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!

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

Life Update, Currently Reading, & September TBR

Hi everyone! It’s been a while! Just out here enjoying life and still figuring out this new life schedule of mine. I read nothing but The Diviners in the month of August, therefore no August Wrap-Up will be posted. Instead of reading, I watched all the seasons of La Casa De Papel and How To Get Away With Murder. I was also having fun and going out. Sometimes I think of doing blog posts of places I’ve visited. However, I’m the type of person who likes to enjoy the moment rather than take pictures of every single thing so I guess that’s a wrap lol.

ALSO!!!!!!!!! It’s September!!! Which means it’s my birthday month!!! I turn 30 on the 20th. I’ll be going to Vegas and the Grand Canyon (team virgo all day every day!! earth sign gang!!!). I have a lot going on, many of my loved ones also celebrate their birthday this month. Therefore, I know that audiobooks will be my best friend cause I won’t be getting much reading done. It’s alright though! I refuse to be hard on myself because life is worth living and I love being a happy bitch.

Okay but now that I’ve given you a little life update, let’s get to the books because that’s what y’all are here for!

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Currently Reading

In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.

France, 1939
In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real–and deadly–consequences.

Currently listening via audiobook and reading along with paperback. I’m close to the 200 page mark and loving it! I can definitely see why this is a favorite. It’s gripping! Every time I put it down, I look forward to picking it back up.

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September TBR

So many books, so little time! I have a little TBR pile that’s sitting on my bedside. However, it’ll be getting side eyed this month. Therefore I chose three books that I’m sure I can get too; one hardcover book, one audiobook, and one ebook (two of them mostly for my plane rides to and from vegas/nyc).

Hardcover Book (Historical Fiction):

For fans of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdads Sing, a magnificent novel about four orphans on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression, from the New York Timesbestselling author of Ordinary Grace.

1932, Minnesota—the Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O’Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, these four orphans will journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds. With the feel of a modern classic, This Tender Land is an en­thralling, big-hearted epic that shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts our dreams, and makes us whole.

Audiobook/Hardcover (Thriller):

Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their tiny cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. The games ended when Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out of the cabin in the dead of night. The last she—or anyone—saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings—massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches that cover ghostly shapes in white dresses. The paintings catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale. When Francesca implores her to return to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor, Emma sees an opportunity to try to find out what really happened to her friends.

Yet it’s immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by memories from fifteen years ago, Emma discovers a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian left behind about the camp’s twisted origins. As she digs deeper, Emma finds herself sorting through lies from the past while facing threats from both man and nature in the present.

And the closer she gets to the truth about Camp Nightingale, the more she realizes it may come at a deadly price.

Ebook (Suspenseful Romance):

“Must be slim, able to stand for long periods of time, and be impervious to the cold.”
The headline caught my attention.
“Hours are negotiable, pay is minimal, clothing absolutely forbidden.”
The second line piqued my curiosity.
“Able to hold your bladder and tongue, refrain from opinions or suggestions, and be the perfect living canvas.”
The third made me scowl.
“Other attributes required: non-ticklish, contortionist, and obedient. Must also enjoy being studied while naked in a crowd.”
The fourth made me shudder.
“Call or email ‘YOUR SKIN, HIS CANVAS’ if interested in applying.”
The final made my heart race.
I should’ve kept scrolling past the advertisement.
I should’ve applied for the boring receptionist job at minimum wage.
I should’ve clicked on any other job where I got to keep my clothes on.
But I didn’t.
I applied.
My interview is tomorrow…

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That’s all for today! Any fun things you got going on in September? What books do you plan on reading? Let me know in the comments xo

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

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

Recent Reads and Mini Reviews #4

Hi!!! Welcome to another recent reads and mini reviews. It’s been a while since I’ve updated you all on what I’ve been reading. And I also decided to skip my June Wrap Up because I didn’t get tons done due to my trip to PR and some personal shit I’ve been dealing with. However, I will be doing a June and July wrap-up together instead.

For today’s post, I will be discussing 4 books and just an FYI: all my thoughts are spoiler free.

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Title: When We Left Cuba
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Genre: Historical Fiction and Romance
Publisher: Berkley Books
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
In 1960s Florida, a young Cuban exile will risk her life–and heart–to take back her country in this exhilarating historical novel from the author of Next Year in Havana, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick.

Beautiful. Daring. Deadly.

The Cuban Revolution took everything from sugar heiress Beatriz Perez–her family, her people, her country. Recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro’s inner circle and pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, Beatriz is consumed by her quest for revenge and her desire to reclaim the life she lost.

As the Cold War swells like a hurricane over the shores of the Florida Strait, Beatriz is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair with a powerful man driven by ambitions of his own. When the ever-changing tides of history threaten everything she has fought for, she must make a choice between her past and future–but the wrong move could cost Beatriz everything–not just the island she loves, but also the man who has stolen her heart…

When We Left Cuba is about one of the Perez sisters and I really loved this one as well. During Next Year In Havana, Beatriz is being quiet and secretive. But When We Left Cuba shows us the why and what she was up to the whole time. The author, Chanel Cleeton, truly knows how to write amazing flushed out characters and really good plots. I was on the edge of my seat half the time I was reading this novel.

The writing, the storyline, the family dynamic, and the rich culture of Cuba stand out in When We Left Cuba. This book did not once fall short. Beatriz is an admirable woman who is fiercely independent and does not care about society and their thoughts.

I would highly recommend reading this book because you learn a lot. Also, I liked that the author was inspired by true events in order to write this book. There’s a learning experience to this book that is definitely worthwhile.

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Title: A Nearly Normal Family
Author: M.T. Edvardsson
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Celadon Books
Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis:
M.T. Edvardsson’s A Nearly Normal Family is a gripping legal thriller that forces the reader to consider: How far would you go to protect the ones you love? In this twisted narrative of love and murder, a horrific crime makes a seemingly normal family question everything they thought they knew about their life—and one another.

Eighteen-year-old Stella Sandell stands accused of the brutal murder of a man almost fifteen years her senior. She is an ordinary teenager from an upstanding local family. What reason could she have to know a shady businessman, let alone to kill him?

Stella’s father, a pastor, and mother, a criminal defense attorney, find their moral compasses tested as they defend their daughter, while struggling to understand why she is a suspect. Told in an unusual three-part structure, A Nearly Normal Family asks the questions: How well do you know your own children? How far would you go to protect them?

I was very close to DNFing this book. I couldn’t get into it at all. The writing was choppy (I’m aware it’s a translated book), there was too much back and forth between what was going on and past events. I also felt like the genre was misleading. There was nothing thrilling about this book. It’s a literal family drama in which the family crosses lines to save one another.

This book is divided into three sections: father, mother, daughter. I didn’t find any of them pleasing. I’m okay with unlikable characters but I found them all annoying. Also the little plot twists weren’t even surprising at all. Once I knew the mom’s job title, it was too easy to guess what the end or at least how it was going to turn out.

In the end, I wouldn’t suggest this book. The only thing I liked was how short the chapters were.

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Title: A Woman Is No Man
Author: Etaf Rum
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harper
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
This debut novel by an Arab-American voice,takes us inside the lives of conservative Arab women living in America.

In Brooklyn, eighteen-year-old Deya is starting to meet with suitors. Though she doesn’t want to get married, her grandparents give her no choice. History is repeating itself: Deya’s mother, Isra, also had no choice when she left Palestine as a teenager to marry Adam. Though Deya was raised to believe her parents died in a car accident, a secret note from a mysterious, yet familiar-looking woman makes Deya question everything she was told about her past. As the narrative alternates between the lives of Deya and Isra, she begins to understand the dark, complex secrets behind her community.

CHECK THIS BOOK VIA AUDIOBOOK INSTEAD!!! I had to get that out before I forgot the importance of such detail lol. I read this along while listening to the audio and wow what a book. A Woman Is No Man is POWERFUL and changing. It makes you want to do more. It’s one of those books that get you all tangled in emotions. There are trigger warnings for domestic abuse, death, and violence. The author definitely did not shy away from the details of these triggers.

Because I listened to the audiobook version, there were 3 narrators for the three women that have a part in this book. Each part was distinct and beautiful. It’s set in Palestine and Brooklyn. I was never confused with which part I was in. I also loved the writing style and message of this book. This is a gut wrenching book that leaves you with your heart stuck in your throat. I definitely want to read more of this authors work and would highly recommend this book if you’re looking for something with lots of meaning.

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Title: Circe
Author: Madeline Miller
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

This was my first Madeline Miller book and wow!!! I need her to write a retelling of Hades and Persephone, including Medusa as well. I was scared of getting into this book. I thought I wasn’t going to really like it to be completely honest. Just because of the fact that I’ve had a hard time getting into Fantasy settings. However, this book blew it out the water. The message and women empowerment, the growth of Circe was such a sight. Madeline Miller wrote her character beautifully and I fell absolutely in love with Circe.

I would definitely say that Circe is a slow burn book. It’s not of those books where things are constantly happening but I did get the sense of growing with the character through her life. And that type of writing where you feel like you’re growing with a character through time is beautiful.

If you’re into Greek Mythology or at least know of it, then this book is highly recommended. We get to see and meet other Gods/Goddesses and that was fun. Circe is a feel good book.

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Have you read any of these books or want to? Let me know in the comments!

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

 

Recent Reads and Mini Reviews #3

Hey there!! I hope you are all doing well today! Welcome to another recent reads and mini reviews. It feels like such a long time ago that I read these three books that I’ll be talking about today. For today, I’ll be talking about Love and Other Words, Next Year In Havana, and The Bride Test.

All my thoughts are spoiler free

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Title: Love and Other Words
Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Gallery Books
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:
Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother…only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

I really wanted to love this book. I thought it had a lot of potential. This book was so different from other Christina Lauren books I’ve read. However, Love and Other Words just wasn’t for me. The reason behind them not talking/seeing each other for many years was not shocking to me. I felt like there was a lot of build up for a mediocre plot. Also, the teenage sex scenes made me super uncomfortable. I skimmed over those parts because I do not want to read about teenagers humping. The writing was well done and the chapters from past to present were also well done. I found it odd how one particular character acted towards the situation that the MC was going through. I expected more turmoil. Overall, it was a cute book. It just didn’t impact me as much as I thought it would. The writing in this book is definitely a lot better than Christina Lauren’s previous books.

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Title: Next year In Havana
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Penguin/Berkley
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity–and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution…

Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba’s high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country’s growing political unrest–until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary…

Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa’s last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth.

Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba’s tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she’ll need the lessons of her grandmother’s past to help her understand the true meaning of courage.

CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK FOR A MOMENT?!?!?!? ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOKS. I DID NOT SEE THIS ONE COMING!! I seriously thought it was just going to be another read but this book right here?!?!? This one is everything. I will talk about it forever. The writing, the politics, the romance, the family relationships, the plot, EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT! The Cuban representation was perfectly executed and I honestly feel like that has to do with the fact that the author is Cuban herself. This shows how important own voices really is. This book was a masterpiece. We got rich detail of Cuba, Cubans, their culture, their food, their history. I found myself crying, happy, sad, and transported to this world. It’s politically heavy, however that’s what I loved even more about it. The two perspectives from both Grandmother in 1958 and Granddaughter present day was well done. I enjoyed both parts equally. Even if I had to stop mid chapter, once I opened the book, I knew which chapter I was in. I would like to add that this book is very quotable. I highly recommend Next Year in Havana with all my heart.

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Title: The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient #2)
Author: Helen Hoang
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Berkley Books
Rating: 2.5 stars

Synopsis:
Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.

The Bride Test was my May Book of The Month pick. I heard that you do not have to read The Kiss Quotient in order to read this one which is exactly what I did. I was excited to read this book after hearing so much praise for The Kiss Quotient. I was excited to read a cute contemporary romance with Asian Representation. However, I disliked this book a whole lot. I had a lot of problems with it. The Asian and Autistic representation was spot on, my problems lied with the plot/storyline. I felt uncomfortable with all the forced interactions, all the awkward mentions of his dick, and lastly my biggest problem; the secret that Esme was hiding from him. The secret she was hiding from him was something that really made my time reading this book unenjoyable because of personal reasons. It was hard to read this book objectively when my anxiety was yelling in frustration lol. In the end, I felt this book was very rushed. The Bride Test is only 296 pages. However, it could’ve lasted a little longer when throughout the book problem after problem was reoccurring and all of a sudden we get a ta-da moment. Overall, writing was good and so were the characters, the plot/storyline were my biggest problems.

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Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts on them? Let’s chat in the comments!

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June TBR

UMM WHO THE HELL AM I? First of all I haven’t done a TBR in god knows how long. I swore them off during my booktube days. Yes, you read that right, booktube days, which was YEARS ago.

However, I know exactly what I’m going to read this month because I’m in the mood for all these books so yay!!! My TBR is also not huge because I’m going to Puerto Rico this month for a wedding. EEEEEEEEEEK!!!

*all titles link you to the Goodreads page*

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My Book of the Month Picks:

Cycling safety / poor visibility to oncoming traffic

• A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson is a mystery/thriller novel. It was my June BOTM pick. “M.T. Edvardsson’s A Nearly Normal Family is a gripping legal thriller that forces the reader to consider: how far would you go to protect the ones you love? In this twisted narrative of love and murder, a horrific crime makes a seemingly normal family question everything they thought they knew about their life—and each other.”
• Circe by Madeline Miller is a greek mythology fantasy novel. This was my add-on book. “But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.“
• A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum is a historical fiction contemporary novel set in the 1990s. This was another add-on pick. “Introducing a brave, new Arab-American voice, an unflinching debut novel that takes us inside a world where few of us have been before: the lives of conservative Arab women living in America.”

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Library Books and Owned Books:

• King of Scars (Nikolai Duology #1) by Leigh Bardugo is a YA Fantasy novel set in the Grishaverse. This is one of my library picks that’s ready for pick up! I decided to grab this one from the library for two reasons. Because for one I heard many mixed reviews on this one and two, I no longer read YA Fantasy so I don’t want to run the risk of DNFing and wasting my money. PLUS!! I get to support my library anyways.
• Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff is a Fantasy novel. It’s the continuation of Nevernight. I own this book. However, I did place it on hold in the library via audiobook because I have a hard time focusing on Fantasy novels ever since my reading preferences changed. I should be getting it sometime this month and I’m excited!
• Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine is a collection of fictional short stories. I received this book from the author and publisher. I’m thinking of reading one story per day. The book is super short anyways. I should get through this quickly. “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.”

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I’m most excited for A Nearly Normal Family and Circe! What do you plan on reading this month? Have you read any of these? Have a great day!

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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!

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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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