If You Liked this Telenovela, You’d Love this Book| Reminiscing on the ole’ days!

Greetings readers!

If there is one thing I know about myself it is that I got my love for dramatic flare from watching telenovelas. Hundreds of episodes of misunderstandings, chaos, messy villains, brutish fights and love triangles leaves an impression on a girl.

Now I was really young like 6-9 years old when my family went through their intense telenovela phase. I remember coming home from school to my cousin’s house where my aunts, older cousins and sisters sat around the TV to watch a novela. Then when our dad picked us up and to took us home we watched another novela! I was young and not very interested, but believe it or not I paid some attention!

We are less involved in watching novelas today, especially since the Latinx channel stopped showing them on cable TV. Now only that aforementioned cousin’s family still regularly watches novelas XD It’s basically their family time, I love it!

All this to say that my telenovela knowledge is minimal at best, but it is there. I may not have been so invested, but they are still a staple image in my childhood memories. And like I said, they are probably 99.99% responsible for the reason I love drama and scandal! XD

So why not reach into my memories and pair books with telenovelas? Anything for Latinx Heritage Month, I say!

REBELDE

via Wikipedia

Your high-school drama with musica! It’s the novela of my childhood days. My sisters and cousins used to watch it after school and on the weekends. I don’t really understand anything that went on, but I do remember the songs.

Book Rec: Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera

I know what my RBD peeps are thinking. This book is all about Bachata and RBD was more of a pop rock, but both are about Latinx teens living their best musical lives so, I’m leaving it! I know I haven’t read it YET, but the connections are there I can feel it.

CÓDIGO POSTAL

via IMDb

I remember very little about this novela other than it was a bunch of surfer teens getting into trouble, falling in love and having fun at the beach! When I asked my cousins about it, the best memory they had of it was the theme song! Which had me thinking that a lot of telenovelas have iconic theme songs!

Book Rec: Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno

Rendz, you haven’t read this book either! I know, I know. BUT. I really caught on to the sea themes and from what I can tell from the synopsis this book is about teens by the sea falling in love, trying to figure out their futures. It might turn out that the sea theme is all they have in common, but I think they are still a worthy match XD!

AMOR REAL

via CineMaterial

My cousin was/is obsessed with this novela! I cannot even tell you the amount of times she has re-watched it or scavenged YouTube for clips! It’s a historical romance set in post-Independence Mexico. It is dramatic AF. From the plot to the characters to the costume to the twists and turns. I have a few memories of seeing this one on TV, but I think I paid more attention to the clothes than what was going on!

Book Rec: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

While not set in Mexico, this gorgeous novel sweeps us into this Belle Epoque world full of beauty, betrayal and romance! I love this book so much! It gives us POVs of all three main characters including the “villainess” which I totally think this fits the telenovela bill perfectly.

Note: This book will be re-released on May 11, 2021!!!

Other honourable telenoleva mentions:

ALMA INDOMABLE – A diamond in the rough/Cinderella/good-girl vengeance story. Make of that what you will.

RUBI – Villain origin story. She is fierce and brutal and quite honestly a queen.

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That’s it for me friends! Let me know what you think! Have you ever watched a telenovela? Do you ever match books with shows you watch? Which Latinx book are you looking forward to reading?

*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*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Latinx Food in Books | I don’t cook, I don’t clean, but let me tell you…all about these delicious books!

Greetings readers!

Full discretion: I can’t cook, but I can clean. I said what I said to create a snazzy tagline line and get your attention here, so forgive my dishonesty. Although if you ask my mother I can’t really do both to her standards.

Welcome one, welcome all to a post that is sure to get those salivary glands working! Today’s Latinx Heritage Month Book Fest challenge is to talk about Latinx food in books! I have been blessed to read some very delicious books so I am here to share them with you today!

A Note: Obviously I wanted to include photos of what the food looks like, but I’ll be honest I didn’t have the time to find the right photos and be sure I got the right permissions, so instead I linked to some very delicious recipes! You can visit these sites or just do a google search to see what the food looks like!

Lobizona by Romina Garber – Choripan

I don’t think I’ve ever really had Argentinian food. I cannot recall a time, but having read Lobizona I definitely want to try choripan. My mouth is SALIVATING at the thought of it friends! It looks simple enough to make, which is a plus because I suck at cooking, but also quite elegant! All in all I’d gobble this up! Lobizona has lots of references to Argentinian foods, but this dish is definitely the one that caught my eye!

via Goodreads

I found this great recipe on Taste.com!

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With the Fire of High by Elizabeth Acevedo – Lemon Verbena Templeque

via Goodreads

First of all, this whole book made me feel inadequate about my cooking skills. I felt attacked. Second of all, I loved this book. Emoni’s journey and pursuing her culinary passion despite juggling so many other things in her life was a heartfelt and stunning to read about. I loved that each section of the book started off with a recipe and the Puerto Rican Lemon Verbena Templeque caught my eye right away. I didn’t know what it was so I googled and was quite intrigued. It sounds delicious. I mean coconut, lemon and vanilla sound like a delightful mix in my head!

While googling I stumbled across a post by Eating Books where they actually made LVT (And took some really STUNNING photos)! I highly recommend reading their post!

Emoni’s Lemon Verbena Tembleque @ Eating Books

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A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano – Conchas

Every time autumn rolls around, my Mexican Bookstagrammer friends start showing off their books and bread posts and I get hungry. The most famous of all the bread pieces obviously being the concha, which if you didn’t know is sweet bread shaped like a sea shell (or concha)! When I read A Dash of Trouble, which is about a Mexican family and their bakery (of magic), I instantly fell in love and wanted to try all their sweets, especially conchas. I know what you’re thinking: “Rendz, it’s bread.” YEAH. IT’S BREAD and I want to try it. I’m a picky eater, but bread is one of the few foods that I’m a little more adventurous in trying. AND JUST LOOK AT THE SHAPE! It’s an experience eating this bread and I want to live it!

Here is a recipe I found by a Mexican home cook and food blogger, Mely Martinez!

Concha Recipe @ Mexico in My Kitchen

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Let me know what you think! What books make you hungry? Have you ever tried to make a recipe from book? What are some of your favourite cuisines?

*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*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Happy Latinx Heritage Month!! | We are celebrating all the books!! Day 1 of #LHMBookFest!

Greetings readers!

Today is the day! AND BOY HAS IT BEEN A WHOLE DAY FOR SINCE THIS POST IS COMING TO YOU AT NIGHT!

On September 15th, five Central American countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica celebrate their independence day from Spanish rule in 1821. On September 16th and 18th, Mexico and Chile also have their independence days respectively! And because there is so much Latinx goodness to celebrate, the month between Sept 15th and Oct 15th has been designated Latinx Heritage Month!

So why not also celebrate bookishly?

This is the first LHM where I have made plans to participate in as many challenges and read as many Latinx books as possible and I am so excited!

If you would like to know about all the books I will be reading this month and the challenges I will joining you can check out this post that I made!

Latinx Heritage Month TBR | Preparing for Bingo, Latinx-a-thon, & IG festivities! // Es mes de fiesta

But if you are too lazy to click through posts (I get it, it’s been a whole day! phew) I will leave the image of all the books I’m planning to read! I have lots of new books, some backlist and some on my library app! There is just so much goodness to come! I cannot wait!

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This first day of LHM also happens to be a huge day for Latinx Releases!! So several Happy Book Birthdays are in order!:

Happy Book Birthday to NEVER LOOK BACK by Lilliam Rivera

Featuring contemporary Afro-Latinx characters, acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera blends a touch of magical realism into a timely story about cultural identity, overcoming trauma, and the power of first love.

Eury comes to the Bronx as a girl haunted. Haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria–and by an evil spirit, Ato. She fully expects the tragedy that befell her and her family in Puerto Rico to catch up with her in New York. Yet, for a time, she can almost set this fear aside, because there’s this boy . . .

Pheus is a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, ready to spend the summer on the beach with his friends, serenading his on-again, off-again flame. That changes when he meets Eury. All he wants is to put a smile on her face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love, and as the world threatens to tear them apart, Eury and Pheus must fight for each other and their lives.

This Own Voices retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice is perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi’s Pride and Daniel José Older’s Shadowshaper.

Happy Book Birthday to FURIA by Yamile Saied Méndez

An #ownvoices contemporary YA set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams.

In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.

At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.

On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.

But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.

Happy Book Birthday to EACH OF US A DESERT by Mark Oshiro

From the award-winning author Mark Oshiro comes a powerful fantasy novel about finding home and falling in love amidst the dangers of a desert where stories come to life.

Xochital is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village’s stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enimagic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes.

Her one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit.

One night, Xo’s wish is granted—in the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town’s murderous mayor. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match… if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.

Fresh off of Anger Is a Gift’s smashing success, Oshiro branches out into a fantastical direction with their new YA novel, The Stars Around Us

I cannot wait to read all three of these! They will be the first books I tackle this month and I know I am going to enjoy them!

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Let me know what you think! What books will you be reading this LHM? What kind of Latinx books would you love to read? What Latinx books are on your to-buy list?

Be sure to tune in for more LHM Book Fest posts on the blog and IG! There are a lot of great things happening and I am EXCITED!!!!

*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*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

The Bookish Feels | Books That Give Me Wanderlust // We’re going on a trip…

Greetings readers!

Books are really the only way to travel these days. At least for me.

I’m not really up to going that far, except a park or two. That being said, I thought I’d celebrate some of the books that give me wanderlust.

The desire to get up and go somewhere doesn’t hit me often, but when it does it comes in full force and I am left feeling on edge. Which is why I often turn to books to fill in that need!

So what book worlds would I want to visit?

Real World Roaming

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

via Goodreads

This book gave me the urge to go to a cottage in Maine. Like what? I don’t know a single thing about Maine. For that matter, I’m not even sure if Maine is where they end up going!! The bigger picture is that I want to go to a rustic cottage by the sea!

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras

via Goodreads

Oh to be lying and chilling on a beach right now. I read this book when it was still cold out and it gave me major beach nostalgia. Who knew I wouldn’t be able to fulfill that wish once summer arrived? *sigh* Alas, this book is like a ray of sunshine and a warm breeze all in one!

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Take Me Back to the Magical Ole Days

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Roaming around 1920s Mexico with a Mayan god of Death??? Yes. Sign me up. I want the glitz and glam of it all! To visit the pueblos and Mexico city and even step into the dangerous roads of Xibalba, I’m all for it! I’m ready!

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

Touring with the Mozart siblings and visiting magical music worlds too? Sounds like an adventure and I am all for it! Not only that, I would also get to see Europe  in the late 18th century with all this glam! YES.

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Whimsical Wayfaring

Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster

This book was positively magical. It’s a world full of different magical creatures and life. It was dangerous yet whimsical all in one. And above all else there was so much colour. The vibrancy of the words on the page enticed me into the grips of that story so wonderfully!

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

via Goodreads

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: This book was weird but in a very magical and whimsical way. It’s a world that I would love to see for myself. From the ruins of the gods to the beasts that roam far and wide. Taylor painted quite a picture and I would love to see it for myself!

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Let me know what you think! What books have given you wanderlust? Have you ever visited a place because of a book? What wanderlust-inducing type books would you recommend?

*Lebanon Needs You – Please Share and/or Donate + Link to a master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter and other humanitarian movements across the globe*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet | COVER REVEAL // JAWS?? DROPPED.

Greetings readers!

Today I am so happy to be joining Hear Our Voices Book Tours to reveal a cover for an upcoming Latinx YA contemporary novel!

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BITTER AND SWEET by Laeken Zea Kemp comes out April 6th, 2021!

I know…I know it seems like a really long wait, but to tide you over the next couple of months (or to enhance your need for this book) we are revealing the stunning cover today!

It’s a story about pastries, the Chicanx community, family and first loves! I certainly can’t wait for it, but you all didn’t come here to read my ramblings! You came to see a beautiful cover, and I shall deliver.

Get ready.

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Ta-da!

Cover Desinger: Poppy Magda

Synopsis:

I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter meets Emergency Contact in this stunning story of first love, familial expectations, the power of food, and finding where you belong.

As an aspiring pastry chef, Penelope Prado has always dreamed of opening her own pastelería next to her father’s restaurant, Nacho’s Tacos. But her mom and dad have different plans — leaving Pen to choose between disappointing her traditional Mexican-American parents or following her own path. When she confesses a secret she’s been keeping, her world is sent into a tailspin. But then she meets a cute new hire at Nacho’s who sees through her hard exterior and asks the questions she’s been too afraid to ask herself.

Xander Amaro has been searching for home since he was a little boy. For him, a job at Nacho’s is an opportunity for just that — a chance at a normal life, to settle in at his abuelo’s, and to find the father who left him behind. But when both the restaurant and Xander’s immigrant status are threatened, he will do whatever it takes to protect his new found family and himself.

Together, Pen and Xander must navigate first love and discovering where they belong — both within their families and their fiercely loyal Chicanx community — in order to save the place they all call home.

BUY LINKS

LBYR

Indiebound

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Apple

Google Play
Indigo

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Isn’t it absolutely amazing!!! I ADORE THE COVER. WHEN I SAW IT IN MY INBOX MY JAW DROPPED. And I haven’t picked it up since! The colour scheme, the illustrations (the elite cover form), the eyebrows on Pen (They’re practically the same shape as mine!). Just everything about this is so so so so PERFECT.

But wait…THERE’S MORE!

Introducing….THE PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN!!

Scan the codes to find out more!!

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Let me know what you think! What is your favourite part of the cover? Will you be picking up this book? Do you enjoy stories about food and family?

*Lebanon Needs You – Please Share and/or Donate + Link to a master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter and other humanitarian movements across the globe*

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Indigenous Reads to Add to Our TBRs!

Greetings readers!

June in Canada is National Indigenous History month and I can tell you that we do a terrible job of celebrating/commemorating it. We do a shit job of reconciling with our Indigenous history in general and like to brush it under the carpet which is awful and really shameful. Canada is often pictured as the friendly Northern neighbour, but we are so conditioned to see out history through the white colonial gaze it is quite sad.

I know a lot of us out there are trying though, and I encourage you, Canadian or not, to research Indigenous history in Canada. One of the books I’m going to be starting with is 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality by Bob Joseph. It’s not a hefty book physically, but one I know will be a powerful read!

via Goodreads

The Instagram account @aiy.talks has a bunch more lists of educational resources to learn more about the Indigenous experience. I highly recommend following them!

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that before this post I’ve been keeping up with my Indigenous lit because I have done a shit job at it. So again, I’m here to call myself out and promise to do better.

I wanted to make a list of my Indigenous TBR that will continue to grow as more and more books publish. I hope you all take the time to consider putting some of these books on your shelves too!

A lot of the books I found are based in Canada or by Canadian authors. I know the Indigenous experience in the US and other places around the world differ so please send me some recommendations if you have any!

Picture Books / Middle Grade

My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith
Raven and the Loon by Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley & Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley
When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson
The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson
Coyote Tales by Thomas King
Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Young Adult

Those Who Run in the Sky by Aviaq Johnston
Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Lightfinder by Aaron Paquette
Strangers by David Alexander Robertson

Adult

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
Moccasin Square Gardens: Short Stories by Richard Van Camp
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Birdie by Tracey Lindberg

Graphic Novels

A Girl Called Echo by Katherena Vermette
Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett
This Place: 150 Years Retold by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm et al.
The Night Wanderer: A Graphic Novel by Drew Hayden Taylor
The Outside Circle by by Patti Laboucane-Benson

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A Call for Recommendations

Y’all I could not find any Indigenous romance novels! Do you know of any #ownvoices authors? I mean if you google Indigenous romance books there are plenty of books by white authors and some old ones with stereotypical representations of Indigenous folks, which is exactly what I don’t want.

I also have lack of Indigenous Sci-Fi/Fantasy books. I mean some of the books listed above are cross-listed as fantasy reads, but I couldn’t come up with a collage of Indigenous SFF books only. If you know of any books or authors let me know! I know Rebecca Roanhorse is a big name and I do plan on reading her work!

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Let me know what you think! How are you planning on keeping up with your Indigenous reads? Have you read any of these yet? Do you have any recommendations for me?

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

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Books by Black Authors to Read Today, Tomorrow and To the End of Our Days | A Shelf Audit & a Promise to do better

Greetings readers!

With the Black Lives Matter movement creating waves of awareness across the world right now, a lot of us non-Black folk have been asked to think critically about how and what we read and so that is what I’m doing today.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I am a great diverse reader. Because I’m not. I’m a slacker and having looked at my shelves and Instagram feed I see a lack of Black experiences. Now more than ever we need to start changing. This isn’t a pledge for a month, or a year or for now. This is a pledge for a life time. To yes think about the race of the author and consciously pick up books by Black authors from all kinds of backgrounds, to read them and review them.

Before I start, I want to leave a link here to the master list of how you can help Black Lives Matter movements across the globe. From donating to signing petitions to educating yourself about what is happening right now, it is all in this link. For those who can’t donate (like me) because of financial difficulty, there are several YouTube videos you can stream that will donate all ad-funds accumulated to different foundations supporting BLM. Do what you can to help! We, as non-Black folk, need to keep up the momentum of the fight because if we are promising change we need to stick to that promise.

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The Audit

Between the months of January and May 2020 I have read 51 Books.
White: 32 ~ 63%
Black: 6 ~12%
Latinx: 10 ~20%
Asian: 3 ~ 6%
Indigenous: 0

Among the approximately  285 books I own:
White: 198 ~70%
Black: 10 ~ 4%
Latinx: 24 ~ 8%
Asian: 48 ~17%
Indigenous: 2 ~ 0.7%

Yup the numbers are staggering. I really thought I was a decent diverse reader, but as you can see I’m not nearly good enough. Which means that there is only room for improvement and change, which starts now and basically never ends.

To help me (and you), I’ve created a list of books by Black authors I most definitely want to read in the (near) future. I know that I won’t get to them all by the end of the year, but reading Black-authored books doesn’t stop when 2020 ends. It needs to keep going and having this list will help me look back at all the options I have whenever I’m looking for something.

NOTE: I realize didn’t include a selection of anti-racism reads on this post. I wanted to mainly focus on fictional books about Black joy and magic etc. but this doc has a great list for beginners!!

ANOTHER NOTE: I also know that my Indigenous reads are also *severely* lacking and I intend to do something about it too. I plan on making a comprehensive list of books by Indigenous authors that I want to read as well and I will share it once I have it together!

On My Shelves Right Now
– Because it’s best to start with what you have –

Row 1:
The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy

Row 2:
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Phillipe
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Middle Grade

Row 1:
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Row 2:
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
King and the Dragon Flies by Kacen Callender
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson

Young Adult

Row 1:
Truly, Madly, Royally by Debbie Rigaud
I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest
Slay by Brittney Morris
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Row 2:
Color Me In by Natasha Diaz
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
If it Makes you Happy by Claire Kann

Romance

Row 1:
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera

Row 2:
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Row 1:
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Row 2:
Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo
King of the Rising by Kacen Callender
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron

Afro-Latinx 

Row 1:
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Dear Haiti, Love Elaine by Maika and Maritza Moulite

Row 2:
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Oculta by Maya Motayne
American Street by Ibi Motayne
Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

Other Things To Do To Show Your Support!

• Support your local Black-owned book store (google it!)
• If you read Black-authored books, review them on Goodreads & retail sites
  • Tip: Round .5 ratings up on GR (bc that’s what we’re supposed to do anyways)
• Remember that ARCs about/by BIPOC should go to BIPOC bloggers first
• Request anticipated books by Black authors at your library
• As you read books about racism/anti-racism remember to also read books about Black joy
• Remember that this is a long-term commitment. Keep track of what you’re reading and remember to diversify your shelves!

*more here @tae_keller*

I’m not here to preach to you because Lord knows I’m not very adequate at doing so. I made this post mostly to call myself out and get my act together. But I do ask that you actually look at the books on your shelves, in your shopping carts, on your TBR list and think about who you are missing.

And when you do your audit and see your disparaging numbers…feel the shame, feel the guilt but don’t let it consume you. Pick yourself up, promise to do better and actually do better.

It’s a long road ahead of us and we all need to do our part to better the world around us! Including our reading world!

Let me know what you think! Have you read any of these books? How are you planning on diversifying your shelves? What are some Black books you are looking forward to reading? Anybody up for a buddy for the books on my shelf?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

My Signed Books Collection | Second Edition

Greetings readers!

Over a year ago, I did a post where I showcased all my signed books and talked about how I got them signed. Well my signed collection has grown since then, and I wanted to share an updated version with you all!

I am very lucky to live in a city where authors do come. It’s still rare that author visits happen, but far more often than other places so I am very grateful.

Pre-Signed

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

I won this in a giveaway hosted by author Sarah Nicole Lemon of Done Dirt Cheap and Valley Girls. Being the nimkompoop that I am, I still haven’t read it, but I am hoping to do an Ahdieh binge soon!

The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli

I got this in a Book Outlet order and I was very surprised when I saw that it came signed! I have never had that happen to me before and I was super ecstatic to find it!

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

So every time I would go to this used bookstore I would see that they carried one hardcover copy of The Penderwicks. Every time I would talk myself out of buying it because I already owned a copy. However, this last time I went I decided I was going to buy it regardless. So I picked it up and just started to flip through it, when I looked at the cover page and saw that it was SIGNED FIRST EDITION. I lost it. Never did I run to the cash register faster.

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

I recently won a giveaway by my favourite author and I ABSOLUTELY SCREAMED! I NOW OWN A BOOK ACTUALLY SIGNED BY MY FAVE AND IT IS POSSIBLY THE GREATEST THING EVER!!!

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Personalized

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Despite not having read a single one of her books, I went to Matson’s signing in Toronto with my friend. Luckily I was able to come up with something to say while I got my book signed. You can read that author event recap here.

The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena

I loved this book and I am so glad I got the chance to meet her at the last Penguin Teen Social. She even read my review, told me she loved it and gave me a hug! She is such a sweet person in real life and she is definitely one of my top Canadian authors!

The Triumphant by Lesley Livingston

Same story, I met her at the Penguin Teen Social. Although this is the last book in her trilogy and I haven’t read the first two *oops*, I’m very excited to though! It’s all about female gladiators, so naturally our conversation flowed to talking about The Gladiator, Hans Zimmer and more.

Nocturna by Maya Motayne

I was very excited about meeting Maya and I may have been overly um emotional that day. So while I am very glad to have this book signed and personalized to me in Spanish!, I uh am kind of traumatized from the event XD Read more about it here!

Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk

This one is a bit bitter sweet. Wyk put out the announcement that her publisher decided to cancel the publication of her sequel, which is crushing because the book is actually amazing! She was lovely enough to do a reader appreciation and send out signed bookplates and swag! I jumped at the chance and love the aesthetic of it all!

Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I was head over heels excited when I found out I won a signed copy of one of my favourite author’s books! She even dated it, so I shall never forget the year I got it!

Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster

I won this in a twitter giveaway with a haiku I made from using the three words in the title:
The last day in time
When that star shines too brightly
The burning world dies

Maud by Melanie Fishbane

I won this for telling the story of how I was first introduced to Anne of Green Gables.

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Book Plates

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

I got this bookplate as part of the pre-order incentive! It comes with the most important quote on the book and I’m very happy to have it.

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

I got a signed bookplate for being part of the Street Team! I still have yet to read the book, so I am possibly the worst street team member out there, but it will happen very soon!

Cinder, Scarlet, Cress by Marissa Meyer

In the same giveaway I won Supernova I also won three book plates which I promptly stuck into my copies of the Lunar Chronicles!

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Let me know what you think! Do you own signed books? Do you have a particular favourite signed book? Have you ever met an author you really love?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

My Favourite Book Children | I Am A Mother of Many

Greetings readers!

Years ago, I did a post about my hierarchy of love interests in which I had such a splendid time telling you about all the characters I’m in love with. But today I’m focusing on characters that I don’t necessarily want to like…date or hook up with if they became real life people.

Today I’m talking about my book children.

It has recently come to my attention that my zodiac sign Cancer is the mother-figure sign and honestly it explains so much about me. I am constantly calling characters “my children” or hollering at “my son” or “my daughter” and claiming characters as little beings that I must care for and protect.  In other words I proclaim myself their mother.

And while the saying goes, parents don’t have favourite children, this mother does and we are talking about them today.

My Child Cliques 

*Groups of characters that are a (found) family themselves and I wish to mother them all!*

The Rampion Crew with the exception of Thorne

I’m running off the high of my reread and ugh I just love my children. They are such a wonderful and beautiful bunch and I can’t help but want to protect each and every one of them. Of course I can’t say the same for Thorne because he is a book-husband…but the rest of them? My sweet children that need my protection at all costs!

The Penderwick Siblings

Also my children as much as I would love to be their sibling. There is just so much personality in these characters and their different relationships with each other and I love them wholeheartedly.

The Crows

There is no real need to go into why I love these murder babies so much. They are so funny and wicked and stylish and loyal and *sobs* I just love each and every one of them so much! Even though they are always putting themselves in danger, I love rooting for them!

My Kid Couples

*Ships that I ship so hard, I’m the mother that roots for them since day one and eventually keeps nagging for grandchildren*

Josh and Hazel

I think this is the first romcom couple that I called my children. Throughout the whole book I just kept saying “oh my sweet, odd child” and “Oh my sweet. naive child” and I love them. Hazel is a wild child that I would love to be in the presence of because she is just so vibrant and Josh is someone I relate to personally as he tries to get over his hurt and take care of his family. They are both so sickeningly sweet. I can’t help but love them both as individuals and as a couple!!!

Mehr and Amun

How many times can I repeat the phrase “My children!” before it gets annoying? Because let me tell you these two are MY CHILDREN. Mehr is so amazing. Fierce and defiant and caring. Then there is my soft, sweet Amun who is just so incredibly compassionate! ❤ I LOVE THEIR STORY AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL JOURNEYS TO OVERCOMING THE THREATS THEY FACE AND TAKING THEM HEAD ON. I—I LOVE THEM.

My Babies

*Individual characters that I have a strong connection with and wish to protect with all my heart!*

Laia of Serra

We all know I bow to one queen and one queen only and that is Miss Laia of Serra. She is my daughter and owns practically my whole soul. She is one of the first characters in which I found my personality reflected and just related to so much. She is not perfect, definitely, but she is so incredibly hard-working and scared but willing to risk it all for the one she loves.

Nina Beaulieu

My girl is so quintessentially herself and I love everything about her. I may not be into insects like her or be as cheeky, but the love she has for her family and the fantasies she has about romance is just so sweet! She also has plenty of spunk which I cannot help but appreciate! I want to protect her with all my being and also make every one of her dreams come true!

Lazlo Strange

He is my soft, book-loving child and I cannot help but adore him. We would totally bond over books and languages and our love for divine intervention plots! I love Sarai too, yet oddly enough Lazlo is the one that I kept calling my son while I was reading. He is just so sweet and kind and intuitive and compassionate and everything I would want in a real son!

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Basically, what you need to know is that I would lay my life down for any one of these characters. I care deeply for my children and rereading their stories is the only way I get to spend time with them, so be sure that I will probably be picking up these books again soon if I haven’t already!

Let me know what you think! Are you a book parent? Do you have characters you wish to wrap up, protect and cradle? What motherly characters do you love reading about?

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY and Happy reading!

~ Rendz

 

Some of My Favourite Book Quotes | Magical words that make me feel all sorts of way

Greetings readers!

I can’t recite many book quotes by heart. I tend to have words that stick with me and sometimes phrases, but never the full quote. Most of the time I bookmark them so whenever I pick up a read I can go back and remember how that quote made me feel. That being said, I have one down..almost. But there are so many more that I love I figured I’d document some down so I can start rehearsing them hehehe!

The Funny Ones

“The cuter the boy, the mushier your brain.”
― Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks

Girl. Can I relate. And not just fictionally. The amount of foolish things I’ve said and done for a seemingly attractive boy…how embarrassing.

via Goodreads

“The place an intelligent person sings is in the bathroom. One sounds better,”
— Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Beautiful Ones

I have never seen the truth spoken so clearly in literature. Truly an iconic moment. Not only is it funny, it is a flattering quote as well!

The Tear-Jerkers

via Goodreads

“Hi,” he says. “I’m Daniel.”
“Hi,” I reply. “I’m June.”
― Marie Lu, Champion

If you know, you know. AND I AM CRYING. I will literally never get over this. I can’t wait to reread the trilogy and be totally crushed again!

via Goodreads

“I have been made to protect you. Even in death, I will find a way.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

WHO ELSE IS SOBBING BECAUSE HELLO NIAGARA FALLS IS CURRENTLY FALLING DOWN MY FACE! I just…I don’t know how to deal with this much pain.

The Ones that Make Me Scream

“You are my temple,” I murmur as I kneel beside her. “You are my priest. You are my prayer. You are my release.”
― Sabaa Tahir, A Torch Against the Night

I JUST…I MEAN…IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW AGAIN. I legitimately yelled when I read this for the first time!

“She was but a girl from nowhere. Let the heroes save the world, save kings who must regain their crowns. Live, live, she wanted to live, and there was a way.”
― Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Gods of Jade and Shadow

It’s really what the character does right after this quote that makes me scream. It is just such a powerful moment in the book. I loved it so much! I love this book so much for so many reasons and ugh I cryyyy.

The Inspirational Ones

via Goodreads

“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything’s possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.”
― Marie Lu, Legend

This is one of the few quotes I know by heart and it is so amazing! It has stuck with me since the first time I read the book and Legend was one of the first YA books I read as a tween!

via Goodreads

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together–knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

This quote does a little bit of everything for me. It makes me cry, scream and feel loved. It is packed with so much emotion I can’t help but feel a boost of inspiration to love more fiercely!

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Let me know what you think! What are some of your favourite book quotes? Do you memorize them? Do you keep them close by whenever you need a boost?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz