March Wrap-Up 2020

Hey there! It’s been a long time and tough times have brought me here. Currently being stuck at home during this pandemic means no work, no performances (spoken word), no  socializing, etc. And so I’ve been finding myself reading a lot more than usual. I truly do miss blogging and here we are.

In the month of March I read 9 books and DNFed 2 books. The title of the books will link you to the goodreads page

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Books Read

1. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James – ★★★★ 
   Genre: Thriller
2. Depression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim – ★★★★★ 
   Genre: Poetry
3. House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas – ★★★★★
   Genre: Adult Fantasy
4. Root of It by Lee Ortiz – ★★★★★
   Genre: Poetry
5. Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong – ★★★★★
   Genre: Poetry
6. New American Best Friend by Olivia Gatwood – ★★★★★
   Genre: Poetry
7. Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Cay Adams – ★★★★★
   Genre: Adult Romance
8. One Day In December by Josie Silver – ★★★★
   Genre: Adult Romance
9. Nothing is Okay by Rachel Wiley – ★★★★
   Genre: Poetry

My favorite reads this month were House of Blood and Earth, Depression & Other Magic Tricks, and Undercover Bromance. I’m so happy that I gave Sarah J. Maas another shot. She has definitely grown as a writer, the diversity felt organic, and I really believe that Adult Fantasy is her genre to write. She has so much freedom and it was just *chef’s kiss*,  I cannot wait to read the other parts of this series. It ended great but I can’t wait to see what happens.

Depression & Other Magic Tricks was a complete fave! What a poetry collection. I resonated and connected so much. Not only with her themes but with how she writes too. Undercover Bromance was another amazing book for me. I read that within 24 hours. I loved it so much. It was hilarious and deep too. I can’t wait for the third book because I also loved the first.

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Books I DNFed

When I had originally found out that Wild at Heart (Wild #2) by K.A. Tucker was coming out, I was super excited and surprised as well. Surprised because I thought The Simple Wild ended perfectly. I read 120 pages of Wild at Heart before giving up on it. I couldn’t do it. The main character was annoying me and I’m not in the mood to continue reading about a character is keeps making my eyes roll lol.

Then there’s Writers & Lovers by Lily King. I was really excited about this book. I actually like the writing. However, it was a scene in this book that did it for me. This small scene that scarred me. There are certain things that I cannot read at all. It’s not a trigger warning per se, it’s just a personal thing.

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and that is all for now! i will do a march book haul in a separate post. how are you all doing? and what was your favorite book in march? xo

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

September Wrap-Up 2019 (Birthday Edition + Books)

Hey there friends! As per usual, September is like Christmas for my family and I. A lot of birthday celebrations (including mines), parties, etc. Therefore, in September, I rarely if ever get any reading done. It’s been like this for years since I’ve been an avid reader. I just always find myself doing something other than reading on my free time.

For today’s post I’ll be talking about what I read, books I acquired, and what I did on my birthday!!! (in that order)

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What I Read

 

1. The Whisper Man by Alex North – DNF
   This is a thriller novel about a serial killer who’s now on the hunt again 20 years later. Although this book sounds amazing, I had a hard time getting into it. The writing style didn’t work for me. Ended up DNFing.
2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – ★★★★★
   A Historical Fiction novel set in WWII about 2 sisters and their survival. This book. Wow. Wow. Wow. There not enough words to describe everything I felt. I listened to the audiobook while also reading along and OMG did I cry! I now understand all the love and hype of this novel. I would highly recommend!
3. Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker – ★★★★★
   A second chance contemporary romance about two people who met when they both were camp counselors as teenagers. Something unbeknownst to us readers happens and 13 years later, they meet again. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!! This book was such a page turner and it was so very cute. It was exactly what I needed.

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Books Acquired

This was my Book of the Month selections for September. I have only read one of the three. In my previous post, I had mentioned wanting to read This Tender Land and The Last Time I Lied. However, laugh out loud, that was clearly a joke. I do plan on getting to those in October though. While writing this post, I am 50 pages into The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager which I am thoroughly enjoying. And so far, October, has been a pretty good reading month for me.

Like I always say every month, if you’re ever interested in BOTM, please let me know. I can send you my referral link and we both get a free book!

 

 

 

 

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My 30th Birthday

This section is going to get a little personal. I turned 30 on September 20th. For those of you who don’t know, I have always hated birthdays. September is actually a very hard month for me mentally and emotionally. I wrote a poem about that, here it is if you want to get a sense of what I mean:

“i was born in september. this month, where it’s supposed to be a celebration is usually the one where my darkest thoughts come alive. finally, not this year. it’s always been a little ironic since september is national suicide prevention month. if you or anyone you know is struggling please call 1-800-273-8255. they’re also available for online chat. you deserve to be here.”

I didn’t want a birthday celebration. I dislike parties. And this was a welcoming of a new decade while saying goodbye to my 20’s. I wrote a poem about that too!

I took this birthday into my own hands and booked myself and my mami a flight to Las Vegas. In reality, we really went for the Grand Canyon (#1 on my bucket list) because that’s where I wanted to spend my birthday and I ended up doing just that. Among other things of course!

I had such an amazing time out there. I drove two hours to get there and I was emotional. This is something I’ve been wanting to do since I’ve seen photos of the Canyon (for years). I knew it was going to be an experience. Once we reached over a mountain while driving and saw the Grand Canyon, I started CRYING. Mami was clearly nervous because I was driving. However, the energy, the peace, the cleansing of soul is something that I cannot describe word for word, it simply needs to be felt and experienced. For the first time, I told myself “this is how every birthday should feel like, a welcoming.” And it most definitely was! I loved how I started off my 30th birthday!

While driving to the Grand Canyon we made a scenery stop and saw this beauty:

After spending the day at the Grand Canyon and getting back to Vegas, we went to a birthday dinner at this amazing Cuban Restaurant (Cuba Cafe). The day after, we decided to go to Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Red Rock Canyon.

That same night, we decided to take a walk in the Las Vegas Strip! I’ll be completely honest, I wasn’t really fond of everything there. I guess because I live in a huge city myself (NYC), therefore I felt like I was home all over again. I preferred the nature views instead of all the people lol. BUT I did take pictures! Some hotels were really beautiful inside. We also caught the Water Fountain show at the Bellagio.

On Sunday, after spending time at the hotel’s pool, we went to a Cirque du Soliel show called “O” which was amazing! My mom has never been to a show and I needed to take her to her first one. She loves water as well so I thought “O” was perfect since they do a lot of water works. No pictures of Cirque du Soliel except the ending because that wasn’t permitted. After the show, we went to Fremont Street which was fun and hilarious. We saw a lot of wild things.

Monday was our last day. We had to check out early from the hotel but our flight didn’t leave till later that night. Mami and I both decided that we wanted to see the mountains once more and so we drove to Boulder City, Arizona and went to Hemenway Park which is known for their bighorn sheep. We saw them walking and up-close. It was perfect. It was a great last day of our trip.

We got home that Tuesday morning (9/24) and let’s just say that I fell in love with Arizona. I think I can safely say that a piece of my heart stood there. I’m extremely happy that I went to my number one spot from my bucket list (Grand Canyon). It was an ethereal experience. I can’t wait to go again and check out the North and South Rim. I also want to go to Sedona.

I’m grateful to have what I do in order to experience such greatness. And I am extremely blessed to be where I am at in life, with peace of mind and genuine happiness. I still have my lows but it’s great to know that I’m not the same person anymore, that I can overcome anything thrown my way, that I know how to cope with the hardship when it does come (thank you therapy). I know that one day New York won’t be home anymore and maybe one day I’ll bring you along with me when that journey comes.

If you’ve stood this far, thank you. I send all my love xo.

June & July Wrap – Up

Hey everyone. Better late than never right? It’s been a while and I hope you’re all doing well. I’ve been changing up my weekly schedule and I’m hoping that I can fit in more blogging time. Not just with posting but also with reading and being apart of the community. I decided to combine both June & July since I did a haul post that you can check out here. In today’s post I’ll be discussing books read, things watched, and albums I’ve been listening too. The titles of books will link you to the Goodreads page.

