Simone and Her Books

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  • Pub Day Picks // January 26, 2021

    Happy Tuesday and happy Pub Day! Good gracious, and we’re already done with another month. It was the first month of the year, but I feel like the year is off to a great start with the number of books published.

    Wings of Ebony by J. Elle

    I’ve already heard early buzz for Wings of Ebony and I couldn’t be more excited. Give me all the magical worlds existing within the real world. Why am I such a lover of book about young folks who are magical and learns about this?

    “Make a way out of no way” is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue’s taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizon—a hidden island of magic wielders.

    Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life.

    Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizon—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors’ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.

    The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

    I’m so excited that Samantha Shannon is releasing books in her Bone Season series! I read the first two books of the series many years ago, but absolutely loved it. I loved it so much that I actually reread them in the past. I’ll probably have to reread them again if I want to read this one, but I’m also not complaining.

    Dreamwalker Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and consigned to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between those factions that seek Scion’s downfall and those who would kill to protect the Rephaim’s puppet empire.

    The mysterious Domino Program has plans for Paige, but she has ambitions of her own in this new citadel. With Arcturus Mesarthim-her former enemy-at her side, she embarks on an adventure that will lead her from the catacombs of Paris to the glittering hallways of Versailles. Her risks promise high reward: the Parisian underworld could yield the means to escalate her rebellion to outright war.

    As Scion widens its bounds and the free world trembles in its shadow, Paige must fight her own memories after her ordeal at the hands of Scion. Meanwhile, she strives to understand her bond with Arcturus, which grows stronger by the day. But there are those who know the revolution began with them-and could end with them…

    Faye, Faraway by Helen Fisher

    I recently picked up a copy of this one from Gallery Books. I wasn’t sure what I would expect from it, but it sounds really intriguing and I’ll have to read sometime soon!

    Faye is a thirty-seven-year-old happily married mother of two young daughters. Every night, before she puts them to bed, she whispers to them: “You are good, you are kind, you are clever, you are funny.” She’s determined that they never doubt for a minute that their mother loves them unconditionally. After all, her own mother Jeanie had died when she was only seven years old and Faye has never gotten over that intense pain of losing her.

    But one day, her life is turned upside down when she finds herself in 1977, the year before her mother died. Suddenly, she has the chance to reconnect with her long-lost mother, and even meets her own younger self, a little girl she can barely remember. Jeanie doesn’t recognize Faye as her daughter, of course, even though there is something eerily familiar about her…

    As the two women become close friends, they share many secrets—but Faye is terrified of revealing the truth about her identity. Will it prevent her from returning to her own time and her beloved husband and daughters? What if she’s doomed to remain in the past forever? Faye knows that eventually she will have to choose between those she loves in the past and those she loves in the here and now, and that knowledge presents her with an impossible choice.

    Emotionally gripping and ineffably sweet Faye, Faraway is a brilliant exploration of the grief associated with unimaginable loss and the magic of being healed by love.

  • Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer // Book Review

    Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer // Book Review

    It feels like ages since I’ve written book reviews for the blog, but this year I decided to make my blog a place where I can store all of them. I’m still using Goodreads, but I much prefer having my own system of collecting my book reviews digitally and I want that to live on my site. That being said, I’m welcoming book reviews back to my blog with one for Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer.

    I’ll be honest, I went into this book with very little knowledge about what it’s about. Yeah, I read the synopsis, but it never gives you a full feeling on what you’re about to read. But as I was reading, I most definitely was hooked.

    Here’s More About the Book

    The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths. For centuries, a witch has harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow her domain.

    When Owen Merrick is lured into the witch’s wood, one of her tree-siren daughters, Seren, saves his life instead of ending it. Every night, he climbs over the garden wall to see her, and every night her longing to become human deepens. But a shift in the stars foretells a dangerous curse, and Seren’s quest to become human will lead them into an ancient war raging between the witch and the king who is trying to stop her.

    Epic, heartbreaking, and darkly atmospheric, Into the Heartless Wood is the story of impossible love between a monstrous tree siren and a boy who lives at the edge of her wood.

    My Thoughts

    When I first started reading, I thought this would be an interesting fantasy story about two people who become unlikely friends. I didn’t imagine there to be a romantic element, but it was so well executed. The relationship between Owen and Seren felt so natural despite being natural enemies. I loved how they started off as fearful of each other, but they kept their minds opened and fell in love with each other over the course of the story. It was really nice to see their relationship grow as the story did as well.

    Of course, there was a little bit of animosity especially with the people surrounding Owen and Seren, but I loved that they went against the wishes of their minders and went after each other anyway. Their love definitely had that innocence factor to it and there wasn’t anything beyond a few stolen kisses throughout the story. I felt like the main focus of this book was these two characters. While there was conflict to be had, it felt almost secondary to knowing these characters and the decisions they make to save each other.

    The story itself felt like a fairy tale. I’m surprised it didn’t start off with “Once upon a time,” because the atmosphere really conveys that fairy tale-esque dreaminess. It’s also pretty dark with a lot of gore, blood, and death. I loved that it had this dark element to it despite feeling like a light read. It was poetic especially in Seren’s chapters that are written in what looks like a rhythmic meter. I really loved using a specific writing style to convey Seren’s chapters. As a tree person, it definitely showed you how she’s not wholly human, but as you continue to read you see how that really changes with the style. I liked that touch a lot.

    While I really loved this story, there were a couple of things I couldn’t overlook. The first thing was that there’s very little information about the villains. Both the Soul Eater and the witch had a backstory that put them in the positions they are in now, but not a lot of it was fleshed out. I don’t think it was very important for the rest of the story, but I feel like it would have brought a level of depth to it. I wanted it to be one of those “don’t make the same mistakes I did” story, but that didn’t happen.

    Also, I’m not a fan of convenient plots and some of those components were obviously convenient. Knowledge on how to defeat someone before even looking into it doesn’t really compel me to keep reading. But again, it didn’t seem that important in the context of the story because the story was so focused on Owen and Seren.

    Overall, I loved this story. I loved the characters and the little romance between them. Honestly, this story read like a novella, but when I realized it was over 350 pages long, I was surprised. Perhaps it’s a nod to how compulsive this read was and how it kept me entertained and within the story. But I really wish there was more to it.

    I would highly recommend this book to folks who love a love story filled with drama and suspense. It’s a heavy read with the level of gore and death, but at the same time enjoyable while I read it.

    Thanks Netgalley and Page Street YA for this gifted e-ARC. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.

    Find Into the Heartless Wood on Bookshop.org

  • Pub Day Picks // January 19, 2021

    Happy Pub Day, everyone! I took a little time off from writing (and pretty much everything else) because the motivation is starting to slip. But it’s good that I took some time off and let myself relax a little. The last thing I want is to rush through a piece of writing and then present it to you and it’s crap. LOL, so I’m glad for a week away (despite most of December being away).

    I’ve returned refreshed and ready to tell you about all the books I’m excited are publishing today:

    Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

    I don’t really pick up historical fiction because most of the ones I pick up happen to be set during WWII. It gets kind of stale after a while of reading stories set in the same time period, but I was intrigued by this one because it features a significant time in American history and features a F/F romance to boot.

    “That book. It was about two women, and they fell in love with each other.” And then Lily asked the question that had taken root in her, that was even now unfurling its leaves and demanding to be shown the sun: “Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

    Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.

    America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

    “Lo’s writing, restrained yet luscious, shimmers with the thrills of youthful desire. A lovely, memorable novel about listening to the whispers of a wayward heart and claiming a place in the world.”—Sarah Waters, bestselling and award winning author of Tipping the Velvet and The Night Watch

    We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

    OMG I will shout at the top of my lungs about how much I loved We Hunt the Flame. Seriously, that was one of my favorite books from 2019 and I’ve been patiently waiting for the conclusion of this duology and it’s finally here. However, I’ll probably have to reread We Hunt the Flame before I get into We Free the Stars. At the same time, I don’t see a problem there.

    The battle on Sharr is over. The dark forest has fallen. Altair may be captive, but Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah are bound for Sultan’s Keep, determined to finish the plan he set in motion: restoring the hearts of the Sisters of Old to the minarets of each caliphate, and finally returning magic to all of Arawiya. But they are low on resources and allies alike, and the kingdom teems with fear of the Lion of the Night’s return.

    As the zumra plots to overthrow the kingdom’s darkest threat, Nasir fights to command the magic in his blood. He must learn to hone his power into a weapon, to wield not only against the Lion but against his father, trapped under the Lion’s control. Zafira battles a very different darkness festering in her through her bond with the Jawarat—a darkness that hums with voices, pushing her to the brink of her sanity and to the edge of a chaos she dare not unleash. In spite of the darkness enclosing ever faster, Nasir and Zafira find themselves falling into a love they can’t stand to lose…but time is running out to achieve their ends, and if order is to be restored, drastic sacrifices will have to be made.

    Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift

    Ok, when I read the synopsis for this book, I was stunned. It sounds most definitely like a book I’ll get into, but then I noticed that she’s compared to Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renee Ahdieh and I can’t resist a book that features my favorite YA authors as examples. I love stories like this with two people who hide each other’s identities at first, but find out later that they are destined (in an arranged way) to meet. I’m hoping the fights are as epic as they sound. Although this is written by a white author that depicts South Asian culture, I’m going to give it the benefit of the doubt because authors like SA Chakraborty do this too and they’re able to do it pretty well. My antennae is up while I cautiously enter this one.

    Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.

    Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who’s mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.

    Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery’s most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.

    Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross…and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.

    Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery’s fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it’s complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

    Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor

    One of the best speculative fiction writers for young people returns with another great story. I just picked up a copy of this book and the premise sounds so intriguing. I love the idea of being Death’s companion; something about it makes me feel romantic? Am I weird to say that? But I’m intrigued to see how this plays out.

    “She’s the adopted daughter of the Angel of Death. Beware of her. Mind her. Death guards her like one of its own.”

    The day Fatima forgot her name, Death paid a visit. From hereon in she would be known as Sankofa­­–a name that meant nothing to anyone but her, the only tie to her family and her past.

    Her touch is death, and with a glance a town can fall. And she walks–alone, except for her fox companion–searching for the object that came from the sky and gave itself to her when the meteors fell and when she was yet unchanged; searching for answers.

    But is there a greater purpose for Sankofa, now that Death is her constant companion?

  • My New Updated Rating System for 2021

    My New Updated Rating System for 2021

    I know that many folks aren’t fans of ratings. How can you determine from someone’s rating if the book will be good or not? While I do tend to avoid ratings, I can’t help but notice them.

    Since rating systems are pretty subjective (and let’s be honest, reviews are subjective as well), I thought I would try and explain my system and how I plan to approach books in 2021 and going forward. Before I get into the rating system, I want to mention that I don’t rate books 1 or 2 stars. It’s not that I don’t come across books I’m not a fan of, it’s just that I don’t waste my time reading a book I’m not enjoying. If I don’t read, I don’t rate. I don’t think it’s any good for me to rate a book I didn’t finish because I have no clue what happens at the end. Maybe it twists and turns and maybe it picks up, but I won’t ever know that because I didn’t finish it, I didn’t like it, and I didn’t care enough to want to know.

    So most of my reviews will start with 3 stars and above. I kept the system simple because I don’t like trying to parse out my feelings about a book across three stars. You’ll notice that this breakdown is similar to the one they have on Goodreads. It’s by design. Here’s the breakdown:

    3 Stars – I liked it

    Many folks will see 3 stars as a “meh” book, but I think it means it was good. I was thinking about how there are some books that I can obviously see as flawed in certain ways, but still enjoyed reading. Sometimes it’s not about whether they’re able to build a big fantasy world or have characters make good decisions. Sometimes it’s about getting into a story because it’s entertaining and enjoyable. I want to make more room for books like this because they’re not bad books, they just could have been better. Of course there were flaws and shortcomings to the novel and I would probably get into those flaws within the review, but overall a solid read and one I would recommend to certain folks.

    4 Stars – I loved it

    This will probably be the star rating you’ll see me give books most of the time. If I loved the book, then it will probably get four stars. I don’t necessarily see four stars as a step down from five stars, I see it mostly as an incredible read with a lot of themes and characters that I can definitely get into. Maybe it had a flaw here or there, but nothing too bad that took away from my enjoyment of the novel. I always tend to forget that books are sometimes made to be enjoyed and not be profound. Perhaps there are life lessons and themes about the reality of our world and those I enjoy immensely, but as long as those themes and lessons are done well I don’t fault the book for being too character-driven, slow, or have a lack of world building. These are the books that I think will draw a big crowd of people and have a following that can most definitely drive authors to continue writing.

    5 Stars – It blew me away

    I did a lot of thinking about this and I was handing out five stars like they were candy on Halloween. But when I would think about the book a little bit more, I would realize that there weren’t the most perfect book. It was something about the book that made me look past all the shortcomings and just embrace it with a warm hung and a happy feeling. Does that mean the book is readable for you?

    I think the most perfect book is a rarity and difficult to find and if it is perfect, it’s only my opinion that it’s perfect. It’s also quite emotionally fueled rating and I think that’s okay. Some books will just hit different and I think five star ratings should be reserved for books just like that. It might be quite subjective, but if I give a book five stars, it’s because I think this book will definitely make you feel the way I felt after I finished reading it, will definitely be readable in the future and bring a huge following to the author who worked hard on the book. Books don’t have to be perfect to get five stars. It just needs to be perfect for me.

  • How I Got into Anime

    How I Got into Anime

    Since this is the year I finally start to read graphic novels and manga on the regular, I thought I would give you a rundown of my experience with anime thus far. While I’ve watched anime since I was 13 years old, I never read the manga. It wasn’t hard to come by, but as a kid with little money I couldn’t easily go to the store and buy the next in the series. The library didn’t have them, so most of my introduction into this world was through anime.

    It all started with a song. I was listening to the pop hit “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies back in 1998 and because the lyrics are pretty dense in the song (if you haven’t heard it, you can listen to it here), I took a look at the song lyrics to see what they were saying.

    There was one lyric that made me confused because it was something I hadn’t heard of before that time. The lyric goes:

    Gotta get in tune with Sailor Moon Cause that cartoon has got the boom anime babes

    I asked myself “what is Sailor Moon?”

    So I took my little 13-year-old self to the library to look up what Sailor Moon was. At that time, we didn’t have Internet in the house, so I had to go to the library to use the Internet for free. When I looked it up, my eyes were opened. It feels like any classic scene where the pupils of someone’s eye dilate with the new information they’re bringing in. I knew Sailor Moon was something I would very much be into, but it being 1998 I wasn’t sure how I would get Sailor Moon to watch it and see for myself.

    Thank you, Toonami, for running the Sailor Moon series that made it to the US. Every afternoon at 4pm, I would stop doing homework, make myself a snack, snuggle up in my parents’ bed, and watch the 30 minutes of Sailor Moon.

    I was completely enchanted.

    This was the anime that opened up the world of Japanese anime for me. After finishing watching Sailor Moon, I went to the local Blockbuster (good grief, I’m this old) and picked up Vampire Princess Miyu. Let me tell you how that story solidified anime for me for the rest of my life. I mean, I used to have an AIM screen-name using some variant of VPM in its name. I was obsessed.

    A photo of my childhood bedroom featuring Sailor Moon, Chibi Moon, and the Sailor Scouts

    Looking back on it now, I think the draw for me was the fact that Sailor Moon was a lot like me; a young 13-year-old girl who was not the best at school and had a massive destiny ahead of me. There were so many times when I was a kid where I wished a mysterious black cat with a crescent moon scar on her forehead would come and tell me that I needed to save the world. I also loved that Usagi (aka Serena when I was growing up) wasn’t your typical character. She was lazy. She read more manga and ate junk food than actually did homework. She didn’t even fight most of the time and instead did a lot of crying than backing down. But when it counted, she delivered and it really did something to me.

    My love for anime was definitely recognized by my parents and whenever they took trips to Korea or China, they would also bring back little trinkets and toys they found with Sailor Moon all over them. I was not only able to watch my favorite TV show, but I was also allowed to be a fan. From that moment, I wanted to find more shows and movies similar to this and my love for the genre just soared for years after.

    Similar to my reading life, the kinds of anime I usually get into are filled with fantasy and science fiction. Although, I do love a cute shojo every once in a while, I tend to lean on hero’s journeys, ensemble casts, and lots and lots of action and adventure. If you’re looking to get into anime or want to know some of my recommendations, I’ve listed a few below!

    TV Shows

    • Attack on Titan
    • Soul Eater
    • Assassination Classroom
    • Vampire Princess Miyu
    • Naruto and Naruto Shippuden
    • Sailor Moon
    • Ouran Host Club
    • Fruits Baskets
    • Kaguya-Sama: Love is War
    • Clannad and Clannad After Story
    • Kill La Kill

    Movies

    • Your Name
    • Wolf Children
    • Summer Wars
    • Perfect Blue
    • Howl’s Moving Castle
    • Spirited Away
    • Princess Mononoke
    • My Neighbor Totoro
    • Paprika
    • Hotarubi no Mori e
    • Tekkon Kinkreet

  • Pub Day Picks // January 5, 2021

    Pub Day Picks // January 5, 2021

    Another year and another 52 Tuesdays publishing some of the most highly anticipated and quite exciting books of the year. This year will be the same as last year where I’ll take a minute to look over the top 200 books people are excited to be publishing and choose what I’ll be hyping up. This is mostly a hopeful list of books to read and eventually own, but also to hear what books are on my radar.

    Lore by Alexandra Bracken

    I’ve been wanting to read Alexandra Bracken’s first series, The Darkest Star, for quite some time. There was even a movie and yet, the book still sits on my shelf. I’m happy that won’t be the case with Lore. Serendipitously, this will be my next read and probably will start on the same day the book publishes! I’ve already heard early reviews of this book and it sounds like it’ll be a fun-filled ride that I cannot wait to get on. I’m liking the Greek influence in the book’s synopsis, but I think this is an urban fantasy. It’ll be interesting to see how Alexandra Bracken incorporates both Greek mythology and modern day society.

    Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

    Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away any thought of revenge against the man–now a god–responsible for their deaths.

    Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

    The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost–and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

    Persephone Station by Stina Lecht

    I almost thought this book was a graphic novel because of the cover. It reminds me a lot of Aeon Flux, which was a show I was not allowed to watch when I was a kid, but watched it anyway. I also heard a lot of early buzz about this book, but I haven’t seen many folks sharing it on social media. The story got me excited when they compared it to Cowboy Bebop meets The Mandolorian; both shows are big favorites of mine! So I’m expecting it to be a space western meets some mysterious plot? We shall see.

    Persephone Station, a seemingly backwater planet that has largely been ignored by the United Republic of Worlds becomes the focus for the Serrao-Orlov Corporation as the planet has a few secrets the corporation tenaciously wants to exploit.

    Rosie—owner of Monk’s Bar, in the corporate town of West Brynner—caters to wannabe criminals and rich Earther tourists, of a sort, at the front bar. However, exactly two types of people drank at Monk’s back bar: members of a rather exclusive criminal class and those who sought to employ them.

    Angel—ex-marine and head of a semi-organized band of beneficent criminals, wayward assassins, and washed up mercenaries with a penchant for doing the honorable thing—is asked to perform a job for Rosie. What this job reveals will affect Persephone and put Angel and her squad up against an army. Despite the odds, they are rearing for a fight with the Serrao-Orlov Corporation. For Angel, she knows that once honor is lost, there is no regaining it. That doesn’t mean she can’t damned well try.

    The Heiress by Molly Greeley

    I’m not usually the type to gravitate towards historical fiction and it’s mostly because a lot of them take place during WWII. However, this one caught my eye because of the subject matter: Anne de Bourgh. It’s also a little bit of a retelling of Pride and Prejudice (or maybe it’s more an homage to Jane Austen), but it’s definitely got my attention and I’m curious to see what it’s about.

    As a fussy baby, Anne de Bourgh’s doctor prescribed laudanum to quiet her, and now the young woman must take the opium-heavy tincture every day. Growing up sheltered and confined, removed from sunshine and fresh air, the pale and overly slender Anne grew up with few companions except her cousins, including Fitzwilliam Darcy. Throughout their childhoods, it was understood that Darcy and Anne would marry and combine their vast estates of Pemberley and Rosings. But Darcy does not love Anne or want her.

    After her father dies unexpectedly, leaving her his vast fortune, Anne has a moment of clarity: what if her life of fragility and illness isn’t truly real? What if she could free herself from the medicine that clouds her sharp mind and leaves her body weak and lethargic? Might there be a better life without the medicine she has been told she cannot live without?

    In a frenzy of desperation, Anne discards her laudanum and flees to the London home of her cousin, Colonel John Fitzwilliam, who helps her through her painful recovery. Yet once she returns to health, new challenges await. Shy and utterly inexperienced, the wealthy heiress must forge a new identity for herself, learning to navigate a “season” in society and the complexities of love and passion. The once wan, passive Anne gives way to a braver woman with a keen edge—leading to a powerful reckoning with the domineering mother determined to control Anne’s fortune . . . and her life.

    An extraordinary tale of one woman’s liberation, The Heiress reveals both the darkness and light in Austen’s world, with wit, sensuality, and a deeply compassionate understanding of the human heart.

    Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala

    I loved Ryan La Sala’s first book, Reverie, so I’m glad to be reading Be Dazzled. Although, this isn’t a fantasy story like his first book, I’m excited nonetheless to read a book that mixes Project Runway with Comic Con. Will Heidi Klum be saying goodbye to some nerds? We shall find out.

    Raffy has a passion for bedazzling. Not just bedazzling, but sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making–for creation. He’s always chosen his art over everything–and everyone–else and is determined to make his mark at this year’s biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, it could lead to sponsorship, then art school, and finally earning real respect for his work. There’s only one small problem… Raffy’s ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition.

    Raffy tried to make it work with Luca. They almost made the perfect team last year after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store–or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca’s insecurities and Raffy’s insistence on crafting perfection caused their relationship to crash and burn. Now, Raffy is after the perfect comeback, one that Luca can’t ruin.

    But when Raffy is forced to partner with Luca on his most ambitious build yet, he’ll have to juggle unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart, and his own intense self-doubt, to get everything he’s ever wanted: choosing his art, his way.

  • I’m Finally Reading The Wheel of Time

    I’m Finally Reading The Wheel of Time

    “The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again.”

    From Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

    I don’t know about you, but when I read these words (which btw, are the first words of Chapter One), I knew I would be going on an epic adventure across a massive world that spans 14 books. I am ready. It’s taken me a while to gear myself up to reading this book because it is long with each book being a massive undertaking, but I’ve been wanting to read this series and I’m making it the only 2021 reading challenge.

    Before I read the book, I wanted to get into what it’s about. I have to admit, this series is intimidating and I’d heard rumors about its length, the repetitive nature of Robert Jordan, the lulls in the book, and some of the sexist commentary. So I needed a bit of a boost to get me started in reading this epic series.

    I started with watching BookTube videos who introduce some of the world to me. The one I watched was from YouTuber, Daniel Greene, who discusses the high points of the story without giving too much away. You can watch that here:

    I also saved this series from the Tor.com blog. It’s a reread of the entire series with spoilers, which is great to get into after you’ve finished reading the sections (tons of spoilers). I would highly recommend if you’re a bit confused by what’s happening.

    And if you’re not the article reading type, a friend from my book club also suggested The Dragon Reread, which is a podcast that’s rereading all of The Wheel of Time. These are great companions while you read, but be warned it’s heavy with the spoilers.

    So let’s get into the book! Because this is also a bit of a review post of The Eye of the World, the first book in the Wheel of Time series.

    In many ways, this first book felt like I was reading Lord of the Rings. Many of the characters kind of felt like they were characters from Tolkien’s story. From what I’ve heard, it’s supposed to be a little bit like that because Robert Jordan was bringing homage to the father of modern fantasy. However, that’s basically where the comparisons end. This is NOT Middle Earth and I’m glad for it because I didn’t come to this series wanting to read more about Frodo and the One Ring. I came to this series because I love fantasy novels and I wanted to discover some of the “greatest” fantasy novels of all time.

    The cast of characters is very big. I thought Priory of the Orange Tree had a lot of characters, but this book has a massive cast of characters. Granted, you’re only following a core group so you don’t have to remember everyone so that might ease your mind a bit. I already love these characters so much and they go through a lot in this book. They start off in a small town called Two Rivers and for the most part, they’re average humans. Rand, who is our main character, is a sheepherder. His existence hasn’t been of anything significant, but when the Dark One starts to infiltrate his dreams, it becomes apparent that he’s more than just a sheepherder. I think this is what really sold me on the book. I’m a huge fan of the hero’s journey and while I’m not as big of a fan of Chosen Ones, I’m okay with this one because of what happens at the end. I won’t get into it because of spoilers, but the reveals at the end of the novel and how our brave hero deals with it is what solidified this series for me.

    The friendships between this cast of characters. I’m a huge fan of ensembles in books, so reading different perspectives, their relationship to one another, their emotions and getting into the feelings between each other, are all pluses in my book. I also love that each character is so well created. Each of them have their very distinct personality to the point where you can guess what they’re going to do next. I love that about characterization.

    What else is very intriguing is the world building. I think even at the end of this novel there’s still a lot of world we don’t know about, but we get a taste of how it works. I’m most intrigued by the Aes Sedai and this juxtaposition of male and female magic users. It’s kind of interesting that magic is held by women, but they’re considered witches for it. And then there’s males who haven’t had magical powers for centuries, but they’re considered dragons. I don’t know. There’s a lot there that we only get a little bit of and I can’t wait to unpack that and get into it a bit more.

    A lot happens in this first book as well. It almost feels like it could have been two or three books off this one book and I think that’s what made it more interesting to read. As the first book of a series, it’s most definitely inviting. But because there’s the internet, we can read into what happens more especially with the resources above.

    I wanted to get into a longer series like this because I wanted something that I can always return to and feel that level of comfort reading. And I’m so glad I picked this series because it is vast. Once Rand and company starts journeying out to find meaning to the dreams, then it starts to get good. Tons of action moments sidled with long journey days and emotions in these characters that felt super realistic. I know this is going to be a long series and I really welcome it.

  • The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon // Final Thoughts

    The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon // Final Thoughts

    If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! Thank you everyone who read The Priory of the Orange Tree with me this month! I know this was definitely an intimidating book and I’m so glad that we did it!

    As I mentioned in my last post, I was feeling a little bit negatively regarding the book especially in the third section of the book we read. Lots of reveals and a lot of convenient moments that I’m not a huge fan. The finale of the book was also a bit too truncated and convenient for me, but that’s okay. It was still a great read and I’ve seen many folks enjoy the book.

    This book was much different than I imagined. For an 800-page novel, I was expecting more action and adventure, more journey across the deserts and oceans of this universe to find the ancient artifacts, to find the sword, and to find the answers. The convenience of everything from finding Ascalon and the two jewels to even Tane’s understanding of her role in the entire universe were really downers for me.

    However, let’s talk about the components that I really liked:

    The almost all-female cast of characters. There were so many characters introduced in this book and that’s obvious from the first 200 pages where we’re introduced to a lot. However, I loved that the characters you were rooting for were mostly women. Sabran being the ruler of Inys and Ead being her protector and lover. I loved that Kalyba is one of the villains of the story who’s lived and seen much more than what the characters understand. Tane being this dragon rider and the Nayimathun being a female dragon as well. I also loved that the lore was also female-centric with super strong female characters fighting against the Nameless One and winning. Having an empowering story with female-forward characters really was such a nice touch.

    And truly, the characters were worth the read. Every one of them was interesting and had a part in the story. Some were shorter components and some you don’t even see in real life; like Jannart who lived in Niclays’ memory more than in real life. I loved following along with each of the main characters and what their part in the Priory means to the rest of the story. I felt so much for Sabran, Ead, Tane, and Loth. Even some of the secondary characters were enjoyable and folks I wanted to continue to follow and read.

    I also loved the world building. I loved that it took place across the expanse of this universe and that there were things happening in all parts of the world. I loved that we follow the characters to these different places, watch them negotiate with rulers and leaders who seem pretty ruthless, and I loved the dragons and how they’re incorporated into the entire story. This universe was vast and one of the reasons why I would have liked another 400 pages or at least a series in this universe is because everything that was introduced was interesting enough to get into the heart of it. If that makes sense, I just wanted more about Tane and Kalyba and the power of the jewels. I wanted more about Nayimathun especially since the dragons of the East aren’t in relation to The Nameless One or Fyredel.

    And in these last 200 pages, Tane was such a huge asset to the story. Sadly, it didn’t feel like she was very important based on the amount we knew about her and even the page time she gets. Having her at the end revealing she’s a descendant of a goddess really confused me especially since she wasn’t present for most of the novel. It really begged for more about her and having her find out about her lineage and where she comes from.

    The drama most definitely needs to be mentioned as well. There were so many reveals and Sabran’s family line is so messy and wild and every time something happened to a character I loved, I was so worried it wouldn’t work out for them. It read like I was watching one of my Chinese fantasy dramas filled with suspense, surprises, a little romance, and a final battle scene that rivals other battle scenes.

    I really liked this book, but it wasn’t a favorite of mine. The story was interesting, but it’s difficult for me to get past the flaws of the story. I will still continue to read Samantha Shannon especially as more books come out in her Bone Season series. I’ll definitely recommend this one to friends who haven’t read much fantasy and want to get into a complex world with lots of characters. I just wished it worked for me.

    What are your final thoughts?

  • Introducing the TBR Newsletter

    Introducing the TBR Newsletter

    Hello readers!

    I’m so excited today because today I’m launching my newest endeavor for 2021: A newsletter!

    I’ve been wanting to do a newsletter for a while, but I wasn’t sure exactly how I should do it. I recently realized that what I was feeling was a level of imposter syndrome; that people wouldn’t read my newsletter or care very much about the content I put out there. But I knew these were all thoughts in my head and that my perceptions on what will happen vs what actually happens will be different.

    So I went ahead and started my newsletter. It’s going to be a combination of things, but mostly it will be an extension of the life I live on social media. You’ll see blog posts and spotlights on there, but you’ll also hear stories and read exclusive content that I will only be sharing there.

    Plus, I’ll be hosting my read alongs, book club, and other community bonding endeavors on there as well. It’ll be a lot of fun, I swear.

    If you’d like to keep up with me and what I’m doing outside of this blog and social media, then I highly encourage you to sign up! I’ll be sending out the first newsletter at the end of the first week in January. I cannot wait to share more with you all.

    You can sign up for the newsletter here!

  • My Favorite Books of 2020

    My Favorite Books of 2020

    It’s getting close to the end of the year, which always means looking back and reminiscing about the events and happenings. Like the memes all mention, 2020 felt like the entire decade of events happened in one year.

    But I think the one saving grace of the entire year was my love for books. With books, staying home didn’t feel too hard. Luckily, as readers, we don’t mind an entire weekend of reading. However, the novelty of having every weekend free until the foreseeable future messed with my head a bit. I definitely felt the anxiety about our future and I definitely felt that “when will this end?” So I’m glad books are in my life and I can spend my time reading.

    This year, I read 98 books, over 34,000 pages, from across different authors, stories, and worlds. Just a few books shy of my yearly 100-book goal, but at the same time I kind of don’t care. I went into this year with a lot of different goals and challenges for myself and ended up just being a slug on the couch. I think it’s safe to say that this is the year for that kind of thing. But, I did find read some incredible books, found new authors I adore, and read much more into the sci-fi and fantasy genres than I have in years past.

    I’m going to say it right now. 2020 sucked, but at least my reading life was profound. Here’s the books I loved in 2020. There’s 21 of them and I’m not even going to try to distill this down to a specific number because they were all great and I’m not a huge fan of trying to determine a top 10. Each of these books had something incredible to offer the readers, so I decided to write one sentence about each about why I loved it. I hope you enjoy!

    The Unspoken Name by AK Larkwood: ORCS! F/F love story, but ORCS! I never see orcs used as the main content of a book. They’re usually the villains, but reading this one definitely excited me and being a dark fantasy was also a nice touch.

    My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame: A book that made me cry! This manga series was two volumes, but I ended up reading it in one sitting. I was so emotional at the end.

    Skyward by Brandon Sanderson: I always describe this book as Top Gun in space! As a YA series, Brandon Sanderson really nailed the tone and there were some really funny lines in this one. I will always be a fan of doomslug as well.

    The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: My first Becky Chambers and it was perfection! I love a good space opera, but with a ragtag team of misfits who somehow come together to save the universe is totally my thing too. If you’re a fan of Firefly, then you’ll really love this.

    To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers: This book was my second Becky Chambers, but also I loved the themes and the ending. It most definitely made me cry.

    The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab: Do I need to say anything about this one? Incredible writing, lovely story, and I love the play on “the muse” character.

    Middlegame by Seanan McGuire: I’m now a huge Seanan McGuire fan because of this book. I want to read everything she’s written. This book has alchemy, chess, twins, science fiction, fantasy, everything you ever wanted. It’s super complex and kind of confusing, but still so interesting and satisfying.

    The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P Djeli Clark: This one made me a fan of P Djeli Clark! I love alternate realities and this one dives into an alternate Cairo with an interesting murder mystery and a ton of fantasy elements. I cannot wait for his full-length book within this world coming out next year.

    The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders: My first Charlie Jane Anders and it was so good. I love dissection of different worlds and how those worlds play out with each other. Most definitely enjoyed it.

    Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir: My favorite lesbian necromancers. It’s super dark and the story has so many twists and turns. You’ll be scratching your head for a while, but at the end it’s completely worth it.

    The City We Became by NK Jeminsin: What if cities were people and they needed to fight against a greater power threatening to destroy humanity as we know it? What if each of New York’s boroughs were represented by the people who actually lived in them. This book explores not only magical themes in the real world, but also dives into the racial injustices we see everyday. Plus, it’s a great love letter to New York City.

    An Ember in the Ashes Series by Sabaa Tahir: Yes, the entire series. It’s probably the first series in a very long time where I was so excited for the next book and had my jaw on the floor. I’m so glad I got into this series this year. I read the books slowly, one a month until the final book released. And I have to say that Sabaa Tahir is one of the most brutal authors I’ve ever read. This is a good thing because I haven’t seen an author be this ruthless with their characters in a really long time. Bravo on this series! I can’t wait to read what Sabaa will be publishing next!

    A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A Brown: I absolutely loved this one. It was filled with blood magic, princesses with power and dreams, a young guy looking for his stolen sister, and their relationship to either fall in love or kill each other. I love stories like this so much and I cannot wait for the second book to finally come out.

    The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune: This book was the biggest bear hug from a best friend you can ever get. I treasure this story and the young folks who are portrayed in it. It discusses being different, having lost family at an early age, and the power of finding a new family. It most definitely made me cry at multiple moments.

    Lobizona by Romina Garber: This was my surprise story of the year. I didn’t know what to expect when reading this, but I was so surprised that it didn’t get the kind of love it deserves. It discusses undocumented citizens in many ways than one, finding your family, yourself, and where you belong. It’s most definitely a YA filled with its regular tropes, but I didn’t mind any of that because the story was that good. I highly recommend if you’re a fan of magical schools, werewolves, and brujas!

    Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: Speaking of magic, Cemetery Boys was such a sweet story about a boy trying to prove himself as a brujo to his family after coming out as trans. Of course, things work a little too well and our main character is stuck with the ghost of another boy following him around. While he tries to figure out how to save his new ghostly friend, our main character also discovers his own ability, defies the strict gender-based rules of his family’s culture, and falls in love.

    Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson: The second book in the Stormlight Archive. OMG, I think with every book I read from Brandon Sanderson, I fall in love with his world a little bit more. I can most definitely see me devouring the rest of the Cosmere in the future.

    The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter: If I had a top 5 list of favorite books of the year, this will most definitely be on it. OMG, this book was so good with a hero’s journey, the chosen one, but also a lot of heart and loss. I love stories like this and I cannot wait to get into the second book next year.

    Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse: This is my first book by Rebecca Roanhorse and wow, I was totally in love with it. Seriously, this was way different from any of the other stories I’ve read and it’s filled with Pre-Columbian folklore that was way worth the read. We read this one for book club and I have to admit, it was one of my favorites of the year.

    The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan: I finally started the Wheel of Time and I’m so glad I did. The first book in the series was interesting for sure. I loved all the characters and enjoyed the homage to The Fellowship of the Ring in the beginning of the novel. As you get into the rest of the story, then it starts to diverge and that’s when I started to really get into it. I think this series will definitely be appearing on my TBR next year.

    Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson: I’m so glad to finish this year with another Brandon Sanderson novel. This will make my third Brandon Sanderson of the year and I don’t think I’ll be stopping. This story really impressed me especially with its magical systems and characters. I will most definitely be finishing this series next year.