Can't Wait Wednesday #18 - Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

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Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I can't wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.

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Why I Can't Wait:
Not only is the author a latina but she also happens to share my last name. That alone makes me want this. But it also helps that that cover is totally amazing and that the synopsis sounds too good for me to ignore.
😃😍😃

Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

At night, Las Mal Criadas own these streets.

Nalah leads the fiercest all-girl crew in Mega City. That roles brings with it violent throw downs and access to the hottest boydega clubs, but the sixteen-year-old grows weary of the life. Her dream is to get off the streets and make a home in the exclusive Mega Towers, in which only a chosen few get to live. To make it to the Mega towers, Nalah must prove her loyalty to the city's benevolent founder and cross the border in a search for a mysterious gang the Ashé Ryders. Led by a reluctant guide, Nalah battles other crews and her own doubts, but the closer she gets to her goal, the more she loses sight of everything—and everyone— she cares about.

Nalah must do the unspeakable to get what she wants—a place to call home. But is a home just where you live? Or who you choose to protect? 

Published by: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers 

The Release Date for the book is:

March 5, 2019

Goodreads    ||    Barnes & Noble    ||    Book Depository.   ||    Amazon

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The Bookish Island

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Can't Wait Wednesday #17 - What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume

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Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I can't wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.

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Why I Can't Wait:
Sounds like a funny and entertaining read. Can't wait.
😜

What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume

You know all those movies where teenagers have, like, THE SUMMER OF THEIR LIVES?

This summer is probably not going to be that.

Source: Everything that's happened since yesterday ... 

The last thing sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin thought she'd be doing this summer is entering a beauty pageant.

Not when she's spent most of her life hiding her body from everyone.

Not when her Dad is AWOL for Christmas and her gorgeous older sister has returned to rock Maisie's shaky confidence. And her best friend starts going out with the boy she's always loved.

But Maisie's got something to prove.

As she writes down all the ways this summer is going from bad to worse in her school-assignment journal, what starts as a homework torture-device might just end up being an account of how Maisie didn't let anything, or anyone, hold her back... 

Published by: Pan Australia

The Release Date for the book is:

February 26, 2019

Goodreads    ||    Barnes & Noble    ||    Book Depository.   ||    Amazon

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The Bookish Island

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The Diver by Veronica Carratello | Book Review #147

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
The Diver by Veronica Carratello

Are there spoilers?

Yes, there are some spoilers.

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Disclaimer:

This book was sent to me by the publishing company (Nobrow) in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Diver

Author: Veronica Carratello

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Pages: 32

Published: 2018

Publisher:  Flying Eye Books

Genre: Children's Book, Picture Book

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Date Read: I can't remember but it was in 2018

Rating: ★★★★★

A young girl and a penny coin share an unlikely dream to become divers in this enchanting tale from award-winning Italian illustrator Veronica Caratello.

The moment a penny sees a diving competition on television, it is determined to become a diver itself. Discarded by most, the penny is picked up by a girl who just so happens to be a young diver in training. Will both of them be able to achieve their dream with the power of a single wish? 

The Rating:

My Review:

The Diver is about a little girl who is scared she won't do the best dive that she can in her next competition and with the help of a penny she wishes and it helps with her dream. 

As always I first look at the illustrations that these picture books have. And I notice how vibrant the pastels are and how great the colors pair up with each other. The pallet is perfect for the mood this book gives off. The illustrations of the characters and the backgrounds are clean and kid friendly. By that, I mean that they are easy to distinguish. 

The end pages are super bright (almost blindingly) and I love the illustrations there too.
The front cover. For the longest time, I thought that the girl had some sort of headband with cat ears. But it was just a fountain behind her.
The back cover is adorable with the little girl and the coin about to take a dive.

It's not a very diverse book unless you count background characters that don't arent in the story. In fact, the MC and her family are all white, blonde, and have light colored eyes. So that was something that I wish could have been different. Considering that we are in modern times and interracial couples DEFINITELY exist.

I loved the penny and their story. They were a complete character. They had a dream and had some troubles achieving them. They were even going through some bullying. And in the end, got what they wished for the most. 

One thing that bothered me was how no one wanted the penny. The dad even said it wasn't worth anything. And it bothered me because all my life my mother has taught me the value of money. Especially of a penny. We would even spot change on the street and pick it up. Because she taught me that even if its one cent of a nickel or a dime in the end when you pick up a bunch of them you are going to have some money you didn't plan for. I've bought books saving up like that now. And when I was a kid I used to save up for toys. And I know that I am definitely going to teach my kids the same lesson.

In the end, this is a children's picture book so I loved the illustrations. The story was motivating and about not giving up on your dreams of doing your best. And It's a good read and easy to read to others. I've already read it more than 4 times since I got it. So I recommend it.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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January 2019 | Monthly Book Haul

January 2019

This is a Three Wise Men Day gift from my mom and I'm so thankful for this beautiful gift. Mostly because I got a book I really wanted and a bunch I've always wanted to read. I'm talking about classics, Y'all!

I made another video about the haul.

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The Books:

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin 
Mistletoe and Mr. Right: Two Stories of Holiday Romance by Lyla Payne 
Those Girls by Chevy Stevens 
Mind Games (Lock & Mori #2) by Heather W. Petty

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

The Blondes by Emily Schultz

Heidi (Heidi #1-2) by Johanna Spyri

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (The Adventures of Tom and Huck #2) by Mark Twain

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (The Adventures of Tom and Huck #1) by Mark Twain
Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Love and Friendship: And Other Youthful Writings by Jane Austen
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror by Robert Louis Stevenson
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Emma by Jane Austen
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

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The Bookish Island

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Valentine's Day 2019 Book Recommendation

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Valentine's Day 2019

I may be a little late on this post but here are my top 6 recommendations for books that are perfect for valentines day. This time I'm going to recommend some books that I've read. So its different than other times.

I don't usually just recommend romance novels since I don't read as much as I would want to. So my recommendations are all over the place. Which is always more fun

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For those who love sci-fi and The X-Files read, 

Agent of Chaos.

I recently read this book for Romanceopoly and loved it. It was so much like the tv show and I got giddy reading some parts.

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For those looking for a historical fiction that is also a retelling,

read

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel

I had such an interesting reading experience with this book. It was completely different than what I thought it would be but in a good way.

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For those looking for a sexy romance to indulge with, read

Dear Bridget, I Want You by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

I'm so glad I read this book because it was so good. Like really good. 100% would recommend.

Plus,

The Knocked up Plan by Lauren Blakely

It was the first book I read in 2018 and it is still in my thoughts today. That good.

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For those who are looking for a cute middle grade, read

Shug by Jenny Han

I read this book and thought it would be the bff of Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen.

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For those looking for a book that is like something out of Studio Ghibli or Final Fantasy read,

Monstress, Vol. 1 by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda

I love this graphic novel. Its on the very top of my all time favorites. It's this one and Saga. 

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The Bookish Island

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Can't Wait Wednesday #16 - With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

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Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I can't wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.

_________________________________

Why I Can't Wait:
First of all -can we talk about that cover. It's too gorgeous. It looks like a dream with that beautiful latina on the cover.
Just look at her curly hair! Ugh!!!!!Love it!
💖😍💖

And the synopsis makes it sound like I'm gonna love it.
Am I gonna risk it and say that I know I'll love this book when I read it. I think I am.
😂😄

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo 

From the New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award longlist title The Poet X comes a dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.

Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.

Published by: HarperTeen

The Release Date for the book is:

May 7, 2019

Goodreads    ||    Barnes & Noble    ||    Book Depository.   ||    Amazon

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The Bookish Island

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Contemporary-a-thon TBR | Read-a-thon

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Contemporary-a-thon

This is my first time participating in this readthon and I couldn't be more excited.

😄😃😄😃😄😃😍😃😄😃😄😃😄😃😍😃😄😃😄😃😄

About the Readathon:

#contemporaryathon
Instagram  |  Twitter

This readathon lasts from February 11 to February 17.
It is a good opportunity to read more of your contemporary books.


Hosts:

Julie
Pages & Pens & @according2jewls

Natasha
MyReadingIsOdd & @myreadingisodd

Melanie
MeltotheAny & @meltotheany

Chelsea
 ChelseaDollingReads & @chelseadollingreads



The Challenges:

Read the most recent contemporary book you purchased/acquired
Read a book with blurple (blue or purple) on the cover
Read a diverse contemporary (keeping in mind that it is Black History Month!)
Read a dark/emotional/hard-hitting contemporary
Read a contemporary that you meant to read in 2018 but didn’t get to
Read a contemporary in a non-traditional format
Read a contemporary with some sort of picture on the spine

😄😃😄😃😄😃😍😃😄😃😄😃😄😃😍😃😄😃😄😃😄

My TBR:



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 Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger
Goodreads

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Goodreads

 Killer Within by S.E. Green
Goodreads

California Summer by Anita Hughes
Goodreads

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
Goodreads

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Stories by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Goodreads

Out, Out, Away From Here by Rachel Woodworth & Sang Miao
Goodreads

When I Was Small by Sara O'Leary
Goodreads

The Diver by Veronica Carratello
Goodreads

Lost Property by Andy Poyiadgi
Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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Can't Wait Wednesday #15 - Maybe This Time by Kasie West

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Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I can't wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.

_________________________________

Why I Can't Wait:
It's another Kasie West with a gorgeous cover and I can't wait for it to be in my hands. I know I'll read it the same day I get it.

Maybe This Time by Kasie West 

One year. Nine events. Nine chances to . . . fall in love?

Weddings. Funerals. Barbecues. New Year's Eve parties. Name the occasion, and Sophie Evans will be there. Well, she has to be there. Sophie works for the local florist, so she can be found at every big event in her small hometown, arranging bouquets and managing family dramas.

Enter Andrew Hart. The son of the fancy new chef in town, Andrew is suddenly required to attend all the same events as Sophie. Entitled, arrogant, preppy Andrew. Sophie just wants to get her job done and finish up her sketches so she can apply to design school. But every time she turns around, there is Andrew, getting in her way and making her life more complicated. Until one day she wonders if maybe complicated isn't so bad after all . . .

Told over the course of one year and following Sophie from event to event, this delightful novel from master of romantic comedy Kasie West shows how love can blossom in unexpected places. 

Published by: Point

The Release Date for the book is:

July 19, 2019

Goodreads    ||    Barnes & Noble    ||    Book Depository.   ||    Amazon

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The Bookish Island

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The Foxe & The Hound by R.S. Grey | Book Review #146

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
The Foxe & The Hound by R.S. Grey

Are there spoilers?

This one has spoilers!
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Title: The Foxe & The Hound 

Author: R.S. Grey

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Pages: 328

Published: 2017

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Adult

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Date Read: July 26 > 27, 2018

Rating: ★★★★☆

When your life is a hot mess at twenty, it’s cute. At twenty-seven… well, not so much.

It’s just that my lofty dreams—making it as a real estate agent, paying rent on time, showering daily—have stayed just that: dreams. Oh, and love? I’ve decided love might be a little ambitious for me at the moment. Instead, I’ve settled for the two guys who will never leave me: Ben & Jerry.

That is until Dr. Adam Foxe takes up residence as the town’s new vet.

With his strong jaw, easy confidence, and form-fitting scrubs, it’s not long before every housewife in Hamilton is dragging neglected tomcats in for weekly checkups.

Like everyone else, I’m intrigued. Even after I spoil my chance at a good first impression, he still offers me a proposition I can’t refuse: play his girlfriend at a family function and he’ll hire me as his real estate agent. Welcome to love in the 21st century.

It’s too bad I underestimated Adam’s irresistible charm and the undeniable attraction that burns between us. The day he pins me to the wall and silences me with a kiss, the line between reality and ruse begins to blur. Every teasing touch brings me to my knees. Every kiss promises more.

It looks like my hot mess of a life is about to get a little hotter.

The Rating:

My Review:

I've been holding back on this review because I had very mixed feelings towards this book. But here goes nothing.

The Foxe & The Hound is about a beautiful real estate agent, Madeleine, who crashes into a handsome vet with an attitude, Adam. And of course, there's the one who got them to crash. Too big for his own good, doggo Mouse. 

One of the things that gave me problems was Adam. I hated him. I swooned at the beginning but then all of a sudden it turned to dislike. He just did some things that made me look at this book with some serious death stares. I even stopped reading it at the point where I couldn't handle how he acted and how Madeleine reacted anymore. But because I had to give it back I powered through having a curtain on those chapters and how I felt and ended up enjoying it after.

I ended up liking the banter between Adam and Madeleine and how their relationship was finding a smooth rhythm. The steamy scenes were just right. Mouse was an amazing and very important doggo. And in the end, I was shocked with that plot twist.

I can now say that with that ending I now am on board.


Now. If you really want to know what bothered me about this book here it is. But you have been warned since this is a spoiler.

There is one scene, past the first 120 pages, where Adam basically assaults Madeleine. But that's not all, because it happens before he tells her that he's sorry for misleading her into thinking that they were more than just acquaintances or friends. That he isn't looking to date anyone since he got out of a messy relationship just recently. Which is also the reason why he moved to that town in the first place. But that's beside the point. 

The point is that he tells her he isn't interested in dating her after she asked him out (taking the courage to ask him out thinking that she has a shot) and then he blocked her only exit to the building they are in and grabs/pins her to the door and assaults her. Now! It doesn't matter that she likes him or that in the end she was "okay" with what he did to her or it turned her on. That doesn't matter. What matters, and what bothers me about Adam, is the fact that he rejects her, grabs onto her wrist to the point where she tells him he is hurting her, ignored her pain, and then plants a kiss on her mouth. And I think that somewhere in that she thinks to herself that he is being forceful towards her but then she goes on to say that she likes it. 
And as I'm writing this I notice that it may be me thinking too much into what he did, but then again it was too much happening at once and I freaked out instead of feeling excited for them like I think the writer intended. That's why I didn't like him. I had to make myself forget that that scene had happened in order to keep reading.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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Agent of Chaos by Kami Garcia | Book Review #145

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
The X-Files: Agent of Chaos by Kami Garcia

Are there spoilers?

There's are some spoilers but then again its all in the synopsis.
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Title: The X-Files: Agent of Chaos

Author: Kami Garcia

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Pages: 311

Publisher: Atom

Published: 2017

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fiction

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Date Read: January 24, 2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

How did Fox Mulder become a believer? How did Dana Scully become a skeptic? The X-Files Origins has the answers.

The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos explores the teen years of Fox Mulder, the beloved character depicted in the cult-favorite TV show The X-Files. His story is set in the spring of 1979, when serial murder, the occult, and government conspiracy were highlighted in the news.

The book will follow Mulder as he experiences life-changing events that set him on the path to becoming an FBI agent.

The Rating:

My Review:

Agent of Chaos is exactly what you need if you love X-Files and crushed on Fox Mulder.  I didn't crush on him but yeah- ya know what I mean.

Not only did it have a great mystery but the references to the things we know from the show and the characters were fantastic. Phoebe knowing a bunch about murderers and Gimble playing D&D with Mulder. Love it.

I don't know what to say except that the characters are perfect, the creepiness is just right and the feels -ugh!. It's exactly what you should read if you love X-Flies. 

No! Even if you don't watch the show you should read this book.

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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