Bookish Auction for Lily Meade

Hi everyone! I hope you are doing well. I know, I know... it's been a while. I've been super busy with school and work, but I'm a little more active on Instagram, so go find me there. ;)

Today, I have something VERY important to share with you. There will be an auction from November 8th to November 15th: the Bookish Auction for Lily Meade! A bunch of people from the writing community came together to help a fellow writer who is struggling with housing. 

There are 239 items! Including signed books, query and manuscript critiques, book-inspired crafts, virtual coffee dates with your favorite authors, and so much more! Some of the participants are Laekan Zea Kemp, Victoria Schwab, Gabriela Martins, Laura Taylor Namey, Julian Winters, Eric Smith, among others.

Be sure to check all the items out! You can find the details here: Bookish Auction for Lily Meade. 

Let's keep reading!

9th Blog Anniversary!

Hey everyone! I hope you are doing great. Today is a very special day for us because we are celebrating our 9th blog anniversary. Thanks to my dear friend, Karlié, for this amazing illustration to celebrate We Read! You can follow them on Instagram: @kingcito_official.

This year, the celebration of our blogiversary feels bittersweet. Last week, on Friday, one of my dogs passed away the day after he was diagnosed with leukemia. It was a hard blow and I'm taking a little break. But I still wanted to write something for today, you know? Even if it's something short.

Nine years is something huge. Honestly, this blog has been a blessing in my life. It started as a hobby but it has become so much more, providing me with a lot of opportunities, like working in collaboration with publishers, being invited to moderate panels with authors, writing for magazines, writing a short story for an anthology, and so much more. Thanks to the blog, I've also had the opportunity to meet a lot of amazing people, including authors, fellow bloggers, and book lovers.

Here, in We Read, I've been sharing my love for books, my reviews, author's interviews, and it has been a wonderful experience. Exactly one year ago, my friend Andrea Carolina decided to join me in this book blogging journey and I'm glad to have her by my side.

We are thankful for your support throughout these years. Thanks for sticking around :) Let's keep reading!

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¡Hola! Espero que estén bien. Hoy es un día muy especial para nosotras porque estamos celebrando el noveno aniversario de nuestro blog. Gracias a mi queride amigue, Karlié, por esta increíble ilustración para celebrar We Read. Puedes seguirle en Instagram: @kingcito_official.

Este año, la celebración de nuestro aniversario del blog se siente agridulce. La semana pasada, el viernes, uno de mis perros falleció al día siguiente de que le diagnosticaran leucemia. Fue un golpe duro y me estoy tomando un pequeño descanso. Pero como quiera, quería escribir algo para hoy, aunque fuera algo corto. Nueve años es algo enorme. Sinceramente, este blog ha sido una bendición en mi vida. Comenzó como un pasatiempo, pero se ha convertido en mucho más, brindándome varias oportunidades, como trabajar en colaboración con casas publicadoras, ser invitada a moderar paneles con autores, escribir para revistas, escribir un cuento para una antología, entre muchas cosas más. Gracias al blog, también he tenido la oportunidad de conocer a mucha gente increíble, incluyendo autores, bloggers y amantes de libros.

Aquí, en We Read, he estado compartiendo mi amor por los libros, mis reseñas, entrevistas con autores y ha sido una experiencia maravillosa. Hace exactamente un año, mi amiga Andrea Carolina decidió unirse en esta aventura de bloguear sobre libros y estoy feliz de tenerla a mi lado. Estamos agradecidas con su apoyo a través de todos estos años. Gracias por estar aquí :) ¡Sigamos leyendo!

Pawcasso by Remy Lai {review + interview}

Hi everyone! I'm VERY excited to share with you a super cute and special book; Pawcasso by Remy Lai. I had the chance to read it back in March and today, it's finally the release day! Check out my review below and an interview with the author.

Book title: Pawcasso

Publication date: May 25, 2021

Author: Remy Lai

Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan)

Pages: 240

How I got the book: Sent for Review; the publisher provided me an eARC in exchange of my honest review.

Star rating:

Synopsis

Remy Lai, the award-winning creator of Pie in the Sky makes her middle-grade graphic novel debut, Pawcasso, about the unexpected friendship between the loneliest girl in class and the coolest canine in town.

"It's tail-wagging entertaining!" ―Kelly Yang, New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk

Every Saturday, Pawcasso trots into town with a basket, a shopping list, and cash in paw to buy groceries for his family. One day, he passes eleven-year-old Jo, peering out the window of her house, bored and lonely. Astonished by the sight of an adorable basket-toting dog on his own, Jo follows Pawcasso, and when she’s seen alongside him by a group of kids from her school, they mistake her for Pawcasso’s owner.

Excited to make new friends, Jo reluctantly hides the truth and agrees to let “her” dog model for an art class the kids attend. What could go wrong? But what starts as a Chihuahua-sized lie quickly grows Great Dane-sized when animal control receives complaints about a dog roaming the streets off-leash. With Pawcasso’s freedom at stake, is Jo willing to spill the truth and risk her new friendships?

"A beautifully drawn and delightful story bursting with art, books, and fun!" ―Maria Scrivan, New York Times bestselling author of Nat Enough and Forget Me Nat

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Review

This book is about a friendship between a girl, Jo, and an awesome dog. Pawcasso is super cute and friendly, and everyone in town loves him. Well, almost everyone; there's someone who isn't such a big dog fan... Although the real problem is related to using leash for dogs. Anyway, besides the beautiful friendship between Jo and Pawcasso, we also get to see the struggles and development of family relationships, and kindness within the community. The illustrations are beautifully well done, colorful, and fun! This is the first book I've read by Remy Lai but, it won't be the last one. It was so easy for me to fall in love with the story and the characters (and the illustrations, of course). I had a couple of laughs while reading this book but, there's also some teary moments. I love this book so much and I can't wait to share it with my cousin's daughter.

If PAWCASSO sounds like something you would enjoy, be sure to add it to you TBR!

Have you read it yet? Let me know so we can talk about it ;)

Remy Lai's interview

How was the creative process behind PAWCASSO and what inspired you to write it?

I was wracking my brain trying to come up with an idea for my third book when my editor suggested I write a dog book, since he knew that I loved dogs. And of course I had to write a story inspired by my dog, Poop Roller.

Who is your favorite character and why?

Pawcasso is the obvious choice, but I also love Kane. He’s so kind and easy going, and he reminds me of my good friend back in elementary school.

There are diverse characters in PAWCASSO and I love that. What can you tell us about the importance of representation in books?

I wanted kids from diverse backgrounds to see themselves in books that are not centered on the pain of being from marginalized groups. They deserve to have all the adventures too.

And just for fun, tell us 5 random facts about you.

1. Sometimes, I eat ice cream for breakfast.
2. I was in my high school’s track and field team.
3. I cry a lot during movies.
4. I like the Cheetos smell of my dog’s feet.
5. I am addicted to vacuuming with my Dyson.

This was so much fun! Thank you for your time, Remy! It was a pleasure having you on my blog.

More about the author

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Buy the book

Remy Lai studied fine arts, with a major in painting and drawing. She was born in Indonesia, grew up in Singapore, and currently lives in Brisbane, Australia, where she writes and draws stories for kids with her two dogs by her side. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed Pie in the Sky and Fly on the Wall. Follow Remy on Instagram @rrremylai. remylai.com

Summer in the City anthology from Lori Wilde, Priscilla Oliveras, and Sarah Skilton

Hi everyone! In case you missed it on Instagram, here's a quick life update: Last week, I finished my first year in the PhD! Also, this month I started working as an editorial assistant at the Puerto Rican Journal of Psychology. I'm really excited and really busy but, I'm loving it! Anyway, now I'm going to share with you an anthology that I'll be reading during the summer break.

Book title: Summer in the City

Release date: May 25, 2021

Author: Lori Wilde, Priscilla Oliveras and Sarah Skilton
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Publisher: Kensington

Pages: 304

Blurb

Each connected novella in this fun, fresh Rom-Com anthology follows a different woman from a group of NYC friends whose plans to escape the summer heat with a fabulous girls-only weekend suddenly lose steam when an unexpected blackout cuts off power to all of Manhattan. But while the lights are out, enemies become lovers, acquaintances find they have more in common than a pack of matches, and the city really heats up!

There's nothing like summer in Manhattan. The days are long and the nights are even longer. But when the lights go out in the city, fireworks explode... 

Night at the Museum by Lori Wilde

Art restorer Ria Preston knows a thing or two about beauty. And when she discovers her neighborhood crush, gregarious Wall Street advisor Vic Albright, is stuck overnight in the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her, she can't resist taking him on a very private tour...

Lights Out by Priscilla Oliveras

Back in high school, Vanessa Ríos and Mateo Garza were theater troupe rivals. Now Mateo’s a rising Broadway star and Vanessa’s his most scathing critic. Cue a plot twist straight out of central casting: the two end up alone in his New York City apartment during the blackout, setting the stage for what could be their second act romance . . .

Mind Games by Sarah Skilton

What happens in college stays in college--unless you never get over it. In fact, Alison has been waiting to take her revenge on Nick, once the hottest guy on campus, now the hottest guy on the rising magician's circuit. But her plans to sabotage his first show are upended by the power outage. That's when the real magic happens...

Kensington Sale Page | Amazon Universal | Barnes & Noble |

Apple | Kobo | Google

"A steamy trio of rom-com stories that is best savored slowly." -Kirkus Reviews

“The quick stories complement each other, while fulfilling their own narratives. Readers looking for short summer romances would do well to pick up this latest anthology.” -Library Journal 

About the Authors

Lori Wilde is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of nearly 100 works of romantic fiction. Her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than four million copies sold worldwide. She's a three-time Romance Writers of America RITA(R) finalist, a four-time RT Book Reviews' Readers' Choice Award-nominee, and the recipient of numerous other awards. A registered nurse, she holds a certificate in forensics and is also a certified yoga instructor. Lori is a fifth-generation Texan and lives with her husband in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World, where they run Epiphany Orchards, a writing/creativity retreat for the care and enrichment of the artistic soul. Visit her online at LoriWilde.com.

Priscilla Oliveras is a USA Today bestselling author and 2018 RWA(R) RITA(R) double finalist who writes contemporary romance with a Latinx flavor. Proud of her Puerto Rican-Mexican heritage, she strives to bring authenticity to her novels by sharing her Latinx culture with readers. Her work has garnered praise from O, The Oprah Magazine, Washington Post, New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, among others. Priscilla earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and now serves as adjunct faculty in the program while also teaching the online class Romance Writing for ed2go.

Find out more at prisoliveras.com or catch up with her on www.facebook.com/prisoliveras and Twitter and IG via @prisoliveras.

Sarah Skilton is the author of two critically acclaimed young adult novels, Bruised and High & Dry, and was a 2018 Edgar awards judge. For adults, she's written romantic comedies as well as a murder mystery, Club Deception, set in a fictional underground magic club. Writing with Sarvenaz Tash, she is the co-author of Ghosting: A Love Story, which Kirkus called, An energetic romance that would make Nora Ephron proud. Sarah lives in Los Angeles and can be found on Instagram @skiltongram or at SarahSkilton.com.