Reading Recap 2025!

Reading Recap 2025!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful end to 2025 and a lovely new year! I’ve read a lot in 2025, reaching 101 books! Which, according to Goodreads, is actually one of my highest reading years ever! The last time I actually read this many books in a year was back in 2018 – which I was my first year of university!

I don’t usually set goals for myself in the new year (aside from reading ones) but after dabbling in different hobbies in 2025, it made me realise I want to set myself some creative goals for 2026.

  • Continue working with watercolour paints!
    • I picked up watercolour paints as an activity to do during the Summer Hours at work. (which is working extra hours in the week to have Friday afternoon off). I began painting the covers of the books I read and I ended the year having only painted 8 covers. I used a rather small sketchbook which made the painting process less daunting. I too was sucked in by those TikTok ads to buy acrylic marker pens and they’ve surprisingly come in handy for this! It was such a fun and relaxing way to unwind from all the screens I’m looking at constantly during the day for work and also for streaming.
  • Return to blogging (FOR REAL THIS TIME I SWEAR)
    • On the blog, I’ve only been posting my month rewinds for the last year or so. And it’s made me feel pretty guilty. 2025 was a bit lacking in the creative department. And this blog is where a lot of my creative endeavours first began. I do talk about the books I read on stream (twitch.tv/zaheerah) but I haven’t written a full review in sooo long. I swear my Netgalley TBR will be dealt with this year!

I’m not a goal setter as I find that I don’t end up following them so these two goals seem open enough that I will commit to them rather than abandoning them in the future.

My reading pattern for this year has been pretty consistent! I’ve found that I am much more picky with the books I read since I have less time to do so which means I didn’t dislike many of the books I read this year! (Don’t get me wrong, there was a few books I really, really hated but I don’t want to highlight them ahah) I’ve read a ton of fun books this year, especially webtoons!

Continue reading “Reading Recap 2025!”

Monthly Rewind: June 2025

Monthly Rewind: June 2025

A R T

Actually shame on me that I have no art to share with you this month. So I thought I would highlight some commissioned art instead! Here are two pieces from CarmenFFLV. The first one was actually a gift from my friend, Seth, who commissioned art of my OC (who I used as my png model when I’m streaming on Twitch.) I was so in love with the art that I commissioned the artist myself for a picture of myself! It’s SOO adorable and I just want to use it everywhere!

B O O K S

In June, I read 8 books!

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

Welcome to Glorious Tuga*

While to the residents of Tuga – the world’s most remote island – Charlotte Walker looks like a temporary resident, a researcher ready to study the island’s turtle population. For Charlotte, Tuga holds the secret to a past she never knew and can she find it amongst the people of glorious Tuga?

I feel like this book is a quintessential beach read – the kind of book that is low stakes, low energy and some thing that you can finish in a couple summer days. I thought it was cute, something quick to read. Personally, for me, it just felt SO empty. Nothing really happens except in the last few chapters and I actually almost forgot Charlotte was at Tuga to research turtles. I don’t think she actually did anything the entire time she was there? There is a sequel out now which judging by the synopsis sounds to be much better, but I don’t think I cared enough about Charlotte to think about picking it up.

Continue reading “Monthly Rewind: June 2025”

Monthly Rewind: February 2025

Monthly Rewind: February 2025

A R T

So not much art this month! I’ve been working on some stuff for my work newsletter so that has been taking up a lot of my art time. But a big thing I’m working on is practising the Arcane art style! I’ve been obsessed with show for a while and with the ending of season 2, I’ve been obsessed with practising the style for fun. The character I’ve drawn is one of my OCs, if you watch me over on Twitch, then you’ll have seen her a lot as I use a PNG model of her for streaming!

B O O K S

In February, I read 10 books and 1 graphic novel. I am on a book reading sweep at the moment! Aside from one book this month – I’ve really enjoyed all the books I’ve read this month.

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

Continue reading “Monthly Rewind: February 2025”