Monthly Wrap-Up: November ’20 + I’m Back!!!

Hello, my friends, it’s been sooo long! If you didn’t notice, I took the month of November off from the blog but now I have returned and I am feeling pretty good. I also ended up taking a couple of weeks away from both IG and Twitter. It wasn’t planned, but just taking a break from all the pressure to be productive was very much needed. I don’t have a lot of plans in terms of the blog for this last month of the year because I didn’t want to spend my break from the blog thinking about the blog, but I do have several reviews in the drafts that need to go up. Looking forward to reconnecting with all of you <3<3<3

I just went to look at what I had read this month and apparently I didn’t. I read two full books and only got through a third of another. This is actually really funny because I could have sworn I read more. Oh well. Something amazing that did happen was I reached 100% ratio on NetGalley. This has only happened a couple of times since I started blogging. It feels so good and so earned. It might be disappearing sooner rather than later as I have requested a few 2021 ARCs.

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

Favorite Book This Month:

I am currently recovering from reading The Burning God by R.F. Kuang, the final book in The Poppy War trilogy. I didn’t finish it, it finished me. I need to sit down and write a review, but I am experiencing a book hangover that somehow is worse than the ones the first two books put me through.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No book received lower than three stars from me.

Reviews Posted This Month:

(Covers linked to reviews)

Readalong News:

Forgery of Readalongs: I have joined Johely @ bookrokosmos and Jessica @ Theatrical Reader in hosting the Forgery of Readalongs for the month of December. Together we are reading Nocturna by Maya Motayne. Join our Goodreads discussion group here.

What I Watched/Am Watching:

Chocolate – I would like to take a moment and thank the creators of this K-Drama. It single-handedly got me through election week when I needed to take a break from doomscolling and watching the news on T.V. The slow-burn was so deliciously slow but so worth it. If you like foodie dramas, childhood sweethearts, and a romance that makes your heart ache, be sure to check this one out. Keep a tissue box handy as this one takes place at a hospice and you will grow attached to characters you will have to say goodbye to.

December Releases I’m Excited For:

How was your November? What book are you hoping to get to by the end of the year? 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: October ’20 + Hiatus Announcement

I haven’t been around for the last couple of weeks and while my first instinct is to apologize, I just really needed the break. This entire year has me struggling to find the right balance with the blog and I don’t know if it’s the state of the world, my own personal issues I am working through, or the fact that I have been blogging so long I am having just another existential blogging crisis. Over the past two weeks I decided that I am in need of an extended break, so I will be stepping away from the blog for the rest of November. I should be back come December. I do have one ARC I need to read and review, so that should go up sometime next week, but other than that I won’t be posting on the blog. I hope everyone is well, I know I haven’t been blog hopping lately, but I do hope you are all staying healthy. I will still be on Twitter and you can DM me there if you need me. I will try to spend the next couple of days replying to comments before checking out.

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

Favorite Book This Month:

I had some really good reads this month, but I am going to go with Amparo Ortiz’s debut Blazewrath Games as my favorite of the month. It was such a fun fantasy and one of the few good pieces of news I’ve had this month is it’s going to get a sequel. I need it desperately, especially since I feel vindicated regarding my favorite character whom I can’t talk about because SPOILERS.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No book received lower than three stars from me.

Reviews Posted This Month:

(Covers linked to reviews)

Latinx Heritage Month Posts + Looking Ahead:

(September 15-October 15)

Talk Chisme to Me: First Books By Latinx Authors That Made Me Feel Seen – Here I talk about the very first books where I saw myself represented. These titles will always hold a special place in my heart.

Talk Chisme to Me: Latinx Horror Spotlight – To close out Latinx Heritage Month and segue into spooky season, I talked about some of my favorite creepy books by Latinx authors and a few on my TBR.

Latinx Book Club – The Latinx Book Club will be reading The Moon Within by Aida Salazar in November. Please join us if you are able. Find us on Twitter here and on Goodreads here.

What I Watched/Am Watching:

Vampires vs. the Bronx – This was such a fun movie. I absolutely adored this one and it was perfect for October. It also makes a great companion to Alyssa Cole’s When No One Is Watching. Both deal with the insidious side of gentrification.

The Haunting of Hill House – Yes, this is my third time watching this series, but it’s just so good and exactly what I am looking for in an October watch. I still haven’t had a chance to watch The Haunting of Bly Manor, but I love spooky stuff all year long, so I have time.

November Releases I’m Excited For:

What was your favorite October read? Did you watch any scary movies? 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: September ’20

I am pretty sure September didn’t happen. Yesterday was August, I am almost sure of it. This month I had to take care of a couple more ARCs as well as finish all my posts for Latinx Heritage Month and I am exhausted. I was just talking to friends about how we are all tired when it comes to ARC reading (why were there so many September releases?!). I am currently reading an ARC and have one more I need to take care of, but after that I am taking an ARC break. I won’t be picking up another until 2021. I thought I would get more reading done for Latinx-a-thon and Latinx Book Bingo, but like I said, September didn’t actually happen. I did read seven books by some miracle, so yay me? I still have tons of books on my TBR, but I am trying not to stress too much over it. There is still plenty of time to read these titles by the end of the year. Also, reminder that I am giving away a book by any Latinx author on Twitter, see tweet here.

Please consider donating to the following organizations:

Haitian Bridge Alliance

Black Latina Girls and Women Fund

Undocumented Indigenous Fund

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

Favorite Book This Month:

Please listen to me. You need Candice Montgomery’s By Any Means Necessary in your life. You know those books that are so good they seem to move the earth beneath your feet? This is what this book did to me. Torrey is one of the most relatable protagonists I’ve ever come across, his voice is so distinct, I cried half a dozen times while reading, I am literally tearing up right now typing about it. My review for this one will be up soon. Cover linked to Goodreads.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No book received lower than three stars from me.

Reviews Posted This Month:

(Covers linked to reviews)

1. If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann
2. Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
3. Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar
4. Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro
5. Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
6. Miss Meteor by Tehlor Kay Mejia and Anna-Marie McLemore

Read, Review Coming Soon (maybe):

(covers linked to Goodreads)

1. We Unleash the Merciless Storm by Tehlor Kay Mejia
2. Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Latinx Heritage Month Posts:

(September 15-October 15)

Talk Chisme to Me: 2020 Latinx Heritage Month TBR – Lots of fun readathons and even a book fest happening this month. Be sure to check out all the books on my TBR for the month.

Talk Chisme to Me: New & Upcoming Releases by Latinx Authors (Sept.’20-2021) – This post literally takes me the entire year to compile, but at the end it is so rewarding to see all these titles together. If you are wondering how you can support Latinx authors all year long, you need to check out this list.

Talk Chisme to Me: New Favorite Books by Latinx Authors – Sharing my favorite reads by Latinx authors I’ve read since last LHM. I highly recommend every single one of these!

Notable Blog Posts This Month + Looking Ahead:

Top Ten Tuesday: 2020 Fall Releases I’m Excited For – Find out what fall releases have caught my eye this year!

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Anna-Marie McLemore Quotes – This was such a delightful post to put together featuring quotes from one of my all-time favorite authors.

What I Watched/Am Watching:

Sister, Sister – I basically binged the entire series of Sister, Sister this month. I have a lot of fond memories of this one. Some of the jokes definitely aged better than others but overall, I really loved revisiting this one.

Julie and the Phantoms – Julie and the Phantoms!!!! Julie and the Phantoms!!!! I found a new happy place and it is this musical series about a girl who accidentally summons a ghost band and then they help each other realize their musical dreams. I’m crying, I love it so much. I am already on my second watching of it. Netflix better give us a second season.

October Releases I’m Excited For:

What October releases are you excited for? 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: August ’20

I was determined to come back to blogging on a more regular basis in August and I only kind of succeeded. I am currently working on all my posts for Latinx Heritage Month and might end up taking another break afterwards. This month I participated in #ARCAugust and did better than I thought I would. I still have a couple I need to get to over the next couple of weeks, but I am feeling confident. In total I read nine books this month which I have not done in forever. Several of these were rereads for the #MeteorShowerReadathon and can I just say how soothing it was to pick up so many rereads? On a very personal note, I might not reply to comments for the next couple of days. Today marks one year since my brother passed and I might need a couple days away. Thank you for your understanding.

Keep yourself up to date with what is happening worldwide, check out the carrd here.

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

Favorite Book This Month:

Y’all, this book. Y’all, this book was everything. I am so in love with Aiden Thomas’s Cemetery Boys. You ever start a book and just know right away it’s going to end up being a favorite? I loved the characters in this one, the setting, and the magical system. Click on the cover to read my review. Buy it. Check it out from your library. You won’t regret it.

Least Favorite Book This Month:

No book received lower than three stars from me.

Reviews Posted This Month:

Read, Review Coming Soon:

(covers linked to Goodreads)

Also, I am giving away an ARC of Furia on Twitter. Today is the last day to enter. If you are interested, you can find my tweet here. US only.

Notable Blog Posts This Month + Looking Ahead:

ARC August 2020: The TBR – I got through about half of the books on my list which I am going to count as a win considering I was also doing a lot of rereading this month.

Talk Chisme to Me: August Releases by Latinx Authors – I have been doing these monthly recaps of what books are being released by Latinx authors. This will be my last for the year as I will be doing a new and upcoming releases post for Latinx Heritage Month which will highlight books coming out through the end of 2020 and through 2021.

Book Lists: Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020 – Take a look at the releases for the second half I am excited for.

Book Club/Readathon News:

Meteor Shower Readathon – I am continuing with this readathon. This week we are reading Anna-Marie McLemore’s latest novel, Dark and Deepest Red, and then we will be tackling Tehlor Kay Mejia’s novels. Check out our Twitter account here for all the details.

Latinx Book Club – The Latinx Book Club will be reading By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery for the upcoming Latinx Heritage Month. Get your hands on a copy so you can join us on the 15th! Find us on Twitter here and on Goodreads here.

What I Watched/Am Watching:

Lovecraft Country – I am an episode behind on this but I am absolutely loving this new series. It’s weird and eerie and is exactly what I am craving right now.

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay – I finally finished The King: Eternal Monarch and have moved on to It’s Okay Not to Be Okay. I am only like two episodes in but oh my gosh, I can already tell it’s going to be so addicting.

September Releases I’m Excited For:

Are you excited for Latinx Heritage Month? What’s your most anticipated release for the second half of 2020? 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!