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:
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…
This tag was created by Tanya Patrice @Girlxoxo.
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:
A Study in Drowning (A Study in Drowning #1)
Publisher: Del Rey
Pub Date: 19 September 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy/Dark Academia
Panda Rating:
(4.25 pandas)
Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, sheโs had no choice. Her tattered copy of AngharadโEmrys Myrddinโs epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys himโis the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddinโs family announces a contest to redesign the late authorโs estate, Effy feels certain itโs her destiny.
But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Hรฉloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddinโs legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against themโand the truth may bring them both to ruin.
From the Trigger Warning Database:
Ableism & internalised ableism, sexual harassment & sexual assault mentioned, alcohol consumption & abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, panic attacks & nightmares, amputation (protagonist is missing her finger), death of a parent mentioned, torture recounted, car accident recounted, drowning & attempted drowning, flood recounted, animal death mentioned
*Context: A secondary character is kissed without consent and has plans to kidnap and hold her captive.
I might’ve gotten a bit carried away with my thoughts on this bookโsorry for the essayโbut I guess you can say I loved it. ๐คญ Also, I buddy read this with Chris @ Biblio Nerd Reflections and it was an awesome pick as there’s plenty to discuss and rage about, lol!
TL;DR:ย A Study in Drowning was an interesting blend of dark academia, fae lore, and gothic romance. It was stunningly atmospheric and I felt every single drenched moment in Hiraeth down to my bones. Experiencing the story through Effyโs POV was also perfect because it added to the dreamlike and otherworldly quality of the story, where youโre unsure about whatโs real and whatโs not. This explores some dark themes, including how misogyny runs rampant in the academic world, and at times it was heavy to read. That said, I was loathe to put it down every time I had to adult, and overall, I thought this was a compelling and satisfying read!
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:
Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)
Publisher: Forever
Pub Date: 15 November 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Panda Rating:
(5 pandas)
Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldnโt solve or save everything.
It couldnโt save their marriage.
Yasmen wasnโt prepared for how her life fell apart, but she is finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, theyโre always drawn back to each other, and now theyโre beginning to wonder if theyโre truly ready to let go of everything they once had.
Soon, one stolen kiss leads to anotherโฆand then more. It’s hot. It’s illicit. It’s all goodโuntil old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?
Award-winning and bestselling “powerhouse” author Kennedy Ryan is at her absolute best in this compelling, scorching novel about hope and healing, and what it truly means to love for a lifetime (USA Today).
From the author’s note: Stillbirth, loss of loved one (past/off-page), discussion of complicated grief, depression, and passive suicidal ideation (no attempt).
TL;DR: I’m writing these thoughts down well after I finished reading this because my feelings were so heightened after this experience, I wanted to let my thoughts marinate a little bit. I want to start by saying that what everyone says about this book is 100% correct. It is beautifully written, heartbreaking and an intensely emotional journey that I found myself getting swept up and away in. Kennedy Ryan is out here destroying feelings left, right and centre, and she does a fantastic job of it! I read this book with Leslie, who didn’t like this as much as I did, and despite loving it myself, I can understand why it won’t be for everyone. Please do check content/trigger warnings because this covers a very traumatic experience and the ways our protagonists deal with what happened can be triggering for some.
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:
She blinked and somehow JanuaryFebruary was already over. I know February is a short month, but it felt like it was only two weeks long with how quickly it flew by? Looking back on the month, I’m not really sure what happened? We had some farewells at work with two colleagues leaving us, but other than that, it was just a whole bunch of work (๐ถwork, work, work, work๐ถ) and little else. One farewell involved karaoke and I hadn’t been to one (sober) in ages but it was actually a lot of fun. I still can’t sing to save my life, but I had a great time with my colleagues! We also had our office iftar (the evening meal to break the daily fast) on Friday hosted by our Head of Office. His wife arrived from Egypt with some amazing treats and she cooked up a delicious feast for us. It was fantastic! I drool still thinking about it. ๐คค
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:
dinipandareads 