the spec set
Diversity, Fantasy, Fast-paced, Fiction, Illness, YA

The Spec Set by Taya Okerlund, ★★★★☆ 4 stars A Fast, Surprising And Explosive YA With Neuro-divergent Characters

The Spec Set is not your typical YA. It’s actually not your typical book at all – I’m not sure I can even place it! It’s a unique bird, a true genre bender. But if I had to find a couple of words to characterize The Spec Set, I would say… Fast, surprising… Explosive. Both literally and figuratively! It turned…

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the eleventh trade
Diversity, Fiction, Kidlit, Loved-it, Other-cultures, Society

A Book That Melted My Heart – The Eleventh Trade by Alyssa Hollingsworth Building A Future On A Broken Past, Healing Through Music And Community

My heart is so full right now. I’ve just closed the book, and my heart is both crying and singing in joy. It has been a while that a book has moved me so much. But The Eleventh Trade is one of a kind and I know it will remain in my heart forever. It’s one of those books you…

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battlestar suburbia
Diversity, Fast-paced, Fiction, Humor, Loved-it, Scifi

5 Reasons To Read Battlestar Suburbia by Chris McCrudden Hilarious and Smart – You'll Finish It Before You Notice And Laugh All the Way Through

There hasn’t been a review on my blog for so long! Just like a straight up review. Actually, let me check – there hasn’t been one for almost a month! But now you know – if I’m publishing one, it MUST be good. And with how much you’ve already seen me fangirl about this book.. You should know it’s amazing! Battlestar…

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feathered serpent dark heart of sky
Diversity, Edelweiss, Historical, Loved-it, Myths, Non-fiction, Other-cultures

[Myths] Mesoamerican Mythology Is Mighty Cool!! + 3 Reasons To Read It Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico by David Bowles

I’ve always been incredibly interested in the rarer myths – so you’re probably not surprised that I’m reviewing the lost myths of South America here. The truth is, because of historical bias, the media and many more factors (and the simple fact that not much actually remains of these cultures), we imagine them to have been ruthless, mysterious… unknowable. When…

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artificial condition
Diversity, Fiction, Humor, Loved-it, Rising star, Scifi

[Scifi] Episode 2: Murderbot Is Free, But Not Free From Caring Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Murderbot finally returns in Artificial Condition, and I’ve been impatiently waiting for it ever since I read the first installment. It’s by far the most exciting novella series I am following right now. I did not expect this direction! And I definitely approve. It was slow going at first and I wasn’t sure what was happening, took a little while to…

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sunday lunch club
Diversity, Fiction, Loved-it, NetGalley, Romance, Women's

[Slice of Life] Fall In Love With All The Characters, And They’re Diverse Too The Sunday Lunch Club by Juliet Ashton

I stayed up till 3 on a workday because I couldn’t unglue myself from my Kindle screen. Off this book. Then I proceeded to tell the whole soap-opera like plot of The Sunday Lunch Club to my boyfriend right before breakfast. In a roughly panicked, nearly screamy tone. With loads of hand flapping. Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★✬…

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have dog, will travel
Diversity, Essays, Illness, Loved-it, Memoirs, NetGalley, Non-fiction

[Nonfiction] Guide Dogs – Just The Freedom To Move, Or Also To Live And Love? Have Dog, Will Travel by Stephen Kuusisto

Have Dog, Will Travel by Stephen Kuusisto is an incredibly touching love song to dogs – not just guide dogs as a means for a person to be enabled, to experience so much more freedom, but simply the ever loving nature of these wonderful creatures and how they can transform a person’s life. You will not simply finish this book and…

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all systems red
Diversity, Fiction, Humor, Loved-it, Rising star, Scifi, Well known books

[Scifi+humour review] Ridiculously Introverted Murderbot vs Humanity – 1:0 All Systems Red by Martha Wells

I had heard all sorts of wonderful things about All Systems Red before I picked it up (I have a lot of Goodreads friends who know their stuff when it comes to sci-fi! Yes, I’m looking at you, Caro M.) Now I trust their recommendations even more, because this book is easily my best February read. 5 Reasons To Read…

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freshwater
Dark, Diversity, Edelweiss, Fiction, Illness, Loved-it, Magical realism, Other-cultures, Rising star, Women's

Mythological + #OwnVoices + Mental Health = Fascinating Novel!! Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

I cannot believe Freshwater is a debut novel. Akwaeke Emezi is a rising star, an incredible writer, and I hope to see many more masterpieces by her. Will I be re-reading this one? Oh, yeah – definitely. And you know what it means when I say I would reread a book. Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★★ 5 stars…

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heart berries
Diversity, Edelweiss, Essays, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Other-cultures, Rising star, Women's

One Of The Most Anticipated #OwnVoices Nonfiction Books Of 2018 Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot

It is a truly interesting experience, starting a book obliviously and only then realizing that the entirety of the publishing world is holding their breaths over its release. I requested Heart Berries ages ago, back when ARCs just surfaced, and tuned out of the circuits – only to remember it days before its publication date, and suddenly notice it everywhere. Which is great…

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creatures of will and temper
Diversity, Fantasy, Fiction, Loved-it, NetGalley, Retro, Society, Urban fantasy, Women's

Demons, Petticoats and Swords & 5 Reasons To Read This Creatures of Will and Temper by Molly Tanzer

This book has been ABSOLUTELY WOW and if we hang out, I’ve already told you countless times that you need to read it. If I haven’t? Well, YOU NEED TO READ IT. There. And now onto the reasons why! 5 Reasons To Read Creature of Will and Temper Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★★  5+++ stars   Essentially,…

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all day
Diversity, Loved-it, Memoirs, NetGalley, Non-fiction, Other-cultures, Society

All Day – Locked Up, Building Their Future… Unforgettable A Teacher's Account On Teens In Prison

Yet another perfect book – yet another review overdue. I have been sitting with this one for maybe a half a year, no kidding. It’s just hard to write a review for a book that moved me SO much… But I’m going to try. 5 Reasons To Read All Day: A Year of Love and Survival Teaching Incarcerated Kids at Rikers…

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international book blogger
Book blogging, Discussion, Diversity, NetGalley

So You’re An International Book Blogger? DON’T GIVE UP! You ARE Needed In The Book World

In light of the things that have been going on in the book world, I feel like international bloggers might feel horribly betrayed and unappreciated right now. We’ve seen our share of sad posts already (I will agree that I feel incredibly sad too because of what’s been going on), and we need to keep seeing those and putting them out…

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an unkindness of ghosts rivers solomon
Dark, Diversity, Edelweiss, Fiction, Illness, Loved-it, Other-cultures, Rising star, Scifi, Scifi month, Society, Women's

Genuine, Unapologetically Diverse And Absolutely Brilliant An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Shiver shiver, tremble tremble. I am not nervous about writing this review at all. I do not have any of my typical book was too good to write a review for it jumbles. Nope. Feeling at my most confident here. *escapes* Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★★  5+++ stars Can we just agree to make this book as…

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Diversity, Edelweiss, Fiction, Illness, Other-cultures, Society

An Endearing Story About Loneliness, Illness And… Cake Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

If you’re looking for a book to warm up your heart on a cold winter evening, Sweet Bean Paste is the book for you. While being endearing and light, it also tackles important subjects of lifelong illness, alienation, loneliness and learning to accept your life. Without further ado, I give you my reasons to read Sweet Bean Paste. Check out on Goodreads…

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Central Station by Lavie Tidhar
Diversity, Edelweiss, Fiction, Other-cultures, Scifi, Scifi month

A Slice Of Life In Israeli Space City Filled With Robotniks Central Station by Lavie Tidhar

What is this? Evelina is giving you another 5 reasons to read something space related? What are all these reasons all about lately?? (*faints*) This time I’m going to talk about yet another non-American sci-fi. Enjoy! Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★✬☆  3.5 stars IT’S A SLICE OF LIFE, BUT THAT LIFE IS SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS LATER AND…

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it's just nerves Kelly Davio
Book tours, Diversity, Essays, Illness, Indie, Non-fiction, Society, Women's

Everything We Don’t Know About Ableism It's Just Nerves by Kelly Davio

Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★☆ 4 stars When I was offered the chance to review this nonfiction collection about disability, I just couldn’t say no. Bring on these topics. I gotta make dialogue about this. And I was not wrong to accept. It’s Just Nerves is a very short and sobering experience. It’s not my first…

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The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
Diversity, Fiction, Loved-it, Magical realism, NetGalley, Well known books, Women's

This Just In: Magical Alice Hoffman Still Writes Magically Or, Review of The Rules of Magic

Check out on Goodreads Get at Book Depository ★★★★✬  4.5 stars You might have been able to tell from my headline that I really love Alice Hoffman’s writing. I started this year by reading Faithful and was insta-fanned right away (Yes, I just invented that word.) I also read Practical Magic in preparation for reading The Rules of Magic, and although I could…

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