Top Ten Tuesday: Tropes That I Refuse to Say Are Dead Until PoC Have a Chance to Utilize Them

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 Tropes.” I feel like my title this week is very wordy, but I couldn’t think of a pithier way to explain what I was doing with this topic. These are tropes I see lots of people say they are tired of, but I won’t be tired of them until I see just as many books with PoC, specifically written by PoC, also being able to utilize them like white authors have. And please, if you have recommendations, let me know in the comment! Also, side note, can we get more of these stories without the obligatory white love interest?

1. Fake Dating – This is one of my favorite tropes, but I can literally count on one hand the number of times I have seen this in a book written by and starring a person of color.

2. You’ve Got Mail – I’ve seen this one multiple times in YA novels, but don’t think I’ve ever see a book with this trope with PoC at the center.

3. The Chosen One – I know there are tons of readers who are over this trope, but do you know that there are still readers and especially young PoC who haven’t gotten to see themselves as the chosen one? Let them have a turn before you cancel it.

4. Fairytale Retellings – No matter how many Cinderella retellings there are, I will never say no to one where a PoC gets to have their happily ever after.

5. Hidden Royal – I want PoC to have a chance to be royalty, including royalty in disguise. I promise to act surprised and everything.

6. Friends to Lovers – Because I do enjoy this trope, but I don’t seem to pick up too many books with it, I’d like to see a few books with PoC featuring this one.

7. Star-Crossed Lovers – Angst abounds with this trope. I secretly love all the angst and need more of this trope but with PoC leads. Also does anyone know where I can stream Still Star-Crossed? I need to binge watch it because I miss it.

8. Vampires, werewolves, angels, etc. – All these creatures have had their shot, except they all seem to be white and PoC also love creature books and want a shot at being the brooding vampire or the mortal who falls for said brooding vampire.

9. Happy Ever After – All the happily ever afters for PoC please. It really doesn’t matter in what form, but so many books about PoC are “issue” books and put PoC’s pain on display for consumption, I’d really like to see more happy books featuring PoC.

10. Hate to Love – My favorite trope ever that I cannot get enough of. I want to see this trope in all forms in books about PoC. I would eat it up. GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!!!!

Are you a fan of these tropes? Which trope would you like to see in books featuring PoC? Give me all your recs! Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I Met in 2019 I Want to Hang Out With

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 “Book Characters I’d Love to Be Besties With.” I feel like I’ve done versions of this list many times before. I recently did one on my literary soul mates and if I did this topic as it is written, I would end up just naming all of them over again. So for this list, I am going to name ten characters I met in 2019 that I would like to hang out with. Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. Enrique from The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi – I’m not sure Enrique is necessarily my favorite character from this book (honestly, it would be too hard to choose), but he feels like the most fun and I’m certain I’d be cracking up left and right if I hung out with him.

2. Rosa from Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno – A planner after my own heart? I feel like I would have a lot in common with Rosa. We could totally hang out in Port Coral together and she could give me a tour and I could fall in love all over again with this place and never leave.

3. Alfie and Finn from Nocturna by Maya Motayne – It most definitely is not cheating to name two characters at once. These two were a whole lot of fun to get to know and I wouldn’t mind breaking a few laws with them by my side.

4. Silas from Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson – Who wouldn’t want to hang out with a demon with a heart of gold? Silas was my favorite character in this one and even though I know it’s dangerous to trust a demon, I just love him so much anyway.

5. Zayneb from Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali – I feel like Zayneb and I would get along really well. We are both always angry at the world and we could totally vent to one another. It would be amazing.

6. Casiopea from Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – I love practical characters and even though it may seem that I have my head stuck in the clouds, I really am a very pragmatic sort of person. Casiopea and I would understand each other.

7. Zora from Truly Madly Royally by Debbie Rigaud– I love Zora’s ambition and her desire to do good in her community. She’s the kind of person I wish I was at such a young age.

8. Sweetie from There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon – Sweetie is literally the sweetest and I too want to be a part of her friend group who are willing to take down any guy who might wrong one of them.

9. Dani from We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia – I definitely relate more to Dani than Carmen in this debut. Poor girl needs some people in her corner and I am willing to help her with spy work.

10. Mira from An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley – This might sound a little weird, but I’ve always been super intrigued by poisons. I’m not saying that this would be my weapon of choice if I were an assassin, but this would be my weapon of choice if I were an assassin. Mira could possibility give me a few tips.

Which character did you meet in 2019 that you would like to hang out with? Who on my list are you curious to know more about? 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: Cover Resigns I Like

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 “Cover Redesigns I Loved/Hated (submitted by Rachelle @ Shell’s Stories).” It’s tempting to go with cover redesigns I hated, but I thought I’d stay positive for this Top Ten Tuesday topic. And since I am horrible at remembering which covers got redesigned, I only have a few to share with you this week. Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers – I have the hardcover editions of the original trilogy, so won’t be doling out more cash for the paperback redesigns, but they are so pretty. I have the hardback of Courting Darkness and that thing is so gorgeous. I can only imagine what these books would look like if they were hardbacks. I might be tempted to buy them.

2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab – Here I was thinking I got my edition of Vicious early, so I wouldn’t have to worry about them running out or anything. Then they go and redesign the covers. I really like the new covers and now it’s inevitable that if I end up loving Vicious, I’m going to end up with a mismatched series on my shelf. **shakes fist at the universe**

3. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh – I actually don’t mind either of these designs. I really like the original ones, especially with the gorgeous endpapers inside, but there is just something really eye-catching about these latest paperback editions. I think it’s the colors, I’m just really drawn to them.

4. Brooklyn Brujas by Zoraida Cordova – I have the original hardcover edition of Labyrinth Lost, but then they changed the covers and the sequel Bruja Born only matches the redesign. I don’t mind so much, I just kind of wish Labyrinth Lost was available in hardcover with the redesigned cover, so I could own both.

5. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao – I really liked the original design for this duology, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t something really lovely about these cover redesigns. Also, does the original feature the snake every cover has been rocking lately? This one did it first!

What’s your favorite cover redesign? Which of these do you like best? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 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 “Books On My Summer 2019 TBR.” Uh, I really have no idea what I’m going to read this summer. Aside from the Latinx Book Club, one ARC, and a couple of buddy reads I have no concrete plans. I was initially going to list books I bought in 2019 that I still haven’t gotten to, but found it too sad. So instead, I’m listing a very tentative TBR because I”m a moody reader who will likely change my mind many times. Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo – Starting with a 2019 read that I am determined to get to. The Poet X is one of my favorite books (and we’re reading it for the Latinx Book Club in July!), so I don’t know why I haven’t shoved everything aside for this one.

2. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig – I feel like I’ve had this ARC for a really long time and I’m finally going to read it. It’s a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, which is one of my favorite fairy tales.

3. Interment by Samira Ahmed – I love ARCs but sometimes they can get in the way of new releases I’m also eager to read. That’s what happened with Internment. I fully intended to read it when it was released, but just never found the time.

4. Vicious by V.E. Schwab – I should probably work on my backlist TBR and this is one I’ve been meaning to get to for years. YEARS. It’s also one I feel like the community as a collective has been screaming at me to pick up already.

5. Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo – This contemporary looks like the absolutely perfect read for the summer. I can’t wait to smile my way through this one.

6. For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig– Oh the guilt! I’ve had this one for too long and all I hear is amazing thing. Why haven’t I read it yet? I will this summer…I hope.

7. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera – I think it’s about time that I get my heart broken by Adam Silvera again. I’m kind of ready for it. Hahahahaha…I’m never ready.

8. We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal – I started this one last week and then hit a major reading slump. Nothing appealed to me. But sometime this summer, I’m going to restart this.

9. The True Queen by Zen Cho – Oh no, some more guilt! I must pick up The True Queen. It’s one of my most anticipated 2019 releases and yet I still haven’t picked it up. I’m so ashamed.

10. Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers – I reread the original trilogy earlier this year because I wanted to pick this one up and then I didn’t. Epic fail. I must pick it up this summer. I might fail again.

Are you eager to get to any of these as well? Which backlist book on your TBR are you planning to read this summer? Let me know in the comments and be sure to leave me a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.