Buzzfeed Books 2021 Spring Reading Challenge

I love book challenges. I've been participating in the Goodreads Reading Challenge for the past few years. It's a simple reading challenge. You select a number of books that you would like to read for the year. This year, my goal was to read 100 books. I have surpassed this goal, and as of today, I have read 212 books. Some of these books are novellas, but I still count those. 

Another challenge that I decided to participate in is Buzzfeed Books' 2021 Spring Reading Challenge. I love the idea of having a seasonal reading challenge. I'm also a Buzzfeed and Buzzfeed Books fan, so I definitely needed to try this challenge. And I'm so glad that I did. 

A book set in a place on your bucket list

I read Merciless Hunter by Faith Summers. This is the fourth book in the Dark Syndicate series and is an enemies-to-lovers romance. The story takes place in California (specifically in San Francisco and L.A.) and Brazil.

The book is about a man named Aiden whose wife and son were killed. However, he finds out that his son was not actually killed, and his only goal in life now is to find his son and get revenge for the death of his wife. 

Olivia is a woman who is being held captive along with her mother by an evil man named Jude. Olivia is desperate to find out who she thought was dead for the last few years. Instead, she finds out that Jude is responsible for her brother's disappearance. Jude is holding her captive so that he can marry and get control of her father's company. Olivia decides to come up with a plan to get help from Aiden.

There were so many twists and turns in this book. I really enjoyed the story, and at times my heart broke for both of the main characters and some of the secondary characters. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

*If you decide to read this book and/or the entire series, please beware of some triggers.*

A genre you don't normally read

This was a tough prompt. I wasn't sure whether this book would count for this category since it falls under several genres. However, I'm going to count it towards this prompt.

I read Horizontal Parenting: How to Entertain Your Kid While Lying Down by Michelle Woo. Horizontal Parenting obviously falls under the genre of parenting and families, but it could also fall under comics/graphic novels as well as humor. I haven't read any parenting books in a long time, and I can't remember the last time I read a parenting book that falls under those three genres.

Horizontal Parenting was a cute book with some great ideas on games to play with your kids while lying down. The illustrations were great. Some of the games are silly, and there were a few that I actually may have to try. This book is perfect for all parents and would make a great gift for first-time parents.

*I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

A book published this year

I read Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo. I was so excited to read this book because it was compared to Elizabeth Acevedo's books. Let me tell you, this book did not disappoint. It was fantastic. It was so good.

Home Is Not a Country is a verse novel and a quick read. I could relate to a few things in this novel. The themes and details were interesting. 

The book is broken down into three parts. The first part is about Nima's life in the United States. She deals with hardships like bullying and trying to fit in. In the second part of the book, Nima enters a dream-like state or world. She deals with Yasmeen, the person she imagines she would be if her mother had given her that name and if her father hadn't died. There were times that my heart broke for Nima. In the third and final part of the book, Nima is back in her world. 

*I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

A book with a plant on the cover

I read Goldenrod by Maggie Smith. Goldenrod is a poetry collection about life. There were poems about divorce, parenting, love, and being alone. The poems were amazing and so powerful. I loved the metaphors and details.

*I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

A book that gives off "cottagecore" vibes

I felt so old when I read this prompt. I had no idea what in the world "cottagecore" even meant. But that's another story for another day.

I read Theron by Kali Hart. It's a very short "insta-love" romance. The story is about a woman named Isla who dreams of visiting Alaska in honor of her mother. They both wanted to visit Alaska, but unfortunately, Isla's mother passed away before they could go on the trip. Isla decides to sell almost all of her possessions and buys an SUV to make the trip. While she is just outside of town, her car breaks down, and she calls an old friend, Theron, for help. When they finally meet up, they are both immediately attracted to one another. As I said before, it's a short story, so I don't want to give too much away. 

A collection of poetry or short stories

I read Eating Salad Drunk by Gabe Henry. Eating Salad Drunk is a collection of haikus by various contributors. I loved that the haikus were supposed to be funny. There were a few that made me laugh out loud. The haikus focus on different topics like friends and family, food, modern romance, and entertainment. This was a quick read and took me about an hour to read. It's a great pick-me-up, and it's perfect for reading on a rainy day.

*I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Did you participate in Buzzfeed Books' 2021 Spring Reading Challenge? What other book challenges have you signed up for? What are you currently reading?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...