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:
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:
July… What happened in July? Honestly, I ain’t got a clue. It was my first month on a retainer contract (meaning I have 3-days of work per month) and “suddenly” finding myself with a heckuva lot more free time resulted in me getting very comfortable very quickly with doing nothing particularly productive every day. 😅 *big sigh* I guess you can say that I have a very lazy + avoidant personality, so I tend to really stick to my comfort zone, which means that I (mostly) allow myself to shove my head in the sand and just exist in ignorant bliss. I am the question hound in the “on fire” comic strip turned meme where the house is burning down and the hound is sat at the table saying “this is fine” (at least for now).
In other news, well, there really isn’t much other news. I managed to be productive a few times over the past month by doing a spot of spring cleaning here and there, but otherwise, I’ve just been languishing the days away… I’m trying not to be too hard on myself cos this is a big life change and I’m very much a creature of comfort and routine, so it has messed me up a bit. But I hope that August will see a turn around at some point. 🙂 Here are some photos from gaming, bookstagram, book mail, and my catto. 🐈
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:
Nine Goblins
Publisher: Titan Books
Pub Date: 20 January 2026
Genre: Cosy Fantasy
Panda Rating:
(4.5 pandas)
From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Nine Goblins, a tale of low fantasy and high mischief.
No one knows exactly how the Goblin War began, but folks will tell you that goblins are stinking, slinking, filthy, sheep-stealing, henhouse-raiding, obnoxious, rude, and violent. Goblins would actually agree with all this, and might throw in “cowardly” and “lazy” too for good measure.
But goblins don’t go around killing people for fun, no matter what the propaganda posters say. And when a confrontation with an evil wizard lands a troop of nine goblins deep behind enemy lines, goblin sergeant Nessilka must figure out how to keep her hapless band together and get them home in one piece.
Unfortunately, between them and safety lies a forest full of elves, trolls, monsters, and that most terrifying of creatures…a human being.
Mass murder (including animal deaths, all occurring off-page but described on-page when discovered), displacement
Must protect the goblins at all costs!!! Oh, this cosy fantasy novella was just so freaking adorable and I adored it to bits! I love Kingfisher’s books so much. She never fails to deliver a freaking good, weird and quirky time, and Nine Goblins was no different.
Read More » 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:
Owls and Oolong (Owls, Tea Shops, and Other Magical Nuisances #1)
Pub Date: 22 August 2025
Genre: Cosy Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Panda Rating:
(3.75 pandas)
The author of A Vampire’s Guide to Gardening and Obsidian Queen brings you a lighthearted fantasy full of humor and romance, set in a cozy contemporary fae town. Welcome to Moss Hollow.
There are three things you need to know about my great aunt—she’s eccentric, she’s rich, and she’s dead. No, make that four things. She also named me as the sole beneficiary of her fortune. There are, however, a few stipulations.
1. I must move into her cottage in Moss Hollow, Vermont—a magical community that values tradition and tourists.
2. I must keep her beloved tea shop open and running for at least three years.
3. I must take care of her tiny owl, a prickly creature by the name of Rowan. He’s moody, opinionated, and he used to be a mage.
He doesn’t like me, he doesn’t like my dog, and he really doesn’t like the handsome fae councilman who starts hanging around as soon as I arrive in town.
But for a small fortune, Rowan and I are going to learn to coexist long enough for me to figure out how to turn him back into his normal self with my “cute and worthless” pixie magic—preferably before he ruins my dating life or drives me insane.
Owls, Tea Shops, and Other Magical Nuisances is a rom-com style contemporary fantasy. The perfect lighthearted escape, this story is sure to delight readers who enjoy cozy magic and humor.
The books in this series feature smoldering-but-sweet, closed-door romance. (Passionate kisses and some innuendo, but no spicy scenes.)
Death of a loved one (off-page, recounted)
TL;DR: This was really cute and cosy — perfect for those who want a funny, low-angst, charming, and whimsical fantasy read with a touch of romance! I can’t say that I was a big fan of the main love interest, but it’s clear that we’re veering into some kind of love-triangle territory here and to be honest, I’m not totally here for it because I know who I want the FMC to choose. 🤣 This has great small-town vibes, even though I wished that we got to explore the history a bit more. Hopefully, we’ll get that as the series continues and Kit settles in. Overall though, this was a quick and easy read, plus I really enjoyed the audiobook!
Read More » 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:
Wild Dark Shore
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pub Date: 4 March 2025
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Mystery/Climate Fiction
Panda Rating:
(4.75 pandas)
A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A storm gathering force.
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny weather-lashed island that is home to the world’s largest seed bank. As Shearwater risks being lost to rising sea levels, the island’s researchers have fled, and only the Salts remain.
Until, during the worst storm in living memory, a stranger washes ashore. The family nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, but it seems she isn’t telling the whole truth about why she’s there. And when Rowan stumbles upon sabotaged radios and a recently dug grave, she realises that she’s not the only one on the island with a secret.
A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love.
Blood, detailed description of wounds, adult/minor relationship, infidelity, deaths of loved ones (spouse, partner, sibling), suicide (on page, recounted), suicide ideation, grief, drowning (of a child, recounted), severe climate anxiety, wildfire (recounted), attempted murder, imprisonment, physical abuse, grooming
TL;DR: This book took me completely by surprise. Although it has a relatively ‘violent’ beginning, it is a slow burn. There are so many secrets and somewhat poor communication (or just choosing not to communicate really), but let me say the payoff was worth the journey. I found this to be such a beautiful character driven story that is about so many things—parenthood, motherhood, coming-of-age, love, climate change, a bone deep appreciation of mother nature, biodiversity, and the planet we inhabit. There are definitely parts where you have to suspend your disbelief, but I was fully into it and found that those parts didn’t bother me at all. If you’re willing to be patient and allow yourself to sink into the bones of this story, I really wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
Read More » 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 