Category: Book Tags

The Summer Sweatalong Book Tag!

Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

When I saw Mehsi @ Twirling Book Princess post the Summer Sweatalong Book Tag yesterday, I thought the timing couldn’t have been more perfect because the days have been sweltering lately! 🥵 The minute I step outside, I start sweating so much that it feels like I’m drowning in it and it’s truly the worst feeling, lol. But I digress… 🫠

If possible, I’ll only be using my 2026 reads to answer the prompts in this tag!

The Rules

  • Link back to the original creator of the book tag: The Bookworm Dreamer
  • Start off with telling us your favourite season and why it is/isn’t summer!
  • Tag five friends to take part (if you want)
  • Enjoy!

What season do I like best and why isn’t it summer? 🤭

Despite spending the majority of my life living in the tropics, I have to say that I really can’t stand the heat. It’s pretty unfortunate because I still live in the tropics, lol. 😫 I don’t know why it is but I always sweat buckets while the majority of people I see here don’t sweat a drop (even though I know they feel hot). Feeling heat is so uncomfortable because it shows up on my skin in unflatteringly splotchy ways but it also makes me itch like mad! 😅 So, I guess you can say I love the cold. Obviously, I’m not talking about -30℃ weather, but I do love bundling up in sweaters and getting cosy in layers. It’s always so much easier (for me) to heat up than it is to cool down. You can’t exactly strip down and walk around in your birthday suit, but you can wear all the layers to get warm!

Don’t Stop! — A book you couldn’t stop reading

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Honestly, this one really surprised me—not only because of how much I loved it but how much I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I was reading it. I didn’t want to put the book down for a second and I kept reading it every moment I could. It was so good!

You’re a Cheetah — A book you read in just ONE DAY

The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh

I think I picked this up at 10pm thinking I’d read a chapter or two and go to bed. I wound up finishing this at 4am! A stunning and emotional second book by Katouh.

Couldn’t Let Go — A book you could* re-read straight away

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

I’m tweaking this a bit because I’m a rare re-reader, but I could probably re-read this one straight away. I read it back in March but it honestly already feels like I read it so long ago (not in a bad way). I’m pretty sure that if I re-read it now, I’d probably notice a lot more clues, and that would be fun to notice. Also, I just love this series, and Ana and Din, in general, so re-reading this would be no hardship!

Calm It Down — A book that got your heart racing

Faithbreaker by Hannah Kaner

I could actually use the entire trilogy for this prompt, but it was the second and third books that really had my heart going! This was such an intense, dark, and fantastic ride. 😍

Second Best — A sequel you read faster than the first

A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross

I feel like I took a really long time to read the first book in this duology (like over or about a week) but I read this sequel in two days! It was another unputdownable book for me, and I was eager to learn more about the secrets of this island and what would happen to the characters next. It was a very satisfying conclusion! 😌

Books on Fire! — A series you read straight through

Surprisingly, I can give an answer from my 2026 reads and the honour goes to The Bloodsworn Saga by John Gwynne. I buddy read this with Becky and after finishing the first book, we decided that we couldn’t wait long to keep going, so we didn’t. 😂 This was such a dark and intense epic fantasy and I loved every gritty, painful and infuriating moment of it!

The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods, The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

Midnight Madness — A book that kept you up late

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

I absolutely adore this book. It was such good fun and I loved that the historical fantasy setting was so unlike others that I’ve read. Not to mention that our protagonist and her crew are older characters who have been through things. The banter, lore, and well, the adventures definitely kept me up late and I wouldn’t mind losing sleep again if it meant more adventures with this crew!

The Prompts

  • Don’t Stop! — A book you couldn’t stop reading
  • You’re a Cheetah — A book you read in just ONE DAY
  • Couldn’t Let Go — A book you re-read straight away
  • Calm It Down! — A book that got your heart racing
  • Second Best — A sequel you read faster than the first
  • Books on Fire! — A series you read straight through
  • Midnight Madness — A book that kept you up late

And that’s it for the Summer Sweatalong Book Tag! I won’t be tagging anyone today, but I’d love to see your answers if you decide to do this one. Happy reading, folks!

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

The 2026 Mid-Year Check-In Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads22 Comments

When Caro tagged me in her mid-year post the other day, I at first couldn’t believe that it’s already time for the Mid-Year Check-In! The last few months have been ✨ stressful ✨ over here, and I’m still going through the trenches until the end of the month—which is only a few days away, so I’m hanging in there. But I digress. Despite kind of prioritizing gaming as my favourite form of unwinding in recent months, I am still reading, albeit very slowly. So I’ll be curious to see what answers I can come up with for this year’s check-in! We’re halfway through 2026, folks and what a time it’s been… 😶‍🌫️

Check out my previous check-ins:
2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025

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The 2026 Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

It was more than a little jarring to me when I saw Celeste and Mehsi post the Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag because what do you mean a quarter of the year has already come and gone?! I had to sit with that fact for a bit and let my brain catch up to what it already knew, lol. 2026 has been… so weird and awful in so many ways, and I guess I’ve started blocking a lot out, which has made the year feel simultaneously too long and yet incredibly short. Sigh.

So I guess it’s time to look back on Q1 of my reading year! Surprisingly, it hasn’t been too bad in terms of numbers at least in comparison to last year. If you’re curious, you can view my past quarterly check-ins: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022.

This tag was originally created by @Roisin’s Reading on BookTube.

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2026 Reading Firsts Book Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Happy Thursday, friends! I totally forgot that this tag existed until I saw Jodie @ Witty and Sarcastic Book Club post it the other day so of course, I have to jump back on it. I’ve done this for the past three years and have enjoyed recapping my firsts of the year. While I usually do these ‘firsts’ based on books published in that year, I think I’ve only read one 2026 release so far, so I’m not going to do that this time! On that note, let’s dive right in…

Check out: 2023 | 2024 | 2025

This tag was created by Tanya Patrice @Girlxoxo.

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In 2025… My Life in Books Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

I’m finally doing the “My Life In Books” tag at the right time this year and I’m excited to see how 2025 has gone according to the books I read. I had so much fun doing this tag for 2024 that I think I’m going to make sure I do this every year! How does it work? It’s easy: the only rule for this tag is that you must complete the prompts using titles from the books you read in 2025. On that note, let’s get to it!

This book tag was originally created by Book’d Out.

2025 was the Year of…

This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman

This is pretty depressing and negative, but I mean, I don’t find it to be untrue, lol. The cover of this book also seems to illustrate the year perfectly (meaning it was full chaos vibes)! 😂

In 2025, I wanted to be…

Partying with Pixies by Hazel Mack

In 2025, I was the…

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

In 2025, I gained…

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

In 2025, I lost…

You, With A View by Jessica Joyce

In 2025, I loved…

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

In 2025, I hated…

The Thief of Farrowfell by Ravena Guron

(I didn’t hate the book, I hated the thief! Hehehe)

In 2025, I learned…

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

In 2025, I was surprised by…

A Song for You and I by K. O’Neill

In 2025, I went…

Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis

In 2025, I missed out on…

The Guy for Me by Marzy Opal

In 2025, my family were…

In A Rush by Kate Canterbary

In 2026, I hope it will be…

A Touch Wicked by Katrina Kendrick

And that it’s for my 2025 life in books! Wow, that was actually so much harder than the previous year, but I think that was also due to the quality of the books I read this year… Maybe? Anyway, I’m already keen to do this next year though! 🤭

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

The Christmas Eve Book Tag!

Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

I’ve been kind of waffling on what tag to post because it’s been a minute but nothing has been striking my fancy. Then I was tagged by (the wonderful) Caro @Bookcheshirecat the other day to do The Christmas Eve Book Tag, and well, there’s no better time for it (even though it goes up Christmas Day, lol)! 🤭 Let’s just jump straight into it.

This tag was originally created by BookTuber: Sam’s Cozy Corner

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The End of Year Book Tag – 2025 Edition

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

As with every year, I end up putting this off for far longer than I mean to. 😂 This year has just been absolute chaos, and I’m kind of shocked that we’ve already reached the end of it. So, it’s time for the End of the Year Book Tag — 2025 Edition! After the absolute madness this year, I’m kind of scared about what’s coming in 2026, but I’m also hopeful that it will be much better! 🤞🏽

Check out the End of Year Book Tag in previous years:
2019 | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024

Let’s get on to the book tag now and see what’s up with 2025…

This tag was originally created by booktuber Ariel Bissett.

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

Oh, yes. My “paused” shelf on my Notion tracker has been steadily growing throughout the year! 😅 I’m going to narrow it down to the top 5 that I hope to finish before the year ends.

