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Spoiler Free Review: Take The Lead by Alexis Daria

Title: Take The Lead

Author: Alexis Daria

Pub. Date: Re-Published on February 14th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC + audiobook

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Pages: 368/11 hours + 10 minutes

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☆☆ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review☆☆

Gina Morales has BIG dreams when she hops on a seaplane to Alaska to meet her partner in the next season of The Dance Off. In the four season of being a contestant on the show, she has yet to make it to the finals. She’s hoping to get paired with an Olympian who is agile and can easily learn the choreography. Who she meets when they dock in Alaska is not what she expected. Tall Rugged Outdoorsman Stone Nielson signed up as a contestant for The Dance Off to help out his family but a dancer he is not. He does however have some experience with reality tv since his parents and siblings are known for their show based on outdoor living in the Alaska wilds. When these two meet and realize just how big the differences are in the lives they’re living, they question whether this can workout. To the shows producers, their differences are exactly what makes them the ideal dance couple to have a “Showmance.” A storyline to fee the public and get them invested in Gina and Stones on screen chemistry is a tried and tru way to boost up the ratings. Neither one wants to fake a romance but they both have a lot to lose if they don’t. For Gina, it’s her last shot at fame and really jump starting her career. It’s the reason why she left the Bronx and moved to L.A and she doesn’t want to throw in the towel just yet. For Stone who is hiding a family secret, this show can grant him the money he needs to help them. This may not be his comfort zone but he’s up for the challenge.

This was a tandem read between my eGalley copy and audiobook which may be the reason why I didn’t rate it a bit higher. It took me a bit to get into the narrators style but I’d say two hours in is when elements of the show started taking off and I started to get into the story. It’s fast paced with what can be called instalove but considering the whole setting is this episodic dance show, we get to see Gina and Stone’s romance develop along the way. This wouldn’t typically work for me but that’s because I’m just a slow burn girlie, I actually felt the instalove worked in this story because of its dance show theme. Alexis Daria did her thing with scene and dance descriptions that brought excitement to the page. The competition aspects were woven in perfectly and because some of the dances practiced/performed are sensual, our couple had a ton of close proximity moments where it was just 🔥🔥🔥

As a fellow Latinx woman I loved seeing Gina address the stigma attached to many Latinx women. How in the entertainment industry, Latinx women are often seen as spicy, feisty and seductive. Taking care of her image and maintaining her professionalism is something she takes seriously because of these stigmas. This is definitely a romance but first and foremost we get a strong goal oriented Latina who knows herself and what will make her happiest is this career she’s nurtured. Stone is also very true to his roots and Alaska is his home, we see him getting real with himself and redefining his wants/needs. I loved these two together, they’re polar opposites yet their differences compliment each other so well. If you love dancing, choreography, and high stakes competition with a big dose of close proximity/steamy scenes then pick this one up!

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Spoiler Free Review: The Book Of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

Title: The Book Of Cold Cases

Author: Simone St. James

Pub. Date: March 15th 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller/Paranormal

Format: eARC

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 344

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☆☆ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review☆☆╮

Characters: 7/10 Atmosphere: 10/10 Writing Style: 9/10 Plot: 7/10 Intrigue: 7/10 Logic/Relationships: 7/10 Enjoyment: 7/10

Rating: 54/7.7 = ☆☆ 4 Stars☆☆╮

Rating system created by The Book Roast

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗦 is my first Simone St James read even though I have their other books on my shelves. St. James just happens to be one of those authors I had a hunch that I would vibe with their writing style and I’m satisfied with this taste test. Opting for the audiobook was a solid choice considering that we get three narrators who slowly unwind this tale in past and present timelines. The mystery suspense is super amped up while we follow our narrator Shea Collins, a receptionist who spends her evenings working on her crime blog. Shea is a survivor from an attempted abduction at the age of nine. She lives with some PTSD that prevents her from ever riding in cars and what some may view as an obsession with cold cases. Shea goes down a rabbit hole when she crosses paths with Beth Greer, the towns wealthy resident who was once accused of murder. How’d she clear her name? Did she really kill her own father or those other random family men? Why does she still live in her family home surrounded by her parents things stuck in time? Shea gets the opportunity of a lifetime when Beth who was acquitted of all charges decides to grant her an interview. There are aspects of this book that are absolutely reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, just in a small town setting sprinkled with a bit of paranormal happenings.

This was a solid 4 💫 read that I really enjoyed, my only wish was that it had been a bit more eerie. Even though it is a mystery, I found myself quickly piecing together certain aspects. That being said, the paranormal direction that it took introduced a whole other theory in this whodunnit. I’ve heard from other readers that of all the St. James books, this one did scale it down a bit with the haunted aspects. I haven’t read any of their other books to compare however, I felt that I would’ve much rather enjoyed if the introduction of the paranormal aspects was executed earlier on in the story. There’s also a super slow burn romance that doesn’t take center stage to the story but I found myself rooting for. One things for sure, St. James is anuthor I’ll be keeping on my radar and The Broken Girls will be the next book I read by them 🖤

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Spoiler Free Review: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Title: Anxious People

Author: Fredrik Backman

Pub. Date: September 8th 2020

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Format: Audiobook

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 341 pages

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My First Backman!!!

I’ve been hearing about Fredrik Backman’s curmudgeonly characters and tear jerker story lines for a few years now but decided to end 2020 with seeing for myself. Whelp! no lies detected Bookworms, this book broke me and left me sobbing tears of happiness? sadness? I still don’t know. I opted to listen to the audiobook after hearing many rave reviews on the narrators performance, this I can also attest to. I also think this is the type of book you want to walk in blind to as I did. From the very start we are thrust into a botched bank robbery and our MC is the perpetrator who in an effort to escape stumbles into an apartment open house. What our MC finds is possibly the worse group of hostages ever but for the reader it proves to be a good time haha! Yes, there is humor all throughout which does a nice job of balancing out the more hard hitting conversations between these hostages. We meet a retired couple who seek fixer uppers in an effort to find common ground in their stale marriage, a lesbian couple who are about to have their first child even though they can’t seem to agree on much, a wealthy woman banker who has been consumed by wealth so much so that she’s lost touch with humanity and love and a 87 year old woman who could not be less fazed by the gun wielding bank robber. This is a story about every day people trying their best to get it right but oftentimes discovering that the road is paved with many bumps along the way. It was beyond eye opening and heartwarming to see how human empathy can really make those differences that set us apart seem really minuscule in the grander scheme of things.

CW: Suicide, suicidal thoughts, depression, death of a loved one, infidelity, divorce

Zara, Roger, AnnaLee, Roe, Julia, Estelle and our MC aka the Bank Robber are some of the MOST unforgettable characters I’ve come across in fiction. Each one of these characters left their mark when sharing insight on their lives, the wins and the losses. There are secrets, love affairs, grief, sadness, fears that all get laid out on the table in the nooks & tiny closet of this small apartment. I predict Fredrik Backman will become one of my favorite story tellers of all time simply because I love character driven stories and he so masterfully creates people who you can connect with on a soul level. This is the type of book you should go into blindly & allow yourself to get wrapped up in. I guarantee that in no time you’ll be deeply invested in each of these characters stories. Backman is an author I’ll be revisiting in 2021, I’ve already secured a copy of A Man Called Ove from my library but I have a feeling I will be buying myself a copy real soon 🙌🏽

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Spoiler Free Review: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Title: Cemetery Boys

Author: Aiden Thomas

Pub. Date: September 1st 2020

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy/Queer

Format: Audiobook

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Pages: 352 pages

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Whenever I think of this book I smile simply because I love the entire cast of characters. Our MC Yadriel is a Latinx trans boy growing up in L.A.who is trying to get his family to accept him for who he really is. This is no easy feat in an extensive family of Brujex who follow the traditions & spiritual beliefs that honor Lady Death. Yadriel hasn’t gone before Lady Death to be recognized as a real brujo & get his portaje (dagger) in large part because his family doesn’t believe she’ll accept him as trans. The ceremony with Lady Death is what grants Brujex the power to sever the ties a spirit has to the living. This in turn allows for the spirits to cross over, a responsibilty that most Brujex celebrate when their time comes. The Brujex community has just been rocked when one of their own goes missing. Search parties are formed, led by Yadriel’s father who is their leader. He has also forbidden Yadriel from participating in the search alongside the other men. Yadriel defies his fathers orders to stay behind & with the help of Maritza a sort of unconventional bruja *heart eyes* sets out to find answers. Performing the ritual for Brujex was HUGE! It meant Lady Death does accept him, what he didn’t expect was to accidentally conjure up the spirit of the schools residential bad boy, Julian Diaz. Nor that he’d find Julian infuriatingly attractive…
🧡

