Month: April 2022

Meet the Book Blogger Tag!

Dini @ dinipandareads38 Comments

Hello, lovely people! How is everyone doing? I hope you’re all doing okay šŸ’œ

A few months ago and also just the other day I was tagged by Kerri @Kerri McBookNerd, Leslie @Books Are the New Black and Jordyn @ Jordyn Reads to do the Meet the Book Blogger Tag! If you’re not following them yet then what are you waiting for? They always post great content, have awesome blogs and are super fun to interact with. Thank you Kerri, Leslie and Jordyn for tagging me to do this cos it looks super fun!

The Rules

  • Thank the blogger who tagged you ā˜šŸ½
  • Mention the creator: Lauren @Lalaā€™s Book Reviews
  • Tag as many (or as few) people as youā€™d like
  • Have fun and get to know one another!

INTRODUCTION

Introduce yourself

I’m so awkies with these intro things but… Hi, fellow readers. I’m Dini, I love to read, I love pandas and that’s how this blog name was born! I’m from Indonesia and have lived here for the last 8 years but I spent the first 25 years of my life moving around and I’ve lived in six countries that I considered home while growing up. In the real world, I work at a Dutch NGO as the regional communication officer for Southeast Asia! šŸ˜Š

Something most everyone wants to knowā€¦do you have any pets?

I do! Tripper and Cookie have been with us since we adopted them off the streets of Cambodia in 2010. They’re pretty well-travelled doggos and maybe slightly spoiled but I just can’t help itā€”I love them so floofing much! We aren’t sure what breed they are but think that Tripper is part Lhasa Apso and Cookie part Terrier?

Tripper
Cookie

What is your favourite thing to drink?

Um, I guess it depends? Living somewhere perpetually hot, I always like to have a cold drink. Usually, it’s ice-cold water or a cold brew with extra ice! If I’m treating myself, I go for an iced caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso! šŸ˜

What is your favourite thing to drink?

I miss the days when I used to live somewhere with four seasons cos now it’s just hot and hotter. I miss AUTUMN because sweater weather! I really miss wearing jumpers and other cool-weather clothing cos I love to bundle up and be comfy but I literally sweat looking at jumpers these days cos it’s SO HOT! šŸ« 

Do you have any special talents?

Um… Not really anymore? Lol. I used to play the viola in the school orchestra and I was also a soprano in the chamber choir at several of the schools I went to, which was fun because we got to travel to different countries in the region for international school competitions! Don’t know what I’d be like now šŸ˜‚

BLOGGING

When and why did you start your blog?

I set up my blog in January 2019 but I didn’t post anything until a few months after in March 2019. I was so nervous! šŸ˜‚ No lies, I started this blog so I could gain access to more ARCs when I first discovered them, without realising the limits that international readers face, but I have no regrets because I discovered this amazing community!

What is something that you wish you knew about blogging when you first started?

I mean, I should’ve known really but I guess I wished I knew how much work it actually took and how many hours a week I’d have to spend to create a presence in the community. I’m still a small fish in this ocean of amazing creators but I didn’t realise just how much time I’d spend doing all of it. Don’t get me wrongā€”I loved it and still do but it was very time consuming especially when I was working full time.

What has been the hardest part about blogging?

I think this is very much a “me” thing as I simply excel at procrastination but… Finding enough time to create posts, respond to comments, and blog hop every day! I’ve tried preparing posts in advance but it’s just no, so I end up doing things on a whim (such as this post)! This leaves very little time and brain juice for me to blog hop and engage with others every day after I finish posting and it does bum me out cos I know I miss out on a lot but I try my best! šŸ˜…

What has been the most rewarding part of blogging?

The friends. I didn’t come into this community expecting anything and it amazes me that I’ve found people who want to engage with me and it just makes me SO happy having these new friends in my life. I’ve really met some amazing people through the book blogging community who make me so thankful that I started this journey. šŸ„°

Do you write your posts ahead of time or write them the day of posting?

Haha, see the answer above where I mention that I excel at procrastinating. I’ve successfully prepared a few posts in advance but most of the time it’s the day of (like now)! šŸ˜‚

READING

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Oof, this is a tough one!

  • V.E. Schwab
  • Fonda Lee
  • Talia Hibbert
  • Meghan Quinn
  • Taylor Jenkins Reid

What genre do you read the most?

It would definitely be romance now but I still read my share of fantasy (MG/YA/Adult).

What genre surprised you by how much you love it?

I have to pick the historical romance sub-genre. I picked up my first historical romance last year and wow, I did not expect to love it so much! I can’t wait to read more! šŸ˜

Which popular book didnā€™t live up to the hype for you?

Um, don’t come for me when I say this, alright? The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I enjoyed it well enough but I went expecting to fall rapturously in love with it, so I couldn’t have been more disappointed when that never happened! šŸ„ŗ

Who are some popular authors you havenā€™t read?

Oh, there are so many and it’s not cos I don’t want to it’s just so many books so little time? Becky Chambers, Seanan McGuire, Rick Riordan, Jasmine Guillory, Olivia Dade, Jhumpa Lahiri, N.K. Jemisin, Tasha Suri, S.A. Chakraborty, Sara Desai, Pierce Brown… The list can go on āˆž! šŸ˜‚

What upcoming release are you excited to read?

Omg, there are so so so so so many!?

book cover: amari and the great game by b.b. alston
book cover: a taste. ofgold and iron by alexandra rowland
book cover: siren queen by nghi vo
book cover: strike the zither by joan he
book cover: two wrongs make a right by chloe liese
book cover: the ones we burn by rebecca mix
book cover: saint by adrienne young
book cover: a botanist's guide to parties and poisons by kate khavari

Do you listen to music while reading?

Not often, no. If I’m in the mood for music + reading, I usually leave a favourite lofi playlist on in the background or my favourite classical music for reading playlist!

Where else can we find you online?

TAGGING

No pressure to do this tag if you’re not feeling it or don’t do tags! šŸ˜Š

That’s it from me, folks! If I haven’t tagged you but you wanna do this tag anyway, please do and link back so I can check out your post! As always, thanks for reading, engaging with me and hanging around! I appreciate you sm. šŸ˜

Let’s Talk Bookish: The Makings of A Great Audiobook…

Dini @ dinipandareads17 Comments

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits, and it’s where we get to discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each otherā€™s posts! If you want to join, check out the April 2022 prompts and May 2022 prompts!

Now without further ado… The topic asks us about:

THE MAKINGS OF A GREAT AUDIOBOOK

(SUGGESTED BY MIKAELA @Ā MIKAELA READS)
Prompts:Ā Do you listen to audiobooks? If so, what makes a good audiobook? Is it the narrators or does it depend on the genre? What are some of your recommendations for amazing audiobooks? If you donā€™t listen to audiobooks, why not, and do you ever plan on doing so?

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Book Review: Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

Goodreads: Gallant
Publisher: Titan Books
Published: 01 March 2022
Genre: Young Adult Gothic Fantasy

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her motherā€™s journalā€”which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come homeā€”to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesnā€™t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallantā€”but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?Ā 

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#WWWWednesday: 27 April 2022

Dini @ dinipandareads24 Comments

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:

  1. What did you read last?
  2. What are you currently reading?
  3. What will you read next?

Since last week I’ve managed to finish five books. It’s been a pretty great reading week with a good mix of genres and ratings. I’m so behind on my reviews (yikes!) but I’m hoping to get caught up soon.

We Free the Stars (Sands of Arawiya #2) by Hafsah Faizal ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…
I buddy read this with Leslie & Julie and this had us feeling all the feels. Oof, why is the romance between Nasir and Zafira not talked about more often? Holy wow, it was so angsty, so swoony and ugh, I love them so much? šŸ„¹ I still need to write my review but far out this was an amazing conclusion to the duology!

(ARC) Tanked (Eastside Brewery #3) by Mia Hopkins ā˜…ā˜…ā˜…Ā½
I’ve been keen to read Angel’s story and it didn’t disappoint. It was sweet, swoony and steamy and I loved how the stories are brought together for a great conclusion to the series. Check out my review!

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#TopTenTuesday: Diamond Birthstone Colour Covers!

Dini @ dinipandareads38 Comments

So, weā€™re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week is actually a freebie and so I decided to do a topic that I don’t think I’ve done before: Books with [Diamond Birthstone Colour] On the Cover (Pick a thing (a color, an item, a place, an animal, a scripty font, a sexy person, etc.) and share covers that have that thing on the cover.)

Since this week’s topic is somewhat of a cover “freebie” I decided to combine The Birthstone Book Covers series created by one of my favourite bloggers and perhaps my closest blogger friend, Leslie @Books are the New Black. This is a series she created at the start of the year and so far, I haven’t had the chance to jump on it, until now! This series was born out of Leslie’s curiosity about birthstone colours and it’s a fun way to show different book covers/titles corresponding to that month’s birthstone colour.

April’s birthstone is the diamond and I could’ve kept it simple for myself and stuck to white covers but for some reason whenever I think of a diamond I think of shades of silver/grey? So I tried to find cover colours that I thought matched that shade and ngl, it was a bit of a struggle! šŸ˜‚ They’re not perfect matches but I did come up with a list of ten and it’s a mix of books I’ve read and books on my TBR. Without further ado, let’s get to it.

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ARC Review: Burning Up by Tara Wyatt

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

Special thanks to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads: Burning Up (The Prescotts #6)
Publication Date: 26 April 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

We have to burn to rise from the ashes.

Nearly two years after her divorce, Felicity Hawthorne is ready to date again. At least, she thinks she would be, if the idea of dating wasnā€™t so freaking terrifying. But then she wins a date with sexy, swoony firefighter Noah Prescott at a charity bachelor auction, and everything changes.

