TBR Challenges for 2021

 As I reviewed my 2020 reads, I realized that I barely touched any of my TBR books, especially the ones that I already owned. So to help me with that, I am going to attempt the following reading challenges:

Blurb:

Bout of Books 30 Sign-Up

 

Yay! I'll be able to participate in this Bout of Books readathon! The winter one is easier for me to participate in since I am still on winter break. With my reading being not the greatest in the past, I really hope to start 2021 with a bang with my books. 

Don't know about Bout of Books? Here's some info:

2020 Wrap Up

As 2020 comes to an end, it's time to review how my reading went:

I have to say, I am actually pretty proud of myself. I surpassed my goal of 30 books; I read 38! Yes, the majority of the books were audiobooks but I still considerate it as reading. Also, 38 books is way more than what I read in 2018 and 2019. 

I used to read between 75-100 books in a year, but since becoming a special education teacher, it has been difficult for me to focus on reading or finding the time to read. I went from reading 75+ books down to barely 15 books in a year. So reading/listening to 38 books is a big accomplishment for me!

Also, I love looking through all the stats that Goodreads creates for their members. It really puts one's reading into perspective. 

 

Mini Reviews: 4 Holiday Stories

During Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I spent my time reading and listening some holiday books in between cooking and spending time with my husband. Here are the four books I read:

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Read by C.J. Critt

This was a surprise. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like it. The "bad" children (I can't remember their names) were absolutely terrible and the language that was used made my eyebrows raise. This was a children's book? However, as the story progressed, I was enthralled with the unfolding of the pagaent. I even loved how the bad children grew at the end of the story. It really was a Christmas miracle. I rate this 4 stars.

***********

The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith

Read by Various Artists

This story was told through a series of letters by three generations of women. The women recounted their life events during the time of Christmas.  Hardships and joyous moments were shared. I highly enjoyed listening to Birdie's letters but not so much her daughter's or granddaughter's.  I rate this 3 stars.

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Holiday by Candlelight by Laurel Greer

I am not much of a Harlequin book reader but when I heard that there was a romance holiday book with Hanukkah at its center, I needed to read it. Sadly, this was hardly a holiday book. It was more about a person dealing with PTSD and another person thinking that the first person was hot. I did like how the two main characters were honest with each other but I could not get into them as a couple. I found myself skimming through most of the pages. I only stuck with it to see how they were going to get their happy ending. I rate this book 2 stars.

**********

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto

Alright, I am biased. This is one of my favorite childhood books. I read it to my husband on Christmas Eve and I could not help but feel giddy the whole time I read it. Tamales are a big part of my life so I highly connected with this book when I was young. Plus, it was one of the very few books with Latino characters that was read to me at school. I give it 5 stars.

How about you? Do you read holiday books in December? 

Review: You Had Me at Hola

 By Alexis Daria

Leading Ladies do not end up on tabloid covers. 

After a messy public breakup, soap opera darling Jasmine Lin Rodriguez finds her face splashed across the tabloids. When she returns to her hometown of New York City to film the starring role in a bilingual romantic comedy for the number one streaming service in the country, Jasmine figures her new “Leading Lady Plan” should be easy enough to follow—until a casting shake-up pairs her with telenovela hunk Ashton Suárez.

Leading Ladies don’t need a man to be happy.

After his last telenovela character was killed off, Ashton is worried his career is dead as well. Joining this new cast as a last-minute addition will give him the chance to show off his acting chops to American audiences and ping the radar of Hollywood casting agents. To make it work, he’ll need to generate smoking-hot on-screen chemistry with Jasmine. Easier said than done, especially when a disastrous first impression smothers the embers of whatever sexual heat they might have had.

Leading Ladies do not rebound with their new costars.

With their careers on the line, Jasmine and Ashton agree to rehearse in private. But rehearsal leads to kissing, and kissing leads to a behind-the-scenes romance worthy of a soap opera. While their on-screen performance improves, the media spotlight on Jasmine soon threatens to destroy her new image and expose Ashton’s most closely guarded secret.

Goodreads

Audiobook Review: I am Still Here

 Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

Written and Read by Austin Channing Brown

Duration: 3 hours 54 minutes

From a leading voice on racial justice, an eye-opening account of growing up black, Christian, and female that exposes how white America’s love affair with “diversity” so often falls short of its ideals.

“Austin Channing Brown introduces herself as a master memoirist. This book will break open hearts and minds.” (Glennon Doyle, number one New York Times best-selling author of Untamed)

Austin Channing Brown's first encounter with a racialized America came at age seven, when she discovered her parents named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. Growing up in majority-white schools and churches, Austin writes, "I had to learn what it means to love blackness," a journey that led to a lifetime spent navigating America's racial divide as a writer, speaker, and expert helping organizations practice genuine inclusion.

In a time when nearly every institution (schools, churches, universities, businesses) claims to value diversity in its mission statement, Austin writes in breathtaking detail about her journey to self-worth and the pitfalls that kill our attempts at racial justice. Her stories bear witness to the complexity of America's social fabric - from black Cleveland neighborhoods to private schools in the middle-class suburbs, from prison walls to the boardrooms at majority-white organizations. For listeners who have engaged with America's legacy on race through the writing of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Michael Eric Dyson, I'm Still Here is an illuminating look at how white, middle-class Evangelicalism has participated in an era of rising racial hostility, inviting the listener to confront apathy, recognize God's ongoing work in the world, and discover how blackness - if we let it - can save us all.

Goodreads

Audiobook Review: As You Wish

Written and Read by Cary Elwes (with guest stars)

Duration: 7 hours 1 min

From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.

The Princess Bride has been a family favorite for close to three decades. Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and by the Writers Guild of America as one of the top 100 screenplays of all time, The Princess Bride will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.

Cary Elwes was inspired to share his memories and give fans an unprecedented look into the creation of the film while participating in the twenty-fifth anniversary cast reunion. In As You Wish he has created an enchanting experience; in addition to interviews with his fellow cast mates, there are plenty of set secrets and backstage stories.

With a foreword by Rob Reiner, As You Wish is a must-have for all fans of this beloved film.The full list of narrators includes: Cary Elwes, Christopher Guest, Carol Kane, Norman Lear, Rob Reiner, Chris Sarandon, Andy Scheinman, Wallace Shawn, Robin Wright, and Billy Crystal.

Goodreads

Review: The Princess Bride Deluxe Illustrated Edition

 By William Goldman

This tale of true love, high adventure, pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts, as depicted in the 1987 film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Fred Savage, Robin Wright, and others, is now available in a beautiful new package, with foil and embossing on the cover and an interior printed on elegant uncoated cream stock with rough-cut edges.

This keepsake edition also includes fifty full-page color illustrations by Michael Manomivibul, full-color chapter openers, and a gorgeous color map printed on the endpapers. A stunning package no fan will be able to resist!

Goodreads

HIS and HER Reviews: Life As We Knew It

By Susan Beth Pfeffer

Read by Emily Bauer

Duration: 8 hours 59 minutes

Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.

Goodreads

Bart's Books

During one of our food stops in Ojai, California, we found this gem of a bookstore: Bart's Books. I was immediately captivated by its uniqueness. The outside of the store had bookshelves filled with books on its walls. My hubby and I were a little stunned to see how available these books were to any passerby and were surprised to see how trusting the store was of its books. We had to go inside. And boy, were we delighted!

Bart's Books was pretty much an open air bookstore. There were bookcases and bookcases of books all around. There was either sheet metal or a piece of wood covering above the bookcases to protect the book from the elements. There were so many books that we, in fact, felt a bit overwhelmed. Every time we finished browsing down a row of books, we noticed that there was another row just around the corner. 

Little Free Library Adventures #13

 The hubby and I decided to take a much needed break in nature last week. While going in to the city to get food, we've encountered these gems (and a bookstore, which I'll post on another day):

Ojai

This cute LFL was next to the cafe we got our lunch from. I wonder if it stays outside like this, rain or shine. Or do they bring it in during the rain?

Audiobook: Paola Santiago and the River of Tears

By Tehlor Kay Mejia
Narrated by Frankie Corzo

Space-obsessed 12-year-old Paola Santiago and her two best friends, Emma and Dante, know the rule: Stay away from the river. It’s all they’ve heard since a schoolmate of theirs drowned a year ago. Pao is embarrassed to admit that she has been told to stay away for even longer than that, because her mother is constantly warning her about La Llorona, the wailing ghost woman who wanders the banks of the Gila at night, looking for young people to drag into its murky depths.

Hating her mother’s humiliating superstitions and knowing that she and her friends would never venture into the water, Pao organizes a meet-up to test out her new telescope near the Gila, since it’s the best stargazing spot. But when Emma never arrives and Pao sees a shadowy figure in the reeds, it seems like maybe her mom was right. . . .

Pao has always relied on hard science to make sense of the world, but to find her friend she will have to enter the world of her nightmares, which includes unnatural mist, mind-bending monsters, and relentless spirits controlled by a terrifying force that defies both logic and legend.

Goodreads

The Princess Bride Adventure Book Game

 

What can you do when you're trying to limit your contact with the outside world yet not go crazy at home during this pandemic? Why, play a board game! And not just any board game, The Princess Bride Adventure Book Game!

The hubby and I saw this while shopping and we knew we had to get it. We both highly enjoy movie and I had fun reading the original novel (the old version before the added chapter on Buttercup's Baby). Though this board game is based off the movie, I will still count it as a literary game since the movie was based off the book. :D

So what is this board game all about? 

It's a collaborative game that could be played by 1 to 4 players. Players have to work together to make the plot run smoothly between the six chapters (6 different board games together in a book) without getting interrupted by the sick grandson.

Review: Music to My Years

A Mixtape Memoir of Growing Up and Standing Up 

by Cristela Alonzo

In this memoir full of humor and heart, comedian, writer, and producer Cristela Alonzo shares personal stories of growing up as a first-generation Mexican-American in Texas and following her dreams to pursue a career in comedy.

When Cristela Alonzo and her family lived as squatters in an abandoned diner, they only had two luxuries: a television and a radio, which became her pop cultural touchstone and a guiding light.

Cristela shares her experiences and struggles of being a first-generation American, her dreams of becoming a comedian, and how it feels to be a creator in a world that often minimizes people of color and women. Her stories range from the ridiculous—like the time she made her own tap shoes out of bottle caps or how the theme song of The Golden Girls landed her in the principal’s office—to the sobering moments, like how she turned to stand-up comedy to grieve the heartbreaking loss of her mother and how, years later, she’s committed to giving back to the community that helped make her.

Each significant moment of the book relates to a song, and the resulting playlist is deeply moving, resonant, and unforgettable. Music to My Years will make you laugh, cry, and even inspire you to make a playlist of your own.

Goodreads

Audiobook Review: On the Come Up

 A little late on this review...but hey, better late than never. :)

By Angie Thomas

Read by Bahni Turpin

Duration: 11.7 hours

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill.

But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral…for all the wrong reasons.

Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it—she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.

Goodreads

Author Event: Made in Mexico

I participated in my first library online event this past Thursday. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the LA County Library is holding weekly events that showcase Latino authors and/or Latino people (i.e. chefs, teachers...). 

For their first event, they held an author talk with Luis I. Reyes, author of Made in Mexico. In his book, Reyes gave various facts of movies that were filmed in Mexico, which he presented in this online event. He talked about films like Titanic, The Magnificent Seven, Romancing the Stone, and The Night of the Iguana. 

My favorite part was when Reyes talked about the film, The Life of General Vida. It was a docufiction shot during the Mexican Revolution with Pancho Villa portraying himself. Sadly, this film was lost and only fragments of it still exist today.

Review: Gmorning, Gnight!

By Lin-Manuel Miranda

Illustrated by Jonny Sun

Good morning. Do NOT get stuck in the comments section of life today. Make, do, create the things. Let others tussle it out. Vamos!

Before he inspired the world with Hamilton and was catapulted to international fame, Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspiring his Twitter followers with words of encouragement at the beginning and end of each day. He wrote these original sayings, aphorisms, and poetry for himself as much as for others. But as Miranda’s audience grew, these messages took on a life on their own. Now Miranda has gathered the best of his daily greetings into a beautiful collection illustrated by acclaimed artist (and fellow Twitter favorite) Jonny Sun. Full of comfort and motivation, Gmorning, Gnight! is a touchstone for anyone who needs a quick lift.

Goodreads

#FitReaders2020: Aug. 24th-Sept. 11th

 

 

#FitReaders2020 is hosted by Felicia the Geeky Blogger and Jen from That's What I'm Talking About. 

It's been a while since I posted an update. It's hard (and sad) that I don't have much to share since my activities have slowed down tremendously. So many factors came into play: 1) I am working 10+ hours 6 days a week, 2) temperatures were in the high 90s and triple digits, and 3) the wildfires! We have such poor air quality because our poor forests are burning all over California. Despite all of this, I did find a few occasions to at least walk & hike:

Audiobook Review: Ghost Boys

By Jewel Parker Rhodes

Read by Miles Harvey

Duration: 2 hours 52 minutes

A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a police officer, drawing connections through history, from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes.Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better. Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation thats been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her fathers actions.Once again Jewell Parker Rhodes deftly weaves historical and socio-political layers into a gripping and poignant story about how children and families face the complexities of todays world, and how one boy grows to understand American blackness in the aftermath of his own death.

Goodreads

*Spoilers*

Audiobook Review: The Fire Keeper

 

Written by J.C. Cervantes

Read by Ozzie Rodriguez

Duration: 11 hours 17 minutes

Zane Obispo's new life on a beautiful secluded tropical island, complete with his family and closest friends, should be perfect. But he can't control his newfound fire skills yet (inherited from his father, the Maya god Hurakan); there's a painful rift between him and his dog ever since she became a hell hound; and he doesn't know what to do with his feelings for Brooks. One day he discovers that by writing the book about his misadventures with the Mayan gods, he unintentionally put other godborn children at risk. Unless Zane can find the godborns before the gods do, they will be killed. To make matters worse, Zane learns that Hurakan is scheduled to be executed. Zane knows he must rescue him, no matter the cost. Can he accomplish both tasks without the gods detecting him, or will he end up a permanent resident of the underworld?

In this cleverly plotted sequel to The Storm Runner, the gang is back together again with spirited new characters, sneaky gods, Aztec royalty, unlikely alliances, and secrets darker than Zane could ever have imagined. Secrets that will change him forever.

Goodreads

Independent Bookstore Day

 

If you like to support independent bookstores, then you're in luck! Today is Independent Bookstore Day!!!

This event was rescheduled from April to August 29th because of COVID-19. Not only are many local independent stores celebrating, but a lot of events are happening virtually. You can visit the event page to find all the different ways to celebrate the day. 

My plan was to attend a few virtual author discussions today, but due to work stress I only got 3 hours of sleep last night. I don't think I'll be able to focus much if I try attending a Zoom event. So instead, I plan to visit my local independent bookstore's websites and support them by buying a couple of books. 

Here are some of my local independent bookstores that I enjoy visiting:

First Line Fridays: Aug. 28th

 

This weekly meme is hosted by Hoarding Books.  Here's a book I listened to in April: 

Books from the Backlog #3

   

Books from the Backlog is hosted by Carol's Random Life in Books. It is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. 

 

This week's neglected book...

Review: Born a Crime

 

Stories from a South African Childhood

by Trevor Noah

The memoir of one man’s coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.

Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

Goodreads

Tuesday Release #1

I love watching Book Riot's "New Release Tuesdays" on YouTube. While watching, I wondered how I was able to look into other book releases and luckily, Goodreads has a page for that. Here's what I found

Books released August 25, 2020:

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

The Exiles tells the story of a young governess, Evangeline, who discharged and sent to prison once her pregnancy was discovered. She is then sentenced to be exiled in the colony of Australia. On this voyage, Evangeline meets Hazel, a young girl who was sentenced seven years of transport for stealing a silver spoon. Then she also meets Mathinna, an aboriginal who was forcibly relocated by white colonists. Though Australia is supposed to be a land of punishment, the three women find it as a place for a new beginning. 

#FitReaders: Aug. 10th-23rd

 

 

#FitReaders2020 is hosted by Felicia the Geeky Blogger and Jen from That's What I'm Talking About. 

I'm changing this up a bit. Instead of posting every Monday, I would post every other Monday that includes 2 weeks worth of activities. This is to help with my sanity while I get use to my new workload. 

Here's how it went:

Aug. 10th- 16th

NOTHING

Aug. 17th- 23rd

Nothing...yup

First Line Fridays: August 21st

 

This weekly meme is hosted by Hoarding Books.  Here's a book I listened to in April and enjoyed: 

Books from the Backlog #2

  

Books from the Backlog is hosted by Carol's Random Life in Books. It is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. 

 

This week's neglected book...

BRD Online Events

  

Yesterday was Bookstore Romance Day and I had so much fun! I didn't participate all day but I was able to check out a few independent bookstores around the U.S., learn about different authors and books, and attend two virtual author events. 

The first author event that I attended was...

It's Bookstore Romance Day!

 

Yes, it is Bookstore Romance Day! I just found out about this event last night and immediately got excited for it. 

So what is it all about?

Per their website: 

Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community.

This is the second year that this event is happening. The organization even has an official schedule of various online author talks. There are also other author event from independent stores that could be found on Evenbrite, which I will be attending later on today.

First Line Fridays: August 14th

 

This weekly meme is hosted by Hoarding Books.  Here's a book I listened to a few weeks ago and highly enjoyed: 

Books from the Backlog #1

 

I saw this weekly feature over at All the Book Blog Names Are Taken and I figured, why not? 

Books from the Backlog is hosted by Carol's Random Life in Books. It is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

 

This week's neglected book...

Yellow Moon by Jewell Parker Rhodes

#FitReaders: August 3rd- August 9th

 

#FitReaders2020 is hosted by Felicia the Geeky Blogger and Jen from That's What I'm Talking About. 

Here's how my week went:

Monday 8/03:  Took a break today and hydrated all day since we have had too many sun exposures and heat sensitivity this past week. 

Tuesday 8/04: 20 minutes of dumbbell workout.

Wednesday 8/05: 30 minutes of online belly dance class with Fahtiem; neighborhood walk--0.85 miles. 

• Belly dance classes On Demand from DanceGardenLA: https://www.dancegardenla.com/

Thursday 8/06: NOTHING

Friday 8/07: NOTHING

Saturday 8/08: Hiked 4.5 miles at Inspiration Point in the Angeles Forest. 

Little Free Library Adventures #11

 

My husband and I encountered a couple of new Little Free Libraries near us. I always like to take pictures of them to document the creativity of people. Plus, it makes me even more excited to check out the types of books each library has.

Here's the first library:

Graphic Novel Review: The One Hundred Nights of Hero

By Isabel Greenberg

In the tradition of The Arabian Nights, a beautifully illustrated tapestry of folk tales and myths about the secret legacy of female storytellers in an imagined medieval world.

In the Empire of Migdal Bavel, Cherry is married to Jerome, a wicked man who makes a diabolical wager with his friend Manfred: if Manfred can seduce Cherry in one hundred nights, he can have his castle--and Cherry.

But what Jerome doesn't know is that Cherry is in love with her maid Hero. The two women hatch a plan: Hero, a member of the League of Secret Story Tellers, will distract Manfred by regaling him with a mesmerizing tale each night for 100 nights, keeping him at bay. Those tales are beautifully depicted here, touching on themes of love and betrayal and loyalty and madness.

As intricate and richly imagined as the works of Chris Ware, and leavened with a dry wit that rivals Kate Beaton's in Hark! A Vagrant, Isabel Greenberg's One Hundred Nights of Hero will capture readers' hearts and minds, taking them through a magical medieval world.

Goodreads 

#FitReaders: July 27th- Aug. 2nd

 

#FitReaders2020 is hosted by Felicia the Geeky Blogger and Jen from That's What I'm Talking About. 

Here's how my fourth week of the challenge went:

Monday 7/27:  Did my own 15 minutes dumbbell workout; went on an evening neighborhood walk--1.52 miles; 10 minutes of salsa dancing. 

• Music for dumbbell workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6BOs1Ejpvw
• Salsa music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH8StTUCQNY&t=320s
  
  

Tuesday 7/28: Evening walk through the neighborhood--.60 miles (had to rush to get to my online class); belly dance online class with Fahtiem--1 hour (890 calories burned)

• Belly dance classes from DanceGardenLA: https://www.dancegardenla.com/

First Line Fridays: July 31st

This weekly meme is hosted by Hoarding Books.  Here's a book I listened to a few weeks ago and highly enjoyed: