coupleโalong with the girl’s younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly…
โ ๏ธCONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Classism, sexism, misogyny, past death of a family member (recounted briefly), past attempted murder of a family member (recounted briefly), censorship, mild violence
TL;DR:Iโve been looking forward to reading this book ever since it first came on my radar. A Pride & Prejudice remix set in Joseon era Korea featuring characters with a passion for fiction and a forbidden romance? I loved the sound of it and Iโm happy to say that I enjoyed this so much! Hur excels at weaving the historical Korean context into a story that most are familiar with, and still makes it her own by introducing elements of intrigue and rebellion. Haewon and Seojun were great characters full of passion and longing, and though I wished their romance and arcs had been a bit more developed, I still loved both of them. I especially loved the yearning and by the end, I did get weepy. ๐ฅนย Overall, this was a really great historical and romantic YA, and a pretty fun read for those who enjoy Pride & Prejudice with a twist! I would definitely recommend it.
Hi ๐ผ friends! I’m so excited to be back with a cover reveal today for The Beckoned and The Bound by Nicole Evans. This is Nicole’s upcoming romantasy debut and not only am I excited to read it but I’m also thrilled to share this gorgeous cover with you all! See the stunning cover and learn more about the book in the details below! ๐
Hi friends, I’m excited to be back with a blog tour review today! I’m here to share my thoughts (and a few favourite quotes) as part of the blog tour hosted by Toppling Stacks Tours for You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker by Gwenyth Reitz.
Thanks to Roaring Book Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!
You’re Dead to Me, Reed Walker Publisher: Roaring Brook Press Publication Date: 12 May 2026 Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Rating: (4 pandas)
๐SYNOPSIS
A swoonworthy YA supernatural romcom where two academic rivals are trapped as ghosts to haunt the same house.
Theyโd kill each otherโฆ if they werenโt already dead.
Tessa Sinclair is a winner. Winner of spelling bees, science fairs, and scholarships. So when she finds herself unexpectedly dead after a graduation party in an abandoned mansion, sheโs none too pleased. Whatโs worse, her academic rivalโthe Harvard-bound, Mr. Perfect Reed Walkerโis there too, deceased, smug, and annoying as hell.
Being a ghost is hard enough, but itโs a thousand times worse having to haunt the same house with your nemesis. But as Tessa and Reed retreat to R.I.P in their respective corners of the mansion, a mystery unfurls about the exact cause of their deaths.
Though theyโd rather die (again) than work together, theyโll need to find a way to overcome their differences to hunt down a murderer on the loose. And should they happen to fall for each other along the wayโฆ who ever said you canโt find love after death?
Murders (described in semi-graphic detail), child death, underage drinking and intoxication, stalking, abusive and toxic relationship and ex-partner, panic attacks
TL;DR: Youโre Dead to Me, Reed Walker was a surprising YA supernatural romcom debut. Itโs a really easy read to slip into and I found myself having a great time following Tessa and ReedโIโm so glad we got both of their POVs in this because it really served to allow us to get to know the characters so much better. Of the two, I admit that Reed was my favourite, but I did enjoy their banter, their playfulness, their chemistry, and also, the mysterious turns this story takes. It is much darker and heavier than I anticipated, but as someone who loves what the turns entailed, it made me enjoy the storyline even more! That said, as it does confront some difficult topics, please read with care and view the content warnings beforehand. Overall, an exciting YA debut and Iโm looking forward to seeing what the author puts out next.
This week’s topic is: May Flowers (This is a companion to the April Showers topic from last month. Interpret however youโd like: books with flowers on the cover, colorful covers, books set in springtime, books where flowers/plants are a common theme, titles with flower names in them, characters named after flowers, covers that are as pretty as flowers, books featuring gardens, etc.)
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
dinipandareads 