Top 5 morally grey protagonists
I’m drawn to characters who make questionable decisions for reasons I can understand, even when I’m yelling at them through the page. These five morally grey protagonists aren’t secretly perfect heroes. They’re complicated, occasionally terrible and far too compelling for their own good.
Top 5 cute covers
Apparently I have a type... and it's books, baked goods, witches, magical creatures, and whimsical illustrated covers. These are five books that made me smile before I even read the blurb—and yes, I absolutely judged them by their covers.
Top 5 anticipated books Jul-Sep 2026
Reading books and buying books are two very different hobbies, and this publishing schedule isn't helping. Here are the July to September 2026 releases I'm counting down to, from long-awaited sequels to one very exciting chaos goblin spin-off.
Top 5 books of 2026… so far
Looking for the best books of 2026 so far? These are my five favourite reads of the year, from mythological fantasy and cosy adventures to heartfelt romance. Every one of these stories stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
Top 5 award winning books
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 award winning books!! Now, by no means am I a literary snob (I don’t think any of us are). And sure, winning an award is nice — validating even. But it also doesn’t increase my enjoyment of a book. In fact, as many award winning books are…
Top 5 anticipated reads for Q4 2024
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 anticipated reads for Q4 2024!! It is the LAST QUARTER for 2024!! ARGHHHH!! Which means it’s our final chance to scream about new books coming out this year. LOL, only joking. We should always scream about new books. Because books. Also, I only got through October releases……
Top 5 genre mash-ups
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 genre mash-ups!! So, I completely forgot that I made this topic… Which is really only a shame when you think about my last top 5 freebie topic: top 5 historical fantasy rom-coms. Because you know what? Those are pretty classic genre mash-up books!! Anyway, today I’m going…
Top 5 bookish villains
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 bookish villains!! Villains can be such complex characters. And they contribute SO MUCH to the storyline. They’re often a mirrored image of the main character — a reflection that shows them what they could be. Or they’re there to antagonise… which, also, fun!! Now, I know I…
Top 5 anticipated 5 star reads
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 anticipated 5 star reads!! Sometimes in life you just know that you’re going to enjoy something. Maybe it’s dinner out a restaurant you’ve been dying to try, or a holiday destination. Maybe it’s a new movie you’ve been waiting for or that trip to Disneyland. Or maybe…
Top 5 bookish content creators
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 bookish content creators!! Yes, we have finally hit our random month of odd topics for the year. Sometimes when I plan out the quarterly topics I go through my longlist of possible topics and pick out ones that kind of work together. Like in August we did…
Top 5 books about found family
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books about found family!! Found family is one of those magical plot devices to give characters the family they need, but didn’t get. It builds them up to become more well-rounded, while providing them an opportunity to be vulnerable with someone. Or multiple someones. Plus sometimes it’s…
Top 5 books about orphans
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books about orphans!! We’re on a bit of a family relationships theme this month. Last week we did top 5 books about family, and this week is about a lack of family — or of parents anyway. I’ve never really understood why, but there are a lot…
Top 5 books about family
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books about family!! Back before I realised that ‘young adult’ was a thing (like… a long while ago just after I was exiting high school), I read a lot of ‘general fiction’ and ‘chick lit’. I guess these days we’d probably call it contemporary fiction, but it…
Top 5 historical fantasy rom-coms
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is a freebie, but I am doing top 5 historical fantasy rom-coms!! So, you know how my fave specific genre is fairy tale retellings. Especially anything to do with Slavic mythology. Well, I might have just found a new genre to eclipse that. And no, I’m not joking. See, I’ve…
Top 5 books with time travel
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books with time travel!! To round us out for the month, I can really only think of one Discworld book that features time travel. And while it didn’t make the list, I was very close to putting it. Mostly because I wasn’t sure I’d have a top…
Top 5 books with international travel
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books with international travel!! Just to note (you know, to continue the last two weeks theme her), I could definitely have Discworld books here with international travel… not sure I could make a whole five, but I’d certainly give it a red hot go. But I won’t.…
Top 5 books set in a big city
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books set in a big city!! After last week’s small town vibes, we’re now headed off to the big city. Ankh-Morpork straight ahead. Only joking. Although, again, I could have listed five Discworld books by Sir Terry Pratchett again this week. Where small towns are good for…
Top 5 books with small town vibes
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books with small town vibes!! We’ve got a kind of travel-based theme this month. And small town vibes are sweet and lovely. Although as someone who has lived in a small town (and by small town I really mean village — about 250 people) there is a…
Top 5 anticipated reads for Q3 2024
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 anticipated reads for Q3 2024!! Or, books that I can’t wait to buy that come out in July, August and September 2024. Which is too long of a title, hence the shortened version. Am I already drowning in books? Yes. Does that affect me wanting to buy…
Top 5 books of 2024… so far
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books of 2024… so far!! It has arrived. The halfway point (almost) of 2024. I think the actual halfway point is closer to like 2 or 3 July (or something), but we’re doing a different topic that day. And as of like, maybe 2022 (I could check,…
Top 5 Tuesday topics: April-June 2024
Hello friends!! Welcome to the Top 5 Tuesday topics post: April-June 2024!! Uhhh, I think my brain just needs a re-set… Because I don’t understand how time works. How are we already at this point?? Will I be re-iterating this again in every post for the next week? Yes, I think so. OK, so in quarter 1, we did a…
Top 5 books of 2023… so far!
Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books of 2023… so far!! Yes, we are at the mid-way point of 2023. How? I’m not entirely sure. What I DO know is that new job I got last September, followed by the big project in January, after which came my amazing holiday in the US,…