One by One by Ruth Ware, I Killed the King by Rebecca Mix & Andrea Hannah, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli, Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

Same answer as previous years, I’m not much of a seasonal reader, but I think I read a few books this year that make good transition reads!

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron, Waltzing with Witches by Hazel Mack, The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt, The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni

Is there a new release that you’re still waiting for?

I honestly can’t think of any new releases I’m still waiting for at this point! I don’t think there are…

What are three books you want to read before the year ends?

At this point, I have no idea what I’m likely to read before the year ends because my reading mood has been all over the place! That said, it would be pretty nice if my mood could pick up so that I can read these three books… At least!

Someone You Can Build A Nest In by John Wiswell, A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, In A Second by Kate Canterbary

Is there a book that you think could still shock you and become your favourite of the year?

There are a couple of 2025 releases that I think have high potential to become my favourite this year. I think of the few I’m thinking of, two of them would be the biggest contenders and they are: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow and Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow, Blood Over Brighthaven by M.L. Wang

As I’ve mentioned though, my mood and focus has been all over the place so I don’t know if I should pick them this year. I’m currently attempting to read the latter but I’m just feeling very confused with the magic speak right now and that makes me a bit sad? Haha. 😂

Have you already started to make reading plans for 2026?

I actually do have some reading plans for 2026 already. Unsurprisingly, I don’t have many ARCs to read because I’ve almost completely stopped reading them this year and have been very selective with them. I currently have one 2026 ARC to read, that said, I still have tons of backlist ones to get to! 🫣

I’m currently decided on one year-long reading challenge (Buzzword (Title) Challenge) but I’m not sure what other one I’ll do (or if I’ll do another one). Other than that though, Leslie and I are hosting a massive group read for Dungeon Crawler Carl! We’re doing all seven books until the release of the eighth—starting with books 1 and 2 in January! 🎉 I can’t wait to dive back into the books and see what I missed the first time around, lol.

I’m not tagging anyone but I’d love to see your answers if you do it! How was your reading in 2025? Are there any books that you hope to get to before the year ends? Any that could possibly be a new favourite?

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

2025 Spotify Wrapped Book Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads10 Comments

It’s that time of the year where we’re wrapping things up and that means, of course, it’s time for the Spotify Wrapped posts to take over our feeds, lol. 😂 So why not add the Spotify Wrapped Book Tag to the mix? I had lots of fun doing it this tag for the last three years so it’s time to do it again now! I wonder if it’ll be easy to find good book matches for some of my favourite tunes this past year? Let’s find out! 🎶

Check out my previous posts: 2024 | 2023 | 2022

This tag was originally created by Rosina @Lace and Dagger Books!

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Thanksgiving Book Tag: 2025 Edition

Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

I was looking for something to post tonight instead of another review and since today is Turkey Day I thought I’d come back to do the Thanksgiving Book Tag but this time for my 2025 reads!

Check out previous editions: 2024 | 2022

Happy Turkey Day to everyone who is doing something today—I hope you enjoy spending time with your families and that you eat a lot of delicious food! 🦃

This is an original book tag by Anna’s Book Nook.

The Rules

  • Thank the person who nominated you
  • Give credit to the author (Annasbooknook)
  • Answer the prompts
  • Tag others if you desire!

1) Friends and Family: A book with characters that feel like family

The Thursday Murder Club

I started this series at the beginning of the year and these characters have grown on me immensely. Whenever I read these books, I feel like they are family and that I’m there experiencing everything with them. The characters in this book have come to mean so much to me—I love them so much! 💜

2) Fallen Leaves: A book that fell flat (didn’t meet your expectations)

The Spellshop

There was (and still is) so much hype around this book that my expectations had really skyrocketed. While there were bits I enjoyed a lot—especially Caz, the sassy sentient spider plant—there was so much that didn’t get explored in the way it deserved. The magic, the romance, the townsfolk… I just wished it had more than what we got!

3) Thanksgiving Dinner: A book you want to read every year during this season

Remarkably Bright Creatures

For this, I’ve chosen a very heartwarming and cosy story that just makes you want to snuggle up in bed with fluffy pillows and your worn in doona. 🥰 It also ends on a Turkey Day!

4) Turkey: A book with a bird in it

Vespertine

This had been on my TBR for years and I even had an Owlcrate special edition of it. I’m so glad that I loved this one when I finally picked it up! It’s a dark story but also somehow comforting.

5) Ham: A book that made your eyes glaze over (boring)

Scavenge the Stars

This should’ve been a DNF but I am nothing if not stubborn and I persevered (but at a cost?)! There were a number of disappointing reads for me this year, but this one was probably one of the top disappointments. For a retelling that had such a great story to work with and a unique spin it could’ve put on it, this was woefully and painfully boring.

6) Dinner Rolls: A book that melted your heart and made you feel warm

Blades of Furry Vol. 1

I’m no furry, but this book could’ve made me one, LOL! No, but seriously, this book was so delightfully heartwarming! With the amazing art and a wonderful storyline, I had such a fabulous time reading this and it’s definitely one of my favourites this year. Friends, it is so good!! 🥹

7) Mashed Potatoes: A book with a white cover

Eight Hundred Grapes

Oof, this was surprisingly difficult? Who knew I read so few books with white covers?!

This had been on my TBR for ages and it was a fairly fast-paced read and I do remember enjoying it! This family was so messy and while I’m not always a fan, I liked their story. It was so real!

8) Gravy: A book you’re not totally sure why you love, but you do

Enchantra

Hmm… This was another tough prompt that I was unsure about but I ended up going for this because… Well, there was a lot that (technically) should’ve annoyed me and did annoy me in the first book (which is why I didn’t enjoy it much), but I ended up finding okay here? I guess there was something about Genevieve’s story that just felt… More appealing to me? I don’t know. I’m not sure why I loved this but I did have a great time with it! 😂

9) Pumpkin Pie: A dessert book that you love

Partying With Pixies

Okay, so this isn’t a dessert book, however, it’s very sweet like one? Plus, our FMC is a pixie who owns a sweet shop in this monster town! This whole series is sweet and super sexy time with great found-family vibes.

Bonus: Black Friday – Top 5 books on your “I want to buy them” list

I mean, it’s so hard to choose five because there are definitely more than five I want to get but… Yeah, let’s go with these!

Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher, The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar, Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia, My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, The Butcher’s Daughter by David Demchuk & Corinne Leigh Clark

And that’s all from me, folks! I won’t tag anyone but if you want to do the tag, feel free to grab it and link back so I can see your answers! 😃

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

“Do I Have That Book?” Challenge/Tag!

Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m back with another book tag today and it’s one that I saw on Nicole @ Bookwyrm Knit‘s blog earlier this month. It looked like so much fun, and definitely seemed like a challenge, so I thought why not give it a go? The original tag created by BookTuber Tabby was actually a timed challenge but I’m not about putting that pressure on myself because I already know this is going to be tough and it’ll definitely take me longer than 8 minutes to complete (that’s like super human levels of speed for this challenge, haha). 🤣

On that note, let’s get to it! Also, you can find the full list of questions at the bottom of my post.

Do you have a book with deckled edges?

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

I’m not always the biggest fan of deckled edges these days (I used to be slightly obsessed) but I kinda like it with this book, especially my copy which is secondhand and marred by yellow stains, which adds to the vintage feel of the cover. I think it also suits the deckled edge style!

Do you have a book with 3 or more people on the cover?

The Malevolent Seven by Sebastian De Castell

I’m not always the biggest fan of deckled edges these days (I used to be slightly obsessed) but I kinda like it with this book, especially my copy which is secondhand and marred by yellow stains, which adds to the vintage feel of the cover. I think it also suits the deckled edge style!

Do you have a book based on another fictional story?

The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy

This is a Persuasion retelling and it’s fabulous! If you love plus-sized, diverse FMCs in historical fiction, all the pining, angst and intense chemistry, and of course, Persuasion retellings, I would definitely recommend it!

Do you have a book with a title 10 letters long?

Fan Service by Rosie Danan

I still haven’t read anything by Danan but of course I’m keeping up with her latest releases. I do have a problem, I fear… 🤭

Do you have a book with a title that starts and ends with the same letter?

Echoes of the Tide by Emma Hamm

Oof, this was such a tough one to find so I immediately squealed with delight when I came across this title! It’s the third book in Hamm’s sea monster romance and I’m hoping to read it this year (hopefully, lol).

Do you have a Mass Market Paperback book?