Adri (Goodreads | Booktube Reading Vlog) who 100% made me run to pick this book up, has also given us the following content warnings: Misgendering, allusions to deadnaming, depictions of gender dysphoria, exploration of parental death, non-violent references to blood magic, some descriptions of self-harm (for ritualistic purposes)

“It’s astrology, and it totally makes sense!” Maritza continued. “His big, obnoxious Scorpio energy is invading your cozy Cancer safe space!”

I’m a sucker for astrology but to see fictional characters get assigned a zodiac sign is genius! I legit had a few moments where I found myself nodding along with Maritza in a “that makes sense cause he’s a Scorpio” moment haha! honestly it just added a layer of fun in getting to know these characters & got me invested. I grew affection towards Yadriel & found myself feeling over protective of his heart/feelings. Julian’s backstory was fleshed out giving us a better understanding as to why he was perceived a certain way. We see how his Columbian ethnicity was used against him to form stereotypes around him & his family. Dubbed a troubled kid who most likely belonged to a street gang, Julian found it easier to let others think what they may. There were moments between Julian & Yadriel where he questions the things he does. If in fact he was going to wait to be granted permission to be accepted as a trans Brujex…

Why do you have to prove anything to anyone?”
“It’s just how it is, how it’s always been. In order for them to let me be a brujo—”
“You don’t need anyone’s permission to be you, Yads”

This has to be one of the sweetest couples I’ve ever read in YA Contemporary. I often found myself asking why Julian had to have passed away to begin with, it gave me a bittersweet feeling seeing them fall for one another. This is a story about acceptance and living in your truth, it’s about friendship & sweet innocent love. There’s a strong family at the core of this story, one that Yads loves wholeheartedly & who in turn love him. The fear Yad’s own father has over him has become a blockage in their relationship. Their relationship in particular had me all in my feelings wishing for the best outcome because the love between them is so great. Yadriel lost his mother at a young age but as a Brujex is able to spend one day with her every year when the veil is at its thinnest between the living and spirit worlds. I personally try to stay away from stories that delve into grief however this was done in a way I’ve never experienced before. I can go on and on for days on why this is a MUST read but the book community is already doing a PHENOMENAL job in singing it its well deserved praises 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

Title: All Boys Aren’t Blue

Author: George M. Johnson

Pub. Date: April 28th. 2020

Genre: YA LGBTQIA+ Memoir

Format: Libro.fm/audiobook

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Pages: 304 Pages

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It’s no surprise to me by now the level of procrastination I take on whenever I’m to review a favorite book. I listened to this memoir told in a series of personal essays on Libro.fm & strongly believe this was the best way to go. I love when authors narrate their own books & this truly felt like I was sitting at the table with George listening to him recount stories from his childhood/young adult years. Going back to his childhood days spent with his grandmother & cousins, we see the support he received as he embraced his sexuality. We Journey with him as he goes through the awkward dating years & then ventures into the rites of passage that comes with Fraternities in college. George starts his story in New Jersey discussing some of the issues he experienced as a queer black boy. The shedding of toxic masculinity as well as exploring gender issues & the decision to change his name are just a few of the things shared in this memoir. There were also some personal essays on his first sexual encounters, the topic of consent, and the boundaries he learned to create while learning his body. Some of my favorite essays were those that gave us an inside look to some of the cherished family members who supported George from the very beginning. They say it takes a village to raise a child & we definitely see that when meeting family & friends who left a lasting impression.