FDNY captain Noah isnā€™t looking for a relationship. Since losing his father as a teenager, heā€™s spent the past twenty years shouldering heavy responsibilities, and he knows he doesnā€™t have the time or energy to be anyoneā€™s boyfriend. But one date with sweet, charming Felicity has him wanting things he shouldnā€™t want.

Which is why Noah suggests Felicity practice her budding dating skills with him. He wants more of her, and practice dates are as close as he can come to having her in his life without hurting her. But then dating practice turns into practice of another kindā€”the kind that involves moans and sighs and orgasmsā€”and Noah knows heā€™s going to fall. Hard.

GET A COPY:

AMAZON
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Sundays in Bed With… #MyWeeklyWrapUp

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

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 time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

I’ll be spending the rest of my Sunday night in bed with My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth. This is an ARC I’m buddy reading with Leslie and Julie as we all have a copy. I’m excited for a fun/light YA contemporary with a bit of romance!

FUN FACT: this author also writes fantasy under a different name and is better known for her very famous recent release The Atlas Six! šŸ‘€

What are you currently reading?

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ARC Review: Tanked by Mia Hopkins

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

Special thanks to Little Stone Press for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads: Tanked (Eastside Brewery #3)
Publisher: Little Stone Press
Publication Date: 26 April 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

A fighter without a purpose. A crusader with nothing to lose. Can she trust him with her heart, or is he just another lost cause?

Angel
By day, I do all the grunt work at my familyā€™s struggling L.A. brewery. By night, I blow off steam at an underground fight club. I never thought the pandemic would bring Deanna Delgado back into my lifeā€”the woman who ghosted me three years ago after one unforgettable night. But the brewery needs a miracle to survive. And that miracle could cost me the only person whoā€™s ever had faith in me.

Deanna
My family calls me an idealistic do-gooder, but I see a better, brighter future for my community. My biggest problem? Iā€™ve just lost the job I love. To ease my pain, Iā€™ve hooked up with Angel Rosas, the filthy-sweet one-night stand whoā€™s somehow dropped back into my life. Thereā€™s so much more to Angel than he lets on. Is he the man I can trust with my body and my heart? Or is he just another lost cause?

GRAB A COPY:

AMAZON US
AMAZON UK
AMAZON AU
B&N
APPLE
KOBO
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Let’s Talk Bookish: To Annotate or Not to Annotate…

Dini @ dinipandareads25 Comments

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits, and it’s where we get to discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each otherā€™s posts! If you want to join, check out the April 2022 prompts and May 2022 prompts!

Now without further ado… The topic asks us about:

TO ANNOTATE OR NOT TO ANNOTATE…

(SUGGESTED BY ARIA @Ā BOOK NOOK BITS)
Prompts:Ā ā€¦thatĀ is the question*. Do you like annotating books? If so, how do you annotate them? Is there a difference for you between ebooks, physical books, and audiobooks? If youā€™ve ever had to annotate books in school, does this affect your willingness to annotate the books you read for fun? What are some downsides to annotating books in your opinion?

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Romance Mini-Reviews: Talia Hibbert Edition

Dini @ dinipandareads12 Comments

I’m back with more mini(-ish) reviews and today it’s for two Talia Hibbert books that I’ve read in 2022 but still haven’t reviewed. Talia Hibbert is one of my auto-buy romance authorsā€”she brings the swoon and the steam and while I’ve read one or two of her books that didn’t entirely sweep me away, for the most part, her romances have been winners! Without further ado, let’s get to it.

WORK FOR IT BY TALIA HIBBERT

Goodreads: Work for It (Just For Him #4)
Publisher: Nixon House
Publication Date: 03 September 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance

Panda Rating:

(4 pandas)

For men like us, trust doesn’t come easy.

In this village, Iā€™m an outcast: Griffin Everett, the scowling giant who prefers plants to people. Then I meet Keynes, a stranger from the city whoā€™s everything Iā€™m not: sharp-tongued, sophisticated, beautiful. Free. For a few precious moments in a dark alleyway, heā€™s also mine, hot and sweet under the starsā€¦ until he crushes me like dirt beneath his designer boot.

When the prettiest man Iā€™ve ever hated shows up at my job the next day, Iā€™m not sure if I want to strangle him or drag him into bed. Actuallyā€”I think I want both. But Keynes isnā€™t here for the likes of me: he makes that painfully clear. With everyone else at work, heā€™s all gorgeous, glittering charmā€”but when I get too close, he turns vicious.

And yet, I canā€™t stay away. Because thereā€™s something about this ice king that sets me on fire, a secret vulnerability that makes my chest ache. Iā€™ll do whatever it takes to sneak past his walls and see the real man again.

The last thing I expect is for that man to ruin me.Ā 

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