what i’ve been watching recently #14

Hello, friends!

It’s been a while since I last posted, but between my internship and uni, it’s been hard finding time and inspiration to blog. I hope you guys don’t mind me commenting on posts from a month ago, but I just now got around to reading them!

Despite that, I did find time to watch more than a couple shows. I am so glad because for a while there, I had literally nothing else to watch and it was making me sad, lol.

THE CROWN (S4)

I did it, friends! The whole time, my goal was to watch *this* season and I finally got around to it. It absolutely did not disappoint.

I think they actually did a good job providing an all-around perspective on the issues and not completely turn Charles into a villain. He still wasn’t likable and I did want to punch him in the face multiple times, but you also understood how his and Diana’s marriage was doomed to unhappiness from the beginning.

Diana was as lovely as ever and this season made me think a lot: about how much happier she could’ve been had she never gotten married, about the loneliness of being surrounded by people that didn’t care about her, and about how everyone in the world loved her and Charles never could.

Also: tolerate it by Taylor Swift never made as much sense as after watching this season.

LOVE 101 (S2)

I’ve talked about season one of this show before, but I was so happy they got a season 2! Love 101 is a Turkish drama and it’s honestly, found family *perfection*.

My favorite thing about this second season was how they developed specific tiers within the friend group. In Love 101, we follow five friends and we had mostly seen them interacting as a group, but this season, there was a lot of one-on-one interactions between Kerem x Sinan, Eda x Sinan, Kerem x Osman. I absolutely loved that!

It was also extremely emotional at times and seeing their future selves made my heart warm. I think it was a hopeful story overall, and while I was annoyed by the teachers’ plot line this time around, it did not taint the whole season for me at all!

ON MY BLOCK (S4)

Speaking of found families…

Y’all, I love this show. On My Block will forever be one of my favorite series of all times and finishing this season made me very nostalgic about the first couple.

I found this finale to be hilarious and emotional. They were able to balance very well the funny moments and give more of a protagonist role to the best characters – Ruby and Jamal -, while also concluding very well the more emotionally heavy plot lines (such as Cesar’s and Oscar’s).

While I was annoyed that we didn’t get as much of Jasmine and Ruby as I would’ve liked (!!), this season was still tons of fun and I was overall pretty happy with our official goodbye to these characters.

DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT (S2)

The way I will be suing if there’s not a third season of this show.

Diary of a Future President is FANTASTIC and this season made me even happier than the first! It also made me cry a lot more.

We saw Bobby fully coming into terms with his sexuality and I cried *so* much with this plot line, it’s not even funny. Gabi also had such a fantastic development and Elena’s friend group is absolutely God level tier perfection.

To me, this season really was able to further develop the characters and their dynamics while still being the light-hearted, responsible work that it’s been. Plus, I loved seeing more of adult Elena acting as her consciousness! I really hope we get a season 3 because so many things were left unanswered and I *NEED* answers!

What have you watched recently? Any shows I absolutely need to check out? If you watched any of these, let me know your thoughts!

21 of my favorite books of all times in honor of turning 21

Hello, friends!

Today, I turn 21 years old. I honestly feel like I’m still 15 and haven’t aged a single year since that, but unfortunately, I have. Unlike most people, I actually really dislike my birthday, which is why writing posts like these is an attempt to make this day a bit more fun & reflective for me, instead of all the negative vibes that hit as soon as the clock turns midnight.

For this year, I decided to compile 21 of my favorite YA contemporary titles. YA contemporary is my favorite genre, so it just felt fitting to choose this one. It’s going to be a long post, so bear with me!

21 IS FOR THE WICKER KING, BY K. ANCRUM

He would crave the burn until he was dead.

I remember reading this book while in Math class, back in high school. The story was twisting my insides and making me feel so sad, and I still could not put the book down. K. Ancrum creates such amazing characters with an unique writing to show a relationship that is imperfect, but still so so so compelling.

☔️ rep: m/m romance, neurodiverse protagonist
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: toxic relationship, codependency, parental neglect, anxiety and panic attacks, use of ableist language

 

20 IS FOR SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY, BY KELLY QUINDLEN

I had yet to learn that being a nobody is supposed to bother me.

On a completely different vibe from the last book which is tragic and gritty, She Drives Me Crazy is the F/F romcom of my dreams. With the same vibes to 10 Things I Hate About You, this book touched on so many different topics, of friendship, family, sexuality, being an athlete and misogyny, while still being a fun and light-hearted story full of teen-com tropes.

☔️ rep: lesbian MC, indian-american love interest, f/f romance
🌈 own-voices: yes for the queer rep
🌪 trigger warnings: bullying and homophobia

 

19 IS FOR DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY, BY ADIB KHORRAM

Everyone wants you here. We have a saying in Farsi. It translates ‘your place was empty.’ We say it when we miss somebody. Your place was empty before. But this is your family. You belong here.

This book was able to deliver *so* much and make a story that is, objectively, quite far from my reality, feel relatable. Darius The Great tackles mostly identity and our protagonist learning more about his Persian roots, but even as someone who couldn’t see herself in that part of the story, the way the book tackles fatphobia inside your own family and the approach of mental health resonated with me very deeply.

☔️ rep: clinical depression, gay MC, fat rep and persian rep
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: fatphobia, bullying, depression, suicidal ideation, terminal ilness

 

18 IS FOR WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI

You are beautiful. Lajawab. My only worry is that I might not be able to do you justice.

I recently re-read this book and it was such a great experience. While I was able to notice a lot more of its flaws (such as the slut-shaming, internalized misogyny and the lack of actual plot), I still stand by the fact that Dimple and Rishi are one of the best couples I’ve ever read in YA. They push each other to be the best, truer versions of themselves and their interactions are always so mature, with great communication and support.

☔️ rep: indian-american protagonists, latinx side character
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: misogyny, racism and bullying

 

17 IS FOR BIRTHDAY, BY MEREDITH RUSSO

We’ll always be Eric and Morgan. Nothing is ever going to change that.

