teatimelit

Let’s Talk: Annotating

Something I’ve recently started doing is annotating my books. I know what some of you are thinking, how could I possibly mark up a book with pens and highlighters of all things, but I promise it’s a lot of fun! There’s something, I dunno, therapeutic about forever marking favourite quotes, passages and simple moments on a page. Through trial and error, I think I have finally found my own annotating system that I thought I would talk you through today! Admittedly, I have only annotated three books so far (and one of them now belongs to Cossette!), but I feel like I have a good grasp on what does and doesn’t work for me. The supplies I typically favour for this process are either brush pens, pastel highlighters and page tabs. Without further adieu, let’s get into it! 

Read more

Let’s Talk: Books I Want to Read in June

Hi, hello friends and welcome back to teatimelit! I thought it would be a nice time to take a break of my usual scheduled reviews, and discuss some books I’m excited for! May has already been a good month for me reading wise, however I do think I’m starting to slump, so I’ve decided to look forward to June and see what books I can pre-plan to read. Be sure to let me know what books you’re looking forward to next month, but without further ado let’s see the list!

Read more

Let’s Talk!: Asian Readathon TBR + Book Recs

Happy May! I decided to participate in readwithcindy’s Asian Readathon —  a month-long reading marathon dedicated to reading books by Asian authors. You can find some more information here. I’m incredibly excited to participate in this readathon, and wanted to share not just my TBR, but also some of my favorite Asian reads in case anyone wants suggestions and recommendations for what to read! 

Read more

Let’s Talk: My Favourite Reads of 2021 (So Far)

A few months ago, I did a very similar post outlining my favourite books of 2020 so far. In that post, I outlined 5 of my favourite books (some of which still remain as favourites today!), and I thought what better way to celebrate the colder weather coming in than talking about some of my favourite books of the year so far. Keeping in mind it’s only April, and I’ve only read a total of 25 books so far, but I thought it would be a fun reflection and mini-review of some of the books I loved. Let’s get on with the list! 

Read more

Let’s Talk: Shakespeare

With April being the birth and death month of Shakespeare, I thought it would be a fun idea to dedicate the month to Shakespeare and Shakespeare-related stories!

I don’t think anyone is shocked to hear me say that I love Shakespeare. It’s no secret. In fact, I’m pretty vocal about it. Shakespeare has had a huge impact on the worlds of both literature and theatre. Both things are incredibly important to me and have changed my life in different ways. It just makes sense that I would find myself feeling deeply connected to his works.

Read more

Let’s Talk: Literary Heroines That Have Inspired Me

I love the month of March. It’s when spring begins, it’s Women’s History Month, International Women’s Day is the 8th, World Theatre Day is the 27th, and my birthday is the 12th. March is a fun month for me. As my birthday approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the stories that we read when we’re young shape us into the people that we become as adults. With that in mind, I thought it would be a great idea to pay homage to some of the brilliant women in literature that have inspired me. 

I’ve been an avid reader my entire life. Reading has always been one of my favorite things to do. I remember being a little kid and begging my mother to take me to the library or to Borders Bookstore (RIP Borders, I miss you) so that I could discover new stories and get lost in worlds that were not my own. I’ve always been a daydreamer and kind of had my head in the clouds (the Pisces energy is honestly very strong here) — even as a kid I wanted to travel and go to new places and meet new people. Reading was a way for me to do those things. I was able to go to all of these incredible places without having to leave my home. Reading has continued to broaden my horizons and provide a safe place to escape when things get hard.

There are literally hundreds of characters that I could’ve put on this list, so narrowing it down was difficult. In the end, I decided to go with characters that really inspired me as a child and teenager, and I think they had the biggest impact on who I am now.

Read more

Let’s Talk: How the Kindle Changed my Reading Life

Hi, hello lovely people! I hope you’re having a wonderful week, and you’re reading a good book with a nice cup of tea. If you’ve been following along with our monthly wrap ups, I have currently read 20 books. I am very happy with how my reading progress is going, and I must say, a lot of credit for it goes to my kindle. This post is not sponsored by amazon, or the kindle, and I know there are various other options on the market for the ereader. While I can’t speak on behalf of those alternatives, I imagine they work pretty much the same way!

I impulsively bought a kindle last year when Cossette did, in around August time. My goodness, what a purchase it was! I use it pretty much every day (except for lately – don’t you just love reading slumps?), and it has honestly changed my reading life. It has allowed me to fly through books at a pace I couldn’t even imagine, and in different locations too! Buying books for my kindle has become my go-to method of purchasing books and supporting my favourite authors, and I’m definitely enjoying having so many books in one tiny device, as opposed to having piles of books lining my shelves. Don’t get me wrong, I still love physical books, but ebooks are proving a more efficient and affordable way for me to consume books at the rate that I do. 

So, if you’re thinking about buying one, or you’re hesitant to make the change to e-reading, I’m going to outline some of the things that I love about the Kindle, and what made my reading experience all the more great. 

Read more

Let’s Talk: Mary Reads Books like The Night Circus

Hi, hello! If you didn’t know, I really love The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I can’t really put into words why I love it so much, but it’s my all time favourite book, and I comfort read it a lot: it’s super special to me. The only problem is, I am always looking for a book that feels just as special and magical as this one. While The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern meets the criteria, I’m always on the hunt for other books that are similar. 

Read more

Let’s Talk: Book Series I Haven’t Finished (and Probably Won’t)

I find myself worried to write this post, because I know that, inevitably, it’s going to offend someone. But that’s such a lovely thing about reading, isn’t it? Your favourite book might not be someone else’s and that’s ok! But, I will preface this by saying that I’m not hating on these books – they just weren’t for me, and I could use my time better by reading books I will actually enjoy. But anyway, without further ado, let’s get into the list.

Read more

2021 Reading Goals, Notion & Reading Journal Set Up

I’ve been bullet journaling for over three years now, and have gone through waves of sticking to it for everything, and then not using it at all. Like many others, I’ve fallen in love with how I can keep everything in one space, how I’m not confined to a specific layout, and most of all, how it allows me to use my creative juices while staying productive and organized. Over the years, I’ve amassed a hoard of supplies – washi tapes, blank notebooks that I’ve purchased “for next year”, brush pens, markers, stickers, stamps… you name it.  With the pandemic, and not being able to leave my house aside from going to the grocery store, I’ve found my motivation to bullet journal has waned significantly. After all, there’s only so many things I can keep track of there. I’m pretty known for being incredibly Type A, and for my love of organizational methods. Since I’m trying some new ways of keeping track of my reading journey in 2021, I figured I’d share them with you! This post gets a little lengthy, so grab yourself a cup of tea (or whatever warm beverage you’d like), and settle in! 

Read more