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Books I Read

Cycling safety / poor visibility to oncoming traffic

1. King of Scars (Nikolai Duology #1) by Leigh Bardugo – DNF
   This is a YA fantasy that unfortunately didn’t work for me. I was truly looking forward to this one as I had read all of Bardugo’s other Grishaverse books. However, after 100 pages I felt like nothing was going on and I refused to continue on.
2. The Fade Out: Act One by Ed Brubaker ★★
   A graphic novel set in Hollywood’s Golden era in which a murder takes place. This murder includes a famous actress and now someone needs to take her place. I was confused the whole time. However, the graphics were beautiful.
3. When We Left Cuba (Next Year In Havana #2) by Chanel Cleeton ★★★★★
   An adult historical fiction novel following one of the Perez sisters who’s recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro’s inner circle. This book blew me away just like Next Year In Havana. It’s politically heavy, however I learned a lot.
4. Radio Silence by Alice Oseman – DNF
   This book is a YA contemporary novel. I tried getting into the audiobook. After listening to about 2 hours of it, I found that this book wasn’t the right fit for me.
5. A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson ★★
   This book is marketed as a mystery thriller but it feels more like a family drama where the daughter of a normal family kills someone and the parents morals are tested to see how far they would go to protect her. I thought this book was easily predictable and the translation was very choppy.
6. A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum ★★★★★
   The contemporary historical fiction that I absolutely needed in audiobook format!! I highly recommend this book via audiobook because each voice has a narrator. A Woman Is No Man is about three generations of Palestinian women and this is their story.
7. Circe by Madeline Miller ★★★★★
   I didn’t know how much I needed this Greek Mythology Retelling till I read it. I genuinely thought I wasn’t going to like this book but thankfully I was proven wrong. Circe is about a goddess witch who has been outcasted and we follow her journey.
8. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager ★★★★★ 
   Another audiobook that I would highly recommend. This mystery thriller is about a prestigious building in Manhattan in which a young woman gets hired to apartment sit. However, the Bartholomew has its secrets and things get tense when one of the apartment sitters goes missing.
9. After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid ★★★★★
   A romance novel about a married couple who decide to take a one year break after their marriage has hit a breaking point. I LOVED THIS BOOK!! It had a little bit of everything: laughter, sadness, anger, and happiness. Highly recommend for a quick read with a punch.

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Books Read for The Reading Rush Readathon

1. Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor ★★
   In continuation of Strange the Dreamer which is a YA fantasy, I thought this one fell flat for me. I’ve noticed that I really love Laini Taylor’s first books but I always dislike the sequels because of where the story goes after.
2. Crown of Lies (Truth and Lies Duet #1) by Pepper Winters ★★★★
   An adult dark romance about a young woman who has it all but falls in love with a stranger after something tragic happens, years later though a new guy comes in and he reminds her of this stranger. Pepper Winters just knows how to write dark angsty romances. I do want to read the second one to see how it finishes.
3. Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine ★★★★★
   ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS EVER!!! This is a short story collection about Latina characters of indigenous ancestry. Each story was filled with meaningful messages. This book made me think and I’m so glad that it’s own voices because we need more of these stories.
4. Wilder Girls by Rory Power – DNF
   I found nothing Horror about this YA horror book. I tried 100 pages and was bored. It also kept reminding me of Replica by Lauren Oliver and I don’t want to waste my time reading the same books again.

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Shows & Movies Watched

• When They See Us was an excellent mini-series. I remember many years ago I was into this case. I watched YouTube videos and read articles online about The Central Park Five. This show is so important and I loved it. I must admit that it’s hard to watch. However, they didn’t shy away from the realities that are experienced in this world.
• Toy Story 4 was a joy to watch with my brother. I loved it and cried at the end. I was very emotional because this is one of my brother’s and I favorite childhood movies and now he gets married this year so whewwww the tears.
• Jessica Jones Season 3 was a little disappointing to say the least.
• Spider-Man: Far From Home was so good!!!! I’m just really loving this Spider-Man, okay? And by this one, I mean…compared to all the spider-man’s I’ve had in my lifetime already.
• Stranger Things Season 3 was everything I needed and I have a lot of theories for the next season. I cannot wait to see how things unravel. I also loved the new characters included.

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Albums On Repeat

OMG BANKS CAME OUT WITH A NEW ALBUM AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED FOR MY SOUL!!! I also finally decided to listen to Khalid’s album and think it’s perfect.

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That is all I have for you today! I’ve been enjoying the beach this summer and going out more. How’s your summer going? What have you been reading? Oh…can we also talk about how cute my child looks in this photo? xoxo

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

May Wrap-Up 2019

Better late than never right? Lol. I thought I was never going to get to this post. But here we are. I’m super excited to say that I read EIGHT books in the month of May. That’s a first in a very long time. For today’s post, I’ll be talking about books I read, books I acquired, and things I watched. All book titles will link you to Goodreads.

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What I Read

 

1. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James ★★★★★
   A mystery thriller novel set in a boarding school in Vermont. This book is written within two different perspectives/timelines, 1950 and 2014. One of my favorite reads with a small paranormal element. I have a mini review here.
2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides ★★★★★
   A mystery thriller novel about a woman who lives a normal life and one day out of the blue she kills her husband and goes mute. Never to speak again. Till a psychotherapist is convinved that he can change that circumstance around and unravel the truth. Mini review here.
3. Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren ★★★
   A contemporary romance about second chances and finding forgiveness. Another book with two timelines from the time the main characters are teenagers to present day adulthood. Mini review here.
4. No Exit by Taylor Adams ★★★
   A mystery thriller novel about a young woman who is on her way to see her dying mother but she gets caught up in a blizzard and has to go to a rest stop till weather conditions permit her to drive. However, in the rest stop, she sees a little girl locked in an animal crate and now the stakes are high. Mini review here.
5. Sadie by Courtney Summers ★★★★★
   A YA mystery novel about a girl named Sadie who takes matters into her own hands to avenge her sisters death. However, a radio personality hears about the story at a gas station and decides to follow Sadie’s journey because she’s missing. Told through Sadie’s POV and podcast, best to listen through audiobook. Mini review here.
6. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton ★★★★★
   A contemporary historical fiction romance novel based in 1958 and present day about a grandmother and a granddaughter. When the grandmother dies, the granddaughter is to lay her grandmothers ashes in Cuba. However, the trip will reveal a lot of deep secrets about the exiled Perez family. Mini review of my favorite read here.
7. Drowned in Milk Tea by Anne Chivon ★★★★★
   My best friend sent me an ARC of her chapbook filled with beautiful poems about the good and bad of love, dealing with loss, and the memories. I will have a review up on release day, June 21st.
8. The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient #2) by Helen Hoang ★★.5
   A contemporary romance about an Autistic man whose mom decides to take his love life into her own hands and flies to Vietnam to find him a bride. Finding someone, she moves in and things take off. Mini review here.

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Books Acquired

I got my second Book of The Month box filled with three books this time around. And I am happy to state that all three books were read! I feel like I’ve been doing really well with buying books and reading them as soon as I get them. It helps with not losing interest and then it sitting on my shelf for god knows how long.

If you’re ever interested in Book of The Month check out my referral link. I do not get any compensation. But the referral link gets you a free book credit and a free book for myself too. Also! Just an FYI, they only ship to USA.

 

 

 

 

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What I Watched

• FIRST OF ALL, THAT GAME OF THRONES FINALE WAS TRASH. UTTER TRASH. THAT IS IT.
• I finally finished season two of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and honestly, I found it kind of boring. However, I understand there was a lot of buildup for season 3 and will keep watching. I think season 3 will be very good. I did like the little plot twists and new characters.
• And finally, I watched a childhood movie, Aladdin, with my brother and mami!!!! OMG we loved it so much and thought it was a great adaptation.

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And that is all for today! This May Wrap-Up was better late than never. Hope your June is going well.

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

 

April Wrap-Up 2019

I am rusty, dusty, and cruuuuusty with these wrap-ups lol. I haven’t done one since Fall of 2017. You know what? This is a free judgment zone so please don’t lmao!

Alright so I want to do something different with these wrap-ups. I not only want to share what I read but also other things so let’s get started!!! All book titles will link you to Goodreads.

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What I Read

1. Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger ★★★★
   A mystery thriller novel with paranormal elements. My first Lisa Unger book and I really enjoyed it. Definitely has that atmospheric dark tone read but not scary at all. I have a non-spoiler review here.
2. Baptized in Moonlight by Morgan Scott ★★★★★
   A poetry collection on self, growth, journey, and many other topics. I am so glad that I got to this! I have a full review with some of my favorite poems here.
3. Sanctuary (Beards & Bondage #2) by Rebekah Weatherspoon ★★★★
   An adult erotica romance, this is my second time reading the author’s work. I definitely enjoyed the first one a lot more. What I love most about the author’s books is that it includes people of color as her characters which make it that much more fun. No review but I would definitely recommend, starting with the first one, Haven.
4. Miracle Creek by Angie Kim ★★★
   A courtroom drama mystery thriller novel about a Korean Immigrant family and an explosion that happened. I have my full thoughts in a non-spoiler review here.
5. Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ★★★★★
   A historical fiction coming of age novel with a little mystery in it. Wow, my favorite read of the month!!!! This book will stay with me for a long time. I have a full non-spoiler review here.
6. The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker ★★★★.5
   An adult contemporary romance about a young woman who’s absent father is sick and she goes to visit him to possibly reconnect somehow. However, during the trip to Alaska, she was not expecting to bond with the guy who’s been an asshole to her since she landed. This book has the hate to love trope and is definitely a slow burn romance. I highly enjoyed this book because it was more than the romance, it was about self as well.

After typing out all the books I’ve read, I’m really surprised with how much I read. I think I found the genres that are for me (Mystery, Thriller, Adult Romance).

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Books Acquired

ICYMI, I did my first ever monthly subscription box to Book of the Month! Check this post if you want to read all about it. I received Miracle Creek by Angie Kim.

 

One Saturday after my therapy session, I wanted to go book shopping and spend some money on myself. I missed roaming Barnes and Noble in peace and looking at the books, deciding which books to get. I bought these three books that were on my TBR shelf (two already read *high fives myself*).

Books in photo:
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

 

 

I feel like I’m doing so good with acquiring books and reading them right away! I’ll be starting Love and Other Words this week so I’m on track!

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What I Watched

The Order is about a secret society in a university. Except this secret society is filled with witches and warlocks. However, other monstrous things start taking place. I loved this and I hope there’s a second season.Quicksand is a 6 episode mini series about a school shooting. The episodes are a timeline of what led to the school shooting and what we see in the courtroom. I didn’t love this mini series but it definitely kept me interested, wanting to know who really did it and who was going to be prosecuted. Trigger warnings for school shootings, blood, suicide, and drug use.
Okay so this was a total rewatch for me. I’ve watched this movie like 4 times already lol. It’s the true story of two former Texas Rangers who killed Bonnie and Clyde. I love it because they don’t romanticize Bonnie and Clyde. I also really do love a good ole drama thriller set in the 1930s. Old crime stories really fascinate me.

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And last but definitely not least lol. Are we surprised? C’mon are we actually surprised? Of course I watched Endgame the first weekend it showed and I enjoyed it!! Game of Thrones also started in April and FINALLY!!! The wait is over, we will get to know what happens. Yes I have watched every episode since it has aired. What a time to be alive!

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Other Mentions

In April, I went to go see Bad Bunny in concert!!! If you don’t know who Bad Bunny is, he is a Puerto Rican Latin Trap Artist. This is my second time seeing him live and wow what a great time I had. I definitely love his new album X100PRE and he never disappoints! Arcangel and El Alfa also joined the stage with him to sing some of their songs together. I got to meet up with some of my friends who I haven’t seen in a long time and I also got to look super cute lol. After the concert was over, I was starved. So my friend took me to this spot called The Meatball shop which was my first time ever trying. The food was great and I want to go back!

But let’s talk about one of the most exciting things that happened this month!! BANKS came out with a new single titled Gimme and I have not stopped playing it at all. I have been waiting forever for Banks to drop something. She’s been hinting working in the studio for quite some time now and when this bop came out, I was not disappointed at all. I am so ready for an album. And I really hope she goes on tour to NYC so I can see her!

 

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And that is all I have for today! What was the highlight of your April? Let’s chat in the comments!

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

June Wrap-Up 2017

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I must say that I am very proud of my reading month in June. I feel like I definitely got my kick back in the reading game lol! So without further ado, let’s get started!

What I Read:

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas ★★
Genre: New Adult Fantasy
I have a full RANT review here. The review has a lot of spoilers so I wouldn’t recommend it if you haven’t read the book. Let’s just say that I was very disappointed and will not be reading more from this author.

 

 

 

 

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Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2) by Victoria Schwab ★★★★★
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy
Amazing conclusion to the Monsters of Verity duology. I am still in my feelings and can’t quite believe it’s over. I have a non-spoiler review for it here. The review does however contain spoilers from the first book, please be cautious.

 

 

 

 

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Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia ★★★★★
Genre: YA Contemporary
Ugh I absolutely loved this book and will recommend it for days to come! It is contemporary but it talks about some very important things like mental health, family dynamics’s, and friendships. I also loved how the author inserted some of the webcomic in the book. I have a non-spoiler review here.

 

 

 

 

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soft magic. by Upile Chisala ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
I’m not sure if I’m going to do a review on this one. But definitely a FOREVER FAVORITE!! Wow this book should be read by all women, especially Women of Color. This one was amazing.
Goodreads Synopsis:
‘soft magic.’ is the debut collection of prose and poetry by Malawian writer, Upile Chisala. This book explores the self, joy, blackness, gender, matters of the heart, the experience of Diaspora, spirituality and most of all, how we survive. ‘soft magic.’ is a shared healing journey.

 

 

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;recovery by Jasmine Smith ★★★★
Genre: Poetry
For anyone who likes break-up poetry, I would recommend this one. The author takes us through the ups and downs of a relationship and her thought process.
Goodreads Synopsis:
a collection of modern poetry surrounding the most vulnerable time – post-breakup. follow the journey of hurt on the road to recovery

 

 

 

 

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lavender petals and a wild heart by Cheyenne Raine ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
Such a beautiful written collection. filled with curiosity, color, and wonder. I cannot wait to read more by this author!
Goodreads Synopsis:
A lavender sky of words, thoughts, poetry and prose written with love and curiosity. A collection inspired by the emotions that flow from the heart due to the gentle presence of a wild and adventurous soul. This book dives into the mixture of warm and lovely feelings that blossom when adoring another’s heart.

 

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Poetry Posted in June:
a letter to the moon
some kind of self-love

for my short poetry, you can check out my instagram! link is at the end of this post ❤

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I did a few memes this past June but the two that I will be featuring are the Top Ten Tuesdays since the others were WWW’s and Friday Reads.

TTT: Series I’ve Been Meaning to Start But Haven’t
TTT: Best Books You’ve Read in 2017 So Far

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that is all for this monthly wrap-up! have you heard and/or read any of these books? let’s chat in the comments!

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads

April Wrap-Up 2017

Hi everyone!!! I’m always late to the monthly wrap-up party but they do say better late than never right? I had a way better month reading-wise in April than in March. Whereas in March, I read no books due to my book being released April 4th and I was a ball of mess and stress. With getting things ready and formatting the e-book of my poetry book, it was hard. In April I read tons of Poetry books because it was National Poetry Month, let’s get started on the books I read in April!

What I Read:

 

Walking Through the Forest by Elizabeth Ann ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
This debut poetry book is definitely worth the word. It’s about divorce, pain, healing, and self-love. I wrote a review for it here.

 

 

 

 

 

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Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately by Alicia Cook ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
From this book being self-pub to now published via Andrews McMeel.  This poetry book is about grief, love, and loss. Divided into two parts, Side A and Side B the remixes. I have a full review here.

 

 

 

 

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Hummingbird by Sophia Elaine Hanson ★★★★★ 
Genre: Poetry
A small poetry book about break-up, being heartbroken, and finding yourself. I have a mini-review here.

 

 

 

 

 

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We Are Okay by Nina Lacour ★★★★★ 
Genre: YA Contemporary, LGBTQ+
This book was so perfect and amazing. A book about a girl who suddenly moves from one the west coast to the east coast and completely changes her life, leaving everything behind, even the people she loves the most. Till her best friend from her old life comes to visit and has her face everything. I wrote a mini review for this 5 star read here.

 

 

 

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Poems I Found in my Closet by Evette Blue ★★★★★ 
Genre: Poetry
goodreads synopsis: I found poems I wrote during the late 90s to early 2000s buried deep in my closet. Perhaps they should have stayed there. These writings explore teenage and early adulthood angst, love, and loss. I wrote these poems during a time when I felt lost, full of hormones, and thought that every setback was the end of the world. It was also before I diagnosed with a mental illness. It turns out that it wasn’t the end of the world. Nearly 20 year later, I’m still standing.
The following poems won’t be the greatest poems you’ve ever read. I just hope they’re not the worst you’ve ever read.
These are artifacts from my life. Laugh. Cry. Cringe. Relate. Drag me on Goodreads. Experience every emotion possible.

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Love Poems I Found in my Closet ★★★★★ 
Genre: Poetry
goodreads synopsis: Technically I didn’t find these poems in my closet. They were on my flash drive. They were a part of the first very draft of a bestselling book I wrote under a different pen name. As the book took another direction, I felt like some of these writings didn’t have a place in the collection anymore.
Like the first volume, these poems explore love and loss. It’s about falling in love, falling into bed, and falling apart. I wrote these poems around 2007-2008 after falling in love and experiencing the perils of unrequited love.
Again, the following poems won’t be the greatest poems you’ve ever read. I just hope they’re not the worst poems you’ve ever read.
These are more artifacts from my life. Laugh. Cry. Cringe. Relate. Drag me. Experience every emotion possible.

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Poems I Found in my Closet and Love Poems I Found in my Closet do not have reviews because they’re short and honestly both of them would be me gushing over them on how much I love them so much.

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Some poems I posted:
is this the part where i apologize?
counting backwards from 10

things have been a little hectic since my poetry book released, in a good way. i’m slowly adjusting to change and i do plan on posting more poems here like i used to ❤

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Things That Happened in April:

On April 4th, my poetry book both in paperback and e-book version released!! I have gotten so much love and great feedback, thank you for all those that have been supporting me through this journey. I have a whole post about my book release here:

my poetry book may be purchased in Amazon (worldwide), kindle unlimited, Barnes & Noble (online), and Book Depository.

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I also was invited to do a podcast on April 30th and it was uploaded a few days ago. I talk about my book, being Latina, diversity in books, amongst other things. Thank you to the wonderful Valeria Flores for having me! If you would like to listen to it, check it out here:

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And that is it for the month of April! What have you all been up to? I would love to chat in the comments! Hope you all have a lovely day =)

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

November Wrap-Up 2016

Hello everyone!! I hope you are all doing well today. It’s the ending of the year and this time is where things get crazy with the holidays and holiday shopping.

I only read two books in November. November was a hard month for me, I’ve been going through some things in my personal life and also experienced the dreaded Reading Slump because of the hectic stuff going on. On a positive note, I did start writing a new poetry book which also has placed a stop on my reading.

On to the books!

 

Heartless by Marissa Meyer ★★★★★
Genre: YA Fantasy
This book is a Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland retelling, I have a in depth non spoiler review here. This was my favorite of the month and I got to buddy read this with my book bestie Lilly @ Lair Of Books. If you click her name, it will also lead you to her awesome in depth review =)

 

 

 

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Sweet Filthy Boy (Wild Seasons Series #1) by Christina Lauren ★★
Genre: New Adult
Someone should’ve saved me from reading this book lol. I couldn’t stand it and I have a rant review for it here. The review explains my thoughts and feelings towards it perfectly.

 

 

 

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Like I stated earlier, November wasn’t my greatest month, however I still posted some poetry for People I Once Knew. I posted parts 11, 12, and 13. Which are about the neighbors that once lived upstairs, a teenage friend, and a stalker.

I also posted other poems:
sorry for being absent
the cab driver this morning
me, him, and us.
a story written in verse

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I do a meme that goes by the name of Mini Review Monday. I posted 2 M.R.M.’s for:
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
Legend (The Legend Trilogy #1) by Marie Lu

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What I’ve been watching:
I finished Sons of Anarchy and also started/finished Luke Cage. Both 5 out of 5 star ratings for me. LOVED EVERY SINGLE THING and would highly recommend it!

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I can’t make any promises reading wise for December, especially with the holidays around the corner but I just hope you all stay safe out there and enjoy any time off!

Have you read the books and/or shows that were mentioned? What are your thoughts? I hope you have a great December =D

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Follow me on Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Friend me on Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

October Wrap-Up and November TBR 2016

I’m skipping Mini-Review Monday because I honestly have had a crazy week and just haven’t had time for anything. I apologize for being absent with liking/commenting on blog post. Anyways!! I am so happy that October is over, can the rest of the year move along as well too? K, thanks.

So…
umm..
I only read 2 books lol. I was busy watching Sons of Anarchy.

Don’t mind if I do Jax. (I’m going to get so much
crap for this lol)

On to the books I read in October:

1. Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo ★★★.75
   Fantasy, Young Adult
   I have not written a review for this book. I just felt really underwhelmed with all of it. That’s the best way to describe my feelings towards this one.
   
2. Gemina (The Illuminae File #2) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff ★★★★★
   SciFi, Young Adult
   I have a rave review for Gemina here
   

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So this month I went to New York Comic Con with my brother and met up with my fave/book twin/book soulmate/friend Lilly @ Lair Of Books. We scored so many books!! Lol. I split the book haul into 2 parts. For Vol. 1 click here and for Vol. 2 click here

Writing wise, I posted 7 poems. 3 for my People I Once Knew segment and 4 personal. If you want to check out my poetry, click here for the page =)

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November TBR (to be read)

I never have a monthly TBR planned out because
A. I’m a mood reader
B. I’m a mood reader
C. I’m a mood reader

HOWEVER!!! This month I have some ARCs and highly anticipated releases that I am definitely going to get too. So let’s get to it =)

• Heartless by Marissa Meyer is a Young Adult Retelling where Marissa Meyer writes a prequel of Alice in Wonderland featuring Queen of Hearts as the main character. We get to meet a sweet girl by the name of Catherine and this is her story. I’m buddy reading this with Lilly since we snagged an ARC copy at Comic Con, if you want to read the full synopsis click here.
• The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid is a Young Adult SciFi novel about engineering beings rather humans, an empire, and rebellion.  Which is what I got from the slightly confusing synopsis. I also snagged an ARC of this book at Comic Con and for some reason I thought it released later in November but nope. Ugh!! If you want to read the full synopsis click here.
• Replica by Lauren Oliver is another Young Adult SciFi book, yay to me that I’ve been reading more SciFi lately lol. This book is about clones Lyra and Gemma who do not live near one another at all and all of a sudden things go haywire for both Lyra and Gemma in which makes Gemma go to where Lyra is at. Both girls do not know one another, from what I gathered in the synopsis. If you want to read the full synopsis, click here.
• Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4) by C.C. Hunter is a Young Adult Paranormal story. I will not be including a brief synopsis because I feel like it would spoil. However, if you like boarding schools, witches, vampires, fairies, werewolves, a mix of everything paranormal then read the first book Born at Midnight =)

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And that is it my friends! I hope you all have a lovely November, let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books, your thoughts, etc etc..I love to chit chat, it keeps me sane lol. What do you plan on reading this month?

Follow me on Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Friend me on Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)