wrap up

July 2017 Wrap Up

Sofia @ BookishWanderessLeave a comment
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If you read my june wrap up, you know I had a very hard month personally. July was definitely better but I was still sad about my break up, I was working on my thesis so I was really stressed out and I was waiting to start my intership. All this things mean my anxiety was out of control and I got sick  because of it.

Nonetheless there were some good things, I hanged out with my friends a lot and I had so much fun, and also I was out of my reading slump so I read 11 books!

Fantasy Books

I’m finally getting back into my favorite genre after months of not wanting to read it. Yay! Also, I managed to finish two fantasy series that I had started a long time ago during the month of July.

The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (3,7 stars)

This book was very different from the first one, there’s an element that was added nd that I feel like it didn’t really work. It feel forced and like it came out of nowhere and it played such a huge role in the story that it was hard to get past it.  Still, I enjoyed this. Especially because of the main characters and the relationship between them.

The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (3,5 stars)

I saw the ending coming since the beggining of this book and that took a bit of the excitment for me. Also, I didn’t liked the ending, so that didn’t help either. This was still entertaining, but I was disppointed.

The Novice by Trudi Canavan (4 stars)

This book is slow and almost nothing happens in it, until the very end. BUT I still really enjoyed the experience of reading it. The main character grew a lot in this book, I feel like the book explored other characters and that was interesting and there was some intriguing discoveries, all this things kept the book from being boring.

The High Lord by Trudi Canavan (3,5 stars)

Contrary to the second book in the series, in this book so many things happened but I was so bored for 60% of this book. I wasn’t connecting with the storyline or the characters in the first part and only in the last 40% did I get the amazing, fast paced, fascinating book that I wanted this to be. The ending was good, except for one little detail that’s revelead in the last few pages.

A New Adult Series

Whenever I’m extremely anxious I choose a new adult book or an entire series (depending on how anxious I am) to read and in July my pick was the Dearest series.

I’m gonna be honest and say that I don’t remember that much about this series and it’s been less than a month since I read it. So I will start with: this was not particulary memorable series for me. My favorite one was the first book and I gave it 3,5 stars, the other 2 books got a 3,2 stars rating. The writing was ok, I liked the couples especially in the first book and the female characters were good. That’s as much as I remember.

The 2017 Releases 

Damaged like us by Krista and Becca Ritchie (3,9 stars)

I have so much love for the Addicted to You/ Calloway Sisters series that I feel like I had to read this. At the end, I really enjoyed getting to know this characters that I had see as kids in the other series and I loved the fact that I got to see the old characters that I love so much.

The Story of Lizzie and Darcy by Grace Watson (3,7 stars)

I really liked this! I shipped Lizzy and Darcy so much, they were wonderful together. I loved the fact that this revolved around the publishing world, I feel like it gave it something extra. Also, there’s lesbian representation, bisexual representation and trans representation and I feel like there were handled in a good way.

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia (4 stars)

I loved this book, except for one little detail. This could have been a 5 stars read, I loved Eliza, I loved Wallace, I loved the idea of the webcomic, I think the representation of anxiety is amazing. BUT I do think there’s a major plot point were one of the portagonists acts so out of character that it takes away from the story, I felt like the author did it just to increased the drama and the conflict of the book and I felt disappointed.

The ARC

Invictus Invictus by Ryan Graudin (4,2 stars)

I got an ARC of this book through Netgalley and I had so much fun reading it. The concept of this book was really interesting, I loved the characters and the relationships between them and I thought the ending was really good. Full review to come!

 

  Have you read any of these books? Did you enjoy them? Do you want to read any of them? Let me know in the comments! 

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Make Me Read It Readathon 2017

Sofia @ BookishWanderess4 Comments

make me read it 2017

Hi guys! This is VERY last minute, but I decided to participate in the Make Me Read It Readathon 2017, that will take place from August 6th to August 13th. I participated last year and had a lot of fun and I’m hoping to repeat that this year.  This readathon is hosted by Val @ The Innocent Smiley and Ely @ Tea & Titles!

What Is This Readathon About?

Look at the books you own, either physical, e-book or ones you’ve borrowed from the library and pick out a few you really want to read, or feel like you should read. It’s up to you how many you pick, personally I’d pick a few more than you expect to be able to read in a week. Example: if you think you’ll only read two, pick out five books or if you think you can read seven, pick out ten.

Make a list of these books on your blog, or make a video, or a Goodreads shelf or post a picture on Instagram—whatever is easiest for you. Then get friends, other bloggers/booktubers/bookstagrammers etc. to vote on which books you HAVE to read.

When the readathon comes along, you read the books in the order of most votes. For example, if one book gets 10 votes—you read that first, then the one that got 7 and so on. If there’s a tie, then it’s your preference. The goal is to read as many as possible. 

Let me know if you are participating and let me links to your polls if you one up for the readathon!

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5 Books I Read Because Everyone Else Was Reading Them

Sofia @ BookishWanderess11 Comments

5 books I read because everyone else was reading themI’m definitely one of those people who gets caught up in the hype and ends up reading books because everyone else seems to be reading them. It doesn’t happen with everybook, but if I had a bit of interest in that book before and I start to see it everywhere, there’s a big chance I’ll inmidiately pick it up. So, today I decided to talk about 5 books I read in the first half of 2017 because everyone else seemed to be reading them. 

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon 

When I first heard about this book I was so excited to read it, but by the time it came out I  wasn’t as excited anymore. Nonetheless, the week this was released it was everywhere. I saw reviews of this in almost ever single blog I follow, so my excitement was back and I read it. I ended up really liking it, I thought the concept of an arranged marriage in a contemporary setting was really interesting and the story was so cute.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

Is there any book that has been more hyped this year that The Hate U Give? I really don’t think so. Everyone seems to have read this and loved it and I’m no exception. This was  such a heartbreaking book and it was really hard to read because the situations the characters end up in were so enraging. At the same time, it has amazing family dynamics, great friendships, it has interesting storylines for all the characters and it has great representation.

The Melody of You and Me by M. Hollis 

This book is not what I would define as a popular book, but most people I follow on Twitter have read this book and loved it. There was a point like 2 months ago where everyone seem to be reading this and so I read it as well. Unfortunately,  I ended up not loving this book. It has so many good things a pansexual main character, a lesbian filipino love interest, sex positivity and female masturbation, but I couldn’t get pass the very week writing.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E, Schwab

The last book in this series came out this year and everyone was talking about it, so that finally convinced me to start this series. I know this is cheating a little bit  because people were talking about the last book and not this one, buuuuut….  I’m gonna count it anyway because I actually read the entire series in one go and I loved it. It had amazing characters and I shipped Kell and Lila so much. Also, the world building and magic system were interesting and captivating.

 Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

I’m cheating a little bit with this one as well, because everyone was talking about the tv show that’s based on this book and not the book itself. But still, it was everywhere! I actually started to watch the  tv show first and then decided to read this book. At the end, I felt like the tv show made some really good changes and that made me like it more, but I still really enjoyed the book.

Have you read any of these books? Did you like them? What books have you read this year because everyone else was reading them? 

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#ownvoices · 9 Books Monday · Diverse Books

9 Books with Lesbian Main Characters

Sofia @ BookishWanderess2 Comments

9 books lesbian

Hey guys! I’m finally out of my blogging slump and I couldn’t be happier. To get back into schedule, I decided to start with 9 Books Monday, which is a feature here on Bookish Wanderess where I talk about books that are focused on marginalized group (Here are the 9 Books Monday posts I have written so far). The idea is that on Mondays, I’ll talk about 9 books that have positive representation for a minority/marginalized group.

This series is not only to recommend books that I have read to you and to talk about books I want to read, this series is also a reminder to me that I need to expand my reading and search for books that allow me to know other cultures, perspectives and ways of life. Today, I will talk about 9 books with lesbian main characters.

3 Books I Read and Loved

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

A lesbian biracial girl + references to the movie industry: things about set design, location scouting, casting, shooting + a small mystery +  a lovely and quiet romance. I had so much fun when I read this and I have heard nothing but good things for #ownvoices reviewers. Maybe that has to do with this being an #ownvoices book!

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera 

This is one of my favorite books of all times. The main character in this book is Latinx and queer (#ownvoices!) and I love the fact that this books deals with a lot of important subjects related to intersectional feminism.  Also, this is #Ownvoices.

Future Leaders of Nowhere by Emily O’Beirne

This book has two main characters: an Australian-indian lesbian girl and a bisexual girl. The book is about a competition- where both girls meet- that’s similar to a model UN but it takes place in a summer camp. This book not only has great representation, it also has a very interesting concep and it’s not that well known, so you should check it out!

3 Books on my TBR 

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Lesbian pirates + giant sea animals + intriguing plot = what more could I need? I can’t wait to read this, it sounds like something I would love and I have heard nothing but good things from #ownvoices readers.

As I Descended by Robin Tally

A Macbeth retelling that has Hispanic characters and folklore, an f/f romance, an m/m romance and a disabled character. I can’t not wait to read this, I’m really intrigued!

We are Okay by Nina LaCour

This is a slow and  quiet story about grief and at the center of it are two girls that used to be in a relationship and that haven’t seen each other in a while. I have heard great things about the way the representation. Honestly, I liked Everything Leads to You so much that I’m really excited to read another Nina LaCour book.

3 Books Releasing Soon 

The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale (September 25th 2017 )

An indie rock band that’s going on tour + a female lead singer + a classically trained female violinist + kisses and lots of chemestry = the perfect contemporary that I want to read RIGHT NOW! That’s all I have to say about this one.

A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo (October 17th 2017 )

This is a phycological thriller with various queer female characters and a Chinese main character. I’m really intrigued by the synopsis of this book and especially by the cover. I have never read any book by Malinda Lo, but I have heard amazing things about all of them and about the representations in them. I can’t wait to read this one.

Spinning by Tillie Walden (September 12th 2017)

A graphic novel about figure skating and coming out, but also about outgrowing a passion. It sounds fascinating, especially because I have never read anything about figure skating. I haven’t hear that much about it, so I’m not sure about the representation but I’m hoping is good.

Have you read any of these books? did you enjoy them? Are you planning on reading any of them? Do you have recommendations for books with lesbian main characters? 

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#ownvoices · bookish list · Diverse Books

6 Anticipated Releases by Latinx Authors (Seconf Half of 2017)

Sofia @ BookishWanderess6 Comments

6 anticipated releases by latinx authorsI have been trying to increase the amount of books I read that are written by Latinx Authors for a long time now, but I keep feeling like I don’t try hard enough. I think about doing it often and I planned to do it all the time, but I think I don’t take as much actions to actually do it. As a Latina myself, I feel like I need to commit to this goal of reading more books by Latinx authors and promoting those books on my blog as well.

That’s why, I looked up the releases for the second half of 2017 written by latinx authors and I chose some that sounded interesting to me and that I wanted to read. All these books not only are written by latinx authors, they also have latinx main characters.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez (August 22nd 2017)

A girl who loves Punk + a conservative school with an strict dress code + misfits that create a punk band + illustrations and collage art because the main character loves zines= what else do I need to say?! Even if I don’t read middle grade often, this one sounds amazing!

The Closest I’ve Come by Fred Aceves (November 7th 2017)

A kid with an absentee mother + an abusive stepfather + who lives in a poor neighborhood + he wants to find love in his life and wants to leave his neighborhood behind +  a program for troubled teens with potential = a story about a boy that learns that bravery is about being true to yourself. I’m interested in seeing how the conversation about poverty, abuse and dysfunctional families is handled. That’s definitely makes me really want to read this book.

The Victoria in my Head by Janelle Milanes (September 19th 2017)

A shy teenager with the dream of being a rock star + overprotective Cuban parents + paralyzing-stage-fright + unattainably gorgeous boy = a story about a girl looking for the courage to confront her insecurities, fight for her dreams and love. A YA contemporary with a latinx main character that sounds like it’s NOT gonna be a sad, dark contemporary, it’s just what I need!

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore (October 3rd 2017)

Magical realism + bisexual representation + amazing family dinamic + different kinds of relationships between women as a central part of the story +  Anna-Marie McLemore’s writing = the only thing I have to say is that I can’t wait! I loved When the Moon was Ours and I’m really excited to read another of McLemore’s books.

I am not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (October 17th 2017)

This book deals with grief and with learning that a person that it’s gone wasn’t as perfect as you thought, which to me is always a interesting concept, but the fact that this revolves around a mexican family makes a concept that is not that unique something really special.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (September 5th 2017)

In this book, people get told if they are gonna die in the next 24 hours and there’s an app called Last Friend that finds you someone to spend your last day with. It’s an interesting concept and there’s LGBTQ+ representation! I haven’t read any of Adam Silveras other books, but I’m really excited to finally read something by him. I haven’t hear anything but great things.

Are you planning on reading any of these books? Do you have recommendations for books written by latinx authors? Let me know in the comments! 

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wrap up

June 2017 Wrap Up

Sofia @ BookishWanderess4 Comments

 

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June was a weird month for me, it was actually kind of a hard month. To begin with, I was in a reading slump and that always affects my mood so much. I did a bit of traveling in the first weeks of the month and even if I had a great time, I was having troubles with my boyfriend so I was sad and frustrated during the entire trip, and then I came home and break up with my boyfriend after 2 years together. And let’s remenber,  I WAS IN A READING SLUMP and it sucked, because I needed a distraction, a refuge and when that happens I usually turn to reading and I couldn’t.

Anyway, I did manage to read 5 books and here there are:

1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood  (4 stars)

I read this because I wanted to watch the tv show and I ended up really enjoying the book. It was not what I was expecting, the writing style and the way the story was told confused me at first and threw me off because it was not what I was expecting or what I’m used to. Nonetheless, the story in itself was interesting to read, the themes this book dealt with were fascinating and I found the ending to be really cool.

2.Doing it: let’s talk about sex by Hannah Witton (3 stars)

I follow Hannah on Youtube, so I have been hearing about her book for a while and I wasn’t that excited about it, but I decided to give it a chance. At the end, I found that this is a book for begginers, someone who is just starting to learn about gender roles, relationships, sex, the LGBTQ+ community and other subjects like that. Most of what she says in this book, I already knew, so that was what made this book a bit boring for me. One thing that I want to highlight is the fact that if she isn’t part of a community or hasn’t experienced a situation or an issue herself, she invited someone who is part of that communty or someone who experienced that to talk about it.

3.When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (4 stars)

I enjoyed this book so much, I had never read a book about a arranged marriage in a contemporary setting and I found it really interesting. I really liked the romance in this, the characters and the writing. I do have to admit that it took me a little bit of time to like Rishi, but I ended up enjoying his character.

4.Some Kind of Perfect by Becca and Krista Ritchie

This was the third time I have read this book, I was not in the mood to read anything, so I decided to read something I had already read and rated because that way my perception of a new book wouldn’t be affected by my mood. I love this series, so it was good to read about the characters again and this is an ‘epilogue book’ so it was nice to read the happily ever after. Also, re-reading this made me excited to read Damaged Like Us, which is a kind of continuation for this series.

A Storm of Swords 

5. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (4,5 stars)

This book took me so long to finish, because it’s huge! Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it, so many things happen, the characters all grow and change, and THAT ending! This is definitely my favorite book of the series so far.

 

  Have you read any of these books? Did you enjoy them? Do you want to read any of them? Let me know in the comments! 

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Life Update

Life Update: heartbreak and asking for book recommendations

Sofia @ BookishWanderess15 Comments

life update 2

Hi guys! I know I haven’t posted in a while, getting back into blogging consistently has been harder than what I thought it  was gonna be.

I’m sorry, because this post is not gonna be very interesting. This past few weeks have been hard because some things were happening in my relationship with my boyfriend and it was a very sad period of time. Last night, we finally decided to break up after a little over two years together and I have been in a cry fest since then. But this post isn’t about that.  I just wanted to ask for recommendations of books that I can read while going through hearbreak. Here are some of the things I’m looking for:

  • Books that made you laugh or made you happy
  • I usually read New Adult when I’m feeling anxious or sad, so if you have New Adult recommendations, those are welcome as well.
  • The easy to read, make you feel better type of YA Contemporary. ( I just finished When Dimple Met Rishi a few minutes ago and it really distracted me and help me stop feeling sad for a little bit).
  • Some fantasy or sci fi that has a good romance and it’s really entertaining may help as well.
  • If you can think of any other things that makes me feel better, go ahead and tell me below.
  • Also, it can be a movie or tv show that made you laugh or made you happy, or that you  think it would be entertaining and it would distract me right now.

That’s it! Thank you for reading this and please let me your recommendations in the comments.