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hey there, book lover!

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOME BOOK SPIRATION?

As a passionate book blogger, we admit—we love books a little too much! There’s nothing like immersing ourselves in a magical world and getting lost in a story for hours. Whether you’re into fantasy, adult fiction, romance, or a thrilling mystery, we’ve got a variety of book reviews for you to dive into. If you’re seeking book recommendations, author insights, or bookish content, you’ve come to the right book blog!

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DIARY OF A READER

Hi, I’m Dominique! Your bookish bestie.

I love books! Especially the fantasy, adventure, romance, mystery, and thrills they bring. The best part of my day is coming home, cooking dinner with my kids, and curling up with a good book and a glass of wine. Nothing beats the escapism of diving deep into a story and losing yourself in the pages.

As a lifelong reader, professional book reviewer, and your go-to book blogger for emotional, in-depth takes on every book I read, I created this space to celebrate the kind of books that stay with you long after you finish the last page, and to spotlight the voices that deserve to be heard.

If you’re searching for a book blog with book recommendations, ideas for your TBR list, and unique book reviews, The Diary of a Reader is the perfect place for you. I hope you stay a while and find your next favorite read.

JOIN THE BOOKISH JOURNEY

I’m here to give you the books you’ve been dreaming of.

I’m here to give you the books you’ve been dreaming of. Welcome to your new favorite book blog! A space built for readers who live for book reviews, obsess over indie authors, and are always chasing that next unforgettable read. Whether you’re here to discover your next five-star book, explore thoughtful book reviews, or just get lost in a world of storytelling, you’re in the right place.

This isn’t just a book blog, it’s a community. One made for authors, book bloggers, and passionate readers who love to connect, share, and stay inspired. From publishing insights to book marketing conversations, you’ll find it all here. We want to help you find the stories you will love.

Do you have a book you would like us to review? Books are expensive, and we know how important it is to find the right fit. Let’s connect and work together to make sure your book gets the attention it deserves.

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    • Book Recommendations | Book Tag | Lifestyle

      The Truth About Book Preorders (and Why They Matter)

      ByDominique October 13, 2025October 13, 2025

      There’s a kind of magic in waiting until a book is released. That space between now and not yet released….

      Read More The Truth About Book Preorders (and Why They Matter)Continue

    • Book Reviews | Contemporary | Romance

      If It Makes You Happy Review: When Sweet Meets Shallow

      ByDominique October 8, 2025October 12, 2025

      If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia promises the kind of cosy fall romance you’d expect to fall in…

      Read More If It Makes You Happy Review: When Sweet Meets ShallowContinue

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    diaryofthereader

    🌙 Book Blogger | Dark Romance & Fantasy Books
    Through words, I share the kind of stories that stay
    For readers who love fiction that lingers

    From wishing I could buy every book at the school From wishing I could buy every book at the school book fair…
to standing in my own little library now. 🥹📚✨

There’s something so healing about watching your childhood dreams quietly come true. The kind that doesn’t announce itself just becomes.

Tap…tap…tap…another story was added to the shelves, another version of me who would be proud.

Tell me—what’s a bookish dream you’re living right now? 🌙

#BookFairToBookshelf #HomeLibraryGoals #BookishAesthetic #BookTok #Bookstagram #CozyLibrary #BookishInspo #BookLover #HomeLibrary #BookishVibes #BookishContent #AestheticBooks #ReadersOfInstagram #BookAddict #ShelfieSunday #BookCollector #BookCommunity

book fair aesthetic || home library ideas || cozy reading space || book lover || bookshelf goals || bookish aesthetic || reader lifestyle || personal library || cozy book nook || book collector
    READS TO ADD TO YOUR TBR Fall reads that feels li READS TO ADD TO YOUR TBR

Fall reads that feels like curling up under a blanket while the world slows down 🍂

If your TBR needs a touch of magic, mystery, and moody atmospheres — these are the ones to reach for next:

✨ Our Gifted Hearts by Jennifer Kennedy
🦇 What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
🌲 Black Witch by Laurie Forest
💫 Wildwood Magic by Willa Reece 
🐺 The Wolf by Leo Carew

They’re the kind of stories that make your coffee go cold because you swear you’ll read just one more chapter.

Tap…tap…tap—your next obsession is waiting.
What book has been haunting your fall TBR lately? 🍁

Save this post for your next cozy reading day. 🕯️

Thank you to @angryrobotbooks for sending me a copy of Our Gifted Hearts

#FallReads #BookRecommendations #AutumnReading #CozyBookVibes #Bookstagram #FantasyBooks #DarkFantasy #BookishAesthetic #MoodyReads #TBRList #BookLover #ReadersOfInstagram #BookInfluencer #FantasyBookRecs #BookishSoftLife #BookPhotography #WhatToReadNext #SeasonalReads

fall reads · cozy fall books · fantasy book recs · atmospheric reads · moody fantasy books · bookish soft life · dark academia aesthetic · witchy books · romantasy · what to read next
    THE KEEPER OF NIGHT mini review... Souls captured THE KEEPER OF NIGHT mini review...

Souls captured in bone-glass vials and a heroine torn between worlds.

The Keeper of Night is dark, moody, and left me conflicted.

The imagery, the worldbuilding — it’s haunting, moody, and full of Japanese folklore.

But the deeper I read, the harder it was to connect. Ren’s descent into villainy felt hollow, and the romance with Hiro? Rushed, shallow, and frustrating. The real heartbreak was Neven — her younger brother deserved better than the way she treated him.

Kylie Lee Baker’s writing is gorgeous and atmospheric, but the characters left me cold. I wanted to love this dark fantasy, but in the end, it just didn’t stay with me.

Have you read The Keeper of Night? Did you connect with Ren more than I did?

#TheKeeperofNight #KylieLeeBaker #FantasyBookReview #DarkFantasy #JapaneseFolklore #BookReview #FantasyReads #YAFantasy
    ✨️It's officially tike to say Hello October (a ✨️It's officially tike to say Hello October (a little late, but better late than never, right?) 🍂

This month's TBR is already stacked because being a mood reader doesn't stop the ARC pile from looming. 

👀On top of my list:
📚 The Librarians 
📚 The Flaws of Gravity 
📚 Uncharted

....but first, I have to finish Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone. I'm completely consumed by the Lyonesse trilogy, and honestly, it might just be my new personality until another book ruins me. 

So tell me: what's on your October TBR? Are you chasing spooky vibes, cozy vibes, or something hauntingly romantic?

cozy fall books. autumn tbr. fall vibes. october vibes. bookish october. fall reading. october reading list. fall books. seasonal reads. october aesthetic. halloween books.

#HelloOctober #OctoberTBR #SpookySeasonReads #CozyFantasy #DarkRomanceBooks #FallReadingVibes #BookstagramCommunity #AutumnReading #BookishOctober #DiaryOfAReader
    📖✨ Organize Your Story, One Page at a Time ✨📖

There's something about a fresh planner that feels like possibility in my hands. I've been using the 
 Anecdote Goods Planner, (thank you @anecdotegoods for providing me with this), and I can’t stop obsessing over it.

The big size gives me room to breathe, the textured cover makes it feel luxe, and the undated pages mean I can start and stop whenever I need to (because this girl always needs options). Paired with my new obsession LePen pens is a match made in heaven. 

While I wish it came with built-in trackers, it’s not a dealbreaker—the weekly spread has everything I crave: a timed schedule, space for priorities, and a to-do list that actually keeps me focused.

With January around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get intentional, get cozy, and get organized. 🖋️

💌 Your next chapter of productivity is waiting. Will you start it with Anecdote Goods?

Are you a planner person, or is ‘organized chaos’ your true system?

planner setup • planner community •daily productivity • planning routine • intentional living
•planner organization• creative planning •planning aesthetic• planner inspiration • goal setting

#AnecdoteGoods #PlannerAddict #BookishPlanner #WeeklyPlanner #OrganizedLife #PlanningCommunity #ProductivityTools #BookishSoftLife #BookBloggerLife #PlanWithMe #StationeryLovers #JournalCommunity #IntentionalLiving #CozyProductivity #UndatedPlanner
    ✨Blood. Betrayal. Belonging.✨ When loyalty is ✨Blood. Betrayal. Belonging.✨

When loyalty is demanded,  but your heart belongs elsewhere, what choice do you make?

📚 This is a fantasy for readers who crave politics, rebellion, and sapphic tension sharp enough to cut.

So what would you choose: love, country or freedom?

Thank you to @orbitbooks_us for sending me The Unbroken and The Faithless by @clclarkwrites

#TheUnbroken #TheFaithless #CLClark #fantasybooks #sapphicfantasy #epicfantasy #politicalfantasy #bookstack #bookishaesthetic #fantasyreads #bookstagramcommunity #bookishsoftlife #cozyreads #bookphotography #readmorefantasy
    ✨️Bookshelf aesthetic break✨️ We now inte ✨️Bookshelf aesthetic break✨️

We now interrupt your daily chaos for something softer: shelves full of stories,waiting yo be lived in. 📚

Because sometimes staring at your shelves is self care

Save this moment for the next time the chaos gets too loud, and  remember that:

📚 books > chaos🌪

#BookshelfAesthetic #BookshelfGoals #BooksOfInstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #BookRecommendations #FantasyBooks #RomanceBooks #CozyBookNook #BibliophileLife #BookBlog
    ✨ Crimson Throne. Curses. Queens. Magic. ✨ Un ✨ Crimson Throne. Curses. Queens. Magic. ✨

Unboxing ✨️ The Crimson Throne ✨ by Sara Raasch & Beth Revis, and I'm already hooked. A fantasy release full of secrets, curses, and court intrigue that has me holding my breath!

📦 Huge thanks to @sourcebooksfire for the book mail!

👉 What's the last fantast adventire you unboxed or added to your TBR?

#CrimsonThrone #SaraRaasch #BethRevis #FantasyBooks #BookUnboxing #BookReels #NewBookRelease #BookTokMadeMeDoIt #BookstagramUnboxing #FantasyRomance #NewYorkTimes #CourtIntrigue #MagicAndStars #BooksOfInstagram #BookContent
    ✨️It's witchy season ✨️ which means stacki ✨️It's witchy season ✨️ which means stacking up books that give all the witch book vibes( and we can't forget fairytale, spooky, and a little bit magical vibes too) 🍂🕯️

🖤Save this post for when you're building your next cozy, spooky, or witchy read lists.

Now tell me, which witchy book do you always recommend? 

#WitchyBookVibes #BookVibes #BookAesthetic #CozyFantasy #FantasyBooks #DarkFairytales #SpookySeasonReads #MoodyBookstagram
    What would you risk losing everything for? ✨️ What would you risk losing everything for? ✨️ 

O.O. Sangoyomi’s Masquerade is a lyrical tale exploring reimagined 15th century West Africa. A debut novel of epic power struggles, shaky loyalties, and revealing elaborate schemes that could topple kings. 

From warrior kings to the blacksmith guild, from rival states to a capital city pulsing with political intrigue, this story feels both mythic and intimate, loosely based on the Persephone myth but wholly original. 

If you love historical fiction rich with atmosphere, layered characters, and a wonderfully reimagined world, this is the book that will whisk you across centuries and leave you haunted long after the final page. 

Have you read a debut novel this year that completely consumed you? 👑

#Masquerade #OOSangoyomi #BookReview #HistoricalFiction #FantasyBooks #15thCentury #WestAfrica #DebutNovel #EpicFantasy #PoliticalIntrigue #Bookstagram #BookCommunity #ReadMoreBooks #FantasyBookReview #AfricanFantasy #ReimaginedHistory #BookContent #BooksOfInstagram
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