New rating system inspired by Greek mythology!

Hello everyone!

I am introducing a new rating system! I have always been obsessed with Greek mythology and I wanted to fit that into my blog. I thought it would be fun to have a new rating system inspired by Greek gods and goddesses! The gods and goddesses will be chosen based on my personal preferences and what they stand for.

Here’s how the new five stars rating system works:

5 stars: Persephone – Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of Spring. Persephone is my favourite goddess because she is full of contradictions – she represents both strength as queen of the underworld and a softness as a floral maiden. She teaches me how it’s okay to be both. If Persephone appears, that means that the book was one of the best books I’ve ever read, that it holds a particular place in my heart and that it is now part of my favourite books ever.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Hello lovelies!

This is my first book review of the year and I wanted it to be for a book I completely, thoroughly and utterly loved. I am not the first one to gush about this book, but if you are hesitant to give it a chance, please consider it, I regret not reading it sooner!

Title: The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games #1)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Synopsis: Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why–or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s touch–and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.

Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he’s determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather’s last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

My most anticipated book releases of 2022 🤩📚🗓

Hello lovelies! 🥰

This is my first post of the year and I thought it would be fitting to dedicate it to new releases! I have a fair amount of books piling up on my shelves from last year, but I am always excited about new book releases and 2022 looks very promising in terms of debuts, sequels or simply new books by familiar or new authors. As a queer, neurodivergent Black woman, seeing so many diverse books being released into the world makes me incredibly happy! I am so sorry for the length of this article, I tried making it shorter but I wanted to add the synopses!

January

Author: Elise Bryant

Title: One True Loves (Happily Ever Afters #2)

Synopsis: From the author of Happily Ever Afters, comes the highly anticipated companion novel, One True Loves, another irresistible YA romantic comedy full of self-discovery, Black love, and a dreamy European cruise.Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet.

When her family embarks on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise, her friend Tessa is sure Lenore’s in for a whirlwind romance. But Lenore knows that doesn’t happen in real life. At least not to girls like her.

Then she meets Alex Lee. After their parents bond over the Cupid Shuffle, she ends up stuck with him for the remainder of the cruise. He’s a hopeless romantic and a golden boy with a ten-year plan. In short, he’s irritating as hell.But as they get to know each other during the picturesque stops across Europe, he may be able to help her find something else she’s been looking for, even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself: love.

Publication Date: January 4th 2022 

Happy New Year’s Eve and Goodbye 2021 🥺 🥳 Top 21 books of 2021, stats and more! 🥰

Hello lovelies and Happy New Year’s Eve! 🥰

This is the customary “how is it December 31st already??” but…I still can’t believe how quickly time flies. This year was very weird, special, exciting and overwhelming but the best part is that I connected with so many people within the book community and I will always be grateful for that. So to anyone who has ever liked, commented or visited my little corner of the internet, thank you so much! I really appreciate you ❤️.

Merry Christmas lovelies! 🥰 ft. why I stopped posting for Blogmas and my isolated Christmas

Merry Christmas lovelies!

I wish you all a merry Christmas, and if you don’t celebrate, I still hope you’re having a great day, whether you were accompanied or not. I’m sending extra love for those who need it during the holidays.

Christmas looked a little different for me this year because I tested positive for Covid on the 23th but I had been isolating since the 16th, when I was in contact with someone who had tested positive. This was my first time I was in contact since the pandemic started and it has been a nightmare. This past week has been torture between waiting for symptoms to appear and hoping I would be spared. Unfortunately, I wasn’t but I know it could have been much more. Uploading for blogmas since the 16th was very hard because I constantly felt like crying. I was worried I would contaminate my family, I mourned the fact that I didn’t go to church for Christmas and that I couldn’t hug my loved ones.

I am still incredibly grateful to be with my family during this time even if I am mostly isolating in my room, my symptoms have been light, nearly non-existent so far (and I’m praying it stays that way) and I am incredibly grateful for the vaccine. I even got to share a meal with my family because we were distancing and I wore my mask throughout the evening. I cannot believe how lucky I got. So among my frustration, anger and sadness there is still a little joy and hope. I hope you and your loved ones are safe and that you’re having a lovely Christmas. My blogmas posts are coming in the following week, even if blogmas is over, because I really enjoyed the posts I planned and I hope you will too.

Love,

Karla

Blogmas day 19– Goodreads Choice Awards 2021– results *reaction* 🏆😱

Hello lovelies!

Welcome to day 19 of Blogmas!! This month is FLYING BY and Christmas is only a few days away!!

The Goodreads Choice Awards 2021 results came in and I wanted to talk about the results, who I voted for and what I think of the winners in the following categories: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Fiction, Debut Novel, Graphic Novels & Comics and Young Adult Fantasy.

I’m really happy about the number of diverse books that were nominated this year. It truly shows a shift in the books that people are paying attention to and the voices that are being uplifted. However, I must express my disappointment over the fact that the same authors seem to win all the time, which isn’t to say that they don’t deserve it but it’s a shame that in the end there is no real change.

Blogmas Day 18 – Illumicrate December Box ‘Cursed’ Unboxing 📦🎁📚🥰

Hello lovelies!

I have received my first bookish box from Illumicrate and I thought I would do an unboxing! 🥰 The theme for this month is “Cursed” and when the fandoms where announced, I was scared I wouldn’t like the items because I haven’t read the books from those fandoms but I’m pleasantly surprised!

Blogmas Day 17 – 5 Books with the Fake Dating/ Marriage of Convenience trope 💍

Hello lovelies! 🥰

Since these blogmas posts are slowly turning into “favourite books of the year” posts, I thought I would share some of my favourite books containing some of my favourite tropes i.e the fake dating and marriage of convenience tropes!

Blogmas Day 16: Top 6 covers of 2021 🖼📔💕

Hello lovelies! 🥰

I judge books by their covers. There, I said it. While it isn’t my only criterion for picking up a book, beautiful covers are a big factor into my choosing of a book! This is a little bit of a shorter post but I wanted to show you my favourite covers of books that I read in 2021 or that came out in 2021.

Blogmas Day 15 – WWW Wednesday, December, 15th 📚

Hello lovelies!

I have reached 100 books read this year (wooo 🥳) so I don’t really have books that I absolutely *need* to get to but I simply want to lower books on my physical TBR so I can enter 2022 with a clear conscious (and a lot of book buying!). This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Blogmas Day 14 – Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney, a beautiful ode to Black girls, identity, friendship and love 📚💕

Hello lovelies!

Oh my. This is it; this is the peak of my reading experience and nothing will top this book. Am I being overly dramatic? Yes, but it’s true.