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

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Waiting on Wednesday

TIME TO SHARE WHAT I AM EXCITED ABOUT!!!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine. Every Wednesday you discuss a book that you are highly anticipating.

The Last Train to Key West
by Chanel Cleeton

Release Date: June 16, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Fiction

In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s captivating new novel.

Everyone journeys to Key West searching for something. For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler’s legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget the economic depression gripping the nation. But one person’s paradise can be another’s prison, and Key West-native Helen Berner yearns to escape.

The Cuban Revolution of 1933 left Mirta Perez’s family in a precarious position. After an arranged wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can’t deny the growing attraction to the stranger she’s married, her new husband’s illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life.

Elizabeth Preston’s trip from New York to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles as a result of the Wall Street crash. Her quest takes her to the camps occupied by veterans of the Great War and pairs her with an unlikely ally on a treacherous hunt of his own.

Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women’s paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys.

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ANOTHER HISTORICAL FICTION NOVEL BY CHANEL CLEETON?!?! DON’T MIND IF I DO!!!!! I’ve read both Next Year In Havana and When We Left Cuba. Both were 5 star novels. Chanel just knows how to write. Not only does she write an amazing story, she knows how to write characters, plots, and she’s spot on with the History. I have no doubt in my mind that this book will be anything but amazing. June seems so far off but with the way the year is going, it’ll be here in no time.

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Are you looking forward to this book? Have you read Chanel Cleeton before? Let me know in the comments!

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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

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June & July Book Haul (including BOTM)

Hey all! I hope you’re having a good day today. For today’s post I wanted to share with you the books I have obtained for the months of June and July. I usually add the books in my wrap-ups. However, I am doing a June and July Wrap-Up together and if I add this section, then that post will be very long. So here we are lol. And without further ado, let’s get into the books!

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This was my June Book of the Month Box! It includes:

• A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum: A gripping historical fiction novel about 3 generations of Palestinian women.
• A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson: A thriller (more like legal drama) about a 18 year old who is currently awaiting trial for killing someone and the secrets her family keeps.
• Circe by Madeline Miller: A greek mythology retelling about a Goddess who happens to be a witch and is exiled to an island.

I got these books from Barnes & Noble. I wanted to take a stroll and ended up with these:

• When We Left Cuba (Next Year In Havana #2) by Chanel Cleeton: A historical fiction novel following one of the Perez sisters who gets hired by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro’s inner circle.
• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: A historical fiction novel set around WW2 about two sisters.

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My July Book of the Month box included:

• Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center: A Contemporary Romance about a woman firefighter, her life, and courage.
• Three Women by Lisa Taddeo: A narrative nonfiction that tells the story of 3 women within the span of 8 years.
• Lock Every Door by Riley Sager: A thriller novel about a young woman who gets a job to become an apartment sitter at a prestigious building in Manhattan but the building and people in it aren’t what they seem.

The last two books that I acquired in the month of July are:

• Wilder Girls by Rory Power: A young adult horror novel about a school for girls that is place under quarantine. However, not everything is what it seems to be.
• My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing: A thriller novel about a normal suburban family but then the couple gets bored and they decide to go for the kill.

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And there you have it! My June & July book haul. Any of these books on your radar or have you read already? Let me know in the comments. Btw, if you’re interested in subscribing to BOTM and want a free book, check my referral link (not sponsored). I hope you have a great day!

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Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag

Whew! Hello there! How are you? Hope you’re well. I’ve seen this tag floating around and I thought of partaking because it seems fun!

1.Best book you’ve read so far in 2019?
I’m going to go with the majorities answer, and that is: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

This book was also the reason why I got back into reading this year. I’m so grateful. After being in a slump for over a year, Daisy Jones got me out of that.

 

 

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2019?
When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton! It’s not a continuation but it is a companion novel and omg what a book!!! I actually read it this month. Hopefully I’ll post a mini review for it soon. I would highly recommend this book and Next Year In Havana. Definitely worth the read and it’s own voices too!

 

 

 

3. New Release you haven’t read yet, but want to?
Sabrina & Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine! I’m grateful that I received this book from the author and publisher. I definitely want to get to it ASAP!

 

 

 

 

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year? 
Ninth House (Ninth House Series #1) by Leigh Bardugo! I am so excited to read this because it’ll be my first book where it’s not Grishaverse related. No, I did not read her Wonder Woman book. Ninth House does sound right up my ally; thriller, adult, fantasy, secret societies. SIGN ME UP!!

