Tag: book review

Monthly Rewind

Monthly Rewind: March 2026

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on Monthly Rewind: March 2026
Monthly Rewind: March 2026

L I F E

This March, I celebrated my 28th birthday! I don’t really celebrate birthdays anymore but this year, I decided to go see My Neighbour Totoro in theatre! I love how they brought to life the story and magic of Ghibli to stage! Bravo to the team bringing Totoro to life, I gasped so loudly when I first saw him on stage.

B O O K S

In March, I read 6 books!

For transparency, every book marked with * are titles I received for free as I currently work at PRH UK. Books marked **are PRH UK books but I purchased them with my own money.

Eternal Shadows

When the King of Darkness dies suddenly, a battle ensues among those next in line. One wielder of each element is selected by the land to compete in six deadly games. The winner takes the crown. Unaware of being one of the last Light wielders. Aurora has no idea what she’s up against and when the old King’s son, Sterling, takes an interest in her, she is in a fight for her life.

Everything I hate in a book, I found it in here. Overuse of cliché tropes and an embarrassing main character that lacks any real character development. Like, girl, if you don’t stand up for yourself…..

I don’t even want to talk about Sterling or I will throw up.

Our Sunny Days, Volume 1

Sung Ho settles for life in the Korean countryside when he suddenly becomes a single father to a baby girl. With no support, he finds himself butting heads with Kwon Haebeom, the grumpy village head, who seems to have it out for him. Can the two move past their first impressions and find friendship in each other?

BEST MANWHA EVER. When I discovered this was coming to print in English, I almost cried. If you’re new to BLs, then let this be the first one you read. It is sweet, hilarious and so wholesome. A beautiful found family surrounding the small village of Nuldongmae. His bald ass baby is the cutest manhwa baby ever!!!!!! This is also the same author of Unromantic Romance which is another amazing webtoon!

You Weren’t Meant to Be Human

A body horror novel about parasitic hives that are found all around the US which offer struggling humans a new community in exchange for loyalty to the Hive. Crane is a young autistic trans man who has been following the hive for a few years now and finds himself going through an unwanted pregnancy where the hive is determined he goes through with the pregnancy.

This book genuinely left me so shocked. A lot of reviews describe this book as splatterpunk which I’ve not read before and while this book is incredible, it has made me aware that I don’t think this is a genre I’ll be reading that often. It is a gory page turning read. I will be definitely looking into more of Andrew Joseph White’s books.

I actually read this as part of the Trans Right Readathon, but I ended up getting sick just as the readathon started so this was the only book I managed to read. 😦

The Water and the Wild*

A novel in verse about a young girl in grief moves to Ireland where her father is now buried and discovers a secret within the father’s hometown.

Fia and the Last Snow Deer is one of my favourite books and Eilish Fisher returns with an even more powerful sequel. Rowan and her mother move from the US to Ireland in hopes of finding peace in her father’s home town – the one he had left so many years ago. But something is odd about the town and The Wall that surrounds it. An open secret amongst the people that they must fix the wall or else. When Rowan sneaks beyond The Wall, she discovers a horse and for the first time in forever, she feels at peace. But will this peace come at a cost? I would’ve loved to have seen the same illustrator for Fia and the Last Snow Deer, but there’s something so haunting about David Rooney’s art that fits so perfectly for this story. I was immediately enthralled. I can see Eilish Fisher becoming a classic children’s author in the future.

The Anthropocene Reviewed** (Published by Ebury but I purchased the e-book)

A collection of personal essays from author John Green. Originally a podcast, he reviews different aspects of our human-centered history and rating them on a five-star scale.

I decided to read this on a whim as I noticed it was the only John Green book I haven’t read. (I had read most of his fictional books as a teen! Yes… I was a 2012 Tumblr girl…..) I was mainly put off from reading this as I had listened the podcast over lockdown so I was already familiar with a lot of the content. However, there are six new exclusive pieces to the published version! It was great, especially if you’re new to John’s non-fiction work but I would recommend listening to the podcast!

The Amberglow Candy Store** (Published by Michael Joseph but I purchased the book)

At the end of Gloaming Lane, there lies the Amberglow Candy Store, only open between the full moon and the new moon and manned by a half-fox man called Kogetsu who promises confection that changes the lives of his customers. Customers range from a teenage girl worrying about her strained relationship to a struggling first time mother. The stories are lovely and offer a great reflection on the complex nature of human relationships as Kogetsu watches the aftereffect of his creations, eager to understand how humans work.

That’s it for this month! Tell me what went on in YOUR life this month! What sort of things was important for you this month? New obsessions? New TV shows? Or book? Any new song recs (I’m always open to new music!)? Best books you read this month?

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Monthly Rewind

Monthly Rewind: February 2026

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on Monthly Rewind: February 2026
Monthly Rewind: February 2026

B O O K S

In February, I read 7 books!

For transparency, every book marked with * are titles I received for free as I currently work at PRH UK.

The Night Stairs*

When schoolgirls start fainting one after the other at a convent boarding school, years of trauma threaten to unravel the very foundation St. Cordula’s was built on. Deputy Head, Fiona Fox, is determined not to let the fits distract from the school merger, but as one of the very people who survive the fits in 2002, she determined to protect her girls but to also protect the secret of what happened on the night of the tragedy all those years ago.

Forgive me, Erin Kelly, I was not familiar with your game. This is her eleventh book and the first time I’ve ever read one of her books! I’m not a thriller reader AT ALL, but this one got me HOOKED. Hell hath no fury like a teenage girl scorned. Seriously.

Hot Chocolate on Thursday*

Set around the Marble Cafe, a woman orders hot chocolate every Thursday as she pens a new letter to her friend. From there, the story grows expanding into the lives of staff, customers and passer-by’s subtly intertwined into a lovely slice-of-life healing tale.

If Michiko Aoyama has no fans, then I am simply dead.

Atlas of the Invisible*

Redefining the atlas through human data, I really enjoyed seeing all the rich and visual information about the human past, present and future! Sliiightly outdated now but still very very cool to read. It reminds me of those books that I used to randomly read in primary school!

The Barbecue at No.9*

The residents of Delmont Close are preparing a neighbourhood barbecue to watch Live Aid. A day watched by millions, and changed the lives of many. Including the people of Delmont Close. And as the hours tick by, do they really know their neighbours as well as they thought!

Super fun! A bit more predictable compared to The List of Suspicious Things, but if you enjoyed her debut, then this one is will not disappoint at all!

A Hymn to Life: Shame has to Change Sides*

I still remember the day I first read about Gisele’s case in 2024. This is her story in her own words. An extraordinary memoir whose story will be remembered for years to come.

They Came to Slay: The Queer Culture of DnD

Found this book through TikTok! Dungeon Master Thom recounts the queer history of hit tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. A great quick read, but too short to be enough of a deep dive. No fault of the book as its part of Ink 404’s Inkling series. (Topics designed to be condensed!)

Death of an Ordinary Man*

Sarah Perry’s father-in-law David died only nine days after a cancer diagnosis. She offers a moving and loving account of his last days. It’s not an easy read, one that reminded me deeply on my paternal grandmother, but it’s such a moving one. A tender and compassionate reflection on death and the void it leaves.

That’s it for this month! Tell me what went on in YOUR life this month! What sort of things was important for you this month? New obsessions? New TV shows? Or book? Any new song recs (I’m always open to new music!)? Best books you read this month?

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Monthly Rewind

Monthly Rewind: October 2025

by Zaheerah1 Comment on Monthly Rewind: October 2025
Monthly Rewind: October 2025

L I F E

I attended MCM Comic Con this October, and it was particularly special because it was the first time I cosplayed in an outfit I had made myself! I cosplayed Farya from the video game Date Everything! She is the dateable item that is the personification of a First Aid Kit. When I first played the game, I jokingly said that I should cosplay her, not thinking it was a serious suggestion, until a couple of months ago. I just got this random spark of energy and decided to buy everything I needed to make the outfit. It’s not the best, as it was mainly just me painting everything directly onto the coat. However, in the future, I would like to attempt to recreate the outfit a bit better.

Thank you to the lovely person who cosplayed Skylar and joined me, so I didn’t have to take the picture by myself. (We took group pictures where everyone gathered, depending on where their character was located, and I just happened to be the only person cosplaying someone from the bathroom 😅) I also had a few professional photos taken of me, but I’m waiting to hear back from the photographers!

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Monthly Rewind

Monthly Rewind: August 2025

by Zaheerah1 Comment on Monthly Rewind: August 2025
Monthly Rewind: August 2025

L I F E

A Twitch update but I reached 300 followers! This has been a goal of mine for a while now on Twitch and we recently reach the goal last week! Thank you to anyone who decided that hearing me ramble about books while I play games badly was entertaining enough for a follow!

B O O K S

In August, I read 6 books!

For transparency, books marked with an asterisk (*) signify books I received through work at PRH.

We Are Not Numbers*

We Are Not Numbers is a project established in 2015 to provide English language writing workshops for young Palestinians in Gaza. This is a collection of their works over the last ten years. An unparalleled look into the lives of the youths of Gaza. Some pieces are heartful and hopeful while others are sombre on their future. A brilliant collection of the current lives of Palestinian youths, some who are still in Gaza, some displaced and others who are no longer here to tell their stories. As Motaz Aziza said: this is Gaza as it truly is, written by those who live it every day.

A Resistance of Witches*

When young witch Lydia Polk discovers that Hitler is raising his own army of witches who infiltrate the Royal Academy of Witches, she is forced to search for an ancient book without the help of her peers. On her own in Occupied France, Lydia finds her companions in Rebecca, a French resistance fighter, and Henry, a Haitian-American art historian. With the Nazi and their witches hot on her tail, Lydia is running out of time.

You ever find a book and read its synopsis and think, “now did someone even think of a plot like this?….. I have to read it.” This is it for me. I had a lot of fun reading this! I do think Morgan Ryan really missed out on not expanding on the different forms of witchcraft and magic. We discover that Henry is also magically inclined as well and small lore drop we learn about him is SO interesting and it’s disappointing that we just move on from that information. There is a part of the story where we don’t follow Lydia for a few chapters and I genuinely think that removing her POV from those few chapters really ruined the good pacing that the story starts out with.

Bookworm*

A love letter to childhood books! Lucy Mangan revisits her childhood readings and relives the the tales and lives of the characters from our childhood from authors such as Dahl, C. S. Lewis, Judy Blume and J.R.R. Tolkien. A lovely ode to the books that we love and cherish in our childhood. I actually used this book’s concept to write my own version Bookworm which I’ll post on the blog soon!

The Man Who Planted Trees*

I actually read this when I was mostly delirious from sickness. I picked this up from the shelves at work and I realised I watched the animated film but never actually read the original tale. A short story about a man who meets a shepherd as she begins to plant acorns across the wilderness. Ten years later, he returns to see the forest that has grown. An allegorical tale of a modern fable to highlight thought into action.

Of Monsters and Mainframes

I actually DNF’d this at 80%. I usually don’t include DNF books but since I was so close to finishing, I felt like I had to mention it here. Demeter is a shuttle ship designed to take humans from Earth to Alpha Centauri. But her passengers keep dying and she doesn’t know why. She joins forces with her past visitors to take down Dracula before he can harm anymore people.

A fun weird and quirky plot but it felt like the author was trying to shove so much into one book that even the synopsis felt confusing. It’s actually incredible how much happens in this book but it felt SO boring. Almost gave me the same vibes as the Murderbot diaries but none of the cast are remotely interesting enough to care about. (Except for one.) Severely lacking in anything that is memorable. I decided to DNF because I realised as I was reading, it felt like I was skipping most of the scenes until I got to the one character I actually liked. I don’t think I could actually tell you what was happening outside of their chapters.

What Happens in Amsterdam*

When Dani accepts a job that takes her from L.A to Amsterdam, she’s desperate to make this move a fresh start. Newly dumped and fired, her first week in the Netherlands goes from bad to worse when she crashes into her old ex-boyfriend, Wouter, the exchange student who lived with her family ten years ago. When Dani’s job falls apart and her visa is at risk, she accepts Wouter’s plan to become his partner so he could inherit his family home.

I only read this book because it was set in Amsterdam and I showed the book to my Dutch friend who was not impressed by the plot. I’ll be honest, the only thing that impressed me was that the author made marriage of convenience boring. How did you even do that?

That’s it for this month! Tell me what went on in YOUR life this month! What sort of things was important for you this month? New obsessions? New TV shows? Or book? Any new song recs (I’m always open to new music!)? Best books you read this month?

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Monthly Rewind

Monthly Rewind: May 2025

by Zaheerah1 Comment on Monthly Rewind: May 2025
Monthly Rewind: May 2025

L I F E

In May, I attended Penguin Presents, a full-day event for staff at Penguin Random House celebrating their work. This one was particularly special, as it highlighted the 90th Anniversary. It was a great show with a fantastic selection of authors and an opportunity to hear about upcoming releases from the company. To be honest, you can’t really have Dame Judi Dench as your first guest and not expect it to be a fantastic event. I was lucky enough to snag a meet & greet with Jacqueline Wilson, and she signed my copy of Double Act from my childhood! I was a bit cheeky and realised that as I finished my signing with Jacqueline, Malorie Blackman’s line had just finished, so I also jumped over to her table and had the chance to say hello! These two authors were such a stable in our household. Malorie, especially with her works such as ANTIDOTE, Hacker and Thief – three of my favourite childhood reads! I always say that there are three authors whose works were pivotal to my interest in reading and, later, working in publishing (the third author being Rachel Caine). To meet two of them in one day was honestly amazing!

B O O K S

In May, I read 13 books!

8 of those books were a part of my Morganville Vampires series re-read! I’ve been slowly going back into writing which made me feel really nostalgic for Rachel’s works as I began working on my own writing.

For transparency, books marked with an asterisk (*) signify books I received through work at PRH.

Glass Houses, The Dead Girl’s Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, Carpe Corpus, Fade Out & Kiss of Death

Nothing has made me question my memory more as I re-read this series. I thought I had a pretty good memory of the entire series. Still, re-reading it, I’m actually laughing at how much I’ve forgotten. Not even plot points – I somehow managed to forget the characters. (Not you, Sam Glass, my beloved. I like to think he was the beginning of my obsession with red-haired characters.)

Suppose you haven’t read or heard of this series. In that case, Morganville Vampires is a massive 15-book series about a girl named Claire who discovers that the town she attends college in is run by vampires. Each book presents a new challenge for her as she becomes more involved with the town’s increasingly undead residents.

I began reading this series when I was 9, maybe 12 for the later books, and now, at 27, I think, ‘Wow, these characters were all babies.’ I used to think Claire was so calm and mature, and now I’m reading this and thinking, ‘Claire, please relax.’ You are a child and don’t need to be doing all this. A side note, but I LOVE how dated this series feels now. Something about Shane having a PSP and them playing video games that were clearly inspired by old generations felt incredibly nostalgic – I used to be so jealous of Shane having a PSP because back then, only my brother had one. Is this series peak fiction? Probably only to 9-year-old me. But I’m having so much fun re-reading this because it still feels as entertaining as it was eighteen years ago

Cry When the Baby Cries*

An insightful graphic memoir about the early years of parenthood! I heard about this book in a meeting and I was waiting for it to be released! So funny and candid!

Continue reading “Monthly Rewind: May 2025” →
Monthly Rewind

Monthly Rewind: April 2025

by Zaheerah2 Comments on Monthly Rewind: April 2025
Monthly Rewind: April 2025

L I F E

I had the opportunity to visit the Penguin Random House library & archive, thanks to work! It was one of many sites that holds manuscript, contracts and artwork of books that stretches back to the mid-19th century! We had a short but amazingly presented tour of the inner workings of the archive. Such a small team that does such pivotal work! Afterwards, they let us just walk around all the books and my first stop was definitely checking out all childhood favourites and seeing them in such new condition felt illegal.

A R T

I was a little sick earlier in the month which means I didn’t get to draw as much as I wanted. But I did stream a bit of the progress of creating a new model for stream. I’m still deciding between two different poses but hopefully next month I can show better progress!

B O O K S

In April, I read 8 books!

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

When I started working at Penguin, I kept hearing this title all over the Children’s team. At first, I wasn’t interested in reading a YA book at the time, but the cover was so pretty I couldn’t stop thinking about the book. It really suits the vibe of the book that I was shocked to see how differently the US cover looks since that cover makes it look like completely different genre!

Our Infinite Fates is a YA fantasy romance that follows Evelyn who is fated to die by Arden’s hand before her 18th birthday. Together, they have lived over a thousand lifetimes and Evelyn still can’t decipher the curse that follows them. She faces a problem in her current life when her little sister needs her for bone marrow transplant and she is weeks away from turning 18, waiting for the day Arden appears on her door. If Evelyn wants to save her sister, she must discover the truth behind her curse and end the centuries old battle with Arden for good.

Honestly, I was bit on the fence with this book. And that was mainly due to the chapters set in the present time. I thought current day Evelyn and Arden weren’t as interesting as their past reincarnations. I loved the diversity of their past lives and seeing how they grow in every lifetime that it almost felt disappointing coming back to the main storyline because all I did was yearn for their past lives.

Something happens in the last 30% of the book that absolutely flipped the entire book on its head for me. I went from having very neutral thoughts to thinking:

To Laura Steven:

Without giving too much away, the entire vibe of the last quarter reminded me of Resident Evil Village. No one I know whose read this book has also played Village and I’m dying to find someone else who has so they can also understand how much the two compare! It actually made me so excited for her adult fantasy debut, Silvercloak!

Continue reading “Monthly Rewind: April 2025” →