This is another one that I can definitely say has its flaws, but it’s one of the most compelling stories I’ve ever read. It’s extremely intense, and heartbreaking, and even though it is written in such an unique format, where you’re only spending one day each year with these characters, it’s so easy to connect and feel for them. It’s childhood-friends-to-lovers excellence and so, so, so well-written.

☔️ rep: trans protagonist
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: domestic abuse, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, internalized transphobia, homophobia, bullying, death of a parent

 

16 IS FOR HERETICS ANONYMOUS, BY KATIE HENRY

Aren’t most wonderful things a little bit strange?

I do need to re-read this book urgently, yes. But I can only recall the good vibes I felt when reading this story. I love the representation, the dialogues, the humor, and our protagonist. Michael is not likable and he can come across as a privileged douche sometimes, but I really appreciate how the story did not deny that and yet acknowledged that his problems were also still valid.

☔️ rep: colombian-american side character, gay Jewish side character.
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: slut-shaming and homophobia

 

15 IS FOR DEAR JUSTYCE, BY NIC STONE

We find the families we were desperate for and learn different ways of going about things. Ways that sometimes land us in places/positions we don’t really wanna be in.

This won’t be the last Nic Stone you see in this list, because I do love this author more than life sometimes. Dear Justyce is what I consider to be her best work: it tackles anxiety, PTSD and being in the prison system at a young age in a way that is so honest and raw, and yet so poetic and lyrical and absolutely beautiful. I love how Nic Stone allows her characters to be imperfect and most importantly to *grow*.

☔️ rep: black MC and side characters, PTSD
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: PTSD and anxiety attacks, domestic violence, child abuse, gun violence, murder and incarceration

 

14 IS FOR CAMP, BY L.C ROSEN

I rock a tiara — but I can do anything he can do and be a princess while doing it.

I am still amazed by how this book was able to blow me away. I expected to enjoy it, but it was so refreshing to read a book that empowers queer people in a way that goes against everything the internet and pop culture have tried to tell me: there’s no one way to be queer and queerness can mean whatever it means *to you*.

☔️ rep: gay Jewish MC, gay korean-american love interest, asexual side character, genderqueer side character
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: internalized homophobia, sexual content, toxic masculinity, homophobic slurs (challenged)

13 IS FOR LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR, BY STEPHANIE PERKINS

I know you aren’t perfect. But it’s a person’s imperfections that make them perfect for someone else.

I’m pretty sure I’ve forced every single one of my friends to read this book at one point. I love it so much, I can’t help but want to spread its word. It has the most perfect pacing of any romance I’ve ever read – the perfect amount of sexual tension and slow burn. It also has amazing family dynamics, laugh-out-loud writing and unique characters that you would never see in real life, which I actually love.

☔️ rep: MC is adopted and has two gay dads
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: N/A

 

12 IS FOR RADIO SILENCE, BY ALICE OSEMAN

Everyone’s different inside their head.

I think it’s remarkable how Alice Oseman is able to write a story that is so deep going from a plot that is so basic: two best friends making a podcast together. If you have read Radio Silence, though, you know how it’s so much more than that. This book makes me wish for a friendship like Frances and Aled’s so bad. I love how their relationship is this safe space where they get to be the most authentic version of themselves.

☔️ rep: biracial queer MC, demisexual gay MC, depression
🌈 own-voices: N/A
🌪 trigger warnings: parental abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, animal cruelty

 

11 IS FOR AMERICAN PANDA, BY GLORIA CHAO

I couldn’t go through life as a shadow.

Another book I need to re-read so bad. American Panda is one of those books where I fell in love with our main character so fast and just wanted to wrap her in a blanket forever. Mei is figuring out so much about herself and her future, and her journey to live as her true self is quite lonely. I really just wanted to become her best friend. I also adore the romance and the complex family dynamics that Gloria Chao creates here.

☔️ rep: taiwanese-american MC with OCD, japanese-american love interest
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: toxic family relationship, OCD, discussions on STDS and mentions of suicide

 

10 IS FOR CONCRETE ROSE, BY ANGIE ROSE

I like to be reminded that beauty can come from much of nothing. To me that’s the whole point of flowers.

I finished this book back in January and is one I’m still thinking about. Not only was this hilarious, but it also brings such an authentic perspective of being a black man in America. Maverick really is a rose trying to bloom from the concrete, trying to make the best decisions he can in a world that thrives on his failure. The sense of community also makes my heart so warm.

☔️ rep: black cast of characters, bisexual side character
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: mentions of parental incarceration, death of a loved one, gang violence, gun violence, drug dealing, racism

9 IS FOR I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN, BY JANDY NELSON

We were all heading for each other on a collision course, no matter what. Maybe some people are just meant to be in the same story.

This! freaking! book! Since the first time I read it, it’s one I still think about. I’ll Give You The Sun is an amazing story of characters that are incredibly flawed, but that you simply can’t help but root for. The way this book discusses family is so well done and how all characters are fated to be in each other’s life is absolutely beautiful. It also made me think a lot about the importance of art.

☔️ rep: gay MC, m/m relationship
🌈 own-voices: N/A
🌪 trigger warnings: death of a loved one, grief, sexual assault, bullying, discussions of addiction

8 IS FOR FAR FROM THE TREE, BY ROBIN BENWAY

They catch you before you fall. That’s what family is.

Another one that discusses family so well is Far From the Tree. The themes of this book are so incredibly well done: what family really means, how you can build a future without knowing about your past, how pregnancy changes a person and the importance of having a place where you know you belong. I cried quite a bit with this one too.

☔️ rep: mexican-american MC, lesbian MC
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: teen pregnancy, adoption, discussions of alcoholism, foster system

 

7 IS FOR TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE, BY JENNY HAN

Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That’s the part of the risk. I don’t want to be scared anymore.

Duh. Of course this one had to be on the list. I’m choosing the first one, even if it isn’t my favorite in the trilogy, because it is the one that starts it all. I’ll never shut up about how Jenny Han knows exactly how to use teen-com tropes and create stories that feel authentic and romantic at the same time. While the family in here is absolutely amazing, my favorite thing will forever be how great characters Lara Jean and Peter K are.

☔️ rep: korean-american MC
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: N/A

 

6 IS FOR FURIA, BY YAMILE SAIED MÉNDEZ

I’d leave this house the first chance I got, but not by chasing after a boy. I’d do it on my own terms, following my dreams, not someone else’s.

I had to include this book in the list, as it was one of the first ones I could 100% see myself in. Camila is a much stronger and badass protagonist than I’ll ever be, but the way Furia tackles misogyny and the numerous times women have to endure things in order to stay *safe*, was so heart-wrenching to read about. I also loved the romance and the setting of Rosario, which felt so relatable as well.

☔️ rep: argentinian cast
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: domestic abuse, allusions to femicide and violence against women, misogyny

 

5 IS FOR DEAR MARTIN, BY NIC STONE

If nothing in the world ever changes, what type of man are you gonna be?

I said this wasn’t the last time Nic Stone would show up in the list. This was the first book I read by her and I love it so much. The writing is so interesting, but most of all, this book has really tough conversations about how black people are perceived, no matter who they are. The main friendship at the center of the story is also so sweet and Justyce is a phenomenal protagonist that I connected with so easily.

☔️ rep: black MC and side characters, jewish love interest
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: death of a loved one, gun violence, police brutality, racism

 

4 IS FOR WHERE SHE WENT, BY GAYLE FORMAN

I find the need to remind myself of the temporariness of a day, to reassure myself that I got through yesterday, I’ll get through today.

The amount of times I talk about this book is honestly worrisome. I can’t help but love it so much! I adore how much of an angsty narrator Adam is, how he feels things so intensely all the time, and how much music works in his life as a way to channel all these emotions. His growth is also so stunning to watch and, for one set in 24h, the development does not feel rushed at all.

☔️ rep: anxiety
🌈 own-voices: N/A
🌪 trigger warnings: anxiety and panic attacks, mentions of car accidents and grief

 

3 IS FOR ONLY MOSTLY DEVASTATED, BY SOPHIE GONZALES

Here walks Ollie Di Fiore. Master of his feelings, expert detacher, only mostly devastated.

This book just makes me so effing happy. Honestly. It’s serotonin bottled in 300 pages. I never knew I needed a Grease re-telling, with a chaotic main character and a deeply relatable family dynamic, but here we are. I can see this becoming another one of those books I re-read every year just because I know it will never fail to put me in a good mood.

☔️ rep: gay MC, bisexual latinx love interest, wlw side character
🌈 own-voices: yes for the bi rep
🌪 trigger warnings: cancer, grief, bullying and internalized homophobia

 

2 IS FOR CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT, BY BRIGID KEMMERER

One choice doesn’t determine your whole future.

Look, I didn’t mean to make this book my whole entire brand, but oh well. For a book I had no expectations when going into it, Call It What You Want most certainly made a number on me. I adore how the novel discusses morality: what does it mean to do a bad thing for a good reason, what is the line between good and evil, how do our actions define us. All that in an addictive, compelling story with an A+ romance. Brigid Kemmerer really did that.

☔️ rep: black gay side character
🌈 own-voices: no
🌪 trigger warnings: discussions of suicide attempt and abortion, student/teacher relationship (challenged)

1 IS FOR ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE, BY BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ

The summer sun was not meant for boys like me. Boys like me belonged to the rain.

Lmao. I feel like at this point, every single one of my posts mention this book. I’m sorry, I’m a basic girl. Ari & Dante is another book I pushed every single one of my friends to read because I just had to make sure everyone I knew was familiar with this masterpiece. I don’t think I’ll ever relate to anyone as much as I relate to Ari and I love him so much for that.

☔️ rep: gay and latinx main characters
🌈 own-voices: yes
🌪 trigger warnings: homophobia, assault, mentions of a transphobic hate crime, car accident

 

Friends: let me know in the comments, do you have one favorite YA contemporary of all times? Is it a part of my list as well?

gothtober readathon TBR! (round 2)

Hello, friends!

It’s Spooky Season and I’m so excited to be taking part in the Gothtober Readathon again! I took part last year and it was tons of fun, so I hope to repeat my success this year.

The Gothtober Readathon is created and hosted by: Olivia @ Olivia’s Catastrophe, Tish @ Little Wolf and Hannah @ Ladder M. Even though the readathon is inspired by gothic literature, you can choose to read whatever for the prompts!

For the 3 staple prompts we have:

BIPOC READ

The sequel to Ari & Dante comes out this month and to say I am excited is an understatement. If I don’t have the physical copy by then, I will have to cry, but I’ll be reading on release day nonetheless however it takes cause it’s me, after all.

DISABILITY READ

This book has cerebral palsy rep and I’m pretty sure is queer too! I have read by Leah Thomas before and I really love the way she creates characters. I think she includes disability rep in all her books, which is super awesome, and it’s def about time I pick up another one by her.

LGBTQ+ READ

I am combining this prompt with my reread for the month, which is my comfort queer historical fiction: Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. It will be my third time reading this book and I honestly don’t! even! care! I love it so much! Plus, it will be just in time before the 3rd one in this series comes out, so I’ll be ready whenever that one comes.

Now onto the prompts for the Angel Board, which is the one I chose! I won’t be completing all prompts for the sake of time, but I chose my favorites and I think I have all around a good TBR.

MONOCHROME COVER

Not me already cheating in the first prompt. I know there’s technically red in the cover, but it’s close enough??? Plus this book is a murder mystery and PERFECT for spooky season. I hope Ruby is proud of me for finally picking this one up.

LARGE FRIENDSHIP GROUP

Granted, I am not sure if that characters are friends, though I believe they are! The Marvelous is also a mystery, and gives escape room vibes, which will be a first for me! I have read Claire Kann’s debut, which was Let’s Talk About Love, and I loved the friendship group in that one, so I hope that if we do have a large friend group in this one, it’s just as good.

