Hey everyone! Long time no see. I hope your doing well! Today I’ll be talking about all the books I want to read during spring. I tried to pick out both winter and summer-themed books to match the ever-changing weather. With that said, onto the TBR!
(PS: Click on the covers of the books to add them to Goodreads.)
1. Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
Did I obtain a copy of this book in the winter?…yes. Did I forget to read it during the winter?…also yes.
2. Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
If you’ve read my Most Anticipated Releases of 2022, then you’d know I’m very excited for this book. I also have an ARC of this one, and cannot wait to read it! (Thank you Simon and Schuster!)
3. The Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow byLaura Taylor Namey
This book has been on my TBR for so long, and the synopsis sounds amazing too!
4. All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle
The cover is so cute, I hope to read it soon!
5. If You Change Your Mind by Robby Webber
Summer is only a couple months away! So why not crank out the summer-themed books now?
6. So This is Everafter by F.T. Lukens
F.T. Lukens is one of my favorite authors, hence why I’m so excited to read their new release!
7. By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
I have an eARC of this and love the premise. I mean, who doesn’t love a Beauty and the Beast retelling?
8. You and Me and the End of the World by Brianna Bourne
I’ve never read a book like this before, so I can’t wait to try it out!
9. The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
I haven’t read many mysteries lately, so I definitely want to read this one before summer.
10. From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
I’ve been reading TikTok books lately, and so far they haven’t disappointed. Fourth time’s a charm?
And that’s the list! I’ll be back with a summer TBR in June. Also, if you’d like to buddy read any of these, do let me know! Buddy reads are always fun.
What are you planning to read this season? Let me know in the comments! Have a fabulous day!
Hiya! Today I bring you my May wrap-up. I must say, this month was very busy for me, and I’m sure June will be the same. Nevertheless, I still tried to read as much as I could. Enjoy!
Novels I Read
Turtle Under Ice by Juleah del Rosario: (3.5 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was really sweet, but also quite sad. You can read my review here!
Vicious by V.E. Schwab: (4.25 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Vicious is well, interesting, but it was a bit too emo for me. Review to come!
Love is a Revolution by Renee Watson: This was somewhat infuriating, but it was also kind of wholesome?? Maybe I’ll give it three stars. Review to come!
The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch: (4.25 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Sky Blues was really cheesy, but also unlike a lot of contemporaries. Review to come!
Graphic Novels and Manga read
Seven Secrets Volume 1 by Tom Taylor: (4.5 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I did not expect to love this the way that I did. The story is incredibly unique, and features a variety of diverse characters. It’s a must read for all action fans!
The Princess Who Saved Herself by Greg Pak: (3.75 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was super cute and uplifting!! I absolutely adored the whimsical and messy setting too.
Just Pretend by Tori Sharp: (4.25 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This memoir was adorable, and had such a beautiful message. Author interview to come!
Blue Flag Volume 4 and 5 by Kaito: (4.5 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Blue Flag is so incredibly emotional and gripping. It’s definitely a must read for all contemporary fans!
The Color Collector by Nick Solis: (4 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a super cute! The story is quite unique too.
A School Frozen in Time Volume 1 by Mizuki Tsujimura and Naoshi Arakawa: (3.5 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐ It’s quite an eerie and whimsical read perfect for fans of Your Lie in April.
Ao Haru Ride Volume 13 by Io Sakisaka: (4.25 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ It’s sad that I have now finished the series. Ao Haru Ride does shojou very well. I definitely recommend it to any manga lovers.
Early One Morning by Lawrence Schimel: (4 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was the PERFECT morning story for kids. Bedtime stories are so common in children’s literature, so I am delighted to see that this is a book is set in the morning.
The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad and Hatem Aly: (4.5 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was so cute! If you’re looking for a hijab-positive book to read to your kids, I highly recommend The Proudest Blue. It’s both an empowering and educational read that oozes out with sisterly love.
Total Number Of Books Read: 10
Total Number Of Posts Published: 8
Average Rating: 7.5/10 or 3.75 out of 5 stars
April @ Booked Till Midnight did a reading vlog and it was HILARIOUS. 😆
First, let’s recap! Last month I said I’d read five novels, read all my netgalley ARCs, and drink more water. Unfortunately, I didn’t meet any of those goals.
Some of my goals for June include…
Finish three netgalley ARCs, and review them
Read 4 novels
Drink lots of water
And that’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed reading about my May in books, I’d love to read about yours too! If you’d like, you can read last month’s wrap up here. Have a lovely day!
Hey everyone! Today’s post is a very exciting one because I’m going to be hosting a blog tour stop for the lovely YA novel, The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk! Before we get into the tour, here is a bit about the author’s debut novel…
Book Info
Title: The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publishing Date: May 11, 2021
Synopsis
Content Warning: protagonist is dealing with a lot of anger and some depression, various experiences of racism
Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but one terrifying fall shatters her leg–and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it. After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and binging ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected–namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive cast mate she just might be falling for. But to move forward, Alina must make peace with her past and face the racism she had grown to accept in the dance industry. She wonders what it means to yearn for ballet–something so beautiful, yet so broken. And as broken as she feels, can she ever open her heart to someone else?
Touching, romantic, and peppered with humor, this debut novel explores the tenuousness of perfectionism, the possibilities of change, and the importance of raising your voice.
Find out more about The Other Side of Perfect with these links!
Here is the tour schedule link! If you have time, do check out the other amazing tour stops as well!
Without further ado, here is the interview!
1. Hi there Mariko! I’d just like to say how amazing it is to have you here with us today! Before we start, do you mind telling us some random facts about yourself?
Mariko: Hello and thanks so much for having me! Some random facts about me are: I love tea and tacos, I’ve lived in Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Colorado, when I’m at home I exclusively wear pajamas, and my favorite flowers are hydrangeas!
2. Congrats on your debut! I’m so incredibly happy for you! If I may ask, what inspired the making of The Other Side of Perfect?
Mariko: It was inspired by a couple of different things. First, right after college, I broke my leg while dancing ballet. Second, I’ve always been interested in how people grapple with the negative aspects of the things they love. For instance, I love ballet, but I know it has its share of harmful aspects—like its lack of diversity and its reliance on racial stereotypes in many classical pieces. So I started wondering, if ballet perpetuates these negative things, does that mean I shouldn’t love it? And if I do still love and support it, what does that mean about me?
When I decided to try writing a YA novel, I imagined what would happen if a 16-year-old half-Japanese girl who dreamed of dancing professionally had a career-ending injury and had to deal with losing something she loved with all her heart and with wondering if she ever should have loved it in the first place. Her story became The Other Side of Perfect.
Saniya: Thank you for sharing such a thought provoking response Ms. Turk!
3. The Other Side of Perfect tells the story of a young girl of color as she navigates racism, ballet, and love. The diversity is amazing! What was your experience writing the novel?
Mariko: This book is so special to me because it’s the first book I ever finished! So in a lot of ways, my experience writing it felt so new. I pantsed the first draft. I knew the general idea and some of the characters, but I figured out the themes and the plot as I went along, and it went pretty quickly. I finished in a few months. But then I spent about two years revising. I actually loved the long revision process because it gave me a chance to make the themes richer and more complex, and get to know the characters on a deeper level.
Saniya: I’m glad you loved the long revision process!
4. If you could give your past writer self one piece of advice, what would you say?
Mariko: To just write and not worry about if it’s “perfect” or not. My tendency to edit as I wrote really slowed me down and stopped me from finishing so many projects because I’d get so caught up in individual sentences and paragraphs that I’d lose steam. The Other Side of Perfect is the first book I ever finished, and it’s because I told myself I had to keep moving. I knew I’d have lots of changes to make. Sometimes I realized what those changes should be when I finished a chapter. But I didn’t go back to change them until I had a full draft.
Saniya: I loved what you said about how you just need to keep moving. It’s so easy to get caught up in little things, when we should really just be moving forward instead of holding ourselves back. Well said!
5. Racism is something that many people of color experience, and it really hurts my heart to see kids experiencing discrimination. Why do you think it’s important to portray authentic and diverse characters in the media?
Mariko: I think it’s so important for all young people to be able to see themselves in the stories they read and watch. And not just in one book or movie here and there, but in many. Young people deserve multiple stories that they relate to and that speak to them and their experiences in various ways. So in other words, diverse characters shouldn’t only star in stories about racism and discrimination, but also in stories about love and friendship and family and school and everything else.
Saniya: I couldn’t agree more.
6. Lastly, what do you hope readers will take away from The Other Side of Perfect? Thank you so much for your time Ms. Turk!
Mariko: I hope one message readers take away is that there’s a way out of isolation and unhappiness. And that finding the way out might be tough, messy, and take longer than you want it to, but that it can also be funny, exciting, and full of unexpectedly spectacular possibilities. Thank you for these wonderful questions!
Saniya: This is such a beautiful message! Thank you once again for answering my questions. It was truly a delight to have you. 🙂
About The Author
Mariko Turk grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in creative writing. She received her PhD in English from the University of Florida, with a concentration in children’s literature. Currently, she works as a Writing Center consultant at the University of Colorado Boulder. She lives in Colorado with her husband and baby daughter, where she enjoys tea, walks, and stories of all kinds.
Thank you so much for reading this blog tour stop post, I hope you enjoyed it. Ms. Turk’s debut novel is lovely, and I can’t wait for you to read it!Have a fabulous day!
Hello beautiful people of the internet! Today I bring you my March wrap-up! Before we get into it, I just want to say that I’m so sorry for not posting as often this month. March was such a hectic month for me. Nevertheless I will still be active and try to interact with all of you as much as possible!
Novels I Read (In order)
(eARC) Thanks A Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars) This was such a good book! I received an ARC via Netgalley, and it was the perfect quick and emotional middle grade read. I highly recommend it! Review to come!
(eARC) In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.75 out of 5 stars) Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the first high fantasy book I’ve read! I received an ARC via Netgalley, turnthepagetours and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishings. This was such an epic and cute story! Book tour stop to come!
He Must Like You by Danielle Younge-Ullman: I’m halfway through this one, and am really liking it so far! Despite being fiction, it’s quite educational!
Graphic Novels and Manga read
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars) This was a mellow graphic novel about toxic relationships and discovering oneself. It was hard to get into at first, but I found myself really enjoying it towards the end. The artwork is also something I’ve never seen before, and is absolutely stunning!
Moriarty the Patriot Volume 1 by Ryōsuke Takeuchi, Hikaru Myoshi, with ideas from Arthur Conan Doyle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.75 out of 5 stars) This was such a great first volume! It was captivating, eccentric and incredibly fast paced. I highly recommend this series to any Sherlock Holmes fans or any British drama lovers.
Blue Flag Volume 3 by Kaito: This volume was as heart-wrenching and stunning as always. Can’t wait to read the next one!
Shortcake Cake Volume 2 by Suu Morishita: ⭐⭐ (2 out of 5 stars) I feel like everything escalated way to quickly, which I’m not necessarily upset about. However, all of a sudden 2-3 boys just started calling Ten (the main character) “mine,” as if she was some kind of property they owned. That part of the book made me feel uncomfortable, because no one owns someone, and I honestly think that was inappropriate. Nevertheless, I hope to continue the series. Maybe it’ll get better!
My Last Summer with Cass by Mark Crilley: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 out of 5 stars) My Last Summer with Cass was a heart wrenching story on how when life changes, so can relationships. It’s a lovely coming of age that beautifully depicts life’s ups and downs. You can read my author interview and blog tour stop for the book here!
(eARC) Pixels of You by Anath Hirsh, Yuko Ota, and J.R. Doyle: ⭐⭐⭐ (3 out of 5 stars) This was a futuristic sweet enemies-to-lovers graphic novel. It was definitely unique, and I’m sure people who like steampunk will find this novel enjoyable. Thank you Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids for a copy of this book!
First, let’s recap! Last month, I said I would finish my eARC TBR, and I did! I also posted 2 bookstagram photos this month as well!
Some of my goals for April include…
Read three new novels
Post the tags I was tagged in by other (amazing) bloggers
And that’s a wrap! Before I sign off for today, I just wanted to announce that I have a book blogger related project in the works! It won’t be released anytime soon, but I just wanted to throw it out there. 😆 You can read last month’s wrap-up here. Also, if you could be so kind to fill in this form that would be great! Have a fabulous day everyone!
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