“Now pay careful attention to this next sentence. If you don’t pay attention, it will be really, really hard to change your habits. If you pay attention, your habits will change for good. And this might be easier than you think.” – 4.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: hungry ghosts, feeling hunger, paying attention, food jail, mindfulness, RAIN exercises, meditation, cravings, and feeding emotions.

A program proven to heal our relationship with food and our bodies from New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety.

Sometimes it feels as if there are as many ways to struggle with food as there are foods to eat.  Craving, habit, emotions, boredom, stress, anxiety, or just the simple fact that a box of donuts seems to be omnipresent in the breakroom (free food!) can lead to feeling out of control around food.  While anxiety feels like something that happens to us, the pull of food feels like something we should be able to handle. After all, we have to eat!  But it’s not that simple.  The result of this constant struggle—and then giving in or giving up—is a toxic cocktail of shame and self-judgment that makes it feel like it is impossible to change our behavior.
The Hunger Habit is based on Judson Brewer’s deeply researched plan proven to help us understand what is going on in our brains so that we can heal the guilt and frustration we experience around eating. This is not a diet book pretending not to be a diet book. The step-by-step program focuses on the training out brains to tap into awareness to change our relationship with food and eating—shifting it from fighting with ourselves to befriending our minds and bodies. There is no willpower, calorie-counting, or restricted eating. Setbacks are a good thing! The key is to learn how to work with our brains rather than resisting our impulses, and to adopt an attitude of self-kindness rather than self-judgment.
Grounded in cutting-edge neuroscience and several decades of clinical practice as a psychiatrist, The Hunger Habit is both accessible and compassionate. It will finally help you break out of food jail and reclaim your life.

Wow, this book is great! I didn’t think I was going to like this book as much as I did but I ended up taking a lot from it.
In this book, the author Dr. Jud shares his plan to help us heal from the guilt of overeating and give in to our cravings by helping us understand what is going on with our brains when it happens. With that information, we can take back our power to make changes and start the healing journey. This is not the type of book where you’ll get dietary tips or anything of the sort, so keep that in mind if you’re considering reading this. This book is focused on helping to change our behavior and relationship with food, with compassion and kindness, by working with our brains instead of against them.
So who are the people this book is appropriate for? I would say people struggling with binge eating disorder and/or people feeling that they have no control over food. There are a lot of people who have cravings and have the need to eat to feed emotions (boredom, stress, anxiety) – not necessarily because they’re hungry -, and end up feeling ashamed and angry with themselves. If you’re struggling with eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa, this is NOT the book for you. The author makes this very clear!
The idea behind the book is very interesting because I don’t think I ever read about this kind of approach for an issue like this. I think my big take from the book is in essence to be mindful about food and start paying more attention to body cues. This way it is possible to make long-lasting changes to our binging and eating habits. The book includes practice sections divided into days, so the goal is for you to read a section per day for 21 days. The author also makes available free resources for those who are interested in the hands-on approach!
I’ve started to practice what is preached, and I started noticing a few new things while I’m eating or thinking about food. It’s a work in progress, but I’m determined to persist to see a different outcome one day.
There were some moments in the book that were starting to get a little repetitive, and for that reason only, I didn’t rate this higher. With that said, I truly think this is a great book with a different perspective from other books with the same hot topic.

“I’ve traveled around the world, and there’s never been a country that I’ve been in where somebody doesn’t say to me The Big Bang Theory was important to them. They shared it with their parents, it got them through something, it always made them laugh.” – 5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: casting the perfect actors, two pilots, sequel shows, celebrity guests, memorizing lines, incredible props, fun costumes, easter eggs, creativity, behind the scenes secrets, and a lot of science talk.

The definitive, behind-the-scenes look at the most popular sitcom of the last decade, The Big Bang Theory, packed with all-new, exclusive interviews with the producers and the entire cast.

The Big Bang Theory is a television phenomenon. To the casual viewer, it’s a seemingly effortless comedy, with relatable characters tackling real-life issues, offering a kind of visual comfort food to its millions of dedicated fans. But the behind-the-scenes journey of the show from a failed pilot to a global sensation is a fascinating story that even the most die-hard fans don’t know in its entirety. 

