Goodreads Challenge 2023: Part 3

This year my Goodreads challenge is to read 50 books which seems like a lot but I have managed to do it before in 2018 and 2019 so I’m hoping I can do it again and am so far on track! So far this year I’ve managed to read 18 books and for the last few years I’ve written posts about the books that I’ve read with a rating and a bit of a review/summary which I’ve always really loved to do so I thought I would do that again this year 🙂

Summer at Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan- 4/5: I have read the first and last of the Beach Street bakery books as I accidentally read them out of order however I do really enjoy them! They are such a fun, chill read and perfect for sitting in the sun with a drink especially as this one is set over a summer 😊

Romancing Mr Bridgeton by Julia Quinn- 4/5: This is the fourth book of the Bridgeton series however it is set to be the third series of the TV show and follows the romance between Penelope and Colin Bridgeton. It also *spoiler alert* includes the subplot of everyone finding out the Penelope is Lady Whistledown! I did really enjoy this book however I don’t think it’s my favourite of the Bridgeton series so far 😊

The Set Up by Lizzy Dent- 4.5/5: This book I actually bought from Waterstones while browsing because I really enjoyed her first book The Summer Job so wanted to see what her second book was like and it did not disappoint 😊 What I love about the book is that although the romance is the main focus it’s also about self acceptance and learning to love urself. I also loved the plot surrounding the lido as well!

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty- 3.5/5: I did really enjoy this book as I really love Liane Moriarty books however I think this is my least favourite of her books so far as I feel like it was a big lead up to a reveal which fell a bit flat.

The Happy Place by Emily Henry- 5/5: I really like Emily Henrys books and I think this one might be my second favourite! I absolutely loved the friendships in the book and I’m a fan of moving through time within a book as well 😊 I do love a romance book and I feel like this one also dealt with a lot of bigger themes as well and it actually felt like the romance wasn’t the main focus of the book which I liked.

Under one roof by Ali Hazelwood- 4/5: This is the first of the Stemnist novellas by Ali Hazelwood and I really liked it 😊 I think this was my favourite of the three novellas as you could really see the relationship develop and it is the first time we meet the three female protagonists and are introduced to their friendship.

Let me know in the comments what you have been reading lately 😊

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Goodreads Challenge 2023: Part 2 :)

This year my Goodreads challenge is to read 50 books which seems like a lot but I have managed to do it before in 2018 and 2019 so I’m hoping I can do it again and am so far on track! So far this year I’ve managed to read 12 books and for the last few years I’ve written posts about the books that I’ve read with a rating and a bit of a review/summary which I’ve always really loved to do so I thought I would do that again this year 🙂

Highway Blue by Ailsa McFarlane- 3/5: Described as a modern day Bonnie and Clyde this short story follows a couple on the run for just over 180 pages so it’s a great book if you’re looking for a quick, interesting story with a bit of a mystery.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott- 3.5/5: After seeing clips from the movie of this book on TikTok I found the book in the works and it was really good 😊 It reminded me of The Fault in Our Stars which I really enjoyed when I read it quite a few years ago. Be warned that you will probably cry at one point reading this book but it is a cute romance.

Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan- 4/5: I had downloaded this book onto my kindle AGES ago and never got round to reading it but after borrowing the 4th book in the series from my friend without realising and really enjoying it I then rediscovered the series on my kindle and wanted to start the story from the beginning 🙂 This book is really charming and is the perfect holiday rom-com 🙂 Whilst reading this book you will crave fish and chips, cakes and bread so be warned and have a snack ready 🙂 You will also want to move to Mount Polbearne and adopt a puffin 😛

The Humans by Matt Haig- 4/5: My Mum read this book while we were in Barbados and I would often hear her giggling to herself whilst reading so while writing myself a tbr list for this year I added this book also because I have enjoyed all of the Matt Haig books that I had read previously 🙂 This book is typical Matt Haig in that you will laugh and cry within the span of 5 minutes and it really makes you think as well 🙂

A Man called Ove by Fredrick Backman- 4.5/5: This was another book that was on my Mums kindle that I had been wanting to read off her recommendation so when I borrowed it to read The Humans I then read this one and I was not disappointed 🙂 This is another book that will have you laughing one minute and nearly crying in the next but is so worth it 🙂 It has also been made into a film that I’m very excited to watch although I do think it will be very emotional!