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

I bought this book as a physical copy first and got the MMP cos although she was chonky as heck, she was smol and I thought I would’ve liked that. Turns out, it’s not so great for reading, and perhaps even as equally if not even more intimidating to read cos of how thick she is! 🤭

Do you have a book written by an author using a pen name?

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

AnnaLinden Weller writes under this pen name. I’ve heard a lot of interesting things about this book/series and it intimidates me a whole lot but I’m also very keen to give it a try!

Do you have a book with a character’s name in the title?

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen

I think the reason I haven’t read this yet, other than pure procrastination, is the fact that I want to re-read Hart & Mercy beforehand cos I remember so few of the details. All I remember from book one is how massively I sobbed towards the end. It was great! 😌

Do you have a book with two maps in it?

Jade City by Fonda Lee

Not only does this book have the most incredible world-building, complex characters, and even more intricate relationships, we also get blessed with more than one map! I mean, if you haven’t already been convinced to read this, please do.

Do you have a book that was turned into a TV show?

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

I actually haven’t seen this show but I’ve heard it’s pretty faithful to the book and it’s well adapted? Not sure if I will get around to it but it is on my (extremely) long to-watch list! 🤣

Do you have a book written by someone who is originally famous for something else? (Celebrity/athlete/politician/TV personality)

Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz

This is the memoir of Bethany Joy Lenz who plays my favourite character in the epic TV series, One Tree Hill! It’s Haley 😍

Do you have a book with a clock on the cover?

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

I read this so long ago that I can’t remember when and I remember close to nothing about it now, but I did give it 5 stars so… That’s something! I’d love to re-read this one day.

Do you have a poetry book?

Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver by Mary Oliver

I’ve heard so many wonderful things about this poetry collection. I have not ready poetry in a very long time but it piqued my interest enough for me to get my hands on a copy!

Do you have a book with an award stamp on it?

The Promise by Damon Galgut

It has The 2021 Book Prize “award stamp” on it! That counts… Right? 🤭

Do you have a book written by an author with the same initials as you?

Friends, I really thought I would get through this being able to answer all the prompts but sadly, I could not find a book for this. I don’t know any authors with the initials DK or even ones with my full full names! 🤭

Do you have a book of short stories?

Blackout by Various Authors

I loved that this was a book of short stories that were all set in the same location, experienced the same situation, and all sort of intertwined at the end. It was cool and such a fun read!

Do you have a book that is between 500-510 pages long?

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

This Illumicrate edition that I have of this book is 506 pages long! It does have a different cover than this though but I couldn’t find a good quality one of it… 🤭

Do you have a book that was turned into a movie?

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

This even has two adaptations. The first in Swedish and the other in English, which was also modified to fit a more American context. I’m planning to watch the Swedish one!

Do you have a graphic novel?

Squire by Nadia Shammas, Sara Alfageeh

I love graphic novels so I had quite a few to choose from! This one is still on my TBR and I’ve heard great things about it. I need to prioritise reading more of my graphic novels, I think!

Do you have a book written by 2 or more authors?

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

I know I probably have other books written by 2 or more authors, but Christina Lauren will always be the first that come to mind because of how long I’ve been reading their books. 🤭 That said, this one is still on my TBR!

The Questions:

  1. Do you have a book with deckled edges?
  2. Do you have a book with 3 or more people on the cover?
  3. Do you have a book based on another fictional story?
  4. Do you have a book with a title 10 letters long?
  5. Do you have a book with a title that starts and ends with the same letter?
  6. Do you have a Mass Market Paperback book?
  7. Do you have a book written by an author using a pen name?
  8. Do you have a book with a character’s name in the title?
  9. Do you have a book with 2 maps in it?
  10. Do you have a book that was turned into a TV show?
  11. Do you have a book written by someone who is originally famous for something else? (celebrity/athlete/politician/tv personality…)
  12. Do you have a book with a clock on the cover?
  13. Do you have a poetry book?
  14. Do you have a book with an award stamp on it?
  15. Do you have a book written by an author with the same initials as you?
  16. Do you have a book of short stories?
  17. Do you have a book that is between 500-510 pages long?
  18. Do you have a book that was turned into a movie?
  19. Do you have a graphic novel?
  20. Do you have a book written by 2 or more authors?

That’s it for this very long but very fun tag! Do you own any of these books?

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini