Anticipated Book Releases of Summer 2020

Hi everyone! Today, I’m going to talk about my most anticipated releases of the summer. I’m kind of in a reading slump right now, so I thought that talking about books that I really want to read and that I’m highly anticipating would help me with that and, at the same time, I could help you find some new books for your tbrs.

Without further ado, here are my most anticipated releases of the summer:

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror

Publication date: July 30th 2020

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her, Noemí heads to rescue her from a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find. This story is about an isolated mansion, a chillingly charismatic artistocrat and a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets.

Why am I anticipating it? I loved Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow, I’m trying to get more into horror and I have heard great things about this one, so I’m excited to give it a chance.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Genre: Romance

Publication date: July 7th 2020

Luc and Oliver have 3 things in common: being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends and go then go their separate ways and pretend it never happened. But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating.

Why am I anticipating it? a queer romance book that includes the fake dating trope and it’s set in London… it sounds like a perfect book to me. Also, I jsut got an ARC of it!!!

Engagement & Espionage by Penny Reid

Genre: romance, mystery

Publication date: July 14th 2020

Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another. It’s not long before Cletus and Jenn see a pattern emerge and the truth becomes clear. Sabotage! Will an undercover mission unmask the culprit? 

Why am I anticipating it? This is the first book in a spin-off of Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers series and it sounds really bizarre, but I love Jenn and Cletus story in Beard Science and I want to read more about them. Also, I’m a fan of cozy mysteries and I want to see Penny Reid’s take on one.

Lobizona by Romina Garber

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy

Publication date: August 4

As an undocumented immigrant who’s on the run from her father’s Argentine crime-family, Manuela is confined to a small apartment. Until lifelong lies are exposed, her mother is arrested by ICE and Manu starts to discover the truth about her past, which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world straight out of Argentine folklore.

Why am I anticipating it? everyone who know me, knows that if there’s a fantasy book with Latinx characters by a Latinx author, I’m gonna read it. I have an ARC of this book and I’ll be reading it in July.

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

Genre: Romance

Publication date: August 4th 2020

Two soap opera actors get cast together in a bilingual rom-com for the number one streaming service in the country. With their careers on the line, they’ll need to generate smoking-hot on-screen chemistry, so they agree to rehearse in private. But rehearsal leads to kissing, and kissing leads to a behind-the-scenes romance worthy of a soap opera.

Why am I anticipating it? A romance with latinx main characters, who are sopa opera stars…what else do I need? I have read two books by Alexis Daria and really enjoyed both of them, which makes me even more excited for this. Also, look at that cover!

Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud

Genre: YA Sci-fi

Publication date: August 6th 2020

This series is about Amani, who is taken to the royal palace to be the body double of the hated Princess Maram in her public appearances and has to be ready to die in her place. While living in the palace, she becomes entangled with a rebellious group.

Why am I anticipating it? I read and loved an ARC of Mirage, the first book in this series, before the officially release date, so it feels like I have been waiting for this sequel forever. I’m so excited to see where the story goes and what happens to the characters.

Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Publication date: September 1st 2020

Each book in the series follows one of the Mortiz sisters, who are Latinx brujas. In this book, Rose gets pulled through a portal to the land of Adas, a fairy realm hidden in the Caribbean Sea. While she tries to save Adas, she begins to discover the scope of her powers, the truth about her father’s past, and the sacrifices he made to save her sisters.

Why am I anticipating it? I love the first two books in this series, as well as Zoraida’s latest release Incendiary, so I know I’m gonna love this and I can’t wait to finally find out the truth about the father of the Mortiz sisters.

Kane by Sawyer Bennett

Genre: Romance

Publication date: September 15th 2020

Kane and Mollie have been best friends for a while and after a scary incident, they realize they want to be more than friends. So they start dating and they couldn’t be happier. But then the realities of having careers which keep them on the road put their blossoming relationship on ice.

Why am I anticipating it? I haven’t love the last couple books in this series, but friends to lovers is my favorite trope so I’m definitely reading this. Also, from the little introduction of the two main characters in the previous book, I feel like I’m going to like them.

Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication date: September 15th 2020

Xochital is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village’s stories into its arid winds. Until she meets Emilia and the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, where they find their hearts could be a match… if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.

Why am I anticipating it? A fantasy book with an f/f relationship and Latinx characters written by a Latinx authors is basically everything I have ever wanted. I have an ARC of this book and I’m hoping to read it soon.

Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey

Genre: Romance

Publication date: September 22nd 2020

Bethany wants to flip houses as part of her family’s company, but her older brother refuses to take her seriously. When they’re invited on Flip Off, a reality competition, Bethany needs a crew and the only person willing to join her is the new guy in town. Wes and Bethany are forced into close quarters as they remodel the ugliest house on the block.

Why am I anticipating it? I have really liked the first two books in the series and I’m really intrigued by the glimpses of Bethany and Wes in the last book, I feel like they are gonna be one of those couples with great banter and bickering and I’m excited about it!

What book releases from the summer are you anticipating? Do you want to read any of the books I mentioned? 

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Finished Book Series I Haven’t Finished Yet

Hi everyone! A while back, I went through my Goodreads shelves and I made a list of all the series I haven’t finished and I separated them in 3 categories: the series I want to finish, the ones I may finish and the ones I have no intention of ever finishing. Today, I want to talk to you about some of the series I know I want to finish and that also fulfill another requisite and it’s the fact that all the books in the series are already out.

Without further ado, here are some finished book series that I have not finished yet but that I’m planning to:

*Click the series titles to go to the Goodreads page*

Stalking Jack The Ripper Series by Kerri Maniscalco

I loved the first two books in this series and I was highly anticipating books three, but I heard so many mixed things about it that I never picked it up. Nonetheless, I love Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell, the characters are definitely the strong suit of these books, and I want to know what happens to them and their relationship, so I’m hoping to finish this series.

The Bone Witch Trilogy by Rin Chupeco

I read the first book in this series last month, May 2020, and I loved it and I was suppposed to read book two as part of a buddy read this month but I was simply not in the mood for it. I’m hoping to continue with this series soon because I don’t want it to become one of those series that takes me years to read. Also, because since there are two timelines I’m very intrigued and can’t wait to figure out how things changed so drastically from one timeline to the other.

The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare

I read Lady Midnight when it first came out and I read Lord of Shadows last year, and I really enjoyed both of them, but I’m not particulary excited to read book three, I’m just not invested in the characters or the story. I will read Queen of Air and Darkness because I don’t like to leave series unfinished especially when I only have one book left to read, but this will be my goodbye to the Shadowhunters world.

Daugther of the Pirate King Duology by Tricia Levenseller

I read the first book in this series almost two years ago and it was so much fun, it was one of those feel good, fast paced, entertaining YA fantasy books and I definitely want to read the conclusion to the story. Also, I want to read more books with sirens/mermaids on them, so I can’t wait to see how they are incorporated in the second book of this series.

Strange the Dreamer Duology by Laini Taylor

I read and LOVED Strange the Dreamer last year, but after that ending I have been hesitant to reading book two because I’m scared it’s gonna break my heart. Still, I want to know where the story goes and what happens to the characters. This is such a mysterious and well written series that I’m looking forward to seeing how it ends.

Crazy Rich Asians Series by Kevin Kwan

I read Crazy Rich Asians years ago and I read China Rich Girlfriend last month and enjoyed both of them so much. These series is lighthearted, ridiculously entertaining and so much fun! I’m hoping to read the last book within the next couple of months, so I won’t fall in the same trap of waiting years to pick it up.

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

I read The Fifth Season a few months ago and I wasn’t sure if I was gonna continue with the series or not since the first book is a very heavy book and I ended up feeling devastated and a bit hopeless after reading it. Nonetheless, it’s being a while since that and I’m feeling very intrigued about where the story is going next, so I’ll definitely continue with the series.

The Witcher Series by Andrzej Sapkowski

I read both The Last Wish and Blood of Elves this year after watching the Netflix show and I flew through those books, they are very fast paced and the world they take place in is fascinating. I’ll definitely try to have read at least the first 4 books in the series by the end of the year.

The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

Reading this series is a project I started in January 2020 and I’m failing miserably at it. I haveo nly read the first book, The Eye of the World, and I LOVED it, I defintely want to continue with the series and I don’t want to let any more time go by without reading the next book because that makes it more likely that I won’t keep reading. I’m hoping to read at least book 2 and 3 before the end of the year.

Themis Files by Sylvain Neuvel

I read Sleeping Giants in 2019 and it was such an interesting and thought-provoking book that I inmmediately made my best friend read it and she really liked it too. Nonetheless, I have heard very mixed things about books 2 and 3, so I’m scared to read them. But then ending of book 1 left me intrigued enough that even if I’m a bit nervious, I’ll continue on with the series.

What finished series you haven’t finished yet? Which of the series mentioned should I prioritize?

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5 Amazing Self-Published Romance Books

Hi everyone! I think it’s not a secret for anyone that follows this blog that I read A LOT of romance and recently I was curious about whether I was reading more traditional published, indie published or self-published romance books. I don’t actually pay attention to that when I pick books (at least when it comes to romance), to me it’s all the same and it turns out I read basically the same amount of traditional and indie published books, and even when I read a little less self-published books, the difference is not very significant.

Since I don’t usually pay attention to which books are self published, I don’t know if I tent to enjoy them less, more or the same amount as trad or indie books. And since I know self-published books often get a bad rep or are thought as “less good than” traditionally published books, I thought I would read 5 self-published books that were on my tbr and I would let you know how I felt about them. Spoiler alert: I really liked all of them and I even have a new favorite romance!!

Without further ado, here are the books in the order I read them:

A Gentleman in the Street by Alisha Rai

The main characters in this book were step siblings for a year when they were already grown ups who didn’t live with their parents and, since the beginning and still years later, their relationship has been filled with sexual tension, which has made them both pretend to not like each other to avoid revealing how they much want each other.

This book is SO STEAMY!! One of the steamiest romance novels I have read. The main characters have so much chemestry and such a captivating dynamic of bickering and fighting and pretending they don’t like each other. The hero’s family plays a big role in this book, since he finished raising his siblings, and the exploration of his relationship with them is well done and it adds a great element to the book.

One of the best part of this story is how incredibly sex positive it is. The heroine, who is japanese and bisexual, hosts sex parties and things get wild and she has found a community of people who enjoy the same things as her and don’t judge each other. Also, the hero who has always tried to repress the things he wants sexually, comes to terms with them and stops feeling ashamed, which I think sends a very powerful message.

The Blind Date Diaries by Branda St. John Brown

This book is definitely my least favorite out of all of them, but it was still good. The premise of this book is really interesting, the heroine works for a magazine and to save it from having to go digital, she agrees to go on blind dates with guys that the readers vote for and write about it, but for the first date her boss has to chose the guy and she chooses her son, who the heroine hates.

At the beginning, I didn’t like the main characters and I didn’t understand why they were so antagonistic and defensive towards each other. But the dynamic between them changed as they got to know each other and I ended up actually enjoying their relationship. They were sweet together and they had chemistry. Also, there’s a grand gesture in this book that was very sweet and it worked perfectly with the premise of the story.

My main complain with this is that they only hanged out like 3 times and even when the hero liked the heroine since before, I still think it’s way too fast to say that they fell in love by the end of the book.

Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese

This is my favorite out of all of this books and it’s a new favorite romance for me. This book revolves around a female soccer star and her lumberjack  college classmate, who after a bad first impression have to work together on a project and quickly realize that they don’t actually hate each other, they are just destined to be frenemies.

This book was fantastic. It took me a couple chapters before I started to like Willa, but I ended up really admiring her strenght, dedication, loyalty and her vulnerability. It was cool to see a female character being the one playing a sport and being great at it, and while the storyline with her mom was devastating, it added so much to the story. On the other hand, I liked Ryder from the very first time he appeared on the page and I loved his storyline so much, his life changed drastically a couple years before the book starts after an illness and I wasn’t expecting his emotional and powerful journey. It gave this book depth and a unique element.

Willa and Ryder have a frenemies to lovers, slow burn, angsty and emotional romance that I absolutely loved. The pranks, the bickering, the fighting, the trust, how caring they were, made their realtionship fascinating. There’s a bit of lack of communication but I could defenitely understand why both characters were being reserved since they have very big, difficult things happening in their lives. Honestly, there are so many elements that made this a highly emotional book and it ended up making me cry, which very rarely happens.

I really liked all the secondary characters, specially Ryder’s family, and I can’t wait it read the next book in the series, which will be about one Ryder’s brothers.

The Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée by Annika Martin

This book is about a Billionaire who needs to have a more family friendly image for a client, to do it he needs a fake fiancée and he wants someone too annoying to tempt him, so his team ends up hiring his hairdresser to pretend to be his fianceé because she is everything he thinks he doesn’t want.

I had a hard time with the beginning of this book because I didn’t like the heroine, but as the book went on I discovered that there was so much more to Tabitha beyond the first impression and I ended up really liking her as a character. There was so much depth to her, she was understading, compationate, smart, observant and kind. Her obssesion with soap operas was pretty funny and the role it plays in this book was very cleverly done. I wasn’t expecting to have a soap opera worthy plot, but it was really fun.

This book has a grumpy/sunshine romance, it includes fake dating and forced proximity, which are all things that I love. The characters had so much chemestry, I slowly fell in love with their dynamic and I ended up really enjoying their relationship. Tabitha brought out a less serious, less asshole-y version of Rex and he saw beyond her happy, positive facade.

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

This is book tells the story of Xeni and Mason, who are left money in the will of Xeni’s aunt but to claim it they have to get married to each other and since both of them need the money they decide to do it. They had no plans to actually fall in love, but things don’t go as they expected.

The main characters in this book are both adorable, Xeni has a tendency of blurting out everything she likes about Mason when he’s around her and Mason does magic, cooks, plays the bagpipes  and like a 100 other instruments, and it’s so understanding and caring with Xeni. Also, Mason is a bisexual fat Scotsman and Xeni is a bisexual Black woman.

This book handled instant attraction very well and it didn’t become insta-love. Xeni and Mason had so much chemestry and they opened up to each other and were vulnerable with each other in a way that was very sweet to read about. Honestly, they were so cute together. And there were some very steamy scenes!

Do you read self- published books? Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Are you planning on reading them?

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Summer Reading Recommendations

Hi everyone! Before starting this post, I want to encourage you to support the protests going on right now against the murder of Black people by the police, which were sparked by the murder of George Floyd. If you want to know how to help, click this link where you can find where to donate, petitions to sign, where to text or call to demand justice, and other useful information.

Now onto the post! Summer is almost here and I wanted to put together a list of books that I think are great summer reads. When thinking about perfect books to read in the summer, 3 things come to mind for me:

1. Light and fun romantic comedies
2. Highly entertaining fantasy books
3. Smart mysteries

So today, I have 3 recommendations for each of those categories:

LIGHT & FUN ROM-COMS

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras

If there is a book more perfect for the summer than this one, I haven’t read it! This is a fun romance novel where the two main characters are fake dating because the heroine needs to look good in front of her family during a vacation to Key West, and before long, things turn all to real between the main characters. If you enjoy romance books that include complicated family dynamics, this one is for you! (Full review)

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

A hilarious second chance romance between two main characters who are engaged and want to call off the wedding but whoever does it has to pay for it, so the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks and sabotage to get the other one to it call off. If you like funny, slow-burn, hate to love romances, this one is a great choice for the summer!

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

A highly entertaning romance book about a wedding planner who gets left at the altar because the best man convinced the groom not to get married. Worst of all, she ends up having to work with the best man to get her dream job. This book includes Brazilian culture in a great and seamless way and a fantastic hate to love romance. If that sounds interesting to you, give this book a chance!

HIGHLY ENTERTAINING FANTASY BOOKS

Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova

Incendiary is a YA fantasy book inspired by the Spanish Inquisition about a young woman that was kidnapped and used for her magical powers, before being rescued by a rebel group, and who has to go back to her captors in order to defeat them. This book has an intricate magic system, vivid characters, twist and turns that will keep you at the edge of your sit and an ending that will leave you wanting more. (Full review)

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno- Garcia

A young woman accidentaly rescues the Mayan god of death from imprissionment and ends up having to go in a life changing journey with him to save both of their lives. The Mayan mythology in this book is captivating and lush and the mix of the mythological elements and the ‘modernity’ of the Jazz Age gave this story a unique touch. If you are looking for a fantasy story that’s different to anything you have read before, check out this one!

Storm Front by Jim Butcher

A wizard detective has to work with the Chicago police to fight evil that most people don’t even believe exist. This book has an interesting magic system and magical creatures (vampire, demons and evil wizards make an apperance), and a compelling mystery element. This book is so entertaining and fast paced that it’s perfect for the summer. If you like both fantasy and crime novels, I think you’ll enjoy this one!

SMART MYSTERIES

I See You by Claire Mackintosh

A woman sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper and she is determined to find out why it’s there. Then the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that. Is it a mistake? A coincidence? Or is someone keeping track of every move they make. If you enjoy twisty and gripping mysteries, this book is for you!

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

The tranquillity of a cruise along the Nile is shattered by the discovery that someone has been murdered and nothing is what it seems, so Detective Poirot who was aboard the ships has to find out who is the murderer. Soon to be a movie, this Agatha Christie book is perfect for fans of mysteries revolving around love, jelousy and betrayal.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

A child goes missing and turns up death, this is the story of how her parents and siblings deal with the grief and loss and how all the things that they don’t tell each other start to come up. This book explores very important and heavy subjects in a subtle and brilliant way. Some of the topics it explores are parent/children relationships and the weight of expectations as well as the different ways in which women and people of color experience otherness. If you are looking for a mystery that will make you think, this one is perfect for you!

What books do you think are perfect for the summer? What genres do you like to read during the summer?

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Hyped 2020 Releases: Will I read them? should I read them?

Hi everyone! Today I’m going to talk about some hyped 2020 releases that either came out recently or are coming out in the next couple of months. Also, I focused on genres that I read so fantasy and romance, and some horror and mystery. The idea is that I’ll tell you wheter I’m planning to read the books or not and I’m hoping you’ll tell me if maybe there’s a book that I’m not planning to read but that you think I should. Also, I would love to know if you enjoyed or didn’t enjoy one of the book I’m planning to read.

Before starting, I wanted to mention that these are books that I have seen people talk about a lot in the bookish community (blogs, twitter, booktube), which I know doesn’t always reflect the books that are hyped for the general public that isn’t involved in the community.

Without further ado, here are the books:

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren

Release date: March 24th 2020

I don’t think I’m gonna read this. Honestly, I keep adding the new Christina Lauren books to my tbr when they are annaounced but I haven’t read any of them since The Unhoneymooners because the reviews for their newer books have consistenly being bad and everyone seems to agree that their books are not as good as before.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Release date: April 7th 2020

I will be reading this, hopefully soon! I don’t read much horror, but the few books I have read from that genre I have really enjoyed, so I want to read more and I have been seeing this book everywhere and everyone seems to have great things to say about it, so I think it’s a good place to start.

To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters

Release date: April 7th 2020

I don’t think I’ll read this one. I started to read historical romance recently and this book is one that I have seen mentioned often and it sounds really good. Unfortunetely, everyone mentions in the review that the conflicts in this book are all because of miscomunications and that’s a trope that I hate, so that’s why I have stayed away from this one.

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Release date: May 5th 2020

I don’t think I’ll read this. This was on my May tbr, I was so excited for it but this has gotten a lot of bad reviews and rating, and because of that, I stopped feeling wanting to read it. I’m open to maybe reading this, so if you think I should read it, let me know!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Release date: May 19th 2020

Nope, I won’t be reading this and I don’t think there’s anything anyone can say to make me change my mind. I wasn’t interesting when they announced this, I was less interested when they said it was a Snow book and after reading reviews I’m even interested.

Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

Release date: May 19th 2020 

I’m not reading this one. This book used to be on my tbr because I thought it was a romance, but after people started to post their reviews, I realized that this is chick lit that includes a romance but the romance is not a big part of the story and I’m not really interested in reading that.

The Guet List by Lucy Foley

Release date: June 2nd 2020

I’m reading this! This sounds like an Agatha Christie novel and I’m a massive Agatha Christie fan and I love to read novels that remind me of her books, because I feel there’s a big chance I’ll love them. Also, my friends who have read this have giving it really high rating, so I’m excited!

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Release date: June 30th 2020

Yes, I’ll read it! After loving Gods of Jade and Shadow, I can’t wait to read another of her books. This is a horror/ historical ficiton book, which is not what I usually read at all, but I’m curious and some of my friends have loved this one, so I’m going into it cautiously optimistic.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Release date: July 7th 2020 

I will definitely read this one! I have been seeing this book around a lot and I hadn’t pay any attention to it because I thought it was YA, but actually is adult romance. This is an m/m romance written by a man, which I have had trouble finding in the past, so I’m excted to give this one a chance.

From the books I’m not planning to read, is there any that I definitely should read? From the books I’m planning on reading, is there any that I should prioritize or maybe one you wouldn’t recommend?

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6 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books by Asian Authors

Hi everyone! Since May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite books by Asian authors. I already published a post with some of my favorite Romance Books by Asian Authors and now I want to talk about my favorite Sci-Fi and Fantasy books. Without further ado, here they are:

Mirage by Somaiya Daud

Mirage is the story of a girl who is taken to the royal palace to be the body double of a hated Princess in her public appearances and has to be ready to die in her place. While living in the palace, she becomes entangled with a rebellious group.

This book is perfect for fans of slow character driven stories set in a rich and unique worlds inspired by non-western cultures. This book in particular is Morrocan-inspired and it provides a thought-provoking message about the importance of culture and traditions, especially for communities that have had a lot taken from them due to colonialism and persecution. This book is also great for fans of captivating and complex female characters with complicated relationships with each other.

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Empire of Sand is a Mughal India-inspired fantasy about a nobleman’s daughter with forbidden magic in her blood, who needs to resist the cruel agenda of an empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods.

This book has a fascinating magic system and mythological creatures; a villain that’s cruel, mannipulative and conniving; two strong and resilient main characters; a slow-burn love story that’s so touching and beautiful that I get emotional everytime I think about it; and amazing writing that kept me gripped the entire time. If any of those things sound interesting to you, I would encourage you to pick up this book because you won’t regret it!

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Not Your Sidekick is about a girl who’s the daughter of superheroes but ends up getting an internship with a supervillain, which takes a dangerous turn when she uncovers a plot larger than heroes and villains altogether.

This book is set in an interesting post-apocalyptic world and it includes amazing conversations about gender and sexuality, while also showing the behind the scenes of being a superhero like hilarious problems with a superhero’s suit and the media spectacule surrounding their lives. If you want a Sci-Fi book with villains that are not so evil and heroes that are not so good, this is for you!

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

The Bone Witch is about a girl who accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead and then she has to leave her home and go with an older bone witch to another land for training. Once there she discovers that dark forces are approaching and she has a role to play.

If you like slow character driven stories that have little plot, but that include a fascinating world and magic system, I think you’ll like this one! One of my favorite parts of this book is that it’s told in two timelines, which works really well fot the story because there’s glimpses of where the characters are going to end up, but you don’t know how they get there and it becomes this very intriguing element of the story. If that sounds like something that you would enjoy, I would recommend that you check this book out.

A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna

A Sparl of White Fire is about a princess in hiding, who pretends to be a servant until it’s time to claim her stake in the political landscape when she publicly wins a contest for the most powerful warship in existence to help her brother win his crown back.

TThis book takes place in a universe full of gods and goddesses from Indian lore, which gives a unique and intereting setting to the story. It has political intrigue, sentient spaceships, floating cities, broken and complicated relationships, tension and heartbreak. This book has one of the most shocking endings I have read, it will litetally blow you mind. If any of that sounds like something you’d like, give this book a chance!

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An ember in the Ashes is a Roman-inspired fantasy about a girl and boy, whose destinies get intertwined when she infiltrates the military school where he is a student to get information for the rebels who will help her free her brother in exchange.

If you like really intense and nerve wracking reads, where you spend the entire time worried about the characters, this is probably a book you’ll enjoy. This book has an interesting and refreshing setting, captivating main characters and intriguing villains. The writing is amazing and it’s very fast-paced. If you prefer action packed books, this may be the book for you.

What SFF books by asian authors would you recommend? Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Are you planning on reading any of them?

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Adult Fantasy Books by Female Authors I Want to Read

Hi everyone! I have been trying to read more adult fantasy in 2020 and I have noticed that most recommendation lists include mainly books by white straight men, because they tend to be the most popular. As much as I have found some really great books throught those lists, the truth is that I read mostly female authors and authors of color and it’s something that I want to keep doing, so I found a bunch of books by female authors – most of them are women of color or queer women- and I made this list of the books that I want to try to read before 2020 ends.

I divided this list in 2 categories: continue reading, which are books or series that I have started and need to finish, and start reading, which are books or series that I want to start. Without further ado, here’s the list:

CONTINUE READING

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

What is this about? This book is about a poor girl who manages to pass a very diffciult test to go to a prestigous milatary academy, and once there she realizes that a war’s coming and she was chosen by a god and given powers that may help save her people, but at a great cost.

Why am I excited to read it? This is inspired by real events from China’s history and I have heard it does a great job of showing the real consecuences and impacts of war in the vulnerable population and that sounds really interesting to me.

I’m actually currently reading this book and I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s very dark, but also a lot more fast-paced that I was expecting. I’m hoping I’ll end up loving it and I’ll be able to read the sequel before the final book comes out in November.

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

What is this about? This book is about a young woman who accidentally summons a djinn warrior and he takes her to the legendary city of the Daevas, where she gets involved with schemes, fights for power and court politics.

Why am I excited to read it? This book is middle eastern inspired, it includes Arabian mythology and the main characters are muslim, which it’s so refreshing after reading a lot of Western inspired fantasy books.

I actually started listening to this last month but I lost access to the audiobook. I did read 60% of it and I have the audiobook back, so I’m hoping I’ll finish it this month and read the sequel before the final book comes out in June.

The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

What is this book about? This is a sequel, so I won’t talk about it, but I’ll say that the series is about a woman looking for her daughter, a man looking for vengeance, people fighting for the basic resources necessary to survive the ‘end of the world’ and mysterious forces whose goals are unknown.

Why am I excited to read it? If I’m honest, I’m not excited to read this, I actually thought that I wasn’t going to. The first book was brilliant but devastating and it made me feel hopeless, so I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read more. But some time has passed and I’m curious to see where the story goes and what happens to the astonishing world and characters that N.K. Jemisin created.

Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri

What is this book about? This book is about a young woman with magical blood and an outcast prince, who make a journey together to save an Empire and throughout that journey, they will question everything they’ve ever believed…including whether the Empire is worth saving at all.

Why am I excited to read this? I love the first book in this series of companion novels, I feel in love with Tasha Suri’s writing, her Indian-inspired world and her characters, and I can’t wait to learn where the story goes.

START READING

Jade City by Jane Fonda

What is this book about? This is basically about a crime family in a fantasy setting where there is magic, and it follows the children of that family as they get swept into a clan war thanks to the apperence of a new powerful drug.

Why am I excited to read it? The whole concept of mixing mobsters, magic, blood wars and street politics sounds fascinating to me and if you add the fact that family is one of the main focuses of the story, this one feels perfect for me. Also, so many of my friends love this book that I’m very intrigued about it.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

What is this book about? This book follows three women faced with an ancient enemy that’s awakening. A queen whose life is at risk and who is in need of an heir, a lady in waiting protecting the queen with forbidden magic and a dragonrider.

Why am I excited to read it? A book with a f/f relationship, pirates, dragons and other mythical beasts sounds just up my alley and if you add the fact that this is a standalone -which is not common in fantasy – I’m even more excited to read it. Also, this one is nominated for the Booktube SFF Awards and since I’m trying to read most of the nominees, this book is a priority.

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

What is this book about? this is a Japanese-inspired fantasy book about a mother with a violent past, a son struggling to grasp his violent future, an upcoming war and changing dynamics within a family

Why am I excited to read it?: When a self-pub fantasy book gets as much attention as this one has, it has to be good, and when people mention that it represents the direction fantasy should be headed in, I’m intrigued enough to want to give it a chance. Also, I have heard it includes modern technology, which I haven’t seen in an epic fantasy book before and I’m curious.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

What is this book about? This book is a loose reimaging of Rumpelstiltskin, it’s the story of three girls: a tax collector, her hired help and the local duke’s daughter. All of them are on different paths, all promised to different men and all dealing with uncaring or abusive fathers.

Why am I excited to read it? All my friends that have read this describe it as the epitome of feminist fatantasy and that alone has me so excited to read it. Beyond that, the setting of this is a fantasy version of Lithuania and the concept is based on Rumpelstiltskin and both of those things sound amazing.

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

What is this book about?  This book is about a royal bastard, cast out into the world with only his magical link with animals for solace. This magic is rejected by the nobility and he has to hide it when he is adopted into the royal household to be trained as a  royal assassin.

Why am I excited to read it? Robin Hobb is one of the female authors in fantasy that I feel like everyone talks about and The Farseer Trilogy is her most well-known series, so I’m very curious about it. I have heard that it’s impossible not to fall in love with the main character and the magic system is supposed to be outstanding, so hopefully I’ll enjoy it.

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

What is this book about? This book is about a great sorcerer who loosed a terrible shadow upon the world and this is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death’s threshold to restore the balance.

Why am I excited to read this? From the classical fantasy books written by women, this one was the one that caught my attention the most and the one that I have seen mentioned more often. I have heard amazing things about Le Guin’s writing and her concepts and themes, so I’m excited to give her a chance.

What fantasy books by women would you recommend? Have you read any of the books I mentioned on this lists? Is there a book on this list that I should prioritize?

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10 Romance Books by Asian Authors

Hi everyone! I think it’s pretty obvious for anyone that follows this blog that I read a lot of romance books, I’m a huge fan of the genre and I have been reading it for years. As I have mentioned before, it took me a long time to realize that I was only reading romance books by white authors and while I love a lot of those stories, I’m commited to reading diversely and that’s why in the last couple of years I have been trying to read more romance books by women of color.

Since May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and since I have read quite a few romance books by Asian authors, I thought it was a good idea to share some of my favorite ones with you. I have done this before with romance books by Latinx authors & romance books by Black authors, so check those posts out, if you want some recommendations!

*You can click the book titles throughout the post to go to the Goodreads page*

The Modern Love Series + A Gentleman in the Street by Alisha Rai

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The Modern Love series addresses the role that social media plays in romantic relationships in today’s society, while centering diverse characters and sensitive subjects. The interesting concept, the great writing and the diversity are definitely the main reasons I like this series. While I enjoyed the second book a lot more than the first, I still think both are worth the read.

The first book, The Right Swipe, revolves around two rival dating app creators who find themselves at odds in the boardroom but in sync in the bedroom. This book has a Black heroine and a Samoan hero. The second book, Girl Gone Viral, is about a tweet that goes viral and shoves a camera-shy ex-model into the spotlight and into the arms of the bodyguard she has been pining for. This book includes a thai-american plus sized heroine with anxiety and an Sikh hero dealing with his PTSD.

Now when it comes to A Gentleman in the Street, my favorite thing about it is how sex positive and feminist it is, and the fact that it is incredibly steamy doesn’t hurt either. This book is about a man and a woman who have known each other for years and have been pretending they don’t like each other, but a single touch is all it takes for their simmering need to explode. This book includes a Japanese heroine.

Graham Delicacies + Soft on Soft by Mina Waheed

These two books where first release by the author Em Ali, but due to personal reasons they were released again under the pseudonym Mina Waheed. These books are fluffy, soft and angst-free romances, which is the main reasons I recommend them. If you are looking for cure, light queer romances these ones are for you!

Soft on Soft is a novella about a makeup artist that falls in love with a famous model. Both of the main characters in this book are queer, fat, women of color. This book doesn’t include sexually explicit content.

Graham’s Delicacies is a collection of three queer love stories set in one bakery. It includes a romance between a woman and a non-binry character, an m/m romance and a romance between a man and a non binary character.

If The Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman

There was a time when I would not shut up about this book, I love this and I need to re-read it soon. If the Dress Fits is set in the Philippines and it has an entire cast of Filipino characters. The main character is fat and and she has a very positive relationship with her weight. This is a best friends to lovers romance and it also inlcudes the fake dating trope, which it’s the best combination of tropes in my opinion.

A swoon-worthy romance with my favorite tropes, an insightful and vibrant depiction of the Philippines and fantastic #ownvoices representation are my favorite things about this book and the reasons I recommend it.

The Kiss Quotient Series by Helen Hoang

I’m a huge fan of The Kiss Quotient, I even got my IRL friends to read it and they loved it too. While I didn’t enjoy the second book quite as much, I still liked it. The diversity, the writing, the cute and steamy romances are the reasons I recommend this series.

The Kiss Quotient is about an Autistic woman who hires a male escort to teach her about sex and they end up falling in love. This book includes a very soft Vietnamese/Swedish hero, a successful and caring heroine and very steamy scenes! The Autistic rep is #ownvoices.

The Test Bride is about an Autistic man, whose mother wants to see married but thinks it won’t happen without her help, so she gets a mail-order bride from Vietnam and the son and the woman fall in love. This book inlcudes #ownvoices Vietnamese and Autistic rep.

Beginner’s Guide + Feels like Summer by Six de los Reyes

Both of theses books are set in the Philippines and they have a cast of Filipino characters. The representation is #ownvoices.

Beginner’s Guide is about a woman who is a scientist and who creates a methodology to find her perfect partner and she decides to test it with the most  unsuitable candidate and ends up falling for him. If you like romances where opposites attract and where people fall in love with someone that they didn’t expect, I would recommend this one!

Feels like Summer is about a woman who doesn’t want a relationship and a man who’s getting over a breakup, so they decide to casually date for 3 months and be done, but things change along the way. If you like romances with soft heroes and a great group of friends, I think you would enjoy this book.

What romance books by Asian authors would you recommend? Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Do you want to read any of them?

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Book Recommendations for Each Zodiac Sign

Hi everyone! Today I bring you a post that took me forever to put together, so I hope you enjoy it! I have had this idea for a long time and I finally sat down and did some research about each zodiac sign and based on what I found I chose one book recommendation for each sign. Disclaimer: I’m obviously not an expert on astrology. I knew a bit about the zodiac signs but I definitely had to do research before writing this post, if there are any mistakes, I’m sorry!

In this post you will find: a basic description of the 12 zodiac sign and, based on those descriptions, a book recommendation for each zodiac sign and a few elements of the book that I think they would enjoy.

Credit for the images of the zodiac signs go to: pikisuperstar + click in the book titles to go to the Goodreads page

ARIES

People who have Aries as their sun sign love to be the hero, lead others into adventure and steal the spotlight. They fight for their beliefs and inspire others to do the same. Some of their strengths are their courage, confidence, boldness and passion. Some of their weaknesses are their impatience, impulsiveness and their tendency to be bossy.

My recommendation for Aries is Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria, in which they will find a relatable heroine. Bossy, bold, implusive and brave. With convictions so strong that she persuades her friends to fight back the powers that opprese them and follow her into the adventure of a lifetime.

TAURUS

People who have Taurus as their sun sign love great food, romance and beautiful things.  They work hard and they get the job done. Some of their strengths are their patience, practicality, loyalty and responsability. Some of their weaknesses are their stubbornness, possessiveness and tendency to be uncompromising.

My recommendations for Taurus is The Tiger’s Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera, in which they will find a romance that will take their breath away and a heroine that’s loyal, stubborn, possesive, used to getting what she wants and that will wait however long is neccesary to be with the woman she loves.

GEMINI

People who have Gemini as their sun sign constantly flip between moods and interests, their minds move really fast so they have a million great ideas. Some of their strengths are their curiousity, adaptability, and their ability to learn quickly and exchange ideas. Some of their weaknesses are their nervousness, inconsistency and indecisiveness.

My recommendations for Gemini is A Duke By Default by Alyssa Cole, in which they will find a heroine with many hobbies and interests, who’s curious and loves to learn for the sake of learning about the topics she cares about, even if they seem useless to other people.

CANCER

People who have Cancer as their sun sign are nurturing and they like to take care of others. At first, they may be perceived as cold or distant, but with time they reveal their gentle nature. Some of their strengths are their loyalty, sympathy and persuasiveness. Some of their weaknesses are their  pessimism and insecurity.

My recommendation for Cancer is Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri, in which they will find a hero who is perceive as cold and distant by others and even by the heroine at the beginning, but that ends up being the kindest, softest man, who tries to keep the main character safe and even risks his life to do so.

LEO

People who have Leo as their sun sign are natural-born leaders and they love to be the boss. They need praise and appreciation, but they have big hearts and they always help the people they love. Some of their strengths are their creativeness, passion and cheerfulness. Some of their weaknesses are their arrogance and stubbornness.

My recommendation for Leo is Invictus by Ryan Graudin, in which they will find a passionate, arrogant and stubborn main character who decides to fulfill his dream at any cost and leads a group of his friends into a huge adventure, where he is the boss and tries to protect them.

VIRGO

People who have Virgo as their sun sign analyze everything, forming opinions and judgments. They are there when help is needed and they are an amazing listener and give the best advice. Some of their strengths are their loyalty, kindness, and practicality. Some of their weaknesses are their tendency to worry and be overly critical.

My recommendation for Virgo is Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez, in which they will meet Gabi, who is smart, loyal and kind, who has opinions about everything and sometimes can be a little quick to judge people, like she does with Sal, but then she also sees her mistakes and corrects them.

LIBRA

People who have Libra as their sun sign love to be surrounded by culture and beauty in a harmonious environment with lots of people. They can’t stand anything that’s unfair or unbalance. Some of their strengths are their tendency to be cooperative and fair-minded. Some of their weaknesses are their indecisiveness and aversion to confrontations.

My recommendation for Libra is Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno, in which they will find a peaceful and beautiful little town, full of people who know and love each other and a main character caught between cultures, who won’t stop until she saves the Marina from being sold.

SCORPIO

People who have Scorpio as their sun sign are intensed and focused, they know what they want and aren’t afraid to work hard to get it. They see every little detail and they can read people well. Some of their strengths are their resourcefulness, passion and loyalty. Some of their weaknesses are their tendency to be distrusting, stubborn and secretive.

My recommendation for Scorpio is The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa, in which they will find a main character who is focused on making her small buisness a success. She is the wedding planner who will get every little detail right and she will make sure the couple gets exactly what they want. She is resourceful, passionate and stubborn.

SAGITTARIUS

People who have sagittarius as their sun sign like open spaces with plenty of adventure. They juggle a million projects and hobbies. They have big goals and they love to tell it like it is. Some of their strengths are their idealism, open-mindedness and ambition. Some of their weaknesses are their impatiance and tendency to be undiplomatic.

My recommendation for Sagittarius is Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika & Maritza Moulite, in which they will find a main characters who is traveling to Haiti and having an adventure that may not go how she wanted. She is smart, ambitious, she has a lot of projects and plans and she gets into trouble for being outspoken and undiplomtic.

CAPRICORN

People who have capricorn as their sun sign play by the rules and follow tradition. They often think rewards arrive through suffering and sacrifice. They are devoted to their love ones. Some of their strengths are their responsability and discipline. Some of their weaknesses are their tendency to be unforgiving and condescending.

My recommendation for Capricorn is Erotic Stories For Pujabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal, in which they will find a story about traditions, cultural clashes, community, friendship, and women’s lives at all ages. A story of the sacrifices that are expected of some women and about the love that can exist between women.

AQUARIUS

People who have aquarius as their sun sign have originality and an authentic style. They are individualistic, but also naturally popular and they care deeply about social justice issues. Some of their strengths are their originality and independence. Some of their weaknesses are their tendency to be temperamental and uncompromising.

My recommendation for Aquarius is The Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar and Michelle Schusterman, in which they will find three girls that are all uniquely themeselves: a drummer, a fangirl and a taxidermist, who are part of three different conventions taking place in the same hotel and become friends while they help each other.

PISCES

People who have pisces as their sun sign have huge imaginations and they love art and music. They often try to run away from problems and they can easily become swallowed by emotions. Some of their strengths are their creativity, intuition and gentleness. Some of their weaknesses are their fearfulness and their tendecy to escape reality.

My recommendation for Piscis is Invitation to the Blues by Ronan Parrish, in which they will find a struggling pianist who fled his partner, his career and a hospital a few months before. In his new life, he is falling in love again but he’s very fearful about the future and overwhelmed by the choices he needs to make.

What is your sign and have you read the book I recommend for it? Did you like it? or if you haven’t read it, does it sound like something you would enjoy?

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If You Liked This Movie, You Should Read This Book!

Hi everyone! Today I have a post for you that I’m really excited about. Recently, I wrote a post about Books that Need Adaptations and, as part of that post, I decided to compare the books I was mentioning with a movie or tv show that was similar in any way and that’s how the idea for this post was born.

I know that the title says that if you liked a movie, you should read the book, but it also works the other way around, if you liked the book, you shoulod watch the movie. That’s why I decided to focus on the similarities between the movies and books and why I think that if you enjoyed one, you will like the other.

Without further ado, here they are:

Jupiter Ascending –> A Spark of White Fire

While reading A Spark of White Fire, which is inspired by Indina Folklore, I imagined in my mind a very opulent and extravagant aesthetic with rich, vibrant colors for the clothing, the settings and the gods while also including technological advances. And that’s the exact aesthetic of Jupiter Ascending. So if you like your Sci-Fi with beautiful imaginary and full of secrets, betrayals and struggles for power, this movie and this book are for you!

Arrival –> Sleeping Giants

If you like Sci-Fi that focuses on scientists investigating and trying to understand mysterious alien civilizations and their technology, both this movie and this book are perfect for you. They have similar vibes in terms of being mainly set in militar compounds, where scientists are working for the military and using their knowledge in ways that they never imagined. Both of them have complicated romances between co-workers and in both the main characters are affected and changed in mysterious ways.

My Week With Marilyn –> The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Since I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I have found certain similarities between Evelyn and Marilyn. Old Hollywood movie stars using their sex appeal to their advantage, being darlings of the media at some points while also being harshly judged at others, having difficult pasts and being complicated and sad behind the scenes, those are all things Evelyn and Marilyn have in common. If you are captivated by complicated female characters living in the public eye while keeping many painful secrets in their private lives, then you will enjoy this movie and this book.

Always Be My Maybe –> The Way You Make Me Feel

This movie and this book have Asian main characters, in both of them one of the main characters doesn’t take things too seriously and it’s wasting their potential and those characters grow and develop throughout the story. Food plays an important role in the lives of the main characters in both and they are both funny and have a similar sense of humor. If you are looking for funny, romantic, food-centric content with Asian main characters, this movie and this book are for you.

Coco –> A Dash of Trouble

If you like stories about kids that have to deal with complicated family relationships, family secrets, magic and breaking the rules, and that take place around El día de los Muertos (the day of the dead), then this story is for you. Both this movie and this book have this warm, magical and a little innocent vibe that it’s incredibly heartwarming.

What movies and books do you think have similaties between them? Do you agree with my picks?

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