I’m back with another blog tour today with Rachel’s Random Resources for Mr. Right Across the Street. Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Be sure to click on the banner below to check out the other bloggers on tour!
Mia Abbott’s move to Manchester was supposed to give her time and space from all the disastrous romantic choices she’s made in her past. But then the hot guy who lives opposite – the one who works out every day at exactly 10 a.m., not that Mia has noticed thank-you-very-much – starts leaving notes in his window…for her.
Bar owner Luke Doyle has his own issues to deal with but as he shows Mia the sites of her new city he also shows her what real romance looks like for the first time. And when he cooks up a signature cocktail in her honour, she realises that the man behind the bar is even more enticing than any of his creations. And once she’s had a taste she knows it will never be enough!
Almost one year ago, or what more accurately feels like a lifetime now, Dedra @ A BookWanderer tagged me for The Mystery Blogger Award! To say that I’m “behind” on tags/awards would be a slight understatement but better late than never, right? Thanks for the nomination, Dedra! ❤️ If you’re not already following her blog, please do go check it out! Dedra has some really great content and I especially love she always makes great playlists and great song connections to books! Super fun 😍
So, what’s the Mystery BlogGER award?
The Mystery Blogger Award is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; they do it with so much love and passion. The award was created by Okoto!
some rules…
Acknowledge the blog that gave it to you and display the award
Put the award logo/image on your blog.
List these rules!
Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.
Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
You have to nominate 10 – 20 people.
Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice.
Share a link to your best post(s).
3 things about me…
I USED TO BE QUITE THE SHOPAHOLIC…
So… I used to rely on retail therapy for a lot and that meant that I would frequently go on major shopping binges when I was younger. This only worsened when online retailers started popping up and made it that much easier to spend money without having to do more than lift a finger. It got pretty bad! Let’s just say that I’m now a totally different person and no longer shop much–although I have to admit that I still get carried away with book buying 😂
I HAVE A DECENT EAR FOR LANGAUGES & ACCENTS
Maybe it’s because I grew up internationally and from a very young age have had friends from all over the world. Whatever it is, I’ve become pretty good at detecting languages people speak and also differentiating accents. This is something I always thought everyone could do easily and I still get surprised when people can’t 😅 But it’s fun! I love being able to tell what tourist is from where, even when I’m a tourist myself!
I WENT TO BOARDING SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA
I went to boarding school out in the middle-of-nowhere Victoria when I was in high school. It’s always funny when I see stories set in boarding schools because they’re always so full of wicked things and the reality, while exciting at times, was so very far from those sordid tales. 😂 I had some pretty great times in boarding school!
DEDRA’S questions:
WHAT’S THE BEST READING EXPERIENCE YOU’VE EVER HAD?
The first instance that comes to mind is when I picked up Persuasion in 2012. I’d just moved to the UK to start my Masters and I was going through a pretty rough time in my personal life. I honestly can’t even remember how I got the book or when or even why I decided to pick that one up specifically but… It was just the perfect timing. You know when you read something and everything just… CLICKS? And it feels like the book was written for you and that it’s speaking to that instant in your life? Just me? Well, that’s what happened when I read Persuasion. It made me feel hopeful when I needed it and that’s why it became one of my favourite books of all-time 😊
WHERE WOULD BE YOUR FAVOURITE DESTINATION-REAL OR IMAGINED?
Lake Marian, NZ
One real-life destination that I haven’t been to yet but I have a feeling I’ll fall madly in love with New Zealand. Just picturing the beauty of the surroundings–the wide open spaces, the lakes, the valleys, the mountains, the lush greenery… The CLEAN FRESH AIR. 😂 Yeah, I can definitely see it becoming a favourite destination! A favourite imagined world is Nevermoor–I keep coming back to that world because it’s so whimsical and magical! 😍
DO YOU FOLLOW A TBR OR ARE YOU A MOOD READER? AND WHY?
Most people who follow my blog know by now that I am 1000% a mood reader! I know nothing about that TBR life 🤣 I make “possibility piles” but even those very loose possibilities don’t have much of a chance to be read unless my mood calls for it. My moods can be quite fickle and when I read something that I’m not sure I’m in the right headspace for it simply ruins the book for me and that’s defo not fair on the book/author! 😂
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TYPE OF BLOG POST TO CREATE?
I love me a good weekly meme and 90% of the content on my blog is basically that. Sometimes it can get tiring when I don’t feel inspired by a particular topic, but I usually have a lot of fun looking through my Goodreads TBR and rediscovering books that I forgot or revisiting my love for some of my all time faves! I think my favourite weekly meme would probably be Top Ten Tuesday (it was the first one I ever did)! But another weekly meme that I’m enjoying and that pushes me out of my comfort zone is the Let’s Talk Bookish discussion post meme!
WHAT’S A BOOK YOU DIDN’T LIKE THAT EVERYONE ELSE LOVED OR A BOOK THAT YOU LOVED AND EVERYONE ELSE HATED?
Well, this is kind of easy. While I didn’t hate the book, one book that I didn’t enjoy half as much as everyone else seemed to love was The Night Circus (don’t come for me, please). In all honesty, I was a bit bored and though it was beautifully written I just never connected to the characters or story! 🙈 A book that I ended up really loving (and with a love that grew over time lol) is Normal People and though not everyone else hated it, I know a lot of people really really didn’t like that book! 😂
my five questions
What’s one of your favourite songs of all time?
What was the last book you read and if you’d recommend it, why should people read it?
Who’s an author you recently discovered and feel like everyone should also read ASAP?
What dish or cuisine could you eat for the rest of your life and never get sick of?
What type of post is always a struggle to write?
I’M TAGGING:
If tags and awards are not your thing, please feel free to ignore this! Don’t forget to link back so I can see your answers too 😍
Today’s my stop on the blog tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources for The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady by Virginia Heath. Thanks to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads: The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady Publisher: Mills & Boon Historical Release Date: 21 January 2021 Genre: Historical Romance
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
The notorious viscount And the most gossiped-about lady… After years as a diplomat in the Napoleonic Wars, Lord Eastwood is reluctant to return to London society. His scandalous divorce has made him infamous, not to mention cantankerous! To halt the rumor mill, he should marry a quiet noblewoman—instead it’s bold, vibrant artist Faith Brookes who’s caught his attention. They are the least suitable match, so why is he like a moth to a flame?
I’m back with another blog tour today with Rachel’s Random Resources for The Little Swiss Ski Chalet by Julie Caplin. Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Be sure to click on the banner below to check out the other bloggers on tour!
Goodreads: The Little Swiss Ski Chalet Release Date: 30 January 2021 Genre: Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance
Panda Rating: (3.5 pandas)
It’s time to pack your bags and head to the breathtaking, snow-covered peaks of the Swiss Alps for velvety hot chocolates, delicious cheeses and a gorgeous love story…
Food technician Minna has always believed that chocolate will solve everything – and it’s just what she needs when her latest relationship mishap goes viral! So with her bags packed and a new determination to sort her life out, Minna decides to drown her sorrows with the best hot chocolate in the world at her godmother’s cosy Swiss chalet. Chocolate: yes. Romance: no. Until she has a run in on an Alpine train with a mysterious but oh-so-gorgeous stranger…
I’m back with another blog tour today with Rachel’s Random Resources for In Pursuit of Happiness by Freya Kennedy. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Be sure to click on the banner below to check out the other bloggers on tour!
Goodreads: In Pursuit of Happiness Publisher: Boldwood Books Release Date: 15 December 2020 Genre: Women’s Fiction / Chick Lit Panda Rating:
The world is waiting…but just outside of your comfort zone.
Jo Campbell is perfectly content in a perfectly structured life. Nothing ever changes in Jo’s life, and she likes it that way. Or at least, she tells herself she does.
Most of the time, she manages to push down the tiny voice that tells her to chase her dream and maybe, just maybe, open her battered and bruised heart up to love. But to chase her dreams she needs to take chances that are way out of her comfort zone and learn to not put other people’s happiness above her own.
Most of all she has to learn to trust her heart, which may just be the biggest challenge of all.
It’s Friday and I usually do a “Lets Talk Bookish” post but my brain has been feeling pretty foggy lately and I haven’t the capacity to write good posts, so I decided to do a fun tag! I have a million that I still need to do but, of course, I decided to do one that I wasn’t actually tagged in! It seemed perfect for the upcoming holiday season though. Can you believe it’s practically already mid-December? 🙃 WOT.
I saw this on Stephen’s blog and if you haven’t already, I’d recommend checking it out because Stephen writes great posts and reviews, and is all around awesome! 😉 Now without further ado, let’s get to the tag!
🎄“All I Want For Christmas Is You…” 🎄 What book do you want to see under the Christmas Tree?
Is it really possible to choose one book? If you can, you definitely have a lot more restraint than me! But if I had to choose only onetwo, the books that come to mind are: A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and Felix Ever After. I still haven’t bought the ebooks cos I really want physical copies of these beauts 😂
🎄“Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time…” 🎄 WHAT book that you have read this year have you enjoyed the most?
Surprising absolutely nobody: The House in the Cerulean Sea. I mean… Is this answer getting old? I really don’t care because this book was all kinds of heartwarming and wonderful. My heart fills up with all the fuzzy feelings when I think about it and if you haven’t already, please read it! 🤣
🎄“It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas…” 🎄 Which book has THE most festive look to it?
Ooh, this is a toughie because there are so many festive covers that I absolutely adore. I just recently did a post with Christmas romance covers that I think really scream ‘festive’ vibes. Some more examples:
🎄“ELF” 🎄 What book unleashes your inner child?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This book is one of my top favourite childhood reads and every time I read it or hear mention of it I get thrown back to the giddy feeling I got when I read this book for the first time. The joy that the chocolate factory and all its wonderful oddities gives me is really like no other and when I was a kid I absolutely lived for the magic of this story! 🥰
🎄“The gRINCH” 🎄 your favourite villain…
I think this is gonna be a toss up between Eli and Holland but both are villains in Schwab’s books (Villains and Shades of Magic, respectively). I really love to hate these two 😂
🎄“The HOLIDAY” 🎄 Name your favourite TWO couples…
Oh this is so tough because I read a lot of romances and whenever I love a romance I ship those ships in a big way 😂 The first two couples that popped into my mind were: Calla & Jonah from The Simple Wild (*swoon*) and Maia & Edan from Spin the Dawn (*still swooning*)
🎄What book would you like to give as a present to your followers? 🎄
Hmm… I guess I should go for something other than Cerulean Sea? 😂 I’m also gonna pick a few because I can! These books are from (mostly) different (sub-)genres and ones that I feel deserve more love (well, TPW gets a lot of love but I can’t not mention it because this book!!!). This is kind of inspiring me to do an end of year giveaway, so maybe stay tuned for that? 😉
And that’s a wrap, folks! This was fun and exactly what I needed because I didn’t have to think too hard at the end of a long working day/week.On that note, I’m not tagging anyone specifically but feel free to link back if you wanna do the tag so I can check out your answers too! 🥰
I’m back with another blog tour today with Rachel’s Random Resources for The Forgotten Gift by Kathleen McGurl. Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Be sure to click on the banner below to check out the other bloggers on tour!
Goodreads: The Forgotten Gift Release Date: 11 November 2020 Genre: Historical Fiction Panda Rating:
What would you do to protect the ones you love?
1861. George’s life changes forever the day he meets Lucy. She’s beautiful and charming, and he sees a future with her that his position as the second son in a wealthy family has never offered him. But when Lucy dies in a suspected poisoning days after rejecting George, he finds himself swept up into a murder investigation. George loved Lucy; he would never have harmed her. So who did?
Now. On the surface Cassie is happy with her life: a secure job, good friends, and a loving family. When a mysterious gift in a long-forgotten will leads her to a dark secret in her family’s history she’s desperate to learn more. But the secrets in Cassie’s family aren’t all hidden in the past, and her research will soon lead her to a revelation much closer to home – and which will turn everything she knows on its head…
Discover a family’s darkest secrets today. Perfect for fans of The Girl in the Letter, The Beekeeper’s Promise and The Forgotten Village!
I’m back with another blog tour today with Rachel’s Random Resources for Love Offline by Olivia Spring. Thanks to Rachel for organising this tour, and to the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Be sure to click on the banner above to check out the other bloggers on tour!
Goodreads: Love Offline Release Date: 01 November 2019 Genre: Contemporary Romance Panda Rating:
Emily’s Struggling To Find Romance Online. Will Ditching The Dating Apps Lead To True Love?
Online dating isn’t working for introvert Emily. Although she’s comfortable swiping right at home in her PJs, the idea of going out to meet a guy in person fills her with dread. So when her best friend challenges her to ditch the apps, attend a load of awkward singles’ events and find love in real life, Emily wants to run for the hills.
Then she meets Josh. He’s handsome, kind and funny, but Emily’s had her heart crushed before and knows he’s hiding something… Is Josh too good to be true? Can Emily learn to trust again and if she does, will it lead to love or more heartache?
Love Offline is a fun, sexy, entertaining story about friendship, stepping outside of your comfort zone and falling in love the old-fashioned way. Ideal for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare.
Hello friends! I was in the mood to do another tag today, but instead of looking to the many (so many) tags that’ve been lingering on my ‘tagged files’, I decided to do the Stuck At Home Book Tag that Sammie @ The Bookwyrm’s Den tagged me in last month. Big thanks for the tag! 🖤If you haven’t already hopped on over to check out her blog then what are you waiting for?! Sammie’s one of my favourite bloggers and her posts never fail to make me laugh because she’s a funny one and her content is always goals (seriously)!
…So now that we’ve got that covered, let’s get straight to it!
Tour the World in 30 Books is a blog tour hosted by Sammie @ The Bookwyrm’s Den in support of her local public library’s Diverse Book Drive. The CCPL—a small, rural library in an area with a high poverty rate and a very homogeneous population, where people rarely have the means to travel or experience new perspectives. However, the library doesn’t believe that should stop people from learning more about the world around them, so they’re running a Diverse Book Drive through the month of September in an attempt to bring the rest of the world to the county instead. With a focus on MG and YA books, the CCPL aims to expose especially its young patrons to new and diverse perspectives and cultures.
I’ve been so excited to take part in this awesome tour! It’s such a wonderful way to visit other countries and learn about other cultures without having to leave the comfort of your home. I’m so happy to support a wonderful friend and librarian in promoting diverse reads in her small-town library. Be sure to check out the other wonderful posts and bloggers on tour—trust, you don’t want to miss out on seeing their awesome content! 😉
Today I’ll be talking about the book Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco. You can also check out my og review for the book! I was a little unsure about how I wanted to do this post and to be honest, I’m still not 100% sure about it but I’m rolling with it and seeing where it takes me. I thought I’d share five reasons why you should read WAYW, but I’m also going to share a short reflection about reading this book, and I’ll be sharing a recipe for a Filipino dish that is one of my all-time favourite foods. What better (and more delicious) way is there to connect to a culture than through food? I hope you enjoy it!
dinipandareads 