February Wrap-Up & M(ARC)h TBR | Well March, we meet again.

Greetings readers!

Well another month of 2021 down for the books. And I have to say it was both quite hectic and wonderful at the same time. There were so many wonderful stories to tell you about!

What Rendz Read!

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel – 5/5 Stars Review
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna – 4/5 Stars Review
Love in English by Maria E. Andreu – 4/5 Stars Review
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo – 5/5 Stars
Like Home by Louisa Onome – 4/5 Stars Review
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory – 3/5 Stars
Some Other Now by Sarah Everett – 5/5 Stars Review
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo – 4/5 Stars Review

Highlight Book(s): Oh I have a pretty incredible reading month, but picking a favourite is not too hard because Infinite Country and Some Other Now were simply SPECTACULAR! Absolutely amazing! Both of these reads swept me off my feet.

Lowliest Book(s): I don’t think I have a book that truly fit this category from this month. Even if I had some mid level reads, I don’t think they can be considered lowly!

The Haul:

Oh…my. No physical book mail to report, but…my oh my has my Netgalley been bursting! Seriously *sobs* I have so many e-ARCs to get to…but more on that later.

Other Going-Ons:

A new, powerful Silvia Moreno-Garcia cover – Velvet was the Night:

Oh the power. The power. The power. I cannot wait to read this book *Yes, I have an ARC! Eh!* Just feast your eyes on this! The fashion, the style, the entire vibes! ugh I love it so much!

Shadow and Bone Netflix Teaser Trailer #1

When I tell you I am obsessed, I mean it. I AM OBSESSED. To say it has been on repeat since it came out is exactly what is going on these days. From the looks of it, I think the show is going to be really good! I know that 25% of me will be enjoying the show, another 25% will be comparing it to the books and a full 50% will be obsessing over Ben Barnes. I speak my truth.

Posts Of the Month:

A Sky Beyond the Storm | Review // I will NEVER recover from this book, and that’s okay with me

This was so much fun to write! Even though I relived every painful emotion that I endured while reading the book, this post is probably one of my favourites ever!

TBR

Two factors have affected my TBR this month:

1. The great Netgalley binge!
2. Yup, the Shadow & Bone trailer

So here is what I have lined up for March:

Truly, Madly, Royally by Debbie Rigaud (Read)
Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira (Read)
Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laeken Zea Kemp (Read)
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Flamefall by Rosaria Munda
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Bouley
Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

And also a very slowly paced re-read of the Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology!

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

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

February Wrap-Up & March TBR | One month of bliss followed by one of…a lot less bliss.

Greetings readers!

I would just like to point out that everyone is out there living their best lives reading the new SJM book and here I am, not reading it, AND LIVING MY ABSOLUTE BEST LIFE.

Thank you more entertaining my one moment of pettiness. I just really needed to let that loose. Phew. Thanks.

Okay so…February was a MONTH, but also a pretty amazing one for reading if I do say so myself! I had two books enter my all time favourites list this month and that is MIRACULOUS! Truly an iconic month! That one extra day really made a difference.

March on the other hand is going to be HELL ON EARTH! I can feel it in my soul and see it on the calendar full of due dates and exam dates. If you’re into prayer, please pray for me. If you’re into spell casting, cast a spell for me (a good one). If you’re into vibez, please send me all the good vibez!

What Rendz Read

Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine (5/5 Stars) Review
See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson DNF Review
Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (4/5) Review
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (4/5) Review
The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso (5/5) Review
Charlie Hernández the Castle of Bones by Ryan Calejo (4/5) Review
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu (5/5) Review
New Orleans Rush by Kelly Siskind (3/5) Review

8 books read in February! That is amazing, considering how busy I was before my reading week break! BUT DANG I GOT BOOKS READ.

The Haul

No bought books!

Penguin Teen Canada
Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena

Simon & Schuster Canada
Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer de Leon

St. Martin’s Press
Frida in America: The Creative Awakening of a Great Artist by Celia Stahr

She Writes Press
The Way You Burn: A Novel by Christine Meade

Other Going-Ons

THE TWO BOOKS THAT TOTALLY ROCKED MY WORLD

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

Two titles that are so different, but totally changed my life. I have not felt the ease of giving a perfect five starts in a long time. I’ve had five star reads, but still in the back of my mind were reservations about them. Not these two. These were instant 5 star reads for me. I am so overwhelmed by emotion when I think about them. And when I say they are totally different, they ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

One is an adult high fantasy with lots of murder and backstabbing and general mind-fuckery (excuse my language) and the other is a YA historical fantasy that is an emotional roller coaster that made me sob.

I AM IN LOVE WITH BOTH OF THEM!

 

WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO THE SHADOW & BONE TV SERIES!

Filming has wrapped and y’all the video they put out. The one with all the cast! The one with my cheeky son, Ben Barnes. I died. I died. I died. BUT I AM LIVING because I cannot wait for more news! Especially since there is a trailer that allegedly exists!

 

Shadow and Bone has officially wrapped production and a few friends would like to wish you a warm welcome to the Grishaverse… pic.twitter.com/RjU66NiUmj

— Shadow And Bone (@shadowandbone_) February 28, 2020

LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE EXCITING HAPPENED.

It was just another month for the books. I mean I would talk about stuff that happened in March, but then what would I have to write about next month!

Posts of the Month

Romance Reading Round Up | Part 2 // Just in time for Valentine’s Day!

My New Found Love for Audiobooks | (A Second) Discussion

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Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Audiobook)
Goldie Vance and the Hotel Whodunnit by Lilliam Rivera (ARC)
The Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren (ARC)
And then probably a couple of more audiobooks since I will not have much time to sit and read physical books…maybe one more who knows!

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We are definitely going to play March by ear. Of course there are some things coming our way LIKE THE RELEASE OF MULAN WHICH I PLAN ON SEEING OPENING NIGHT! Even though I’ll have ten things due the following week hehehehe…

Let me know what you think! How was your February? Did you read anything life changing? Did that extra day help topple the TBR?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

February Wrap-Up & March TBR | The month in which I broke a very important promise

Greetings readers!

How have you been doing? How has the second month of 2019 been treating you? I feel like I open every one of these posts talking about me, but I’d thought I’d switch it up today.

How are you?

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*

Oh, you’re still here! That’s nice, you actually do want to read about me. *sends massive hugs* WELL LET ME TELL YOU. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH. A SHORT ONE. BUT STILL A MONTH.

It wasn’t all too bad reading wise, but Real-Life Rendz is caught in the middle of storm right now. I shouldn’t even be writing this post right now yet..here I am.

What Rendz Read

4 books.

Wow I umm thought I had a better reading month than this, but I guess not.  I apparently didn’t even remember I had a TBR because literally none of it got done!

Enchantée by Gita Trelease
I actually had a lot of fun with this one. My Full Review

The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro
This was an emergency pick-up read because I felt like I wasn’t getting anything from my YA fantasy picks. And it was truly a great refresher, I loved it so much. Mini review to come

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Another spontaneous read that was amazing! I even listened to the audiobook, which I think made the whole experience even better. Mini review to come.

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
This was a buddy read, with the fabulous Sha @ Book Princess Reviews. I had so much fun reading with Sha, not to mention the book was INCREDIBLE! Full review to come.

The Haul

Remember when I made my 2019 reading goals…? Remember when I said I would relax my requesting game this year so I wouldn’t get stuck with so many ARCs that would eventually go unread? Do you remember that?

Well I’m a liar. Clearly. And went overboard as usual.

Bought Books:

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes

Book Mail:

The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena (FC – Penguin Teen CA)
Kingsbane by Claire Legrand (ARC – Raincoast)
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan (ARC – Raincoast)
The Telsa Legacy by K. K. Perez (Giveaway win – Torteen)
Opposite of Always by Jason A. Reynolds (ARC – HCC Frenzy)
Hello Girls by Britanny Cavallaro and Emily Henry (ARC – HCC Frenzy)
Nocturna by Maya Motayne (ARC – HCC Frenzy) <–My most anticipated read of the spring *cue screaming*

Yeah……….

Featured Posts of the Month

The ARC Book Tag | In Which I Call Myself OUT

The Bookish Feels | Books That Make Me Nostalgic // Ahhh the Good Old Days

Whispers of Shadow & Flame by L. Penelope | COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY (intl)

Other Going-Ons

Besides being so incredibly stressed about school…hmm let’s see

The Title for Legend 4 came out and I lost my bejeebers

REBEL. REBEL. REBEL. REBEL. REBEL. REBEL. REBEL. REBEL. 

October 2019 here I come!!!!!!!!!

I won a giveaway and I had to do math!!!

So Torteen holds IG contests all the time and this past month I actually won! So when they contacted me for my deets and told me that because I live in Canada I had to do a math test over the phone I was like !!!!! I DON’T WANT THE BOOK THAT MUCH!

But I did the test. And needless to say it went…well. Awkward, but well. I uhh got stuck on the final question and there was this long pause of me trying to think and the Torteen publicist waiting for my answer.

Thankfully I got them all right and I got the book, The Telsa Legacy by K. K. Perez!

via giphy.com

I Attended Frenzy Presents

A little get together of all the local bloggers at the HarperCollins Canada HQ. It was a morning filled of books and talking about how excited we are for some of their spring titles! I might still do a wrap-up post, if I have time later this month, but all you need to know is that it was so much fun and they have so many great books coming!

The Jonas Brothers are back!

Yeah. I won’t lie. Tween Rendz was all over the Jonas Brothers. And she still kinda is. I mean they have some major BOPS. And while I like their new song, this whole week has been filled with me going through all my old favourites and reminiscing about the good ol’ times.

via giphy.com

The TBR

The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie (A buddy read with Mandy @ Book Princes Reviews!)
Voices by David Elliot
The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena
*The Telsa Legacy by K. K. Perez
*Opposite of Always by Jason A. Reynolds

*Subject to change. Then again…this is all subject to change.

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Let me know what you think! SERIOUSLY, HOW ARE YOU GUYS THIS MONTH? How was your reading? What was your fave book? What are you looking forward to this March?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz 

February Wrap-Up & March TBR

Greetings readers!

I am not supposed to be writing this post write now. Rather, I should be digging into my school books and writing about far more boring topics. However, everyone needs a little leisure right? Yeah. A well-deserved break.

But Rendz you just came back from a 1 1/2 lunch, opened a word document, stared at it and then opened WordPress and all other social media accounts! Plus you have to write two very long essays, due ver—

A. Well. Deserved. Break. Yes.

I always forget that February is a short month and when March 1st rolls around I’m usually a puddle of confusion. How the time flies? Seriously, everyday seems to be going faster and faster and are not our days supposed to be getting longer??? Le sigh. Up here in Canada, we are in limbo. One day super-winter like, the next super spring-like. Make up your mind mother nature!! And just FYI I prefer the latter.

Anyways. February. A very Bookish February.

I got quite a few things read and I acquired quite a few books too! Let’s see how well this short month fared for moi!

Wrap-Up

What I Read:

Wires & Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer
One of my most anticipated reads of the year! Read more to find out how I felt about it. My Full Review

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
A glorious debut that left me with A LOT of feelings, I need to talk about them!
My Full Review

The Calculus of Change by Jessie Hilb
A solid contemporary novel, full of fluff and some hard stuff too!
My Full Review

A Possibility of Whales by Karen Rivers
So cute! My Tour Spot will be coming to you March 13th!

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake (Started in February, finished in March)
What a stressful series. 4.5 / 5 stars. I need the next one, now!!!!
(Perhaps a mini-review to come!)

That’s five books! Considering it was a short month, I’d say 5 is a job well done!

 

What I Hauled

I got a little gutsy this month and sent out quite a few requests to publishers hoping for a positive response (Even though I was prepared for a kind no). But I got them! Yipee!

ARCs (Thank you Penguin Random House Canada!)
Lost Crow Conspiracy by Rosalyn Eves
Ash Princess by Lauren Sebastian

Indigo Chapters
One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

Library
Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes

Favourite Posts from Last Month!

Power Couples Book Tag

3 Days, 3 Quotes Tag: Day 1

3 Days, 3 Quotes Tag: Day 2

3 Days, 3 Quotes Tag: Day 3

 

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March TBR

I have collected quite an astounding number of books these past months. I have a lot of requests to get through and my own personal TBR is quite high…so let’s try and plan this out, shall we?

Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes (I’ve actually already finished this one. RTC.)

Captain Guinevere by Clara Bennett (It will happen this month!)

Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope (I will try my best to get to it!)

Lost Crow Conspiracy by Rosalyn Eves (Up next!)

Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby (Blog tour stop coming in April!)

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (Big ???…it probably won’t happen)

And don’t get me started on how I was going to start ACOTAR this month…but no, I’m just not feeling it.

March is also a month of HUGE releases…so who knows what I will actually be reading!

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Let me know what you think! What was your favourite read from February? What books did you buy? What are you planning on reading this March? How many books are you planning on buying?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz