“Workhorse” by Caroline Palmer: Long Live The Nobody (BOOK REVIEW)
I went into Workhorse fully convinced this was going to be my book. New York, fashion, an ambitious woman clawing her way up in a world built on connections? Let me have a seat. Caroline Palmer had all the ingredients to create a sharp but cautionary tale with a pinch of drama, gloss, and uncomfortable truths. I expected it to read like stepping into The Devil Wears Prada, but from Emily’s diary. […]
“Piñen” by Daniela Catrileo: The Poetics of Generational Pain (BOOK REVIEW)
To be entirely honest, I picked this book because of its curious title. Piñen refers to the dust and grime that sticks to the body. Based on its meaning, I imagined I was in for a tale of sun-soaked nostalgia, teenage boredom, long days outside, melancholy…the sort of atmosphere that could soundtrack a Guitarricadelafuente song. I got something far richer. […]
“Bad Habit” by Alana S. Portero: In Between Self-Acceptance And Self-Erasure (BOOK REVIEW)
I finally got around to reading Bad Habit by Alana S. Portero, which is funny because I bought my copy nearly a year ago for two resons: 1) Dua Lipa has read it, and 2) the cover. They say never judge a book by its cover. I say always pick one because of it. I ended up reading Bad Habit earlier this April while I was in Madrid […]
“Transcription” by Ben Lerner: The Burden To Memorise (BOOK REVIEW)
I picked up Transcription because of the clever way it was presented to me. A minimalistic cover, and a QR code on the very first page leading to a transcript from Ben Lerner himself, reflecting on the novel, its themes, and why he wrote it. It felt intentional […]
“As If” by Isabel Waidner: I Want Your Life (BOOK REVIEW)
The first thing that pulled me into the world of As If was the cover: a forlorn-looking cafeteria that evokes familiarity, loneliness and the idea of being worn down. It’s a building you’ve passed a hundred times on the street without noticing or stepping a foot inside […]
“Waking Romeo” by Kathryn Barker: Losing The Love of Your Life (BOOK REVIEW)
I am nothing but an open book. Give me a stunning cover and a bold concept, and I will simply fold. Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker caught my eye immediately – a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, wrapped in sci-fi, time travel, and post-apocalyptic chaos? Say less. Reading it felt like a return to a former version of myself[…]
“Main Characters” by Bobby Palmer: Fall In Love With Falling In Love (BOOK REVIEW)
In 2026, I cried because of a man. That man is called Bobby Palmer. I rarely pick up a book because of its blurb, but Main Charactersby Bobby Palmer was the exception: “This is a love story, told by everyone but the main characters. Clara and Seb are about to fall in love. They don’t know it yet. But everybody else does.” .[…]
“Dandelion Is Dead” by Rosie Storey: It Is Never Too Late To Be Alive (BOOK REVIEW)
I am a sucker for a beautiful book cover, and when it looks like a literal piece of art, there is simply no universe in which I am not requesting it. Enter Dandelion Is Dead by Rosie Storey – immediate yes, immediate intrigue, immediate “this is going to hurt me, isn’t it?” […]
“Bright Young Women” by Jessica Knoll: Charms Can’t Kill, Can They? (BOOK REVIEW)
Every year after Halloween I slip into a very specific mood: thrillers, crime stories, and anything that lets me sit with fear and unresolved rage. 2025 was no different. It was time I picked up Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll – a book that’s been haunting my TBR for nearly two years. […]
“Butter” by Asako Yuzuki: To Conform is To Self-Murder (BOOK REVIEW)
I finally worked my way through "Butter" by Asako Yuzuki: a book I was honestly a little scared to pick up. The reviews I read were all collectively agreeing that this is a slow, boring read where the second half of the novel could have been scrapped altogether. […]
“Sea, Poison” by Caren Beilin: Revisioning The One That’s Always Watching (BOOK REVIEW)
I just finished "Sea, Poison" by Caren Beilin and… wow. What a wild little book this is. Just under 150 pages, razor sharp, and disorienting, this is the kind of novella that sweeps you off your feet, spins you around a few times, and then drops you somewhere unfamiliar without bothering to explain where you are. […]
“Holy Boy” by Lee Heejoo: Kill Your K-Pop Darlings (BOOK REVIEW)
Ever felt like, on paper, a book has all the components to become your next favourite read? That’s how I thought of “Holy Boy” by Lee Heejoo, which I got to dive into ahead of publication through NetGalley. There is drama, there is tension, there is murder. I can’t think of asking for much more. […]
“Jackson Alone” by Jose Ando: To Lose And To Find Oneself Through Reflection (BOOK REVIEW)
I’m proud to share that I read Jackson Alone by Jose Ando in a single sitting. One train ride, and I devoured this sharp and unsettling novella that was sent to me in advance on NetGalley, despite the fact that I like to take my time with books (a.k.a. spend ages getting through them) […]
“The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives” by Elizabeth Arnott: Chasing Closure…And A Serial Killer (BOOK REVIEW)
The world is obsessed with serial killer stories. There are documentaries, Ryan Murphy’s Monster series, true crime podcasts. However, it is rare that we get to hear about those around the criminals: the families, the partners, the ones who shared a bed with such dark minds and didn’t suspect a thing. […]
“So I Met This Guy…” by Alexandra Potter: Romance Has Never Been Scarier (BOOK REVIEW)
It’s interesting that I picked this one up around the same time as Louvre heist news – talk about people running off with precious jewels that don’t belong to them. The novel literally opens with a man being chased down by security. The title alone is what grabbed me: So I Met This Guy... (crossed out gorgeous man, total fraudster, absolute dickhead.) […]
“The Running Man” by Stephen King: Leaving a Corrupted World Behind (BOOK REVIEW)
I’ve been closely following the upcoming The Running Man movie adaptation by Paramount, directed by Edgar Wright and starring Glen Powell. I made a promise to a special someone that I will read and review the book before the movie premieres later this month, so here I am. […]
“Shy Girl” by Mia Ballard: The Less Human, The More In Control (BOOK REVIEW)
I received an early copy of Shy Girl by Mia Ballard through NetGalley, and honestly, I wasn’t ready. Like many others, what first caught my attention was the cover – a soft, pastel design with an innocent-looking dog wearing a pink bow, giving off peak cottagecore serenity. Then you flip to page one and read the author’s note: proceed with caution. Boy, was she not kidding […]
“He’s the Devil” by Tobi Coventry: Being Bad Never Felt So Good (BOOK REVIEW)
This moment feels like something I manifested. I’ve had my eyes on He’s the Devil by Tobi Coventry ever since that stunning cover dropped a couple of weeks ago, and when I kindly got sent a digital copy prior to its release on February 12th, 2026… let’s just say I couldn’t sit still and had to devour it right away […]
“little scratch” by Rebecca Watson: The Dilemma to Speak Up or Stay Inspired (BOOK REVIEW)
I went to a Faber event in late June where they showed me around their office at The Bindery in London. Naturally, I couldn’t resist not checking their selection of titles near the reception area and little scratch by Rebecca Watson was one of the books that stood out to me. […]
“My Year of Rest and Relaxation” by Ottessa Moshfegh: The Privilege of Not Being Quite Alive (BOOK REVIEW)
I recently moved to London, and let me tell you - the transition from sharing a uni house with my best friends to living completely on my own in such a big city has been… intense. One second I’m laughing while watching the new season of The Bachelor, the next I have my face in the pillow wondering what the hell I’m doing with my life. […]