Chapter Forty Three

what a blessing it is to be seen and loved...

Hey you!

How are things? Whoosh, it has been a minute, at least six months worth, haha. Before I properly get into it, thank you so much for subscribing, much love to you for not unsubscribing when I became inactive. If you’re new here, the purpose of this letter is to share bookish and general life stuff that has given me pleasure in the hope that you’d experience the same.

I was away from this space for so long that every time I tried to write a letter, I was ceased by a fear of some sort, with many questions swirling in my head, the constant one being, what if you don’t have anything of value to add anymore. Writing this letter is my way of shutting down negative thoughts because at the end of the day, my fear is disrespectful to the people who believe in me.

So, back to our regular programming.

Recently Read…

At this moment, I have completed 171 books, you can add me on Storygraph for all the ratings or to see what titles I select. Most recently, Broken by Fatima Bala is a Nigerian book I enjoyed a lot, if I had the clout, I’d pitch this book to international publishers, that’s how proud I am of this book, and want more people to enjoy it. I even had a chat with the author on the Something Bookish podcast, listen to it HERE, it’s spoiler-free. These Letters End In Tears by Musih Tedji Xaviere is another book that I enjoyed, especially if you like epistolatry novels, such fine storytelling. If I don’t tell you about my favourite spicy book of the year, I might collapse, Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha is a fantasy novel with very decent worldbuilding and exquisite naughty scenes which features a FMF relationship. If this is your jam, please read it and let me know what you think.

Bookclub - September

The Indulgent Bibliophile September Pick

The Indulgent Bibliophile is reading Ghostroots by Pemi Aguda and we’ll be chatting with the author on the 22nd of September at 4pm WAT, register for the virtual meeting HERE.

Currently Watching…

I’m currently watching Love Next Door, a friends-to-lovers romcom, No Gain No Love is a fake relationship romcom. By the way, fake relationships in books and films are my kryptonite, I love them so much because I’m always excited by that moment when they both realise it’s not a joke anymore. What is your favourite romance trope?

There are so many fun kdramas this year but most recently, I’ve enjoyed:

My Sweet Mobster, which was very cheesy but I enjoyed the male lead’s interpretation of the role and I love his voice, but I wasn’t too crazy about the female lead because the cheerful naive persona grates on my nerves.

My Lover Runner has one of the cutest female leads since Strong Girl Bong-Soon IMO, the way she always called the male lead’s name is ingrained in my head forever. Speaking of male leads, this one was charming and so whipped, I loved watching them. It’s a time-travel romance.

I rewatched Hospital Playlist because I was reading Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa, a book that feels like a hug, and I wanted to watch something that gave me the same vibes. It’s one of my favourite kdramas of all time.

I Highly Recommend…

Celebrating small wins. Celebrating wins is something I struggle with. People often celebrate bigger wins by going out to dinner, buying something special, or a bottle of wine. When it comes to celebrating small wins, I’ve realised it doesn’t have to be a big show. It can be as simple as telling someone that you are proud of what you did and having that person be happy for you.

For me, saying out loud that I am proud of my effort and even expanding on how that effort is changing how I might view myself or my competence feels good. That’s how I celebrate wins. Pausing to celebrate, whether it be alone, with a person, or even with a special treat of some kind helps to put a spotlight on what you did. Trying a few ways of celebrating wins to find what works for you may take some time.

I hope you understand the impact of celebrating small wins and that you’ll give it a try. It’s not just that small wins are the building blocks to the big goals. The small wins change who you think you are, what you believe you are capable of, how you interpret new challenges, and how you carry yourself moving forward. Send me an email to celebrate your next small win with me!

A Friendly Reminder…

Please remember to hydrate, eat well, sleep well, and poop well. Most importantly, don’t forget to give yourself the grace you always extend to others. You need it too, okay?

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If you love my content, you can show support by giving me a shout-out on social media or in real life (prayers are fine too).

See you on the other side, Dearest.

XOXO