--- title: "The blog — bookish notes and round-ups" description: "Bookish essays, trope explainers, seasonal recommendations and reading round-ups from Amy at Bella Bugs Books." canonical: "https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog" url: "https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog.md" author: "Amy — Bella Bugs Books" locale: "en-IE" type: "index" date_modified: "2026-09-15" --- # Blog Bookish essays, trope explainers and reading round-ups. - [What to Read Next, Based on Your Mood](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/what-to-read-next-by-mood.md): Nine reading moods and the kind of book that satisfies each one — a better way to choose than genre alone. - [What to Read After Freida McFadden](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/books-like-freida-mcfadden.md): The exact ingredients that make her thrillers so bingeable, and how to find your next one-sitting read. - [A Cosy Autumn Reading List for Dark Evenings](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/cosy-autumn-reading-list.md): What to read when the evenings close in — the moods, genres and pairings that make autumn the best reading season of the year. - [Best Books to Read in a Reading Slump](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/best-books-for-a-reading-slump.md): Why slumps happen and the six kinds of book that reliably break them, from short thrillers to comfort rereads. - [Bookish Gifts Under €30 for the Reader in Your Life](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/bookish-gifts-under-30.md): Gift ideas that readers actually want, from someone who wraps them for a living — all under €30 and posted from Wexford. - [How to Start a Book Club at Home (That People Actually Turn Up To)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/how-to-start-a-book-club-at-home.md): The size, the schedule, the snacks and the questions — a practical guide to running a book club that survives past month three. - [How Long Does It Take to Read a Book? A Simple Guide](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-read-a-book.md): Work out your real reading time from page count and reading speed, and why the number varies so much between books. - [How to Read a Book a Week Without Making It a Chore](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/how-to-read-a-book-a-week.md): The realistic maths behind a book a week, plus the habits that make it feel like a treat instead of a target. - [How to Choose Your Next Book (When You Own 40 Unread Ones)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/how-to-choose-your-next-book.md): A five-minute method for picking your next read from an overflowing TBR, without doom-scrolling three apps first. - [Off Campus Series in Order: Elle Kennedy's Hockey Romance Guide](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/off-campus-series-in-order.md): All five Off Campus books in order, who each one follows, and where Briar U fits in afterwards. - [Colleen Hoover Books: Where to Start and What to Read Next](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/colleen-hoover-books-where-to-start.md): A no-spoiler guide to the Colleen Hoover backlist, which two books must be read in order, and which one to pick based on how much crying you are willing to do. - [Unpacking the CoHo Phenomenon: My Take on the Shelf](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/unpacking-the-coho-phenomenon-my-take-on-the-shelf.md): There's a particular hush that falls over a bookstore when someone asks for 'the CoHo section' – a collective knowing, a silent nod to the author who has truly captivated a generation of readers. Let's delve into her world. - [A Royal Farewell: Queen of Air and Darkness & Sweet Sorrow](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/a-royal-farewell-queen-of-air-and-darkness-sweet-sorrow.md): Curled up with the grand finale of a beloved series, I found myself adrift in a world both dazzling and heartbreaking. There's a particular hush that falls when you turn the last page of such an epic journey. - [A Whirlwind, and Then Some: My CoHo Journey](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/a-whirlwind-and-then-some-my-coho-journey.md): My reading life, usually a meandering river, recently took a sharp turn into a bustling, emotional cityscape. I'm talking, of course, about Colleen Hoover. - [Sarah J. Maas' Latest Books: A Court of Splintered Harmony and A Court of Forgotten Melody](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/sarah-j-maas-latest-books-acotar-6-and-7.md): Sarah J. Maas has revealed the titles, covers and release dates for ACOTAR 6 and 7. Here is everything confirmed so far, plus what to reread before October. - [Leaves, Lattes, and Literary Treasures: My Autumn Wishlist](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/leaves-lattes-and-literary-treasures-my-autumn-wishlist.md): Cozy blankets, fluffy socks, favorite loungewear and a breathtaking read... yes, please! - [Shatter Me Books in Order (Including Every Novella)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/shatter-me-books-in-order.md): The full Shatter Me reading order, where each novella slots in, and whether the second half of the series is worth it. - [Every Sarah J. Maas Book: Titles, Release Years and Cover Editions](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/sarah-j-maas-book-covers-and-names.md): Every Sarah J. Maas book by name and release year - Throne of Glass, ACOTAR and Crescent City - plus how the original covers differ from the redesigned editions. - [Sarah J. Maas Reading Order: ACOTAR, Throne of Glass and Crescent City](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/sarah-j-maas-reading-order.md): Which Sarah J. Maas series to start with, the correct order for each one, and the Assassin's Blade question everybody argues about. - [Cassandra Clare Books in Order: The Full Shadowhunter Reading Guide](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/cassandra-clare-books-in-order.md): Every Shadowhunter series in the right order, plus the two ways to read them and where a brand-new reader should really begin. - [Dark Romance Books: A Beginner's Guide (and Where to Start Safely)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/dark-romance-books-beginners.md): What dark romance actually is, how it differs from spicy romance, how to read content warnings properly, and five dark romance books to start with. - [Book Gifts in Ireland: What to Send a Reader (2026 Guide)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/book-gifts-ireland.md): The best book gifts to send readers in Ireland — wrapped mystery parcels, personalised picks and monthly boxes — with prices, An Post delivery times and gifting tips. - [The Best Book Club Books for 2026 (with Discussion Questions)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/best-book-club-books.md): The best book club books are the ones people argue about. Here are the picks that reliably start a conversation, plus ready-made discussion questions for your next meeting. - [Blind Date With a Book: How It Works (and Why Readers Love It)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/blind-date-with-a-book-ireland.md): A blind date with a book is a wrapped mystery read chosen from clues, not covers. Here is how ours works, what goes in the parcel and how to pick clues you will actually love. - [Enemies to Lovers Books: The Trope Explained (and 8 to Read)](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/enemies-to-lovers-books.md): Why enemies to lovers books work, what separates a great one from a lazy one, and eight titles across romantasy, contemporary romance and dark romance to read next. - [Books Like ACOTAR: 7 Romantasy Reads to Pick Up Next](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/books-like-acotar-irish-readers.md): Finished A Court of Thorns and Roses and need the next fix? Here are seven books like ACOTAR — fae courts, slow burn romance and heroines with teeth — ranked by how close they feel. - [The Best Thriller Books to Read in Ireland Right Now](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/best-thriller-books-ireland.md): The best thriller books for Irish readers in 2026 — psychological thrillers, domestic suspense and one-sitting page-turners, with honest notes from my own shelf. - [What to read after Fourth Wing: 7 dragon-adjacent romantasy picks](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/what-to-read-after-fourth-wing.md): You've inhaled Fourth Wing and Iron Flame and now you're waiting for book three like the rest of us. Here's what to read in the meantime. - [What is romantasy? A beginner's guide to fantasy's spiciest genre](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/what-is-romantasy-beginners-guide.md): Everyone's talking about romantasy — but what actually counts, where did it come from, and which book should you start with? Here's the friendly, no-gatekeeping guide. - [Books like Throne of Glass: 8 series for your next 5,000-page obsession](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/books-like-throne-of-glass.md): Finished Throne of Glass and need another sprawling fantasy series with a fierce heroine and a cast you'd die for? These eight will keep you up past your bedtime. - [The best romantasy tropes, ranked by a woman who has read too many](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/best-romantasy-tropes-ranked.md): Fated mates, only one bed, morally grey villain love interests — I have opinions. A completely subjective ranking of the tropes that keep us reading past midnight. - [What to read after ACOTAR: 9 books to fill the Prythian-shaped hole](https://bellabugsbooks.com/blog/what-to-read-after-acotar.md): Finished A Court of Thorns and Roses and don't know where to go next? Here are nine romantasy reads — from Sarah J. Maas herself to the slow-burn faerie courts you haven't met yet — to soften the landing. --- _Every book recommended here is read in full and reviewed by Amy. No sponsorships, no gifted-book obligations, spoilers always marked._ ## Related - [Book reviews](https://bellabugsbooks.com/reviews.md) - [Reading guides](https://bellabugsbooks.com/guides.md) - [Bookish gift packages](https://bellabugsbooks.com/packages.md) - [Delivery and postage](https://bellabugsbooks.com/delivery.md) - [About Amy and Bella](https://bellabugsbooks.com/about.md)