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

Greetings readers!

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

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

What Rendz Read!

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

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

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

The Haul:

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

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

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

On the Hook by Francisco X. Stork

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

Other Going Ons

~ Shadow and Bone Meet & Greet ~

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

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

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

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

~ So I watched my first K-Drama ~

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

IMDb

Posts of the Months

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

Goodreads Was Wrong Book Tag

TBR

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

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

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

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

March/April Wrap-Up & May TBR | I’ve been busy living my best (Shadow and Bone) life!

Greetings readers!

So it has been a while since I’ve come at you with a wrap-up, hasn’t it? Let’s blame it on the fact that the end of the school semester was quite an end. I won’t go into much detail, but it is the reason I’ve been feeling a little unmotivated and uninspired with some of my blog posts. I hope to come with new material soon. Perhaps a fun tag or two!

In terms of reading though…I have had an incredible time with my reads. No lies detected. I’m at that point where I am reading faster than I can review, but it just means that I’ll have lots of great reviews coming your way soon.

What Rendz Read

~ March ~

Truly, Madly, Royally by Debbie Rigaud 3.5/5 🌟
Once Upon a Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira 3/5 🌟
Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laeken Zea Kemp 5/5 🌟
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (re-read) 5/5 🌟
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert 4/5 🌟
Fireborne by Rosaria Munda (re-read) 5/5 🌟
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Bouley 4.5/5 🌟
Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau 3/5 🌟

Grishaverse Re-Read!
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

~ April ~

The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner 3.5/5 🌟
Flamefall by Rosaria Munda 5/5 🌟
Make a Scene by Mimi Grace 5/5 🌟
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera 4.5/5 🌟
The Ikessar Flacon by K.S. Villoso (re-read) 5/5 🌟
Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras 3/5 🌟

Grishaverse re-read!
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Highlight book(s): Apart from my phenomenal rereads of The Ikessar Falcon, The Beautiful Ones and The Grishaverse reads, the top spots goes to Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet, Firekeeper’s Daughter, and Flamefall!

Lowliest book(s): Nothing was truly lowly. I enjoyed all of my 3 stars they just needed more pizzazz.

The Haul

March

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp

April

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso
Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry

Other Going Ons

New Cover for CERTAIN DARK THINGS

As always, I try to be Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s #1 hype-person and this past March the cover for her re-release of the Mexican vampire novel she wrote was revealed and it is stunning! There is so much symbolism and colour to behold! I loved the original cover, but this one…this one has the pizzazz and spark that I’m sure will intrigue many a reader to pick it up!

via Goodreads

My Grishaverse Re-read Extravaganza!

In preparation for the show, which I talk about below, I decided to do a grand Grisha Reread and it was the best decision. I know, I know, I shouldn’t have. I really need to get focused on those ARCs that I have, but I am pleased to say that I did in fact read the majority of my e-ARCs in time (getting reviews up is another matter entirely) but all will be updated soon hopefully. But anyways. I indulged myself with this reread and I can’t complain. I enjoyed myself immensely. It hasn’t been that long since my last reread of Shadow and Bone, Six of Crows on the other hand…that is a duology I haven’t picked up since I read it the first time around when this blog was just beginning. To be concise. I loved it. I loved everything about reading these books again because 14 year old Rendz was living her best life and I want that girl to have her best!

I Attended to Bookish Events with Publishers!

Let’s just say that there are plenty of books to look forward to! Both HCC Frenzy and Penguin Teen CA had some amazing teen book previews at the end of April and I was lucky enough to attend (virtually, of course!). Wow, friends. We YA Lovers have lots to look forward to in the coming months! Here are some titles I am excited for:

I binged Shadow and Bone & lived my BEST life.

Yes, I really did spend roughly 9 hours in my room Friday, April 23rd 2021 to watch the entire series in one go. Lunch and bathroom breaks were really the only moments of not-watching that I had for most of the day. And I regret ABSOLUTELY NONE OF IT. I have waited how long for this show? Ages. Big question: Did I enjoy it? HELLS YES. MY goodness. I was screeching alongside my cousin as we shared thoughts, predictions and critiques over a series of audio and video messages on Snap Chat XD. This adaptation was definitely not perfect, but it had heart in it. I think it did a great job of melding these two different series together and bringing these beloved characters to life! 10/10 recommend you watch it (mainly because I need high ratings for a season 2! but also because it is really good!!)

As for me…I’m stalking the actors and watching cast interviews like its my job.

via Buzzfeed

Posts of the Months

I’ve been feeling a little creatively dry with blog content as of late. I’m trying to find some interesting tags or discussion topics to tackle so it you have any suggestions, I would love to know about them!

Get to Know the Fantasy Reader Tag

This was a really fun tag to take part of! Even as a serial fantasy reader I know I am always lacking or missing out on some sort of amazing story so please direct all your recommendations to me!

Infinite Country | Review // A short, but mighty read

It’s a 200 page book that you all need to read.

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet | HOV Book Tour // Review + Fan Art

I made some fun fan art for this book that I hope you all check out!

5 Reasons to read The Beautiful Ones | In other words…I lived my best life reading this masterpiece again!

I mean the title says it all. 🙂 This is one of my top SMG books, I ~need~ you all to read it. And if you love it, I need you to come yell at me about it.

Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras | Release Blitz + Review!

A quick review for the summer romance readers! The sunny days are coming and I anticipate some romcom bingeing in my future.

TBR

Well as always, I’m going to be slightly ambitious with my TBR 🙂 I will always try my hardest to get to as many books as possible I just need some good luck and good vibes from you all!

I also happen to start my summer semester this month so…le sigh. I need to take that into account as well.

Since it is Asian Heritage Month in Canada and in solidarity with my American friends celebrating AAPI Heritage Month, I plan on reading books by API authors as much as I can 🙂 I’m excited because there are some good ones of my shelf calling out to me! And it should go without saying, but a friendly reminder that we should be supporting API voices 24/7/365 and not only in May!

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri
Rising Like a Storm by Tanaz Bhathena

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
Indivisible by Daniel Aleman

And that’s all I have planned for now. I feel like I’m in need of some more romance-y reads especially considering I have some heavy fantasies that will leave me emotional distraught. Any recommendations by API romance authors are welcome!

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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

August Wrap Up & September TBR | Two piles of books I need to read + the start of a new academic year = I really think too highly of myself

Greetings readers!

And we are closing off another month of 2020. It’s been another month, friends. Wow. Time flies and yet this year has been an entire decade. We’re still fighting though and we will keep fighting. A reminder to keep unlearning and relearning. BLM is a marathon not a moment, as so many have put it. And when you catch yourself slipping, to pick yourself back up again.

My August was pretty chill, but I didn’t get as much reading done as I had hoped. My summer semester came to an end and then I was just burnt out from studying. I found that I felt more crafty than bookish, so I spent some time drawing and painting. But other than that I really did not do much this month and yet I don’t feel rested. Ugh, but I’m just ranting now.

Let’s move on to the stats.

What Rendz Read

Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope e-📘 (4/5) *Reread*
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle e-📘 (5/5) Review
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi 📘(4/5) Review

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon (5/5) Review
The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso 📘 (5/5) *Reread*
A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden e-📘 (4/5) RTC

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles [e-ARC] (3.5/5) Review
The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen 📘 [ARC] (4.5/5) RTC
Check Please!: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu e-📘 (5/5)

Highlight Book(s): You Deserve Each Other lived up to hype I had for it and I really enjoyed it! But #1 from this month is definitely Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From! It was such a powerful and emotional read for me!

Lowliest Book(s): I didn’t have any low read this month. Everything was pretty awesome!

The Haul

I’m telling you all my family is worried for me! XD There was one week where I got book bookmail 4 days consecutively! I was living whereas they were seriously questioning me. I should note that I didn’t buy any of these books and all were gifted XD

Giveaway Wins!

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
The Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez-Gilliland

ARCs

Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
Historically Inaccurate by Shay Bravo
Lightbringer by Claire LeGrand
Ciel by Sophie LaBelle
The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life by Dani Jansen

Finished Copies
The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson
Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath

Yeah…this has been a really good month for bookmail in this household. 🙂

Other Going-Ons

Celebrating 4 Years of Blogging!

On August 31st, WordPress notified me that I have been doing this blogging gig for four years now. WHAT!? I know. It has been quite an adventure and I want to thank you all for sticking around these past years. It has been an up and down slope with this site, but I am so proud for sticking to this. I love books and I love sharing my love for books and this has been one of my best passion projects! Life can get busy, but I love this baby of mine too much to let it go! So thank you for following and reading and just letting me ramble on this corner of the internet!

You Had Met At Hola Challenge

Andrea @ Page Cactus on Instagram created this amazing challenge where you recreate a candid celebrity photo to celebrate the release of Alexis Daria’s You Had Me At Hola! I participated by recreating that viral photo of Chris Pine strutting his stuff with a paper bag full of books! I had so much fun that day and I cannot wait to read the book later this month!

Mexican Gothic is Getting a Limited TV Series

This announcement came as a surprise and you bet that I freaked out!!! Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos came to deliver to the SMG hive and I am living for it! No news on when it’s going to happen, but I would fly to wherever the sit will be to be an extra in this movie!

Read the article

Bitch Read-a-thon – Rereading The Wolf of Oren-Yaro

I had no plans on reading this again but when two twitter fans decided to collab and host a read-a-long I just had to join!!!!!! And let me tell you it was one of the greatest decisions I made this summer! Being emotionally crushed by this book again and discussing it with other readers was the most wonderful experience. The questions made me think critically and reading through peoples answers made me realize how insightful others are.

New Rena Rossner Book!

EEEEH I found out about this new book by surprise and it made my entire day! Last year, I read The Sisters of the Winter Wood and was totally blown away. This book was everything and now we are getting new material and y’all I am sooooo excited!! If you are missing Jewish Fantasy authors on your shelves, I highly recommend adding Rena Rossner to your lists!

via Goodreads

An evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore, The Light of the Midnight Stars is fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

Deep in the Hungarian woods, the sacred magic of King Solomon lives on in his descendants. Gathering under the midnight stars, they pray, sing and perform small miracles – and none are more gifted than the great Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters. Each one is blessed with a unique talent – whether it be coaxing plants to grow, or predicting the future by reading the path of the stars.

When a fateful decision to help an outsider ends in an accusation of witchcraft, fire blazes through their village. Rabbi Isaac and his family are forced to flee, to abandon their magic and settle into a new way of life. But a dark fog is making its way across Europe and will, in the end, reach even those who thought they could run from it. Each of the sisters will have to make a choice – and change the future of their family forever.

For more from Rena Rossner, check out The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

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Posts Of the Month

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

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

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

Would You Rather Book Tag | Answering the hard questions

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TBR

Let me tell you: I am being far, far, far too ambitious this September. I’m going to attempt to complete two TBRs this month.

From Sept 1st-14th, I plan on reading:

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera
Fable by Adrienne Young
Ciel by Sophie Labelle
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz
The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson

From Sept 15th-Oct 15th, I have prepared to focus on all books Latinx. You can read more about those plans in this post:

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

Lord knows I won’t be completing all of this, but I am going to try my absolute best! Please send good vibes!

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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!

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

Greetings readers!

I happy to say that Latinx Heritage Month is right around the corner and I hope you are all ready to celebrate with me! From September 15th to October 15th, I will be reading, promoting and enjoying all books Latinx! This will be the first year that I’m putting together a proper TBR and joining in on other challenges too.

And let me tell you there are a lot of challenges! But I am here to give you a list of things going down!

Latinx Book Bingo 2020

This Bingo is hosted by three amazing Latinx booklovers, Sophia, Paola and Allie! It runs all month long and has some incredible prompts to follow and enjoy! For those of you who want to participate and/or just want Latinx Book recommendations in general, Sophia @ Bookish Wanderess made this amazing list of 170 titles to read from and enjoy! Please show your support for the incredible amount of work she did to put this together!

This is my first year joining and I am very, very, very excited and maybe even a bit nervous! I want to get at least one bingo so help me God!

Follow along online:

IG: @LatinxBookBingo
Twitter: @LatinxBookBingo 

MY TBR

1st Row

Afro-Latinx: Dear Haiti, Love Elaine by Maika & Martiza Moulite or Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
Lighthearted Story: A Sprinkle of Spirits by Anna Meriano
Set in/MC from LATAM: Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Any Book by a Latinx author: You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

2nd Row:

Backlist Title: Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno
Rec’d by a Latinx Reader: Sia Martinez & the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez-Gilliland (Rec’d by Cynthia’s Reading List)
Nonfiction: In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
On Cover Rep: Furia by Yamile Saied-Mendez

3rd Row:

Never Before Read Latinx Author: Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez
Cover with Latinx Flag-Colours: Category Five by Ann Davila Cardinal (Red for Puerto Rico)
Award-Winning: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Group Book: By Any Means Necessary by Candace Montgomery

4th Row:

2020 Release: Historically Inaccurate by Shay Bravo
Queer Rep: Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro
Immigrant Story: We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez
Intersectional MC: The Resolutions by Mia Garcia

Latinx-a-thon

Here is another fun 10-day readathon running from September 15th – September 24th! The hosts are also doing a giveaway for the group book! There are three ways to enter so be sure to get in your entries before September 1st!

Check out this Info Thread for more!

VOICES: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

LATINIDAD: Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro

ROOTS: Mi Papi Tiene una Moto/My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero OR You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria (I’m pretty sure the MCs are bilingual)

HERITAGE: Dear Haiti, Love Elaine by Maika & Martiza Moulite or Freedom Soup by Tami Charles

LATINXLIT TAKEOEVER: By Any Means Necessary by Candace Montgomery

Latinx Heritage Month Book Fest

This is going to be a month long festival of blog posts and Instagram features and fun! I am planning accordingly! While I hope to get to do all the challenges and join in on as many discussions as I can, I am only human so forgive me if I miss one!

Nevertheless, I am super excited to be joining in! Be sure to follow me on Instagram where I will most likely be posting the most! But I am still 10/10 still going to post on here so please stop by to say hola!

Twitter: @LHMBookFest

Instagram: @lhmbookfest

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That’s it for me! I’m sure there is more that is going to happen throughout the month! I hope everyone comes out to celebrate, whether you identify as Latinx or not, I encourage us all to read Latinx books as much as we can!

I know for a fact that I probably won’t finish this huge TBR, but I hope to get at least one bingo and fulfil 3 of the five prompts for Latinxathon! Who knows?! I am just so excited to be celebrating and I hope you join the fiesta!

*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

 

 

 

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

March Wrap-Up & April TBR | Well this was an unforeseen turn of events.

Greetings readers!

Well.

Here we are.

I don’t even know how to go about expressing my thoughts on what’s going on right now. I’m sad, afraid and anxious, but just trying to take it day by day. I’m sure it’s not easy for many of you out there either and I hope you are doing your best to stay safe at home.

Quarantine life for me has still been bombarded with school work, but I’m approaching the finish line so at least I have something to look forward too!

I did say in my last wrap up that March was going to be Hell on earth and I hate being a prophetess sometimes so lets talk books instead.

What Rendz Read!

Not the Girl You Marry by Andie Christopher (3/5) Review
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (audiobook) (5/5)
Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit by Lilliam Rivera (3/5) Review
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (audiobook) (5/5)
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (audiobook) (5/5)
The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren (2.8-3/5) Review
Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (3.75/5) Review
The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa (4/5) Review
Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey (3/5) Review
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (3/5) Review

I can’t say my reading month was bad because it was absolutely excellent.

10 BOOKS. I READ 10 BOOKS!

AND THE REREADS I DID.

I MEAN CINDER, GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW, AND THE PENDERWICKS!!!! I WAS WINNING IN MARCH. WINNING.

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The Haul

Blackwood Marauders by K.S. Villoso*

An Elegy of Heroes: The Agartes Epilogues Trilogy by K.S. Villoso*

Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster (ARC)

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras (Netgalley ARC)

Loads of audiobooks and ebooks on my Libby App

*Yes, I literally snatched up all of K. S. Villoso’s work after reading The Wolf of Oren-Yaro.

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Other Going-Ons

A SKY BEYOND THE STORM WILL BE HITTING SHELVES DEC. 1. 2020

via Goodreads

I lost my mind the day they released the Ember 4 details. I literally lost it. I was alone at home screaming my head off about its beauty that is still very far away from being in my hands. If you must know my thoughts, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

I mean the purple is TOO ICONIC. My babies on the cover ARE LOOKING FLY AS HELL. I cried. I am crying. I will be crying till the end of time!

NEW BLOG FEATURE – TUNE & TITLE TUESDAYS!

I have started a new weekly blog feature starring books and music. I may have no musical talent in my body, but I do love a good jam so I decided to share one tune and one title every Tuesday for the fun of it! I’ve missed only one week so far because of school, but with quarantine going on I think I’ll get better at it!

Check Out March’s Tunes & Titles
March 3, 2020
March 10, 2020
March 17, 2020

If you would like to join in, I shall leave the guidelines below!

TUNE TUESDAYS

Every Tuesday, share a song that you’re currently listening to and a book that you think goes really well with it! It can be a profound connection or a simple one, so long as you give us all the best music and book recs!

Be sure to leave a YouTube link to the song for curious listeners!

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Posts of the Month

The Bookish Feels | Books That Make Me Laugh // I really LOL’d

The Prediction Book Tag | I am quite the prophetess

Books I Need to Reread in the Near Future | Pt.2 // Dreaming that I had the time to do this

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Well once I’m done school, I have so many ARCs to get through and since I can’t really request more right now I’m going to take this opportunity to really make a dent in my backlist! I’m not making any promises though, I’m just going to try!

Rogue Princess by B.R. Meyers
Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras
The Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter
Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri
The Vine Witch by Luanne G. Smith

And more since I’ll be out of school and have more time! Maybe I’ll fit in a couple more rereads hehehehe!

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Let me know what you think! How was your March? I hope you are staying safe! What books did you read? What books did you buy? What books are you looking forward to?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

October Wrap Up & November TBR | Life’s ruff.

Greetings readers!

Wow. October really did come to hurt me. And I’ll be honest November is not looking that bright either in terms of uni. I am honestly so overwhelmed just thinking about all the things I have to do. The end of the semester is only a month away and then exams! I have so much to do which is why my posting has been so sparse these past weeks. It will continue to be like that and it’s stressing me out because I am so behind on reviews! I promise to take it in stride though and not stress too much!

What Rendz Read

The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
I really enjoyed this Mayan MG adventure! Mini Review!

A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano
I ADORED THIS. Please read it! Mini Review!

Five Midnights by Ann Davila Cardinal
A really good Latinx horror novel! Review to come!

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh
I needed more vampires tbh. Review to come!

Cupid’s Match by Lauren Palphreyman
This was fun for a cheesy book! My Review!

Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon
This was not it for me. Review to come!

Crooked Raven by Talis Jones – DNF

Waiting for the Beast by T. Hayden – DNF

6 read books is not bad considering the month I had!

The Haul

Rebel by Marie Lu
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
The Opposite of Falling Apart by Micah Good
Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco

Posts of the Month!

THEME THURSDAY | Witches // The Perfect Theme!

The Bookish Feels | Books that make me WEEP // Let’s cry together

Contemporary Romances that I Want to Read| I Am Actually So Ready to be Attacked by Fluff and Fun!

Other Going-Ons

The Grisha Cast Announcement

via giphy.com

BEN MOTHER FREAKING BARNES, AKA PRINCE CASPIAN IS GOING TO BE PLAYING THE DARKLING AND I ABSOLUTELY LOST MY SHIT THE DAY I FOUND OUT.
*Breathes*
What can I say, that hasn’t already been said? I am super excited for the show. I stalk all the actors’ Instagram accounts for updates. I even followed some update accounts because I am that obsessed. I love the memes and edits that have already come out!

Do I think they got the casting perfect? No. Am I a little disappointed? Yes. I don’t know how they would fix it, but it’s important to note that they’ve already made some mistakes.

Hispanic Heritage Month Wrap-Up

The first half of October was dedicated to getting my HHM TBR done and I am happy to say I read all four novels I wanted to read! I also put my face (well half of it) on Instagram so go follow my account to see me lol! I have to say of the four I read, A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano was my favourite! It was absolutely adorable and I loved everything about it!

I Bought A Signed First Edition of The Penderwicks

There can be miracles. I knew that the used bookstore I usually visit had a hardback copy of TP and I had no intention of buying it until I talked myself into doing so this month and to my absolute joy IT WAS SIGNED! I lost my shit in the store and my sister and mother were super embarrassed of me, but I was too happy to care. I think this book is one of my most prized possessions now!

I am in a serious romance mood. Don’t ask me why, this really sprung out of nowhere. BUT I still have a lot of ARCs to get to so I will try and find that balance!

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibert
Cold Falling White by G.S. Prendergast
A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy
Song of a Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao
The Collected Works of Gretchen Oyester by Cary Fagan

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I don’t think it will all get done. I have a tough few weeks ahead with exams and final assignments. I’ll be honest, as I’m writing I’m fighting back against the crushing weight of a horrible day where I failed in more ways the one. I can only try again tomorrow. I’m glad I can find some comfort in my reading!

On that lovely note…Let me know what you think! How was your October? What were your favourite reads? What do you have planned for November?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

Is this a recap, a wrap-up, a where am I now? | Hi again…It’s been a while and it is nice to be back.

Greetings readers!

Hiya, how is it going? What have you been up to? It has been like two weeks since I have been on here and I feel like I have missed soooooo much. (Trust me I have a lot of blog hopping to do and it will happen soon). Right now I guess I would wrap up what I got done before I headed into exam season and what has happened since then. Obviously skipping over my exam shenanigans.

SO WHAT REALLY HAS HAPPENED?

I honestly don’t know. It’s all kind of like a blur to me…..thank goodness for Goodreads and social media that keeps me on track. XD

This is going to be a combination of of November and December until today and I will be highlighting a Holiday TBR that is most definitely far too ambitious but I am going to try anyways!

What Rendz Read from November to December (18th)

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I am in love! This is an Adult fantasy series you definitely do not want to miss! My Full Review

Goodnight, Anne by Kallie George
Adorable! So cute! So much fun! Perfect for Anne fans! Mini-Review

The Magician’s Secret by Zachary Hyman
So magical and imaginative! Perfect for the reader with a wild mind! Mini-Review

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd
I will be honest, this book was a tad over-hyped! More than a little boring in places and I just honestly feel very meh about it! Full review to come!

A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna
This was super great! I had such a great time reading and I flew through this!! Full review to come!

A Mark Unwilling by Candace Wondrak
Not my cup of tea at all! I had so many problems with this and just nope, nope, nope! Full Goodreads review!

Fence (issues #1-12) by C. S. Pacat
So much fun. Hilarious! Hoopla truly blessed me these comics!

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The Haul

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer (Indigo purchase)

HCC Frenzy ARCs
The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Phillipe
Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye

Hachette Book Group Canada
Strange the Dreamer & Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

Raincoast Books
A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Black Friday Book Outlet Book Haul!
(I splurged and I may have some regrets, but not really!)
The Beautiful Ones by SIlvia Moreno-Garcia
City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
The Last Namsara by Kristin Ciccarelli
Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett
Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George
Blood and Sand by C. V. Wyk
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
A Dash of Trouble (Love Sugar Magic) by Anna Meriano

Featured Posts of the Month!

For those still looking for some holiday picks!

Perfect Picture Books to get this Holiday Season from Tundra Books! | A Double Dose of Anne & a Magical Secret!

Let’s Be Honest, I’m Never Gonna Read These Books!

Other Going-Ons

I MEAN BESIDES STUDYING……………..HAVE I REALLY BEEN UP TO ANYTHING??

THE FAN ART BRAIN HAS BEEN TINGLING!

There are things coming people. I mean…I haven’t started anything yet, but I have lots of ideas and I cannot wait to start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE LION KING TEASER TRAILER HAPPENED

I mean….if they do an exact replica of the original movie only with a different type of animation, I am not exactly complaining….!

I WATCHED THE ANNE OF GREEN GABLES 1985 SULLIVAN ADAPTATION (AGAIN)

It’s just so, so great! I feel like watching it again!

It’s ambitious. It’s not gonna get done. It’s totally over the top. But A girl can dream!

The Grisha Trilogy & The Language of Thorns
I was actually planning a giant Leigh Bardugo reread in preparation of King of Scars (but I do not think I will be getting to SoC and CK before January)

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
Unfortunately. I am tired of having to be so cautious of spoilers and I might as well get it over with. I am trying to keep an open mind while reading, but I make no promises.

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Phillipe

Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye

The Sisters of Winter Wood by Rena Rossner

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer

Truthwitch & Windwitch by Susan Dennard
If I read these, my sister will read An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir!!! She is sitting beside me right now judging me, but I am putting it in writing to cement this promise.

I am lucky if I even finish that monstrous Maas novel in the next two weeks. But a girl can try!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I will do a Holiday Wrap-Up at the beginning of January to let you know about my progress! The new year has so many amazing books coming and I was lucky enough to get my hands on some ARCs that just make 2019 even more exciting!!!!!

Let me know what you have been up to! I promise to visit your blogs as soon as I can!

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

June Wrap Up & July TBR | Can time please stop flying so fast??? Thank you.

Greetings readers!

Here I am. I made it. This post was supposed to be up like three days ago, but I have only just gotten to it. I still working off the high from this long weekend. If any of you were wondering, my Canada Day weekend was fabulous and I loved every second of it!

On to actual business though…I am honestly at a lost here. June was supposed to be THE month. And it started out as THE month, but slowly it dwindled into some month. Here’s the thing…school has been a big issue these past couple of months so things have been real slow for me in academics and really great in the book world. Then….school decides to become a thing again…and basically it is one big mess. I am a big mess. And my reading/blogging suffered for it.

Sigh.

But if anything I did have a good month overall! I had some really great reads and got some even greater books. Plus I got to go to things!!! And I’m…well. I’m okay overall!

Let’s get into it shall we?

WRAP UP

What Rendz Read

An Ember in the Ashes & A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
These were two rereads in preparation for book 3!!! I had the best time rereading them. I had forgotten a lot, so it was necessary that I read them again. AND IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, I LOVED THEM AGAIN AND THEY ARE BOTH FABULOUS BOOKS THAT YOU MUST READ!

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. UTTERLY FANTASTIC. IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. I AM DEAD DEAD DEAD BUT SO ALIVE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE HURT AND HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME. My Full Review

Flor and Miranda Steal the Show by Jennifer Torres
Such a cute carnival read. Perfect for the summer time! My Full Review

Tell Me No Lies by Adele Griffin
This one just did not work for me. My Full Review

Clara Voyant by Rachelle Delaney
The title is genius. I loved it. My Full Review

Save the Date by Morgan Matson
For my first Matson book, it was quite fun..but I had my issues. Full Review to Come!

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf
Ughhhhh I just wasn’t feeling it…Full Review to Come.

That’s a total of eight books! Plus two more that I started…which I didn’t finish, but you’ll hear about those more in next months wrap-up. Could I have done better with the reading?…yeah. But I hit a major slump after Reaper and there is a good reason for it!

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THE HAUL

Once again, my mail box was packed and I attended a few events where I was lucky to get books and I visited the book store a couple times too! So those are all my excuses for the big haul I’m about to unravel. *smiles*

Indigo Purchases

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
I was feeling down…so clearly buying a book was the cure! I am so excited to get to it!

Save the Date by Morgan Matson
I went to her signing in Toronto, and it was absolutely fabulous!

Six of Crows – Tome 1 by Leigh Bardugo
The French version of SoC. Yes I did that. I am over the moon. I am literally so happy to have it. I’m really hoping to get to it soon and that it helps improve my French XD

Publisher Love

Raincoast
Mirage by Samaiya Daud (ARC)
The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke (ARC)
When Life Gives You Demons by Jennifer Honeybourn (ARC)

Thomas Allen & Son
The Magic of Melwick Orchard by Rebecca Caprara (ARC)
Game of Secrets by Kim Foster (FC)

Penguin Random House CA
A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir (FC)
Clara Voyant by Rachelle Delaney (FC)
Confessions of a Teenage Leper by Ashley Little (ARC)
Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis (ARC)
House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenburg (FC)
The Ruinous Sweep by Tim Wynne-Jones (FC)

Wow…I didn’t realize I had received that many books. I have no idea how I’m going to get to these all on top of the massive amount of the books I received last month. Stress….

Posts from June!

Superlatives Tag

The X-Files Book Tag

FIFA World Cup Book Tag

My very first original book tag!! Have you had the chance to read it yet?

Meeting Morgan Matson | Author Event Recap

An Update on My Blog Goals of the Year

And a piece of fanart I shared on Twitter and Instagram in honour of my love for An Ember in the Ashes!

After falling in love with An Ember in the Ashes, I knew I had to make something special to commemorate it.
So here they are.
LAIA & ELIAS fighting the darkness, standing in the light.
For you, @sabaatahir. Thank you for your words.
*
(More pics on my IG as (@)readingwithrendz) pic.twitter.com/GfeJ8JE6mb

— Rendz is on hiatus (@RwRendz) June 27, 2018

A close up, if you will. 

Do you like it? XD It took quite a long time to make, but I am very proud of the results!

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JULY TBR

I am so, so behind on so, so many reads. It is absolutely unbelievable. What I’m trying to say is that this list is going to be quite long, and I probably won’t get to everything, but I’m going to try!!! *The usual speech I give every month*

LifeL1k3 by Jay Kristoff
Kiss of a Royal by  Lindsey Duga
When Life Gives You Demons by Jennifer Honeybourn
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton
Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart
Game of Secrets by Kim Foster
Kingdom of Ash and Soot by C.S. Johnson
A Mark Unwilling by Candace Wondrak

Well…I don’t feel stressed at all. I’m probably forgetting a book somewhere in there. Did I mention how big a mess I am at the moment? But I’ll just go with the flow.

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Alright people. That’s it for this wrap up post. I have been slumping in terms of good content blogging lately, but I am hoping to up the ante this month with some more pizzazz and some fun things that I have planned! I hope you all stick around to read!

Let me know what you think! What was your favourite read from June? What was your favourite new release? What books are you excited for this month? What content would you like to see more of on this site?

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

May Wrap & June TBR | The Month in Which Things Got Crazy

Greetings readers!

Oh God.  This month has been a month. I found myself in a blog slump around mid May and avoided both writing for my blog and reading all of your wonderful posts. I really lacked motivation and….I was just plain lazy.

However, stuff happened this month. Ummmmm….I’m just gonna jump right in and…well…you’ll see.

May Wrap-Up

Books Rendz Read!

I got to a total of 10 read books this month! Four of them were rereads, but they were very necessary rereads, might I add. Frankly, I am very proud of what I was able to accomplish this month. Considering how I was feeling in terms of blogging.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
1 – 4 series reread. I don’t have reviews for these, but a big post about this series is in the works! My advice: Read this series.

The Penderwicks At Last by Jeanne Birdsall
I am overflowing with emotion! The finale to a series that is so important to me. Plus I got to be on the blog tour for it! My Full Review

Furyborn by Claire Legrand
Quite an epic fantasy I’m sure many will find enjoyable! My Full Review

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser
A Pirate YA book! Not exactly what I was expecting, but it was okay. My Full Review.

Whisper of the Tide by Sarah Tolcser
Sequel to Song of the Current, only much more dramatic and scandalous! Review to come!

Legendary by Stephanie Garber
Sequel to the amazing Caraval! I think I liked this one just a bit more. Review to come!

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
I read it because the movie is coming this August! Mini-review to come possibly.

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The Haul

This is where things get interesting. This month I hauled a total of…

*drum roll*

26 Books.

Yeahh… 26 BOOKS! And most of them are physical!

I know what you are all thinking. RENDZ, HOW COULD YOU HAVE HAULED 26 BOOKS???? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THAT IS?????

This is where I actually tell you that I hardly spent money on books this month.

I’m hauling 26 books because I got lucky.

So what did I actually purchase this month!

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

That’s it….for the purchases….

Publishing houses have been loving me as of late. Seriously! I have quite a haul of ARCs and attended quite a few events hosted by the following publishers! Canadians Pubs are just so amazing and awesome and if you ever get a chance to work with them I promise you will meet some lovely people!

NetGalley E-ARCs

Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga
Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Raincoast ARCs

Whisper of the Tide by Sarah Tolscer
If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales

Hachette Book Group CA ARCs

Flor and Miranda Steal the Show by Jennifer Torres
Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

Thomas Allen & Son ARCs

Tell Me No Lies by Adele Griffin
Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery by

Penguin Random House CA

Smoke in the Sun by Renee Ahdieh (ARC)
Royals by Rachel Hawkins (ARC)
Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen (ARC)
We Are All That’s Left by Carrie Arcos (ARC)
The Game of Hope by Sandra Gulland (FC)
The Penderwicks At Last by Jeanne Birdsall (FC)

Then my luck was like a shining star in the night–bright and brilliant–because I won two more giveaways!

One for Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and another for The Cruel Prince by Holly Black!

But nothing can compare to the giveaway I won in April. I was just on, Twitter minding my own business, scrolling away, when I stumbled upon a tweet by the Book Depository. It was World Story Telling Day and they gave you a chance to win big by telling your greatest story!

There were probably over 300 entries and I said to myself, I’ll just enter for the heck of it. So I told a quick story of what happened when I met and author for the first time (I’ll share it with you, one day). Two weeks later, I wake up to a message from the BD saying I won and get to spend £100 worth of books!!!

£100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If y’all knew how much money that is in CAD, you’d get my total elation!

So what books did I get!

A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Swchab
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
The Shadow and Bone Trilogy Boxset by Leigh Bardugo
The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Graton

And I’m still waiting on one more book to show up! I cannot even believe my own luck! Seeing how my life hasn’t been the greatest these past couple months, I’d say that these winnings are probably the highlights of April and May!

That’s a total of 26 hauled books!

May was a really good month.

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Posts from May!

The Legend Series: Graphic Novel Adaptation | Series Review

Saving Each Other | Blog Tour – Q&A and Excerpt

Penguin Teen CA Social | Event Recap

I really hit a blog slump in May. No inspiration or motivation came at me!

As for TV shows or movies I have been up to watching, again nothing. I started re-watching episodes of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody if that counts.

As for art things……well I have a surprise to show off soon, when I finish. And more TLC art is on its way!!!!

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June TBR

Now here comes the hard part. I hauled so many books this past month, how on Earth am I ever going to be able to choose what to read?!

Answer: Priorities. As much as I want to be able to be free to read what I want, I made a commitment to these publishers and I am going to see it through!

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir (RIP me and everybody else too)

Flor and Miranda Steal the Show by Jennifer Torres

Tell Me No Lies by Adele Griffin

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

A Mark Unwilling by Candace Wondrak

And that’s it for now. I have a feeling I will not be able to get to everything just because school is being a disaster and I want to destroy it with every fiber of my being. But I can do it. I take the challenge.

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Let me know what you think! How did May treat you? What was your favourite read? What book are you most excited to get to in June? How many books are on your monthly list? 

Happy reading!

~ Rendz

*All gifs via giphy.com*