“Sail Away Land” by Ben Pester: An Invitation To Get Lost (BOOK REVIEW)
As a reader, I often find myself drifting away while reading. I sit down with a book, turn two pages, and come to realise that although my eyes are moving across the words, my mind has wandered somewhere else – I replay memories from my own life, imagine conversations, think about things that have nothing to do with the story in front of me […]
“Kitten” by Stacey Yu: The Purrfection of Living Uncertainly (BOOK REVIEW)
I have been following Stacey Yu online since before she announced her upcoming novel, Kitten, that was given to me in advance by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton (Sceptre). So reading Kitten was sort of personal to me. This is the first time I have watched a bookish creator I followed shift from reviewing novels to writing one of their own and sharing pieces of the publishing journey […]
“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 […]
“Everything I Know About Love” by Dolly Alderton: Love Letter To Your Twenties (BOOK REVIEW)
If I got a pound for every time I laughed out loud while reading Dolly Alderton on the tube, I wouldn’t be a millionaire, but I’d be a rich man nonetheless. This book is that funny, that sharp, and that alive. What pulled me in wasn’t just Alderton’s voice (which I find instantly addictive), but her ability to recount […]
“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.” .[…]
“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. […]
“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.) […]
“Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin: Embracing Tomorrow One Game At A Time (BOOK REVIEW)
As you should know by now, I am fascinated by the marketing and publicity side of publishing. Recently, I purchased a membership for The Publishing Post and came across an article spotlighting the campaign strategy for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I only skimmed it to avoid spoilers […]
“Swing Time” by Zadie Smith: A Story of Growth Through Movement (BOOK REVIEW)
When I came to university 3 years ago, the very first book on my reading list was Zadie Smith’s NW. It was experimental and disorienting, but I was drawn to how authentically the author captures life: its beauty, chaos, and contradictions. Since then, I’ve been revisiting her catalogue every year like a ritual. […]