 

 

 

5. Biggest Disappointment? 
Hate to say it but definitely King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo. I DNFed it at 100 pages. I tried so hard to give it a chance but I couldn’t do it. It was not in me/not for me.

 

 

 

 

6. Biggest Surprise?
For this question, I’m going to say Sadie by Courtney Summers because it was my first real Audiobook that I loved and devoured. I was not expecting to like it very much, especially since I can’t really get into YA anymore. However, this book, the theme, the plot, EVERYTHING, really did it for me.

 

 

 

7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)? 
Taylor Jenkins Reid. I read both Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo this year and now I want to read all of her work.

 

 

Honorable mention for Chanel Cleeton. Just like Taylor, I also read Next Year In Havana and When We Left Cuba this year. I definitely will be reading her other books in the future.

 

 

8. Newest fictional crush?
I thought I was going to have a hard time choosing an answer for this question but umm HAVE YOU HEARD OF SHEPARD OLSEN???!!!????!?? He’s from Rebekah Weatherspoon’s romance novel, Haven. Wheewwwwww yes get your life by reading this book. And you’re welcome.

 

 

 

9. Newest favorite character?
EVELYN HUGO!!!! She is that bitch! Wow wow wow. I love how strong willed she is and her “take no bullshit” “do what you gotta do to survive” type of personality she has. I love reading morally gray characters, who you don’t necessarily agree with their decisions but you get why they do it and don’t hate them for it.

 

 

 

10. Book that made you cry?
A lot of books made me cry so far this year lol. However for this one, I’m going to choose one that’s impacted me. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James is a thriller but there’s such a beautiful story with some of the characters that made me emotional.

 

 

 

11. Book that made you happy?
Next Year In Havana by Chanel Cleeton!! I cried so much for this book but I was so happy with everything and how the story closed up, especially the character endings as well. Ugh, I was smiling big at the end.

 

 

 

12. Favorite book to film adaptation that you’ve seen this year?
Uhhhhh I don’t think I’ve watched any book to movie adaptations. Or maybe I just can’t remember right now to be honest lol.

13. Favorite review you’ve written (Booktube or written)?

14. The most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)?
I had to look at my bought books and I’ve decided to choose Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. This book is beautiful on the outside and the inside. Also! I wanted to add that the cover matches the atmosphere of the content.

 

 

 

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
I don’t need to read any books but I definitely want to get to these:

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And that is all for today! I will not be tagging anyone. Please feel free to tag yourself. Any of these answers same as yours? Let me know!

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Where the Crawdads Sing Non-Spoiler Book Review

Title: Where the Crawdads Sing
Author: Delia Owns
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult, Mystery
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: August 14, 2018
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
A novel about a young woman determined to make her way in the wilds of North Carolina, and the two men that will break her isolation open.

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She’s barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark.

But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world–until the unthinkable happens.

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A contemporary coming of age story sprinkled with some mystery told in a timeline from early 1950s to the 1970s. We follow Kya Clark from the age of 6 and her story to adulthood. Always known as “The Marsh Girl”, life hasn’t been very nice to Kya. She’s had to deal with abandonment since she was 6. Slowly but surely her whole family walks out on her and at the age 10 she has to learn to survive on her own. She becomes familiar with her surroundings and her friends are nature. There have always been stories of “The Marsh Girl” in Barkley Cove, North Carolina. However no one knows that Kya didn’t chose this lonesome path, she craves love and touch and familiarity. She’s just scared that if she gets close, people will leave her again. While reading about Kya, we also learn that in late 1969, Chase Andrews is found dead, and everyone easily suspects Kya Clark, the girl raised from the wild. Jumping timelines, we watch Kya grow and learn about Chase’s involvement in Kya’s life.

“There are some who can live without
wild things, and some who cannot.”

WHAT A WORK OF ART!!!! This book is so lush and every single word captivates you. I even learned about animals, the marsh, the waters, and nature. I loved the added pieces of poetry too.

This book deals with a lot of abandonment and loneliness. And let me tell you that the author knows exactly how to convey that. I felt it all throughout the book, I cried many times while reading this, feeling for our MC Kya. My chest was hollow time after time. The author articulated every little thing perfectly. I found no flaws with the writing and pacing and flow of the book.

This novel was heartbreaking, beautiful, and haunting. Very atmospheric. I cried and rejoiced with the character, I screamed when she screamed, and felt her frustrations. The added mystery to the novel was a plus. It was very well done. I wouldn’t go into this book thinking it’s a Mystery Novel because it’s more so a coming of age story.

I loved how the author didn’t shy away from what was occurring during that time period 1950s-1970s. We see racism (with other characters) and how a whole town had it against Kya. I felt sucked into this timeline every time I picked up this book.

“Don’t go thinking poetry’s just for sissies. There’s mushy love poems,
for sure, but there’s also funny ones, lots about nature, war even.
Whole point of it–they make ya feel something.”

I absolutely loved this novel. Everything, from the characters, the scenes, the stories, the mystery was just written beautifully. From beginning to end, I was engrossed in this book and was left thinking about it even after I finished. Those are good books right? The ones that really mark you and leave you lingering days after? I am so happy to know that it has been picked up for a movie. I know for a fact that I will need a lot of tissues for it. This was such a great debut. The author always transported me to this world when I opened the book. Where the Crawdads Sing is captivating in every which way. I loved all the themes of strength, resilience, hope, desperation, etc. I’m a huge fan of Mother Nature and I felt connected to it through this book as well. I highly recommend!

“I’m sure you know that most stars are too far away for us
to see. We see only their light, which be can be distorted
by the atmosphere. But, of course, the stars are not
stationary, but moving very fast.”

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I’m starting to think that I’ll probably have to check out Reese Witherspoon’s book club picks. First Daisy Jones and now this? Have you read Where the Crawdad Sings?

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Miracle Creek Non-Spoiler Book Review

Title: Miracle Creek
Author: Angie Kim
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Adult, Literary Fiction
Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books
Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: April 16, 2019
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
A literary courtroom drama about a Korean immigrant family and a young, single mother accused of murdering her eight-year-old autistic son

My husband asked me to lie. Not a big lie. He probably didn’t even consider it a lie, and neither did I, at first . . .

In the small town of Miracle Creek, Virginia, Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental medical treatment device known as the Miracle Submarine—a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter for therapeutic “dives” with the hopes of curing issues like autism or infertility. But when the Miracle Submarine mysteriously explodes, killing two people, a dramatic murder trial upends the Yoos’ small community.

Who or what caused the explosion? Was it the mother of one of the patients, who claimed to be sick that day but was smoking down by the creek? Or was it Young and Pak themselves, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? The ensuing trial uncovers unimaginable secrets from that night—trysts in the woods, mysterious notes, child-abuse charges—as well as tense rivalries and alliances among a group of people driven to extraordinary degrees of desperation and sacrifice.

Angie Kim’s Miracle Creek is a thoroughly contemporary take on the courtroom drama, drawing on the author’s own life as a Korean immigrant, former trial lawyer, and mother of a real-life “submarine” patient. An addictive debut novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng, Miracle Creek is both a twisty page-turner and a deeply moving story about the way inconsequential lies and secrets can add up—with tragic consequences.

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Trigger Warnings: Sexual abuse and Suicide

One day in Miracle Creek, Virginia an experimental medical treatment device aka Miracle Submarine explodes out of nowhere and kills two people while injuring others. Now, the mother of a patient is on trial for the murder and attempted murder of everyone involved. Told through different perspectives and following the trial, we will uncover what really happens and the aftermath of the explosion. Are the owners of Miracle Submarine, Young and Pak Yoo, really innocent? Is the mother actually capable of killing her only child? Or have one of the other patients commit the crime? Many speculations, a tense trial, what is really the truth here? And at what cost do they hide that truth?

This is Angie Kim’s debut novel and she definitely knows how to write a good book with flushed out characters and knows how to keep you interested in the plot. There are trigger warnings to Sexual abuse which involve a minor with an adult and I’m probably giving away a lot here. However, I was really uncomfortable with the scene because the author didn’t allude to what happened, she wrote out exactly what happened and that was a bit much for me. Therefore, if this is something that you wouldn’t like, please read with caution or don’t read at all. I also felt that suicide was used as a plot twist and that left me feeling “meh.” I really don’t know how to feel about that, I mean we finally learn the truth through this unfortunate event. I was just left with this question of “was that really necessary?”

Because Miracle Creek is about a Korean Immigrant Family, we learn a lot about their culture, them coming to the United States, their language barriers, and what they went through while being here. I really enjoyed those aspects of the book and learning as well. It definitely added to the story and the characters without taking away from the plot of the book.

Angie Kim wrote this book through different character perspectives while still keeping it in 3rd POV which I also found interesting. Usually when books are told through different perspectives, it’s written in 1st person. I thought that for a literary fiction novel, the pacing was great in the first half of the book. However, it definitely dragged and slowed a lot down. We were getting more back story and the characters were frustrating me. There was a lot of back and forth between the characters which is okay, I just thought that it got dragged out for too long. And, I have no problem with unlikeable characters, I usually like them the most but I hated all the characters (except for Elizabeth and Teresa).

