Top Ten Tuesday: Last Ten Recent Additions to My TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf.” I feel like I will end up being kind of repetitive if I do this week’s topic because I just did a blog post of my book haul for the end of 2019, which you can check out here. So for this week’s topic, I am going to list the last ten books I added to my TBR (minus the ones I’ve had to re-add on Goodreads because whenever I am adding TBR books to my other shelves, Goodreads likes to mark them as “read”. Anyone else have this issue?). This is super out of order and probably not completely accurate because I have added books since starting this post. Covers/titles are linked to Goodreads.

1. Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells – Why I Added It: This book came up while I was discussing SFF books that addressed colonialism with Jocelyn @ yogi with a book. It’s one of those books that I’ve tangentially known about, but I had to add it because of Jocelyn’s recommendation.

2. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody – Why I Added It: Another book I added to my TBR based on the recommendation of another blogger, Caro @ Santana Reads. They have been raving about this one for a while and I had to get my hands on it.

3. Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne – Why I Added It: I came across the publishing deal for this one on Twitter and immediately had to add it. It’s another novel in verse I am eager to check out.

4. Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi – Why I Added It: As you know, I like to support Latinx writers, but publishing isn’t so great about recognizing how diverse the community is. Olivia Abtahi is Argentinian and Iranian and her rom-com sounds like an absolute delight.

5. Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson – Why I Added It: Even though I am behind on Tiffany D. Jackson novels (I will read Let Me Hear a Rhyme this year), I quickly added her next book as soon as I heard about it. I don’t even know what it’s about, but I want it.

6. We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez – Why I Added it: I actually didn’t realize I hadn’t added this one to my TBR. I haven’t picked up a Jenny Torres Sanchez novel since Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia, but am really looking forward to seeing what she does with this one.

7. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson  – Why I Added it: Have you seen the cover for this one? It looks like a delight. The synopsis sealed the deal for me, about a girl running for prom queen to help her get into college, but who ends up falling for her competition.

8. I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee – What I Added It: Again, I am a sucker for a cover with girls of color looking happy and doesn’t she just look so happy? I am already rooting for Skye.

9. Prime Deception by Valerie Valdes – Why I Added It: I loved Chilling Effect, so of course I had to add the sequel once I realized it existed.

10. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri – Look, Tasha Suri is going to bless us with another novel in 2021!!!! This one is an Indian-based fantasy with f/f romance and the start of a trilogy from one of my favorite writers!

Do you have these on your TBR as well? What’s the last book you added to yours? Any of these going on your TBR after seeing them here? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Four-Star Reads of 2019

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “Bookish Discoveries I Made In 2019.” This list was really difficult for me. I just couldn’t sit down and come up with enough “discoveries”, so instead, I am sharing my top ten four-star reads of 2019 with you. I had a ton of four-star reads and would love to share my love for them with you. If I was the kind of blogger who gave half stars, most of these would be rated 4.5 stars. Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi – I’m still trying to figure out how I read this one a year ago and not ten years ago. If you like smart fantasies with nuanced characters of color, you need to read this one. Also I read the sequel already and am dying to talk to someone about it with someone. Read my review here.

2. The Wicked King by Holly Black – I read this one and the final book in the Folk of the Air trilogy in 2019 and I don’t know if this counts as controversial but I definitely think this one is superior. It’s a lot darker than the third book which feels more congruous with The Cruel Prince. Although I enjoyed the third novel, the tone was different compared to the other two. Read my review of The Wicked King here.

3. We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia – This is one of those reads whose message can get completely lost because so many people want to compare it to The Handmaid’s Tale and leave it at that. But this one explores immigration, religion and politics, classism, and centers two Latina characters in a way that I have never seen done before. Read my review here.

4. Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali – When was the last time you read a book where a female Muslim character of color got to be angry? Zayneb is one of the main reasons I loved this one. And just seeing two Muslim teens being able to have a meet cute and have an epic love story felt so refreshing. Read my review here.

5. There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon – Sandyha Menon’s books ooze charm and never fail to make me laugh and smile. I loved that we got to see a fat Indian-American teen star in a rom-com and hope it leads to more fat characters of color in YA. No review for this one.

6. Nocturna by Maya Motayne – I cannot say enough about how much I loved the main characters, Alfie and Finn. I would die for either one of these characters. This was the first time I’ve seen a Latinx fantasy developed well enough where it doesn’t ignore or try to sweep things like colonization and slavery under the rug. I will forever be bitter about the unfair criticism this book received because of unjust comparisons to the Shades of Magic series, which I love by the way. But these are two very different stories and the fact that Nocturna centers Afro-Latinx characters should have been the first clue, but readers love to give credit to white authors when it comes to groundbreaking “representation” and the like and when it finally comes time for authors of color to have a chance to write series centering their own culture or to put characters of color in fantasy settings, they are told it’s already been done before. But of course white authors got to do it first, it’s one of the consequences of privilege and overrepresentation. Obviously, I have a lot of feelings. Please read this one. Read my review here if you need more convincing.

7. We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal  – If I had gotten a little more in terms of on page character development this would have been a five-star read for me. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say this was among my top ten favorite reads in 2019 in terms of world building. Read my review here.

8. Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud – Speaking of groundbreaking novels, I loved this one that centers a Black teen girl falling for prince charming (though I might argue it’s more like prince charming falling for Zora). Bonus points for not using misunderstandings to drive the characters apart. Read this contemporary and find yourself smiling the whole time. Read my review here.

9. Analee, in Real Life by Janelle Milanes – Cheers to the author for creating such a genuine teen voice. If you told me Analee was a real teen, I’d believe you. Also has the fake dating trope, which I love, predictabilities and all. I also so appreciated how much focus is put on Analee’s journey in this one rather than the romance. Read my review here.

10. Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes – This was my final read of 2019 and I knew I was going to love it after the first chapter. I have a mighty need for more Latinx characters in space, but there are so very few. This one was such a fun adult sci-fi novel. I loved Eva with all her flaws and hangups. I loved her entire crew and how her ship comes to inadvertently be home to a bunch of psychic cats. I really had a blast with this whole novel. I don’t have a review for this one, but you need to read it if you enjoy space operas of any kind.

What was your favorite four-star read? Have you read and enjoyed any of these? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020.” This week’s list is torture! How am I supposed to decide which ten books I’m most anticipating for the first half of 2020 when I literally have like 50 books on my TBR for that time period? Alas, I feel like I left some good ones off my list, but it is what it is. Also leaving off a certain book whose ARC I’ve already read (*whispers* Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore, read it). Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. Seven Deadly Shadows Courtney Alameda and Valynne E. Maetani– Publication Date: January 28th 2020

2. Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon – Publication Date: February 18th 2020

3. We Unleash the Merciless Storm by Tehlor Kay Mejia – Publication Date: February 25th 2020

4. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin – Publication Date: March 26th 2020

5. Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega – Publication Date: April 7th 2020

6. Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova – Publication Date: April 28th 2020

7. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo – Publication Date: May 4th 2020

8. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas – Publication Date: June 9th 2020

9. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – Publication Date: June 30th 2020

10. 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon – Publication Date: June 30th 2020

Are you looking forward to any of these as well? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.

Top Ten Tuesday: My Five-Star Reads of 2019

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is “Favorite Books I Read In 2019.” This list should have been harder to put together than it was, but luckily for me, I only had eleven five-star reads in 2019. Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard – I love this series so much and this third installment just blew me away. I don’t care how long this series is going to be, I want to spend as much time in this world as possible. Read my review here.

2. The Moon Within by Aida Salazar – I may need all of the novels in verse written by Latinx authors. Salazar writes one of the most touching MG novels I have ever read. Read my review here.

3. Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno – Have I shouted about this one enough? Lol, there is no such thing as shouting enough about this near perfect debut novel. Read my review here.

4. Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhouse – One of my very favorite fantasy series in recent years, Roanhouse’s sequel was jam-packed with action and I cannot wait to return to this world. Read my review here.

5. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson – This book was magnificent. I thought I liked Rogerson’s writing, but this made me love it. Read this fantasy book now. Read my review here.

6. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – Silvia Moreno-Garcia has a ton of great novels and she’s so versatile, but this most recent novel might be the one I’d recommend everyone start with. It feels like a fairytale story for adults and it’s based on Mayan mythology and also tales place in 1920s Mexico City. What’s not to love? Read my review here.

7. Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – I should have expected Silvia Moreno-Garcia debut to be great. It’s got magical realism and music fused together and it hit me with just the right amount of heartache. Read my review here.

8. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo – I personally think Elizabeth Acevedo is a genius and could survive the rest of my life living off her words. Read this one immediately. Read my review here.

9. Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri – My newest favorite author who I love to shout about it Tasha Suri. Her duology is everything I’ve ever wanted in a fantasy but never got reading white authors (sorry not sorry). Review coming soon.

10. The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi & Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore – I am combining these two.because when I started this list I had only read one 2020 ARC and it was a five-star, but now I’ve read two. Chokshi and McLemore write the most stunning novels and you are not prepared for either. Reviews for these coming soon!

How many five-star reads did you have this year? What’s the last five-star book you read? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.