Tag: Blog Tag

Books I Want To Read But Don’t Want to Read Tag

Dini @ dinipandareads26 Comments

I was tagged by the lovely Michaela @ Journey Into Books to do the ‘Books I Want To Read’ tag and look at me–doing a tag within a month of being tagged! 🤣 Thanks for the tag, lovely! Check out her blog for great reviews and other fun bookish content ❤️

The basic idea of this tag (from the original creator) is: basically all those books where you really like the idea of reading the book / you do WANT to read the book, but the actual process of reading it seems daunting or unappealing! Why do I feel like I’m gonna struggle with this even though this sounds like a fun and interesting tag?! LOL 😂

The Rules:

  • Link back to the original tag (this post, and Jami!)
  • Complete the questions with books you want to have read but don’t want to read
  • Tag some people at the end to do the tag next

1: A book that you feel you need to read because everyone talks about it

Layla by Colleen Hoover. I’ve heard some wildly mixed reviews for this book but I’ve also seen it EVERYWHERE. That said, I think I can apply a lot of Hoover’s books for this prompt–not that I don’t want to read them but there are so many and honestly, I don’t really want to either? 🤣

2: A book thats really long

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Not only is this one chonkster of a book, I also have very negative associations with this book because I picked it up during The Worst Slump Ever™️. I got really close to finishing it but then I stopped reading for 3 months (see: worst slump ever) and now I get weird iffy vibes when I think about picking it up again. I want to finish it cos I’m so close to the end but also… It’s so chonky? And I don’t remember what’s happened last and… Hmm. 🤔

3: A book you’ve owned / had on your TBR for too long

There are… Quite a number of books that I’ve been contemplating removing off the shelf lately but for this I’m going with Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. This was gifted to me by a family friend and I mean, it’s one of those “classics” that I do want to read because it’s a “classic” but at the same time I don’t think I actually have any interest in it anymore?

4: A book that is ‘required’ reading (eg, school text, really popular classic – something you feel obligated to read!)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I’ve actually attempted to read this one or two times (albeit without much enthusiasm) but I was never really able to get into it? I want to read it because it’s such a classic but also… I don’t know when (if ever) I’ll pick it up!

5: A book that intimidates you

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Confession time: I’ve never watched any of the adaptations because I’m convinced I want to read the book first but every time I look at this chonky beast of a book I wilt a little bit inside at the thought of making my way through it. I feel like it’s a book that’ll take not only my full concentration but also a good long while to read. I have a feeling it’ll be worth it(?) but it’s also very scary 😂 I guess time will tell if I’ll ever pick it up!

6: A book that you think might be slow

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke. This was honestly purely a cover buy but then I Goodreads’d it and it sounded really interesting. I don’t know why (maybe it’s the epic size of the thing but) I have a feeling that this might be on the slower side of reads. I do want to read it but also, I don’t know when that day might ever come! 😅

7: A book you need to be in the right mood for

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. I do have an interest in reading this book especially because everyone and their mum seems to have read it. I tend to struggle a lot with staying focused on non-fiction though so I definitely have to be in the perfect mood to read this!

8: A book you’re unsure if you will like

Um… Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I really don’t know why I feel this way but I just have a feeling that I might not like it and that’s why I keep putting off the many opportunities I’ve had to read it. I know it’s an incredibly well loved story so I’m not sure what about it makes me feel this way but I’m leaning towards maybe not reading it? (pls don’t hate me) 😂

And that’s a wrap, friends! That was fun (and I did have a time making up my mind lol)! I won’t be tagging anyone specifically but everyone is welcome to do the tag if you want! If you decide to do the tag don’t forget to link back so I can check out your post! 😃

The Outstanding Blogger Award!

Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

Hello, friends! We’re tackling some more tags/awards today and since I didn’t do one last week, I’ve decided to tackle two of “The Outstanding Blogger Award” tags from Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog and Stephen @ Stephen Writes. Becky and Stephen are such wonderful people and have awesome blogs! Their reviews are always so thorough and well-written and I always enjoy reading their thoughts 😍 They’re also two of the most supportive and friendly bloggers I’ve encountered in the blogosphere, so please do check them out cos you won’t regret it! ❤️

The Outstanding Blogger Award was originally created by Colton Beckwith.
Also, I don’t know if rule #5 below still applies since 2020 has come and gone but I’m still gonna do this tag anyway! 😂

The Rules:

  • Provide the link to the creator’s original award post. (very important: see why in step 5)
  • Answer the questions provided.
  • Create 7 unique questions.
  • Nominate 10 bloggers. Ensure that they are aware of their nomination. Neither the award’s creator, nor the blogger that nominated you, can be nominated.
  • At the end of 2020, every blog that ping-backs the creator’s original post will be entered to win the 2020 Outstanding Blogger Award!

BECKY’S QUESTIONS

Do you have any bookish or non-bookish goals for 2021?

I actually do have a few bookish and non-bookish goals that I’m tackling this year! My main bookish goal this year is to read 150 books (Goodreads Reading Challenge) but I’m also aiming to read more of my existing backlist, read more diverse books especially by South/Southeast Asian authors, and I’m hoping to continue growing my book blog! I wrote a whole post about my goals & hopes for 2021 if you’d like to check it out 😊

Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2021?

Ohoho, there are so many books and it’s always so freaking hard to narrow them down to smol lists, such as this list of 10 anticipated releases for the first-half of 2021. Since last year I’ve also decided to start making yearly release lists on Goodreads that I’m interested in, so you can check out these 111 books *cough* I’ve shelved (HAHAHA) but here’s a taste of some titles:

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading two ARCs at the minute: The Songbook of Benny Lament and Namesake. I’m really enjoying both although they’ve very different genres (one is historical literary fiction and the other is YA fantasy) but both also have pub days just around the corner(ish)! 😉

Do you prefer series or standalones?

Hmm… it really depends! I really enjoy series but sometimes I get tired of waiting forever for the next book to come out so I mostly prefer series that are already finished before starting them. It also depends on how long a series although there are some exceptions! 😜

Which animal best describes your personality?

Well, if my blog name isn’t quite the giveaway I don’t know what would be 😂 I’m quite a lazy bean plus I love to sleep and eat. I know there’s more to them than that but we’ll keep it simple 😂 I also think elephants can be a good match as they’re sensitive and emotional creatures and very family oriented (pandas & elephants are my two fave animals besides the doggos)!

Do you have a favourIte book or author?

I have so many! It’s a bit cliche but the two books that’ve stuck with me the longest are Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion! I’m not much of a re-reader but these two have been re-read quite often 🥰 Some new authors I’ve recently discovered over the last two years are T.J. Klune, Talia Hibbert, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Elizabeth Acevedo, Helen Hoang and Kristin Hannah, to name a few!

Describe your blog in three words.

Um… Playful, Passionate, and Welcoming? I’m sorry, I’m really bad at these 🙈 LOL

STEPHEN’S QUESTIONS

Is there a particular genre that you feel you should read more of?

I feel like I should always be reading more non-fiction! I have a yearly goal to read more non-fiction and I tend to … not exactly increase the number but I do at least read one or two non-fiction books every year. I want to at least read five which should be hard considering I tend to read 100+ books yearly but my attention tends to stray very easily whenever I read non-fiction 🙈

What is your favourite book-to-film adaptation?

Okay, this is going to be so lame but I don’t know? I realise that I tend to either only read the book or only watch the movie. The only book+movie combo that I can recall doing (not including HP) is Pride & Prejudice, Persuasion, and The Hobbit. I really struggled with The Hobbit (book) though! So I guess I’m gonna have to go with Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 version! I know it’s not 100% accurate but it will never not be a favourite! 🥰

We have spent a lot of time at home in 2020. Have you found (or rediscovered) any new activities that you enjoy doing?

I started journaling again during the pandemic. I used to journal a lot quite often growing up and although I don’t do it as often (now) and I don’t have those really pretty bujos that everyone seems to have, it’s been a pretty cathartic process! I tend to get stuck in my head a lot and so it really helped me sort through my jumbled mess of thoughts and feelings!

Which writing or blogging achievement are you most proud of?

It’s something that still shocks me whenever I think about it but I’m quite proud to have over 500 followers! I know stats are just “blah, blah, whatever.” I just didn’t think that such a number would be possible for me when I started blogging! I was so intimidated about immersing myself in the community and the imposter syndrome was really really real (and on most days still is)! So I’m quite proud that I’ve been able to connect with so many readers and bloggers and hope I can continue to do that in the years to come! ❤️

What is your favourite type of blog post to write?

It’s probably the most difficult post for me to write but I really enjoy making discussion posts when I can or when I feel inspired! I tend to do a lot of weekly memes on my blog and they’re obviously a lot of fun and I love doing them too but I feel like discussion posts add ‘next level’ vibes to my blog (even if my posts aren’t super special)!

Are you able to finish a book in one sitting?

I do quite often with my bouts of insomnia! A lot of the romances that I tend to binge read are usually read in one sitting in the late/early hours of the night/morning 🤣 It does depend though! I also tend to read graphic novels in one sitting and also some novellas, too! I think I once managed to finish a whopping 670 pages in one sitting overnight one time–it was Mariana Zapata and her books are chonksters but compulsively readable!

Which of your 2020 reads has the most beautiful cover?

Ooh, this is a toughie because I loved so many covers! To narrow down the choices I decided to only stick to the books published last year and even then it’s a tie for me between the cover of Fable and Unravel the Dusk! Love the details on both covers 😍

And that’s a wrap on The Outstanding Blogger Award questions from Becky and Stephen! I had so much fun answering these and so I think I’m going to do a mix-match of some of these questions.

MY QUESTIONS:

  • What is your favourite read of 2021 so far?
  • Which writing or blogging achievement are you most proud of?
  • Which of your most anticipated 2021 reads has the most beautiful cover?
  • Describe your blog in three words.
  • Which animal best describes your personality?
  • Are you able to finish a book in one sitting?
  • What’s the next book you predict will be a 5-star read for you?

I’M TAGGING:

No pressure to do this if you’re not into tags! I’m tagging:

Jen | Tessa | Mayu | Leslie | Andie | Abby

Mystery Blogger Award

Dini @ dinipandareads18 Comments

Almost one year ago, or what more accurately feels like a lifetime now, Dedra @ A Book Wanderer 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…

  1. Acknowledge the blog that gave it to you and display the award
  2. Put the award logo/image on your blog.
  3. List these rules!
  4. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  5. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.
  6. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
  7. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people.
  8. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
  9. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice.
  10. 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

  1. What’s one of your favourite songs of all time?
  2. What was the last book you read and if you’d recommend it, why should people read it?
  3. Who’s an author you recently discovered and feel like everyone should also read ASAP?
  4. What dish or cuisine could you eat for the rest of your life and never get sick of?
  5. 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 😍

Mandy | Elnade | Nadine | Etta | Alexis

The Liebster Award IV

Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

It has been a super duper long ass hot minute since I did a tag or award post on a Thursday so I thought that it’s high time I kick my butt into gear and tackle some of these posts because the pile just keeps growing! I honestly still find it surprising when I get nominated because from the very beginning I never dreamed that it’d happen and to have bloggers that I really admire nominating me? *Mind blown!* So, I’m very sorry for taking forever and a year to get around to doing these tags! 🙏🏽 I have absolutely zero excuse I am just panda… 🐼

At some point in the very distant past I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog. Becky is one of my favourite bloggers who I’m so happy to have to discovered and interacted with more frequently over the last year. Her reviews are so insightful, her bookish posts are fun and creative and she’s such a sweet person! If you haven’t already, please check out her blog–you won’t regret it! 😉 Thanks for the nomination, lovely! 🥰

The Rules

  1. Acknowledge the blog that gave it to you and display the award
  2. Answer 11 questions that the blogger gives you
  3. Give 11 random facts about yourself
  4. Nominate 11 blogs and notify them of their nomination
  5. Give these blogs 11 questions to answer

BECKY’s Questions

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE READ OF 2020 SO FAR?

Well… Since it’s 2021 now… 👀*crickets* 👀 I guess I get to share my favourite read of 2020 with all of you (again)! It’s no hardship because I can always gush about the amazingness that is this book but if you’ve been on my blog before you’ll definitely already know what I’m gonna say: The House in the Cerulean Sea! All I’m saying is, don’t be sleeping on this book cos you’re definitely missing out! 😍

WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN BLOGGING IN THE FIRST PLACE?

I’ve always been a blogger and prior to starting this book blog I had a personal blog for about 10 years? My interest in starting a book blog happened after I joined bookstagram, and I thought it’d be fun to have a space where I could share reviews and engage more with the bookish community. I wrote a bit more about it in this post (sorry for the shameless self-plug, I couldn’t resist) if you want to check it out! 😉

IF YOU COULD MOVE TO A LITERARY WORLD WHICH WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

I suck at answering questions like this but the first one that popped into my mind was the supernatural world that exists in parallel to our own from Amari and the Night Brothers. This world was all kinds of wonderful and scary but also magical! It’d be so amazing to have a supernatural ability like these characters do.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE KIND OF BLOG POST TO WRITE?

If you haven’t noticed, a lot of my book blog is about the weekly memes like #5OnMyTBR, #TopTenTuesday and #Top5Saturday that involve making bookish lists and honestly? I love doing them! Sure, it’s not the most creative content but it’s definitely a lot of fun, especially when I rediscover books on my TBR that I’d long forgotten! 🙈

WHAT IS ONE BOOK/SERIES THAT YOU’RE CONSTANTLY RECOMMENDING?

There are SO MANY that I can’t stop gushing about and from different genres, too. I mean, I could easily say The House in the Cerulean Sea (again…) but a fun series that I love is the Illuminae Files and I always recommend it when someone asks for YA SFF/fun book recs! This came to mind cos I’m planning to re-read it soon!

ARE THERE ANY LITERARY TROPES THAT YOU LOVE/HATE?

There are so many tropes and it’s a terminology that I only became aware about when I joined the book community–I used to just ‘read to read because I enjoyed it’. There are several that I feel strongly enough about to love/hate. Some I absolutely do not jam with are: love triangles, insta-love, forced romances, ‘not-like-other-girls’, the super special chosen ones who are miraculously good at everything after one try… Some tropes I love are: found family, underdogs, quests, enemies-to-lovers, ‘there’s-only-one-bed’ (most times), friends-to-lovers…

DO YOU SNACK WHILST READING? AND IF SO, WHAT IS YOUR GO TO TREAT?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I usually make sure I have a drink with me (mostly coffee, sometimes milk tea)! Most of the time I snack with cookies or crisps. Something I’ve been obsessed with lately is the Flaming Hot Munchies snack mix. It’s dangerous, my friends. I can’t get enough (and they’re so easy to munch on while reading)!

DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF READING?

Outside of reading I love gaming! I feel like that’s so cliché but it is what it is! Since the start of the pandemic I have been obsessively playing Animal Crossing but I also love playing Story of Seasons, Bravely Default, Fire Emblem, Skyrim, Breath of the Wild, FF7, The Last of Us, Ghost of Tsushima…. And so many others!

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DESERT ISLAND BOOK PICK?

@dinipandareads

Oof, this question always stumps me! Part of me is tempted to say I’d pick the longest book on my TBR (Les Mis) cos at least I’ll have ample time to read it? 😅 I think in the end though I’d have to pick from my all time favourites and would probably take either my giant collection of seven Jane Austen novels or The Shadow of the Wind.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? (IF YES, PICS AND NAMES REQUIRED!)

  • Tripper on my his reading chair
  • Cookie monster
  • Trip likes to nap here often and hates being disturbed

I have two fluffy babies, who are technically no longer babies as they’re now both 11, but will still always be my babies. Their names are Tripper and Cookie. Cookie is more my ‘sisters’ dog though Tripper, my floof monster, is more mine! Both are really camera shy but Cookie more so than Tripper so I don’t have many shots of him…

IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE 2021 RELEASE IN YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Hmm… Another toughie because just ONE? There are loads! Honestly, the first one that came to mind, and one I’ve been highly anticipating for quite some time, is The Heart Principle. Pretty sure I’ve come across this question a few times and my answer has always been the same 😂 I just really want Quan’s story now, please!

MY Questions

  1. What has been your favourite read of 2021 so far?
  2. What genre(s) would you like to read less of?
  3. What’s a book that you wish you could read again for the first time?
  4. What trope do you wish you’d stop seeing/reading in books?
  5. If you could choose for any book or series to be adapted for TV/movie, which would it be?
  6. Can you describe your current read in three words?
  7. How long have you been blogging and what makes you keep blogging?
  8. Would you survive in the world of your last read? (For curiosity’s sake, what was the world?)
  9. What hyped book do you think is overrated?
  10. What underrated book do you think deserves more hype?
  11. If you could gift one book for anyone to read, which would it be and why?

I’M TAGGING:

A few lovelies here but if tags aren’t your thing then please don’t feel pressured to do this! It’s all good 🙂

Leslie @ Books Are the New Black
Ali @ Our Book Boyfriends
Sammie @ The Bookwyrm’s Den
Julie @ One Book More
Lisa @ Way Too Fantasy
Andie @ Books, Coffee & Passion
Joanna @ The Geekish Brunette
Kat @KBbookreviews
Stephen @ Stephen Writes
Jennifer @ My Book Joy

Mystery Blogger Award

Dini @ dinipandareads25 Comments

Just two months ago (yes, just) I was tagged by the very wonderful Mani of Mani’s Book Corner to do the Mystery Blogger Award! Thanks so much for the tag, lovely 💞 And sorry it has only taken me two months to get around to doing it! Go on and check out + follow Mani’s blog if you haven’t done so already — you won’t regret it 😉

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…

  1. Acknowledge the blog that gave it to you and display the award
  2. Put the award logo/image on your blog.
  3. List these rules!
  4. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  5. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.
  6. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
  7. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people.
  8. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
  9. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice.
  10. Share a link to your best post(s).

3 things about me…

i’m 32 years old!

I know this isn’t particularly… interesting — age is nothing but a number after all — but I do get curious about the ages of those I interact with online, so I thought I’d throw that out there. Plus, I just turned 32 about ten days ago now, so that’s fun!

i love to bake things… but I rarely eat what i make!

You’re probably thinking that I must be an awful baker… But I’ve been told that my baked goods aren’t bad (not the best obviously but still homely and delicious)! I love the whole process of baking (I am one of those people that love to measure things out precisely otherwise I’m convinced it’ll be a disaster) but the time I finish baking, I just don’t feel like eating it anymore? Is it just me? LOL! It’s a good thing my friends/colleagues/family are always more than willing to eat what I make! 😂

I don’t have a favourite number or colour…

I used to say my favourite number was 4 because it was my favourite boy band member’s favourite. I usually say my favourite colour is black because I do love black and the majority of my wardrobe is black/grey, but it also really depends on my mood. I do love everything and anything pastel though — so if I had to pick I’d just say anything pastel 😂 I’ve been leaning towards pink/purple lately! I’ve said it before but I’m really bad at picking favourites 😅

mani’s questions:

What is the best book you’ve received as a gift?

It’s kind of sad to admit but… I really don’t receive books as gifts? The last time I received a book as a gift (without asking for it or winning a giveaway or anything like that) was actually… Christmas 2012! LOL so sad. It was my first Christmas in the UK and I was staying with my bestie who was visiting Bristol at the time with her hubs. We had a secret santa at his and one of his friends gifted me this gorgeous copy of Doctor Zhivago. Ashamed to admit that I haven’t read it yet… 🙃

Do you re-read, and if so which book was your latest re-read?

I hardly ever re-read. There are a few books that I have re-read over the years and well, that’s mostly Jane Austen (my comfort read!) 😂 But earlier this year I did decide to re-read the first two books of The Arc of a Scythe series before reading the third and final book immediately after.

tell us your favourite book quote

As I’ve mentioned about a million times by now, I struggle a lot with these “favourite” questions because I’m so indecisive! 😅 So, while this may not be my number one, the quote below is definitely up there in favourites. It is from one of my all-time favourite books The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, which I’ve also mentioned a million times on my blog 😂

“Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside of you.”

Which were your favourite subjects in school?

With an answer that will surprise absolutely nobody: English/Humanities were my top favourite subjects! But I also really liked Computer Science, which was all the “back-end” related things to HTML, creating websites etc., and Environmental Science! Enviro sci ended up being a lot more practical with us doing lots of data gathering from the “field” (lol going to the river behind our school etc.) and my teacher was just grand!

As you know, if books are my first love, animals are a close second, so do you have any pets? Please feel free to share some cute photos!!!

I do have two floofs! Their names are Tripper and Cookie. We adopted them when we were living in Cambodia in 2010 and they’ve been with the family ever since. They’re actually pretty well traveled doggos and have moved with us to the Philippines and now to Indonesia, where they live with my parents in Jakarta. Leaving them to go to do my Masters in the UK was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do — pretty sure I cried more over leaving them than my parents/siblings (I can’t even say I’m joking lol) 😂 They’re no longer young but they’ll forever be my fur babies 💞 These aren’t the best photos of them but for some reason I can’t find other photos of them right now 🙃

my five questions to you

  1. If you were forced to choose, would you eat only sweet or only savoury foods for the rest of your life? 😈
  2. What type of content tends to inspire you and your blog content (or your instagram)?
  3. If you could gift a person of your choice a book that holds a lot of meaning to you, which person would you give this book to and what book would it be?
  4. You wake up one morning to find yourself in the world of the last book you read. Where are you and would you survive the day?
  5. (partly inspired by Mani’s last question!) What fictional creature/animal would you like to have as a pet/animal friend?

I’M TAGGING:

Please feel free to ignore this post and the tag if tags aren’t your thing! No pressure at all and if you’re not tagged but want to do it, go for gold! Don’t forget to link back so I can see your answers too 😍

Nen & Jen | Emer | Sammie | Katie | KB | Jess | E | Lisa | Ali | Kibby

The Liebster Award III

Dini @ dinipandareads43 Comments

I was nominated by Veronika @ Wordy and Whimsical for the Liebster Award just last month and this just might be the fastest I’ve ever done an award/tag because usually they’re bookmarked for months to a year *nervously glancing at the long list of tags/awards that I still need to do*! A big thank you for the tag, Veronika 💜

The Rules

  1. Acknowledge the blog that gave it to you and display the award
  2. Answer 11 questions that the blogger gives you
  3. Give 11 random facts about yourself
  4. Nominate 11 blogs and notify them of their nomination
  5. Give these blogs 11 questions to answer

Veronika’s Questions

If you could be put into any bookish universe, what would you choose?

Art: Mats Minnhagen

I finished reading about Nevermoor in the Trials of Morrigan Crow a few weeks ago now and wow, I’d love to be put into this bookish universe! It’s magical and weird, and it’s also a little scary. It’s almost our world but a little twisted because Saint Nick and the Snow Queen are real and have yearly battles, dragons are a thing, slightly intimidating talking giant cats magnificats also exist. It’s wild and I’d love to experience the technology and magic in this world!

Are there any genres you wouldn’t read?

I don’t think there are any genres I “wouldn’t” read per se but if I had to ditch a genre it would be horror. I do read it but it’s basically like once in a blue moon? I am the Ultimate Chicken™️ but also a masochist who likes to torture myself by reading things I know will scare me to high holy hell 🤣

What’s your favourite winter read?

Winter isn’t really a thing for me seeing as I live in the tropics but I wish it was! I can definitely picture myself reading comforting reads while cozied up under my doona during the winter. I’ve actually made a list before which you can check out here!

Did you enjoy any compulsory high school readings?

English/Humanities was one of my favourite, if not my favourite, classes throughout all my school years and I do remember enjoying quite a few of the compulsory readings! …Sadly, my memory is really failing me and I can’t for the life of me remember more than these three titles: Wuthering Heights, The Sun Also Rises, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

What’s your most disliked popular book?

Hmm… That’s a good question although I tend to like a lot of the popular books? 😂 I think one book that is very popular is One Hundred Years of Solitude and wow, I did not jam with that book at all! 🙃 I’ve never struggled so hard to get through a book before and I was so disappointed because I wanted to love this book so much! Maybe I’m just not smart enough for it? 🤷🏻‍♀️

What is your least favourite thing about blogging? (Or the most difficult thing?)

Probably my least favourite thing about blogging is how time consuming it can be sometimes! 🙈 I’m really bad with planning ahead so I usually blog during my work breaks or after work ends, but I always end up taking so much longer than anticipated to actually finish a post! This is probably due to the fact that I’m always so distractible and always seem to be doing a million things at once though…

What’s your favourite book series of all time?

This is always my least favourite question to answer because can I really only pick one? Impossible! So I’m just going to leave you with some covers of the first books in some of my favourite series. These aren’t the favouritest of the favourites but I’m sharing as they come to me lol



(images linked to Goodreads pages)

What book has made you truly angry?

This is a tough one and I’m not really sure how to answer it… But honestly the first book that came to mind was Hot Dog Girl. It has such an adorable cover (I’m such a cover judger) and such a fun sounding premise about summer, growing up and love. I’d heard some good things about it before I bought it so I was excited… Ugh, just thinking about it makes me angry all over again because I was so disappointed with the MC and how she handled EVERYTHING. I mean, I got so angry I couldn’t write a review for it 😂

What’s a bookish trope you wish you wouldn’t have to see anymore?

Love triangles. I know people say when done right it’s really good but just no. It’s not my jam and it won’t be my jam. My feels can’t handle all the angst that usually comes with these triangles and someone always ends up hurt in a love triangle and who needs that anyway?! So it can definitely go bye-bye and I wouldn’t be mad 😂

What’s your most underrated favoUrite novel?

The Shadow of the Wind. I’ve mentioned this book countless times already but it’s so true! More people need to know about this book and read it! It blew me away with its beautiful writing and enchantingly haunted story. It’s not what I’d typically read but a friend highly recommended it and I’m so glad that I listened because wow. This book deserves so much more recognition than it gets!

Which character would you like to swap lives with? And for how long?

Hmm… Another tough question! The first character that came to mind was actually Emika Chen from Warcross. I think I’d love to swap lives with her for a little while so that I can experience the insanity that is Warcross, but also to experience “our world” where that kind of technological development is possible. I think it would terrify me initially but I don’t know if I’d ever want to leave? (And yes, I’m totally ignoring the fact that some bat shit crazy went down in that book LOL)

11 Fun Facts About Me

  1. I lived in my “home” country (where my passport is from) for the first time when I was 25 years old.
  2. I have lived in seven countries – Bangladesh, Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia, UK, Indonesia.
  3. I have a minor obsession with Alaska, New Orleans and Edinburgh.
  4. I share a birthday with Sam Smith (19 May) 😍
  5. I used to be part of the varsity swim and tennis teams in high school!
  6. My favourite musicals are RENT, Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton — but I’ve only seen Phantom of the Opera live (at least 3 times).
  7. I’m a major fan girl of Lin-Manuel Miranda 🥰
  8. We weren’t allowed to have a dog when I was growing up because when our doggo died when I was 9, I ended up crying every day for one month and my parents couldn’t handle it 😂
  9. I am not ashamed to admit that I do quite enjoy country music 🤣 Maybe the artists I like are more “pop” country but I love Sam Hunt, Maddie & Tae, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, and Lady Antebellum to name a few!
  10. I cannot survive a day without at least two cups of coffee but always before 3pm! I’ve cut down on my caffeine consumption by a lot (I used to drink at least 5 cups when I was at uni LOL)!
  11. I love to bake (especially pies and cookies) but my creations always come out looking just a tad wonky — I wish I had the skills to make my goods look… good? 😂
  1. What’s your favourite comfort genre?
  2. What are three of your most anticipated releases for the rest of 2020 (June-December)?
  3. What genre would you like to read more of?
  4. What’s a book you think everyone should read (or at least try reading)?
  5. What’s re-telling would you like to see more of? (i.e. Robin Hood? Beauty and the Beast?)
  6. If you were to receive an ARC in the mail tomorrow, what book would you like to receive?
  7. If you could live anywhere in the world (outside of where you live) for one/two years, where would you live?
  8. What is your “ultimate goal” for your blog (if you have one!)?
  9. If you could pick someone to write and perform a song about an important moment in your life, who would you choose?
  10. If you could make your own “found family” group, which characters would you include (let’s say up to five characters)?
  11. Spill the tea — what extremely hyped book do you think is entirely overrated?

I’M TAGGING:

A few lovelies here but if tags aren’t your thing then please don’t feel pressured to do this! It’s all good 🙂

Leslie @ Books Are the New Black
Mere @ Lore of the Books
Brittany @ Perfectly Tolerable
Kay @ Hammock of Books
Jen @ Nen & Jen
Susan @ Novel Lives
Leah @ Leah’s Books & Cooks
Mir @ Fangirl Pixie Blog
Ali @ Our Book Boyfriends
Andie @ Books, Coffee & Passion
Christine @ Life with All the Books

The Identity Crisis Book Tag!

Dini @ dinipandareads10 Comments

I stumbled across this post on Loretta’s page (which by the way is awesome and you should defo check it out if you haven’t yet!) several months ago and it looked like so much fun that I couldn’t wait to try it myself. But of course with life, reading, and all the awesome tags out there, I’ve only just now got around to doing it! It involves one of the things that I secretly really love to do on the interwebs: take quizzes! Yes, I’m a quiz-taker-lover! Especially when it’s a book related quiz but also pretty much any rando quiz I come across; you can bet that I’d love to do it, if I haven’t already done it 😂 This tag is then pretty perfect for me! Here’s what Loretta has to say about her tag:

“Now here we are! All of these quizzes tell you who you would be if you were in that specific universe. I tried to stick with the same quiz makers as much as possible for the sake of consistency, but was forced to stray on a few of them. Each fandom title links back to the original quiz I took (at this point you’re like, please for the love of god, stop saying the word quiz), so you all can take them too. So go forth and prosper. May the odds be ever in your favor. MWAHAHAHAHA!!”

With that said… Let’s get to it! First up are THE RULES:

  1. Take all the quizzes down below and record your answers somehow. I decided to just copy the text from each quiz and paste it into my post, but screenshots work too! Whatever floats your goat (Yes goat. I SAID WHAT I SAID).
  2. NO CHEATING. You get one shot to take each quiz my friends. I’m watching you. ∗Suspicious squinty eyes∗
  3. Use this post to give credit to the creator Loretta @ The Laughing Listener or tag me on twitter @LaughnListener so I can see everyone’s answers!!
  4. Tag some friends to spread the fun!
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