New Book Spotlight: Singlets and Secrets (Unveiling Aiden #1) by Joe Chianakas

Title: Singlets and Secrets

Series: Unveiling Aiden

Total instalments: 4

Author: Joe Chianakas

Genres: Young Adult, LGBTQIA+, Romance, Loners & Outcasts Fiction, Coming-of-Age

Publisher: Mad Cat

Release Date: August 29th, 2023

Blurb:

Dripping with raw emotion, unexpected twists, and more than a dash of hope, Singlets and Secrets isn’t just more high school drama. It’s a deep dive into figuring out who you are and accepting it no matter what someone else may think-a heroic journey that speaks to the struggling teenager in us all.

***Life Updates & Birthday RAOK: Emily Cromwell Designs Wishlist (Giveaway-style)***

Hello, beautiful bookish peeps! Happy JUNE!!!

Wow, I feel like every month literally slips through my fingers without me knowing it and I keep having the same sentiment that time really does fly. LOL That being said, if by some miracle, you still manage to stumble upon my blog and stop for a second here, well, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart because I admit I haven’t been here for…a very long time. *understatement of the year* 😛

In order to make up for my previous inactivity, I’m gonna share some life updates, the current COVID-19 situation in my region, and most important of all, an exciting wishlist giveaway for my upcoming birthday! In a nutshell, here’s everything you can expect from this almost-once-in-forever post (LOL):

• Quick updates about my life in general from 2020 to now
• An unforgettable rep experience + greatest bookish achievement so far ❤
• Exciting birthday RAOK (Random Act of Kindness) for YOUR wishlist

Okeydokey! Without further ado, let’s get started, shall we?

Life Update & Music Power-Up

Hello, everybody! LONG TIME NO SEE!!!

Man, time has changed; life recently isn’t the same and I doubt it’ll go back to normal anytime soon. 😥

So, how are you holdin’ up?

Let’s talk about Book Subscription Boxes!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

I hope you’re enjoying the last weekend of 2019 with your beloved family and friends, if not, I hope you’re at least cozying up with a cup of hot chocolate (with tiny marshmallows, YUM), a warm blanket, and a good book! As 2019 is edging closer to an end, I’d love to share some interesting knowledge about something I’ve always wanted/wished/been eyeing for and my job kinda made it possible earlier this year–you guess it–book subscription boxes!

If you’re a booklover or an avid reader like me, then I’m sure the concept of book subsciption boxes isn’t unfamiliar to you. I tried my very first box with Fairyloot back in February this year, and I was so grateful for all the chances to get more in the following months. The overall unboxing experience was quite unforgettable and I’ve got some of my all-time favorite items in these boxes as well.

Therefore, I decided to share the little knowledge I have about book boxes and what they are, how the whole bookish subscription business model works, down to the last details about experiencing the bookish unboxings in this post. I hope you’ll find my post as informative as I aim to let it be and hopefully, you’ll discover some new book box companies throughout the way! Enjoy & happy unboxing! 🙂

Bookish Unboxing | The Book Hookup (September, 2019): Young Adult Box (presented by The Strand Bookstore)

BRAND-NEW BOOK BOX ALERT!!!!!

As someone who’s overly obsessed with bookish subscription boxes as me, I’m constantly in search of interesting, unique book boxes out in the wild. Guess what I’ve discovered this time? It’s THE BOOK HOOKUP, a special subscription service presented by the one and only Strand Bookstore, my most favorite bookshop in the world! So I was browsing through The Oprah Magazine, and accidentally found an article about 20 Best Book Subscription Boxes in the entertainment section.

Surprisingly, most of the book boxes mentioned in the list sound exceptionally amazing to me, and I’ve tried a few of them this year, too. Anyways, when I saw that Strand Bookstore has their very own book boxes, I knew I had to snag one no matter what! In case you’re wondering, The Book Hookup is a quarterly box curated by the Strand staff, featuring 9 specific genres–Art & Photography, Feminist Literature, Fiction, Little Readers, Mystery & Suspence, Political Nonfiction, Sci-fi & Fantasy, Timeless Fiction, and Young Adult–all of which you can choose from. The variety of genres really intrigues me but as usual, I pick YA out of habit since I think YA books suit me better than any other categories.

You’ll get 2 books each quarter, a signed-first-edition hardcover of a new release, along with a paperback of either a new release, or an ARC (advance reviewer copy). Aside from the books, you can also expect some Strand merchandise like mugs, tote bags, bookmarks, pins, or postcards, as well as a product from one of their many New York-based partners.

