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@abooklovingleo

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🇿🇦| Just a girl who loves to read
💌| 25 | monthly reads | recs | reviews
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After YEARS of waiting for ACOTAR news, Sarah J. Maas finally spilled some serious tea on the Call Her Daddy podcast, and the fandom is SPIRALLING. Two release dates, questions we’ve all been asking answered, and tiny hints of what to expect next.

If you haven’t had time to listen to the podcast yet, here’s everything you need to know.

PS. Let me know if I should do a part two!

#sarahjmaas #callherdaddy #booktok #acotar #acotar6 taken in BOOKSTA by @abooklovingleo

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7 months ago

Let’s take a moment for this gorgeous cover!😍

Only 69 days to go until the release of Ruthless Vows, but hey, who’s counting (me, I’m counting, I will not know peace until I have read this book😭)

I never thought red and purple would look so good together but these two compliment each other perfectly! I cannot wait to display Ruthless Vows on my bookshelf!

@beccajross and @kelley.mcmorris.art this might just be the most stunning book cover I have ever seen!! 😍

#bookstagram #coverreveal #bookstagrammer #divinerivals #ruthlessvows #rebeccaross #bookcover #anticipatedreads #booklover #romantasy #romance #fantasy #historicalfantasy #historical #bookaesthetic #bookphotography #bookphoto #booknerd #bookaddict taken in Bookstagram by @abooklovingleo

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3 years ago

✨MUST READ DUOLOGY BOOKS✨

Sometimes all you need is a perfect duology to get you out of a reading slump, or to get you back into reading🤭

I’ve put together a few duologies that have a special place in my heart, that I love, and that I truly believe is of the best duologies you can read. They have all the tropes we all know and love but are executed perfectly!😮‍💨

Do you have a favourite duology?

#booktok #duology #fantasy #bookrecs #fantasybookrecs taken in BOOKSTA by @abooklovingleo

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2 days ago

Welcome back to Cards Against Maasverse✨

It has been a HOT MINUTE since I’ve done one of these but with ACOSH fast approaching, I though what better time than now to do another Cards Against Maasverse post🤭

Swipe with caution, and if you haven’t read the entire Maasverse then save this post and come back once you have🤭❤️

#sarahjmaas #acotar #acotar6 #booktok #throneofglass taken in Bookstagram by @abooklovingleo

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8 days ago

Traitors’ Nest by Frances Hardinge ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lovely War meets Howl’s Moving Castle!?😮‍💨

Castles that swap places like pieces on a board is such a strange, brilliant idea, and Hardinge commits to it completely. When a village boy named Burr and his neighbours capture a castle, they get dragged into a game run by gods who see ordinary people as pawns.

The worldbuilding is wildly inventive, the prose is vivid, and the cast is warm, stubborn and funny. It also has real things to say about power, trust and who gets to make the rules.

It was such a fabulous read, however I would note that the middle, for me personally, sags a little, and the Game itself stayed pretty mysterious. I wanted more answers, but I was happy to be along for the ride.

Overall this is a cosy but clever auntumn read that I would definitely recommend!🤭

A MASSIVE THANK YOU to @panmacmillansa for gifting me an ARC copy of Traitor’s Nest❤️

#fantasy #booktok #autumnreads #bookish #bookstagram taken in Bookstagram by @abooklovingleo

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10 days ago

The Knight and the Moth REVIEW

RATING: ♾️/5
GENRE: Gothic Fantasy

Bartholomew, I must tell you about one of my favourite reads!

“You don’t have to be good, or useful, for someone to care about you”

The first time I picked up a Rachel Gillig book I knew for certain that she would become one of my go-to authors. I would read anything she wrote.

Gillig has outdone herself with The Knight and the Moth. It is what I consider a true masterpiece woven with a moody and gothic atmosphere, combined with a truly unique magic system. And one thing is for certain, Gillig knows how to write original stories that keep you immersed.

She gave us characters that were lush and fierce, smart and strong. She gave them purpose and drive, and made it impossible not to care for them.

Sybil Delling’s fierce love for her Diviners, and her journey toward embracing herself hit me in the heart. And Rory? Well it is safe to say he’s in my top 5 book boyfriends. I mean who doesn’t love a brooding knight with a gentle heart and endless patience, all wrapped up tighlt with some “touch her and die” energy.

And let us not forget about the star of the show, Bartholomew, our sarcastic, utterly dramatic, gargoyle who stole my heart instantly. Beneath it all though, he is such a beautifully layered character, with so much heart and devotion for those he cares deeply for.

“I say, Bartholomew.” The gargoyle was leaning over the lip of the cart. “Is a road still a road if no one rode upon it.” (Pure poetry if you ask me🤌🏼)

So if you haven’t read this book yet, and are wondering whether it is worth the read, let me tell you right now, this is a MUST READ!

#rachelgillig #theknightandthemoth #fantasy #fantasybooks #booktok taken in Bookstagram by @abooklovingleo

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13 days ago

Piper at the Gates of Dusk REVIEW

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Twenty years after the Noise, something is coming back.

Patrick Ness returns to New World a generation after Chaos Walking. Todd and Viola’s sons, Ben and Max, have grown up on a quiet farm in a fragile peace with the Land’s indigenous people. Then a burning giant comes crashing out of the woods, a strange new “star” appears in the sky, and the teenagers start having nightmares in which their Noise is back, turned against themselves. Ben, who is mute, is the only teen untouched by them. Max, who is trans, is not. The brothers have never really understood each other, and they’ll have to learn to if they want to protect their family.

The dual narration is what makes this book shine. Ben and Max are distinct, and the sibling tension feels as real as it gets. The pacing is propulsive, and the opening pages, where the nightmare thoughts spill across the page in shifting typefaces, had me HOOKED.

Ness also handles big themes (prejudice, propaganda, disinformation, belonging, feeling like an outsider) through character.

The worldbuilding is subtle and built from small details and I think Ness did a great job portraying a stunning world.

While I did love this book, some of the themes were densely packed that a few feel more skimmed than explored, and the ending was also a major cliffhanger, so this is clearly a setup book that leaves a lot hanging until book two.

Chaos Walking fans will get the most from the callbacks to the original trilogy, though newcomers can still follow it.

I look forward to the next one!

Thank you to @panmacmillansa for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#booktok #bookstagram #patrickness #chaoswalking #books taken in BOOKSTA by @abooklovingleo

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16 days ago

The Calamity Club REVIEW

“...she will grow fierce and wild to get that fresh air back again.”

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Fifteen years after The Help, Stockett is back, and I think it was worth the wait.

It’s 1933 in Oxford, Mississippi, the Depression is flattening everyone, and a handful of very different women end up on the same side. There’s Meg, an 11-year-old orphan stuck in a horrible orphanage run by a woman you will enjoy hating. There’s Birdie, 24, loud and loyal and holding her family together with whatever she’s got. And there’s Charlie, Meg’s mum, who was declared unfit and is desperate to get her daughter back.

The characters are the best part. Everyone feels like a real person, whether you love them or want to throw the book across the room. Stockett also keeps it funny, even when what’s happening to these women is awful. That mix of humour and heartbreak is why I think everyone raving about it keeps calling it an unforgettable read.

I docked half a star only because it’s long, and it’s slower than The Help. A lot of heavy issues get packed in and sometimes it feels like too much taking place at once. The middle of the book also takes a seriously dark turn, so go in prepared.

Still, the characters carry it. I loved it, and I’d happily argue about it with anyone at book club.

A massive thank you to @penguinbookssouthafrica for gifting this copy!❤️

#booktok #thecalamityclub #kathrynstockett #fictionbooks #bookstagram taken in BOOKSTA by @abooklovingleo

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17 days ago

The Siren REVIEW

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Dark Academia

“Nothing is more intoxicating than power.”

Emery arrives on campus wanting to keep her head down, manage her meds, and leave everything behind, but hen she meets Roux, her stepbrother Eli, and the Sirens, and suddenly she’ll do almost anything to belong.

I’m a long time Tomi Adeyemi fan so when this book showed up BEFORE ITS RELEASE DATE, you best believe I was internally screaming (and okay, maybe there was a little externally screaming too)

This book was lush and dark in all the best ways!

Everything I LOVED:
🌊 The writing is gorgeous. Poetic, raw, and it doesn’t flinch from grief, trauma or loss. Emery’s own poems woven through the story are a perfect touch!

🌊 You’re never sure what’s real, what’s supernatural, and what’s happening in Emery’s head. Which adds to the book in so many ways!

🌊 The Roux and Emery dynamic is toxic in the best way. Intoxicating, tender and unsettling all at once.

🌊 Emery’s friendship with Ozlie is the warm, steady heart of the book.

🌊 It’s a dark academia atmosphere with real teeth, on power, belonging and what you would sacrifice to feel chosen.

The ending leaves a lot open to interpretation, and a couple of the side characters and romantic threads could have used a little more room. But overall I was hooked from the first page and utterly devestated that I finished it so fast.

I highly recommend this one!

A massive thank you to @panmacmillansa for this gifted PROOF copy!❤️

#darkacademia #tomiadeyemi #booktok #bookreview #arc taken in BOOKSTA by @abooklovingleo

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17 days ago

Happy Birthday to me🍸✨

It has become a little tradition that I celebrate my birthday here with a little magazine post (ACOTAR themed as usual because if it weren’t for SJM’s books I wouldn’t have this booksta account right now), and to look back on how far I’ve come editing wise😅 but we’re also taking a little sneak peek into what I’ve been up to (here in the caption) and why I’ve been so MIA these past few months.

So, where have I been? I’ve taken some time away to focus on writing, and I am very proud to say that I have completed my very first manuscript and have started the process of querying literary agents (I’ve already received a positive response and was asked for the full manuscript so fingers crossed🤞). Reading and writing has always been a big passion of mine and it’s always been a big dream of mine to write and publish a book! And I’ve finally taken a step toward my true dream. Yes and scary but it’s also kind of cool to take on this next adventure🥹

The plot truly does thicken this year and I am so excited to see what these new opportunities bring me!

#birthday #acotar #bookannouncement #bookish #fantasy taken in BOOKSTA by @abooklovingleo

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2 months ago

Riftborne REVIEW

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fantasy

“Beauty could be deceptive, and it often was. Vipers, after all, distract with shimmering scales before going in for the kill.”

Riftborne was such a fun romantasy! It took me a little while to fully settle into the world, but once the story picked up, I was completely invested. I loved following Fia as she discovered her abilities and found her place despite constantly being underestimated. Watching her grow stronger with every challenge was one of my favourite parts of the book.

The military training, the political tension, and the mystery surrounding the Rift kept me turning the pages, but it was the slow-burn tension between Fia and Laryk that really had me hooked🤌🏼Their chemistry was so well done, and I appreciated that the romance never overshadowed the bigger story.

The second half absolutely delivers with higher stakes, some great twists, and an ending that left me with way more questions than answers.

If you enjoy romantasy with hidden powers, forced proximity, plenty of tension, and a cliffhanger that will have you reaching for book two immediately, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a try.

*a huge thank you to @penguinbooksyasa for this gifted ARC of Riftborne! I had a blast reading it!❤️

#booktok #romantasy #fantasyromance #bookstagram #bookreview taken in BOOKSTA by @abooklovingleo

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3 months ago

IT’S OFFICIALLY HERE!🎉 The Bloomsbury Big Night In 2026 is happening TONIGHT!

I am still pinching myself, but I was lucky enough to be invited as a Guest of Honour this year in collaboration with the amaing @tandemcollectiveglobal and @bloomsburypublishing ❤️Being part of such a special bookish event is an absolute dream, and one I cannot believe I get to experience for a second time🥹

Tonights lineup is INCREDIBLE! We get to meet sic brilliant authors:
⭐️The Last Starborn Seer by Venetia Constantine
⭐️The Children by Melissa Albert
⭐️Femme Feral by Sam Beckbessinger
⭐️Embrace by Bal Khabara
⭐️Stations by Louise Kenney
⭐️The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

The evening is hosted by @twogirlsonebookpod and it is going to be packed with interviews, live chats, giveaways and so much more!

Will I see you there? Let me know down below👇

#booktok #bloomsburybignightin #bookstagram #bookrecs #bbni26 taken in Bookstagram by @abooklovingleo

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4 months ago