June TBR (2025)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And this month's TBR is going to be a little on the short side. Mainly because I have no idea what I'm going to be reading for one week in the year!

I've decided that when I get to Whitby I'm just going to go into the bookshop and pick up whatever I fancy. I have a few books I'd like to start, but we'll see if something new catches my eye. It's the point of the exercise after all. 

I will (hopefully) be finishing a couple of series this month, if all goes to plan, but they'll be a couple of other ones I'm thinking about as well. 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy my June TBR. 

1. Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3), by Suzanne Collins

It's weird to think I only started book 1 last wednesday, but here we are. There was no way I wasn't prioritising this with ever ambitous reading challenge gaining, especially after soaring through the first two books. I know most people don't tend to like this as much as the first two, due to the different direction it takes, but I happen to like this one almost as much as the first two. Hoping I'll be able to finish it by the end of the week, or thereabouts. 

2. The Earthsea Quartet (Earthsea Cycle #1-4), by Ursula K. Le Guin 

Originally, the plan was to try and finish Mockingjay before leaving for Whitby, but given how I've been flying through the series, I'm going to risk adding this into the mix. Earthsea is one of those classic fantasy series' that everybody seems to have heard of, but I actually know nobody that has read it. If I'm not able to finish this before the 16th, which is likely, because it has a page count in the high 600s, then I'm hoping I'll be able to get to the end of one of short stories, to continue at the end of the holiday. 

Earthsea follows a character called Ged, right from when he is a young boy, being shipped to the island of Roke to learn the true nature of magic, to when he is a man, when true magic and ancient ways are forced to submit to the powers of evil and death. 

I'm eager to follow young Ged's story, and read the quartet that rivals Tolkien's work (it's on the blurb).

WHITBY PLACE HOLDER

Top considerations:

1. The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah 

2. Beartown (Beartown #1), by Fredrik Backman 

3. Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell #1), by Hilary Mantel 

4. Strangers in Time, by David Baldacci 

3. The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events #11), by Lemony Snicket 

4. The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events #12), by Lemony Snicket 

5. The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events #13), by Lemony Snicket 

The final three books of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Of course, all good things much come to an end, but I doubt I'd ever get tired of reading about the Baudelaire children. These last three books are full of surprises, but I can safely say that Count Olaf chasing the Baudelaire's fortune will come to an end. It's been great getting to re-emerge myself back into the story of these incredible children, and I know I will be thinking about them, long after I close the last page. 

6. Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk

Okay, never seen the film, didn't even realise there was a book until I was given a Book Bucket List poster for my birthday a couple of years ago. Now, I'm determined for it to be the next book I tick off on that poster. I mean to watch the film at some points, but because old habits die hard, I'm reading the book first. I have no idea of what this is about, other than fight club and absent fathers, but I'm excited to finally commit to this iconic book. 

Okay! Turns out this TBR didn't turn out that short after all! I'm cutting it at 6 books because I have no idea how much reading I'll get done in Whitby, but these are the books I'll be prioritising for the rest of the month. 

I hope you have a wonderful evening, and I'll be back soon with my Anticipated Releases post for the next three months! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

May Wrap Up (2025)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And since it's the end of the month, it's time for the May Wrap Up! 

I haven't read a whole lot this month, but I definitely feel I finished the month strong, after reading my final read in just 4 days. Hopefully I can carry this through into June, and pick up some nice books on holiday too! (Whitby bookshop is absolutely stunning and I can't wait to see what I'm in the mood for.)

I read a total of five books, and although four of them were re-reads, they were all well loved. 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy my wrap-up! 

1. The Wake-Up Call, by Beth O' Leary 

I finally finished this! I've actually lost count how many times I've tacked this book on at the end of a monthly TBR, knowing full well, I probably won't get to it. So this month, I prioritised it more than anything else. To nobody's surprise, I absolutely loved it. I flew through it in 5 days, and it easily could have been four. It's been such a long time since I read a Beth O' Leary book, and it was fantastic to be able to get sucked straight back in. 

The Wake-Up Call is about Izzy and Lucas, who love their jobs at Forest Manor Hall- the hotel that's crumbling around them. It won't stay open past christmas without some sort of miracle- but they may have just stumbled across one. After Izzy manages to locate the owner of a lost engagement ring, an idea sparks- if they can relocate the owner of the four engagement rings that currently reside in their lost and found, they might just save the hotel. 

There's only one issue- to achieve this, Izzy and Lucas will have to work together. And that is something they don't want. Especially when there are unwanted feelings bubbling underneath the surface. 

2. The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events #7), by Lemony Snicket 

3. The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8), by Lemony Snicket 

4. The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events #9), by Lemony Snicket 

 

Surprisingly, enjoyed these three more and more the further I got. 

I will always enjoy The Hostile Hospital because it was the first of this series that I picked up, before I started right from the very beginning. It's definitely not the book that moves the story the most, plot wise, but it will always hold a special place for me. 

The Carnivorous Carnival surprised me the most. Before this read through, I always remembered this one as the book I needed to get through, to get to The Slippery Slope, because I knew about a plot twist. But with this read through, I found it drew me in the most out of the three books read this month. 

What can I say about The Slippery Slope? I loved the focus on Sunny, and reading about her as a capable girl, rather than an infant. We get more answers in this one as well, but also more questions. From The Slippery Slope onwards, things get real. I can immediately tell that the next three books are gearing up for an amazing finale-book 13 (because there's a jump between consistent 250 page book, all the way up to 330-ish pages). Excited to continue reading for The Slippery Slope. 

5. The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1), by Suzanne Collins

Before I decided to pick this up, the plan was to continue on with A Series of Unfortunate Events (the next book is The Grim Grotto), and carry on until I finished. However, I found that I wasn't interested, when I tried to start it. So, making a split decision, I decided to pick this up, in the hope that I could finish it before the month is out. At 454 pages, that's no small feat. 

But somehow I managed it! I read every spare moment I had, I made it a priority, and what's more, I'm eager to pick up Catching Fire as soon as I can. 

I always knew I would be picking this up at some point, because of SOTR, and all the film casting reveals, but reading it was so much better/ worse (because of the connections between the two books) but I'm so glad I delved back into this again, and read Katniss' story with fresh eyes. 

Okay! Those are all of the books I read in May! I will be back with my June TBR soon, though it definitely won't hold as many as this month (I'm going to Whitby blind as for what I'll be in the mood for.) 

Feel free to comment down below what books/films/tv shows you picked up this month, and we can chat about it! 

I hope you have a wonderful afternoon and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxxx

Emerging Fiction Authors

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with something I haven't done in a really long time- a book list! 

I want to start bringing more of these back, as a way to start motivated to post. 

I thought I'd start with something easy- I've read a ton of fiction authors recently, and this is the list of authors, whose books I can't seem to forget about. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

Now, fiction is, admittedly, quite a varied genre. There's romance and historical fiction thrown into this genre, which is why I'm starting with it. 

This list is in no particular order by the way. 

1. Lucinda Riley 

If you're new to this blog, you might not be aware that for the best part of two years, I was up to my eyeballs in Lucinda Riley's books: first her seven sisters series, then her many standalones- 18 books in total. My work colleague was nice enough to lend them all to me. Although it's pretty unlikely, since Lucinda Riley passed away four years ago, and for her past two released novels, her son Harry edited and released them. 

Every book made me that much more obsessed with Lucinda Riley's story-telling, her romance, how accurate the time and place was like, since most of Lucinda Riley's novels had some degree of historical fiction to them. 

I thoroughly enjoyed all of her novels, and I know that the world has lost a great talent. 

Published novels: 

The Seven Sisters series':

2. Beth O' Leary 

As soon as I hear about a new Beth O' Leary book, I immediately add it to my mental TBR list. There have been some points where I've had a couple of her books ready, for when I feel in the mood to read them. Because I know that time will come, and that I will definitely love them. I currently have The No-Show on standby, for when I want to pick it up, and Swept Away will be out at some point between now and the end of June. 

Published books:

1. The FlatShare (read)

2. The Switch (read)

3. The No-Show (on standby)

4. The Road Trip (read)

5. The Wake-Up Call (read)

6. Swept Away (to be released soon)

3. Taylor Jenkins-Reid 

Although it's very discreet, because all of Taylor Jenkins-Reid's books are complete opposite in story, part of what keeps me intrigued in her books, is that they all take place in the same universe, and one character from each book will inevitably make a cameo in another of her novels. Her next novel, Atmosphere follows an all female team, making their way into space, and I have no clue with character is going to show up in this one. 

