General Books

Hello, it’s me!

Dini @ dinipandareads39 Comments

(I honestly can’t type that without singing the first bars to Adele’s song!)

It’s been… a while, hasn’t it? This mini-break that I intended on taking took on a life of its own and it resulted in me taking a break for the last… almost 3 months now? Oops! If you’ve stuck around, you would’ve noticed that I posted a few blog tour reviews and spotlights during my break but for the most part I have really disengaged. I’m honestly quite surprised that there are still people out there who continue to engage and comment despite my absence, so thank you so much for your support! I appreciate all of you so much ❤️

In the time I’ve been away, part of me felt really free knowing that I don’t have to come online after work or on my days off to write a post or do other blog related things. It was so nice to not have that pressure I put on myself as I was pretty overwhelmed with constantly being online and spending so many hours behind a screen in my down time, when I was already staring at the screen for hours for work. That said, a bigger part of me really missed this community! I missed feeling productive by creating posts, reading and especially reviewing all the books, but I especially missed engaging with all of you. But when I go MIA, I tend to really go MIA and so I haven’t been hanging out online that much over the last few months! It’s been weird cutting off so abruptly but I think it did really help me in the end (even though it took much longer to get here than I anticipated)!

I’ve been trying to find the “right time” to come back and because I never found it, I kept postponing writing this post and kept pushing back my restart date. Sometimes though the right time never comes around, so I decided to suck it up and write a short post today to say HELLO! and share a quick update of what I’ve read (most recently), what I’m currently reading and what I plan to read next. I hope to catch up with more of your blogs very soon and hopefully it won’t take me too long to get into the groove of blogging again. Who knows, maybe this time I’ll even manage to get myself organised enough to start scheduling posts in advance?! 😂

I’ve been in a pretty big romance mood lately, so I’ve been bingeing a lot of those (and I only plan to read more asap)! 😂 I discovered a new romance author that I’d love to read more from, a fun urban fantasy by a new-to-me indie author, and a favourite YA anthology with stories full of change, love and hope. I also devoured the latest book in a romance series by an author that never fails to make me laugh, and I finally picked up a romantasy series that’s been sat on my TBR for ages, thanks to a buddy read with Leslie and Maya!

I’ve currently only got the one book going right now. Revenge of the Sluts has been a pretty interesting YA contemporary mystery set in high school that explores slut shaming, revenge porn, toxic masculinity and society’s double standards. The writing is overly descriptive, the pace a little slow, and the mystery a little predictable but it has been a pretty interesting read and could generate some good discussions!

I’m not quite sure what I want to read next. I did just get an ARC for a Katee Robert book so I’m tempted to pick that up now, but I’m also hoping to catch up on some more ARCs this month, so these are some other highly likely possibilities…

So, that’s it! I’m back (hopefully)! How are all of you doing? What have you been reading? I hope to catch up with as many of your blogs as possible in the days/weeks to come!

39 thoughts on “Hello, it’s me!”

  1. Welcome back!! I’ve also just gotten back from a blogging hiatus so I totally get how nice it felt to not have to be online so much. I’m so happy to see your post on my feed again 🙂 I’ve also been in a romance kick! With You Forever looks super cute, I can’t wait to see your thoughts on it!

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    • Welcome back to you as well! 😃 Sometimes we all just really need a break but I’m excited at the idea of being back and posting again. Thank you so much for sticking around ❤️ I can’t wait to reconnect again with all of you!

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  3. Hello from the other siiiiiiddddddeeeee! 😂
    So glad you’re well and that you’ve been able to chill from taking some time outside of the blogging world. Sometimes it just gets way too much! She Who Became the Sun is also on my TBR pile for this month! I hope you enjoy it, can’t wait to compare thoughts! ☺️

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    • HAHA, exactly what I was singing in my head the whole time I was typing this post 😂 It’s too easy to get stuck in your head!!!
      It was pretty great to take a break but I’m looking forward to slowly making my way back into the community again ❤️ I hope you enjoy She Who Became the Sun! I’ve heard so many amazing things about it. Happy reading!

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  5. Of course we’re still here! Glad you took the time you needed. I definitely stepped back for a bit for similar reasons, it’s tough to go to a different screen right after a full day of work on a screen. Hope you can find the joy in it again ☺️

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  7. Welcome back!! I actually….also just arrived back to the online world XD (though my exit was not planned AT ALL) It does feel good to have the pressure off of not having to do all the things, but I agree with you!!! I missed the community and everything so much.

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    • Welcome back to you, too! 🥳 Sometimes breaks are just needed, whether planned or otherwise, and hopefully the break you had helped take the pressure off! I’m keen to get back into the community now too 💜

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  8. Welcome back! I’ve been trying to find balance in my life lately to the point where I schedule out my days. 😂 I have no idea who I am anymore. There are days though where I just don’t feel like writing up a post and so I don’t but I feel bad for a bit but I just keep going and forget about that post. Sometimes the pressure can be too much!

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    • Haha, yeah, totally get you with the pressure and it’s all because of ourselves! 😂 Nobody else is putting that pressure on us! But I think I’m gonna try to roll the same way you do—if I don’t feel like it, I won’t and instead of letting the guilt pull me down, I’ll just keep going! LOL maybe one day I’ll end up being more organised and learn how to schedule posts in advance! Haha

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      • Haha it’s funny what we do to ourselves. 🤣 Do it! The guilt will still be there but you just go on about your day and forget it. It can be quite freeing. I do schedule most posts like reviews but others I forget to write until the day. I am going to have to get better at it when my daughter starts school and we begin homeschooling!

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  9. Yay!!! I think it’s really good to take breaks. I’ve been barley hanging on myself. It’s been a busy summer though. I mean.. you know it all since our constant chat. 😊 ALSO… just saw something we could buddy read… Under the Whispering Door arc! Lol!! I need to read that this month! 😁

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    • You really have had a busy summer, Leslie! I’m so impressed that you continue to do everything that you’re doing. I’m so glad that we’ve really connected thanks to blogging and books! ❤️ AND OMG! YES TO BUDDY READING THAT!!! Hahaha, I was actually going to pick that up… Now? But I can wait for you if you want to do it later. Let’s chat 😉 I love our buddy reads so much!

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      • Awww, thank you so much, Dini!! <3<3 That's really sweet and I'm trying but it's suffering in places like reading and blogging! haha. YAY!! Glad we chatted and figured it out. I LOVE our buddy reads too!!! ❤

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  10. Welcome back, Dini!! I have missed seeing your posts, but I completely understand the need for a break. It looks like you’ve been doing some great reading, too. Up All Night is on my tbr so I’m happy to see you enjoyed it. ❤

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    • Thanks, Dedra! ❤️ I have to admit that while the break was nice, it does feel pretty good to be back! I’ve definitely been reading while I was away, just… Not writing so much 😅 I hope you’re doing well? Will hopefully be catching up on reading blogs this coming week!

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      • Doing well! I’ve been doing more reading than blogging also. It’s summer here, which always seems to slow me down. 😍 Looking forward to catching up! ❤️

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  11. So glad you’re back!! I hope you found the break refreshing. And I hope you find the right balance for you. I know I try my best not to put any pressure on myself blogging, but it’s one of those things that can be easier said than done.

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    • Thanks, Ali! It’s good to be back, I’ve really missed the community and interacting with all of you 🙂 It’s definitely tricky finding the right balance but hopefully this time, knowing what I know about what the pressure does to me, I can control it a little better, haha! I hope you’re well ❤️

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