CONSEQUENCES

Firstly: I love this prompt. From my understanding of the synopsis of this one, the protagonists’ secrets are now coming to bite them in their asses, which is pretty fitting for this prompt if I do say so myself. It’s also a dark academia with non-white protagonists, and I’m so hyped to be seeing more of this!

ENLIGHTMENT

This prompt is very interesting, but quite hard to achieve, especially when I didn’t have time to fit non-fiction in my TBR. I felt like going with That Way Madness Lies could work, as it has been on my TBR for ages and I do think I’ll be enlighted by the end of it, especially considering how little I actually know of Shakespeare’s works.

Are you participating in the Gothtober Readaton? If so, what are you reading? If you have read any of these books, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

other five own-voices YA contemporaries y’all should be reading

Hello, friends!

I finally found time to draft a few posts, and I’m coming back with my recommendations post! I believe the last time I wrote one was all the way back in April, which is pretty much unacceptable.

For this one, I thought we could talk about other own-voices YA contemporaries I think more people should read. I know the “own-voices” term is a bit controversial atm, but it was the best fitting one I could find. Just know that I completely agree the own-voices label doesn’t make/shouldn’t make a story more or less worth reading!

PLEASE DON’T HUG ME

I read this one out of Cait’s recommendation and I’m so glad I gave this book a shot.

It’s told entirely in letters and follows our protagonist Erin, an autistic teenager navigating life as a high schooler. She sends these letters to her brother, and we don’t really know what caused the current strain in their relationship.

One thing I absolutely loved about this book was how the protagonist found solace in writing a blog, of all things. It really reminded me of everything I love about blogging, especially how this is such a welcoming space for neurodivergent people and allows them to connect and interact with others who share their experiences without having to put their face out for the whole internet.

If you love blogging as well, you HAVE to read this one!

THE FALLING IN LOVE MONTAGE

As a rom-com fan, I obviously had to mention how much this book made me *happy*.

Here’s a list of things that The Falling In Love Montage did incredibly well:

– Cool lesbian/dumbass straight boy solidarity.
– Rom-com references.
– Recognizing the unrealism of rom-coms, but also acknowledging how fun they can be.
– Satisfying main character’s arc where she learns to let people in.
– REALISTIC ENDING!!!!!!#*!(!)!!!!
– Girls with imperfect bodies.
– Family dynamics that weren’t black and white and complexed in a well done way.

I hope I’ve successfully convinced you to read it with my random ass list, because this one is very good and I can see resonating with so many people.

THIS IS MY AMERICA

I am surprised I haven’t made a post recommending this book already, because I think it’s one of those YA contemporaries that is doing what no one else is.

This one follows Tracy, whose dad was wrongfully convicted and has been in the death row for a few years now. Tracy writes letters weekly to this organization, inspired by the real life Innocence Project, hoping to find someone who can help her dad. Things get even more complicated when her brother also gets accused of a murder he did not commit.

This book has murder mystery elements that definitely added a lot to the story. The discussions of race and the US justice system were extremely well done. One thing I really loved was the family dynamic and also how the author talked about, through a few side characters, how hard it can be for a former prisoner to get back to their old lives, even within their own families.

It definitely did not romanticize the process of being released, but it was a hopeful story nonetheless.

WHERE WE GO FROM HERE

Another one I haven’t shouted about in a while, which is a MISTAKE.

Hello, go read Where We Go From Here. Thanks.

Following three boys, Ian, Victor and Henrique, this book is set in Brazil and talks about how their lives become intertwined because of HIV.

I think it’s quite sad how much misinformation we still have out there about HIV. (Y’all probably know who I’m referencing here). And while this book obviously talks about a Brazilian perspective on the matter, I think it does an amazing job of having some tough conversations about the existent prejudices against HIV and how we can move away from them.

Also: this book has such an authentic and relatable representation of what is like being a college student in Brazil and that makes me *so* happy to see.

MISS METEOR

Latinx authors excellence *only*, yes.

Miss Meteor is technically living between the YA contemporary, sci-fi and magical realism Venn Diagram intersection, but it’s my list, so I’m counting it as contemporary.

In this one, Lita and Chicky used to be best friends, and have been reunited because Lita decides to take part in the local beauty pageant contest, despite being quite far from the strongest competitor.

This book has absolutely A+ friendships: not only the enemies to friends dynamic between Lita and Chicky serves, but they also each have a friend/love-interest that is just absolutely iconic.

Miss Meteor also has amazing queer rep, hilarious family dynamics, great dialogues and the chapter of the party made me scream approximately 24 times.

Have you read any of these books? If so, what are your thoughts on them? Would you consider reading any of them now? Let me know in the comments!

i matched books to rom-coms and it might be my most powerful post yet

Hello, friends!

If you have read my blog at all, then you know the most essential part of my personality: I am a HUGE rom-com fan. I’ve been compiling ideas for rom-coms/books matches for a while now, but it’s honestly a lot harder than I thought?

I think rom-coms just have a very different vibe to books, even the romance ones. Books just tend to be able to explore characters in a much more complex way than movies usually do, but I think I compiled great choices.

THE FILL-IN BOYFRIEND & READ IT AND WEEP

As soon as I finished The Fill-in Boyfriend, the one thing I noticed was how much it reminded me of D-COMS. The vibes are 100% there: the protagonist’s friend group, the toxic family vibes and, most importantly, the dramatic speech on top of a stage to signal the main character’s development arc. I think if you’re a fan of those tropes in movies, then for sure you’ll appreciate them in this book. The romance is also equally adorable in both!

🎤 In The Fill-in Boyfriend, the protagonist Gia gets dumped by her boyfriend in the parking lot right before her senior year prom and asks for a random guy parked there to pretend to be her date. In Read it and Weep, Jamie’s private diary ends up being published as a book and she has to deal with the consequences of that.

 

BOYFRIEND MATERIAL & THE BRIGDET JONES’ DIARY

Is this *British humor*? To be 100% honest, I never considered myself a fan of British humor. I remember watching Love Actually just staring at the TV in a state of confusion and horror. But THESE????? Peak humor. Invented humor, I’d say. No one’s doing it like them. Both have hilarious dialogues, chaotic protagonists with seriously-pretentious love interests and phenomenally funny and supportive friend groups. I love the heck out of both of them, so maybe I’m biased, but seriously check these two out and you wont’ regret it!

🎡 Boyfriend Material is a fake-dating romance starring Luc, celebrity-adjacent who’s constantly getting himself in a bunch of scandals, and begins to have this messy behavior reflect badly on the charity he works for. He then gets a respectable lawyer as a fake boyfriend to help mend his reputation. As for Bridget Jones’ Diary, it’s a Pride and Prejudice re-telling with a love triangle between fuck-boy Daniel Cleaver and pretentious human rights’ lawyer Mark Darcy.

 

 

 

YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER & WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

I remember when I first read the premise for You Deserve Each Other, my first reaction was to scream: “WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS??”. (Also, if you haven’t heard me talking about how I love this movie, then I AM SO HAPPY TO BE TELLING YOU AGAIN!!!!) They definitely give off a similar vibe, in which two characters in a cohabitating situation keep pushing each other buttons, hoping the other one will call of the wedding. Both have a lot more to their plot, but I think if you like/don’t mind childish banter, then you’ll be able to appreciate both.

🎰 In You Deserve Each Other, Naomi finds out that her fiancée Nick is also faking to be happy in their engagement, but none of them are willing to be the first one to pull the plug. What Happens in Vegas is about two strangers getting married in Vegas, winning a jackpot and being forced to live together, while simultaneously trying to be awful enough the other will leave them with all the money.

 

SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY & 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU

OK, this one may be a bit of a stretch but HEAR ME OUT. If the plot of “paying you to date me but then falling in love” interests you, then ofc you’ll love both! I also think both the book and the movie play out in typical teen-com stereotypes very well, while also discussing relevant issues: in 10 Things I Hate About You, mostly feminism, but also some very relevant remarks from their teacher on racism; and in She Drives Me Crazy, sexuality and the perception of lesbian-ness. I love when stories for teenagers manage to do both: be politically aware, but also swoon-worthy AF.

💸 In She Drives Me Crazy, basketball player Scottie pays cheerleader Irene to date her, to make her ex jealous. In 10 Things I Hate About You, Cameron pays Patrick to take out Kat because he wants to date Bianca. Can you tell this is a Shakespearean re-telling yet? I swear it’s not as confusing when you watch it! The party scene from this book and the movie are also weirdly similar?

 

 

TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT & CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN

Now, it is very much true that I have not read Take Me Home Tonight yet. But as soon as I read this book’s synopsis, my mind went to Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Needless to say, both take place in New York and center around two best-friends and a night of adventure in the city. I am dying to pick up the book and also in desperate need of a rewatch of the best movie about fan culture ever made. (Seriously, why didn’t I get to meet Niall Horan after 1D broke up in his house party in New York? Ugh, so unfair).

🚕 In Take Me Home Tonight, best friends Kat and Stevie are both theater kids who have a crazy night in New York when their initial plan was just to watch a play and go home. On top of theater, in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Ella and Lola are also music-obsessed and go through crazy shit when trying to attend their favorite band’s last concert.

 

mmm

 

I’d love to hear from you now! Do you have a rom-com you associate with a book – or the other way around? What’s your favorite rom-com of all times? Have you watched any of these? If so, how do you like them? Let’s chat in the comments!

monthly wrap up: august, ’20

Hello, friends!

I have been literally so busy the past few days, it’s been hard finding time to blog and draft posts. I really didn’t want to neglect my blog, but my mental health has also not been in the best spot, so we’re just winging it at this point. I hope I can go back to posting/commenting more regularly soon!

HIGHLIGHTS

1. I got my first dose of the vaccine! Because I’ve been working as a teacher since April, I was able to get my first dose earlier, which was a blessing. My second dose is this September and I’m counting down the days, really.
2. I might have gotten a plane ticket to Edinburgh. LOL. This can possibly be a HUGE mistake, because I did spend over 500$ in it and I don’t even know how the traveling situation will look like in December (when I got my ticket for). Fingers crossed??? I won’t be going totally alone, instead, I’ll go with my godmother, but she doesn’t know English, so I’ll be responsible for everything, which is pretty scary lmao. Everything shall work out, though! If you have tips/advice, let me know!
3. I’m now in a new internship! Yes, this does mean that I’ve been in three internships so far this year and we’re still just in August! If you think I’m incredibly stressed and overwhelmed and tired, you’d be correct! I cope so badly with changes and there’s been so many. I’m also now interning at an international school, so there’s a lot of new terminology to learn and it’s a completely new environment too. I’m trying my best, but for now just very stressed and exhausted😓

BOOKS I READ

★★★☆☆

I was very excited for Like a Love Song, but ultimately, I found it to be a bit :/. The dialogues were quite unnatural and the protagonist’s arc didn’t make that much sense to me? Like, she ends the book saying she’s reconnected with her Brazilian roots, but she doesn’t do anything throughout the book to actually reconnect with her Brazilian roots? Except like not straightening her hair and calling her grandma once, which like LMAO. I am confusion.

★★★☆☆

Blackout was a very solid read! I love the idea of shorts stories during a blackout and it was very well executed. Nic Stone’s was my favorite (are we SURPRISED?), but I also loved Tiffany D. Jackson’s with amazing characters and Nicola Yoon’s fantastic writing.

★★★★☆

You Asked for Perfect had wayyyyy too many Harry Potter references, it’s true. But I liked the writing so much, the friendships and family relationships were so pure, and despite dealing with anxiety, this book didn’t leave *me* more anxious, which hardly ever happens lmao.

★★★★☆

I think like The Wicker King, which is K. Ancrum’s debut, Darling is going to be one of those books that will stay in my mind for a couple of weeks. There was a very disturbing twist I could’ve never seen coming, but I loved the dark atmosphere. I didn’t connect with any of the characters or liked the writing for this one as much for the author’s debut, but it was still a pretty solid thriller with fantastic Peter Pan vibes.

★★★★☆

I had missed reading from a *really* good male narrator and The Disasters def delivered. The world building for this series was a bit confusing and the familiar conflict for the protagonist was a bit dumb, but I loved the protagonist *so* much and the banter/writing was A+.

MONTHLY PLAYLIST

 

Y’all!!!!!! Lorde released an album this month!!!!! It’s part of my September playlist though lol but this August I also listened to the best tracks from HSMTMTS, Inhaler’s new album and Lil Nas X, because how could I not.

LOOKING FORWARD

I don’t have anything specific that I’m looking forward this September except I want to hopefully acclimate better to my new job, afford the trip’s expenses and also get some reading done in between all that hehe

Tell me how y’all are doing! What’s your favorite thing you’ve done this month? What are you up to? And what good books have you read in August? Anything I should know that’s coming out this September? Let’s chat!

the three bookish things tag!

Hello, friends!

So, it’s been a *while* since Daria tagged me to answer the Three Bookish Things tag, but hEY I’M FINALLY HERE! I couldn’t find the creator of this tag at all in the interwebs, but if you know who first created this tag, let me know so I can properly credit them.

Let’s get into the questionssss!

Three read once and loved authors

• 

• 

• 

ONE. ALEXIS HALL

I’ll not shut up ever about how the banter in Boyfriend Material is immaculate, ok. This is some of the best and funniest dialogues I’ve ever read. It’s quite quirky and probably not for everyone, but I didn’t mind it at all!

TWO. FARIDAH ABIKE-IYIMIDE

I was so impressed by how the author wrote both perspectives: Chiamaka’s and Devon’s. They were so different, but the author was able to write the two of them so well.

THREE. LYSSA KAY ADAMS

I have not continued with this series because I am EMBARRASSING. But I love The Bromance Book Club so much and I think Lyssa Kay Adams can do no wrong when it comes to dialogues.

Three titles I’ve watched but not read

• 

• 

• 

ONE. SHADOW & BONE

Technically, I have read the Six of Crows duology, but I never read Shadow & Bone and I’m not really interested. Most people who read the trilogy for King of Scars ended up giving it 3 stars and saying they were either bored or annoyed, soooo… No thanks.

TWO. LITTLE WOMEN

An American classic, am I right. I am just really not that interested in the story. I loved the 2020 adaptation of it, though! Amazing sister relationships + Florence Pugh, which adds to any movie tbh.

THREE. CRAZY RICH ASIANS

I remember enjoying the movie when I first watched it but it didn’t blow my mind or anything, so I was never interested in picking up the books. It sounds interesting but I’m more into cheesy rom-coms than anything.

Three characters I love

• 

• 

• 

ONE. MAVERICK CARTER

I recently bought a physical copy of Concrete Rose and was re-reading some passages and oh my God why is Maverick the funniest, most chaotic character???? I adore him so much!

TWO. LARA JEAN

I talk about how much I love Lara Jean at least once everyday so yes, you’re going to hear me talking about my love for this character AGAIN. Look, Lara Jean is just iconic and I’ll defend her forever.

THREE. ALED LAST

Another character I recently rediscovered and realized how much I love??? That scene from volume 3 of Heartstopper when everyone is hanging out with their friends and Aled is sitting in the balcony with his earphones on. I love that man so much.

Three current favorite covers

• 

• 

• 

ONE. MAY THE BEST MAN WIN

Ever since I first looked at this cover, I was like damn I need to have this book. I ended up not getting a physical copy, but the wish still stands, lol.

TWO. TOWER OF NERO

This one I do have a physical copy of and IT’S EVEN PRETTIER IN PERSON???????/ The colors and the contrast????? The illustration’s details??? I’m obsessed. John Rocco never misses.

THREE. TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT

Typically, covers that have SO MANY FONTS annoy me, but this one actually had all good fonts so I’m not mad. Plus the illustration is so pretty & the colors are so eye catching.

Three favorite authors

• 

• 

• 

ONE. RICK RIORDAN

Babes, it’s him. It’s always been him.

TWO. NIC STONE

As someone who’s just finished Nic Stone’s short story in Blackout, I am impressed by how she NEVER. ONCE. MISSES. Everything by her is amazing, how is that even possible?

THREE. ALICE OSEMAN

It is true that I have been disappointed by Alice Oseman in the past, but I am choosing to put this behind us because she gave me Heartstopper, Loveless & Aled Last, so let’s focus on the positives, everyone!

Unpopular bookish opinions

ONE. I believe all tropes can be done well.

Controversial???? Idk. But this video by the amazing Julia Cudney just proved to me yet again that even LOVE TRIANGLES can be done well!

TWO. Contemporary > fantasy.

You will not catch me dead reading an adult fantasy book. I’m sorry. I know fantasy is the genre that got most people into reading, but yikes. Contemporary all the way.

THREE. Most YA fantasy series should be adult.

SPEAKING OF FANTASY. I can not stress enough how the Six of Crows characters are not that young. Wylan is 17, AT LEAST. Kaz is like 19. Matthias is clearly a 22 year old man. Stop fooling yourselves.

Three book goals for the year

ONE. Read three more books out of my comfort zone.

I’ve been trying to make progress, but honestly with the amount of things happening in my life lately, the last thing I want is to pick up a book out of my comfort zone. There are enough changes happening and I JUST WANNA CHILL!

TWO. Read more adult romances!

I have a lot of those on my TBR because apparently I never learn? For the past year, I’ve had luck with most adult romances, so I am confident that if I keep reading them I’ll have to eventually find good ones, right?

THREE. Write more!

One of my goals was to finish my WIP this year, which is realistically, not going to happen. Again, life has been such a mess lately, I can’t even think about that. But I want to at least try to write more in my free time instead of just watching tiktoks and old music videos?? Help.

That’s it for the tag, friends! Now, let me know in the comments: what are some of your favorite authors? Do you think all tropes can be done well?

what i’ve been watching recently #13

Hello, friends!

After having two weeks of job vacation, I was able to watch a lot of shows. Some, I had been following for a few months now, while others I just binged in one afternoon because I couldn’t stop myself.

LOKI

 

Did I understand a single thing that happened in this show? No. Did I still love it? Yes.

LOKI was just a wild freaking ride. Again, I found the plot to be extremely confusing and I still stand by the fact that MARVEL writers have no understanding of the concept of *time*. Like, it’s not that hard folks. They also don’t know how to write romantic relationships and then get surprised that everyone ships the platonic relationships. It’s a mess, really.

But I adored Loki in here. While I don’t find that every single villain needs to be given a redemption arc in order for them to be likable, I think they were able to give Loki development but also keep his narcissistic tendencies and backstabbing habits. The dialogues are also hilarious and the supporting characters were all so great!

NEVER HAVE I EVER (S2)

I talked about season one of Never Have I Ever in the blog before, and while I enjoyed it, it was never a show I thought much about. I still wanted to watch season two and I feel like this one really blew me away!

The dialogues are genuinely funny, and the acting has improved a ton! I feel like this is one of the best love triangles I’ve ever came across because I *genuinely* can not tell you which one I’d prefer for her to end up with. Also, Devi is such a fantastic protagonist. She’s so chaotic and hilarious, and yes annoying, but fantastic nonetheless.

I really enjoyed all the episodes and the side characters’ plotlines as well – Devi’s mom dealing with her grief and entering a new relationship, Kamala being a woman in STEM, Fabiola figuring out what queerness means to her. Even Paxton had a great development this season and his episode, with Gigi Hadid’s narration, was something amazing I never knew I needed.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: THE MUSICAL THE SERIES (S2)

It breaks my heart to say this, but unfortunately, I didn’t like this season as much as I liked season 1. I was anticipating this one so much, as I consider HSMTMTS to be one of my favorite comfort shows.

I think that there was a lot of production value for the scenes and songs, but not the same effort was put into giving every single character a satisfying arc. Overall, there were way too many characters and not enough time to develop all of them.

Also: why did they barely sing any High School Musical songs? Ugh.

I did enjoy a few things: some songs were amazing, I was so happy to see Portwell thriving and episode 5 made me cry like a baby. I don’t know if they’ll be returning for a S3 (fingers crossed?), but I hope they know to keep their focus for the following season. (And don’t try to make Ricky/Lily happen, pls).

OUTER BANKS (S2)

This was another season that didn’t not give as much as I wanted it to give.

There simply was not enough plot for ten episodes. The main plot had been resolved by episode 6, meaning that they had to add an entire different plotline by the 70% mark that was not interesting enough. They could’ve really done something amazing, by touching on transgenerational trauma, but they never really went as deep as they needed to in order to really make a statement.

As much as I enjoyed the new characters, I did find there were one too many conveniences and inconveniences to the plot that felt *so* forced, clearly to put the characters where they needed to be or not.

Also: can we please stop trying to make Kiara/JJ happen when Kiara is so clearly a lesbian? Lmao. I can’t.

Let me know if you’ve watched any of these and what are your thoughts on them!

olympic games readathon wrap-up!

Hello, friends!

This July, I took part in the Olympic Games Readathon & I was competing for Team Apollo. I had 9 books in my TBR, and I was able to complete 8, which I think is a good enough result. Here are all the books I read and my ratings for them:

 

APOLLO’S PROMPTS

Music to my ear: Listen to an audiobook.

★★★★☆

I am happy to report the Ace of Spades audiobook is actually amazing – and so is the novel. The hype around this one was big, but it for sure lived up to it. While I started the book liking Chiamaka the most – she’s the perfect queen bee and has major Blair Waldorf vibes -, Devon quickly grew on me. Both of these characters have very different backgrounds and perspectives, but I loved the development of their friendship. This book tackles a lot of significant issues of white supremacy and instutionalized racism, and both characters are also queer. I did think some things towards the end felt a bit too convenient and rushed, though, and I would’ve liked a proper conclusion to some plotlines.

Read a graphic novel.

★★★★☆

I picked up the third volume of Fence and I have to say, this is probably my least-favorite so far. Don’t get me wrong: it’s still good, but I feel like some things were just wayyy too convenient and they could’ve been dealt with better. Like, I don’t mind watching some characters lose if it makes sense for the plot, and I feel like in an attempt to make everyone happy, they ended up sacrificing realism. I still am invested and I hope to see the Harvard/Aiden ship sail soon!

 

 

As the god of the prophecy, Apollo can predict the future. Read a 5-star prediction.

★★★☆☆

I was very excited to read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, but unfortunately, it didn’t end up being a 5 star read. I think the book had an interesting concept, but I was far more interested in the sci-fi elements and learning the history behind Carl, than April May’s endeavours with fame. I also didn’t think the cast of side characters was that interesting and I didn’t care much for them. I’d still consider reading the sequel, though, especially because there really aren’t that many answers by the end of this one.

 

 

Apollo is considered one of the most beautiful gods. Read a book with a beautiful cover.

★★★☆☆

Winterwood has a beautiful cover and is such a good wintery read. I went into this one with the right expectations and found myself satisfied at the end. The journey is a bit predictable and the characters are quite surface-level, but nonetheless, it was a great story to read during winter. Shea Earnshaw’s writing is atmospheric and beautiful, and I really enjoyed the earth-witch powers she incorporates throughout the story.

 

 

Read a well known and well-liked book.

★★★★☆

I ended up re-reading The Bromance Book Club, by Lyssa Kay Adams. I realized in this re-read this book has a lot more issues than I remembered. Like, the miscommunication is off the roof, there’s *a lot* of childish walking-out-of-the-room-to-avoid-a-conversation and for a book that is trying to be feminist, it seems to have missed the first class of Feminism 101: all women are in fact, NOT, the same. Yet, the book is impossible to put down. The writing is so good, the dialogues are fantastic, I love both the protagonists and the side characters and I found that the author dealt with the conflict in a way that was realistic, and still romantic and exciting to read about. It’s not one I’d recommend to everyone, but I still enjoy it.

 

BONUS PROMPTS

CANOEING: a book that takes place on or near a body of water

★★★☆☆

Shipped is the perfect combination of The Unhoneymooners and The Hating Game and I did enjoy the romance for the most part. I wouldn’t say it’s as much hate to love, but more like mild-annoyance-to-love. I liked the backdrop of the cruise and the personal journey the protagonist goes through, in terms of being able to set work boundaries and standing up for herself. However, around the 80% mark, the author adds a subplot related to a side character being in an abusive relationship that was just so disconnected from the rest of the plot, as well as the tone from the book, that had been so fun and lighthearted. I didn’t think that was dealt with appropriately, which is why I ultimately settled for the 3 star rating.

 

CLIMBING WALL: the next book in a series

★★★★★

I absolutely did not expect to cry with Tower of Nero as much as I did. This book is fantastic: it was a satisfying conclusion to the series and had all the high stakes and good action sequences that Rick Riordan writes so well. I was so impressed by Apollo’s development and I do think that, along with his and Meg’s friendship, it is what makes the series worth reading. I also loved seeing how the other characters are doing and it made me very emotional to think this is the last novel I have to read from the Percy Jackson universe. I miss all of them already.

 

 

CAPTURE THE FLAG: one of your most anticipated releases

★★☆☆☆

While I was highly anticipating the conclusion to the Simon Snow trilogy, Any Way the Wind Blows turned out to be a disappointment. I loved reading about Simon and Baz and their relationship brings me life, it’s true. But so much happened in this book that just didn’t feel necessary at all. I hate how the author kept adding more characters and more plotlines instead of resolving the one thing that should’ve been resolved since the ending of book 1. And even when she does *that*, it feels half-assed and incomplete. It was so frustrating to waste time between books 2 and 3, with all these plotlines that don’t feel relevant and don’t really accomplish much, for the one plotline I actually wanted to read about be so rushed. As much as I like Simon and Baz as character, I’m very sad with what the series has become and would’ve honestly preferred had it never been a follow-up to Carry On.

Have you participated in the readathon? What books have you read recently that you really loved? And what is your latest book disappointment? Let’s chat in the comments!

five fictional friend groups i want to be a part of

Hello, friends!

To be honest, it’s been a while since I last sat down to blog. All the previous post had been scheduled for a while now and it’s a good feeling to sit down and finally draft a post. This one comes out the week I’m writing it, so it’s pretty up to date.

Recently, I’ve been enjoying my job winter break, but I still have uni classes to attend (virtually, of course). I’ve been watching a ton of NETFLIX (rewatching Julie and the Phantoms as I write this) and reading a lot too. Overall, it’s been a great week.

But that’s not what this post is about. I wanted to write about my favorite friend groups because that is something I always want to read more of. I *love* reading about friendships and watching iconic friends on screen too. Friendships > romance. It is what it is.

FIVE. KARINA’S FRIEND GROUP IN COUNTING DOWN WITH YOU

Ok, it is true that I didn’t love this book, but the friend group here is ICONIC.

These girls are so chaotic and so supportive of Karina the whole time. Sometimes, it’s almost overwhelming. I respect that so much, because I was definitely that friend back in high school: the one to be sending messages SENT US SCREENSHOTS every time one of their friends was trying to talk to a guy.

They were so hilarious and yet, also knew when to be serious and be there for their friend during the hard moments too. Basically: they’re the type of girl friend group I want to see more of.

FOUR. MEG AND LESTER, FROM TRIALS OF APOLLO

art by @limevines

They’re an icon, a legend and they’re the moment.

Look, Meg and Apollo (Lester) are the best part of this whole series. The combination of Meg’s sass and Lester’s cluelessness is a perfect entertainment recipe.

Also, their growth??? How much they grow to care and understand and love each other, and just be able to read each other’s thoughts every single time?

Ugh, I’m obsessed. I want to be them SO bad.

THREE. SLOANE’S FRIEND GROUP FROM THIS ADVENTURE ENDS

Imagine you just started at a new school and someone invites you to hang out with them and they already turn out to be the coolest friend group ever? Ugh, I wish.

I was obsessed with the friends dynamic from This Adventure Ends. The characters are all so unique and fleshed out on their own: Sloane being reluctant sharing her interests, Vera being charismatic and loud and so protective, and Gabe being the quiet one who loves fiercely. Aubrey, Frank and Remy were also equally iconic and brought great drama and A+ one-liners.

Not only that, but their dynamic as friends is exactly what I’d expect from teenagers and Emma Mills definitely nailed the realism in this one.

TWO. ALED AND FRANCES, FROM RADIO SILENCE

My two favorite people to exist. Or should I say my two favorite fictional characters. Cause, sadly, these two are not real.

Their friend group does expand throughout the book, but it all started out with them, after all.

Aled and Frances have the best platonic relationship I ever read. My heart aches with just how much these characters love each other. How much they can *see* through each other. How much they can be themselves around each other.

What I’d do to have a friend like that, seriously.

ONE. JULES’ FRIEND GROUP FROM FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN

This friend group gives me *major* On My Block vibes and if you know me at all, then you know how that makes me feel.

As much as I can say how much I love these other friendships I mentioned here, it hits different when you find a friend group you can *see* yourself in. And that’s who these people are: the chaotic, amazing and supportive Latinx friend group of my dreams.

Jules crafts a family for himself – a family that is not perfect (no family ever is), but that loves him through all things. Jordan, Rolie, Itzel, Lou, Piña: they’re all so freaking amazing and saying goodbye to them and realizing they weren’t an actual friend group I could hang out with anymore by the time I finished  the book made me actually tear up.

What is your favorite fictional friend group? If you could send apps to join, which one would you choose?