Tune & Title Tuesdays | If I may so bold as to call it the quinceañera anthem

Greetings readers!

I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic lately about the year I turned 15 and today I decided to celebrate that feeling with a song that is just associated with the celebration for many people. It’s a bold assumption, but I’m pretty confident in it.

I’m sure I don’t have to explain what a quinceañera is, but if you do need a very simple explanation its basically a celebration of when a Latina turns 15 a.k.a becomes a woman. It can be a big party, a small affair, religious or not, it varies across countries and according to traditions. Some Latinx don’t even celebrate, so don’t think to presume. I don’t know the entire history of how this celebration came to be huh…definitely need to go down a google rabbit hole for that.

But anyways, today’s tune and title have a lot to do with quinces and I’m honestly very excited about it!

Tune: Tiempo de Vals – Chayanne

Isn’t it just so dramatically magical and fun! This is the song of quinceañeras! It is either the song that the birthday girl dances with her chambelanes or her dad depending on the tradition they follow. While it was not the song of my quince, you can rest assured that it was played at my party and I danced with a few of my relatives! Even when I was little and my cousins had their parties, I would blast this song and choreograph my own dance moves to it. Oof when I was in my ballet phase this song was a big spectacle in my imaginary recital!

Title: Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira

via Goodreads

Is it torturous to tease you with a book that won’t come out until March 2021? Yes, but I can’t help it! First of all the cover is so cute and second of all it’s a quinceañera novel!!! I haven’t read a lot of those and if you know of any more hit me up because I want to read that! This book sounds so good. Carmen is stuck in Miami with an unpaid internship, responsible for making sure her cousin’s big quince is a hit and has to work with her ex! Sounds fun and dramatic and I am here for it! Oh 2021 I am ready for you!

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Let me know what you think! Have you had a quince? What song do you associate with particular events? If you had one, what was your quinceañera song?

*Link to a master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter movements and other humanitarian movements across the globe*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Tune & Title Tuesdays | Bopping Bopping Bopping

Greetings readers!

I am not a frequent (or good) dancer, but I am a seat dancer. Meaning I am great at joining the rhythm from the comfort of my chair rather than getting up and swaying. (Although I must admit I do engage in swaying from time to time, but usually alone)

That being said when a song comes along that makes me dance in my seat IT IS A BOP! And I be boppin’!

Tune: Anaranjado – Jowell y Randy x J Balvin

Imagine me just bopping at my desk. My head and shoulders doing a circular up and down motion to match the beat of the song! Because I just get boppy when I listen to this song. Is “boppy” a word? No. But does  it perfectly explain how I feel when I listen to this song? Absolutely! Not to mention the fact that they mention Toronto! (I mean it’s mostly for the rhyme but still!)

Title: Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey

via Goodreads

I thought I wasn’t going to be able to find a book to match the song. And well I think I am mostly successful with this one. The song is a rather sexy song in terms of lyrics and it talks about thinking about your significant other and the last time they got it on. That is basically this entire book. Rosie and Dom are in a rut in their marriage but they are definitely constantly thinking about their physical relations. That being said it’s a journey for them to start communicating again on a more personal level. While the book might not make me bop, it is pretty fun!

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Let me know what you think! What kinds of songs make you bop? Are you a dancer? Have you reading this book?

*Link to a master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter movements and other humanitarian movements across the globe*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Tune & Title Tuesdays | Trying to explain this pair without spoilers???

Greetings readers!

I did not plan on doing this song today, but hey when do things ever go as I plan them?? SYML is an artist I just recently discovered because of a TV show I don’t even watch. I’ve slowly been making my way through his songs, not everything is really my style, but sometimes there are surprises like this one!

Tune: Where’s My Love – SYML

Like I said, this song was a surprise discovery! I was actually listening to another one of his songs that I liked and didn’t notice the auto-play was on, next thing I knew I found myself listening to this song. I can’t say I loved it on first listen, but after a few replays I started to really get into it. It bothers me that I can’t always distinguish his words and I have to search up the lyrics, but I do find myself humming it often which means I’m determined to learn it! It’s soft and tragic and hauntingly beautiful which brings me to the books I chose…

Title: Dreamer Duology by Laini Taylor

This duology can be summed up in the simple words of magical, haunting and tragicish. And I’m saying tragicish for a very specific reason which I can’t talk about because hello spoilers!!!! Rest assured though the song and the books do match! I love this series so much. I mean it is a wacky high fantasy series but it is so so so beautiful and whimsical and I can’t help but love it!

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Let me know what you think! Do you ever accidentally discover songs? Have you read this series? What magical songs/books do you love?

*Link to a master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter movements and other humanitarian movements across the globe*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Tune & Title Tuesdays | Really this song can go with a lot of books…

Greetings readers!

A few weeks ago my sisters and I watched Mamma Mia! because they were showing it on TV and there was literally nothing else to watch. Now I wouldn’t call this movie is our favourite movie really, but we enjoy the songs so we usually watch it.

I may not have been part of the ABBA generation, but I fully admit they have some GREAT songs. This particular song has been stuck in my head for a while now and I admit I am on the way to learning all the lyrics!

Tune: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA (Mamma Mia! version)

It’s just so catchy!!!! How can you not want to just belt it out after hearing it once?! I don’t have much to say other than yes this is one of my favourite ABBA songs and I will always do a little shimmy dance whenever I hear it!

Title: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

It’s plain an simple. Dani Brown asked the universe for someone to spend the nights with her and the universe answers in the form of Zafir Ansari. While Dani definitely doesn’t need any literal help chasing the darkness away, she wouldn’t mind a little company. I don’t know if she’d be a fan of ABBA or this song, but I can’t help but connect the two! XD

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Let me know what you think! What is your favourite ABBA song? Have you read this book yet? Have you watched Mamma Mia!

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Tune & Title Tuesdays | Celebrating a cover reveal that had me feeling all kinds of emotions!

Greetings readers!

Yesterday, while I was in the midst of writing a test a very beautiful cover was revealed to the world and we were truly blessed.

And since I love the first book so much and want everyone out there to read this series, I’m highlighting it today!

Tune: Empires – Ruelle

I heard this song in a sports commercial. Yes, a sports commercial. And surpringly enough it wasn’t too hard to google XD That being said, once I found the song I went down a Ruelle rabbit hole and found a couple other songs I liked by her too. It’s one of those songs that you can make up a cool scenario to in your head, you know what I mean? I’m sure you’ve seen the meme XD It’s that epic kind of music that you can’t help but listen to and imagine it playing in the trailer of a really big movie!

Title: Chronicles of a Bitch Queen by K.S. Villoso

The reason I paired this song with these books is very simple. Empires rise and fall in both. No but, seriously this song could play in the trailer for this book to movie adaptation and I would eat it up. I would eat it up regardless, but you all know what I mean. The song really captures one of the main themes of this book, but there is so much goodness to enjoy in this series! It offers so much: political intrigue, family DRAMA, dynamic and driven characters, twists and turns, revelations, incredible action scenes and more! It was AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER. I’ll leave my review for The Wolf of Oren-Yaro linked here because it just explains my thoughts better than I could now hehehe

And now the cover for book 2 is out and people!!! My heart flipped when I saw it! It flipped! I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. Look at my glorious Queen Tali brandishing her sword, poised and ready for battle. The figure behind her?? *Is a little bitch* A good-looking one, but a little bitch nonetheless. I said what I said. Read the book to know more!

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Let me know what you think! What song would you choose to play in the trailer of your life movie? Have you read this book yet?!! How glorious are these covers!?!

*Link to the master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter movements and to know more about the JunkTerrorBill in the Philippines*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

It’s MEXICAN GOTHIC release day + Tune & Title Tuesday! So we are going to celebrate!

Greetings readers!

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO MEXICAN GOTHIC BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA!

I cannot tell you all how excited I am that today has finally arrived! I have been waiting for this book since it was announced and have since then fed on whatever news I could get about it! From the announcement to the cover reveal (my cover tweet is still my fave tweet!!!) to the book club kit and finally the music that went along with it!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia made a whole playlist for the book and as I was listening to it, I just had to pick my favourite song to honour this release on Tune & Title Tuesday!!

Tune: Wicked Game – Ursine Vulpine ft. Annaca

I was listening to the playlist while writing up an assignment and this song made me do a full stop! First came in the haunting piano and I was like ~woah hold on there, this is definitely a song I would be into~ and it turns out I was very much right! I don’t know how much it has to do with the book…but dang I’m intrigued. It could be a Catalina song or a Noemí song, but either way I’m into it!  Even though I haven’t read it, I can definitely get the vibe that this Gothic novel is giving off!

Listen to the full playlist on Spotify!

Title: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Obviously I haven’t read the book yet, but I am very very very VERY  much looking forward to it! I have seen a couple of reviews from people that have loved it and have been totally creeped out by it and I can’t help but be excited. I’m not a big horror reader, but I’ll be whatever kind of reader when it comes to Silvia Moreno-Garcia, so let’s do this! The song repeatedly states over and over that “I don’t want to fall in love” but HEY I’m very much looking to fall in love with this book!

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If you’re on Instagram, follow me @readingwithrendz because I’m spending the whole week posting about Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s amazing work!!!

Let me know what you think! Have you gotten your copy of Mexican Gothic yet? What horror novels do you love? Do you listen to book playlists?

*Link to the master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter movements across the globe*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

 

Tune & Title Tuesdays | It’s Britney Bitch

Greetings readers!

I really had no idea what song to do this week because I haven’t really been listening to music these past few days. But randomly I just started belting out this song Monday evening and I thought: Why not!?

