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.
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!
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.
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.)
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!
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.
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!
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!
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?
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!
Let me know what you think! What books are you eagerly anticipating now that we haveentered the second half of the year? What was your favourite book from the first half of 2021? Anyone have any recs for December?
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!
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!
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?
I am so excited to be a part of the release blitz for ANCHORED HEARTS by Priscilla Oliveras which hits shelves today! The Keys to Love series is a perfect set of romance books for those in need of a little summer escape and summer lovin’! I enjoyed the first book, Island Affair, and Anchored Hearts is here to deliver a new set of tropes to love and enjoy! If you want so more Latinx books on your TBR, then get these on your radar!
Stay tuned for my review going up a little later this week!
*Update: Read my review below!*
Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras is now live!
Sparkling with humor, romance, Latinx culture, and the unique island energy of Key West, Florida, the acclaimed Keys to Love Series by USA Today bestselling author Priscilla Oliveras is the perfect summer read. Sparks fly for a second time when award-winning photographer and prodigal son Alejandro ends up back home, forced to face the familia–and the girl he left behind–for the first time in years. Can these two Key West natives learn to put away old hurts and embrace a new future under the tropical sun?
Award-winning photographer Alejandro Miranda hasn’t been home to Key West in years–not since he left to explore broader horizons with his papi’s warning “never to come back” echoing in his ears. He wouldn’t be heading there now if it wasn’t for an injury requiring months of recuperation. The drama of a prodigal son returning to his familia and their beloved Cuban restaurant is bad enough, but coming home to the island paradise also means coming face to face with the girl he left behind–the one who was supposed to be by his side all along . . .
Anamaría Navarro was shattered when Alejandro took off without her. Traveling the world was their plan, not just his. But after her father’s heart attack, there was no way she could leave–not even for the man she loved. Now ensconced in the family trade as a firefighter and paramedic, with a side hustle as a personal trainer, Anamaría is dismayed that just the sight of Alejandro is enough to rekindle the flame she’s worked years to put out. And as famillia meddling pushes them together, the heat of their attraction only climbs higher. Can they learn to trust again, before the Key West sun sets on their chance at happiness?
“A big-hearted, beautiful book about first love, second chances, and finding one’s place in the world. An exceptional getaway of a book!” —Emily Henry, NY Times bestselling author, Beach Read
“Anchored Hearts has it all: undeniable chemistry between its irresistible leads; believable roadblocks to their happy ending; a heartwarming world filled with familia and comunidad; and a lush Key West setting that leaps off the page. Alejandro and Anamaría’s love story is not to be missed!” —Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling author, The Worst Best Man
Priscilla Oliveras is a USA Today bestselling author and 2018 RWA® RITA® double finalist who writes contemporary romance with a Latinx flavor. Proud of her Puerto Rican-Mexican heritage, she strives to bring authenticity to her novels by sharing her Latinx culture with readers. She and her work have earned praise from O, The Oprah Magazine, Washington Post, New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, among others. Since earning her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, Priscilla now serves as adjunct faculty in the program and teaches the online class “Romance Writing” for ed2go. While she’s a devotee of the romance genre, Priscilla’s also a sports fan, beach lover, and Zumba aficionado, who often practices the art of napping in her backyard hammock.
I liked that we got to follow a different sibling from the Navarro family and delve into their roots in the Key West! The second chance romance with childhood friends was sweet and understandably a slow burn. These characters simply weren’t ready to make such big decisions when they were so young and rebuilding that connection that has been neglected (but never forgotten) over the course of ten years was going to take up most of the book! But he adored her and she adored him and their mutual pining was lovely.
The family drama was my favourite aspect! This meddling Cuban-American family is funny and heartwarming and full of hijinks. There were definitely instances that resonated with my own family and their meddling ways. Although, I will say I would have like a deeper look into Alejandro’s strained relationship with his father. It was such a pivotal aspect to his arc and I feel like it needed more attention throughout and especially at the end of the book.
As for the main characters. I liked them well enough. I cannot say they were my favourite, but for the most part I enjoyed being around them. I liked that Anamaria was very connected to her home and family, while also focusing on herself and her business (we love to see that), but sometimes I felt that she was wishy-washy. She’d put her foot down about something and the next second her thoughts would back track to opposite side. As for Alejandro, he was interesting. He was definitely a heartthrob but he was also slightly–nay–definitely self-centred. Sir, you have daddy issues. We got it. Was there evidence of any character growth by the end? Perhaps a bit, but it was very surface level.
This book is a bit cheesy. I am frankly okay with it. It added to the fluff, fun and flirting that I was hoping to get from this book! Were some of the lines a tad cringey? Maybe, but given that I expected nothing less from it means I wasn’t disappointed.
Overall, this is a sweet and simple read. If you are looking for a book to enjoy the summer heat and love the childhood friends-to-lovers in combination with the second-chance romance tropes then I think this might be the read for you!
Rating: 3 / 5 Stars
Recommend?: YES, for those wanting a sweet and savory summer romance!
Let me know what you think! Have you read this? Are you looking forward to reading this? What kind of summer books do you love to read?
I’ll be honest, I have very little experience with short reads. I either go for the regular sized novels or the chunky books! But a slim thin read? It’s a rare occurrence in my reading journey! But they are extremely interesting to me. To pack so much story in such a short amount of pages…it takes skill and I am very happy to say that Patricia Engel has that skill!
I want to thank Avid Reader Press for sending me an ARC to read.
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
Pub Date: March 2, 2021 Publisher: Avid Reader Press
For readers of Valeria Luiselli and Edwidge Danticat, an urgent and lyrical novel about a Colombian family fractured by deportation, offering an intimate perspective on an experience that so many have endured—and are enduring right now.
At the dawn of the new millennium, Colombia is a country devastated by half a century of violence. Elena and Mauro are teenagers when they meet, their blooming love an antidote to the mounting brutality of life in Bogotá. Once their first daughter is born, and facing grim economic prospects, they set their sights on the United States.
They travel to Houston and send wages back to Elena’s mother, all the while weighing whether to risk overstaying their tourist visas or to return to Bogotá. As their family expands, and they move again and again, their decision to ignore their exit dates plunges the young family into the precariousness of undocumented status, the threat of discovery menacing a life already strained. When Mauro is deported, Elena, now tasked with caring for their three small children, makes a difficult choice that will ease her burdens but splinter the family even further.
Award-winning, internationally acclaimed author Patricia Engel, herself the daughter of Colombian immigrants and a dual citizen, gives voice to Mauro and Elena, as well as their children, Karina, Nando, and Talia—each one navigating a divided existence, weighing their allegiance to the past, the future, to one another, and to themselves. Rich with Bogotá urban life, steeped in Andean myth, and tense with the daily reality for the undocumented in America, Infinite Country is the story of two countries and one mixed-status family—for whom every triumph is stitched with regret and every dream pursued bears the weight of a dream deferred.
This book is a punch to the gut in the absolutely best way possible.
It may be short, but my oh my oh my is it a powerful and profound read. The intensity and suspense hooked me from the very beginning and didn’t let me go until the final turn of the page. Many people talk about books keeping them on the edge of their seats…and this is one of those books! This book had my heart thumping and blood running! It was a rush and I loved every second of it! Reading about this family’s journey to reuniting themselves across borders where violence and poverty trail them in all corners is incredibly moving. It’s a story that really fastened itself into my heart and refused to let go.
Engel’s writing is stunning and completely immersive! First and foremost, I loved how she wove timelines together. The back and forth narrative was elegant and never once was I lost between past and present. And to add to the beauty, Engel weaves Andean mythology into the thoughts, words and experiences of these characters. Tales of love, escape, resistance, faith and spirit keep these characters connected to each other across time and space. It’s beautiful. It’s a narration that lets us readers be gentle companions as Mauro, Elena, Talia, Karina and Nando experience their joys, pain, triumphs, and worries in their journey to reuniting.
This book portrays the daily plights of undocumented migrants and mixed-status families in a heartfelt and honest manner. It evoked the emotional and physical toll it takes on so many people who leave their homes in the search of more opportunities for their families. It talks about the tolls of distance and time. It takes on the fears estrangement and alienation. It’s a story that is permeated with the sense of fear, resilience, hope and strength it takes for families to make these decisions and take on this journey. And I have to add that it reminded me much of the stories I heard of family members and friends who made similar choices.
My favourite aspect of the novel was definitely how this story comes to question the American Dream. The story challenged whether the idea of a promise land in the US or anywhere exists. This story makes us look at the brutal truths of our worlds and the nations we inhabit. It’s not as simple as one country is horrific and the other is safe. It’s a matter that we live in a world where there are so many histories both past and present that are full of violence and struggle as much as they have their moments of beauty and opportunity! It’s a matter of discovering your sense of belonging in yourself and your family more so than a place.
The ending. Oh, when the final sentence finally clicked, tears burst into my eyes! I’m not kidding, my eyes really did burst into floods at that last sentence! If I could, I would give it a thousand rounds of applause!
Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
Recommend: Yes!
Let me know what you think! What are some of your favourite short, but powerful reads? Or short reads in general? Are you considering picking up this book?
I would love to know how emotional you get when you read?
And I’m talking EMOTIONAL! Like facial expressions, odd noises and all. When I tell you guys that a book was an emotional roller coaster, I’m telling you that I experienced a very powerful series of feelings that had me in all sorts of ways XD
So I figured today I would highlight some of the books that made me totally and utterly and completely emotional. I know I usually organize these posts by singular emotions, but today I’m going full scale feeling frenzy.
The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso
We start with my top read of 2020. This book had several SCENES that literally made me scream “AH” out loud. I felt a lot of rage and honestly I think it’s why I loved it so much hehehe This book was so amazing, I read it twice within the same year. And friends it just gets better the second time around! Ahhhhhh this book just had so much to take in at once, my jaw was literally on the floor by the end of it. (It might still be on the floor)
Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez
I need to quote my review because past me just knew what she was talking about: “absolutely gobsmacked by my emotions” Oh Rendz how right you were! This was definitely one of my top reads from 2020! It is a contemporary story that packs punch after punch and also very warm hugs. I was squealing and raging and crying and laughing my whole way through this book. Incredible. Simply incredible!
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
Hoo. Friends. This book had me bouncing back and forth between stress, rage, hopelessness, love, joy, rage rage rage, and then hope. I just nfjnkajdbhjnjfef this book is soo amazing! It’s one of Marie’s quieter book, but it deserves your love and attention. This historical fantasy swept me off my feet and wiped the floor with me. It is both heart-breaking and inspiring, I cannot recommend it enough!
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Are we surprised to see this book on here? Nope. This book…oh my lord THIS BOOK. *clucthes heart* THIS BOOK WAS MY PERSONALITY for like three months after I read it XD I just ahhh I felt all kinds of things while reading this book. I may have not literally wept, but the squealing and book hugging was real. How many times have I gone back to read my favourite parts? So many times. I adore this book.
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
Two words: Weeping Uncontrollably. This book (which I’m still working hard to write my review on) had me on every level of emotion you can imagine. I was dreamy then I was sad, I was hopeful and then I was distraught, I was smiling in glee and then I was sobbing. My body shaking in absolute horror at what happened. And well…I can’t tell you how I felt at the end (you can read that in my review *winks*) but let’s just say my world was ROCKED.
And that is it for me friends! I would love to know what books sent you on an emotional roller coaster! What kind of feelings do you go through? How do you handle the emotions when they wrap you up?
Well it has been a while, hasn’t it? I didn’t mean to push my blogging duties aside so abruptly, but I will be honest I didn’t feel like blogging for several weeks. It was a mix of many going-ons in my life from burnouts that led to zero motivation to limited time to even think about blogging, I just felt like I needed a break from the blogsphere and I took it unannounced.
That being said, I wanted to enter the new year with a fresh perspective, that meant changing up my look and getting creative. So forgive me that it took a while trying to put all this together, but I wanted to be sure I got it right before I showed it off to my corner of the internet!
So what exactly have I been up to this past month?
Well for one, I finished another semester of online schooling, as is the case with many people I presume. I had a very heavy workload towards the end and I just could not find the right time or the energy to muster up any ideas for what to write. I read faster than I could even pump our mini reviews for Goodreads!
via giphy.com
I have also been reading a lot and yet not a lot. I was trying very hard to catch up on my Netgalley percentage, but I didn’t quite make it before I went on another request binge. Oops. However, I did do one thing that brought me much joy. I reread the entire AN EMBER IN THE ASHES series from start to finish! I am emotionally destroyed, but it was so so so worth it!
I have been much more active on my Instagram! I have been trying to build up that platform as much as I could although finding the right lighting in the winter can be quite difficult! But I do enjoy that platform quite a bit! I also ended up taking a Twitter hiatus which I have come to enjoy. Twitter can be fun, but it is also chaotic and taking breaks from it is necessary.
And last but not least, I redesigned my blog! I changed up the theme, colour scheme and my logo! Say hello to the new green bean me!
~Reading Goals!~
Every year I try to make reading goals, and every year I don’t quite achieve them. So this year I am trying to remind myself that the only goal that really matters is that I enjoy my reading and my blogging! That being said, I still want to put up some checkpoints for myself. Give myself some ground lines that will help me from trying to achieve it all and instead simply achieve what I can!
So here we go..
1. Read 100 Books.
Considering that this pandemic doesn’t look to me ending any time soon, I figured this is the perfect year to try and make this goal that I have been working towards over the past 4 years. Last year I read a total of 109 books, which is a good sign. I originally aimed for 80, so let’s see if I can take this big leap!
via giphy.com
2. Track my reading with Story Graph and lean away from Goodreads
2020 was the year we talked about changing our habits, so 2021 has to be the year where we actually do the actions of change. Goodreads, despite being a staple in the book community, isn’t the only option. Story Graph is a newer and very user friendly book tracker that has lots of perks like half stars and mood settings! I’m still learning to use it which is why I haven’t deleted my Goodreads just yet. My goal is to use SG as my main platform and only post reviews on GR. I understand how important that platform is for lesser known authors, so I can’t completely do away with it, but the fun of tracking I know I can achieve elsewhere.
Have you made a Story Graph account? Follow me “rendz” and I’d be happy to follow back!
3. Read the Books I Own
This has been a goal for every year and every year I feel like I don’t even try to achieve it, so it is going on here again. But this time I want to get serious. I aim to read at least one book I own every single month. At least one. (Please Rendz!) I have so many books on my shelves that have been calling out to me as of late and it is time I give in!
I think I’ll let you all be part of the process and help me choose one book from my shelf each month!
via giphy.com
4. Plan my Book Buying
Money is just something I have to be conscious of these days when it comes to book buying and that means picking and choosing a limited amount. No more big hauls etc etc. And well since Silvia Moreno-Garcia has 4 books coming out in 2021 we all know where my wallet is leaning towards.
via giphy.com
5. Review my ARCs on time.
This is another goal I’ve noted before, and I’m doing it again because I believe in 2nd, 3rd, 4th chances! Also this is one goal that I just have to get better at. If I want the trust from authors and publishers that means I have to deliver!! Yeah, I’m calling myself out a bit, but it is because I want to do better!
via giphy.com
That’s it from me friends! I hope you are all having a good start to the year and if not then I hope it gets better ❤
I would love to know what you are reading this month and any bookish plans you have for the year! Did you set reading goals? Are you planning any big changes this year? Whatever you will be embarking on this month, I wish you success!
Welcome one, welcome all to the blog tour for A GOLDEN FURY by Samantha Cohoe!
This new YA historical fantasy novel brings a new dark magic to our shelves! And I for one am very excited to read this one! Alchemy and magical schools always call for a grand adventure and mystery. Just from reading the synopsis I can tell that this book is going to bring the girl power, high stakes and dark secrets to unravel!
Read on for a sneak peek into this new amazing book!
~ The Book ~
Title: A Golden Fury Author: Samantha Cohoe PubDate: Oct 13, 2020 Publisher: Wednesday Books ISBN: 9781250220400
Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—but just when the promise of the Stone’s riches is in their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of violent madness.
While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.
But in Oxford, there are alchemists after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the curse—instead, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she will have to choose: create the Stone and sacrifice her sanity, or let the people she loves die.
A GOLDEN FURY and the curse of the Philosopher’s Stone will haunt you long after the final page.
*A Nerd Daily YA Debut to Watch Out for in 2020*
“Cohoe transmutes the legend of the Philosopher’s Stone into a dark, intoxicating tale of ambition, obsession, and sacrifice. Prepare for a magic that will consume you.” – Rosamund Hodge, New York Times bestselling author of Cruel Beauty and Bright Smoke, Cold Fire
~ Author ~
Samantha Cohoe writes historically-inspired young adult fantasy. She was raised in San Luis Obispo, California, where she enjoyed an idyllic childhood of beach trips, omnivorous reading, and writing stories brimming with adverbs. She currently lives in Denver with her family and divides her time among teaching Latin, mothering, writing, reading, and deleting adverbs. A Golden Fury is her debut novel.
To celebrate the release with you today, I have the pleasure of sharing an excerpt of CHAPTER 1 today! And boy let me tell you is it intriguing! I mean just look at that very first line! I would love to hear your thoughts on it!
My mother was screaming at the Comte. Again.
I slammed the front doors behind me and walked down the carriageway, under the dappled shade of the pop- lars that lined it. A hundred paces away, I still heard her, though at least I could no longer hear the Comte’s frantic endearments and low, rapid pleading. He should know by now that wasn’t the way. Perhaps I should tell him. Adrien was the first of my mother’s patrons I had ever liked, and I did not want to leave Normandy just as spring was break- ing. Just as we were beginning to make progress.
Though perhaps we were not. Mother would not be screaming at the Comte if the work were going well. She would not take the time. Alchemy was a demanding sci- ence, even if some scoffed and called it charlatanry or magic. It required total concentration. If the work were going well, the Comte would scarcely exist to her, nor would I, now that she would not let me be of use. The com- position must have broken again. This was about when it had, last round. I could not be certain, since she had taken away my key to the laboratory. She could hardly have de-vised a worse insult than that if she had tried, and lately she did seem to be trying. The laboratory was mine as much as it was hers. If she did succeed in producing the White Elixir—which turned all metals into silver—then it was only because of my help. She had found Jābir’s text languishing in a Spanish monastery, but it had been I who translated it when her Arabic wasn’t nearly up to the job. I had labored for months over the calcinary furnace to make the philosophic mercury the text took as its starting point. I had the scars on my hands and arms to prove it. And now that success might be close, she wished to shut me out and deny my part, and claim it for herself alone.
But if she was acting ill and cross, it meant she had failed. A low, smug hum of satisfaction warmed me. I didn’t want the work to fail, but I didn’t want her to suc- ceed without me, either.
A distant smashing sound rang out from the chateau. My mother shattering something against the wall, no doubt.
I sighed and shifted my letter box to the crook of my other arm.
I knew what this meant. Another move. Another man. The Comte had lasted longer than the rest. Over two years, long enough that I had begun to hope I would not have to do it all again. I hated the uncertainty of those first weeks, before I knew what was expected of me, whether Mother’s new patron had a temper and what might set it off, whether he liked children to speak or be silent. Though I was no longer a child, and that might bring its own problems. A chill passed over me, despite the warm afternoon sunshine. God only knew what the next one would be like. My mother had already run through so many of them. And with the recent changes in France, there were fewer rich men than ever looking to give patronage to an expensive alchemist, even one as beautiful and famous as Marguerite Hope.
I veered off the carriageway, into the soft spring grass, dotted here and there with the first of the lavender anemo- nes. I sat by the stream, under the plum tree.
There was no screaming here, no pleading, no signs that my life was about to change for the worse. I inhaled the soft, sweet scent of plum blossoms and opened my letter box. If this was to be my last spring in Normandy, I wanted to re- member it like this. Springtime in Normandy was soft and sweet, sun shining brightly and so many things blossoming that the very air was perfumed with promise. Everything was coming extravagantly to life, bursting out of the dead ground and bare trees with so much energy other impos- sible things seemed likely, too. I had always been hopeful in Normandy when it was spring. Especially last spring, when Will was still here. When we sat under this very tree, drank both bottles of champagne he had stolen from the cellars, and spun tales of everything we could achieve.
I took out his last letter, dated two months ago.
Dear Bee,
This is my address now—as you see I’ve left Prussia. It turns out that everything they say about the Prussians is quite true. I’ve never met a more unbending man than my patronthere. One day past the appointed date and he tried to throw me in prison for breach of contract! He thinks alchemy can be held to the same strict schedule as his serfs.
Laws against false alchemists were very harsh in Germany, as Will knew full well when he sought patronage there. I had begged him to go somewhere else, though he had few enough choices. He was my mother’s apprentice, with no achievements of his own to make his reputation. His training had been cut abruptly short when Mother found us together under this plum tree, watching the sun- rise with clasped hands and two empty bottles of cham- pagne. She’d seen to it that Will was gone by noon. It was no use telling her that all we’d done was talk through the night, or that the one kiss we’d shared had been our first, and had gone no further. He had behaved with perfect re- spect for me, but she wouldn’t believe it. My mother had imagined a whole path laid before my feet in that moment, and scorched it from the earth with Greek fire.
I turned to the next page.
I blame myself, of course, Bee, for not heeding your advice. I can picture your face now, wondering what I expected. It would almost be worth all the trouble I’ve caused myself if I could come to you and see your expression. You must be the only woman in the world who is never lovelier than when you’ve been proven right.
The keen thrill of pleasure those words had brought me when I first read them had faded now, and left me feeling uncertain. Should I write back knowingly, teasing him for his recklessness? I had tried this, and was sure I sounded like a scold no matter what he said about my loveliness when proven right. I took out my latest draft, which struck a more sincere tone. I read the lines over, saying how I worried for him, how I missed him. I crumpled it in my hand halfway through. Too much emotion. It didn’t do to show such dependence on a man. My mother had shown me that. I didn’t wish to emulate her in everything, but I would be a fool to deny her skill at winning masculine devotion. I tried again.
Dear Will,
I am sitting under the plum tree where we had our last picnic. I know how you feel about nostalgia, but I hope you will forgive me this one instance. I fear this will be our last spring in Normandy—perhaps even in France. Many of my mother’s friends have left already, and though you may well condemnthem as reactionaries, the fact remains that there are very few good Republicans with the ready cash to pay for our pursuits.
I sighed again and crumpled the page. Somehow I could never seem to write to him about the Revolution without a touch of irony creeping in. I didn’t want that. Will had put his hopes for a better world in the new order, and even though I was less hopeful than he, I loved him for it. At least he wanted a better world. Most alchemists simply wanted better metals.
I tried to imagine he was here. It wouldn’t be difficult then. He was so good at setting me at ease. His admira- tion was as intoxicating as wine, but unlike wine it sharp- ened my wits instead of dulling them. I was never cleverer than when Will was there to laugh with me.
My chest constricted at the memory of Will’s laugh. I didn’t know anyone who laughed like him. The Parisian aristocrats I had known all had so much consciousness of the sound they made when they did it. The Comte wasn’t like them, but he was a serious man and laughed rarely. My mother didn’t laugh at all.
But Will. He laughed like it came from the loud, bursting core of him. Like he couldn’t have kept it in if he wanted to, and why would he want to? And when he was done laughing, he would look at me like no one else ever had. Like he saw only me, not as an accessory to my mother, but as myself. And not as an odd girl whose sharp edges would need to be softened. Will liked the edges. The sharper they cut, the more they delighted him.
“Thea!”
I threw my letters into the letter box and snapped it shut. I looked around for somewhere to hide the box, and noticed too late that one of my crumpled drafts had blown toward the stream. My mother appeared on the hill above me, the late afternoon sun lighting up her golden hair like an unearned halo. She walked down the hill with measured steps and stopped a few yards above me, I assumed because she wished to enjoy the experience of being taller than me again for a few moments. Her eye moved to the crumpled paper. I ran to it and stuffed it into my pocket before she could take it, though my haste in hiding the failed letter told her all I didn’t wish her to know.
“Oh dear,” said my mother. “I do hope you haven’t been wasting your afternoon trying to find the right words to say to that boy.”
My mother was tolerant of my letter writing these days, perhaps because she was confident I would never see Will again. She had smiled when she heard of Will’s contract in Prussia. He won’t find it so easy to charm his way past the Prussian alchemy laws. In Germany, one must deliver results, not pretty smiles, or end in prison.
“I wouldn’t have an afternoon to waste if you would let me into the laboratory,” I said.
“Don’t be pitiful, Thea,” said my mother. “Surely you can think of something worthwhile to do when I don’t happen to need your assistance.”
I clenched my teeth so tight that my jaw ached. Shut- ting me out of the laboratory, our laboratory, was the great- est injustice she had ever committed against me. Worse than all the moving about, worse than sending Will away, worse than any insult she could think to level at me. Before she had done that, I believed we were together in alchemy at least, even if nothing else. That she had raised and trained me not simply to be of use to her, but to be her partner. Her equal, one day. Throwing me out of the lab- oratory just when we might achieve what we had worked for told me that Will was right. She would never let me claim credit for my part of the work. She would never ac- cept me as an alchemist in my own right.
And yet she described it as though she had simply let me off my chores. As if I were no more necessary than a servant. There was no point in arguing with her, but even so I could not let it stand.
“I am not your assistant,” I said.
“Oh?” she asked. “Do you have news, then? Have you found a patron on your own merits? Do you intend to strike out on your own?”
“Perhaps I will,” I said, my face growing hot. “Perhaps I will stay here when you are finally finished tormenting the poor Comte.”
My mother had a perfect, deceptively sweet beauty: golden blond and blue-eyed with a round, doll-like face. It made the venom that sometimes twisted her expression hard to quite believe in. Many men simply didn’t. They preferred to ignore the evidence of their minds for the evidence of their senses. I, of course, knew her better than they did. I tensed, preparing.
But instead of lashing out, my mother turned aside, a hand to her chest. A tremor passed over her; she bowed her head against it.
Mother had been strangely unwell for weeks. At first I responded to her illness as she had taught me to, with distaste and disapproval, as though falling sick were an ill-considered pastime of those with insufficient moral for- titude. But if she noticed how unpleasant it was to receive so little sympathy when unwell, she did not show it. She had locked herself away in the laboratory every day until late at night, ignoring my silence as much as she ignored the Comte’s pleas that she rest. I had not thought much of it until this moment. Any pain great enough to turn her from chastising me for thinking I could do alchemy with- out her must be serious indeed.
“Mother?” I asked.
“You will go where I tell you.” Her voice was low and breathless, almost a gasp. “For now, that is to dinner. Wear the green taffeta.”
“The robe à la française?” I asked, perplexed. I hadn’t worn that dress since before the Estates General met. Its style was the hallmark of the ancien régime: wide pan- niered hips, structured bodice, and elaborate flounces. “But it’s out of fashion.”
“So is our guest,” said my mother.
She went up the hill again, then turned back to me at the top.
“Thea,” she said, all the sharpness gone from her voice. “I know you do not believe it any longer, but everything I do is for you.”
It was the sort of thing she always said. Before this year, I had always believed it, more or less. At least, everything she did was for the both of us. She had considered me an extension of herself, so that doing things for me was no different than doing them for herself. Why else take so much care to train me, to see to it that I had the tutors I needed to learn every language necessary—more even than she knew? To take me with her in all her travels to seek out manuscripts? She was an impatient teacher at times, but a good one. A thorough one. And in turn I was a good student. The best.
Until we were close to our goal. Then, suddenly, I was a rival. And my mother did not tolerate rivals.
“You are right, Mother,” I said. “I don’t believe that any longer.”
Let me know what you think! Would you continue reading this book? Are you looking forward to reading this book? What are some of your favourite Historical fiction/fantasy books? If you had access to a secret dangerous power, would you destroy it or keep it for yourself?
Many thanks to Wednesday Books for inviting me to be a part of this tour!
*Please Share and/or Donate = Link to a master list of how you can help/educate yourself on Black Lives Matter and other humanitarian movements across the globe*
As we end Latinx Heritage Month (in the US at least), I come to remind you of two things:
First: You should be reading Latinx books year round. So if you have found a groove this past month, I encourage you to keep it up!
Second: You should be reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work!
You: But why Rendz? Why SMG?
Well here’s why:
Versatility. Atmospheric writing. Unforgettable characters. These three key things among a number of others are what attracted me to and kept me reading SMG’s work until I became a self-proclaimed stan! I have now read all five of her published novels and have thus been blessed with so many amazing reads! So to convince you to read them and lessen your google searching, I figured I would present them all to you today with reasons why I love them and why I think you would love them too!
Of course is every SMG book going to be for you? Probs not. (Sucks for you though) But like I said SMG is a versatile writer and she has written in many different genres so there is a story for everyone!
Before we start:
All of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books are Adult fiction – so while they may have cross-over appeal, tag them as Adult Fiction.
You can find out more about Silvia on her website!
Signal To Noise (2015)
via Goodreads
A literary fantasy about love, music and sorcery.
Mexico City, 1988: Long before iTunes or MP3s, you said “I love you” with a mixtape. Meche, awkward and fifteen, has two equally unhip friends – Sebastian and Daniela – and a whole lot of vinyl records to keep her company. When she discovers how to cast spells using music, the future looks brighter for the trio. The three friends will piece together their broken families, change their status as non-entities, and maybe even find love…
Mexico City, 2009: Two decades after abandoning the metropolis, Meche returns for her estranged father’s funeral. It’s hard enough to cope with her family, but then she runs into Sebastian, reviving memories from her childhood she thought she buried a long time ago. What really happened back then? What precipitated the bitter falling out with her father? Is there any magic left?
This SMG’s first novel and my latest read of hers ironically! Here are 5 reasons I loved it and why you should read it:
Misfit characters so witty they charm the heck out of you
Dual timeline that makes perfect sense and amps up the drama
Talk about DRAMA. Lots of ~interesting~ things go on between family dynamics, friendship pacts, crushes, love and betrayal!
Music! So many tunes to jam out to with this one!
Magic! For fun, loving and…revenge!
Certain Dark Things (2016)
via Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a pulse-pounding neo-noir that reimagines vampire lore.
Welcome to Mexico City, an oasis in a sea of vampires. Domingo, a lonely garbage-collecting street kid, is just trying to survive its heavily policed streets when a jaded vampire on the run swoops into his life. Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood drinkers, is smart, beautiful, and dangerous. Domingo is mesmerized.
Atl needs to quickly escape the city, far from the rival narco-vampire clan relentlessly pursuing her. Her plan doesn’t include Domingo, but little by little, Atl finds herself warming up to the scrappy young man and his undeniable charm. As the trail of corpses stretches behind her, local cops and crime bosses both start closing in.
Vampires, humans, cops, and criminals collide in the dark streets of Mexico City. Do Atl and Domingo even stand a chance of making it out alive? Or will the city devour them all?
This novel will be re-released on May 11, 2021 so get in your pre-orders! Having had the privilege to read the first edition I’m excited to see what changes will be made to this already astounding novels!
Here are 5 reasons to read:
Vampires galore! Mexico City is a hot spot for these ancient creatures from different cultures!
An omniscient view lets us know what is happening in every corner!
Bloody, dark and gritty atmosphere! It is what one expects of vampiros!
Rival gangs (human and undead) out for blood…literally
Twists and turns that you definitely don’t see coming!
The Beautiful Ones (2017)
via Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic.
They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.
When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.
But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.
This novel will be re-released on May 11, 2021 so get in your pre-orders! This is my first SMG novel and my favourite probably!
Nina Beaulieu is a QUEEN. I love her.
A Belle Epoque world to enchant everyone
Romance so sweet it squeezes the heart!
Telekinesis to enhance the FLAVOUR
Pure happiness after some DRAMA
Gods of Jade and Shadow (2019)
via Goodreads
The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.
The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.
Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.
In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.
This is also my favourite! (Yes, I have two favourites. Let me live!)
Casiopea has to be the most raw, daring and incredibly real character I have ever read.
Mexico in the 1920s is the place to be!
Not to mention Xibalba, the Mayan Underworld
THE DIVINE INTERVENTION PLOT.
Fairy-tale like feel but make it darker!
Untamed Shore (2020)
via Goodreads
Renowned author Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s first thriller, UNTAMED SHORE, is a coming-of-age story set in Mexico which quickly turns dark when a young woman meets three enigmatic tourists.
Baja California, 1979. Viridiana spends her days watching the dead sharks piled beside the seashore, as the fishermen pull their nets. There is nothing else to do, nothing else to watch, under the harsh sun. She’s bored. Terribly bored. Yet her head is filled with dreams of Hollywood films, of romance, of a future beyond the drab town where her only option is to marry and have children.
Three wealthy American tourists arrive for the summer, and Viridiana is magnetized. She immediately becomes entwined in the glamorous foreigners’ lives. They offer excitement, and perhaps an escape from the promise of a humdrum future.
When one of them dies, Viridiana lies to protect her friends. Soon enough, someone’s asking questions, and Viridiana has some of her own about the identity of her new acquaintances. Sharks may be dangerous, but there are worse predators nearby, ready to devour a naïve young woman who is quickly being tangled in a web of deceit.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of the most exciting voices in fiction, and with her first crime novel, UNTAMED SHORE, she crafts a blazing novel of suspense with an eerie seaside setting and a literary edge that proves her a master of the genre.
This book needs more love! Crime and thriller fans out there need this book in their hands!
A hot, sticky, summer setting in a shark fishing town!
Murder! Fraud! Blackmail! All that good stuff!
Viridiana – Practical, straightforward and yet dreamy MC
American tourists who are fishy AF
Edge of your seat THRILL
Mexican Gothic (2020)
via Goodreads
An isolated mansion. A chillingly charismatic aristocrat. And a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets. . . .
From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes a novel set in glamorous 1950s Mexico.
After receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find – her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.
Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.
And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.
The perfect read for SPOOKY SEASON! This is the time to get it friends!
ATMOSPHERIC. Seriously, the chills and eeriness are real!
Noemi Taboada – An absolute queen.
Slow burn that just EXPLODES in your face!
Gorey, creepy, dark, gritty!
“A stylish and sinister read” – Gwenda Bond. Truer words have never been spoken.
Coming Soon…
A Dangerous Eagerness (2021)
Dangerous Eagerness, is a noir crime novel set in Mexico in 1971, against the backdrop of the student movement that was taking place in Mexico City at the time, and the student massacre that took place in the city on a certain day in June.”
The Daughter of Dr. Moreau (2022)
Pitched as a reimagining of The Island of Dr. Moreau, set in the volatile Yucatan in the 1800s. Have I read the original novel? No, but I will just to have the privilege to read this book!!!
And a third novel with no details…yet!!
SO yes! On this the last day of LHM, do me a favour, do yourself a favour and READ BOOKS BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA!
As for me? I’ll be highly anticipating her next novels, while also diving into to her short fiction over the next couple of months! I will definitely be back to share some of my favourite short stories with you!
If you have read a book by SMG, I would love to hear your thoughts about it! Please share and spread the love as much as you can!
*Please Share and/or Donate = Link to a master list of how you can help/educate yourself on Black Lives Matter and other humanitarian movements across the globe*
Reading with Rendz 