Category: news

  • 2024 Update

    2024 Update

    Welcome to the redesigned Hot Pepper Latte! ✨ After 10 years of blogging, it was time for a little refresh. I wanted something that reflects the look and feel of what I read today, so I drew inspiration from my bookstagram feed. Turns out I read a lot of colourful novels! With a new logo…

  • How to read more during COVID-19

    How to read more during COVID-19

    It can be difficult to amuse yourself at home and frustrating, especially as nicer weather is approaching, but please stay in! Stay in and read! Reading has always been a way for me to travel the world–this one and many others–when I’ve felt stuck in one place. Read to get lost in another time or…

  • Hello, 2020!

    Hello, 2020!

    If you’ve stuck around my blog before you will know I’m no stranger to a self-appointed break. Last year was definitely a long, silent one on Hot Pepper Latte when I found myself well and truly burnt out. It was not just my blog that was silent but I pulled back on all my other…

  • Tales from The Moth

    Tales from The Moth

    The Moth is releasing its second book, All These Wonders on March 21st! What better time to review their first collection? From the outset, I wasn’t sure how I was going to write about The Moth book, or even if I should. As a collection of stories from the incredibly popular podcast and touring show, which features…

  • Top 10 Bookstagrammers you need to follow

    Top 10 Bookstagrammers you need to follow

    Ah, #Bookstagram. That wonderful world of photos of books and avid readers on the hunt for their next beautiful, great read. I only discovered bookstagram myself a little while ago, but since then I can’t get enough. In fact, you can follow me @hplreads to see some bookstagrams of my own. My favourite thing about…

  • And so we begin at the beginning! 2017

    And so we begin at the beginning! 2017

    And we’re off! Welcome back to the new and improved Hot Pepper Latte. It was time for an upgrade and at the beginning of a new year it felt like what better time to do so? For those of you who have been with me the last few years you will find more of the…

  • I’m taking a coffee break!

    I’m taking a coffee break!

    I’m going on hiatus! Over the next few weeks I will be taking some time off from posting. It’s been a little over 3 years since Hot Pepper Latte was but a twinkle in my eye. At that time, my vision for this blog was a personal project to practice writing and track my reading. As…

  • Introducing Lattes with Ladies!

    Introducing Lattes with Ladies!

    So, I haven’t been able to post a review for a while and I’ve realized that with my schedule the way it is, I can’t really keep up this blog on reviews alone — and I wouldn’t want to! I’ve made quite a few posts about my reading life which have gone over well and…

  • An Ode to Festivals

    An Ode to Festivals

    The Word on the Street book and magazine festival hits the Harbourfront this Sunday, September 25, 2016. After four years of attending, I decided to spice things up this year and volunteer for the first time! If you’ve never attended Word on the Street you should definitely check it out this weekend. Literary festivals are…

  • Am I reading the right books?

    Am I reading the right books?

    I can’t shake the feeling that I’m not reading the right books. When plied with the question “Have you read…?” I almost always shrink with embarrassment because the answer is usually, “No I haven’t.” When asked to recommend a good book to someone I struggle because my reading choices are often miscellaneous, ranging from popular…

  • FOLD + Lawrence Hill Live!

    FOLD + Lawrence Hill Live!

    Two weekends ago I had the opportunity to hear Lawrence Hill in conversation with Farzana Doctor as part of FOLD, the Festival of Literary Diversity. I found out about FOLD late so I was only able to drop by on Sunday afternoon, but I was very excited to check out a festival dedicated to diversity…

  • In Defense of the Beach Read

    In Defense of the Beach Read

    I had a conversation with a friend a week ago about what I was reading now that the semester is over which brought us to a confounding realization: the lofty works of literature we had been dying to pick up for months now were too depressing.  Were they well-written? Yes. Were they interesting and thought-provoking?…