To better show you what their boxes look like, here’s my unboxing for their Young Adult, third quarter box this year!

Bookish Unboxing | OwlCrate 2019 August Box: Storms and Seas (+international book box giveaway announcement)

Happy Sunday, bookish peeps!

How’s your weekend so far? As usual, I have lots of sleep and I’ve been idling for a while so I’m feeling fantastic at the moment. lol What about you? Do you read some great books?

My life has been getting crazier and crazier the past few weeks and it’s mainly because of my job. There’s been more and more new comers in our office so I’m no longer the novice, which is pretty sad considering that I’ve switched to three different departments throughout the year and I’m constantly learning something new. Anyways, due to the harsh reality, I’m forced to adapt to the competitive environment ASAP and bring my A-game in this professional field.

That being said, my reading schedule has been postponing quite a lot and so does my blogging schedule. Thus, I’d like to share my August OwlCrate unboxing with you today even though it’s almost the end of October. Gladly, I didn’t get their September one so one less post to make! 😛

Bookish Unboxing | OwlCrate 2019 July box: Tournaments & Trials

Hello, lovely people!

How’s your day so far? In case anyone’s curious, I started writing this unboxing post on Aug. 11th, right after having our typhoon holiday but then I sort of forgot to schedule so here I am again, picking up where the post’s left one week later. Anyway, last week was as busy as I expected and guess what? It’s Sunday night and just thinking about having to go to work tomorrow exhausts me, haha.

Busy working schedule aside, I’ve done a wee bit too much bookish shopping on impulse in the past few days and I…regret nothing. LOL I’ll make sure to share with you my latest treasure hunt. 🙂 For today’s unboxing, it’s my second OwlCrate box, a monthly subscription box featuring the hottest YA book (always signed by the author and with an exclusive cover) and some goodies going along with the theme, and as usual, I enjoy unboxing it and getting surprised by the items inside. 😀

Without further ado, let the OwlCrate unboxing party begin!

Bookish Unboxing | OwlCrate 2019 June Box: Libraries of Wonder

Good afternoon, everyone!

I don’t usually post on weekdays but since I’m suffering from gastroenteritis, a.k.a. the stomach flu, these days, I’m gonna seize the precious chance to share my latest bookish unboxing with you. 🙂 Even though I wasn’t feeling quite perky, I did regain some energy after sleeping for hours.

Anyways, please let me present my first ever OwlCrate unboxing for you! As you know, I’m a huge fan of bookish subscription boxes and after trying out a couple of them this year, I’m pretty confident to say that OwlCrate is by far the most satisfying box among them all. Everything in June, 2019 OwlCrate has totally blown me away–even more than that in Once Upon a Book Club April, 2019 box–and I can’t contain my excitement any longer!

Let the unboxing party begin!

Bookish Unboxing | Once Upon a Book Club April Young Adult box: The Case of a Reclusive Writer

 

Hello, bookish peeps!!!

I hope you’re doing fantastic because I am! This is an unboxing I’ve been dying to share with all of you because everything is too perfect to be true. In case you’re wondering, Once Upon a Book Club Box is a monthly subscription book box featuring both Adult and Young Adult boxes so you can choose between the two based on their hints, or you can simply order both for double pleasure. 😛

Long story short, since I’ve been eyeing this box forever, when I saw their April YA hint, I was ten thousand percent sure their book-of-the-month would be the one on the very top of my 2019 most-anticipating read, so of course I placed my first ever order right away. 😀

Now I’m beyond excited to show you all the bookish goodies in this box and how amazingly the wonderful ladies working behind this lovely business have curated for this one. ❤

Are you ready?

Bookish Unboxing | Books that Matter April: Black Women’s History Month (+why this is my last box from them)

Hello, hello, hello!

It’s just the beginning of May and the month’s been promising already. Well…at least on my bookish notes. 😛

To begin with, bookish subscription boxes have been my ultimate kryptonite since I started trying out some of them and now I’m officially, uncontrollably, helplessly obsessed with them. As you can see, I’ve got a brand-new section on my blog dedicating to all the future bookish unboxing posts. THAT is the proof of my wholeheartedness. LOL

Therefore, please let me present you with my second and unfortunately, last box from Books that Matter, an U.K.-based bookish subscription box company. Don’t get me wrong; I’m still satisfied with everything in their boxes, but due to some personal reasons (I’ll elaborate later in the post), I won’t place any order from them.