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 January 2023 prompts!
Now without further ado… The topic asks us about:
Do You Read Reviews and Spoilers Before or After?
(SUGGESTED BY JILLIAN @ JILLIAN THE BOOKISH BUTTERFLY) Prompts:Do you like looking at reviews for books before you read them? Is reading reviews important to you when choosing what books to read next? Or do you prefer to wait until after you’ve read a book to look at reviews? Do you ever look at spoilers before you read a book?
This week’s LTB is actually about Character or Plot Focused books and since I’m eternally terrible at planning posts ahead of time and I have zero brain capacity to write a half-decent post today, I’m going to post one of August’s LTBs that I missed but had already written up.
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 September 2022 prompts!
This week’s prompt is: Books I Enjoyed, but Have Never Mentioned On My Blog
Hmm, I think this week’s topic is gonna be pretty easy (hope this doesn’t come around to bite me lol) because there are lots of books that I’ve loved and never mentioned on here. I think! Anyway, let’s head to Goodreads to find some titles… *5 minutes later* Okay, that wasn’t too painful! I rated the following books 4-5 stars and as far as I can remember have never mentioned them on my blog! I read most of these years ago so I admittedly remember close to nothing about many of them and I also have the feeling that if I read them now my ratings would be drastically different… But that’s neither here nor there! 😬 Here’s what I’ve got:
With so much focus on romantic couples this month, I wanted to stick to friendship duos for this week’s prompt and I have to admit, I struggled (oh, this weak memory of mine)! 😂 I was tempted to go in the same direction as Leslie this week but although it took me *a while* to do it, I eventually managed to come up with a list of ten of my favourite dynamic friendship duos! Without further ado, let’s get right to it…
So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: Books Too Good to Review Properly (I have no words!) (Submitted by Dedra @ A Book Wanderer).
Yay for a topic that I don’t think I’ve seen done before and one that I kinda struggled to make a list for! 😂 For the first three books, I was left too speechless to write a review and by the time I composed myself, I was too intimidated to write one because I knew my words could never do the book even a smidge of justice. The other seven I read before I thought to start writing reviews but they were all 5-stars and I can still recall the thrill of discovering the magic and the gutwrenching emotions these books made me feel! I’m hoping to attempt re-reading a few of them at some point but for others, such as A Little Life, I don’t think I could handle anymore! 🙈
So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is:Books for My Younger Self (these could be books you wish you had read as a child, books younger you could have really learned something from, books that meshed with your hobbies/interests, books that could have helped you go through events/changes in your life, etc.)
Over the last couple of days I’ve been thinking a lot about the middle grade fantasies that I’ve read and that I still really want to read, and these thoughts fit so well with this week’s prompt, so I was quite excited to dive right in. Then I realised that I actually have more MG reads on my TBR than ones I’ve read so this week I’ve split the post into read and unread books, but they’re all books that I think my younger middle-school self would’ve very much enjoyed reading!
So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is:Books that Make Me Hungry (They could have food items on the cover, foods in the title, be about foodies or have food as a main plot point… they could be cookbooks or memoirs, etc.)
Ooh, this is an interesting prompt and it’s one that I don’t think I’ve ever done for any of my weekly memes, so yay for something new! I’m a big foodie and can wax poetic about my favourite foods but I don’t think I’ve ever searched out a book because of food. Though I’ll admit that when there’s food on covers (especially if they’re bold/colourful illustrations/images) I’m much more likely to pause and read the blurb 😂
The books I chose aren’t 100% about food but they all made me hungry at some point, whether it’s craving something specific that a character eats or makes in the story, or other random dishes from the same cuisine. Just writing this out now and thinking about the scenes in the books I chose is actually making me quite hungry (and I’m now really looking forward to my next snack/meal) 😂
that secret crush – our hero is a chef who’s opening his own restaurant. he cooks for the girl he wants to woo. i was swooning and hungry while reading this book.
soudrough – yes, this book is about sourdough but it does go beyond that. the cravings for sourdough and delicious soup was so strong i think i ate this combo for a few days after i finished reading! so good.
wicked as you wish – the big scene with the filipino feast did me in. of the countries we’ve lived, we stayed in the philippines the longest (9 years) and for me, comfort food is synonymous to filipino food. the food scenes in this book are guaranteed to make you just as hungry as i am now!
pumpkinheads – this whole book was a big adventure through a pumpkin patch and it was chock full of delicious fall foods that had me literally drooling. i also blame the amazing artwork by faith for making the food look even MORE delicious. i swear i could taste and smell everything!
summer at swallowtail bay – there’s a lovely summer food fest in this book and reading about the various (food and drink) vendors really had me craving some of my favourite comfort foods from when i lived in the UK. Like pork pies, scotch eggs, bacon butties, pork baps with apple sauce… 😭
the ingredients of us – this was a bittersweet story that really tore at my heart. but the baking/food was a definite bright point of the story and well, it kind of made me want to eat my feelings 😂 i loved that recipes were included in this one!
the astonishing color of after – the descriptions of the food in taiwan were so drool worthy and made me incredibly hungry. i’m pretty sure that i ordered my favourite taiwanese street food snacks (thank goodness it’s a popular thing here) immediately after i finished bawling at the end of this book.
the particular sadness of lemon cake – yes this starts with cake and there are plenty of food mentions in the story but the lemon cake at the start got me. i love lemon everything!
the little wedding shop by the sea – this one had me craving the rich decadence of wedding cakes. the really fluffy, buttercream covered wedding cake goodness that i love.
harry potter – i know, i know… but i can’t not mention this book because the feasts! the feasts were mind-blowing. i still remember how awed and a lottle envious (and hungry) i felt about all the delicious foods that would pop up during the school feasts. just… UGH. i still want it! 😂
When I first looked at today’s prompt I was stumped and *almost* decided to pass up on doing this or choosing a different topic. Just the thought of meeting my favourite authors let alone getting the chance to ask them questions already has me tongue tied and honestly? I’m just really bad at coming up with good/smart questions 😂 So that was pressure on my little brain that I didn’t know if I could handle today… Until I decided that I would just think of ten random/silly questions, and so I did. I’m not going to be identifying my favourite authors below but as I was writing down these questions I did have these authors in mind: V.E. Schwab, Neil Gaiman, Jay Kristoff/Amy Kaufman, Leigh Bardugo, and Laini Taylor. It goes without saying that these are just some of my favourites (in random order). Now without further ado…
How much time do you usually spend on research while writing a book?
Do you have any weird/quirky superstitions or rituals that are part of your writing process?
What’s one of your favourite quotes from one of your books?
What’s the funniest/weirdest/coolest moment that struck as inspiration for one of your books?
Do you have a favourite out of the books you’ve written (for sentimental or any other reason)?
Do you write with music or shows/movies on? If yes, what is your favourite band/show/movie to listen to?
If you could see one of your books be adapted into a series/movie which would you pick?
What are three of your favourite tropes to read or write about?
Would you survive living in the world(s) in your book(s)?
Can you describe your most popular book in the most boring way you can think of?
I always see a lot of people commenting about how they always think about what books should be made into shows or movies but I actually don’t ever think about it? Well, not never but not often and usually not until I’m asked! 😂 But once I started thinking about it I realised there are quite a few I’d love to see as either. Although whether I’d actually watch them or not would be a totally different thing because just like with all the books waiting to be read on my physical/digital shelves (look at me calling myself out), I have a long as list of shows/movies that need to be watched, too. I mean, eventually… Right? 😅
Sadie: I think this would be such an awesome show! Especially with the podcast and mystery elements plus the different timelines and perspectives. I would love to see it come to life on the screen!
The Kiss Quotient + The Bride Test: I can actually see this playing out as a really awesome show where the romances are playing out around the same time and it makes my little Asian heart so happy! Pls can has this in life?
The Lunar Chronicles: This would be such a fun high-stakes adventure sci-fi show. I could see it all happening as one big show like GoT and it would be awesome 😍
One of Us is Lying: This was a fun mystery/thriller that was set in high school and gave me some serious Breakfast Club + How to Get Away with Murder vibes. I think it’d be a great show or movie!
Neverwhere: This is my favourite Gaiman book and American Gods comes in a close second. I haven’t seen the American Gods show yet but I’d love for this one to also be made into a show!
We Were Liars: This is a book that has really mixed reviews and although I actually (somehow) predicted what was actually happening with our MC, it still managed to emotionally shake me. I really think this would make a great short show!
The Simple Wild: I loved this book so much. I want to experience the Alaska that they do and I would love lovelove to see Calla and Jonah (*swoon*), their banter and love come to life!
Red, White and Royal Blue: I came through with the unpopular opinion for this book because while I did enjoy it, I didn’t love it as much as everyone else did. That said, I think it’d be a really awesome show and I could definitely see it being a huge hit!
The Flatshare: I absolutely loved the fuzzy feelings this book gave me and I think it would do as good a job as a movie. Just think how cute and sweet it would be seeing these two lovelies on screen 🥰
Daisy Jones and the Six: This is cheating a bit because it’s already being made into a movie (not by Netflix) but I’m so excited for it, it can’t not be on this list 😂 I think I want this to happen mostly so I can finally hear the music.
So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: books I loved but never reviewed.
Well, this is probably one of the easiest prompts for me because prior to the tail end of 2018 I never really wrote reviews for the books that I read (whether I loved or hated them) but I did (mostly) leave star ratings on Goodreads! Actually, I realise that plenty of the books that I rave about on my blog are books that I read pre-blogging/reviewing and I’m finding that a little frustrating because I know I loved these books but also my memory is horrible…But I digress!
So I’ve gone on Goodreads and taken a look at all the books I’ve rated five stars and randomly chose ten of them (in no discernible order). Although I’m not much of a re-reader except for some ‘staples’ (like Austen), I’m very tempted to read some of these again just so I can write reviews for them because they definitely deserve it!
dinipandareads 