Category: Diverse Books

Where Sleeping Girls Lie Book Review
Book Corner, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Mystery & Thriller, Own Voices, Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review: Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

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I became a die-hard fan of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ever since I picked up her debut novel, Ace of Spades a couple years ago and absolutely fell in love with the way she tells the story of queer, colored teens in the YA thriller/mystery genre. When I heard about her new book Where Sleeping Girls Lie earlier this year, I knew it would be a masterpiece just like her last novel.

And as it is in most cases, I was 100% right. 

Where Sleeping Girls Lie Book Review

Flawlessly intriguing, intense and riveting, Where Sleeping Girls Lie is not just another dark academia mystery–it’s a hauntingly beautiful story about girlhood and survival. 

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Book Review This Is How You Lose The Time War
Book Corner, Adult, Diverse Books, Home, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Book Review: This Is How You Lose The Time War

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It’s not often that I find myself at a loss for words when writing a book review, but there just isn’t enough vocabulary in the English language–or any human language for that matter–to do justice to This Is How You Lose The Time War. Although it’s a story about forbidden love and science-fiction and time travel, somehow, while reading this book, I had this distinct feeling that I would never again be the same. 

This Is How You Lose The Time War

One of the most swoon-worthy, enthralling, and heart-wrenchingly beautiful epic romances ever written, This Is How You Lose The Time War is a complex story about a forbidden love that literally withstands the tests of time.

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Book Review: Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin
Book Corner, Adult, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Reviews, Romance

Book Review: Much Ado About Nada By Uzma Jalaluddin

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The older I grow, the more appreciation I have for sweet and swooning romance novels, and Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin has everything that I could possibly love–inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, this is a Muslim love story about a second-chance romance with just the right amount of angst, sizzle, and sweetness.

That being said, Much Ado About Nada does come with certain shortcomings, and as much as I loved the story, there are some important criticisms that I could not overlook by the time I finished the book. Dive in for a more detailed review below.

Book Review: Much Ado About Nada
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Between Two Moons Blog Banner
Book Corner, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Own Voices, Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review: Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad

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To be honest, I don’t know where to begin with this book. It’s one of my favorite books of 2023, but I feel like no matter how succinct I try to be with my review, I will not be able to do it justice.

I’ve had Aisha Abdel Gawad’s debut novel, Between Two Moons, on my most anticipated summer releases list last year and finally got the chance to pick it up from the library a couple months ago. As someone who loves coming-of-age stories, I was super excited to see a book that featured not only Muslim main characters but an entire novel full of Muslim people and the Muslim community at large.

And I knew this book would break my heart, simply after reading the blurb. And yet, I couldn’t stop the tears when I reached the end of the story.

Between Two Moons Blog Banner

A gorgeous, and truly authentic story about what it means to grow up as Muslim teenagers struggling with identity and faith in a country where Islamophobia runs rampant, Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad is a shockingly realistic novel about family, girlhood, and the immigrant experience.

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Daughter Of The Moon Goddess
Book Corner, Diverse Books, Home, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult

Review: Daughter Of The Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

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I am the problem, it’s me.

For real though. Highly appropriate Taylor Swift references aside, Daughter Of The Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan is hit-or-miss; you’ll either love it or you won’t. And I…am not quite fond of it. That’s not an issue with the book itself, it’s just a very personal preference.

Sounds ambiguous? Here’s my explanation for those who care to read.

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The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann
Book Corner, Adult, Diverse Books, Historical Fiction, Home, Mental Health, Reviews

Review: The Literary Undoing Of Victoria Swann by Virginia Pye

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While I have sort of stopped reading historical fiction as I grew older, there have been a few rare gems that I do come across now and then. The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann by Virginia Pye is one such amazing book. A love letter to readers, writers, and librarians, The Literary Undoing Of Victoria Swann is an inspiring story about a woman who chooses to defy patriarchy with her written stories.

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Review The Dos And Donuts Of Love
Book Corner, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Own Voices, Reviews, Romance, Young Adult

Review: The Dos And Donuts Of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

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As a Bangladeshi woman who has never really seen her culture represented accurately in media or literature, I was beyond thrilled for the release of The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar! It was in fact, number one on my list of most anticipated summer book releases of 2023. The story follows Shireen Malik, a Bangladeshi teenager being raised in Ireland, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in a reality TV baking show.

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Book Review Song Of The Mango And Other New Myths by Vida Cruz-Borja
Book Corner, Adult, Diverse Books, Home, Own Voices, Retellings, Reviews, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Book Review: Song Of The Mango And Other New Myths by Vida Cruz-Borja

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If you have been here for a while, then you must know about my love for fairy tales, folklore and fantasy. When I picked up Song of the Mango And Other New Myths, I was expecting a collection of fantastical, whimsical stories rooted in Filipino folklore and mythology, that would sweep me off my feet and take me to places that could only exist in my imagination.

Book Cover Song Of The Mango And Other New Myths by Vida Cruz Borja

I got all of that and so. Much. More. 

At times enchanting and captivating, at times unnerving, Song of the Mango by Vida Cruz-Borja is an anthology like no other. With stories that openly and joyfully celebrate Filipino culture and heritage, Song of the Mango And Other New Myths is an epic collection of fantastical stories written with great, vivid imagery, along with elements of Filipino folklore as well as modern and contemporary themes. 

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I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn Book Review
Book Corner, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Reviews, Romance, Young Adult

Book Review: I Love You So Mochi By Sarah Kuhn

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Since I seemed to have found a strange sort of obsession with fluffy teen romances in my mid-20s, I have been reading more and more Young Adult Romance novels. And this year, I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn really hit the sweet spot for me!

I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn Book Review

An absolute sweet treat, I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn is a delightful, heartfelt story about discovering your identity, reconnecting with your roots, mending bridges between your family members, and finding love along the way. 

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