#booksandteas

[ktienh]

📓 Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution 🖋️ R.F. Kuang 🎓🎓🎓🎓✒️ "Professor Lovell liked plain scones the least, though, so sultana scones were the staple of their afternoon teas ... [Robin] knew he didn't like sultanas in his scones; when Professor Lovell wasn't looking, he picked out his sultanas, slathered the denuded scone in clotted cream, and popped it in his mouth." Ok so the above quote doesn't really have anything to do with the plot in the book but seriously, all the mention of scones made me crave for some so what does one do but bake some! I'd suggest some fresh scones ready for reading the first part of the book but after that, I really needed wine. A. Lot. of. Wine. Honestly, I was wary of this book after The Poppy War trilogy. I mean that trilogy was violently brutal! And seriously, R.F. Kuang does not hold back her punches. Babel is excruciatingly brutal. I find that with The Poppy War trilogy, there is that veil of fantasy but in Babel, while there is still that fantasy veil, it is ever so sheer. Babel is a very dense reading. The amount of research must have been astounding. There was so much in this book from general history to linguistic ones. As the author has noted, however, certain things were fudged a little bit to fit because, after all, this is a work of fiction. I can't tell you what's been fudged but I'm still so very impressed with the meticulous details presented in this novel. The read will take a lot of focus and time but hoowee, it's absolutely worth IT! "'...And we're asking you now to finally, please, hear what we're trying to tell you. Please believe us.'" 🏷 #babel #rfkuang #speculativefiction #sff #booksandteas #bookandtea #sconesandteas #fantasy #bookstalife #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #ausbookstagrammer #booklover #booksta #igreads #lovetoread #eclecticreader #bookishfeatures #aussiebookstagrammers #readersofinstagram #bookreview #fantasybooks #bookphoto #bookish #booklife #booksofinstagram #eclecticreader https://www.instagram.com/p/CnOWsDLLzan/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[najadaz]

I am nothing in my soul if not obsessive.

— Donna Tartt, The Secret History

[mrzastudies]

Hey will you hangout with me instead of working today

[aceofbooksandtea]

finally started writing again and ran into a new problem... i'm writing for two fandoms that i'm not an expert on. like, i've never even read any batman comics. why am i writing a batfam fanfic????

too bad the muses won't let me stop. i literally wrote almost 1800 words in less than a day. that's NOT normal for me! i'm lucky if i get 500 words out in a couple of days. why couldn't i get this inspired for any of my other stories for fandoms that i know more about?

[aceofbooksandtea]

lmao! that reminds me of a time when i was little and i accidentally spoiled mom and dad's "secret adult conversation" to my little siblings. let me set the scene:

nine year old me was hanging out with my family, mom and dad talking on one side of the room and my younger siblings and me hanging out on the other, just quietly being in the same room as our parents cause that's apparently what we did at that point in the day (i don't remember our logic about it, but we were practically a pack of wild dogs sometimes, so...whatever).

anyway, dad was telling mom about something (i could not tell you what it was for the life of me) and he wanted to tell her about a dog. now, my siblings and i were absolute FANATICS about animals, so this was the sort of info you might want to keep away from us depending on the circumstances (i highly suspect there was a dog that needed dog-sitting, but i have no idea. no one in the family remembers that part).

so, instead of saying "dog" he spells out "C-A-N-I-N-E" for her, knowing she'd get it. what he did not expect was our responses. up popped my head. wide went my eyes. "C-A-N-I-N-E?" i said. "You mean D-O-G?"

up popped the head of the next oldest sibling. wide went his eyes. "D-O-G?" he said. "You mean dog?"

up popped the heads of my two youngest siblings. wide went their eyes. "DOG?!?!?!" they said.

we all stared wide eyed and excited at my parents and that was when they knew the days of spelling words to keep a secret were over.

[joyffree]

From USA Today Bestselling Authors, Chasity Bowlin and Laramie Briscoe, comes sixth book in a small town series full of spice, steam, and second chances.

Title: Heal Me One Night (Bellehaven Hotties, #6) Author: Chasity Bowlin & Laramie Briscoe Genre:Contemporary Romance

[dontdenymeshakespeare]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to time travel? I have. In a new take on time travel, the characters in Barbara Erskine’s Lady of Hay use hypnosis to do so. This is one of the books I’ve been reading this week for Polarthon. It’s about history, hypnotism, moving through time and past lives. It gave me all the cosy vibes of magic and the English countryside. All I wanted when I finished it was a cup of tea and a chat with the landlady of the bed and breakfast in Wales Full review to come on my blog #books #bookstagram #ladyofhay #barbaraerskine #polarthon #timetravel #fiction #historicalfiction #fantasy #hypnosis #cosyvibes #boughtonvacation #boughtinoban #boughtinscotland #readersofinstagram #booksandcoffee #booksandtea #booklove https://www.instagram.com/p/CofUXt5uuz_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[gothicvamperstein]

As I'm a bit on a roll, I've started on the second book of the day. . . . #horrorjunkie #horrornovel #horror #horrorfan #horrorfiction #horrorreads #horrorreaders #currentlyreading #currentread #bookstagram #bookwormproblems #bookworm #bookdragon #ilovebooks #ilovereading #readingiscool #readingismyhappyplace #readingissexy #booksareneveroutoffashion #booksandtea #teatuesday https://www.instagram.com/p/CnPXKXML1-D/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[primordialsoundmeditation]

little known fact ~ rabbits love to read 📚 🐰

[artist ~ unknown, apologies 🙏]

#greenwitchtea #greenwitch #books #sciencefiction #fantasy #learning #booksandtea #fables #fairytales #myth #fact

Green Witch Tea

[ktienh]

📘 Monuments 🖋️ Will Kostakis ➡️ Synopsis 🧡💚💜1/2 I found this novel to be a strange but intriguing premise. I mean it is set in Australia and when I look at the cover, it has somewhat Greek overtone (the statues and Greek pillars etc). I guess it was just a bit jarring however I note author's Greek descents and his tendency to write in with his culture background. As I have seen him at events and have also followed him on social media, I feel strongly that he was writing himself into this story. That this is one of those "book-I-wished-I-had-when-I-was-a-teen" for him; the protagonist called himself "super gay" and another character also regrets that he didn't come out earlier. An easily likeable protagonist despite the slightly sad start for him but it is a novel full of adventure and growth. The prose is very lighthearted and quite humourous at parts however I'm just not a fan. It made an easy and fast read but it just didn't really "call" to me. I did like the plot & twists at the end though as with time travel in play, things get a little mind bending. PS: I wanted to say thanks for the buddy read @Seventyeight.Sundays but you haven't even finished reading!! Hurry it up, yo 😅😆😜 🏷 #monuments #willkostakis #ya #youngadult #fantasy #humour #booksandbreakfast #booksandfood #booksandtea #aussieauthor #lgbtqia #dymocksreadingchallenge #bookstalife #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #ausbookstagrammer #booklover #booksta #igreads #lovetoread #eclecticreader #bookishfeatures #aussiebookstagrammers #readersofinstagram #bookreview #bookphoto #bookish #booklife #booksofinstagram #eclecticreader https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp3fWI3yzcy/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[loucasoftware]

🌝 A Cozy Night in the City 🌚

Imagine curling up in a library-style apartment with the perfect view of a glowing skyline at night. The soft, warm glow of the lamp complements the city lights beyond, creating a dreamy, peaceful ambiance. With a cup of tea and a good book, this serene corner becomes a sanctuary in the midst of an urban jungle. The stars sprinkle the sky as if reflecting the lights of the city, blending nature and metropolis in a breathtaking scene. 💫

Perfect for lovers of cozy interiors, cityscapes, and late-night vibes. Whether you’re seeking design inspiration or simply a relaxing moment, this view reminds you of the beauty found in calm, quiet nights. 🌃✨

#CozyInteriors #CityscapeArt #NightTimeVibes #DesignInspiration #UrbanEscape #BooksAndTea #ArtOfTheDay #Illustration #AestheticDesign #DigitalArt #CalmVibes #SoftLighting #DreamyCity #CozyLibrary #DigitalIllustration #InteriorDesign #StarryNight #UrbanLiving #ArtLovers #TumblrArt #ArtistOnTumblr #IllustratorsOfTumblr

[aceofbooksandtea]

i think i finally figured out why i hate people-first language

i can understand people wanting to emphasize that people are more faceted than just one characteristic, but it doesn't really work the way they want when they try it with stuff like disabilities. when you use people first language, you are separating the person from the description, but when the description is that person's life experiences, you are essentially separating themself from a large part of the circumstances that made them who they are right now.

for example, saying a person with autism vs a autistic person separates the person from their own brain or saying a person who identifies as queer vs saying they're a queer person separates them from their experiences of identity, love, etc.* and all because you're afraid to emphasize that facet of their experiences? that's straight up bigotry.

