March Wrap-Up 2020

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

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

---

Books Read

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

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

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

---

Books I DNFed

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

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

---

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

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

October Wrap-Up 2019

Hey all! This year has gone by so quick. I cannot believe we’re in November. And I also can’t believe its daylight savings. Bleh. Time to fight seasonal depression even harder now lol. Anyways! I had a pretty good reading month. I read 7 books!!! I don’t remember the last time I read that many books lol. I am so surprised with how much I’ve been reading this year because I was in a huge slump all of 2018. Now let’s get to the month!

---

Books I Read

1. If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman – ★★.5
   Genre: Contemporary Fiction
2. American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan – ★★★★★ 
   Genre: True Crime
3. Submerge by K.Y. Robinson – ★★★★★ 
   Genre: Poetry
4. The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager – ★★★★
   Genre: Thriller
5. Hermosa by Yesika Salgado – ★★★★
   Genre: Poetry
6. Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas – ★★★★★
   Genre: New Adult Romance
7. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne – ★★★★★
   Genre: Romance

---

Books Acquired

For October, I had skipped BOTM (book of the month) box because none of the picks interested me. However, I did pick up these two poetry collections (Submerge and Hermosa) that I happened to read on the same month which makes me really happy. I don’t like leaving books I buy unread for too long because then I forget them, lose interest, and never read them. This happens 9.5 out of 10 times lol. And you know, just trying to break habits here.

---

A Fave of the Month

If you don’t know, I am a huge fan of the singer Alina Baraz. I love her voice and lyrics. It’s been some time since she came out with a song and the song that she happened to release literally made me cry. The lyrics are pretty much how 2019 has been to me personally. The song is titled To Me.

“I’m not asking for too much. I’m asking the wrong motherfucker. Just ’cause we’re in love doesn’t mean that we’re right for each other. Can’t keep makin’ a home out of you just ’cause you’re asking me to. I’m not asking for too much (can we do it over?). Here’s to good people, good nights, good highs, good health, some tears, some stress but I count my blessings. Here’s to good music, great sex little time to feel alive, little time to get it right.”

---

That is all for today! Have you read any of these books or plan on too? I do plan on posting some mini reviews for the books mentioned above. Till next time!

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

September Wrap-Up 2019 (Birthday Edition + Books)

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

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

---

What I Read

 

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

---

Books Acquired

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

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

 

 

 

 

---

My 30th Birthday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

---

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).

---

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!

---

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.

null

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!

---

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!

 

---

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

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

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)!

Monstress, 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.

 

 

 

 

 

---

maroon 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

A 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!

 

 

 

 

 

---

Black 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.

 

 

 

 

 

---

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!

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!

 

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

June Wrap-Up 2017

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

What I Read:

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

 

 

 

 

---

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

 

 

 

 

---

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

 

 

 

 

---

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

 

 

---

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

 

 

 

 

---

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

 

---

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

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

---

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

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

---

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

---

Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads

May Wrap-Up 2017

My overdue wrap-up is here lol! Finally!! I will keep this short and to the point! I read 5 books in the month of May, slowly but surely I am getting into the hang of things when it comes to reading. Working a full-time job, writing, having a poetry book, being a dog mom, and just adulting. AHH!!!!…I’m happy to get back into the swing of things!

What I Read:

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) by Laini Taylor ★★★★★ 
Genre: YA Fantasy
I wrote a mini spoiler free book review because although this is a very long book, everything is a spoiler lol.

 

 

 

 

 

---

The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember ★★★★★
Genre: YA Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Retelling
I thought this Little Mermaid retelling was amazing!!! It was the perfect balance of a retelling with originality. Add some Norse Mythology into the mix and you have The Seafarer’s Kiss! I have a review here.

 

 

 

 

---

Table for One by Laura Ashley Laraque ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
A collection of poetry that tells a story about a toxic relationship and overcoming it. If you like poetry and want to check some pieces, I have a review here where you can read my thoughts as well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Afterlife by Melissa Jennings ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
I cannot stop gushing about this collection. It’s amazing and dark!! I love love loved it and I cannot wait to read more about this author. I have a review with some poems here.

 

 

 

 

 

---

I Am More Than a Daydream by Jennae Cecelia ★★★★
Genre: Poetry
I didn’t write a review for this book but this is what I wrote on Goodreads:
If you are looking for poetry that is positive and inspiring, then this is the book you will want to pick up. Jennae writes about strength and adds themes of self-acceptance and self-love. I really enjoyed the body positive poems! And the artwork was great too!

 

 

 

---

Some poems I posted in May:
it was 8:43am
it’s 11:somethingP.M. and i wrote a thing

again, I’m trying to get in the hang of things but I do also post poetry on my instagram! my instagram username is chicnerdreads

---

Things That Happened in May:

My blog turned 1 on May 20th!!!!! eeeeeeeek! time does really fly and it’s been an amazing year with blogging! I met some of the greatest people and it’s been such an ease with my anxiety as well. I also got to find out about books that I NEVER heard of! I did a Q&A and fellow bloggers asked me the coolest questions. If you’d like to check it out, click the banners and it will take you to the post ❤

---

and that’s about it! how was your may? have you read any of these books or plan on too? let’s chat in the comments!! =)

---

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

April Wrap-Up 2017

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

What I Read:

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

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

 

 

 

 

---

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

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

 

 

 

---

 

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

---

 

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

---

 

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

---

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

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

---

Things That Happened in April:

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

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

February Wrap-Up 2017

Super late with this February Wrap-Up but hi everyone!! I hope you are all doing well. As many of you know, I was on a little blog hiatus since I’ve been working on my poetry book. Which by the way, the release date has moved up to April 4th, 2017. I will have a separate post talking all about that sometime very soon. I love sharing this process with you. And thanks to everyone who’s been riding with me.

February was pretty much a life changer for me and my bestie/twin Lilly. Many of you also know her as Lair of Books. It’s all so great because we both didn’t expect our lives to kind of change drastically for the good. She won a “lotto” and got this amazing apartment here in NYC and I had the honor of helping her one day throughout the move. Funny because I was reorganizing her bookshelves (YES SHE LET ME TOUCH HER SHELVES!!!!) while she sat and read/edited my book. That moment was kind of life changing because we were both experiencing our own brand new happiness in a shared time and space. And I’m so happy that we both got to enjoy this bliss together, regardless of all the stress it came with.

I didn’t really read that much in February. I read a total of 5 books.
2 Dark New Adult
3 Poetry Books (I read those in one sitting)

What I Read:

 

Pennies (Dollar #1) by Pepper Winters ★★★★★ 
Genre: Dark New Adult
The themes of this book would usually drive me to the opposite direction because this one has a ton of trigger warnings but after reading enough non-spoiler reviews, I gave it a chance. And I am so happy that I did because it was soooooo good. I have a mini-review here.

 

 

 

---

Dollars (Dollar #2) by Pepper Winters ★★★★★ 
Genre: Dark New Adult
I needed the second book to this series after reading Pennies. I devoured this one and it never suffered from second book syndrome. I cannot wait for the rest of the series to release. I need to know what happens next. I also wrote a mini-review for Dollars here.

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

Uncaged Wallflower by Jennae Cecelia ★★★★
Genre: Poetry
Full of positivity and motivation, this collection is definitely a pick-me-upper. I have a review here that includes some poems from the book.

 

 

 

 

 

---

The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson ★★★★★ Genre: Poetry
I NEED ALL OF YOU TO PICK THIS ONE UP RIGHT NOW!! I can’t stop gushing about it but seriously this collection is so raw and beautiful. Definitely a high-fave in the poetry spectrum. I will boast about it for days. If you want to check out some of the poems, I have a full review here.

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

It Starts Like This by Shelby Leigh ★★★★★ 
Genre: Poetry
An amazing debut collection. Shelby wrote a poem every single day in 2015 and this collection shows some of her favorites. If you want to know more and read some of the poems, you can check out my review here.

 

 

 

 

---

 

Poetry:
Since I was on a blog hiatus, I only posted one poem and that is:
oh hi, i wrote a thing

---

 

ICYMI:

The cover reveal to my poetry book ‘love, and you’ was posted February 20th!!! I still cannot believe this is happening! Less than a month away, my first book will be out to the world…ahhhhhhh!!!!!!

love, and you has a Goodreads page!

I also received my first physical proof copy in the mail and it was surreal. I cried.

I want to thank everyone who’s been supporting me through this journey. You all make this so effortless. Thank you all.

---

how has everything been on your end? i hope you are all doing well! let’s chat in the comments =)

---

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