An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn- 4/5: I have read the first two Bridgeton books and really enjoyed them so have been waiting to read the next one in the series but have been ushered along by the fact that the new TV series is hopefully coming out soon! Although the TV series is skipping this book and moving onto Colin and Penelopes story I really wanted to read the series in order so this was the next in like which is the story of Benedict and Sophie. Its a Cinderella type story with a class division trope however I will give an SA theme warning for near the start of the book.

Let me know in the comments what books you’ve been read so far this year

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Amazon and Charity Shop Book Haul :)

On the 20th of February my Nan and I went shopping in a few local Charity shops which was so so much fun 🙂 I ended up buying about 10 books that day with a mix of murder mystery and rom coms! I always love shopping in charity shops for books because often you can find really good books and I love the idea of giving them a second life and they are also a lot cheaper than buying them firsthand.

These were all of my murder mystery books that I found in the charity shops and I’m so excited! I love a murder mystery and these are the ones that caught my attention 😊 I already have the 1st book in the Rivers of London series which is followed by Moon ofer Soho ❤️ The holiday, The Other woman and One Perfect Morning all reminded me of Liane Moriarty books

These are all of the Ron-Com books that I found whilst in the charity chops- I have always been fascinated with the Northern Lights so thought it would be really interesting to read a book around that theme 😊 Lessons in Chemistry I have heard a lot about so had to pick it up when I spotted it ❤️

These are all of the books that I ordered from Amazon as they have all been on my list of books to buy for a while so ended up doing a big book haul on my kindle and also physical books as well ❤️

Let me know in the comments if you have read any of these books 😊

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Goodreads Challenge 2023: Pt 1 :)

This year my Goodreads challenge is to read 50 books which seems like a hell of a lot but I have managed to do it before so I’m crossing my fingers and hoping for the best! So far this year I’ve managed to read 6 books which means I’m on track to reach my goal if I continue to read at the same pace 🙂 For the last few years I’ve written posts about the books that I’ve read with a rating and a bit of a review/summary which I’ve always really loved to do so I thought I would do that again this year 🙂

Before your Memory faces by Toshikazu Kawaguchi- 5/5: This book is the third book in the Before The Coffee gets cold series which I have absolutely loved 🙂 The books from this series are 4 short stories per book which I really like 🙂 This book is set in the sister cafe the cafe Donna Donna but includes some my favourite characters from the previous books and also has the same charm as the others 🙂

Sunrise by the sea by Jenny Colgan- 4/5: I actually borrowed this book from my friend Hannah and I absolutely loved it 🙂 Its a cute romance which I love and deals with the subjects of grief and also mental illness. Its the fourth book in the Little Beach Street Bakery series however I haven’t read the others but could still enjoy the book 🙂

She and her cat by Makoto Shinkai- 3/5: I saw this book in a video by Carrie Hope Fletcher and actually read it on the train on the way to meet my friends in London 🙂 Its a story about cats and their owners and is super cute 🙂

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton- 4/5: I downloaded this book on my kindle ages ago and then forgot about it until early this year my friend Hannah read it and recommended it to me 🙂 I absolutely love the concept of this book and I think it is super clever however I did feel like it was slightly rushed at the end and it was quite hard to keep things straight. I was not expecting a lot of the twists and turns in this book so it did keep you gripped and overall I really enjoyed it 🙂

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata- 3/5: I saw this book while I was shopping with my friend in Foyles and I had heard a lot about it beforehand so decided to download it on my kindle when I got home 🙂 I did enjoy it and it reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine however it wasn’t my favourite.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson- 5/5: My friend Hannah recommended this book and I’m so glad she did because I absolutely loved it!! The amount of times I audibly gasped or went NOOOO during this book is ridiculous! There was so many twists and turns and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I was read it so quickly because I couldn’t put it down 🤣🤣

Let me know in the comments what books you’ve been read so far this year

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New Year’s resolutions 2022 recap 😊

I realise this post is a little but late however I always take a little break from blogging in January but still wanted to look back at my 2022 resolutions and share my progress with you guys 🙂 I always love writing New Years Resolutions/goals and try and work through them throughout the year but sometimes it doesn’t work out however I did manage to finish some of my New Years Resolutions last year 😊

1. Read 2 books a month: I actually managed to read 42 books last year instead of 24 so managed to majorly surpass my goal which is pretty cool 😊 I have actually upped my reading goal to 50 books for the coming year 🙂 Some of my favourite books that I read last year include: Carrie Soto is back, Where the Crawdads Sing, Book Lovers and With This Kiss.

2,3 and 4. 2000 followers on my blog, 50,000 views and post 6 times a month: These ones I didn’t actually complete because I have been back at my full time job this year which has taken up a lot of my time but I’m hoping to reach them pretty soon and have included them in my 2023 resolutions 🙂 Thank you to everyone that follows, likes or reads one of my posts 🙂

5, 6+7: Have a pamper evening once a week, drink 2000ml of water per day and make more time for self care: This past year I have been for a few spa days with my Mum which were all so lovely and then have really tried to work on my skincare routine and also drinking more water which I think has gone pretty well 🙂

8. Post on Instagram more: I have actually posted on Instagram lots this past year as I was also posting regularly on Mayas Instagram as well which was a lot of fun 😊

9. Do something nice for Maya once a week: I actually surpassed this goal and I spent a lot of time with Maya in the past year through taking her to our caravan by the beach quite a few times and celebrating birthdays and Christmas and taking her to Brighton as well 😊

10. Cook something once a week: I definitely cooked more than once a week because throughout this year we have received Hello Fresh parcels which include 3 different meals to cook which has been so much fun and is my responsibility in the house so I am cooking about 3 times a week 😊 let me know in the comments if you guys are interested in my sharing some of my favourite hello fresh recipies.

11. Reach 450 on my bucket list: I actually managed this pretty easily due to travelling a few times this past year and going to lots of concerts and theatre shows which has been so much fun 😊

12. Go to 5 theatre shows: I actually went to a lot of theatre shows this past year…… ooops! I went to both MusicalCon and West End Live but also to 14 individual shows which included: Frozen, Lion King, &Juliet, Choir of Man, Bring It On, Hex, Jersey Boys, Tina, Drifters Girl, Les Mis, Moulin Rouge and a few more 😊

13. Write a letter to my 30 year old self: I actually did this just after my 25 birthday which was a lot of fun!! I think in maybe 2 years time I might look back at this post and see how my life has panned out compared to the post and see what has changed 😊 I always find these letters to future selves so interesting 😊

14. Dye my hair: I started 2022 with blonde hair and ended it with Red hair but in between I actually had a bit of a mix of the two which was a lot of fun 😊 in March I dyed my hair the mix of red and blonde and then in December I dyed my hair fully red ❤️

15. 365 project: I actually completed my 365 project which I found so much fun 😊 It gave me such a good excuse to make memories and document them and take more photos 😊

16. Travel somewhere: I actually travelled to a few places this past year including: Brussels + Bruges, Barbados, Edinburgh and Oxford 😊 I’d only ever been to Oxford before so it was amazing to explore the other new places and I had some absolutely amazing experiences 😊

16. Make Monthly Playlists: I actually really really enjoyed doing this! I managed to make a playlist of at least ten songs from each month of the year which was so fun and a great way to remember the year 😊

17. Watch all of the Marvel Projects released in 2022: I am a big Marvel nerd so I always watch all of the new releases which last year included: MoonKnight, Ms Marvel and She Hulk on Disney+ and then Thor Love and Thunder, Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness and Black Panther Wakanda Forever 😊 I think my favourite of this list were She Hulk, MoonKnight and Doctor Strange Multiverse of madness 😊

There are also a few more resolutions that I have worked towards that aren’t included in this list which are: Save Money and Declutter and organise my room 🙂 Another resolutions that I had was to reach 75 things on my 1001 things list however I haven’t actually updated that list in a while so there may be some stuff that I have completed but just haven’t written down. The final resolution on my list was to do some sort of workout twice a week but I will admit to failing miserably at it.

I have written down all of my resolutions for 2023 and have been slowly but surely working my way through them so far 🙂

Let me know in the comments what your resolutions are for this year 🙂

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GoodReads Challenge 2022 Part 7 :)

My goal for 2022 was to read 24 books this year which correlates to 2 books a month however I actually ended up reading 42 books by the end of the year which is absolutely incredible and I’m shocked and pleased by how many books I have actually managed to read!

The Lido by Libby Page- 9/10: I read this book whilst on holiday in Barbados and I absolutely loved it 🙂 This is the second book by Libby Page that I have read and I really enjoy her books 🙂 This book definitely tugged on my heartstrings and it was really funny reading a book about a pool whilst sitting in front of the pool 🙂 The two main characters are so cool and I love their friendship and all of the other side characters as well 🙂

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – 8/10: This is the second book in the Inheritance Games trilogy and I think this was my least favourite of the three books however I did still really enjoy it 🙂 This book I also read while in Barbados and it was the last book I read whilst on holiday 🙂

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes- 9/10: I read this book on the flight back from Barbados and in the two days after I got back and i absolutely loved it 🙂 I think this book might have been one of my favourites of the three books HOWEVER I do feel like you really had to concentrate as there were several storylines converging at once.

Beach Read by Emily Henry- 8/10: This is the third book that I’ve read by Emily Henry and I feel like its actually my least favourite of all of her books so far but I did still enjoy it 🙂 There were some components that I wasn’t too fond of but overall its a very cute romance book and I also love the literary work element to her books 🙂

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone- 8/10: I really like the few Julie Murphy books that I have read so far so I was excited to see that she was writing a Christmas book. Pre-warning this book is Spicy so definitely not for everyone but it was good and there were definitely some cute parts 😊

Just for December by Laura Jane Williams- 9/10: I have read a few of Laura Jane Williams books and I absolutely love them 😊 they are always very cute Rom-coms and the added element of Christmas makes for an amazing book 😊 I also love an enemies to lovers trope.

Let me know in the comments what books you have been reading recently 🙂

Goodreads Challenge 2022 Part 6 :)

My goal for 2022 was to read 24 books this year which correlates to 2 books a month however I then changed that goal to 30 and then 35 which I have also already reached so now I’m going to go for 40 books by the end of the year which I think is definitely achievable 🙂 I have definitely been reading more since joining TikTok because I keep seeing books on Booktok that I want to read!

• You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry- 8/10: I absolutely LOVED the first book I read by Emily Henry so I decided to read another one of her books and actually started this book whilst in Brussels with my friend Hannah and we decided to do a buddy read with this book which is super fun 🙂 I really enjoyed this book as I loved reading about all of the travel destinations however I felt like the side characters weren’t as flushed out as Book Lovers
• Finding Perfect by Colleen Hoover- 7/10: I really enjoyed Finding Cinderella so when I found this book in The Works I decided to grab it and couldn’t wait to read it 🙂 I’m fairly sure I finished this on one of my lunch breaks as it is a Novella and it was a super cute ending to this story 🙂
• The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling- 9/10: I absolutely loved The Ex Hex when I read it last Halloween as I get very into the Halloween spirit so combining Halloween and a romance book into one was always going to be a big hit 🙂 I really enjoyed this sequel and I might even prefer it to the first book…….
• The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas- 8/10: I have heard so so much about Elena Armas books including this one and The Spanish Love Deception so I purchased this book on my kindle before I went to Barbados so this was one of the books I read on holiday which was so fun 🙂 I really liked the two main characters in the book and was really invested in their experiment and loved their friends Lina and Aaron who I know are the main characters in The Spanish Love Deception so I’m excited to read that as well 🙂
• Paybacks a Witch by Lana Harper- 9/10: I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! This was my favourite book that I read whilst on holiday and I think there was two more books in this series so I’m so so excited to read them next Halloweentime 🙂 I really loved the concept of this book and a book about a magical competition, revenge and romance is always going to be a hit 🙂
• The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes- 8/10: This book has been all over BookTok especially the third book in the series which I believe was released recently? I loved the concept and the characters were so fun however I did feel like the story got a little bit chaotic and convoluted so it was hard to follow at times however that might be because I was reading it on holiday so was probably less focused that usual 🙂 Overall a good read and I’m excited to see how the rest of the series plays out 🙂

Let me know in the comments what books you have been reading recently 🙂

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Goodreads Challenge Part 5 :)

My goal for 2022 was to read 24 books this year which correlates to 2 books a month however I then changed that goal to 30 books by the end of the year but I have now managed to achieve that……. ooops! I am now hoping to read 35 books by the end of the year 😊 I am about 13 books ahead of my original schedule having finished 30 books so far this year 😊 I thought I would do a little rating and review of the books so far.

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover- 8/10: This was actually the first book/novella that I have read by Colleen Hoover and I actually really enjoyed it but think I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read the other books connected first so was more invested in the characters 🙂 I actually read this novella while sat on the beach which was really nice and one of the reasons that I took it with me was that it would be quick and was light in my bag 🙂

Little Fires Everywhere bu Celeste Ng- 7/10: This book I picked up from a charity shop in Selsey when we were there for the weekend because I had heard lots of people talking about the TV show so thought I would give it a go. I did enjoy the book however I doubt that I will read it again because it was just a bit meh tbh.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid- 10/10: OMG I FRICKIN LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I am a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid so when I heard about this book I was so excited and I definitely wasn’t disappointed 🙂 I think this might be one of my favourite books that I have read this year! I already love Tennis as a sport but she made it sound so interesting, the character of Carrie Soto had so many layers that got peeled back throughout the book and I laughed and cried and felt all of the emotions! Throughout the final quarter of the book I couldn’t put it down and wanted to finish it but also didn’t want it to end in equal measure 🙂

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister- 9/10: I absolutely LOVE a thriller/murder mystery so by having a book where you already know who has been murdered and who by is a very interesting concept and I loved the idea of a mother having to go back in order to save her son from making a big mistake 🙂 There were so many different twists and turns in this book as well which kept you guessing until the very end 🙂

Book Lovers by Emily Henry- 10/10: This book was part of the book club that I have with my friend Hannah and was her choice for this month 🙂 I really really liked this book and was very excited that she picked it because I have heard so much about it on TikTok and other forms of Social Media 🙂 It reminded me slightly of The Hating Game as it is an Enemies to Lovers however I feel like the characters have a lot more depth and I found the sisterly relationship between Nora and Libby so interesting 🙂

Before the Coffee Gets Cold Tales from the Cafe- 9/10: I really loved the first book of this series which I actually started on the Eurostar to Belgium and had finished it by the time I was on the train back from the holiday 🙂 It is a series of four short stories about different people who wish to return to the past whilst in the cafe and why and is so very heartwarming and sweet 🙂 I always end up laughing and then crying and then doing both simultaneously while reading these books which for me always indicates a good book 🙂

Let me know in the comments what you have been reading recently 🙂

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August Book Haul 2022 :)

I have been on a bit of a book buying binge recently which has been so so so much fun so I thought I would do a bit of a haul on here because I absolutely LOVE seeing what books other people have been buying and also where people buy their books as well 🙂

My first haul was an order from the works online because I didn’t have time to go to the actual store but I knew there were a few books that I really wanted from there that I knew I couldn’t wait to read 🙂 The first book was Where the Crawdads sing by Delia Owens which I had heard so many people talk about and have actually already read since purchasing it!! I also included in this haul two different Colleen Hoover books because I have heard so many people talking about her books! I purchased Ugly Love and Finding Cinderella and actually read Finding Cinderella sat on the beach after I finished Where the Crawdads sing 🙂 The final book I purchased was It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey which again I have seen all over TikTok so I’m excited to read it 🙂

The next few books that I have purchased were bought from Charity shops 🙂 I bought Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty from a charity shop in Oxford because I really enjoyed her other two books Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers 🙂 I then purchased Exciting Times from a charity shop in Selsey and also found Little Fires Everywhere in a different charity shop in Selsey which was so cool 🙂 I had heard lots of people talking about the Exciting Times book and the Little Fires Everywhere TV Show 🙂

I was actually meant to go with my Mum and her friend to Bromley where I would have been able to do a physical haul however I was actually not very well on the day so I was unable to go 😦 I ended up doing an online order instead where I decided to buy three Emily Henry books which I have heard so many people talking about and I’m so excited to read! I also ordered Until I Met You by Amber Rose Gill which I’m interested to read because I did actually watch her series of Love Island and I’ve actually heard good things about the book 🙂 The final book I ordered was Verity by Colleen Hoover which I’m so excited to read as I really enjoyed my first Colleen Hoover book and I am a big fan of thriller books 🙂

I am waiting for my order of Carrie Soto is Back to arrive which I believe will arrive at the end of this month and I’m SO EXCITED to read that 🙂 I have also ordered the sequel to Before the Coffee gets Cold which I really enjoyed 🙂

Let me know in the comments what books you have purchased this month 🙂

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Goodreads Challenge 2022 Part 4 :)

My goal for 2022 is to read 24 books this year which correlates to 2 books a month however I have now changed that goal to 30 books by the end of the year 😊 I am about 10 books ahead of my original schedule having finished 24 books so far this year 😊 I thought I would do a little rating and review of the books so far.

The Wrong Suitcase by Laura Jane Williams- 9/10: I actually read this book on my kindle at the beach which was really fun 🙂 I really enjoyed the other couple of books from this author and this short story was the same- a very chill beach read with a cute love story thrown in for Sam and Izzy who both go to a friends wedding and end up with each others suitcases.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid- 10/10: This is one of my favourite books that I read this year!! I am a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid and it was so much fun reading about the Rivas and it was also really interesting to learn about surfing and the California beaches as well 🙂 I think Nina Riva is one of my favourite TJR characters as well 🙂

The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella- 9/10: I received this book from one of my mums friends for my birthday and so I ended up taking it with me to the beach a couple of weekends later and I really enjoyed it 🙂 I am a fan of Sophie Kinsella books as they are very chill easy reads with usually a little bit of romance thrown in and are the perfect beach read/book to read if you’re in a bit of a slump or don’t want to think too much 🙂

Fantastic Beasts The Secrets of Dumbledore- 8/10: I am a big fan of the Harry Potter universe which includes the Fantastic Beasts franchise so always really enjoy these books 🙂 I actually bought a copy with has illustrations and also commentary from some of the actors and directors of the movie which is pretty cool 🙂

Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi- 9/10: This book actually reads like a series of short stories (4 to be exact) and I really enjoyed them 🙂 Each story tells a tale of a different customer in the cafe who wishes to return to the past and the end result is a heartwarming, funny, cute and sometimes a little bit sad read 🙂 Its also really interesting learning different things about Japanese culture and traditions 🙂

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens- 10/10: I had a couple of people recommend this book to me and then since the movie came out I have had even more people recommend it so when I found it in the works I couldn’t resist buying it and I really enjoyed it 🙂 I was reading this book at work during my lunch break and then finished it at the beach and it was such a good book and the end was AMAZING!

Let me know in the comments what you have been reading recently 🙂

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