ARC Review: The Darkening by Sunya Mara

July 18, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

Special thanks to Grace Fell at Spark Point Studio and Clarion Books for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads: The Darkening (The Darkening #1)
Publisher: Clarion Books
Published: 05 July 2022
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Panda Rating:

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In this thrilling and epic YA fantasy debut the only hope for a city trapped in the eye of a cursed storm lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a prince terrified of his throne.

Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

Even arm herself with her father’s book of dangerous experimental magic.
Even infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.
Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there’s more to the story of her mother’s death, she’ll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the Storm.

Sundays in Bed With… #MyWeeklyWrapUp

July 17, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

We’re back with another Sundays in Bed With… meme! This meme dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning and is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!

I’ll be spending the rest of my Sunday night reading a historical romance that I recently added to my TBR: A Governess Should Never Tempt A Prizefighter by Emily Windsor. I’ve read two of Windsor’s books before and always enjoy her writing, characters and romance! This’ll be a nice break from the fantasy I’ve been reading lately.

The A-Z Book Tag!

July 16, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads16 Comments

Hello, book lovers! It’s time for another tag today so I thought I’d finally get around to doing the A-Z Book Tag! I was tagged by the wonderful Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog to do this one several months ago (eep!) and in typical dinipanda fashion, I’m getting to it quite late—but as they say, better late than never, right?! 😉 Be sure to check out Becky’s blog, especially if you love your fantasy because she’s all about that!

This tag was originally created by Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner and it was actually called the A-Z Survey.

Let’s Talk Bookish: My Favourite Reading Format

July 15, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits, and it’s where we get to discuss certain topics, share our opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts! If you want to join in the bookish discussion fun, check out the July 2022 prompts!

Birthstone Book Covers: July Ruby Edition ♥️

July 14, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads25 Comments

Hello friends, I’m back today with another month’s edition for The Birthstone Book Covers series created by one of my favourites, Leslie @Books Are the New Black. This is a series she created at the start of 2022 and was born out of her curiosity about birthstone colours and it’s a fun way to show different book covers/titles corresponding to that month’s birthstone. It’s a fun and easy tag that I’ve really enjoyed participating in so far. 😊

#WWWWednesday: 13 July 2022

July 13, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads39 Comments

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:

What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?

#TopTenTuesday: Covers That Feel Like Summer! ☀️

July 12, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads60 Comments

So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week is actually a freebie and so I decided to do a topic that I don’t think I’ve done before: Book Covers That Feel Like Summer (Submitted by Ellie @ Curiosity Killed the Bookworm)

Book Review: Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

July 12, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads19 Comments

What if everything you set yourself up to be was wrong?
Frances has always been a study machine with one goal, elite university. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret – not even the person she is on the inside.

But when Frances meets Aled, the shy genius behind her favourite podcast, she discovers a new freedom. He unlocks the door to Real Frances and for the first time she experiences true friendship, unafraid to be herself. Then the podcast goes viral and the fragile trust between them is broken. Caught between who she was and who she longs to be, Frances’ dreams come crashing down. Suffocating with guilt, she knows that she has to confront her past…
She has to confess why Carys disappeared…

Meanwhile at uni, Aled is alone, fighting even darker secrets.
It’s only by facing up to your fears that you can overcome them. And it’s only by being your true self that you can find happiness. Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has.

A YA coming of age read that tackles issues of identity, the pressure to succeed, diversity and freedom to choose, Radio Silence is a tour de force by the most exciting writer of her generation.

Book Review: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

July 11, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads18 Comments

Goodreads: Felix Ever After
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 18 May 2021
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Panda Rating:

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Felix Love has never been in love – and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalisation too many – Black, queer and transgender – to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages – after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned – Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi-love triangle . . .

But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognising the love you deserve.

Sundays in Bed With… #MyWeeklyWrapUp

July 10, 2022September 9, 2022 Dini @ dinipandareads21 Comments

I’ll be spending the rest of my Sunday night reading The Jasmine Throne. I’ve been looking forward to reading this for a while now because I’ve heard so many amazing things about it. I’m reading this with Jess and we’re both not far into it yet but I’m very intrigued so far and I can’t wait to read more!