I feel like the book was okay and I liked how it concluded. I won’t lie that I started skimming through the book in the last chapters because I wasn’t that much interested anymore. I also do feel like I’m in the minority because it’s gotten tons of hype and buzz.

My favorite parts of this book were the chapters about the Courtroom. Ugh the scenes were so good. This book would do really great as a movie or even a short mini-series like The People v. OJ Simpson. I can definitely see this book becoming that and would probably had preferred it rather than reading it.

There were a lot of characters in this book but they were distinct and I think that’s so important when it comes to books. Even if I had to stop midway through a chapter, once I picked the book up, I wasn’t confused as to who’s characters perspective I was in.

Overall, I would recommend it if you’re into Courtroom Drama and Thrillers.

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Thoughts and opinions? Have you read this book or plan on to? Let’s chat!

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Baptized in Moonlight Poetry Book Review

Title: Baptized in Moonlight
Author: Morgan Scott
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: Morgan Scott
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pub. Date: November 24, 2018

Synopsis:
In this collection of poems, Morgan Scott depicts the story of a young girl turned ferocious woman, and ties her growth to the phases of the moon. Written with the intimacy and unflinching honesty of an untamed spirit scorned and reborn, Baptized in Moonlight is a book for anyone who has ever felt as if the odds were stacked against them. Filled with painful acknowledgments of broken relationships – and the hope of a life lived with wild passion – you will dive to the depths and ascend to new peaks as you begin your own journey through the lunar cycle. This collection is part heartbreak story, part coming of age, part love song, and part battle cry. You will find yourself among the pages, and be spurred to get to know yourself on a deeper level.

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Baptized in Moonlight is divided into 4 sections titled Waning, New, Waxing, and Full. Each phase of the moon (section) is tied to the authors growth, her journey, and things she has gone through. This poetry collection has themes of heartbreak, healing, abuse, finding yourself, spirituality, motherhood, self-love, and acceptance.

it is heavy
to carry my sadness
over my shoulder
every place i travel

and yet
she is the only consistent
friend that i have ever known

and there is comfort
in knowing
that she will never
leave me

no matter how hard i try
to release her

I really enjoyed this collection and read it in a few sittings, wanting to take it all in slowly. I loved how the author not only named the sections the phases of the moon but she also gave it definition. The poems in this collection are longer than what I usually see nowadays in poetry collections and I loved that too!! Morgan Scott really conveys her emotions and impact with her words. There are also illustrations sprinkled throughout the book which gave it an extra touch.

love is not slipping
not choking
it is not bending
as far backwards as your body can
until it breaks

love is not toeing the line
between anger and passion
worried that one wrong move
will land you in terror

love is not hiding yourself
trying to contort into his dream girl

love is not dumbing yourself down
to make him appear smarter

love is not not not not not not
the rush of air before his palm
strikes your cheek

so don’t believe him when
he tells you it is
because the picture he has built of love
is one that temporarily plugs his wounds
while ripping yours open

Although I don’t rate poetry books based on connection, I ended up really connecting with the poems and author. Specifically with her poems about god, spirituality, self (surrounding those previous themes mentioned). It felt nice to feel understood in that aspect. I really appreciate the author just being straight forward and not making it pretty. Poetry that is raw like this really gets me in my feels. I found myself dog earring (yes, judge me) a lot of her poems. Overall, I would highly recommend this poetry collection! Also, the author is super freaking sweet and you should check her out. Her links will be at the bottom!

women are born full
full of magic
and tenderness

our hands
and our hearts
have carried the weight of
the entire galaxy
for generations

we could tap into our
mother energy
and heal the world of pain
if only you would
move out of our way

Author Links:
Instagram
Amazon

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That is all for today! Just a reminder to please support Indie Authors and their work! I hope you all have a great day xo

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

WWW Wednesday

I haven’t done one of these since October of 2017
so please forgive my rustiness lol

Hi everyone! I thought I would participate in WWW Wednesday today. This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. You can link your blog post to Sam’s website that way we can interact and find other bloggers =)

The questions are:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

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I am currently reading an Adult Mystery/Thriller novel titled Miracle Creek by Angie Kim. I’m only about 50 pages in. However, I’m really enjoying it. It’s told by different perspectives but still maintaining a 3rd POV which is really interesting. It has me intrigued enough to want to know what’s going to happen next.

Synopsis:
A literary courtroom drama about a Korean immigrant family and a young, single mother accused of murdering her eight-year-old autistic son

My husband asked me to lie. Not a big lie. He probably didn’t even consider it a lie, and neither did I, at first . . .

In the small town of Miracle Creek, Virginia, Young and Pak Yoo run an experimental medical treatment device known as the Miracle Submarine—a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter for therapeutic “dives” with the hopes of curing issues like autism or infertility. But when the Miracle Submarine mysteriously explodes, killing two people, a dramatic murder trial upends the Yoos’ small community.

Who or what caused the explosion? Was it the mother of one of the patients, who claimed to be sick that day but was smoking down by the creek? Or was it Young and Pak themselves, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? The ensuing trial uncovers unimaginable secrets from that night—trysts in the woods, mysterious notes, child-abuse charges—as well as tense rivalries and alliances among a group of people driven to extraordinary degrees of desperation and sacrifice.

Angie Kim’s Miracle Creek is a thoroughly contemporary take on the courtroom drama, drawing on the author’s own life as a Korean immigrant, former trial lawyer, and mother of a real-life “submarine” patient. An addictive debut novel for fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng, Miracle Creek is both a twisty page-turner and a deeply moving story about the way inconsequential lies and secrets can add up—with tragic consequences

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I finished Baptized in Moonlight, a poetry collection, written by Morgan Scott. I do plan on reviewing this book so stay tuned for that! This was a 5 star read!

Synopsis:
In this collection of poems, Morgan Scott depicts the story of a young girl turned ferocious woman, and ties her growth to the phases of the moon. Written with the intimacy and unflinching honesty of an untamed spirit scorned and reborn, Baptized in Moonlight is a book for anyone who has ever felt as if the odds were stacked against them. Filled with painful acknowledgments of broken relationships – and the hope of a life lived with wild passion – you will dive to the depths and ascend to new peaks as you begin your own journey through the lunar cycle. This collection is part heartbreak story, part coming of age, part love song, and part battle cry. You will find yourself among the pages, and be spurred to get to know yourself on a deeper level.

 

I also finished Sanctuary (Beards and Bondage #2), a Romance novel with a sprinkle of Erotica, written by Rebekah Weatherspoon. This is a companion novel to her first book, Haven. I loved the characters in this one but I definitely was expecting a little more. I feel like there wasn’t a smooth transition to the romance and them being together sexually. I rated this book 4 stars.

Synopsis:
When she needs a sanctuary…

Targeted by a sadistic former client, attorney Liz Lewis needs a place to lay low. When a friend offers her his family farm as a safe house, she eagerly accepts, unaware that she’ll have to share the farm with her friend’s brawny, beautiful brother, Silas McInroy.

…she invades his…

Weary of a world that doesn’t understand him, Silas just wants to be left alone to grow the best produce upstate New York has to offer. Still, he’s not going to toss a woman out when her safety is on the line. But the only way to explain her presence on his farm is to claim that they fell in love online…and the last thing he needs is a fake relationship that threatens to become more and more real every day.

With her world turned upside down and danger on her trail, Liz knows that this temporary refuge can’t last forever…but leaving the comfort and ease of Silas’s arms and farm to face the reality of her life may be the hardest thing she’s ever had to do.

*** WARNING: This book contains scenes of mild bondage and domination between a gorgeous lawyer and a sexy farmer who is terrible with women. And five farm dogs with varying degrees of loyalty to both the hero and heroine.***

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My next read will be Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine, a collection of short stories. Thanks to the author and Penguin for sending me a final copy of this book. I plan on seeing Kali next week Monday during her book tour here in NYC. I am really excited and would love to read this book before the event.

Synopsis:
A haunting debut story collection on friendship, mothers and daughters, and the deep-rooted truths of our homelands, centered on Latinas of indigenous ancestry that shines a new light on the American West.

Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s magnetic story collection breathes life into her Latina characters of indigenous ancestry and the land they inhabit. Set against the remarkable backdrop of Denver, Colorado–a place that is as fierce as it is exquisite–these women navigate the land the way they navigate their lives: with caution, grace, and quiet force.

In “Sugar Babies,” ancestry and heritage are hidden inside the earth but tend to rise during land disputes. “Any Further West” follows a sex worker and her daughter as they leave their ancestral home in southern Colorado only to find a foreign and hostile land in California. In “Tomi,” a woman leaves prison and finds herself in a gentrified city that is a shadow of the one she remembers from her childhood. And in the title story, “Sabrina & Corina,” a Denver family falls into a cycle of violence against women, coming together only through ritual.

Sabrina & Corina is a moving narrative of unrelenting feminine power and an exploration of the universal experiences of abandonment, heritage, and an eternal sense of home.

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Have you read any of these books or plan too? Let’s chat in the comments!

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