Monthly Wrap-Up: May ’20

March crawled, April sprinted, and May was just kind of there. Early in the month it was my birthday which you might have guessed was a quiet affair. I wanted to read more as I limited myself to what I consumed in other forms of entertainment, but my focus wasn’t always there. I read Summer is just around the corner and I have a ton of ARC that I feel really blessed to have but am also feeling a little stressed about getting through them all while also trying to balance picking up books I want to read. My library is still closed which is starting to feel really inconvenient, especially when I want to read so much and I now have gift cards burning in my pocket. I have a couple of book club reads this month that I am very excited for and am hoping to schedule a little hiatus sometime soon. It is way overdue, but it’s hard to justify a break when you have certain posts coming up, so we will see.

Special note: If you are able, please consider donating to bail funds. Here is a link to a Twitter thread listing many around the country that you can contribute to. I want to make it abundantly clear that if you are not supporting the protests happening right now in this country, if you are pearl-clutching over “riots” and aren’t angry over what’s happening in this country to Black Americans, or your support is contingent on only “acceptable” forms of protest, we are not friends. I do not want to be your friend. Do not come to my blog and talk to me like we are friends.

(Book covers below are linked to my reviews, unless otherwise specified.) 

Favorite Book This Month:

I have been reading some incredible, chunky novels lately. Currently kicking myself for putting off Fonda Lee’s Jade City for so long. I am loving all the adult fantasy books I’ve been picking up this year and this one blew me away. I love the sibling dynamics and the fantasy elements. Will definitely be diving into the sequel soon. Review for this one coming soonish. Cover linked to Goodreads.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No read received less than three stars.

Reviews Posted This Month:

Notable Blog Posts This Month + Looking Ahead:

Talk Chisme to Me: May Releases By Latinx Authors – Check out what books came out this month by Latinx authors!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown– I am so so so so excited for this release and can’t wait to read it.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want For My Birthday – We all can dream about getting all the books on our wishlists for our birthdays right?

Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons Why I Love Rereading Books – Yes, I love rereading books. Do you?

Book Club News:

Latinx Book Club’s June Pick – The Latinx Book Club will be reading Gabby Rivera’s Juliet Takes a Breath for Pride Month. We hope you can join us! Find us online: Twitter/Goodreads.

Accidentally In Love Book Club – Paola @ Guerrerawr on Twitter is starting a new book club this summer dedicated to reading romance books by authors of color. June’s pick will be Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai. Be sure to check out the book club’s Twitter account here and Paola’s YouTube channel here where she will be having live show at the end of the month.

What I Watched/Am Watching:

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin) – I limited my K-Drama watching to one series in May because I watched way too many in April. I liked this one but had a few hangups like the age gap between the leads. I liked the fantasy elements and really enjoyed the dynamics between the Goblin and Grim Reaper. If this had been a romance between these two, it would have been such a powerful hate to love to enemies to lovers story.

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Can you believe I have never watched this show? I am still on the first season, but am really enjoying this found family adventure.

What We Do in the Shadows: Season 2 – I love this show so much. Every episode has me in stitches. I am a couple of episodes behind season 2 but I am loving Guillermo’s arc. He is my absolute favorite.

June Releases I’m Excited For:

 

What have you been watching lately? Which June release are you most looking forward to? Let me hear from you in the comments and feel free to leave me a link to your own wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to visit!

Monthly Wrap-Up: April ’20

March crawled by at the slowest pace imaginable, but I completely lost track of time in April and before I knew it it was over. I only read five books, but still consider this a win since three of them were ARCs. Speaking of ARCs, I am going to limit myself to one ARC for May. I love ARCs but the looming deadline to get them read and reviewed stresses me out. I spent the last week of April not knowing what to pick up because I’ve had so many ARCs I needed to pick up and now I suddenly don’t. It’s on odd feeling. I have an upcoming Talk Chisme to Me post that’s gotten smaller and smaller (because of release dates being postponed), but I am still looking forward to sharing. I am still watching K-dramas because it is currently my happy place. Note that I am always looking for recommendations! I have no idea what I will be doing in May. My birthday is in a week and I will be making myself some cupcakes, but that is where my plans end.

(Book covers below are linked to my reviews, unless otherwise specified.) 

Favorite Book This Month:

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic was my favorite read in April and this year so far. I spent two days on my review and already have plans to reread it before its release because I want to make sure my review is perfect. I just want to bask in this book’s brilliance forever to be honest. Cover linked to Goodreads.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No read received less than three stars.

Reviews Posted This Month:

Notable Blog Posts This Month + Looking Ahead:

Talk Chisme to Me: Upcoming April 2020 Releases – Don’t miss out on these releases by Latinx authors!

Future Nostalgia Book Tag – It has literally (no, not really, but kind of) been forever since I did a book tag. Check out this one!

Reading Challenges Wrap-Up: March-April ’20 – An update on my progress for the Year of the Asian reading challenge and the Con Sabor Reading Challenge.

Top Ten Tuesday: Middle Grade Novels on My TBR – Why are there so many charming middle grade novels out there and when will I find the time to read them all?

Latinx Book Club’s April Pick – The Latinx Book Club is doing something a little different. For the time being we will be hosting a readalong every other month. So for May, you can still read The Victoria in My Head by Janelle Milanes as we will keep discussions open throughout the month. Look for a announcement for our June pick mid-May. Find us online: Twitter/Goodreads.

What I’m Watching:

Because This Is My First Life – I had a few issues with this one, but overall I liked it. I really appreciate the girl friend group and am always a sucker for the marriage of convenience trope. I did appreciate the way it handled work place sexual harassment and loved that the female characters in this one were all different, but still remained supportive of one another.

Cheese in the Trap – I have a bone to pick with the writers of this show. This is the first K-drama that I hate watched. The lead male character is the worst. You can hate him along with me in the comments. However, do not speak a word against Baek In-ho. He is precious and I will accept no slander against him. He should have been the lead. He should have been the lead! I’m bitter. BITTER!!!

My Holo Love – Wow, listing all the K-dramas I watched this month might give me a clue about why I didn’t read a whole lot. Let’s pretend not to connect the dots. This one was really cute but that last episode really had me in tears. How dare they.

Killing Eve: Season 3 – It’s back and I am so excited! That last episode had me screaming. If you have never watched this show, you need to binge it right now. It’s a cat-and-mouse game, it has assassins, and a hate/love relationship between the two lead women. You need to watch!!!!

May Releases I’m Excited For:

What have you been watching lately? Which May release are you most looking forward to? Let me hear from you in the comments and feel free to leave me a link to your own wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to visit!

Monthly Wrap-Up: March ’20

Raise your hand if you’ve been blogging less even though you have more time on your hands *raises both hands* You would think that I would just throw myself into blogging as a way to keep busy, but I’ve found it incredibly difficult to concentrate on blogging. I even incorporated a “What I’m Watching” section to this wrap-up because that is where a lot of my energy is going, haha. Luckily I’ve had a few drafts at the ready. I haven’t participated in a meme for the last two weeks but will probably start working on those again in the next week or two. This month I read and listened to (thanks, Scribd) eight books. I was able to read three ARCs which I am really happy about, but it turns out April is going to be full of ARCs as well. With the exception of the Latinx Book Club pick, I don’t have any other definitive reading plans for April. The library is currently closed, so I will have to reach for my own shelves. Never a bad thing.

(Book covers below are linked to my reviews, unless otherwise specified.) 

Favorite Book This Month:

I had a really good reading month in terms of ratings, but only one five-star read. My favorite March read was Carmen Maria Machado’s In the Dream House. I listened to the audiobook which she narrates and was incredible moved by this memoir. Her writing is so powerful and her narration gave me chills. If you decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend the audiobook. Cover linked to Goodreads.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No read received less than three stars.

Reviews Posted This Month:

Books I Read, Review Coming Soon:

(Covers linked to Goodreads)

Books I Read, Not Reviewed:

(Covers Linked to Goodreads)

1. A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano – This was a reread for the Latinx Book Club (Twitter/Goodreads). It was just as charming the second time around. If you love sweet MG novels this is the perfect series to pick up. Rating: 4/5
2. A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney – I’ve heard a lot of mixed things about this one, so went into it not expecting to hate it but not expecting to love it either. I really enjoyed Alice and the setting for this one. It was really fun, but I think it faltered a bit in the relationship department. Rating 3/5
3. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds – I feel like I’ve been meaning to pick this one up for years and I finally got around to listening to the audiobook. I love how much story Reynolds was able to fit in to such a small book. I loved that he plays with time and how reality is bent in this small stretch of time while the main character takes an elevator ride. Also really enjoyed Reynolds narration of this one. Rating: 4/5

Notable Blog Posts This Month + Looking Ahead:

Talk Chisme to Me: Last Ten Books By Latinx Authors I Added to My TBR – Curious about what books I’ve recently discovered and added to the TBR? Head on over to this post.

Talk Chisme to Me: Spotlighting March 2020 Releases – Here are some March releases you need to know about by Latinx authors.

Top Ten Tuesday: Spring ’20 Releases I’m Excited For – There are some great spring releases coming our way. Check out my top ten most anticipated!

2020 First Quarter Book Haul: Well at Least I Have Some Books – Take a look at the books I’ve acquired so far this year.

Latinx Book Club’s April Pick – The Latinx Book Club will be reading The Victoria in My Head by Janelle Milanes as we wanted to pick up something light. We’d love for you to join us! Find us: Twitter/Goodreads.

What I’m Watching:

Crash Landing on You – This K-drama on Netflix is exactly what I needed. It’s about a South Korean woman who accidentally finds herself in North Korea and the soldier who ends up hiding her. I love it so much and by the time this is posted, I will have finished it. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. It was perfect. Just looking at this gif puts a huge smile on my face. Please, if you have any recommendations of something similar, give them to me in the comments. I have a mighty need.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – I rewatched this one for the sixth…seventh time? Gah, I love this movie so much and demand a live action Miles Morales movie now!!!

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – I started this one and am really enjoying it so far. I have very fond memories of the original movie and this homage is a lot of fun and filled with so much distracting drama.

On My Block: Season 3 – I love this show so much but the ending for season three was just cruel. If we don’t get a season 4, I am going to riot! Also, what happened to all the Jamal and Abuelita scenes? Did you forget to shoot them? Where are they?!

April Releases I’m Excited For:

What 2020 ARCs have you been reading? Have you been blogging more or less this month? What have you been watching? Let me hear from you in the comments and feel free to leave me a link to your own wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to visit!

Monthly Wrap-Up: February ’20

Happy March everyone! I wasn’t the best blogger in February and even though I had plans to put several posts together for the month, it just didn’t happen. I did somewhere around zero blog hopping and for that I apologize. Hopefully I come into March feeling more motivated. I have some post ideas, I just have to sit down and put them together. I didn’t quite fly through books like I did in January, but in February I still got to seven books. I picked up a variety of things including two 500+ page books and a memoir. Hopefully I can continue this trend for the rest of the year as I am hoping to pick up more big books and a few books out of my comfort zone. In March I want to pick up at least a couple of ARCs and work on reading some books I recently purchased. Wish me luck.

(Book covers below are linked to my reviews, unless otherwise specified.) 

Favorite Book This Month:

I had four five-star reads in March which is pretty incredible, so I am listing them all. Covers linked to Goodreads.

1. Citizen Illegal by José Olivarez was a brilliant collection of poetry and just inspires me to pick up more poetry by Latinx authors.
2. Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann has my entire heart. I loved the MC of this one and her entire journey being comfortable sharing her asexuality with others was so touching. I immediately bought the author’s second novel after finishing this one.
3. Children of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo is one of the most beautiful and emotional reads I’ve picked up this year. Memoirs are not something I reach for but this one may have changed my mind single-handedly. I hope my review does this one justice.
4. Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty was just so good. I think my review is one of the longest I’ve written this year because I just had so much to say.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No read received less than three stars.

Reviews Posted This Month:

Other Books I Read, Review Coming Soon:

(Covers linked to Goodreads)

Notable Blog Posts This Month:

Book Lists: 24 Retellings by Authors of Color – If you’re looking to pick up more retellings by authors of color, this list will help you get started.

Top Ten Tuesday: An Ode to Book Blogging – Why do I love book blogging? Check out this post to learn some of the reasons.

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters’ Food Blogs I’d Follow – I really enjoyed coming up with this list though I am still beating myself up for forgetting Laila from The Gilded Wolves. I’m so sorry, Laila, I love you!

Reading Challenges Wrap-Up: January – February ’20 – Find out how I am doing with the Year of the Asian reading challenge and the Con Sabor Reading Challenge!

March Releases I’m Excited For:

How many five star reads have you had this year? Which March release are you most looking forward to? Let me hear from you in the comments and feel free to leave me a link to your own wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to visit!