It is important when reading Queer Lit that we’re looking to also read books that speak on intersectionality. This memoir gives us a look at what it’s like to navigate the challenges of being a queer black man in America. There were moments I smiled at fond memories shared while other times I felt the pangs of grief when speaking on the loss of a loved one. I don’t believe I have ever personally read a memoir written for Young Adults but after reading All Boys Aren’t Blue, I wondered out loud how many teens could’ve found wisdom and/or solace in these stories. These often untold stories are the ones I want on my home shelves. Although I listened to this on Libro.fm (phenomenal service btw), I most definitely am hauling my own physical copy <3’s!

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SPOILER FREE REVIEW: AN ANONYMOUS GIRL BY GREER HENDRICKS & Sarah Pekkanen

Title: An Anonymous Girl

Author: Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Pub. Date: January 8th 2019

Genre: Thriller Suspense

Format: Audiobook

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Pages: 375 Pages/11 Hours; 40 minutes

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“You’re Invited: Seeking women aged 18 to 32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality conducted by a preeminent NYC psychiatrist. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. Call for more details.”

We meet Jessica who is stressed beyond measure & feeling a bit over burdened with a sense of duty to her family. Self appointed financial care taker of her sisters medical bills, Jessica is struggling to make ends meet. Her job as a on the go makeup artist is barely allowing for her to make a living let alone supplement her struggling parents income. When she catches word of a study that’s being held by a University Professor she seizes the opportunity. Things get weird rather quickly during the initial survey questions…

“Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?”

Nevertheless, Jessica was dead set on earning a bit of extra cash & answering some questions for a reputable doctor seemed harmless no matter how odd these morality/ethical questions seemed. As I listened to the audiobook which btw had excellent narration, I started to feel as if our MC was legit a spider caught in a web. I honestly got stalker vibes all the way through & wondered how the MC who was super inquisitive still managed to get lured in deeper. This was a very narcissistic read & our MC formed a co-dependent relationship from the very beginning. I can’t say I was honestly shocked by the twists & turns that were taken. However, the vibe of this book was so unsettling that it grabbed a hold of me & wouldn’t let go. If you’re looking for a suspenseful novel featuring some very toxic relationships then this would be the book to pick up. There were times I didn’t know for sure who was in the know vs. who was being drawn into a corner. Overall I enjoyed An Anonymous Girl & will most definitely be picking up this duo’s current title You Are Not Alone.

Content Warning: Suicide, Death, Sexual Assault, Adultery

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Audiobook Review: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

Title: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

Author:Mariana Zapata

Pub. Date: February 28th 2016

Genre: Sports Romance

Run Time: 16 Hours

Format: Audiobook

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It’s safe to say I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of romance & I have ZERO regrets! Mariana Zapata is an author I’ve been hearing about for quite some time on Booktube & on Bookstagram. Some have dubbed her the Queen of Slow Burn. This being my first book by this author, I can’t really say if I agree but if the others are anything like The Wall of Winnipeg and Me then it’s a well earned title. This was slow burn to the max & I was HOOKED till the very last page! We start off with our MC Vanessa who is an assistant/cook/EVERYTHING to the popular football player Aiden Graves. She’s been working for him for two years & for those two years she’s pretty much felt invisible. Nevertheless, it paid the bills & helped her get back on track with debt reduction/savings. It was time to consider leaving the job now that she’d accomplished her goal. It was also time to focus more on her freelance graphic design gig. However, It was once she quit that Aiden had no other choice but to speak up. It was time for Aiden Graves to get his assistant back. The one he’d ignored on birthdays & every other morning. Of course there’s also a reason why he needs Vanessa back but that turns into so much more as the story unfolds and this is a spoiler free review 😉

This was my first Romance audiobook & I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant on quality. I was overjoyed when I realized that I was really getting into the story & MC Vanessa. 10/10 performance, in my opinion the narrator was the perfect fit for Vanessa. We don’t get a big cast of characters here which only allowed for A+ character development on behalf of our MC. I did wish we’d gotten a bit more of a fleshed out backstory on Aiden to start with as opposed to it being dished out at the very end. With Vanessa we get a female lead who has had a very toxic abusive relationship with her siblings & has pretty much distanced herself. She’s very much on her own making wiser money moves to get out of debt & working for Aiden was a means to an end. Still, it was hard not to be bothered by the fact that he made her feel invisible on a daily basis. We see her get back her power when Aiden goes looking for her with an offer. He’s in a difficult situation (it would be spoilery to mention the specifics) & he doesn’t trust very many people but Vanessa has never really been invisible to him no matter what appearances he gave off. Their interactions are limited until after she quits but Vanessa isn’t without a friend in the house. Zach who is Aiden’s roommate is by far a new favorite side character. He’s got this Southern charm & is all around a respectful fun loving guy who proves to be the friend Vanessa needed. I’d LOVE to read a story centered around Zach *a gal can dream* who made me smile whenever he walked into their fictional kitchen.

This is the type of story you pick up if you don’t mind the all powerful slow burn to the max. I definitely had moments where I just wanted these two to face their feelings for one another ASAP! but then again a part of me quite enjoyed having it drawn out #noshame Will I be picking up any other of Maria Zapata’s books? ABSOLUTELY! I already have Kulti & From Lukov with Love on deck…

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Audiobook Review- Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, and Advice for Living Your Best Life

Title: Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, and Advice for Living Your Best Life

Author: Ali Wong

Pub. Date: October 15th 2019

Genre: Auto Biography/Memoir/Humor

Publisher: Random House

Run Time: 6 Hours

Format: Audiobook

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Where to start? I LOVE Ali Wong!!! 🖤 I watched Always Be My Maybe on Netflix earlier this year & it’s the one movie that actually helped me get through some down days. I just knew I had to listen to her new book Dear Girls & get to know the comedian a bit better, no regrets here! last night I stayed up till 2am watching her stand-up on Netflix “Baby Cobra” & had tears in my eyes from all the laughter. I love auto-biographies/Memoirs, especially those by comedians & have always preferred the audio-book format. Dear Girls is a collection of stories that reads like a long letter to Ali’s daughters. She recounts life as a single woman in NYC and what the dating scene looked like for her leading up to when she meets her husband & father to her girls. There are moments where she drops some knowledge on the comedy scene & what it’s like for a female trying to catch her big break. I LOVED how she makes it known from the get that comedy is something you have to have a passion for. She has a deep appreciation for the small gigs in shady areas that eventually led her to her big break. One things Ali shares is that she knows & has Asian comedian friends who stuck to performing within their Asian communities. This is something Ali wasn’t trying to do, she branched out & really put herself out there. Once she reached a certain level of success & started going on tour, she brought two of her Asian comedian friends along to open her shows.

The love for her roots & cultural background is a big theme in Dear Girls. She talks about how even though it sometimes brings forth judgment from her friend group, dating someone from your own cultural background has its perks. When she met her husband, she knew she had met the one because of how much they have in common. A shared love of Asian cuisine, parents who taught them the value of a dollar, and last but not least a DEEP appreciation for all things 90’s hip hop and R&B. These are some of the things we see her use as inspiration for the movie Always Be My Maybe in which she co-starred & wrote for. I LOVED hearing about her birthing story simply because she doesn’t hold back. Ali gives us the beautiful along with the ugly deets many don’t talk about when describing the birth of their kids. Let’s face it, it can get nasty in the delivery room & I appreciated hearing someone recount their delivery day while I nodded along in agreement haha! There are most definitely some cringe worthy moments where Ali goes into detail about her sex life & I just about died laughing each time! One day her daughters will look back & appreciate those nuggets of wisdom she dropped on them.

Listening to this audio-book got me thinking about writing my own letters to my two tiny humans. A no holds barred approach to journaling that would leave them with a sense of hope when they’re going through ups & downs in love and life. In the last chapter to this audiobook, Ali brought in her husband. In this chapter he talks about meeting Ali and tells his girls a bit about gender roles & the effects on men who don’t necessarily follow traditional roles. Ali’s husband is super supportive of her career & an amazing dad who flew back and forth with the girls to make sure they were together as a family. Traditionally, the men are expected to be the bread winners as was the case with their own fathers. Ali & her husband adjusted their family unit to what worked best for them. Although he is a Harvard graduate & a successful entrepreneur, my heart smiled when I heard how there came time where he sold Ali merch outside of her shows. I loved hearing Ali gush about how she knew her husband was a catch the minute she saw him. Listening to her hubby speak about Ali with admiration was heart warming & you get a sense that they really are soulmates. I walked away from this audiobook knowing that seeing Ali at one of her shows is now a MUST! 🖤

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WWW Wednesday 9/13/2017

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On a World of Words and to participate all you have to do is answer the three W’s listed below. Once you’ve posted your WWW, drop a link to your post in Sam’s comments <3’s!