My first of her books I had the pleasure of picking up was Daisy Jones and the Six, which is a book comprised of a multitude of interviews and articles from the band, as well as their staff, friends and family. I listened to the audiobook, and I can confidently say that it was probably the best audiobook I have listened to, to date. 

Published books:

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (read)

2. Evidence of the Affair

3. Daisy Jones and the Six (read)

4. Malibu Rising (read)

5. Carrie Soto is Back (read)

4. Marian Keyes

I'm extrmely late to the Marian Keyes, given I've read a total of 2 of her books. But, despite reading Grown Ups over two years ago, it's still a book that has stuck with me, and every once in a while, I get the urge to go back and read it over again. 

Since then I've only picked up Rachel's Holiday, the second book in The Walsh Family series, and now I'm on the hunt to read yet more, from this amazing author. Her complete publicated works are:

The Walsh Family series':

1. Watermelon

2. Rachel's Holiday (read)

3. Angels

4. Anybody Out There? 

5. The Mystery of Mercy Close

6. Mammy Walsh's A-Z of the Walsh Family 

7. Again, Rachel 

8. My Favourite Mistake

9. Sushi for Beginners

10. Grown Ups (read)

11. Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married

12. The Other Side of the Story 

13. Last Chance Saloon 

14. This Charming Man 

15. The Break 

16. The Brightest Star in the Sky 

17. The Woman Who Stole my Life

18. Under the Duvet 

19. Cracks in my Foundation 

20. Further Under the Duvet 

21. Making it up as I Go Along 

22. No Dress Rehearsal 

23. Saved by Cake

24. Nothing Bad Ever Happens in Tiffany's 

Clearly, I have some catching up to do. 

5. Kristin Hannah 

Another author that I've always wanted to read more of- that solidified when I got stuck in with her latest release: The Women, which is about the nurses of the Vietnam War. Partly during the war, experiencing the horrors the nurses faced on a daily basis, then partly afterwards, coming home and realising that people think what she set out to do was embarrasing and hidden, or even worse, being denied the acknowledgment that she was even there at all. 

I've only read the one book by Kristin Hannah, but there's no doubt in my mind, it won't be long until I'm packing up The Nightingale and Firefly Lane. 

Published works:

1. The Nightingale

2. Firefly Lane

3. Fly Away 

4. The Women (read)

5. The Great Alone

6. The Four Winds

7. Winter Garden 

8. Night Road

9. Home Front

10. Magic Hour

11. True Colours 

12. Between Sisters

13. Summer Island

14. The Things We Do For Love

15. On Mystic Lake

16. Angel Falls

17. Comfort & Joy 

18. Distant Shores 

19. Home Again 

20. If You Believe

21. Waiting for the Moon 

22. Once in Every Life 

23. The Glass Case

24. When Lightning Strikes

25. The Enchantment

26. A Handful of Heaven 

6. Fredrik Backman 

Again, I've only read two books of his, and probably the shortest two, as one was only about 75 pages, but much like the rest of the world, I fell in love after reading A Man Called Ove. He has a new book out in the next couple of months, it's on my Anticipated Releases post, and honestly, I can't stop thinking about his work. If you're interested, you can read all of my in-depth thoughts for A Man Called Ove, the link for my review is in the title. But let it be known that it's been two years since I read it, and I find I'm thinking about it most day, still. 

His published work includes:

Beartown trilogy:

1. Beartown 

2. Us Against You 

3. The Winners

4. A Man Called Ove (read)

5. Anxious People 

6. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry 

7. Britt-Marie Was Here

8. And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer

9. The Answer is No 

10. The Deal of A Lifetime (read)

11. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World 

12. My Friends

13. Sebastian and the Troll 

Okay! That completes the list of emerging fiction authors thst currently reside in my brain :-) . I know you all have your personal list in your brain, so pleasure share them with me in the comments. 

That concludes today's post, but I'll be seeing you all soon with my Monthly Wrap Up. I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx