FRIDAY READS & THANGS…

Happy Friday Book Lovers! I’m a little all over the place today but I’m stoked to get the weekend started. This weekend I’ll be flexing my newly found green thumb skills as I expand my at home window garden. I really thought this was something I sucked at smh since my past experience with plants were TERRIBLE. Whelp! (many things I thought I would suck at have turned out to be quite the opposite, never doubt yourself luvs) I have managed to keep my succulent Leo alive since the start of this year. Many will ask themselves (like my good friend Taylor @Nerdnarration), how do you kill a succulent? well it happened to me 2 years ago & I was set on never letting it happen again. Leo is now ready for siblings & my BFF IRL is bringing me a seedling from his very own garden! excited for this & have already ordered a few things for their arrival. On the bookish front, I have started a contemporary set to be released in 2 weeks & a few single issue comics. I also have plans for some outdoor activities with my tiny humans in a safe social distancing space.

The Faithless Hawk (The Merciful Crow #2) by Margaret Owen– I had no idea this was a duology but I’m so satisfied with how everything wrapped up! The world was further fleshed out as was the magic system & our MC’s were put through the wringer. I did NOT expect to finish it with tears in my eyes but it sure happened to be that way. I have a full review coming next week.

Wynd Issues 1 & 2 by BOOM Comics! – If you’re a fan of all things Fae then this will be one to keep an eye out for. I’m already craving more from this story & appreciate so much the plus size rep as well as there being POC characters. Wynd is a Fae Queer boy living in Pipetown where all with magic in their blood have been exiled. Wynd is in hiding, he was taken in by a family when he was just a baby left behind in a basket. The family has taken great risk in hiding him while the King has hired help to eliminate any found within his kingdom. There’s also talk of a land where those with magic live freely, can’t wait to read more!

A Man Among Ye Issues 1 & 2 by Image Comics– I love all things pirates but its the female pirate stories that have given me LIFE! this comic is based off of the real Irish Pirate Anne Bonny. We get a female MC who is very confident & just a bad a**! aboard Captain Jack’s crew. Other than Jack who may be a love interest, the crew is very sexist & anti Anne. Mutiny is definitely afoot. Now I’m not sure if she will remain on his crew or venture off based on how issue 2 left off. I am absolutely in need of issue 3 cause it seems we will be getting more female POC Pirates. I have a feeling this will be a favorite & I’m really hoping it gets a trade paperback *fingers crossed*

The Roommate by Rosie Danan

House Rules:
Do your own dishes
Knock before entering the bathroom
Never look up your roommate online

This was about all I had read from the Goodreads Synopsis before I clicked on request on Netgalley. So far its been receiving really good reviews & I can see why. Since starting it last I found myself quickly going through the pages with no real want to put it down except for the much needed sleep. I’ve heard it’s a very sex positive read & that one of the MC’s has a profession not typically seen in books…I’m intrigued 😉

“She-Ra and the Princesses of Power tells the tale of Adora, a teenager who can transform into the heroine She-Ra and leads a group of other magical princesses in a rebellion against the evil Lord Hordak and his Horde.”

I’ve just started watching friends & can’t stop! thank goodness for slow work from home days amiright? haha! there are POC & plus size characters that I have absolutely been charmed by. These characters have quickly become faves! Final thoughts will be in my August Wrap-up.

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June 2020 Monthly Wrap-Up

Hola Bookworms! It’s finally Friday and I’m very much looking forward to unplugging this weekend. I took today off from work (this post was scheduled) to get away for a bit since we’ll be experiencing a heat wave in New York City. I’ve got two cute new bathing suits I’m pretty stoked to try out, a new found love for Roscato sweet red wine & Playa Bowls (pictured below). Currently I’m reading Forest Of Souls (Shamanborn #1) by Lori M. Lee (Really enjoying this slower paced world building but then again that’s my thang haha!) and obsessing over John Legend’s new album Bigger Love. July is already proving to be a quality reading month with some 5 star reads. In the month of June I threw myself into reading even more diverse black voices & spent less time blogging. I’m just now getting caught up with reviews but figured I should probably wrap up the month seeing as we’re already in mid-July. Drop some love down below, how are you spending your weekend? reading? watching? writing?

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta – ✨4.5 STARS✨ I still stand by my original thoughts on this book, it is one of the MOST raw coming of age stories I’ve ever read. Written in verse, this is the story of Michael who is Jamaican and Greek living in London being raised by his mother. His mother is Greek, a single parent who is very supportive and loving to both Michael and his sister. Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood & attending a school with mostly white children, Michael faces many challenges being a queer black boy. We follow his journey to finding himself and the freedom he obtains on that journey. I listened to the audiobook on Libro.fm & personally I loved getting the story narrated by the author. I listened in one sitting! ❤

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon – ✨3 STARS✨After hearing many of my friends in the Book community express their thoughts, I adjusted my expectations on this one. I already had a Book of the Month copy as well as the audiobook from Libro.fm. I loved the friendship aspects of this story where we follow our MC as she meets two other women that happen to be dating the same man she is. An unlikely confrontation leads to a friendship which I enjoyed seeing develop. What I didn’t love so much was the romance seeing as it has the whole undercover angle & that took away from any chemistry I may have felt between the two love interests. I’d still be interested in reading possibly a story arc following the other friends *fingers crossed*

The City Of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty -✨4 STARS✨ (My Review) LOVED the world building & plot! captivating and truly memorable however I didn’t fall in love or grow attached to any of the characters. Sure I had one that stood out but that was iffy too. Character growth is on the page & I do have high hopes for the sequel being a 5 star read.

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick – ✨5 STARS✨ (My Review) YA Thrillers! people sleep on them but truly they are something to explore! Kit Frick held me from the very first page & I could only imagine what the experience would’ve been like if I had listened to this in audiobook format since it does have a podcast feel. LOVED the unreliable narrator & the interviews throughout the book with neighbors & friends. Lastly, I’ll say that I did NOT see that ending coming & was left with my jaw hanging smh.

Abbott – ✨4 STARS✨My only wish is that this had more issues but I can’t find any info online as to whether there will be. We follow a Journalist in Detroit who is investigating a series of murders that seem to have a paranormal twist. I was hella intrigued by our MC who is a black bi-sexual divorced woman with a bit of a brooding side she settles into each night with a glass of whiskey.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson – ✨5 STARS✨ (My Review) My BEST read of the month! One that I will not stop recommending! I listened to the author narrate his own essays in this audiobook via Libro.fm & was absolutely invested start to finish. I said in my review that it felt like I was at the kitchen table with George hearing stories of his youth as if he were a friend. This is how I’ll aways remember my time with this book. The importance of reading stories that feature intersectionality is something I’ll always stress. This is the story of George M. Johnson a young queer black man growing up in America.

June was a e-book heavy month for me & as I’m still donating books from my shelves I didn’t purchase any physical books. I can tell you now that this is not the case for July smh but at least I have plenty of shelf space to house my new babies. The books down below were all Kindle deals mostly $1.99 at most $3.99, I went click happy because there were so many great titles on sale so here goes…

For many years I’ve heard Guy Ritchie get much acclaim as a director but for me personally it was seeing this movie that really caught my interest. The minute I saw the cast of characters…Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant I KNEW I had to watch! Initially it was set to be a date night at the movies but Rona put a stop to that & I waited for it to be made available on Fandango Now. We follow McConaughey who is an American expat trying to sell his very profitable Marijuana empire in London. This of course captures the attention of many of his enemies & triggers many attempts to steal his business before he can sell. TONS of action, schemes, and yea even a few laugh out loud moments. Overall a good time!

June was an intense month in the world, i was proud to see many of my bookish friends in the community amplify black voices all throughout. The efforts to bring diverse stories to our shelves continues. i’ve always read diversely with an emphasis on intersectionality but i will be amping that up further on this blog.happy reading <3’s!

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SEPTEMBER BOOK HAUL

Catch me on a Sunday morning in my laundry room reading & sipping on some coffee. Today however, I’m doing the laundry & scrolling through my blogger feed catching up with my fellow content creators & readers. September was perhaps the ONLY month where I didn’t go overboard on hauling books. I definitely didn’t do it intentionally…it sort of just happened. I also only read 4 books in September but they were EPIC reads! I’ll also talk about this a little more in my wrap-up but I spent the month soaking up some life experiences, enjoying good company, creating beautiful memories and enjoying the last of the warmer weather.That being said, I’m so excited to have these new reads on my shelves! ❤

Paper Girls

There’s a cute story behind how I came to own these copies that will probably be in my September Wrap-up post soon to come. These were gifts from my boyfriend who took me to what had to be the BEST comic bookstore I’ve ever been to. I previously owned the 1st volume which I just finished & have already started the 2nd volume. So far, I have to agree that these will appeal to fans of Netflix Stranger Things. I LOVE the artwork & sci-fi feels as well as the humor. That being said, there are some trigger warnings worth checking out on Goodreads. I will most likely review these in 2 separate posts since there are 6 volumes at this present moment.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee– “By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, “Dear Miss Sweetie.” When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society’s ills, but she’s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. ”

Dominicana by Angie Cruz– “Fifteen-year-old Ana Cancion never dreamed of moving to America, the way the girls she grew up with in the Dominican countryside did. But when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her to New York City, she has to say yes. It doesn’t matter that he is twice her age, that there is no love between them. Their marriage is an opportunity for her entire close-knit family to eventually immigrate. So on New Year’s Day, 1965, Ana leaves behind everything she knows and becomes Ana Ruiz, a wife confined to a cold six-floor walk-up in Washington Heights. Lonely and miserable, Ana hatches a reckless plan to escape. But at the bus terminal, she is stopped by Cesar, Juan’s free-spirited younger brother, who convinces her to stay.”

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger– (For fans of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdads Singz) “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.”

My Book Of The Month Referral Link (Disclaimer: Although I do not receive any monies if you decide to use my link, I do receive one free book through BOTM)

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd Jones

The September Owlcrate box SCREAMS Fall/Halloween vibes! I gave it 3.5 stars which is a good rating, I just happen to base it on the usability of the items themselves. I was very happy to see this STUNNING copy of The Bone Houses as their selection, anything centered around the undead is a MUST read! the fingerless skull gloves & Skull detailed enamel are my favorite additional items. However, since I’m not a fan of candy corn…the “Caramel Corn” flavored coffee is a pass. I’m not yet sure what I’ll do with the little dish but it does have a neat quote on it. Overall, it’s an aesthetically pleasing box.

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February Wrap-Up & Book Haul (a very late but personal one…)

It is now March 6th & I am writing this post from my new place, finally fully settled in. February was a very special month for my little family (hubby & two tiny humans), a month of new beginnings. We didn’t exactly live in the safest of neighborhoods…matter of fact, its up there with one of the worse. This is common in NYC but not ideal when you’re trying to raise two tiny humans. Our neighborhood prevented us from many of the simple things like taking a walk down the block, all four corners having heavy police presence. Now I love my city, but this was new for me. We moved into that apartment 4 years ago with hopes to move sooner rather than later. For those of you who live in NYC, you know that rent for an apartment is about the average mortgage on a house. We considered the very likely possibility of moving out of state & starting over. What held us back? I’d have to say that its our jobs/careers. They aren’t exactly positions easy to come by & we are blessed in that sense. Yet still, the rent for an apartment is astronomical. Through the grapevine I heard about NYC lottos for brand new beautiful apartments in development in up & coming neighborhoods. I never in a million years expected to win smh after all, the odds were grim in such a large city. When I got the call I couldn’t believe it, my commute is longer but It’s also a suburb style neighborhood w/out actually leaving the city. In fact it wasn’t until I was handed the keys that it clicked. I am still in disbelief but for the 1st time in many years, I am happy in my home 😉

Special thank you to my twin Gretchen @Chicnerdreads for being super sweet & coming to my neck of the woods to help out while we moved. I also got to read & edit her AMAZING debut poetry book Love, and You (Goodreads link here) out April 4th, 2017!🖤🙌🏼🖤

On the reading/blogging front…I didn’t blog much but surprisingly the move didn’t hinder my reading. I think its because when i’m stressed or overwhelmed, I find comfort in my books. On to my Wrap-Up…

The Valiant by Lesley Livingston ★★★★ (3.75 STARS)

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller ★★★★★ (5 STARS)

Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas★★★ 1/2 (3.5 STARS)

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco ★★★★ (4 STARS)

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Book Of The Month)

Caraval by Stephanie Garber (Owlcrate)

Rooms by Lauren Oliver

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Things We Lost In The Fire by Mariana Enriquez (Blogging For Books)

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber

Kings of the Wild by Nicholas Eames

Zodiac Starforce

*I can’t resist a good ebook deal & all of these were either .99 or $1.99 with the exception of My Sister Rosa which was $2.99

To All The Boys Ive Loved Before by Jenny Han

Starflight by Melissa Landers

Into The Light by Althea Romig

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

Kill The Father by Sandrone Dazieri

Usually this is the part where I include any movies or tv shows the hubby & I binged but the move pretty much ate up our February. Now that we’re settled, things are getting back to norm (whatever that is lol) & we’ve even gone out on our first date night since living here. I’m a little behind with reviews but I’ll catch up soon enough, for now i’m just enjoying the moment <3’s! 😉

Happy Reading My Bookish Peeps! <3<3<3

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, a new topic is put into place and bloggers share their top ten accordingly. This week was Top Ten Favorite Graphic Novels/Comics OR Ten Comics on My TBR or Top Ten Favorite Picture Books. I decided to go with my Top Ten Favorite Graphic Novels/Comics on My TBR:

*All photos will take you to their Goodreads page except for America by Gabby Rivera which is not yet on GR. However, I’ve linked the EW article announcing this new Comic by Marvel*

1.Saga Volume 7 by Brian K. Vaughan

2.Wires and Nerve Volume 1 (Wires and Nerve #1) by Marissa Meyer

3. Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler

4. Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates

5. Mockingbird: I Can Explain by Kate Niemczyck, Chelsea Cain

6. America by Gabby Rivera

7. Zodiac Starforce: By The Power Of Astra

8. Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan

9. Archie by Mark Said & Fiona Staples

10. Jughead

Which Graphic Novels/Comics are you all looking forward to in 2017? excited about any of the ones I’ve listed? Today is the release date for Wires & Nerve…anyone else heading to the bookstore after work/school? I know I am 😉

New York Comic Con/Bookcon 2016 Haul

Last weekend I attended my very first Comic Con which also happened to be hosting Bookcon for their very first time. The experience is one that i’ll never forget because of how much fun I had as well as the tips & tricks I picked up along the way. As a book blogger, Bookcon was definitely a motivator in buying my tickets since let’s face it, getting physical ARCS is no easy feat for small time bloggers like myself LOL. My hubby & I purchased the 3 day passes with hopes that all would fall into place as far as sitting for our 2 tiny humans and it did *Whoop Whoop* well on day 3 we didn’t have sitting but hubby gracefully bowed out while I attended with Gretchen @Chicnerdreads who was already set to go for the day.

Day 1 was a bit on the overwhelming side since we didn’t really know what to expect tbh. It was a huge crowd & I’ve never seen so many people come together for one event but i’m glad that it was this one. Everyone for the most part was friendly which is also rare cuz hellO! it’s New York jeje! as expected we spotted tons of Jokers & Harleys, seemed to be the popular costume choice of the year. Most of the entertainment panels I was interested in, took place in the evening which meant that I missed them. I arrived at opening and left each day between 2-4pm therefore I made the showroom floor my main focus with some occasional wanderings into artist alley. Bookcon itself was held in the building across the street from the Javits Center but it mostly was for the author panels. At the end of each panel, each author would be giving away an ARC of their new book. Most ARC giveaways were held in the Javits center on the showroom floor.

Days 2 & 3 were much more successful & is when we scored most of our ARCS. Day 3 (Sunday) being the MOST EPIC because all of the publishing houses were having crazy sales & giveaways since it was the last day of Comic Con. Below is my very 1st Bookcon Haul…

Books I purchased at reduced price:

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Release Date: 10/25/2016
Urban Fantasy/Horror

The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

New paperback edition on sale now (The Rose & The Dagger will follow April 2017)
YA Fantasy-Fairy Tales

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

October 4th 2016
YA Mystery/Contemporary/LGBTQ

Replica by Lauren Oliver

October 4th 2016
YA Sci-Fi

The Female of The Species by Mindy McGinnis

September 20th 2016
YA/Contemporary/Mystery/Thriller

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

August 30th 2016
Fantasy/Middle Grade

YA ARCS:

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid

November 1st 2016
YA/Sci-Fi/Dystopia

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

November 8th 2016
YA Fantasy/Re-telling

RoseBlood by A.G. Howard

January 10th 2017
YA Fantasy/Re-telling

The Edge Of Everything by Jeff Giles

YA Fantasy

Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1) by Vic James (author signed)

YA Fantasy

The Valiant by Lesley Livingston THANK YOU GRETCHEN @CHICNERDREADS!!! she gave me her copy cuz she knew how badly I wanted this ARC & missed it 2 days in a row *covers eyes*

February 14th 2017
YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

March 28th 2017
YA Historical Fantasy

The Freemason’s Daughter by Shelley Sackier

April 11th 2017
YA Historical Fiction

Non-YA ARCS (hehe)

The Hidden People by Alison Littlewood

October 6th 2016
Historical Fiction/Horror/Mystery

Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson

January 10th 2017
Thriller/Mystery/Suspense

The Bear And The Nightingale by Katherine Arden (signed by author)

January 17th 2017
Historical Fiction/Fantasy

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

February 7th 2017
Sci-Fi Fantasy/Time Travel

Published books obtained through Signings/in booth giveaways

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by N.K. Jemisin (signed by author)

August 4th 2015
Sci-Fi Fantasy

Iron Cast by Destiny Soria

October 11th 2016
YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Vassa In The Night by Sarah Porter (signed by author)

September 20th 2016
YA Fantasy/Re-telling

Comics Purchased

Lazarus (Volume 1) Greg Rucka, Michael Lark (Artist), Santiago Arcas (Illustrartor) (gift from hubby)

Black #1 by Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith III (illustrator), Jamal Igle (Illustrator), Robin Riggs (Illustrator), Sarah Stern (Illustrator), Khary Randolph (Illustrator), Dave Sharpe (Illustrator), Sarah Litt (Editor) (signed by Tim Smith)

Bookish Freebies

Penguin Journal, Carve The Mark phone charger (universal), and the Heartless tee given away by Fierce Reads as a cover for the real score LOL (Heartless ARC)

I don’t even know where to start but I am beginning to form some sort of TBR for the rest of the year leading into 2017 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, a new topic is put into place and bloggers share their top ten accordingly. This week was a freebie, either do a topic of your choice or go back & do one of the weeks that you missed. I decided to do the June 7th topic “Ten Reasons I Love X” and chose Jessica Jones…

Top 10 Things I love about Netflix Jessica Jones:

1. Jessica Jones is relatable whereas some of our other favorite super humans seem (and sometimes are) a whole galaxy away. Jessica deals with (more like gets by) PTSD, alcoholism, and a slew of other issues. We see her struggle with guilt & a lot of the time, it’s not pretty.

2. The cast of badass female characters starting with Kyrsten Ritter herself (Jessica Jones), Carrie-Ann Moss (Jeri Hogarth) who eerily looks a lot like Robin Wright from House of Cards, and Rachael Taylor (Patsy Walker). These women are the no-nonsense type which I LOVE!

3. The dark tone of the show in general is appealing to me & sets it apart from the Marvel Universe we see on the big screen (same goes for Daredevil). We see the not so pretty side of NYC or what the majority of New Yorkers see on a day to day basis. We also get scenes that aren’t in Times Square which is refreshing, some of lower Manhattan is shown. So our not so flashy city streets made the cut & that was cool to see.

4. Kilgrave- one of the most twisted, manipulative, sadistic, & in many ways sociopath of a super villain. I enjoyed David Tennant’s performance just as much as the amazing cast of women. He is wicked but his thought process & remarks are very funny. I can’t help but laugh at some of the things he says.

5. The introduction of Luke Cage. Seeing as the next Marvel Netflix series will be Luke Cage, it’s awesome to see his history with Jessica Jones play out so that we’ll have that background going into the new series. It also doesn’t hurt to see they have wicked chemistry on screen 😉

6. The subtleties of Jessica Jones’ human powers. It’s not in your face, as a matter of fact if you knew nothing about her from the comics, you’d prob miss the first few times she popped a lock on a few doors lol.

7. Back to Killgrave. This villain will play on your emotions, especially after you learn his story. I found his backstory to be interesting & also raised a few questions.

8. Jessica’s neighbor, I can’t give too much detail as to why I enjoy this character w/out spoilers but he is a fave.

9. The supporting cast- because of how complex & deeply layered some of them are.

10. Last but NOT least, the PLOT! It’s gripping and fast paced. The twists & turns make it binge worthy.

Side note: I am currently watching episode 11 & I am obsessed with this series! I’m already looking into buying the graphic novels that are out so far 😎😬😎