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

I tend to finish books in the middle of my work day leaving me stumped with the question of what to read next? NOT TODAY! I knew I’d finish my book in the morning & so I grabbed a arc from my shelves that I have been super stoked to get to! Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor!!! this will actually be a re-read for me since I read this a few years ago along with the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. This however is the first time the Novella is published in print edition and it includes S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G black & white Illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo. Laini Taylor is one of my top 5 favorite authors and I’m excited to revisit Zuzana and Mik’s first date. I loved it the first time around, these characters are 2 of my faves & are total #relationshipgoals haha!

I also recently started Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer however, I haven’t had much free time to listen to this audio-book. Now that I’ve finished my current read I can focus more on this book. I can usually read and listen to 2 different books at the same time however, this last read was very slow paced & took a bit more effort on my behalf to finish reading.

This morning I finished Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett & gave it a 3.75 star rating. I will be writing my review tonight, I did enjoy the characters in this book immensely however, the issues I found with pacing/world-building are why I rated it a 3.75. Overall, I have so many good things to say about ETDS & I do plan on continuing with this series 😉

Having just finished a book whose world had humans living side by side with dragons, I knew I’d be craving more! I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about Before She Ignites from my fellow blogger buddies which has me hyped up. I was approved for a galley on Edelweiss & will most likely inhale this read within the next 48 hours lol! Before She Ignites hit the shelves just yesterday & I can’t wait to see what the buzz is all about 🙂

What are you wonderful bookworms currently reading? planning to read next? any good ones? & if you’re reading any of the ones I mentioned, let me know down in the comments what your 1st impressions were <3’s!

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Friday Reads 9/8/17

Hello Readers! I debated on whether or not to post today because of all the things currently weighing many of us down. Many have just experienced Harvey while others have been or will be affected by Irma. I live in NYC but my heart is in Puerto-Rico where the majority of my Dad’s side of the family resides & FL where my Uncle & aunt are. Many uncles, aunts, and cousins currently without electricity on the island of PR while others are prepping for Irma in Florida. My thoughts & prayers are with all of those affected…it’s been difficult to think of anything else. If you are a reader in Texas, PR, the Caribbean, or FL please stay safe 💙

In times of high stress I go into overdrive googling in search of answers…basically trying to assess the situation. This however, is beyond me & I need to pull away from the weather reports & just speak to my loved ones. I’m also turning to reading my books while also offering support to those I know on Twitter who live in the areas. The Book community always shows up to uplift those in need & that is why I’m so proud to be a member.

Yesterday I finished reading Zero Repeat Forever (The Nahx Invasions #1) by Gabrielle Prendergast & was really surprised to have my opinion of this book do a complete 360. It’s a chunker coming in at 496 pages so I guess you can see it used it’s time wisely. I’m aiming to have a review up by this weekend but this storm is sapping all of my energy so we’ll see. I will say that this book went from a 3 star rating to a 4.5 😉

Today I started reading Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett but I didn’t get very far, I’ll def be hunkering down with this one tonight. I’ve heard such great things about the world building in this book with a very unique setting not yet seen in YA. Hoping to get sucked into this world 🤞🏼follow me on Goodreads for my most random reader thoughts 💜

I’m also listening to the Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles)by Marissa Meyer Audiobook. This is the novella that followed the conclusion Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) & I’ve held off on reading it for some time now. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite YA series and as is the case with most of my faves, I always have a hard time letting go lol. It is time though since I’d love to get to Wires and Nerve soon which also takes place in this Universe. So far I’m really enjoying listening to Stars Above whenever I’m walking/commuting to/from work. The narrator Rebecca Soler is hands down a perfect fit & having met her at a Marissa Meyer event signing for Winter a while back, I was able to see why. It’s a special thing when the narrator to a audiobook loves the story they are narrating & Rebecca’s enthusiasm shines through.