september book haul

it’s rare that i do a book haul. however, september was my birthday month and it was also hot new releases month. i think all of us book worms can agree that september is one hot month for book releases lol. i am seriously looking at the pile that is on my night table wondering WHERE will these books go. *freaks out forever* nevertheless let’s get started!

*titles will lead you to goodreads page

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These three were gifted by my wonderful twin Lilly @ Lair of Books. Check out her beautiful diverse book blog where she’s always reviewing the newest releases.

  • Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood by Marjorie M. Liu
    A continuation of the graphic novel/comics. Filled with steampunk elements, witchcraft, poet cats, and monsters. I cannot wait to read this one. I have a full review for Vol. 1: Awakening here.
  • They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
    “On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure and to live a lifetime in a single day.”
  • Ringer (Replica #2) by Lauren Oliver
    The continuation of a YA Sci-Fi trilogy about clones aka replicas. Oliver takes us to questioning humanity, what is real, and life between two girls. In a dystopian world, Oliver creates a book that can be read in three different ways. I have a full non spoiler review for the first book Replica, here.

 

15993203I also was gifted The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen #1) by Alison Goodman. A huuuuuuge thank you Debbie @ alwaysbooking for this book!! I cannot wait to read it. I know a few bloggers who highly recommend this one. The setting is perfect and definitely something I would read.
“London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?”

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  • The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell
    “In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.
    Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.
    But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.”
  • Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff
    An adult fantasy book (or crossover genre of YA and Adult) where we continue the journey of Mia Corvere. The first book follows Mia going to a school of assassins in order to learn and then avenge for her family’s death. Mia who also happens to have a gift for speaking with shadows is also on the run. I have a non-spoiler review for Nevernight here.
  • Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu (arc review here)
    “For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.
    Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.”
  • Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2) by Kerri Maniscalco
    After the events of Stalking Jack the Ripper, our main character Audrey Rose finds herself in what might be a similar situation. This YA Historical Fiction/Mystery will have you wanting to know what takes place after each page. I have a non-spoiler review for Stalking Jack the Ripper here.
  • The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson
    If you’ve been following me for a while, you might be wondering what is this collection doing in this book haul. The wonderful K.Y. Robinson got published by Andrews McMeel and this version was revised with more new poems!! This collection is about “trauma, shame, injustice, and mental illness.” I have a review for the self-published version here.
  • The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo
    “Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price.
    Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.
    Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.
    This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.”

32711722I tried for the most part to participate in #ARCAugust before life came and hit me. At the beginning of #ARCAugust, I was a part of the twitter chat that was going on. I ended up winning an ARC!! Thanks to @shellysrambles for this ❤

These Things I’ve Done by Rebecca Phillips
“Before: Dara and Aubrey have been inseparable since they became best friends in sixth grade. Dara is the fearless one, Aubrey the prodigy, yet despite their differences they support each other unconditionally. However, as they begin their sophomore year of high school, cracks in their friendship begin to form, testing the bond they always thought was unbreakable.
After: It’s been fifteen months since the accident that killed Aubrey, and not a day goes by that Dara isn’t racked with guilt over her role in her best friend’s death. Now, after spending a year away from home in order to escape the constant reminders of what happened, Dara is back at her old high school to start her senior year. Dara thought the worst thing about coming home would be confronting the memories of Aubrey that relentlessly haunt her, but she soon realizes it’s not half as difficult as seeing Ethan, Aubrey’s brother, every day. Not just because he’s a walking reminder of what she did, but because the more her feelings for him change, the more she knows she’s betraying her best friend one final time.”


and that is it for today’s post! have you heard or read any of these books?? what were your thoughts? let’s chat in the comments! ❤


instagram: @chicnerdreads
twitter: @chicnerdreads

July Wrap-Up 2017

Always late to the monthly wrap-up party but heyyyyy I’m here!!! This month was slow in the reading department. I had family from Puerto Rico and we went out a lot plus I was getting ready for my first live reading event (I’ll get into that later in the post)!

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29396738-2Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu ★★★★ 
Genre: Graphic Novel, Adult
Finally picked this graphic novel up after it being out for like a year and OMG it was great!! The detailing, the story, the illustrations, the dialogue, the poet references, yessssss!!!! I have a non-spoiler review here.

 

 

 

 

 


35558311maroon daydreams by Cheyenne Raine ★★★★★ 
Genre: Poetry
Filled with beautiful vivid imagery, this collection of poetry will have you feeling love and light by the end of it. I have a short review with some of the poems here.

 

 

 

 

 

 


22055262A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab ★★★★★ 
Genre: Fantasy
After a few years, I finally read this fantastical book and it was amazing!!! I have a non-spoiler review here. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series in September! I miss Kell and Lila Bard, plus all the Londons!

 

 

 

 

 


33509076Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel ★★★ 
Genre: YA Paranormal
This book releases September 5th and I wrote a non-spoiler ARC review here. This one was a disappointment to me, I was really looking forward to it. However, if you miss reading books like LUX and Twilight, then I would definitely recommend this one for you.

 

 

 

 

 


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I HAD MY FIRST POETRY READING EVENT AND IT WENT GREAT!!!! It was at Bluestockings Bookstore located in New York City. This even was hosted by an amazing group called La Pluma Y La Tinta. This organization is all about helping PoC writers/poets. They dedicate their events to PoC and I think that’s so great because our voices should be heard just like any other. I got to read alongside other writers!

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Special shout out to my twin Lilly @ LairOfBooks for pulling through and showing her support!!! SHE DA BEST!!!!! Check out her super amazing diverse book blog! Why did i just notice that we were both wearing stripes?! *cries laughing* TWINNING!

 

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If you want to check out clips from my reading, I did a full thread on Twitter, click here ❤

 

 

 

 


Poetry Postings:
– my love poems are ghost stories


and that is all for today’s post! i am hoping that August will be a better reading month since i have officially joined #ARCAugust! what have you book nerds been up to? let’s chat in the comments!


Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu Graphic Novel Review

Title: Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening
Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Genre: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, SciFi
Illustrators: Sana Takeda, Rus Wooten
Publisher: Image Comics
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900’s Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers.


*please note that this graphic novel has mature content and not recommended for children

I finally picked up this beauty of a graphic novel and let me tell you that the hype surrounding this one is all worth it! Filled with steampunk elements, witches, darkness, and monsters, this graphic novel is one that I would highly recommend.

Summary/Plot

Monstress follows the story of a teenage girl, Maika Halfwolf. Maika is trying to find answers to her questions in regards to her past and her mother. She is also struggling with a monster that lives within her who has massive power. Maika Halfwolf is trying to fight the monster within, while still trying to keep some of her humanity. In search of her past, she is also being hunted and maybe the answers she’s been looking for is closer than she thinks.

Thoughts

I really enjoyed Monstress, the artwork is stunning and there is a lot of dialogue. Usually, graphic novels take me less than a day to read but since this one had a lot of heavy reading material, it took me about two days. I loved how detailed the art is, I think that is also why I took long to read it because I found myself slowly absorbing at each piece.

Monstress1_PreviewPage2Image obtained by the publisher’s website

This graphic novel is rich with elements that I previously mentioned. I felt that although it had all the elements of steampunk, witches, darkness, and monsters, there was balance. We have the Arcanics who are everything opposite of Humans & Witches. Some Arcanics are half animal/half human, some animals who can speak with special abilities, etc.

The world is already built and set once you open to the first page, which I find to be the norm for comics/graphic novels. I enjoyed how at the end of each comic section, there was a page filled with lessons on the culture of this world. So although the world is already set, we get to know how a lot of the culture came to be with the Arcanics and Humans.

We get glimpses of Maika’s past. Therefore, we get a lot of Maika’s life within the pages. I’m a big fan of past and present when done well and I thought it was executed okay here. Some times the author didn’t let us know when we were in the past. So I found myself a little confused at times.

We meet a lot of characters in this graphic novel due to the extended plot which is why this part will be kept short. Some of my favorite characters were Kippa (little fox) and Master Ren (cat with 3 tails who talks). These two were cute and hilarious. I loved when Master Ren made references to poets (in their world) and poetry. He has dark humor. Kippa is a child human/fox and his innocence throughout this graphic novel was comforting and admirable.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel but the reason why I bumped it down a star was because I wasn’t surprised with where the plot was going. I guessed a lot of what was going to happen with the plot and certain characters. I still want to read the next one though.


have you read this or plan on to? what were your thoughts? let’s chat in the comments!


Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Graphic Novels/Comics or Comics On My TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature with new topics every Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. If you would like to participate, the link provided will lead you to the feature and upcoming topics for the rest of the month and first half of January.

Today’s topic is:  All about the visuals: Top Ten Favorite Graphic Novels/Comics or Ten Comics on My TBR or Top Ten Favorite Picture Books

I don’t have ten favorites, however I do have 5 faves and 5 on my TBR.

Top 5 Favorite Graphic Novels/Comics:

154539Who is Wonder Woman? by Allan Heinberg

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In this volume from acclaimed writer Allan Heinberg (The OC) , the Amazon warrior Diana has gone missing, leaving Donna Troy to take up the mantle of Wonder Woman! When Diana returns, she goes under her former alias Diana Prince, acting as a secret agent and member of the Department of Metahuman Affairs. Her first assignment is to save Donna Troybut will she re-take the role of Wonder Woman?

 

 

 


Deadly Class, Vol. 1: Reagan Youth by Rick Remender

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

 It’s 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can’t focus in class. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin’s top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he’s failing is “Dismemberment 101,” and his crush has a double-digit body count. Welcome to the most brutal high school on earth, where the world’s top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn’t always metaphorical. 

Collecting the first arc of the most critically acclaimed new series of 2014, by writer RICK REMENDER (BLACK SCIENCE, Fear Agent) and rising star artist WESLEY CRAIG (Batman). Experience the 1980s underground through the eyes of the world’s most damaged and dangerous teenagers. Collects DEADLY CLASS #1-6.


21555973Harley Quinn, Vol. 1: Hot in the City by Amanda Conner

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Fresh from BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY and SUICIDE SQUAD, Harley Quinn returns to her first solo series in the New 52! The writing team of Jimmy Palmiotti (ALL STAR WESTERN) and Amanda Conner (BEFORE WATCHMEN: SILK SPECTRE) unleashed Harley on an unsuspecting DC Universe, as she encounters various heroes and villains … and leaves no one unscathed in her wake! With art by Chad Hardin and a slew of comics’ best artists including Darwyn Cooke, Sam Kieth, Tony S. Daniel, Paul Pope, Walter Simonson and Art Baltazar!

Collects HARLEY QUINN #0-8.


26210380-2Jessica Jones: Alias Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Collects Alias #1-9. Meet Jessica Jones. Once upon a time, she was a costumed super hero — but not a very good one. Her powers were unremarkable compared to the amazing abilities of the costumed icons that populate the Marvel Universe. In a city of Marvels, she never found her niche. The self-destructive would-be Avenger is now the owner and sole employee of Alias Investigations — a small, private-investigative firm specializing in superhuman cases. When she uncovers the potentially explosive secret of one hero’s true identity, Jessica’s life immediately becomes expendable. But her wit, charm and intelligence just may help her survive another day. Thrust into the midst of a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels, has Jessica burned too many bridges to turn to old friends for help?

I have a spoiler free review here.


17465574-2Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Originally published in French as Le bleu est une couleur chaude, Blue is the Warmest Color is a graphic novel about growing up, falling in love, and coming out. Clementine is a junior in high school who seems average enough: she has friends, family, and the romantic attention of the boys in her school. When her openly gay best friend takes her out on the town, she wanders into a lesbian bar where she encounters Emma: a punkish, confident girl with blue hair. Their attraction is instant and electric, and Clementine find herself in a relationship that will test her friends, parents, and her own ideas about herself and her identity.

I have a spoiler free review here.


Top 5 Graphic Novels/Comics on my TBR:

29772863Wire and Nerves, Vol. 1 by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In her first graphic novel, #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller Marissa Meyer follows Iko, the beloved android from the Lunar Chronicles, on a dangerous and romantic new adventure — with a little help from Cinder and the Lunar team.

In her first graphic novel, bestselling author Marissa Meyer extends the world of the Lunar Chronicles with a brand-new, action-packed story about Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold. When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers’ leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the bestselling series.


23093372The Fade Out: Act One by Ed Brubaker

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Brubaker and Phillips’ newest hit series, The Fade Out, is an epic noir set in the world of noir itself, the backlots and bars of Hollywood at the end of its Golden Era. A movie stuck in endless reshoots, a writer damaged from the war and lost in the bottle, a dead movie star and the lookalike hired to replace her. Nothing is what it seems in the place where only lies are true. The Fade Out is Brubaker and Phillips’ most ambitious project yet!
Collecting: The Fade Out 1-4

 

 


29396738Monstress Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900’s Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers.

 

 

 


23131087Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.


1967070Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Coraline steps through a door in her family’s new house, she finds another house, strangely similar to her own (only better). At first, things seem marvelous. The food is better than at home, and the toy box is filled with fluttering wind-up angels and dinosaur skulls that crawl and rattle their teeth.

But there’s another mother there and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go. Coraline will have to fight with all her wit and all the tools she can find if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

 


 

Some of the graphic novels on my favorites pile aren’t all 5 stars but they have stayed with me and are definitely worth the read. The ones on my TBR have made me eager to read them ASAP, however some other books are on my priority list. I think I’ll just try to read one graphic novel per month. What are you thoughts? Have you read some of these? And if yes, what did you think? Let’s chat in the comments!


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

Autumn Book Haul

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I like to do seasonal book hauls since I stopped buying so many books….that was a joke for this season because I HAVE WAY TOO MANY BOOKS!!!!!! Many of these books are included in other hauls (special events, birthday, and unboxing) which I will have links to at the bottom! Let’s get started!

Physical Copies:

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  • Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas #1) by Zoraida Cordova is a YA Fantasy/Paranormal:
    Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange markings on his skin.
    The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…
  • Flawed (Flawed #1) by Cecelia Ahern is a YA Dystopian: Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.
    But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed.
  • Monstress Vol. 1: Awakening by Majorie M. Liu is a Steampunk Graphic Novel:
    Set in an alternate world of art deco beauty and steampunk horror, Monstress tells the epic story of Maika Halfwolf, a teenage survivors of a cataclysmic war between humans and their hated enemies, the Arcanics. In the face of oppression and terrible danger, Maika is both hunter and hunted, searching for answers about her mysterious past as those who seek to use her remain just one step behind…and all the while, the monster within begins to awaken… 

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  • The Novice (Summoner #1) by Taran Matharu is a YA Fantasy: 
    When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.
    As the pieces on the board maneuver for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and the war against the Orcs.
  • The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson is a Mortal Instruments book (might as well make it a genre): 
    Short stories of Magnus Bane in one book

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  • A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab is Fantasy:
    I’m purposely going to avoid a synopsis on this one because I have yet to read the first book which is A Darker Shade of Magic.
  • Made You Up by Francesca Zappia is a YA Contemporary: 
    Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn’t she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.
  • Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver is a Middle Grade Paranormal/Fantasy:
    Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice,until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone. That same night, an alchemist’s apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable. 
    Will’s mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

Poetry:

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  • Memories by Lang Leav:
    Best-selling poet Lang Leav presents a gorgeous hardcover gift book featuring the best of Lullabies and Love & Misadventure plus thirty-five new poems for fans to discover, along with original color illustrations by the author.
  • Born to Love, Cursed to Feel by Samantha King:
    Born to Love, Cursed to Feel is about love—the good, the bad, and the confusing. It touches on morals and how when emotions are involved it’s not as black and white. The poetry is frequently written in a narrative manner that evocatively pulls you in and makes you feel. This book is about falling in love, bad decisions, and ultimately growth. The essence of it all is to show that no matter how far one falls all the mistakes don’t have to be what defines them.
  • Envelope Poems by Emily Dickinson:
    These manuscripts on envelopes (recycled by the poet with marked New England thrift) were written with the full powers of her late, most radical period. Intensely alive, these envelope poems are charged with a special poignancy—addressed to no one and everyone at once.

E-Books:

  • The Falconer (The Falconer #1) by Elizabeth May is a YA Fantasy/Steampunk:
    One girl’s nightmare is this girl’s faery tale. The first volume of a trilogy from an exciting new voice in young adult fantasy, this electrifying thriller combines romance and action, steampunk technology and Scottish lore in a deliciously addictive read. (read full synopsis at the link above)
  • The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen is Fantasy:
    An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.
  • More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera is a YA LGBTQ Contemporary: 
    In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again–but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.
    When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.  Why does happiness have to be so hard?
  • My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows is a YA Historical Fiction:
    The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.
    At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane is about to become the Queen of England.
  • Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt is a New Adult Romance:
    From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.
    These Royals will ruin you..
    Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone. Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.
    Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals. He might be right. Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.
  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

For my other hauls, click each banner and it will lead you to the page =)

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Have you read any of these books? Let me know your thoughts!! I would love to chat!


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

Paper St. Books and Comics Unboxing

Hello everyone!!! I hope you are all having a lovely day. Today I am doing my very first blog unboxing on the Paper Street Books and Comics subscription box. The one I ordered was a September Limited edition and the theme was Mages and Sorcerers. This box comes with a graphic novel, book, and goodies.

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Paper Street Books and Comics has a theme selected for each box and you get to select the plan you want. There is a graphic novel plan, a book plan, or a graphic novel + book in one box plan. Each plan does come with goodies. This box comes out every 2 months.

NOW LETS GET TO BUSINESS!

This is what the box looked like when I opened it:
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img_5820I wasn’t surprised when I saw the Harry Potter beanie because of the theme. Although, I haven’t read the books I did love the movies and so did my brother, therefore I gave him the hat.


img_5823img_5824Melisandre Magnetic Bookmark by Jane’s Tiny Things.
That evil witch!!!


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Jade Street Protection Services #1 (1 out of 2 Variant Covers). This is a single issue that came in the box. The description of this reads as follows:
Kai, Saba, Noemi, Divya, and Emma are (bad) students at Matsdotter Academy, an elite private school for magical girls. When they all meet for the first time in a totally unfair detention, these punk rock witch delinquents cut class and discover the fates Matsdotter has in store for them are even more sinister than they suspected.


img_5828Dragon Age: Magekiller is a graphic novel by Greg Rucka who sets this story in a immersive dark fantasy!! I love Greg Rucka and I cannot wait to pick this one up!
The synopsis goes as:
Tessa and Marius are mercenary partners united by an unbreakable bond and compelled to eliminate those who use magic to hurt others. When they betray a powerful patron who intended to kill them once their job was completed, they’re forced to run and join the Inquisition. With the breach in the sky tearing the world apart, there’s more to fear than Venatori and an angry former employer. Can Tessa, Marius, and the Inquisition overcome the greatest threat Thedas has ever faced!?


img_5825Morrigan Art Print and Sticker by Kayleigh Causton.
Morrigan from Dragon Age (the graphic novel listed above)


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A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess is the book pick of this month’s theme!!! This book has so much buzz going on everywhere. I was really not expecting this book to come in the box, I was definitely shocked. The synopsis of this book goes as:
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she’s shocked when instead of being executed, she’s invited to train as one of her Majesty’s royal sorcerers. Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her, one will fight for her, one will betray her.


And that is all!
fullsizerender-25If you are interested in checking Paper St. Books and Comics, then go to their website where they have tons of more information. Click here

Have you read or heard of any of these? What do you think? Let me know in the comments down below =)


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Friend me on Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

Blue is the Warmest Color – Spoiler Free Review

Title: Blue is the Warmest Color
Author: Julie Maroh
Genre: Graphic Novel, LGTBQ+
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Originally published in French as Le bleu est une couleur chaude, Blue is the Warmest Color is a graphic novel about growing up, falling in love, and coming out. Clementine is a junior in high school who seems average enough: she has friends, family, and the romantic attention of the boys in her school. When her openly gay best friend takes her out on the town, she wanders into a lesbian bar where she encounters Emma: a punkish, confident girl with blue hair. Their attraction is instant and electric, and Clementine find herself in a relationship that will test her friends, parents, and her own ideas about herself and her identity.

First published in French by Belgium’s Glénat, the book has won several awards, including the Audience Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, Europe’s largest. The film Blue Is the Warmest Color won the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.


My Emotional Status At The Moment:

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I WANT MY HEART BACK!!!!!!!

Once you finish the first three pages, you will literally be like:

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This story was so beautifully done. I can’t say written because it didn’t have a lot of words but the pictures/artwork spoke for itself and said the story. It’s a story about two girls: Emma with the blue hair who knows very well that she is lesbian and is outright about it, and Clementine, who is still figuring herself out but falls for the girl with the blue hair.

Clementine has such a hard time accepting her own sexuality because of what was taught to her. Her parents being both homophobe and teaching her that love between gays is wrong so it’s embedded in her head. She thinks that what she feels for Emma is wrong and not correct. We see the battle she faces internally and socially amongst peers in school.

In the beginning Clementine has a hard time vocalizing her feelings towards Emma. I loved that nothing was fast paced in this graphic novel, although it is short but I saw time pass. I saw how both characters grew and matured. We followed the time frame from teenager to adulthood.

This graphic novel was packed with raw emotions and I was so hooked from page 1. I would highly recommend this book. Not only do we see someone who is on the road of discovering herself. We see what is going on around Clementine when it comes to school and home. Some politics are even including. We also see cheating and how that may affect a person.

Here is a photo of the artwork:

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I wanted to keep this review short because I think it’s a graphic novel that everyone should read and experience. Have you read this? What were your thoughts?


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Friend me on Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

Birthday Book Haul

Hi everyone! Last week on September 20th, I turned 27 years old and some of my lovely friends gifted me books.

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If you want to check out my birthday post where I talk about favorite things, click here.

On to the book haul!!!! (The title of each book has a link to the Goodreads page if you want to read a in-depth synopsis)

I received gifts from were Lair of Books and she got me these books:

img_5480fullsizerender-20Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur is a collection of poems about survival, love, abuse, loss, and femininity.
Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh is a LBTQ+ graphic novel about self discovery.
Three Dark Crows by Kendare Blake is a YA Fantasy about a set of triplets all heirs to a crown and they all fight for one position.


I then received books from eelsaysbooks (she’s a booktuber):

img_5601Consequences by Aleatha Romig is a New Adult Suspense. This is the first book to a series and is about a girl who is abducted by a guy. She must play by his rules if she stands a chance at surviving.
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo is a LGTB+ YA Contemporary. The main character of this book doesn’t want to get close to anyone because she has a secret but then she meets a boy in the school she transferred to and it takes off from there.


Lastly, I received a book from Life Through A Book in which she got me:

img_5722Jessica Jones: Alias (Vol. 2) by Brian Michael Bendis is a graphic novel in the continuation of the life of a once superhero and now private investigator.

I want to thank all of these ladies once again for gifting me each and every piece. I appreciate it so much!!!!!

Have any of you read these books? What did you think?


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

August Wrap-Up 2016

Is it really the end of August already? Am I really turning 27 in September? OMG I can’t believe it! And here we all are =)

This month there are a total of 6 books! And let’s jump right into it.
(Each photo will take you to the Goodreads page)

  1. Jessica Jones: Alias Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis ★★★★★
    Marvel, Crime
    I have a review for this graphic novel here
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  2. November Snow (Bad Bloods #2) by Shannon A. Thompson ★★★★
    Urban Fantasy, YA, Post Apocalyptic
    I have a review for this book here
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  3. This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1) by Victoria Schwab ★★★★★
    YA, Paranormal
    I have a review for this book here
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  4. How To Hang A Witch (How to Hang A Witch #1) By Adriana Mather ★★★
    YA, Paranormal
    I have a review for this book here
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  5. Unknown (Unknown #1) by Wendy Higgins
    I didn’t rate this book because I DNFed it (discussion of this will come in a later time)
    New Adult, Post Apocalyptic
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  6. A Beautiful Funeral (The Maddox Brothers #5) by Jamie McGuire ★
    New Adult
    So apparently the author decided to change what series this book belongs too. I will not be writing a review for this book but you can find my short rant on Goodreads here.
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My favorite of the month was definitely This Savage Song. I hope September goes really well for me because for the past two years, almost all my favorite authors have been disappointing me with their latest books. I am so happy that I get to read Empire of Storms and Crooked Kingdom this upcoming month. I need it in my life! Plus Autumn is arriving and so is my birthday in September. I’m pretty happy.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. How was your August? Are you anticipating any books for September?