(for the people who might feel defensive about people-first language: i'm not saying it's bad to use it. it has a place and a purpose. but if you're insisting that you always have to use it because the descriptor needs to be minimized? maybe double check why you're so intent on minimizing it and think long and hard how the people you're describing might feel about your minimization of that descriptor.)

* i am autistic and queer, which is why i used those examples. i'm sure there are lots of other examples out there for other marginalized groups and i'd love to see them add on to the discussion.

[amysbooketlist]

QOTD: What's your favorite dark and twisty book? . If you like a dark, twisted, and messed up tale, grab this series immediately. The St. Benedict series is addictively appalling and gloriously gruesome. River of Wrath continues down the sadistic path started by book 1, River of Ashes, but this time we delve even deeper into the psychology, motivations, and the dichotomy of our "heroes" and "villains." Sir Walter Scott's famous line, "Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive" echoed through my head throughout River of Wrath. If you are dark and twisty, I can't recommend these enough. Just look at the cover! . Leslie Moore is struggling to get through her last semester at St. Benedict High. Even her relationship with her boyfriend Derek is falling apart. But after receding floodwaters from the Bogue Falaya River expose the bones of a woman, Leslie becomes obsessed with tracking down the killer. Sightings of an apparition haunting The Abbey send Leslie and her friends back to the scene of the horrors from last Halloween, but no one is prepared for what they find. After a stranger—the handsome Luke Cross—arrives in town, another girl goes missing, and the sheriff suspects the newcomer is hiding something. Leslie believes the Devereaux family is connected to everything going wrong in St. Benedict. And she means to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. Not all secrets can be kept silent. Some eventually find their way home. . #bookishaesthetic #booksarelove #bookpicture #cozyreads #bookbuying #readingtime #epicreads #readingisfundamental #readmore #bookhoarder #bookstagrammers #booksarelife #bookishlove #bookstack #becauseofreading #booklover #bookstagram #unitedbookstagram #booksandbooks #booksofinsta #toberead #booksaremylife #bookslovers #booksy #booksandtea #ilovereading #booksofinstagram #booknerdigans #darkbookstagram #bookwormlife (at Columbus, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpDTH-RrzcD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thegirlbythefirelight]

To go back to Murakami after what seems like ages (it has been- last year somehow I missed reading any of his books 🫣) is to go back to life. 24 short stories, what our writer calls sprints, written in between his novels, (you guessed it right-marathons) are perfect for anyone who wants to sample his style. On offer are- crows that know the difference between cakes, a one-legged surfer, a couple who take off to Greece on a whim, unexplained disappearances and cats, of course they are Mhrakami's mysterious cats. This was my fifth by him and the one that left me most disappointed. Apart from 3-4 stories, the rest were less nuanced than what I had expected. Short stories lack the room to flesh out their characters, mostly, & someone who prefers character-driven tales vis a vis plot-driven narratives, the commitment they demand and offer is inadequate. Also, I felt at sea with some stories- neither I could understand their meaning nor the metaphor behind them, if any. But. Great if you want bite-sized Murakami morsels. Also great if time is at a premium (when isn't it?). My favourite - If you liked this read: For #magicrealism: •Kafka On The Shore- predictably the better Murakami to start with. •The Invisible Life Of Addie Larue •The Night Circus •The Master & The Margarita • Beloved •Midnight's Children For #Japaneseliterature: •When the Emperor Was Divine •Never Let Me Go •Before The Coffee Gets Cold •The Easy Life In Kamusari #shortstoriescollection #harukimurakami #blindwillowsleepingwoman #japanesefiction #contemporarybooks #fantasyfiction #asianliterature #delhireader #delhibookstagrammer #delhibookstafam #2023readingchallenge #januaryreads #murakamiharuki #murakamibooks #bookaesthetic #indianreaders #indianbookstagram #bookstagramindia #kindleflatlay #booksandtea #winterreads #mybookfeatures #readerslife #alwaysreading #bookdragon #bookishthoughts #alwayswithabook #readingchallenge2023 (at India) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoEWLOirrKz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=