One of the highlights of our visit to Taiwan was spending time at the Taipei Public Library in Beitou District. It was another surreal moment for me, as I used to only see it in photos—and now I can say that I’ve seen it in person and can attest to its beautiful architecture. Nestled in the heart of Beitou Park, this stunning eco-friendly library is often praised as one of the greenest buildings in Taiwan—and stepping inside, it’s easy to see why it’s so beloved by locals and travelers alike.
So I’ve finally done it. I’ve started my journey into The Realm of the Elderlings—Robin Hobb’s epic fantasy universe that everyone seems to either lovingly weep over or warn you about with a knowing nod and a tissue.
Technically, I’m already well into the journey. I read Assassin’s Apprentice back in November, and now I’m currently in Book 2 (Royal Assassin)—not yet halfway through, but already incredibly invested. Even though I didn’t start documenting from page one, the story’s been living rent-free in my head, so I figured: it’s not too late to start tracking it all.
Hence, this little blog series.
I’m calling the overall series the RoTE Chronicler’s Log, but it’ll be divided into different “series files” within The Realm of the Elderlings sequence. It’s going to be a mix of:
I wanted a place to record my reading journey through this massive series—not just to remember what happened, but to capture how I felt while it was happening. The Realm of the Elderlings is the kind of story that asks you to live with it, sit with it, ache with it… and I want to have something to look back on after the long emotional road.
Whether you’re a fellow Hobb reader, curious about the series, or just here for the screaming—welcome. Entries or logs can be accessed via Menu Bar > Books > RoTE Chronicler’s Log here on the blog, and I’ll be cross-posting over on my bookstagram and Facebook page as well.
Let the deep dives (and inevitable heartbreak) begin.
I honestly can’t remember a time when books weren’t a part of my life. Some of my earliest memories involve flipping through pages, completely absorbed in stories that felt more vivid than reality. It started with fairy tales—talking animals, lost princesses, enchanted forests—and over time, my taste shifted, but the love for reading never faded.
As a child, I didn’t quite understand the gravity of reading. It was simply a way to pass the time when I wasn’t playing or watching TV. But looking back, I can pinpoint numerous moments where books influenced me, and I realized that reading has been one of the most constant threads in my personal development. They’ve taught me patience, perspective, and how to sit with uncertainty. They’ve kept me company through different phases of life, whether I was completely overwhelmed or just needed an escape. Through books, I’ve traveled to places I’ve never been, slipped into the minds of people who see the world differently, and experienced emotions I might not have encountered otherwise.
I’ve always been drawn to stories that make me feel something—romance that tugs at my heart, thrillers that keep me on edge, horror that unsettles me just enough, and fantasy that demands full attention. Some books stick with me long after I finish them, while others are just quick distractions. Either way, every book I’ve read has added something, even if it’s just the memory of how it made me feel at the time.
And while I don’t always have the time or headspace for heavy reads, I know I’ll always come back to them. Reading isn’t just a hobby—it’s one of the few constants in my life. Even when I take a break, I always find my way back.
Wow, this is easily a 5-star read for me and is now probably my most favorite Junji Ito by far! Fragments of Horror consists 10 short stories with different themes.
This isn’t my first Junji Ito so you can say that I’m somewhat used to his out-of-this-world ideas when it comes to his works, but I still get that “what the fu–” reactions everytime I come across something so bizzare like that of Tomio: Red Turtleneck and Blackbird–my favorites–in this collection. It was freaking insane and creepy that I love it; it kind of reminds me of love potion horror stories. Continue reading
This book caught my attention the very first time I learned about it—one of the reasons is that my lolo is from Isabela which makes him Ilocano and Lam-ang is based on the Ilocano epic Biag ni Lam-ang.
Also, I feel like this is the perfect book to kickstart my reading year because I love fantasy and mythology and I’ve been meaning to get back into this genre after hyperfixating on thriller and horror in the past two years! And, not only that, but I also adore the “Chosen One” trope in fantasy, so you can definitely say that this book ticked off all of the things I am looking for in a fantasy book. Continue reading
This had been sitting on my TBR since 2022-ish and I finally decided to read it for Winterween 2025! For those of you who aren’t familiar with Winterween, it’s a readathon hosted by Gabbyreads on Youtube, so feel free to check her out for more details because another readathon similar to this will happen in the summertime as well!
Anyway, I’ve read another book from this author a couple of years back called Mukbang Princess and actually really liked it. It was a short but immensely weird book but the ending was so unexpected that I had to rate it 4 stars. So I’m really looking forward to read more of this author’s works.
Continue reading
Today I’m sharing some of my most anticipated releases in 2025!
I know there are lot more to come by the middle of the year, but as of the moment, here are the books that I am most excited about. I’m not that big of a new releases reader because I really love reading backlist books of authors, but I do read a couple of new releases throughout the year. So without further ado, here are my most anticipated books this year: Continue reading
“𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆—𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕, 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒕, 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚.”
My first book of 2025 is this short but whimsical fantasy novel that will definitely pull at your heartstrings and awaken the girl inside you. I love how empowering this book is! Also, I just can’t get over that stunning cover that I might grab a physical copy too! Continue reading
Title: My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward
Author: Mark Lukach
Publication Date: May 2, 2017
Number of Pages: 320
Format: Audiobook
Publisher: Harper Wave
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Mental Illness
A heart-wrenching, yet hopeful, memoir of a young marriage that is redefined by mental illness and affirms the power of love.
Mark and Giulia’s life together began as a storybook romance. They fell in love at eighteen, married at twenty-four, and were living their dream life in San Francisco. When Giulia was twenty-seven, she suffered a terrifying and unexpected psychotic break that landed her in the psych ward for nearly a month. One day she was vibrant and well-adjusted; the next she was delusional and suicidal, convinced that her loved ones were not safe.
Eventually, Giulia fully recovered, and the couple had a son. But, soon after Jonas was born, Giulia had another breakdown, and then a third a few years after that. Pushed to the edge of the abyss, everything the couple had once taken for granted was upended.
A story of the fragility of the mind, and the tenacity of the human spirit, My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward is, above all, a love story that raises profound questions: How do we care for the people we love? What and who do we live for? Breathtaking in its candor, radiant with compassion, and written with dazzling lyricism, Lukach’s is an intensely personal odyssey through the harrowing years of his wife’s mental illness, anchored by an abiding devotion to family that will affirm readers’ faith in the power of love. Continue reading
Title: The Things He Heard
Author: Matt Shaw
Publication Date: November 25, 2022
Number of Pages: 68
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Independent
Genre: Horror
A tragic, violent
The boy didn’t have cancer. He had something else buried deep within which he named “his Cancer”. Others didn’t know it was there, even though he tried telling them. Instead, they said he was “fine” and being “silly” and “melodramatic”. Even when his anger turned to frustration and streams of tears, they continued to say he was okay. He knew he wasn’t though and, the more they doubted him and didn’t listen, the more the “cancer” grew.
He could feel it inside and, it scared him. He knew that, one day, it was going to explode. What he didn’t know was who would be caught up in the explosion.
From award-winning author Matt Shaw, the author of Sick B*stards, The Octopus Trilogy and Roe V. Wade. Continue reading
Lenn of Spades ♠ 