The Daughter of Doctor Moreau | Review // SMG has done it again my friends (And I’m finally telling you about it)

Greetings readers!

Long time, no see on this space yadayada…let’s get straight to business. I couldn’t let this year go by without publishing this review, I’d be in so much trouble with myself if I did.

In July, I devoured SMGs new novel because A. I had been waiting for months to read it, B. Of course I’m gonna binge any SMG book and C. I was leaving on vacation in a week so I literally had a time limit.

I think I finished it in about 4 days. It would have been less, but I also had packing and stuff to do for said vacation…but the point is I finished and no surprise here: I LOVED IT!

Was I little nervous because it was inspired by a classic novel never read…maybe? But did I do a quick Wiki search to summarize the plot? Yes, and that greatly alleviated any anxieties I had. Although, I must say that you do not need to do any of that extra homework to love and experience this book.

Because the master craft of SMG alone is experience enough!

The Book:

A lavish historical drama reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.

Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey.

The Review:

We’re gonna start with THE CHARACTERS because I am a character-gal and in this book you either gotta love them or hate them.

Carlota is an interesting star of the show. She is a naïve child, ignorant of the darker schemes around her with dad issues on another level, an intelligent and curious soul by her own right and a little spoiled as well. I cannot say that I loved her, but she has her moments and we vibed! I think her relationship with her dad was just one of the most interesting parts of the book. You can really feel how torn she is in both having affection for him, but also knowing that he is just an utter dick.

Montgomery was also interesting. Despite being a 2nd POV, I felt he had an observational quality to him. He was in the background, he had the “I just work here” energy, until he gets too emotionally involved and things get complicated. We love to see complicated 👏

Basically, there is an abundance of character to see in this book. The god-complex striken Doctor had me rolling my eyes, he was insufferable, but in a good way that meant I loved to hate him. A gang of hybrids stole my heart, especially the snarky hybrid girl inching for freedom. Now that bratty aristocrat with his posse of even brattier misogynistic brutes… blegh, just blegh. Like I said, there is lots.

However, my favourite, favourite part of this book was not the cast of characters, but THE JUNGLE! 🌿 I don’t think I have ever said this before, but Jungle settings are where it’s at! Come and immerse yourself in this isolated hacienda where mysteries and rebellions and talking human-animals stir! I could really be reading into the book too much, but setting is itself is like a character. Carlota’s whole world starts and ends in this secluded piece of land with its wonders and secrets. I wouldn’t say it’s living, but the life that it holds makes it such an important place in the novel…until it doesn’t hold that life anymore.

And finally, THE CONS AND CONS of thinking you can play with science and religion, life and death without thinking of consequence are at the heart of this novel. No, that is not a typo. Much like the original novel touched on the topic of “playing God,” SMG also does a dive into this messy and chaotic world of humans both scientific and non-scientific thinking they can own and control another being’s existence.

I also want to point out that the history of 1880s Mexico is such a pivotal branch of this novel. Even though Carlota and her family lived far from the mainland cities, they were not exempt from any of the policies that strained life at the time. The novel explores how people had to contest against the cruelties and disparities of a racist, misogynistic caste system, even far from the city. As a reader you see the invasion of the corrupt city into this little hacienda, but also makes you realize that this invasion is only amplifying what already existed within the confines of the Doctor’s domain. Of course, the novel doesn’t keep us limited to the doom and gloom because resistance thrived then, like it does now.

The Rating:

4.5 / 5 Stars

I will 10/10 be recommending this to EVERYONE as I always do. Thank you very much.

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Blog Tour | Tokyo Dreaming // In which I get exactly what I want

Greetings readers!

I have the wonderful opportunity to be part of the blog tour for this new, wonderful book! If you remember, last year I was swept off my feet by the incredible book Tokyo Ever After. It promised me a Princess Diaries-esque vibe and boy oh boy did it deliver.

That being said, Tokyo Ever After left me with one specific want after I turned the last page: a royal wedding please between Mr. Crown Prince Dad and Ms. Professor Mom. Emiko Jean said, “Yes, Rendz. For you, anything.” And boom…here we are one year later with a sequel!

It didn’t go down exactly like that, but I did indeed receive the royal wedding drama that I wanted.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review!

Synopsis:

Return to Tokyo for a royal wedding in Emiko Jean’s Tokyo Dreaming, the sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Tokyo Ever After

When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she’s overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true.

Only…

Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother’s lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game.

But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?

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The Review

Much like the first book, I really enjoyed the court drama. Only this time it got on a much bigger scale now that Izumi and her mom were both being scrutinized by the public eye. The book does a nice job of exploring, once again, the criticism faced by women in media and the pressure put on them to conform and be puppeteer-ed by the opinions of others. What I loved about this book is that Izumi encounters different experiences and different opinions from various women in her life who all have to deal with similar, if not the same, kind of pressure.

As in the previous book, there is quite a wonderful cast of characters to be found. I think my favourite evolution over all from book one is that the Shining Twins were fleshed out and their “villainy” was given some more nuance. They were honestly the highlight characters for me, despite their less than wonderful scenes.

And here comes the juicy bit…I never thought that I would say that I enjoyed a love triangle…and I continue to hold onto that statement precariously. HOWEVER, this one was actually very well done, in my humble opinion. We had the awful break up, the ruse of fake dating and then the real fall-in, only to be confronted by The Choice and its aftermath. Bottom line is that Eriku is a sweetheart and Akio is the loyal first love. My oh my. Decisions. Decisions.

Romance aside though, I really enjoyed Izumi’s struggle for her purpose. She spends much of the first part of the book wondering what her next move is going to be and then spends the rest of the book on a path that she is still not sure is for her. Anyone who has ever struggled with the blank page of the future can relate to her troubles, even if we are not princesses of Japan needing to impress an entire nation. Deciding what to be, what to do and who you are is a challenge for everyone.

All in all, the book was cute. Was it missing some of the hijinks from the first book, maybe. But if you want to enjoy a sweet book with an extra dash of court drama then I highly recommend it for you. AND if you were hoping for a little more of a taste between the parents love story, the glimpses this book offers will surely satisfy that hunger!

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Recommend: Yes! For my romantics and royal enthusiasts!

Let me know what you think! Have you had the chance to pick this one up yet? What love-triangle books have caught your eye lately? Do you prefer modern fairy tales or more historic ones?

Happy reading!

Rendz

New year, new endeavors | Ringing in 2022! // While also summing up the end of 2021

Greetings readers!

It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Let’s just get to the bare bones of it: I have taken a significant step back from this space. This past year was just a lot, in terms of you know school, and the pandemic and other things and well Real-life Rendz got carried away with real life.

It didn’t help that I hit a massive reading slump and had exactly zero time to read for fun while I was juggling everything.

LioPhuki Official GIF

All this to say that I missed this space. I missed the moments of creativity and outreach that came with writing up posts and publishing them. Nonetheless, I did also enjoy taking a bit of a breather from the bookish-sphere as well.

Still I have a few things that I want to share with you!

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The End of 2021: A Rendz Reflection

Half a year’s worth of reading

So I didn’t read really anything after September that was for me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t highlight the wonderful books that I did read in the months before hand!

It was difficult to narrow down, but I did manage to reach a top 5!
1. Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp
2. Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
3. Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
4. Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
5. The Chronicles of a Bitch Queen by K.S. Villoso (yes a series, but still)

But of course I also had to bring up some honourable mentions like:

Flamefall by Rosaria Munda
Some Other Now by Sarah Everett
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Bouley

From what I gathered in my wrap-up, I leaned on contemporary books to get me through the year. Of course I read some jaw dropping, amazing fantasy books, but contemporary books had me living in my feels as well. I needed the fun and the fluff and I was very grateful to find these stories to carry me through the year!

And though I read nothing from September to December, the BOOK MAIL WAS ON FIRE!

RIP to my wallet, she served me well. But I am not sorry. I got some really amazing books in the mail. New releases that I can’t wait to jump on, some older books that I have BEEN wanting to get. Most of them are fantasy, so I am predicting some intense adventures this 2022!

Here is just a snippet of the SMG mail I got over my unexpected hiatus. I’m sure no one is surprised.

And to wrap up this 2021 reflection I have to shout out the reason I made it through those final intense months of the year.

BTS.

Hello GIF By Spotify

I’ll be honest, never saw this coming. Obviously, I knew about BTS, how could I not? But I was one of those foolish people who never paid full attention to them — the shame I feel T^T.

But now ~~now~~ I’m paying attention.

And while technically you can trace my origins with BTS to their Fake Love era, the Butter era really marks my entry into the fandom. You know the drill, I just googled them to know their names and I’ve been down the rabbit hole since.

To be very honest they are just what I needed to stay afloat for the second half of 2021. My nature is to obsess to distract myself from the anxieties of my everyday. (Maybe not healthy, but I cope) Usually I turn to books, but after hitting a huge slump and finding no energy to be artistic, I found myself struggling to keep the worries at bay. Is it cheesy to say that this band helped me get out of my head? Maybe, but it’s true.

And it’s not just the band itself, but the whole internet culture surrounding them. Some of it is intimidating for me, but the memes, YouTube compilations and TikToks are probably my favourite thing in the world right now. ARMY is so talented and funny, I love it.

And if you’re wondering, I have a new favourite song like every week (literally trying to catch up on 8 years worth of music), but the ultimate number 1 is Pied Piper. (A song about obsessing? Very me.)

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So What Comes in 2022

I’ll Be Around, but I’ll Mainly be Chilling

I don’t want to be stressed by this space (anymore), so I want to take it easy. I’ll write posts and reviews as I can (it took me a whole month to put this together). Even if it is just a thought or two every now and then, eventually it will compile into a full post right? But I will most likely be more focused on keep a more regular posting on my Instagram, so please visit me there to if you have the space to!

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A post shared by Rendz (@readingwithrendz)

Reading Will Also Be Chill

I am going with the flow. No set TBR. No reading goal. I just want to live my best reading life and actually get through all that book mail I got these past months.

Also, I am going to seriously restrict myself when it comes to requesting. Having yet to complete some reviews from last year, it’s only fair that I take my time to get those done. Plus, requesting just heightens my anxiety when I can’t finish in time and with the amount of reading I have to do for school this year…yeah, I gotta take it easy on this one. It’s going to be hard. I will fail and give into temptation because I can never deny myself an anticipated read (my downfall), but I am going to try. I’ve already started so yay, good start but I need to keep up the good energy to keep going. Please send good vibes.

Relaxed Pool Party GIF By Jason Clarke

I’ll Be Making My Rounds

Of course, I can’t just stick around for myself. I miss visiting your pages. I miss seeing all your creativity and reading your reviews! Be sure, I’ll make my rounds eventually to say hi and obsess over you!

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I’m hoping this first month of 2022 has been relatively smooth going for you all, and if you’ve already had some times, I’m sending you all my love to get through the rough patches.

My wish for you all this year are to read some amazing books! Tell me, what are you most excited for!

Happy reading!

Rendz

Oddly specific and very curious reading cravings I’ve had as of late | Reading Slump Diaries

Greetings readers!

How has your reading been as of late? Because if you ask me…it’s not been so great. It’s sort of an odd reading slump where I still have some amazing reads, but my desire to pick up a book comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Real-life Rendz has been quite busy and this summer has been different for me, so while I miss reading I find myself having trouble to get into the groove of it.

However, this doesn’t mean that I never think about reading. In actuality, I’ve been doing lots of day dreaming about what kind of books I want to read and it has led to the discovery of some odd but intriguing book concepts. These reading cravings aren’t books that necessarily exist, but if you have a recommendation that you think fits the vibe, hit me up!

Middle school drama with a hint of summer adventure

Yes, it specifically has to be middle school drama because I feel nostalgic for the grade school life. I also feel like the tween years are the prime age to have summer adventures that completely change lives. I want trials of friendship, tests of courage and family hijinks. In terms of genre, I’m good with either something contemporary or fantastical, though I would have to say I’m leaning towards the former. For reference I want to feel that nostalgia for my middle school years when I read The Penderwicks, the Accidentally series and other Candy Apple books

A magical forest setting that is both chilly and cozy

Let me tell you now that I’m craving a magical forest setting because I am nostalgic for Narnia vibes and For The Wolf left a bad taste in my mouth with its lackluster setting. But more than anything I want a new special twist to this kind of setting, I don’t know exactly what but something that makes this trope fantastical in a new light. I want goosebumps and thrills but also whimsy and wonder! It can be any age range, but I was really hoping for a middle grade book maybe. I don’t know how well adult or young adult might fit this! Or maybe I’m just hoping for any kind of news on the sequel of The Barren Grounds. Hmmm….

A sports rom-com with an emphasis on the COM – I want to laugh, first and foremost.

For some reason I want to read about the athlete life but in a comedic setting with love and laughter! I know a lot of sports romance books out there are a lot more smexy, but I really want the laughs. Like can it be both ridiculously hilarious and swoony? Does such a book exist? If it does, I wants it. I’m currently reading Isn’t It Bromantic which has a bit of this vibe, but still not as humourous as I’m craving you know? I want love yes, but more than anything I want the laughs!

An urban fantasy (but like a non-cheesy one please)

Believe it or not, I want something sassy and fantastical but make it *modern* If I had to confess my one problematic bookish trait, it’s that I don’t love and often put down urban fantasy books without giving them much of a chance. (Just look at the judgmental title of this section *shame on me*) This is very wrong of me, I admit. And I need to be more open to reading these stories, which is why I’m kind of loving that I’m having a bit of a craving for a story like this! I never thought the day would come, but here it is. I have ZERO knowledge of UF books, so please bestow me with your expertise!

Let me know what you think! Do you ever get oddly, specific reading cravings during reading slumps? Do you have any recommendations to match any of these moods? How do you find your way back to reading?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng | Review // Summing up how this book destroyed me!

Greetings readers!

This review has been sitting in my drafts for MONTHS and it is now finally getting its time to shine.

Let’s just say that I had so many things to say about this book, but I never could find the right way to say anything. Go figure. Nonetheless, I found myself wanted to express my thoughts and the time has come to share it with you all!

So bear with me as I chaotically tell you all about how AMAZING THIS BOOK IS and why you must read it!!

Many thanks to HBG Canada for providing me with a review copy!

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso

Pub Date: May 4th, 2021
Publisher: Orbit Books

The stunning finale to the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen trilogy where the queen of a divided land must unite her people against the enemies who threaten to tear her country apart. K. S. Villoso is a “powerful new voice in fantasy.” (Kameron Hurley)

Queen Talyien is finally home, but dangers she never imagined await her in the shadowed halls of her father’s castle.

War is on the horizon. Her son has been stolen from her, her warlords despise her, and across the sea, a cursed prince threatens her nation with invasion in order to win her hand.

Worse yet, her father’s ancient secrets are dangerous enough to bring Jin Sayeng to ruin. Dark magic tears rifts in the sky, preparing to rain down madness, chaos, and the possibility of setting her nation aflame.

Bearing the brunt of the past and uncertain about her future, Talyien will need to decide between fleeing her shadows or embracing them before the whole world becomes an inferno.

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THE REVELATIONS HAD ME FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY

The first half of this book is just discovery after discovery. Revelation after revelation. I was so shook. Secrets from past books are no longer secret which means that all of Yeshin’s ploys he had set beyond the grave get uncovered. In a way we sort of get into his head and wow what a place to be. Honestly, it was a perfect way to plot an intense and incredibly suspenseful book! Trying to connect all the dots of every ploy and scheme in this book really had me feeling like this ^.

And the aftermath of all these revelations is bloody. Uncovering these secrets comes with hard decisions and sacrifice that honestly leaves the pages drenched in blood.

THESE INCREDIBLE CHARACTERS ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF THIS SERIES.

If you like messy human beings, then you need to read this book.

Tali: I just *scrunches up face* I just love her. The messiest of all queens, she is simply a phenomenal character. In my review of book 2, I asked if Tali will ever see herself as more than Yeshin’s daughter and my oh my I got my answer. This entire book was here to give me an answer and WOW Tali’s reckoning with her identity, her reputation and her father’s ghost all came to push every one of Tali’s boundaries.

Khine: Literal messy perfection takes form in Khine Lamang. I said, what I said. I dubbed him my forever man. Forever haunted by the mistakes of his past. Forever dedicated to the people that he chooses to care for. And forever the most resourceful character in this book. A brilliant man, yes I love him.

Rai: So this book asked me to have a little empathy with Rai and ugh I think it worked!!! Don’t get me wrong I still detested this man for 85% of this book. He can be a real despicable mess BUT I must say there is an intense 15% where I feared for Rai and felt his every emotion. I can only attest this to the brilliant writer that is Villoso.

And I’m just going to say it – no character is unimportant in this book. Not even the ones you think are just passing by. Everyone had a role in this story, they all legitimately had a purpose and gosh darn it I was IMPRESSED.

And on that note I would just like to add that the stars of this show were WOMEN!

Every woman in this story was simply iconic in their own unique way! Did I love them all? Absolutely not! But that’s not the point, is it? The point is that these women were chaos-makers, revenge-seekers, and power-wielders. They were ambitious and fiery and passionate. Don’t even get me started on the different tiers of mother-daughter relationships because I will literally turn into a MESS. To keep it simple: Keep an eye on all the ladies of this story. Whether you love them or hate them, they are the game changers in this book!

THE NARRATION WILL FOREVER BE THE MOST ICONIC ASPECT OF THIS BOOK SERIES

Tali writing down her own story will always put me in my feels. Finding out why she started writing and WHO pushed her to start writing will forever have me on the FLOOR IN TEARS. This novel reminds us that history books have a way of blurring what actually happened, of missing important details and of painting figures, especially women, in certain ways that give into misogynistic traditions. So taking it upon herself to write her story, to tell us about her life as she lived and experienced it will forever be the most iconic move she (really Villoso) made. I just loved it.

WE GOT MORE MAGIC AND DRAGONS AND GHOULISH CREATURES.

If I thought book 2 was chock full of magical beings, this book upped the ante by like five levels! This final installment gets us closer to this mysterious agan that has been so far in the periphery of the story. With this third book, we get to dive deep into the lore of this magic and find out how it is connected to dragons, the land and the people. And you’d think that the looming threat of a magical bomb would lull people out of their political squabbles, but no. Of course not, *See “Messy characters”* But this squabbling just made the book all the more intense and stressful to read which is exactly what I wanted to feel. I mean it’s a political plot in combination with a magic doom, plus a mad prince wreaking havoc, a son in hostage, people trying to kill the main character on every page and the knocking consequences of a long deceased father’s decisions IT’S A LOT! And I love it.

LOVE. DUTY. SACRIFICE.

Three words that make up three major themes of this book. There is no singular meaning to any of these words, each means something unique to different characters. You can find these themes so closely woven into every corner of the story as characters are tested to find out how far people are willing to go to gain power, save a nation, find a loved one and even obey a long dead war lord. Shooketh to my very core doesn’t even begin to cover the sheer brilliance of the story. And all of this magnificence comes from Villoso’s excellent writing. Icon moves only!

IN SUMMARY

I love this book. I love this series. The detail and the emotion Villoso put into creating this world and characters is wonderfully evocative and gut wrenching. I’m so glad that we are getting more books in this world and more work from Villoso!!

Rating: 5/5 stars! ALL THE STARS!

Recommend: HELLS TO THE YES!!

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Let me know what you think! Have you read this series yet? (If no, go do that now!) Are you excited for more books set in this world? Have you ever been at a loss for words when writing a review for a book you love?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

The No Disclaimers Book Tag

Greetings readers!

Hello there, hi! It’s been a while hasn’t it? Haha. Yes, these days have been *busy* for me. I know I said July would be a month of catching up on blogging and reviews, but I promise I will say more on that in a wrap up that is forth coming.

I am doing great, I have just lost track of time per se. Nonetheless, I figured I’d ease my way back into the bloggoverse with a fun tag! I was tagged by the incredible Michaela @ Journey into Books! Many thanks to her and this is your reminder to check out her blog (it is fantastic!)

Alright, no disclaimers only honest answers…Here we go!

Which trope(s) in books annoys you the most?

I am not a fan of love triangles! I get that they can be realistic-ish (because humans are messy), but I hate being on the losing side (which happens often) so I prefer if romances are just clear from the start but with lots of drama hehe.

Which writer(s) do you feel is overrated/overhyped?

Sarah J. Maas. I’ll be brief: I think she can write entertaining books, but I don’t like how she treats her characters of colour and in the end the plots weren’t very memorable for me.

Jay Kristoff. I’m not a big fan of his writing style and I’m not super interested in his newer works…so yeah.

What are your least favorite books you’ve read since joining BookTube blogging?

Oh gosh, well certainly the final books of Throne of Glass, 99% Mine is awful imo, but I think The Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting takes the cake. I hated that book! To this day I still think about how I hated it so much XD

What is a terrible ending that ruined an otherwise quality book?

The ending to Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes was just not it…

It wasn’t a terrible ending, but this whole series was top quality and then this final book was just so lackluster! My disappointment was real.

Which fictional character(s) do you wish was not killed off?

As much as I loved Jade City by Fonda Lee, I feel like if this *one* character had not been killed off we still could have had so much drama, suspense and action. Like maybe they could have gone missing or faked their death teehee but yeah I wish we could bring this one back.

What are some of your bookish pet peeves?

Saying that listening to an audiobook or reading a graphic novel is not “real” reading. You can kindly exit the premises if you believe that, I will not have people trying to police what is and what isn’t reading around me.

What are some books you feel should have more recognition?

The Chronicles of a Bitch Queen by K.S. Villoso needs your attention now! If you are a fantasy reader, you need to read these now. This character-driven fantasy is phenomenal. There is deception, betrayal, action and dragons plus so so so much more! The fact that these books have been slept on enrages me!! So read it, please!

What are your thoughts on censorship and banning books?

I don’t think anything good comes out of either and it often makes me question who has the authority to ban/censor books these days, when historically these tactics have been used to silence voices of those being oppressed and/or marginalized. So yeah, miss me with those.

I tag…

Anyone who feels up to the challenge (Yes, I am lazy right now hehe)

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Let me know what you think! What are your opinions on these prompts? What is one bookish opinion you will never back down from?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Most Anticipated Reads of the *Second* half of 2021 | The gift that keeps on giving

Greetings readers!

Can you believe we are already half way through the year!?!? What?!?! And boy has it been a year…I hope this post does honestly find you in good health and if not, I hope it at least brings you some comfort.

Since we have made it to July, I figured it would be good to do a recap of how much of my anticipated reads I have read and of course list the books I am excited for coming in the next six months!!

So let’s get on with it!

The Recap

In my last post I listed about 2-4 books I was super excited for each month coming to grand total of 19 anticipated reads!

Of those 19, I have…
*Read 14
*And have enjoyed the majority of them considering my average rating among them is about 4.08

So let’s just say that 2021 has been giving the GOODs so far and I cannot wait to see what is coming our way next!

Alright…on to the reason we are all here

The List

JULY

Isn’t it Bromantic by Lyssa Kay Adams – Yes, The Russian’s book!! Vlad is my favourite character above the rest and I can’t wait to see him shine in the spotlight!

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim – I’ve been eagerly waiting this one ever since we got that snippet of this story in Unravel the Dust!

AUGUST

Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – Do I need to explain?!? It’s SMG people, of course I am highly anticipating it every day of the week! Lucky for me, I got an early copy 🙂

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang – IT’S QUAN’S STORY EVERYONE. MY SWEET QUAN. So if you can’t tell, Quan is my favourite and I will be inhaling this book once it comes out.

SEPTEMBER

The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi – A final installment that is sure to be glamorous and emotionally destructive!!! I am ready!!!!!!!

Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray – This one pushes all the right buttons for me!!! I mean a dangerous alliance to hunt down an ancient creature while the main characters keep their motives secret from each other? Yes, give it to me!

Walking in Two Worlds by Wab Kinew – A new Indigenous YA novel about a virtual reality?!?! Yes, sign me up. I am here for this.

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Cordova – An adult Latinx novel about a family of witches and secrets! This sounds like the most perfect fall read, I cannot wait!

OCTOBER

Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan – Chinese mythology + rich magic + epic slow-burn romance is a recipe for EPICNESS. This book sounds so incredibly amazing. I can already tell its going to be one of the biggest releases of the year and I AM HERE FOR IT.

NOVEMBER

Gilded by Marissa Meyer – Yes, the queen of retelling is back with a Rumpelstiltskin remix! I know I shouldn’t compare it to TLC and I will try my best not to…but I’Il be thinking about them the whole time probably XD

A Rush of Wings by Laura E. Weymouth – Laura knows how to hook me with her fairy tale stories so I am 10/10 excited for this story of swans, magic and monsters!

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen – Say it with me know *MERMAIDS* and *VENGEFUL GODS* ahhhhhh what a combination! I wants it.

DECEMBER

I actually have nothing set in stone for December yet…I sure as the months go on, more than one book will be added to the list but for now I leave this space open!

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Let me know what you think! What books are you eagerly anticipating now that we have entered the second half of the year? What was your favourite book from the first half of 2021? Anyone have any recs for December?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

May-Read Reviews | Witches Steeped in Gold & Tokyo Ever After

Greetings readers!

Today I am coming at you with some reviews for some books that I read this past May!

Many thanks to the publishers for approving me for an e-ARC from Netgalley. (Yes, this is me finally posting reviews that have been sitting in my drafts for weeks!)

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart

Pub Date: April 20th, 2021
Publisher: HarperTeen

I liked it but at the same time gosh this took a while to get through.

1. The world building was interesting, but there was so much to take in at the very beginning. The world and its conflict needed a lot of attention to know who was who and who hated who and who wanted revenge on whom. I also felt like there were lots of important aspects that were overlooked despite being quite pivotal to the plot, like The Yielding. I did not understand its purpose until about halfway through. It kept being mentioned, but we never really got to see it happen on page.

2. I really liked the characters. Usually when it comes to dual-POVs I have a favourite, but this time around I was pretty intrigued by both sides. Jazmyne the “meek ” and Iraya the “reckless” are really how I’d describe them. Other characters weren’t as fleshed out as I’d hoped and I was hoping for so much more from them. But then the ending came around and there was a complete 180 character change and I was seriously confused.

3. So this was a revenge story on multiple fronts and what can I say other than TRUST NO ONE. People were pulling alliances and betrayals left, right and center. It was good because it kept me engaged in trying to figure out who was on whose side…and what they were after.

4. I found the pacing off. It wasn’t smooth and there were some time jumps that skip over possibly exciting events which was disappointing. Instead we got a lot of repetitive secret meetings and talks. This is supposed to be a long book about witches! Give me more witchy action!

5. The magic system was cool but still needed more flesh to it too. Again it took me a while to understand how it works, and I still might be unclear about some stuff, but it does have potential. I like that it was forged from gold and how if created different power dynamics for different users. Very interesting.

6. Speaking of power, the politics were messyyy which is always my favourite thing. We have people seeking power, running from power, betraying power and its just a big mess. The race to become ruler is not simple. It crumbles relationships and leaves people in the dust (read sacrifices). And as I said this is a revenge story on many fronts and phew, ultimate power plays a big part in this. I liked that there is clear no good side or bad side. Each side has oppressed the other. Each has a hero that is villain to the other. And working together honestly seems like such a far fetch idea. I enjoyed the questions it made me ponder.

7. So it’s slow, lots of repetitive secret meetings and too many unknowns made the story drag in the beginning and middle. The third act though? Great. I wish we had gotten more of that. Things got 10x messier and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

8. The “romance” if you could call it that was not it for me. There were no interactions for the characters to truly find chemistry, they just started looking at each other at some point I guess. There are two potential romances…and well neither seem to be it for me. Who knows about later.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Recommend: Yes!

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Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

Pub Date: May 18, 2021
Publisher: Flaitron Books

This was so cute. Literal serotonin .

1. The characters were so much fun. Izumi is the living the actual fantasy of finding out you’re a princess and then dealing with the entire package. She was funny and cheeky. Her voice was simultaneously self-deprecating and very serious. And I loved Akio, serious grumps/poets are adorable.

2. The whole finding out you’re a princess plot was wonderful. Learning all the rules and then trying to meet these impossible standards is stressful and not easy. Plus being a woman means your every move is picked at! It was a strong message this book wanted to relay… although I do wish it had gone a little deeper into it.

3.Strong themes of identity and family. Izumi struggles with finding her balance as both Japanese and American. Especially growing up in a white neighbourhood with confederate and rainbow flags flying as the book says Izumi deals with many feelings of “unbelonging” that she has to work through. And then finding her place with her newfound family proves to be just as difficult. I loved exploring the relationship with her dad. They were so awkward together lol but I would have loved more moments between them.

4. The romance was sweet. A total modern princess and her guard trope?! Yes, give it to me and it GAVE. I like how Izumi acknowledges that she’s in her own enemies-to-lovers romance, but that she’s also such a romantic. I giggled every time she was like “he’s hot, but ughhh” or when she’d start fantasizing about him. That was fun. I would like to petition for a book about the mom and dad though. Thank you.

5. The whole book was evenly paced and there wasn’t too much action save for some hijinks Izumi gets into and the scandals that follow. It was pretty entertaining throughout and I wasn’t bored, but I felt like a little more drama was missing.

6. It is tagged as Princess Diaries meets Crazy Rich Asians and I think it delivers. Even without those comps, this book alone has much to say about identity, family, self-acceptance and love. They’re all messy and complicated. Even when perfection and answers are demanded, we might not have them all and that’s okay because as we grow and discover more about ourselves we learn to embrace our imperfections and unknown answers more. 

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Recommend: Yes!

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And that’s it for me! Let me know what you think! Have you read either of these? What kind of fantasy and contemporary books have you been loving as of late?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

May Wrap-Up & June TBR | Slow reading, but new obsessions…

Greetings readers!

Here we are half way through the year and ahh the days are getting gorgeous outside. I love summer and everything that has to do with vacation vibes (even thought there will be no vacation this year) so I am *smiles* taking it day by day.

May was a pretty good month. It was a great reading month even though I didn’t read many books. Then again, quality over quantity!

What Rendz Read!

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart (3/5 🌟)
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean (4/5 🌟)
The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso (5/5 🌟)
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He (3/5 🌟)
Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo (3.5/5 🌟)
Jade City by Fonda Lee (4.5/5 🌟)

Highlight Book(s): So definitely The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng and Jade City by Fonda Lee. Two books that ahh blew me away for so many reasons. The first the end of a beloved series and the second the start of a new one. I am living.

Lowliest Book(s): While these aren’t low ratings I was not quite happy with Witches Steeped in Gold and Descendant of the Crane. I just felt like they both lacked some luster for me.

The Haul:

Let’s just say I have been very, very lucky with the publisher love.

For the Wolf by Hannah F. Whitten
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June
The Unpopular Vote by Jasper Sanchez
Don’t Breathe a Word by Jordyn Taylor

On the Hook by Francisco X. Stork

Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry
Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun by Jonny Garza Villa
Song of the Forever Rains by E.J. Millow

Other Going Ons

~ Shadow and Bone Meet & Greet ~

I lived my best life on May 8th 2021. I was in the same Zoom room as the Shadow & Bone cast. I WAS IN THE SAME ZOOM ROOM AS BEN BARNES. I can honestly tell you that I do not remember a single thing from my session. I was so focused on getting screenshots and staring lovingly at the actors that I do not remember a single thing that was actually spoken about during the 20 minute interview period. 🙂

Luckily someone uploaded my session to YouTube so it is there forever.

~ Speaking of which…I Binged Shadow and Bone Again ~

You know I had to. You just know that I had to. 🙂 I thoroughly enjoyed myself a second time around and ahh I am eagerly awaiting any news on season 2!

~ So I watched my first K-Drama ~

I really needed something to watch and my cousin, who recently started watching K-Dramas herself, recommended that I start “Crash Landing On You.” And all I have to say is this: I AM OBSESSED. This drama delivered everything that I could possibly want from a TV show. The tropes, the romance, the plot…I–I loved, I loved it. I loved it. If you have any recommendations for me I AM TAKING THEM.

IMDb

Posts of the Months

Flamefall | Review // That moment when a book blows every single expectation away!

Goodreads Was Wrong Book Tag

TBR

Boy do I have so many books to read this month! I already know that I won’t get to all of them, but I am going to try my best!! I really want to prioritize Indigenous and Pride reads this month because June is commemorative of both communities.

Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun by Jonny Garza Villa
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Skraelings: Clashes in the Old Arctic by Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley & Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley
Sisters of the Snake by Sarena and Sasha Nanua
Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury
For the Wolf by Hannah F. Whitten

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Let me know what you think! What have you read this month? What books did you get? What books are you looking forward to reading!

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Sunshine Blogger Award | The sun is shining, so I shine as well

Greetings readers!

I was tagged by the amazing Michaela @ Journey Into Books to do this fun tag and answer her excellent questions. I must confess that…I have been tagged to do this award many times but have lost count so I’m sorry to those I’ve missed, but I am starting anew.

Rules

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and link to there post.
• Answer the 11 questions asked of you.
• Nominate 11 new bloggers and ask 11 new questions.
• List the rules and showcase the logo in your post.

Michaela’s Questions

1. What was your last 5 star read and why?

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso
An absolutely incredible finale to what is one of my favourite series ever. I cannot recommend it enough! This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Screaming, crying, laughing and my total destruction. I love it.

2. Recommend a book for each season?

Spring: The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall (So cozy and warm, total new life vibes)
Summer: Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp (Hot and sweaty and MARVELOUS)
Fall: The Bitch Queen Chronicles by K.S. Villoso (So much chaos, so much emotional destruction)
Winter: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (A chilling and thrilling horror novel)

3. If you weren’t a reader what do you think you would spend your time doing instead?

I’d probably spend my days doing more art! Even though I get a lot of my artistic inspiration from books, without reading I would definitely spend more time actually making art and refining my skills hehe.

Fan art for The Wolf of Oren-Yaro

4. What book would you love to see turned into a movie or tv show?

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir!!
This needs to be done and it needs to be done NOW! I want this on screen so bad!!

5. Which fictional character would you want to travel the world with?

Nikolai Lanstov. My suave king knows how to have a good time and I want to have a good time with him everywhere!

6. Most anticipated release for this year?

Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia!
This is an obvious one if you know me! I love everything SMG and I am so lucky to already have an ARC of this book! It comes out in August so have your eyes peeled for it!

7. Why did you decide to start blogging?

I attended a bookish event held by Canada’s biggest book retailer, Indigo, where we basically talked all things books! I met so many bloggers, got some ARCs a stuffed swag pack and well I just knew I wanted to be part of this beyond that night. I started up my blog a few days later and well it’s been a journey ever since!

8. What is your favourite thing about blogging.

I love getting to express myself as a total bookworm! I know there are lots of platforms where I can do that, but on this blog that I created, it just feels extra special! There is no limit to how much or how little I can write! I can add all sorts of fun images, videos and clips. It’s just a space that is so near and dear to my heart and the very first place that published my voice!

9. Is there a specific book or series that made you fall in love with reading?

Hmmm…I would say The Hunger Games, but I think more likely it was Marie Lu’s Legend series. It was the first series I picked up of my own volition (not because it was becoming a movie) and I loved it!! It was the first series that I became obsessed with and am still obsessed with today!

10. Favourite fictional pairing? (Romantic or Platonic)

Oh wow this is such a hard question to answer!!!!!!

But you know what? Cresswell (Cress x Thorne) still owns my heart.

11. What book do you planning on reading next?

I’m in the middle of three reads right now, but I’m planning on picking up The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri next! So excited for this next glorious adult fantasy!

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My Questions:

1. What is your favourite book trope?
2. Which book brings you the most comfort?
3. Spill the tea, what is one book you will *never* be picking up?
4. What song do you associate with a certain book?
5. Who are your favourite authors?
6. Which book character would you want to trade lives with?
7. What is the first book you remember reading?
8. How often do you buy/borrow books?
9. During what time of the day do you like to read?
10. What is one non-bookish fun fact about you?
11. What is your star prediction for your current read?

I tag:

Hehe…I won’t be nominating 11 people, but some bloggers I have loved as of late. As usual there is no pressure to do this and if I didn’t nominate you, you are more than welcome to answer my questions!

Gaby @ Living in Libros

Angele @ A Dominique Reads

That’s it for me folks! Let me know what you think! What would be your answers to some of these questions?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz