Tag: diverse books

8 Things I Loved About Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad
Book Corner, Discussion Posts, Home, Other Bookish Stuff

8 Things I Loved About Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad

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I have been thinking a lot about Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad lately, especially given that we are entering 9 months of a genocide that is being broadcasted live but NOTHING is being done to bring it to an end. I want to write a thoughtful piece that can explain why the world is so eager to dehumanize us, but I cannot seem to find the words.

But Aisha Abdel Gawad did. In her debut novel, an unforgettable coming-of-age story about what is like to grow up as an immigrant Muslim girl, she captures the realities of Arab and Muslim communities in the most authentic ways. If you haven’t already picked up this book, here are some reasons why you should read Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad.

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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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A Tempest Of Tea
Book Corner, Home, Reviews, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult

Book Review: A Tempest Of Tea (Blood and Tea#1) by Hafsah Faizal

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One of my favorite things about fantasy novels is how it can serve as a medium to look closely at stories of colonization, and the impact of its damage that can be still felt today even after generations have passed. So of course when I heard about Hafsa Faizal’s A Tempest of Tea, I had it on my list of most anticipated books to read in 2024. 

Banner for A Tempest of Tea book review

I mean, it’s got everything that I absolutely adore. Fantasy heist? Check. A scathing criticism of colonization and white privilege? Check. Ragtag group of misfits who become each other’s found family? Check. A badass gunslinger? Check. Hot, artistic vampires? Also, check.

With all that said, you’d think I’d be in love by now, right? Unfortunately, even though A Tempest of Tea was a fun, fast-paced novel with an intriguing plot, it just missed the mark for me, and I blame it mostly on the story being rushed too quickly. Here’s my full review.

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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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Bookish Goals for 2024
Book Corner, Other Bookish Stuff, Top 10 Tuesday

Bookish Goals For 2024: Read More Diverse Stories

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Happy Tuesday friends! This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is about our bookish goals for 2024 and for the first time in a long time…I am actually a bit unsure of what my reading resolutions should be.

Usually, I always have a TBR list for the new year prepared months in advance, and despite being a moody reader, I usually know what books I want to dive into. But in 2024, I kind of want to go with the flow and read stories that spark my interest from page 1.

So I guess this week, I won’t really be able to make a 10-point list of bookish goals for 2024 because I honestly still don’t know what I really want to read this year.

Bookish Goals for 2024
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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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The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Book Corner, Historical Fiction, Home, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult

Book Review: The Gilded Wolves By Roshani Chokshi

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This might be my first book review of The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi, but it is the second time I am reading the story. And once again, I find myself absolutely in love with the glamorous, dangerous world that Roshani Chokshi has created. 

Set in the 1890’s, during France’s Beautiful Era, The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi is a thrilling, fantasy heist story that deeply explores the gruesome exploitation of Western colonization and systematic racism. 

Book Review: The Gilded Wolves By Roshani Chokshi
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