Hello there! I currently have two reviews just sitting in my drafts waiting to be edited but I am wallowing in my post kdrama feels so here's an impromptu book recommendation list. I'm usually the worst when it comes to finishing any form of series (i.e. dramas, tv shows, books, etc.) so this is my first drama of 2021 and the slump is real. 

MY ROOMMATE IS A GUMIHO is a fantasy rom-com starring Lee Hyeri as a history college student (Lee Dam) who finds herself entangled with a 999 year old fox played by Jang Ki-yong (Shin Woo Yeo) when she accidentally becomes in possession of his marble. The storyline is playful and full of absolutely adorable moments as well as ones that classically pull at your heartstrings.

lee dam - spin the dawn by elizabeth lim

Dam is fiercely protective, strong-willed, honest, and has a heart of gold that makes her your perfect kdrama protagonist. She's incredibly expressive, loves food, and fully embraces what she's passionate about which makes her character relatable and easy to love. Like Dam, Maya from Spin the Dawn is willing to do anything for her family and also has a passion that's often looked down by others. The two stories also have that element of forbidden romance and all the cute moments that make you smile like an idiot. 

shin woo yeo - the ones we're meant to find by joan he

Calm, collected, with a soft spot for Dam, Woo Yeo is the perfect male lead that gives you all the butterflies. Seriously, this drama had so many moments of just pure serotonin cuteness between his and Dam's interactions. Since he's been alive for almost 1000 years, Woo Yeo is quite knowledgeable and I would personally love to have a discussion with him with just about anything. In light of the recent UN report on the climate crisis, I think it would be super interesting to hear his thoughts on The Ones We're Meant to Find. As he's been around humans for so long, I think he would, first of all, enjoy the storyline, but secondly be able to share some interesting insights. 

gye seon woo - down comes the night by allison saft
I went through so many moments of loving/hating Seon-woo's character. He embodies your typical rich boy in a kdrama who has everyone swooning over him. Of course, he ends up falling in love with someone who could care less about him and thus we get our second lead. While Seon-woo is arrogant and incredibly stubborn, he also undergoes so much character development that makes you wish for a happy ending (with someone else of course). Both characters from Down Comes the Night go through their share of development as the story progresses but Hal Cavendish in particular seems like someone Seon Woo could relate to: rich, beloved, influential, but ultimately misunderstood. Maybe reading about Hal's happy ending could give Seon Woo some hope in finding his in the future.

yang hye sun - gods of jade and shadow by silvia moreno-garcia
Hye Sun quickly became one of my favorite characters for her quirky personality and banter with Woo Yeo. She's such a great side character and friend for Woo Yeo and I loved how they were always supportive of each other even if they bickered a lot. One of her quirks was having trouble understanding idioms and the "modern" lifestyle after being a gumiho for so long. Gods of Jade and Shadow is a beautiful and lush story with a forbidden love story element that I think would give Hye Sun all the emotions. Especially since she's had her fair share of heartbreaks, it could be something that resonates with her. 

do jae jin - the bone witch trilogy by rin chupeco
Jae Jin is seriously a gem and it was his friendship with Lee Dam that made me fall in love with the character dynamics. He is the perfect "puppy" character who embraces his "nice guy" personality and makes the most out of it. He's also a bit of a romantic and his romance with Hye Sun was absolutely one of the cutest aspects of the entire drama. At this point, I'm not even sorry for having The Bone Witch show up in almost every recommendation list, but hear me out - Jae Jin would have an absolute blast with Tea's story, meeting the wonderful characters, and all the lovely relationships would make him smile. I can totally see him finishing the books and immediately running over to give Hye Sun a huge hug to tell her how much he loves her.

choi soo kyung - how we fall apart by katie zhao
I couldn't not include the other part of Lee Dam's friendship trio in this post. Soo Kyung is incredibly smart and has the same fiery and, dare I say, shameless personality that Lee Dam has. She's an incredible support system and is willing to defend her friends and her grades with everything she's got which makes her perfect for How We Fall Apart. I would actually be super curious to see how Soo Kyung would navigate Sinclair Prep's ruthless student body and if her smarts can win her the top student spot, toppling both Jamie and Nancy. 

In hindsight, I really tried to recommend books I haven't talked about a lot but it seems I've failed...but just looking at this list makes me wish I could actually share these stories with the characters because I would love to hear their thoughts. 

Please let me know some of your favorite k-dramas and if you've watched MY ROOMMATE IS A GUMIHO let me know your thoughts. In my post-drama mourning, I also have a journal with me if you'd like to watch me wallow in my emotions.

Hello there! We're about half-way through July and I've consumed enough Mid-Year Book Freak Out tags to feel compelled to create my own rendition. However, I always struggle with at least half of the questions so to make things a bit easier, I thought I'd just share five of my favorite reads from the first half of 2021.

This year, while being exhausting and emotionally draining, has surprisingly been a pretty decent reading year for me. Out of the 23 books I've read, more than half have been over 4 stars which has never happened before - the only downside, it's made this list a bit hard to narrow down. 

when we were infinite by kelly loy gilbert
review
The first book that comes to mind for the most life-changing read of 2021 has to be When We Were Infinite. It's one of those stories that captured so many aspects of my own experiences and placed them into the lives of fictional characters. While Beth was one of the most frustrating characters to read, it was the first time I was in the head of someone whose thought processes mirrored so closely to my own and that made the novel all the more impactful.

soulswift by megan bannen 
review
Ever since I heard of Soulswift, I knew it was going to blow me away - yet I still underestimated just how much I would love this story. I read the entire 400+ page book in one morning because of how addicting the story, characters, and overall world was. It truly had the perfect blend of YA fantasy banter that warms your heart alongside a discussion of serious topics that make the reader pause and think. With this novel, Megan Bannen has solidified her place as one of my favorite YA authors.

the ones we're meant to find by joan he
review
You might have seen this statement from anyone who's read The Ones We're Meant to Find but it is truly one of those stories that absolutely blows your mind away. I read this right before its release and months later truly cannot wrap my head around how masterful the writing and storyline is. Joan He introduces a futuristic world that doesn't seem far from our own and challenges each individual to try and comprehend the weight of our decisions through honestly life-changing characters - this is one of those stories that you can reread hundreds of times and still gain something new.

the bone maker by sarah beth durst
review
The Bone Maker made the list because it was honestly just a great time. I used to be the biggest adult fantasy fan in high school/early college but somewhere along the lines got really intimidated by all the OG "best" fantasy series out there that I "had to read" in order to be a real fan. Maybe I got into my head, but Sarah Beth Durst really made adult fantasy accessible with this novel and I just fell in love with the rusty crew of characters who just wanted to finish the job and retire. It felt really refreshing to journey alongside these characters as they combatted their own morals versus the greater public. 

the song of achilles of madeline miller
review
If you've read this book, it doesn't need any explanation for why I've included it on this list. The Song of Achilles is beautifully written and absolutely broke my heart. Madeline Miller has this way of reconstructing familiar stories and making you sympathize on a whole new level and now I can never view Achilles the same. The story captures the innocence of youth that's ultimately tainted by the greed of war and how individuals are forced to play roles for the sake of other's lust for power. 

While I'm still in the midst of a reading slump and feel incredibly unmotivated when it comes to books, recapping on these favorites has made me grateful for the wonderful stories that I have consumed over the past six months. Hopefully I kick this reading slump out of the way and can jump into new and exciting adventures for the rest of 2021!

What are your favorite reads of 2021? Did you attempt the Mid-Year Book Freak Out tag? 

"It's not about cruelty. It's about power. Without power, all you have is anger and spite. Cruelty comes when you have the strength to turn your anger on someone else."

isbn: 9781529100730 | pages: 461
     publication date: June 06, 2021 | source: net-galley/physical copy from publisher
     genre: adult, fantasy | trigger warnings: author's note
rating: 6.8/10

    A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    |    B O O K S H O P * 
B O O K D E P O S I T O R Y    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S

a story of faith and cultures
The Wolf and the Woodsman is a book that pushes both its characters and readers on how far they're willing to go and how much they're willing to sacrifice for their faith. Set amidst Hungarian history and Jewish folklore, this story is absolutely captivating with an atmosphere and cast that slowly grabs its reader and pulls them into a cold and cruel world. Évike is a wolf-girl who has been shunned her entire life for her mixed blood and lack of gifts. When the king's Woodsmen come to claim a seer, Évike is disguised and sent into the forest as tribute, betrayed by her people, and forced to the same fate as her mother. 

Right from the get-go, this story was immersive with so much atmospheric tension both from the danger of the woods and from the unknown that comes with being taken by the Woodsmen. Évike is one of those characters who embraces her status as the outcast and literally survives this book through sheer determination and will. Her strength is astounding and that's what makes her so admirable and impactful as the main character. 

the power of fear and heritages
Both Évike and Gáspár are tested beyond their capabilities throughout this book on different fronts and it was both fascinating and rewarding to see them work through their differences. I loved how (for the first time in what feels like forever) we have two characters who don't seek to change their beliefs and personalities to fit someone else but continously challenge each other to become better human beings. The discussion of religion and of ethnic and cultural cleansing also delved deeper into the horrible acts committed throughout history and opens up this space for conversation for both the characters and the readers to examine personal biases and why the fear of someone else plays such a huge role in hatred.

There are honestly so many thoughts I have for this book and all I want to do is dive back in because I know there's so much I can still learn from Évike's story. For a debut, Ava Reid absolutely blew me away and I'm waiting eagerly for her future works.

disclaimer: I received a physical copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Hello friends! It's been a hot second since I've attempted to write a blog post. With the end of the school year, it seems I've fallen into a slump when it comes to motivation and I definitely want to change that mindset before summer fully kicks into gear. 

Last year I participated in MythTake's Make Your Mythtaker readathon and while the concept was super interesting, I didn't actually read many of the books on my tbr. This year, the readathon is happening in July and I'm hoping it'll be what I need to pull me out of this slump. Most of the books on this list have been on my tentative tbr in previous months so I hope it'll be a good jump start into finally tackling that massive pile. 

The concept this year is to choose a PATH or PANTHEON and if you're interested in the other prompts, you can check out the twitter thread. I decided to embark on the path of beauty because the prompts seemed the easiest to cater to my shelves 😅 but I'll definitely be saving the other prompts to challenge myself in the future for fun.

aphrodite - a book ft. romance

these violent delights by chloe gong

Yikes this book is still on my tbr and at this point I'm just avoiding the responsibility of reading it. I know romance isn't the main focus of the book, but I just need a reason to yell at myself to read this book. 

freyja - a book w/ an animal on the cover
the tangleroot palace by majorie liu
Originally, I had two books picked out for this prompt but I figured putting a collection of short stories was a little less daunting than a 400+ page adult fantasy novel. I've read the first three volumes of Majorie Liu's Monstress graphic novels which are simply beautifully gruesome stories so I'm very excited to see what this collection holds.

hathor - a book ft. art
picture us in the light by kelly loy gilbert
I've included two audio books in an attempt to see if stepping outside my reading comfort zone will help me get back into reading. I adored Kelly Loy Gilbert's When We Were Infinite which I read earlier this year and have heard amazing things about Picture Us in the Light from a friend. 

kichijōten - a book ft. music
kpop confidential by stephen lee
Audiobook #2 and the one that I'm most on the fence about. Despite being a kpop fan, I've kind of avoided books that were mainly focused around the music genre so naturally this wasn't a book I was drawn to when it first came out. However, I was able to find the audiobook of this on hoopla so I figured I'll give this a try and see how it goes.

osun -  a book w/ feminist themes
she who became the sun by shelley parker chan
This book is part of the holy sapphic trinity of 2021 (image) and has been on my radar ever since I first heard about its premise last summer. I was lucky enough to get approved of an arc, but like most of my e-arcs they get lost until right before release date...

*power - swap a prompt for a beautiful cover
the dragon of jin-sayeng by k.s. villoso
This is one of the most stunning covers ever and another book that I'm ashamed I haven't read yet. I adore this trilogy and honestly the only reason I have been avoiding this finale is because I'm scared of what will happen...

The bottom line of this tbr is mostly that I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to reading books I know I'll love so here's to hoping this readathon will come in and change my mindset. If you're participating in #pathorpantheon or any other readathons this month please let me know what you plan on picking up!

Hello friends! I have the great privilege of being part of Katie Zhao's street team Sinclair Students in preparation for the release of her YA Dark Academia novel How We Fall Apart which releases on August 3! For this week's assignment, we were instructed to create a playlist that best suits the book. Sara (@sarancwrites) create a k-pop inspired playlist and I was immeadiately inspired to create my own. Since I typically only listened to girl groups, I had a lot of fun choosing these songs!

ICYMI - check out the amazing preorder incentives for How We Fall Apart and don't forget to submit your receipts!!

save me, save you - wjsn

This was the song that actually inspired this post because the aesthetics just take dark academia and add in a little bit of fairytale flair. The school setting of the music video also fits the mysterious vibe of the novel and the lyrics themselves also have a haunting message.

monster - irene & seulgi

The aesthetics and lyrics perfectly capture the hidden "monster" that guaranteed lives within each Sinclair student - I mean, you have to decide what lengths you will go to be the top student and that ambition definitely brings out the little monster inside.

black dress - clc

Will I take any excuse to put a CLC song in a playlist because CUBE is trash to them? (yes) But also this song is sophistication and empowerment and is almost as untouchable as Jamie Ruan. Just watch the music video and tell me you don't feel the ~power~. 

lion - g-(idle)

If Sinclair Prep had a royal court theme this song would be played and over again. This can also be a Jamie Ruan anthem because she was the top of the school, the lion you could say until her untimely death.

new me - wjsn

Another WJSN song because their recent concepts have been *chef's kiss.* New Me is all about become a more alluring version of yourself and being free from the controlling past. I feel like Nancy could easily adopt this as an anthem, maybe take the chance with Jamie out of the game to become the top student at Sinclair Prep.

russian roulette - red velvet

This entire concept is all about sabotaging each other and maintaining a cheerful façade while doing so. If Sinclair Prep ever decided to choose a slightly more upbeat school anthem, Russian Roulette could definitely be a contestant. 

better me - gfriend sowon x umji

I'm still a little emo over Gfriend's disbandment so I'm ending this playlist with one of my favorites: this song is all about a better version of yourself. One lyric translates to "flowers bloom in different seasons, it's your time now" and I just imagine Nancy listening to these lyrics to reassure herself when all the rumors start getting overwhelming.

This was so much fun to create and I honestly have so many more songs to add so I might do a part two closer or after release day! Be sure to pick up How We Fall Apart (out August 3rd) and take advantage of the amazing pre-order incentive! 

What are some songs that come to mind when you think of Sinclair Prep?

Title: WILLA OF DARK HOLLOW

Author: Robert Beatty

Pub. Date: May 4, 2021

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 384

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Young nightspirit Willa discovers an ancient, powerful magic deep in the forest in the enchanting companion to Robert Beatty's instant #1 New York Times best-seller, Willa of the Wood.

This enchanting companion to Robert Beatty's instant #1 New York Times bestseller Willa of the Wood is perfect for any reader who cares deeply about the natural world. 

Willa and her clan are the last of the Faeran, an ancient race of forest people who have lived in the Great Smoky Mountains for as long as the trees have grown there. But as crews of newly arrived humans start cutting down great swaths of the forest she loves, she is helpless to stop them. How can she fight the destroyers of the forest and their powerful machines?

When Willa discovers a mysterious dark hollow filled with strange and beautiful creatures, she comes to realize that it contains a terrifying force that seems to be hunting humans. Is unleashing these dangerous spirits the key to stopping the loggers? Willa must find a way to save the people and animals she loves and take a stand against a consuming darkness that threatens to destroy her world.

Grab the first book WILLA OF THE WOOD now!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert Beatty is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Serafina series and the Willa of the Wood series published by Disney Hyperion. Loved by young readers and adults alike, the Serafina and Willa books are being taught in over a thousand classrooms nationwide and have been translated into over 22 languages. Robert lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and three daughters. He writes full-time now, but in his past lives, Robert was one of the early pioneers of cloud computing, the founder/CEO of Plex Systems, the co-founder of Beatty Robotics, and the chairman/CTO of Narrative magazine. In 2007, he was named an Entrepreneur of the Year. When asked about the inspiration for his books, Robert said, “The Serafina and Willa books grew out of my desire to write stories about unusual and heroic young girls for my three daughters."

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Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win a finished copy of WILLA OF DARK HOLLOW, US Only.

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