The Big Bang The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series is a riveting, entertaining look at the sitcom sensation, with the blessing and participation of co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, executive producers Steve Molaro and Steve Holland, as well as Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, and more. Glamour senior editor Jessica Radloff, who has written over 150 articles on the series (and even had a cameo in the finale!), gives readers an all-access pass to its intrepid producing and writing team and beloved cast. It’s a story of on-and-off screen romance told in hilarious and emotional detail, of casting choices that nearly changed everything (which even some of the actors didn’t know until now), of cast members bravely powering through personal tragedies, and when it came time to announce the 12th season would be its last, the complicated reasons why it was more difficult than anyone ever led on. Through hundreds of hours of interviews with the sitcom’s major players, Radloff dives into all this and much more. The book is the ultimate celebration of this once-in-a-generation show and a must-have for all fans.   

“Talking with Jessica, I realized how easy it had been for me to kind of put all 12 years of my time on Big Bang Theory under one general umbrella, as it were. The questions she asked and the information she’d reveal to me from someone else she’d interviewed forced me into a frame of mind where each season – and sometimes each episode – became it’s own, separate entity again. . . Frankly, it turned into a version of therapy I hadn’t realized I’d needed and couldn’t have known how much I’d enjoy.” —Jim Parsons

I was always a huge “The Big Bang Theory” fan, so of course I had to read this book. Now that I read it, I have to say this is without a question one of the best books I read in 2024!
I picked this book thinking this would be just another book with a compilation of random information that everyone already knows… but I was very surprised to see it wasn’t the case. This is a very complete piece of work that allows us to take a peak behind the scenes from the time the show was only an idea to the creation of the prequel show, “Young Sheldon”!
I consider myself a big fan of the show, so I knew about a few random things that happened behind the scenes – like for example how Johnny and Kaley dated for a bit, or that Melissa changed her voice to perform as Bernadette, or even how the building steps lead to nowhere -, but there are so many things that happened that the viewers can only find out by reading this book, me included.
What really amazed me was the amount of information the author was able to put together and then create a very well-structured, entertaining, and informative book! It was mentioned that it took hours and hours of interviews with the cast, producers, directors, prop people, and even costume designers to put this book together, and the effort shows because this is wonderfully done! Everyone who participated in creating this book opened up and talked about all aspects of the show, including what they were going through on a personal level – and even more surprising was how vulnerable and honest they were, even talking about personal relationships on set and conflicts.
I remember thinking to myself before starting it “Why is this book so long? Can there really be that much to say?” Long story short, the answer is a resounding: yes! There is no other way to describe this book other than a “The Big Bang Theory” bible. It uncovers an incredible array of behind-the-scenes details that most viewers never dreamt about.
Needless to say, I came away with a much deeper appreciation for the show and its production. I truly learned a lot! This is absolutely a must-read for all lovers of “The Big Bang Theory” like myself.

“Maybe we were our truest selves as children, before we let the expectations of everyone else dictate who we should be.” – 3.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: road trips, secrets, friendship, flora and fauna, college interviews, RVs, Instagram posts, and drawing skills that never fade.

A contemporary Young Adult novel about a cross-country family road trip that puts one girl and her childhood best friend on an unexpected road to romance!

Norah hasn’t seen her childhood best friend, Skyler, in years. When he first moved away, they’d talk all the time, but lately their relationship has been reduced to liking each other’s Instagram posts. That’s why Norah can’t wait for the joint RV road trip their families have planned for the summer.

But when Skyler finally arrives, he seems…like he’d rather be anywhere else. Hurt and confused, Norah reacts in kind. Suddenly, her oldest friendship is on the rocks.

A summer spent driving across the country leads both Norah and Skyler down new roads and to new discoveries. Before long, they are, once again, seeing each other in a different light. Can their friendship-turned-rivalry turn into something more?

It’s no secret I’m a huge Kasie West fan, so I was really excited when this book came out. I don’t read that many YA books anymore, but Kasie’s books have a special place in my heart so I’ll always read what she writes.

It ended up being an okay read for me. It is not my favorite book from this author, but it also wasn’t bad as well. This book is about Norah and Skylar, childhood best friends that drifted apart, and are now “stuck” in a road trip together with their families. So the story is about them getting close again and fixing what made them drift apart – but there’s also more than the romance! There’s also a subplot that is developed at the same time, and this secret is the reason why the road trip happened at all. This made the story even more interesting because you kept thinking about what it could be! It was a good addition to make the story more interesting.

As far as the romance goes, it was okay – but I feel like something was missing? I can’t point out exactly what it was though. I liked the characters and their dynamics, especially between siblings! I like to read stories with big families, and even though it was not one but two families together, they all acted like a big unit and it was a delight to read!

I loved the setting! It was very cozy, and I believe this is a great option to read in the Fall. The writing was also good because it was descriptive, easy to keep up with, and very sweet.

Kasie West writes amazing sweet books, and this book was no exception! Even though it’s far from being my favorite, I still plan on reading all of her books! Yup, that’s how much I love them.

“You should be wary of setting rules with me. you know I live to break them.” – 3.75/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: modeling, debuts, practice sessions, radio shows, phone calls, restaurants, and secret romances.

New York Times bestselling author Axie Oh’s ASAP is the much anticipated companion novel to beloved romance XOXO, following fan favorites Sori, the wealthy daughter of a K-pop company owner, and Nathaniel, her K-pop star ex-boyfriend, in a swoon-worthy second chance love story.

Sori has worked her whole life to become a K-pop idol, until she realizes she doesn’t want a life forever in the spotlight. But that’s not actually up to Sori—she’s caught between her exacting mother’s entertainment company and her father’s presidential aspirations. And as the pressure to keep her flawless public image grows, the last person she should be thinking about is her ex-boyfriend.

Nathaniel is off limits—she knows this. A member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world and forbidden from dating, he isn’t any more of an option now than he was two years ago. Still, she can’t forget that their whirlwind romance was the last time she remembers being really happy. Or that his family welcomed her into their home when she needed it most. . . .

So when Nathaniel finds himself rocked by scandal, Sori offers him a hideaway with her. And back in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their old feelings. But when Sori gets an opportunity to break free from her parent’s expectations, she will have to decide: Is her future worth sacrificing for a second chance at love?

I loved this book! When I started reading it, I had no idea this was the second book in the “XOXO” series – more specifically, a companion novel series. This was a very pleasant surprise because I had no idea the books would be in the same Universe! And if I’m being honest, I think this story is even better than “XOXO”. With that said, I’m sure you can read this as a standalone… but my advice for you would be to read “XOXO” first because you will understand the story a little better and know what happened before that led to the “now”.
One aspect of this book that I really liked was the characters, in particular Kim Sori! She was a very interesting and different character: not only she was very talented and about to debut, but she was also a very likable character. I also really liked Nathaniel as a main character and romantic interest. They had really good chemistry and cared deeply about each other, and it showed through the pages. In case you are curious about the tropes that are present in the book, I would say the main ones are the “second chance romance” trope, the “friends to lovers” trope, and the “forbidden romance” trope (the last one is related to Nathaniel being an idol).
Also… can we talk about this cover? This is absolutely stunning! I hope the author continues to use this style for the covers (at least for this series).

This was a really fun book, and I am PRAYING we get more storylines for this series. I wonder if the author will continue this series for the other members? I can guarantee I would read it! I guess we’ll find out sooner or later.

“When you find love, you take it. You grab it with both hands and you do everything in your power not to let it go. You can’t just walk away from it and expect it to linger until you’re ready for it.” – 4/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: dinner dates, terrible parents, drama, scars, novelists, and life changes.

Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

It has been a while since I’ve picked up a Colleen Hoover book! It’s not that I don’t like them, I just don’t grab them anymore – but I had this on my shelf for a very long time and it was time to finally give it a go.
I liked it! It’s not my favorite book from her, but it’s also not at the bottom of the list. The concept of the book was really interesting and unique: the characters meet on the same day, every year for 5 years, and each chapter is a different year! They have no contact the rest of the time, just that one day per year. It was interesting to see how their lives changed so much from year to year, and I thought the portrait was very realistic and believable. Sometimes they were dating other people, other times they were not – and that made it difficult for them to be together.
For me, this story made me think about how some people don’t get together because the timing is not quite right – and sometimes it will never be right. But I also believe that some people are meant to be together, and will eventually find their way to each other.
I really liked this story and how creative it was – I mean, it’s Colleen, so of course the story is very creative and different. I wonder if November 9th is a special day for her?

I enjoyed this a lot, and in true Colleen fashion, this had a few plot twists in the mix! It was fast-paced, and every year something dramatic happened so I was always invested in the story. This was the only Colleen Hoover book I was missing from her older books, so now I’m (mostly) up to date! I still have a few books to read from her that are more recent, but we’ll get there eventually.

“A man with charm is an entertaining thing, and a man with looks is, ofcourse, a sight to behold, but a man with honor – ah, he is the one, dear reader, to which young ladies should flock.” – 4.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: bee stings, fresh air, marriage plans, invitations, the diamond of the season, debutants, sharp tongues, pall mall, funny siblings, and rakes.

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, This Author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London’s most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in all truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better… —Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, April 1814

Anthony Bridgerton needs a wife.

Having spent his twenties in a rakish pursuit of pleasure, he knows it’s high time he settled down and ensured the continuation of the Bridgerton line.

Edwina Sheffield is considered the most beautiful debutante of the current season. She is also sweet, innocent and eminently biddable – Anthony is sure she’ll make a perfectly acceptable wife and vows to make her his.

The only obstacle in his way is Edwina’s older sister, Kate. Kate is determined to do all she can to allow her sister the chance to marry for love rather than convenience. And the roguish viscount is beginning to think he may have met his match in Kate’s keen wit and sharp tongue. Until, that is, he makes the mistake of kissing her…

Oh, Kanthony!
I actually liked this book waaay more than the first one from the series. I’ll admit I was a little afraid the rest of the books were like Daphne’s story, but this book proved me wrong! There wasn’t a dull moment in this book – I truly had a ton of fun reading Anthony and Kate’s story.
For starters, the characters had depth and good backstories – which is one precious ingredient to make a good story. Anthony had this shell he created to protect himself from the pain love could bring – and Kate was solely focused on her sister’s happiness and getting her a good husband (not a rake like Anthony).
This story also has probably my favorite trope of all time: enemies to lovers! I loved their banter and how they kept provoking each other – it made the story way more exciting. Not only that, but they had great chemistry together.
As a side note, I like Whistledown’s insights at the beginning of the chapters, because it shows what the outsiders know about the events portrayed in the book. Also, the rest of the Bridgertons are super funny and their interactions add a good, fun layer to the story!
After this book, I feel like my opinion on the series is changing. It seems like I’ll find some great books here, and others will be a miss – and that’s okay. I’m excited to keep going and to get to the other siblings. I hope I’ll like Benedict’s story!

“We’re all united by grief, and somehow divided by the same thing.” – 5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: grief, understanding, judgment, self-acceptance, photography, fixing cars, mowing lawns, unexpected pregnancies, yearbooks, advanced English classes, and… of course, love.

Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother’s death, she leaves letters at her grave. It’s the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn’t the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he’s trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can’t resist writing back. Soon, he’s opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they’re not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

I actually read this book for the second time in August! And funny enough… I still love it!
The book follows a girl named Juliet Young who always wrote letters to her mother when she was photojournaling all over the world. But after her mother died in a car crash, she kept writing letters to her and left them in her grave as a way of coping. Until one day, Declan – a bad boy serving community service – reads and replies to one of her letters. Juliet gets angry, but writes back to him – and slowly they start exchanging more letters telling more about their lives and how they cope with their losses. Of course, they fall in love and get to know each other on a deeper level. Juliet feels guilty that she asked her mother to come home earlier and believes she died for that reason. Declan feels guilty for her sister’s loss since he let his father drive drunk with her in the car.
I don’t really pick sad YA books like this anymore, but I have to say that this book is special.  When I first picked this book up, I didn’t think it would be that deep, but I’m thankful it turned out like that. It was sad, but at the same time inspiring and wholesome!
I also appreciate the writing. We have alternating first-person perspectives of both main characters throughout the book, which makes the book very interesting and fun to read! Also love the side characters, especially Declan’s best friend Rev, who suffered from a cruel past as well. The book is beautifully written and is very rich, with some poem quotes and real references, such as the picture taken by Kevin Carter of the child and the vulture – yup, I even looked it up.
It’s not a fluffy book because the topics are heavy, but you still get that YA feeling. It’s a stunning book! Read it in one sitting for the first time and I have no regrets! Now I want to get to the next book about Rev! I guess you can consider this part of a 2-book companion novel series? I’ll be reading that one soon!

“Love is friendship, but it is friendship with fire in its belly.” – 3/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: breakfast burritos, lessons, glasses, cucumbers, and cute cats.

She says she needs some help … in the bedroom.

Come again? No, really come again.

Sweet, nerdy, lovable Keaton.

She’s my best friend and has been for years. Sure she likes numbers and math, and thinks doing other people’s taxes is fun. And I like … none of that stuff. She’s obsessed with her cat and reads novels I’ll never understand, and yet we just click. There’s no one I’d rather share breakfast burritos with or binge watch hours of Netflix. She’s my person. And so when she takes off her glasses and asks me to help her improve her skills in the bedroom, I barely have to think about it.

Of course I’ll help her. There’s no one better for the job.

I’ve been there for her through everything, why should this be any different?

But what happens when she’s ready to take her new-found confidence and move on?

I love romance books… but this in particular was not very memorable to me – I read it one or two weeks ago, and surprisingly I can’t remember the details! After some thought, I believe I’m being nice to give it a 3-star rating.
The characters were bland and had no chemistry. The guy is the popular type and the girl is the nerdy one. After peer judgment, she becomes self-conscious about her sex skills and asks her best friend to help her improve them. Of course, they eventually develop feelings for each other, and that’s what the story is about. As you can probably tell, this has a friends-to-lovers trope – they became friends in college and have been friends ever since -, and also a sex ed kind of trope as well.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind cliché – but I really didn’t care about these characters and plot. I just couldn’t connect with them.
On a positive note, it’s a book that is easy to digest and go through. It was entertaining to some extent, but I didn’t feel a lot. I like Kendall Ryan’s books, so I’m going to keep reading from her. But this was mostly a miss from me.

“A part of intimacy is trusting someone enough to let go of that control a little. And that can be very difficult sometimes.” – 4.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: university visits, body image issues, sleepovers, final exams, and a lot of texting.

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the much-loved HEARTSTOPPER series.

Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They’ve finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick’s house … But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?

By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.

Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, and sexual references.

Oh, how I love this cute series.
It was so nice to revisit these characters! I love them so much, and it was a joy to see them going through puberty and figuring life out! They are so adorable and I love their love for each other and how they express their feelings. I’m positive this is a common feeling among “Heartstopper” readers!
This volume in particular has a specific focus on them figuring out their sexual relationship together, Nick’s dilemma with picking a university and possibly moving far from Charlie, and also Charlie’s issues with body image. It’s not that it’s a heavy book, but it’s a little more serious than the previous books! With that said, it was still very fun and endearing.
In case you don’t know, there’s still one more book coming! Originally this was going to be the last book in the series, but the author decided to publish one more! It will be the last one so I’m excited to see what it’s all about when it finally comes out.

“When I met him in person at a fan meeting, I became addicted to seeing him in real life. It started after that.” – 3/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: sasaeng fans, threats, surprise trips, flower bouquets, private lessons, Korean food, PTSD, and a lot of scary situations.

Chloe Gibson’s dating the man of her dreams-a talented and gorgeous K-drama star. But there’s just one catch: they have to keep their relationship secret. This isn’t the ideal romance Chloe used to fantasise about.

Fortunately, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The couple have an agreement that after one year of dating in secret, they’ll front up to the South Korean media and go public with their relationship.

But the year won’t be smooth sailing.

When a mysterious package shows up, Chloe’s life is thrust into chaos. Soon she’s being plagued by creepy anonymous messages and the unsettling feeling she’s being followed.

The question is no longer whether the relationship will survive, it’s will Chloe survive?

It was okay? I think I prefer the first book a little better if I’m being honest.
In this book, we follow Chloe once again, but this time she is dealing with a different struggle. We know from the last book that they started dating but decided to keep it a secret from the public since he’s a well-known actor. In this book, the story continues with Jinseung leaving for Jeju island to film another drama (and is gone for most of the book) and leaves Chloe to deal with a crazy sasaeng alone. It was a little nerve-racking to see her getting threats and being stalked because I’m sure fans do crazy things to idols’ family and friends in real life, so in that aspect, it felt real – but other than that, the story felt a little silly to me.
I thought this would be another romance book, but it was more of a thriller with almost no romance, so I was a little disappointed. Sure, this still gives K-drama vibes as a thriller, but I think the theme changed a lot compared to the first book and that is something the reader is probably not expecting. With the first book we get a cute love story – which, if I’m being honest, is the only reason why I even decided to read this series in the first place -, but in the second book, things get way darker.
And I have to mention the “big plot twist”. There was a plot twist in the story that was very obvious and you see it coming very soon in the book – not sure if the author meant for it to be this obvious, but it was. I was hoping I was wrong and that the tables would turn at the end, but that didn’t happen. I wanted to be surprised!
I still liked it for what it was and it was entertaining – but like I said, I was hoping this would be more focused on the love story! I’ve already read the synopsis for the third book in the series, and I decided I probably won’t pick it up.