Look. I am not Britney’s biggest fan, but you could say I am a Britney Spears fan-ish. She was one of the firsts artists whose music we had on our first computer growing up. My favourite song of hers EVER is “Lucky” and I would listen to it on r e p e a t. I would even reenact the music video!!! I was that obsessed.

Yet, that is not the song I’m focusing on today o_o

STILL I love this song too

Tune: I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman – Britney Spears

I sing this alllllll the timeeeee. I just feel in my bones sometimes XD It’s a great tune, it has some long notes, it has Britney’s signature ohwowhowohwo XD. It’s perfect for those melodramatic teenage moments when you’re trying to be grown up but you just haven’t reached that point yet. But it’s also about just trying to figure out who you are on your own. It’s a great song, I can’t deny it.

Title: The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera

via Goodreads

A teenager who’s just trying to figure out who she is on her own???? That would be one Miss Margot Sanchez. My girl goes through a lot to try and figure out who she is. And along the way she messes up enormously. But it is a really great book. Her journey has so much to offer. It’s hard, it’s embarrassing, but it is so so important. I enjoyed reading every minute of it even though I raged *for reasons* And while Britney might not capture the image of the book, the song definitely does.

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Let me know what you think! Are you a Britney fan? Have you read this book? Did you have or are you still going through a period of figuring out who you are?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Tune & Title Tuesdays | To Remix or to Not Remix? That is the question

Greetings readers!

This is one of those songs that has completely taken over my playlists this past weekend. It came out what 4? 5? days ago and I am still listening to it!! It’s a bop and I’m working on learning all the words so I can add a new number to my shower concerts, you know?

Tune: In Your Eyes (Remix) – The Weeknd ft. Doja Cat

Okay so here is the deal, I had been listening to the original song for a couple weeks but it never really caught on, you know what I mean? It was there and if it played I listened to it, but then comes the remix…and honestly I love it now. Remixes can be a hit or miss with me tbh but this one is definitely a hit!!!

Title: This Train is Being Held by Ismée Williams

Is this book about two characters staring intensely into each other’s eyes? No. Is it about them stealing glances and moments with each other on a train? Yes. So does the song go with the book? Imma say yes again! Seriously though, I just think that I picked this book because the grooviness of the tune makes me want to dance and this book deals a lot with dance, so it works!

Of course I missed a big opportunity here by not putting my favourite ballet or bachata song because that’s the kind of music that really encompasses the themes of the book….maybe for another Tuesday!

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Let me know what you think! Do you like song remixes? Have you listened to this tune? Have you read this book? Would you want to experience a subway meet cute?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Tune & Title Tuesday | A Song that goes with any book really

Greetings readers!

I must confess that the reason I chose this song is because of a meme my sister and I saw on Instagram. Neither of us even really listen to Paramore save for the rare song or two, but this one meme took over our playlists and now we both practically know all the words. Well I do.

All this to say, that I didn’t have a single clue what song I was going to do this week, but a meme came to my rescue.

Tune: Hard Times – Paramore

This is one catchy tune, I have to admit! I catch myself singing it often haha. But yes, I do like this song and I feel like it perfectly sums up that foolish melancholic feeling I get when life is just going down hill and you can’t help but hope it will get better one day. It’s a happy song about how rough life can get which is so paradoxical but I appreciate it!

Title: The Humiliations of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel

Like I said, this song can literally apply to any book but this book in particular is very much an exposition of this song. Pipi has something horribly embarrassing happen to her everything single year and well to say she has lived at rock bottom her entire school-life is an understatement. This book, like the song, is delightful despite the fact that it is about a girl facing some of the toughest times of her social life. It’s funny and cute but oh so cringey because my girl Pipi has suffered!

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Let me know what you think! Have you listened to this song? Have you read this book? Do you have embarrassing school stories?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Tune & Title Tuesdays | A Tween-Rendz Anthem

Greetings readers!

I had to dig deep into my memories to find this song. I listened to it so long ago. Remember when there used to be TV channels dedicated to showing music videos, you know before YouTube really kicked off? It is on one of those channels that I discovered and listened to this song before I left for school in the morning.

Tune: White Doves – Young Empires

Truth be told, I will randomly start belting out this song and my family will look at me like I’m odd because they have never heard of it. I’m sure many of you haven’t even heard of it. I don’t even know what attracted me to this song in the first place, other than the video, which reminded me of a dystopian world. But I have to admit it is also quite catchy and I like the melody. I liked it so much that I used to think I couldn’t have a good day at school unless I listened to this song!

Title: A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna

I chose this book for a very literal sense. The song starts off with “It takes a thousand miles to reach the stars tonight” and that just perfectly wraps up this book. The song is about dreaming and finding your way back home which is exactly what this book is all about. Sibling rivalry, finding family, space and star travel, it’s all in there! The book is incredible and definitely doesn’t get enough love! I highly recommend it for people who want a gorgeously written space adventure book!

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Let me know what you think! Did you used to watch music videos on TV? Do you have a favourite space book? What book does this song remind you of?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz