Chiara's bookshelf: all en-US Thu, 24 Apr 2025 16:42:47 -0700 60 Chiara's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Here We Are Now 18336972
Julian asks if Taliah if she will drop everything and go with him to his hometown of Oak Falls, Indiana, to meet his father - her grandfather - who is nearing the end of his life. Taliah, torn between betraying her mother's trust and meeting the family she has never known, goes.

With her best friend Harlow by her side, Taliah embarks on a three-day journey to find out everything about her 'father' and her family. But Julian isn't the father Taliah always hoped for, and revelations about her mother's past are seriously shaking her foundation. Through all these new experiences, Taliah will have to find new ways to be true to herself, honoring her past and her future.]]> 290 Jasmine Warga 1444791788 Chiara 0 3.48 2017 Here We Are Now
author: Jasmine Warga
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, currently-reading
review:

]]> Girlmode: A Graphic Novel 199793359
Enter Mackenize Ishikawa. She’s the girl all girls want to be and all boys want to be with—and, Mackenzie has decided, Phoebe's new best friend. Mackenzie knows what it takes to survive and thrive as a girl in high school, most of all that no matter who Phoebe wants to be, or who she wants to date, she's going to need someone having her back.

Phoebe soon realizes what Mackenzie knows too well: Being true to yourself is going to mean breaking some hearts. But as Phoebe discovers what kind of girl she is—and what kind of girl everyone around her thinks she's supposed to be—she worries one of those hearts will be her own.]]> 224 Magdalene Visaggio 0063060663 Chiara 0 3.71 2024 Girlmode: A Graphic Novel
author: Magdalene Visaggio
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/23
date added: 2025/04/23
shelves: p, lgbtqia, lgbtqia-trans, young-adult
review:

]]> One of the Boys 213189587 Victoria Zeller Chiara 0 to-read 4.48 2025 One of the Boys
author: Victoria Zeller
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Lunar Boy: A Graphic Novel 196774351 For fans of The Witch Boy and Squished, Lunar Boy is a must-have heartwarming coming-of-age graphic novel about a young boy from the moon who discovers a home in the most unlikely places, from debut twin creators Jes and Cin Wibowo.

Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he doesn’t belong. He hasn’t since he and his adoptive mom disembarked from their spaceship—their home—to live on Earth with their new blended family. The kids at school think he’s weird, he has a crush on his pen pal who might not like him back, and his stepfamily doesn’t seem to know what to do with him. Worst of all, Indu can’t even talk to his mom about how he’s feeling because she’s so busy.

In a moment of loneliness, Indu calls out to the moon, begging them to take him back. And against all odds, the moon hears him and agrees to bring him home on the first day of the New Year. But as the promised day draws nearer, Indu finds friendship in unlikely places and discovers that home is more than where you come from. And when the moon calls again, Indu must decide: Is he willing to give up what he’s just found?]]> 240 Jacinta Wibowo 0063057603 Chiara 0 to-read 4.15 2024 Lunar Boy: A Graphic Novel
author: Jacinta Wibowo
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cosmoknights, Vol. 1 (Cosmoknights, #1)]]> 43419730 216 Hannah Templer 1603094547 Chiara 0 to-read 4.44 2019 Cosmoknights, Vol. 1 (Cosmoknights, #1)
author: Hannah Templer
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Portrait of a Shadow 179095438
Inez is missing, but missing things can always be found.

Mae knows this as a fact, even though the police investigation has come to a standstill, even though her parents are moving on. But when she goes to clear out her older sister’s studio, she finds a mess of research and a white canvas that seems even older than the ornate frame it is set in. The closer Mae gets to the canvas, the more difficult it is to pull her eyes away from its mottled surface, its heavy layers of white paint, its peeling top corner she is tempted to pull to see what’s beneath. But she doesn’t. Not yet.

Mae decides to trace her sister’s last steps in the hopes of finding answers, certain that Inez’s disappearance is related to the painting. And she knows she is desperate enough to let the strange boy who claims to have been Inez’s neighbor tag along. Even if his good looks don't help distract from his avoidance of her questions. So begins a scavenger hunt piecing together what they can find from what Inez left behind. One that leads to centuries-old questions best left unasked and secrets best kept in the dark.

From the author of A Guide to the Dark comes another tender horror story about the lengths we are willing to go for the truth and the ones we love.]]> 256 Meriam Metoui 1250863279 Chiara 2 2.94 2024 Portrait of a Shadow
author: Meriam Metoui
name: Chiara
average rating: 2.94
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/22
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, mystery-thriller, p, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Witch of Wild Things (Wild Magic #1)]]> 71872920
Sage Flores has been running from her family—and their “gifts”—ever since her younger sister Sky died. Eight years later, Sage reluctantly returns to her hometown. Like slipping into an old, comforting sweater, Sage takes back her job at Cranberry Rose Company and uses her ability to communicate with plants to discover unusual heritage specimens in the surrounding lands.

What should be a simple task is complicated by her partner in botany sleuthing: Tennessee Reyes. He broke her heart in high school, and she never fully recovered. Working together is reminding her of all their past tender, genuine moments—and new feelings for this mature sexy man are starting to take root in her heart.

With rare plants to find, a dead sister who keeps bringing her coffee, and another sister whose anger fills the sky with lightning, Sage doesn’t have time for romance. But being with Tenn is like standing in the middle of a field on the cusp of a summer thunderstorm—supercharged and inevitable.]]> 304 Raquel Vasquez Gilliland 0593548574 Chiara 0 to-read 3.68 2023 Witch of Wild Things (Wild Magic #1)
author: Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Millennium Snow, Vol. 3 (3) 18775112
Toya still can’t shake his blood aversion, even though Chiyuki would happily share hers with him, and the malnutrition is starting to take its toll. Chiyuki tries to supplement his diet with solid food, but that’s just barely enough to keep him alive. Can Chiyuki find a way to support her vampire when he refuses the help she knows he needs?]]> 200 Bisco Hatori 1421572443 Chiara 4 manga, read-own-physical 3.91 2013 Millennium Snow, Vol. 3 (3)
author: Bisco Hatori
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2017/01/18
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: manga, read-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience]]> 219223024 'Please read this joyful, tragic account of life in Gaza' MIRIAM MARGOLYES

'Transforms pain into poetry' RUPI KAUR

In early October 2023, Palestinian Plestia Alaqad was a recent graduate with dreams of becoming a successful journalist. By the end of November, her social media posts depicting daily life in Gaza, amid Israel's deadly invasion and bombardment, would profoundly move millions of people. She would be internationally known as the 'Eyes of Gaza'.

Written as a series of diary extracts, The Eyes of Gaza relates the horrors of her experiences while showcasing the indomitable spirit of the men, women and children who share her communities. From the epicentre of turmoil, while bombs rain around her and devastation grips her people, she is witness to their emotions, their gentle acts of quiet, necessary heroism, and the moments of unexpected tenderness and vulnerability amid the chaos.

Through the raw honesty and vulnerability of a normal 21-year-old woman trying to make her way through a human tragedy, The Eyes of Gaza is a potent reminder of the horrors of violence and a powerful testament to the human spirit. It recounts a harrowing experience, but it is not a heart-breaking lamentation. Rather, it is a deeply intimate love letter to a girl's demolished before her eyes, yes, but forever present in her heart.

'Left me both devastated and inspired' MACKLEMORE]]> 171 Plestia Alaqad 1035070286 Chiara 0 to-read 4.87 The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience
author: Plestia Alaqad
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.87
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Rewitched 207928193 Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark . . . but she hasn’t seen it in a while, either.

Balancing work at her beloved Lunar Books with protecting it from her toxic boss, who’s running it into the ground, and all the while concealing her witchcraft from the non-wicches around her � Belle is burnt out. Perfecting the potential of her magic is the last thing on her mind.

But when her 30th birthday brings a summons from her coven, and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle risks losing her magic forever. With the month of October to fix things, and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get � from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure, and even an (infuriatingly handsome) watchman who’s sworn to protect her . . .

With found family, slow burn romance and an uplifting message about self-love, this is the cosy, autumnal read that you've been waiting for.]]> 416 Lucy Jane Wood 1035045451 Chiara 3 3.96 2024 Rewitched
author: Lucy Jane Wood
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/18
date added: 2025/04/18
shelves:
review:
Very generous three tbh. It really needed tightening in the first 350 pages. And those last 50 felt very out of place.
]]> <![CDATA[Practical Rules for Cursed Witches]]> 205181255
Magic is in Delilah Bea’s blood. Her absentee father is the world’s most famous cursebreaker, while all the women in her family are fated to never find true love. So when Delilah graduates her magical training and must complete her Calling, she has the perfect task in mind—to break the Bea family curse.

But Delilah’s Calling is hijacked by Kieran Pelumbra, a member of the wealthiest and most powerful family in the country, and breaking his curse suddenly becomes her official assignment. Every generation, a pair of Pelumbra twins are doomed, with one twin draining the other of their life and magic. Each day, Kieran grows weaker while Briar gets closer to…something monstrous.

As Delilah and the twins set out on their quest, they quickly realize that breaking the Pelumbra curse isn’t going to be simple. For one, the Pelumbra family doesn’t actually want their curse broken—and they’ve sent hunters after them to ensure they fail. Secondly…it’s Briar. There’s just something about her that gets under Delilah’s skin and makes her want to kiss the perpetually grumpy look off her face. But with time running out for the twins and Delilah’s own curse getting in the way, they may not stand a chance of finding their Happily Ever After.]]> 432 Kayla Cottingham 0593813979 Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical 4.02 2024 Practical Rules for Cursed Witches
author: Kayla Cottingham
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms (Fae & Human Relations #1)]]> 213963911
Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores.

Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow humans. But when he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a dashing fae who has disliked him since childhood, the project seems destined to fail. Even after reaching a tentative truce, their fragile partnership crumbles due to malicious lies.

Adding to the disarray, a popular gossip column unexpectedly announces that Roger and Wyn are engaged. Obliged to go along with the falsehood to save their families from scandal, they are forced to reconcile their differences for the sake of the rubric � and for their impending marriage. As the project bleeds into their wedding plans, the pressure to flawlessly execute both mounts even higher.

Together, they have the chance to solve a crisis decades in the making � but they'll need more than magic to succeed.]]> 444 Sarah Wallace 1964556155 Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical 0.0 2024 Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms (Fae & Human Relations #1)
author: Sarah Wallace
name: Chiara
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> The Phoenix Keeper 137235443 Against an epic fantasy backdrop teeming with all your favorite magical beasts from dragons and unicorns to kelpies and krakens, The Phoenix Keeper combines the fierce joy of cozy fantasy kings TJ Klune and Travis Baldree with the soul-restoring romance of queer icons Alice Oseman and Casey McQuiston.

As head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures, Aila’s childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever. There’s just one glaring caveat: her zoo’s breeding program hasn’t functioned for a decade. When a tragic phoenix heist sabotages the flagship initiative at a neighboring zoo, Aila must prove her derelict facilities are fit to take the reins.

But saving an entire species from extinction requires more than stellar animal handling skills. Carnivorous water horses, tempestuous thunderhawks, mischievous dragons� Aila has no problem wrangling beasts. Inspiring zoo patrons? That’s another story. Mustering the courage to ask for help from the hotshot griffin keeper at the zoo’s most popular exhibit? Virtually impossible.

Especially when that hotshot griffin keeper happens to be her arch-rival from college: Luciana, an annoyingly brooding and insufferable know-it-all with the grace of a basilisk and the face of a goddess, who’s convinced that Aila’s beloved phoenix would serve their cause better as an active performer rather than a passive conservation exhibit.

With the world watching and the threat of poachers looming, Aila’s success isn’t only a matter of keeping her job: the future of a species depends on her.]]> 470 S.A. MacLean 1399616552 Chiara 0 m, tbr-own-physical 3.99 2024 The Phoenix Keeper
author: S.A. MacLean
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: m, tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, #1)]]> 59406549 Why save the world when you can have tea?

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city's most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

From the New York Times—bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.]]> 338 Hafsah Faizal 0374389403 Chiara 2 3.49 2024 A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, #1)
author: Hafsah Faizal
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/09
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves:
review:
Tbh I’m not even sure why I’m giving this two stars and not one
]]> <![CDATA[A Song for You and I: (A Graphic Novel)]]> 214269331 Being a ranger means adventure, action, and protecting the weak. But who protects the ranger when they lose their way? From the bestselling author of The Moth Keeper and the Tea Dragon Society comes a must read MG graphic novel for fans of soft sweeping fantasy romances.

Rowan knows exactly what they to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their trusted flying horse Kes. But when Rowan's eagerness to show off their worth gets Kes injured, Rowan is suddenly unsure if they're capable of being the protector they've always dreamed of becoming.

With Kes needing to heal, Rowan is assigned a slow and winding expedition across the outlying lands. Paired with a lackadasical sheep hearder Leone, Rowan only finds frustration as they seem to fail even the simplest tasks. But Leone's own struggles, and endless support brings a new possibility to Rowan. Could their unlikely friendship be something more? And if it is, will Rowan be able to leave Leone behind to pursue being a ranger once Kes is healed?]]> 240 K. O'Neill 0593182316 Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical 4.16 2025 A Song for You and I: (A Graphic Novel)
author: K. O'Neill
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gaza Weddings: A Novel (Hoopoe Fiction)]]> 34439611 Eloquent and lyrical, this is a novel of courage and determination, of living life against the odds.
]]> 155 Ibrahim Nasrallah 9774168445 Chiara 0 4.05 2004 Gaza Weddings: A Novel (Hoopoe Fiction)
author: Ibrahim Nasrallah
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: to-read, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Everything Grows in Jiddo's Garden]]> 221399274 32 Jenan Matari 162371611X Chiara 0 3.50 Everything Grows in Jiddo's Garden
author: Jenan Matari
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: to-read, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> Kamal's Key 218286681 44 Rifk Ebeid Chiara 0 4.17 Kamal's Key
author: Rifk Ebeid
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: to-read, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> Tidesong: A Graphic Novel 57094282 Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society, this is a magically heartwarming graphic novel about self-acceptance and friendship.

Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandmother pressure her to attend the Royal Magic Academy—the best magic school in the realm—even though her magic is shaky at best. To train for her entrance exams, Sophie is sent to relatives she’s never met.

Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan seem more interested in giving Sophie chores than in teaching her magic. Frustrated, Sophie attempts magic on her own, but the spell goes wrong, and she accidentally entangles her magic with the magic of a young water dragon named Lir.

Lir is trapped on land and can’t remember where he came from. Even so, he’s everything Sophie isn’t—beloved by Sophie’s family and skilled at magic. With his help, Sophie might just ace her entrance exams, but that means standing in the way of Lir’s attempts to regain his memories. Sophie knows what she’s doing is wrong, but without Lir’s help, can she prove herself?]]> 240 Wendy Xu 0062955799 Chiara 2 m, comics-or-graphic-novels Huge disappointment 3.89 2021 Tidesong: A Graphic Novel
author: Wendy Xu
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: m, comics-or-graphic-novels
review:
Huge disappointment
]]> <![CDATA[Wednesday: A Novelization of Season One]]> 211201472
Wednesday is a sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams� time as a student at Nevermore Academy. Follow along with her as she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago � all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore Academy. Relive the excitement and intrigue in this amazing novelization of the phenomenal first season.

Based on the characters created by Charles Addams.]]> 368 Tehlor Kay Mejia 0593896653 Chiara 3 4.22 2024 Wednesday: A Novelization of Season One
author: Tehlor Kay Mejia
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/30
date added: 2025/03/30
shelves: horror, read-own-physical, young-adult
review:

]]> Palestine +100 43590055 Palestine + 100 poses a question to twelve Palestinian writers: what might your country look like in the year 2048 � a century after the tragedies and trauma of what has come to be called the Nakba? How might this event � which, in 1948, saw the expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs from their homes � reach across a century of occupation, oppression, and political isolation, to shape the country and its people? Will a lasting peace finally have been reached, or will future technology only amplify the suffering and mistreatment of Palestinians?

Covering a range of approaches � from SF noir, to nightmarish dystopia, to high-tech farce � these stories use the blank canvas of the future to reimagine the Palestinian experience today. Along the way, we encounter drone swarms, digital uprisings, time-bending VR, peace treaties that span parallel universes, and even a Palestinian superhero, in probably the first anthology of science fiction from Palestine ever.

Translated from the Arabic by Raph Cormack, Mohamed Ghalaieny, Andrew Leber, Thoraya El-Rayyes, Yasmine Seale and Jonathan Wright.

WINNER of a PEN Translates Award 2018]]> 192 Basma Ghalayini 1910974447 Chiara 0 to-read 3.92 2019 Palestine +100
author: Basma Ghalayini
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Sunny At the End of the World 221320782

With Steph Bowe’s sad passing at the age of twenty-five, in 2020, we lost a truly wonderful author of three smart, funny YA novels. Her mother and sister discovered a manuscript on her the book you have in your hands. Steph was always wise beyond her years, with the power to access other worlds. Somehow, in Sunny at the End of the World, she predicted an ‘outbreak� much like the one that changed our world, after she was gone...With her trademark humour, endearing characters and brilliant storytelling, Steph Bowe has left us a novel that helps to make sense of the rapidly changing world we live in.


Steph Bowe was born in Melbourne in 1994. Her first YA novel, Girl Saves Boy, published in 2010, was aptly described by Rebecca Stead as ‘full of the absolute truth—life is complicated�. Steph went on to publish two further YA novels, All This Could End, which was longlisted for the 2014 Gold Inky Award, and Night Swimming, a Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notable Book in 2018, when it was also longlisted for a Sisters in Crime Davitt Award.


Sadly, Steph passed away on 20 January 2020, after a courageous battle with a rare form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She was twenty-five. The manuscript of her posthumous novel, Sunny at the End of the World, was discovered on her computer by Steph’s mother and sister.]]> 272 Steph Bowe 1922790761 Chiara 3 3.89 Sunny At the End of the World
author: Steph Bowe
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.89
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/23
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: aussie-nz-author, lgbtqia, lgbtqia-lesbian, read-own-physical, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)]]> 61654285 A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.]]> 315 Heather Fawcett 0356519120 Chiara 2 adult 3.98 2023 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/19
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: adult
review:
This was so mediocre I actually cannot
]]> <![CDATA[The Baby Dragon Cafe (The Baby Dragon, #1)]]> 220255041 The perfect cosy fantasy read for fans of Legends and Lattes and Pumpkin Spice Cafe!

When Saphira opened up her café for baby dragons and their humans, she wasn’t expecting it to be so difficult to keep the fires from burning. It turns out, young dragons are not the best magical animals to keep in a café, and replacing all that burnt furniture is costing Saphira more than she can afford from selling dragon-roasted coffee.

Aiden is a local gardener, and local heart-throb, more interested in his plants than actually spending time with his disobedient baby dragon. When Aiden walks into Saphira’s café, he has a genius idea � he'll ask Saphira to train his baby dragon, and he'll pay her enough to keep the café afloat.

Saphira knows her happy-go-lucky attitude isn’t Aiden’s cup of tea, but everywhere she goes, Aiden seems to follow. Has Saphira finally found the answer to the baby dragon cafe’s problems, and maybe a little love along the way, too?]]> 312 Aamna Qureshi 000872766X Chiara 2 3.26 2025 The Baby Dragon Cafe (The Baby Dragon, #1)
author: Aamna Qureshi
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/14
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: p, adult, read-own-physical, romance
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heavenly Tyrant (Iron Widow, #2)]]> 52934483
With political unrest and perilous forces aiming to undermine Zetian at every turn, can she enact positive changes as a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance?]]> 540 Xiran Jay Zhao Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical 3.89 2024 Heavenly Tyrant (Iron Widow, #2)
author: Xiran Jay Zhao
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> The Honey Witch 198677639 The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.

Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.

When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.]]> 349 Sydney J. Shields 0356522520 Chiara 2 3.49 2024 The Honey Witch
author: Sydney J. Shields
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/09
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, new-adult, read-own-physical, romance
review:
I don't even know why I'm giving this book two stars when there was so much wrong with this book
]]> <![CDATA[The Sea Cloak and Other Stories]]> 35899181 The Sea Cloak is a collection of 14 stories by the author, journalist, and women's rights campaigner, Nayrouz Qarmout. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a Syrian refugee camp, as well as her current life in Gaza, these stories stitch together a patchwork of different perspectives into what it means to be a woman in Palestine today.

Whether following the daily struggles of orphaned children fighting to survive in the rubble of recent bombardments, or mapping the complex, cultural tensions between different generations of refugees in wider Gazan society, these stories offer rare insights into one of the most talked about, but least understood cities in the Middle East.

Taken together, the collection affords us a local perspective on a global story, and it does so thanks to a cast of (predominantly female) characters whose vantage point is rooted, firmly, in that most cherished of things, the home.]]> 196 Nayrouz Qarmout Chiara 0 4.07 2017 The Sea Cloak and Other Stories
author: Nayrouz Qarmout
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves: to-read, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Thyme Travellers: An Anthology of Palestinian Speculative Fiction]]> 209239800 Thyme Travellers collects fourteen of the Palestinian diaspora's best voices in speculative fiction. Speculative fiction as a genre invites a reconfiguring of reality, and here each story is a portal into realms of history, folklore and futures.

A man stands on the shore waiting to commune with those who live in the ocean. Pilgrims stretch into the distance, passing a stone cairn with a mysterious light streaming from it. Two Australian women fervently dig a tunnel to Jerusalem. Men from Gaza swim in the sea until they drown, still unconcerned. A father and son struggle to connect over the AI scripts prompting their conversation.

Building on the work of trailblazing anthologies such as Reworlding Ramallah and Palestine +100, this volume is the first of its kind in Canada. Editor Sonia Sulaiman brings together stories by speculative fiction veterans and emerging writers from Australia to Egypt, Lebanon to Canada.]]> 160 Sonia Sulaiman 1773636944 Chiara 4 4.34 Thyme Travellers: An Anthology of Palestinian Speculative Fiction
author: Sonia Sulaiman
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.34
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/02
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, lgbtqia-trans, read-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[If I Must Die: Poetry and Prose]]> 221922743 “If I must die, let it bring hope, let it be a tale.�

This rich, elegiac compilation of work from the late Palestinian poet and professor, Refaat Alareer, brings together his marvelous poetry and deeply human writing about literature, teaching, politics, and family.

The renowned poet and literature professor Refaat Alareer was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City alongside his brother, sister, and nephews in December 2023. He was just forty-four years old, but had already established a worldwide reputation that was further enhanced when, in the wake of his death, the poem that gives this book its title became a global sensation. “If I Must Die� is included here, alongside Refaat’s other poetry.

Refaat wrote extensively about a range of teaching Shakespeare and the way Shylock could be appreciated by young Palestinian students; the horrors of living under repeated brutal assaults in Gaza, one of which, in 2014, killed another of his brothers; and the generosity of Palestinians to each other, fighting, in the face of it all, to be the one paying at the supermarket checkout.

Such pieces, some never before published, have been curated here by one of Refaat’s closest friends and collaborators. This collection forms a fitting testament to a remarkable writer, educator, and activist, one whose voice will not be silenced by death but will continue to assert the power of learning and humanism in the face of barbarity.]]> 248 Refaat Alareer 1682196224 Chiara 4 4.90 2024 If I Must Die: Poetry and Prose
author: Refaat Alareer
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.90
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/26
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, read-own-ebook
review:

]]> Noah's Law 9422253 338 Randa Abdel-Fattah 0330426184 Chiara 0 3.81 2010 Noah's Law
author: Randa Abdel-Fattah
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: aussie-nz-author, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> Gaza Unsilenced 34202592 322 Refaat Alareer 1682570231 Chiara 4 palestinian-stories-authors 4.44 2015 Gaza Unsilenced
author: Refaat Alareer
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> Desecrated Poppies 214519374
"Desecrated Poppies," written during the eclipse in April 2024 and in anticipation of the November 2024 elections, delves into the intersections of anti-trans and anti-Palestine politics, illustrating how they intertwine with fascism. Through essays and poetry, Yaffa navigates their experiences of these seemingly conflicting identities, both of which are weaponized to advance fascism. "Desecrated Poppies" also explores antidotes to fascism, with a particular focus on cultural work and the imperative to prioritize the most marginalized among us. A world beyond fascism exists, and we hold the pathway forward.]]> 166 Yaffa As Chiara 3 4.51 Desecrated Poppies
author: Yaffa As
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.51
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/18
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, lgbtqia-trans, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza]]> 61386468 Winner ofthe American Book Award,the Palestine Book Award and Arrowsmith Press's 2023Derek Walcott Poetry Prize

National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry Finalist

“Written from his native Gaza, Abu Toha’s accomplished debut contrasts scenes of political violence with natural beauty."—The New York Times

In this poetry debut Mosab Abu Toha writes about his life under siege in Gaza, first as a child, and then as a young father. A survivor of four brutal military attacks, he bears witness to a grinding cycle of destruction and assault, and yet, his poetry is inspired by a profound humanity.

These poems emerge directly from the experience of growing up and living in constant lockdown, and often under direct attack. Like Gaza itself, they are filled with rubble and the ever-present menace of surveillance drones policing a people unwelcome in their own land, and they are also suffused with the smell of tea, roses in bloom, and the view of the sea at sunset. Children are born, families continue traditions, students attend university, and libraries rise from the ruins as Palestinians go on about their lives, creating beauty and finding new ways to survive.

Accompanied by an in-depth interview (conducted by Ammiel Alcalay) in which Abu Toha discusses life in Gaza, his family origins, and how he came to poetry.

Praise for Things You May Find Hidden in My

“Mosab Abu Toha is an astonishingly gifted young poet from Gaza, almost a seer with his eloquent lyrical vernacular � His poems break my heart and awaken it, at the same time. I feel I have been waiting for his work all my life.”�Naomi Shihab Nye

“Though forged in the bleak landscape of Gaza, he conjures a radiance that echoes Miłosz and Kabir. These poems are like flowers that grow out of bomb craters and Mosab Abu Toha is an astonishing talent to celebrate.”—Mary Karr



"Mosab Abu Toha's Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear arrives with such refreshing clarity and voice amidst a sea of immobilizing self-consciousness. It is no great feat to say a complicated thing in a complicated way, but here is a poet who says it 'In Gaza, some of us cannot completely die.' Later, 'This is how we survived.' It’s remarkable. This is poetry of the highest order."�Kaveh Akbar]]> 130 Mosab Abu Toha 0872868885 Chiara 4 palestinian-stories-authors 4.74 2022 Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza
author: Mosab Abu Toha
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.74
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/12
date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> <![CDATA[They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl's Fight for Freedom]]> 156479423 A Palestinian activist jailed at sixteen after a confrontation with Israeli soldiers illuminates the daily struggles of life under occupation in this moving, deeply personal memoir.

“What would you do if you grew up seeing your home repeatedly raided? Your parents arrested? Your mother shot? Your uncle killed? Try, for just a moment, to imagine that this was your life. How would you want the world to react?�

Ahed Tamimi is a world-renowned Palestinian activist, born and raised in the small West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, which became a center of the resistance to Israeli occupation when an illegal, Jewish-only settlement blocked off its community spring. Tamimi came of age participating in nonviolent demonstrations against this action and the occupation at large. Her global renown reached an apex in December 2017, when, at sixteen years old, she was filmed slapping an Israeli soldier who refused to leave her front yard. The video went viral, and Tamimi was arrested.

But this is not just a story of activism or imprisonment. It is the human-scale story of an occupation that has riveted the world and shaped global politics, from a girl who grew up in the middle of it . Tamimi’s father was born in 1967, the year that Israel began its occupation of the West Bank and he grew up immersed in the resistance movement. One of Tamimi’s earliest memories is visiting him in prison, poking her toddler fingers through the fence to touch his hand. She herself would spend her seventeenth birthday behind bars. Living through this greatest test and heightened attacks on her village, Tamimi felt her resolve only deepen, in tension with her attempts to live the normal life of a daughter, sibling, friend, and student.

An essential addition to an important conversation, They Called Me a Lioness shows us what is at stake in this struggle and offers a fresh vision for resistance. With their unflinching, riveting storytelling, Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri shine a light on the humanity not just in occupied Palestine but also in the unsung lives of people struggling for freedom around the world.]]> 288 Ahed Tamimi 0593134591 Chiara 5 They Called Me a Lioness is a co-authored biography of Ahed Tamimi, a young Palestinian woman who was imprisoned at sixteen years of age for slapping a soldier of the zionist entity, who was fully armed and intimidating her family in front of her house, right after her cousin had been shot in the face by the soldier's team. For this "crime", Ahed spent eight months in a zionist entity prison, where she endured countless horrors.

They Called Me a Lioness is set in the West Bank, and details a lot of the restrictions and violence perpetrated against Palestinians living there. I found myself shaking my head numerous times throughout reading this book because just when you think you know the dark depths of the zionist entity, there is always something new to learn, a depravity you didn't know about before. The evil is truly never ending.

However, despite the levels of depravity the zionist entity unleashes upon Palestinians, the steadfastness and hope they have is something I can only admire. The weekly marches described in this book, the sisterhood Ahed found among the other "prisoners", the familial love and care, the deep roots of community and faith, the hope for a free Palestine, the unwavering belief that it will be seen - it is incredibly moving.

They Called Me a Lioness is told through the eyes of a child who has seen and experienced horrors that no child, no human, should ever experience, and truly opens your own eyes even wider to what is happening in Palestine and why the colonial apartheid zionist entity must be dismantled.

To be honest, I could go on and on about this book. How many more people should be reading it. How it affirms even more that international and humanitarian law are mere tools of colonial empires, not meant to protect anyone but to serve themselves. How it will further fuel your own desire to see a free Palestine. How it exposes more lies and atrocities of the zionist entity. How it will make you want to scream and cry, but that it will also fill you with love. Love for the cause, love for Palestine, and love for the Palestinian people.]]> 4.72 2022 They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl's Fight for Freedom
author: Ahed Tamimi
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.72
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/09
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, young-adult
review:
They Called Me a Lioness is a co-authored biography of Ahed Tamimi, a young Palestinian woman who was imprisoned at sixteen years of age for slapping a soldier of the zionist entity, who was fully armed and intimidating her family in front of her house, right after her cousin had been shot in the face by the soldier's team. For this "crime", Ahed spent eight months in a zionist entity prison, where she endured countless horrors.

They Called Me a Lioness is set in the West Bank, and details a lot of the restrictions and violence perpetrated against Palestinians living there. I found myself shaking my head numerous times throughout reading this book because just when you think you know the dark depths of the zionist entity, there is always something new to learn, a depravity you didn't know about before. The evil is truly never ending.

However, despite the levels of depravity the zionist entity unleashes upon Palestinians, the steadfastness and hope they have is something I can only admire. The weekly marches described in this book, the sisterhood Ahed found among the other "prisoners", the familial love and care, the deep roots of community and faith, the hope for a free Palestine, the unwavering belief that it will be seen - it is incredibly moving.

They Called Me a Lioness is told through the eyes of a child who has seen and experienced horrors that no child, no human, should ever experience, and truly opens your own eyes even wider to what is happening in Palestine and why the colonial apartheid zionist entity must be dismantled.

To be honest, I could go on and on about this book. How many more people should be reading it. How it affirms even more that international and humanitarian law are mere tools of colonial empires, not meant to protect anyone but to serve themselves. How it will further fuel your own desire to see a free Palestine. How it exposes more lies and atrocities of the zionist entity. How it will make you want to scream and cry, but that it will also fill you with love. Love for the cause, love for Palestine, and love for the Palestinian people.
]]> <![CDATA[Salt Houses (Thorndike Press Large Print Historical Fiction)]]> 35416278 547 Hala Alyan 1432843508 Chiara 4 Salt Houses is a multigenerational story about a Palestinian family, beginning in the 1960's and ending in 2014. The majority of the Yacoub family have chapters, and this made the bond between me and the family all the more deep.

The displacement the Yacoub family faced at the hands of the zionist entity, first during the Nakba, again during the Naksa, and the denial of the right of return is incredibly painful and saddening to read about. Those words really pale in comparison to how the continued displacement after the family had been forced out of Palestine tore at my heart. One character in particular lived through all of them and I just wanted her to be able to build a home and live in it forever. Palestinians should not be forced to leave their homes, their belongings, their memories, behind. It is cruel and unjust.

From the very first sentence of Salt Houses, I was completely drawn into the Yacoub's world. Alyan's writing is some of the most engaging that I have had the pleasure to read in quite a while. I found myself reading late into the night to see which family member was going to narrate the next chapter, and what new aspects of each character I was going to learn about.

One of the best elements of Salt Houses was the beautiful imperfection of all the characters. None of them are perfect, and none of them pretend to be. They fight, they let each other down, they make mistakes. But in the end they always come back together and to each other and that is another aspect of this family's, and this book's, beauty. The strong, unbreakable bonds between the characters.

Each chapter of Salt Houses was almost like its own story, but this didn't make it feel disjointed at all, because each chapter was a window into that character's person that the reader hadn't seen before. And you also learned more about the family members who'd narrated previously, which built upon their character and relationship development as well.

Salt Houses was an incredible book that highlights the resilience and strength of a Palestinian family, and is an absolute must read.

Our mutiny is remembering.
]]> 3.93 2017 Salt Houses (Thorndike Press Large Print Historical Fiction)
author: Hala Alyan
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/29
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, adult
review:
Salt Houses is a multigenerational story about a Palestinian family, beginning in the 1960's and ending in 2014. The majority of the Yacoub family have chapters, and this made the bond between me and the family all the more deep.

The displacement the Yacoub family faced at the hands of the zionist entity, first during the Nakba, again during the Naksa, and the denial of the right of return is incredibly painful and saddening to read about. Those words really pale in comparison to how the continued displacement after the family had been forced out of Palestine tore at my heart. One character in particular lived through all of them and I just wanted her to be able to build a home and live in it forever. Palestinians should not be forced to leave their homes, their belongings, their memories, behind. It is cruel and unjust.

From the very first sentence of Salt Houses, I was completely drawn into the Yacoub's world. Alyan's writing is some of the most engaging that I have had the pleasure to read in quite a while. I found myself reading late into the night to see which family member was going to narrate the next chapter, and what new aspects of each character I was going to learn about.

One of the best elements of Salt Houses was the beautiful imperfection of all the characters. None of them are perfect, and none of them pretend to be. They fight, they let each other down, they make mistakes. But in the end they always come back together and to each other and that is another aspect of this family's, and this book's, beauty. The strong, unbreakable bonds between the characters.

Each chapter of Salt Houses was almost like its own story, but this didn't make it feel disjointed at all, because each chapter was a window into that character's person that the reader hadn't seen before. And you also learned more about the family members who'd narrated previously, which built upon their character and relationship development as well.

Salt Houses was an incredible book that highlights the resilience and strength of a Palestinian family, and is an absolute must read.

Our mutiny is remembering.

]]> Blood Orange 201540959
The collection came quickly and relentlessly, drawn from the depths of the author's soul during a movement for a free Palestine and aligned with a solar eclipse. It beckons readers to re-evaluate what is perceived as immutable and to imagine pathways toward Utopia.

"Blood Orange"- the title an homage to the Yaffa Oranges (which were appropriated first by the British and subsequently by Israel) refers to the author themselves, their homeland and blood spilled in the name of settler colonialism.

This highly charged and cathartic body of work confronts the anguish and loss inflicted by genocide but also embraces a vision of a world free of it. The poems within "Blood Orange" were a means of working through and processing the grief caused by recent events and serve as an act of protest and defiance against settler colonialism as a whole.]]> 65 Yaffa As Chiara 4 Blood Orange is heartfelt to say the least. You can feel their pain at witnessing the genocide of her people, and the way people have tried to diminish the existence of Palestinians, the connection of Palestinians to their homeland, and their indigeneity.

she refuses

to look my

way, stating

again and again

there is no

such thing

as a

palestinian


There is also powerful resistance, the dream of a better world and a free Palestine, and the deepest love for Palestine within these poems. There is such beauty in this love and desire to be reconnected to their homeland at last.

Yaffa's critique of politics, the silence of so many, and the lack of humanity that has been shown is both visceral and a true reflection of life.

you drew a line

when you said

anyone blue

as if blue and red

are not siblings


Last but certainly not least is Yaffa's queerness and how it intersects with their Palestinian identity and her fight for liberation. Various poems touch on the line that we have all seen far too many times spouted from zionist mouths which I will not repeat here because it is not worth the effort.

In all honesty I was moved by every poem in this collection, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It both captures the pain of the genocide and reminds us that together we can create a better world, and of course a free Palestine.

for i am

Palestine and

she yearns for

me to taste

home
]]> 4.48 2023 Blood Orange
author: Yaffa As
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, lgbtqia-trans, palestinian-stories-authors
review:
The raw honesty of Yaffa's words throughout Blood Orange is heartfelt to say the least. You can feel their pain at witnessing the genocide of her people, and the way people have tried to diminish the existence of Palestinians, the connection of Palestinians to their homeland, and their indigeneity.

she refuses

to look my

way, stating

again and again

there is no

such thing

as a

palestinian


There is also powerful resistance, the dream of a better world and a free Palestine, and the deepest love for Palestine within these poems. There is such beauty in this love and desire to be reconnected to their homeland at last.

Yaffa's critique of politics, the silence of so many, and the lack of humanity that has been shown is both visceral and a true reflection of life.

you drew a line

when you said

anyone blue

as if blue and red

are not siblings


Last but certainly not least is Yaffa's queerness and how it intersects with their Palestinian identity and her fight for liberation. Various poems touch on the line that we have all seen far too many times spouted from zionist mouths which I will not repeat here because it is not worth the effort.

In all honesty I was moved by every poem in this collection, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It both captures the pain of the genocide and reminds us that together we can create a better world, and of course a free Palestine.

for i am

Palestine and

she yearns for

me to taste

home

]]> Farah Rocks Florida 58819501 145 Susan Muaddi Darraj 1666315230 Chiara 3 4.20 2021 Farah Rocks Florida
author: Susan Muaddi Darraj
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: kids-books, palestinian-stories-authors
review:
I missed Farah's family in this one but I did like that she learned more about her Palestinian heritage and culture!
]]> Farah Rocks New Beginnings 206763432 145 Susan Muaddi Darraj 1663912424 Chiara 3 - Farah saying that her Mum's car makes a sound every time she turns it on: the Hajjars getting a new secondhand car was a MAJOR plot point in the last book so this made no sense and the family only has one car so how can it be "Mum's car"?
- Farah saying that she didn't want other people's clothes from a clothing drive: in the last book Farah mentioned that most of her clothes come from yard sales so why does she suddenly care about wearing other people's clothes?
- Farah saying that she and Allie have matching Halloween costumes every year: I think it was book one where Farah said that she has to use Halloween costumes for two years in a row to save money AND in book two she said that last Halloween she'd dressed as a farmer with Samir and his friend Ana]]> 3.00 Farah Rocks New Beginnings
author: Susan Muaddi Darraj
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/09
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves:
review:
I didn’t rate this one as highly because it contradicted information that had been given in the previous books, such as:
- Farah saying that her Mum's car makes a sound every time she turns it on: the Hajjars getting a new secondhand car was a MAJOR plot point in the last book so this made no sense and the family only has one car so how can it be "Mum's car"?
- Farah saying that she didn't want other people's clothes from a clothing drive: in the last book Farah mentioned that most of her clothes come from yard sales so why does she suddenly care about wearing other people's clothes?
- Farah saying that she and Allie have matching Halloween costumes every year: I think it was book one where Farah said that she has to use Halloween costumes for two years in a row to save money AND in book two she said that last Halloween she'd dressed as a farmer with Samir and his friend Ana
]]> <![CDATA[Farah Rocks Summer Break (Farah Rocks, #2)]]> 50552376 144 Susan Muaddi Darraj 149658340X Chiara 4 4.59 Farah Rocks Summer Break (Farah Rocks, #2)
author: Susan Muaddi Darraj
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.59
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: kids-books, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> Farah Rocks Fifth Grade 55584429 102 Susan Muaddi Darraj 1515875032 Chiara 4 4.40 2020 Farah Rocks Fifth Grade
author: Susan Muaddi Darraj
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/07
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, kids-books
review:
3.5 maybe rounded up but it was really good!
]]> Inara: Light of Utopia 211437723 Inara: Light of Utopia is a groundbreaking anthology that unites the voices of queer and trans Palestinians from around the world, each contributing to a vibrant mosaic set in a liberated Falasteen. This collection melds poetry, short stories, essays, visual art, and photography into a singular vision of freedom, love, and belonging. Within its pages lies a reimagined world, where the streets of historic cities resonate with the joyous laughter of those long silenced. "Inara" is not just a book; it's a beacon of hope, a celebration of identity, and a defiant cry for freedom. It invites readers into a utopia crafted from dreams of liberation, showcasing the resilience and beauty of the Palestinian queer and trans community. Join us in exploring a Falasteen reborn, where every voice sings of a future unbound.]]> 282 Yaffa As Chiara 0 4.71 Inara: Light of Utopia
author: Yaffa As
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.71
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/02/07
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, lgbtqia-trans, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> That Devil, Ambition 202014720 From Lambda Literary Award finalist Linsey Millercomes this thrilling stand-alone fantasy about the lengths we'll go to get ahead—an incredibly fresh, twisty love letter to dark academia...with a body count.

Perfect for fans of A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid, Gallant by V. E. Schwab, and All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and C. L. Herman.

There is only one school worth graduating from, and it creates as many magicians as it does graves�

First in his class and last in his noble line, Fabian Galloway’s only hope of a good future is passing his elite school's honors class. It’s only offered to the best thirteen students, and those students have a single assignment: kill their professor.

If they succeed, their student debt is forgiven. However, if an assassination attempt fails or the professor is alive at the end of the year, the students� lives are forfeit.

And dealing with the professor, a devil summoned solely to kill or be killed, is no easy task.

Fabian isn't worried, though. He trusts his best friends—softhearted math genius Credence and absent-minded but insightful Euphemia—to help. After all, that’s why he befriended them.

As the months pass and their professor remains impossibly alive, the trio must use every asset they have to survive. Or else failure will be on their academic records—and their tombstones—forever.]]> 384 Linsey Miller Chiara 0 preordered 4.32 2025 That Devil, Ambition
author: Linsey Miller
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves: preordered
review:

]]> Thorn (Dauntless Path, #1) 51265989 A princess with two futures. A destiny all her own.

Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future.

When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.

But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever.

With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for.

Includes The Bone Knife, a bonus short story set in the world of Thorn.]]> 512 Intisar Khanani 0062835734 Chiara 0 p, tbr-at-library 4.01 2012 Thorn (Dauntless Path, #1)
author: Intisar Khanani
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: p, tbr-at-library
review:

]]> I'm Not Really Here 212928283 A wonderful coming-of-age queer romance from the multi award-winning author of The Boy from the Mish. Jonah is the new kid in a country town. When he joins the local footy team to be closer to his crush, Harley, it feels like a fresh start � but he still has to navigate new friendships, an unresolved past, and the same body image issues he's always had.

Footsteps approach behind me. I turn and see an Aboriginal boy arriving at the doorway. He's tall, taller than me. He's got curly hair. His body is fit. His chest is chiselled and bare and he's wearing only football shorts.

When 17-year-old Jonah arrives in a new town � Patience � with his dad and younger brothers, it feels like a foreign place. A new town means he needs to make new friends - which isn't always easy. Especially when he's wrestling with his body image, and his memories of his mother.

When he joins the local footy team so he can spend more time with his new crush, Harley, he feels like he's moving closer to something good. But even though he knows what he wants, it doesn't mean he's ready.

Emotionally compelling, honest and featuring warm and authentically vulnerable characters, I'm Not Really Here is a beautiful novel from an internationally acclaimed bestselling Indigenous author about navigating family and friendships, and finding a way through grief towards love.

Praise for Gary Lonesborough

'What a revelation this young writer is. He is doing something no other male First Nations novelist has the YA Blak queer genre that is a glimpse into another world view, at once confronting yet heartwarming.' - AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEW [We Didn't Think it Through]

'A lightning bolt to the soul. The Boy from the Mish announces a bold, necessary new talent.' WILL KOSTAKIS]]> 376 Gary Lonesborough 1761189670 Chiara 0 tbr-at-library 4.04 I'm Not Really Here
author: Gary Lonesborough
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.04
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: tbr-at-library
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire]]> 62229179
Gaza, home to two million people, continues to face suffocating conditions imposed by Israel. This distinctive anthology imagines what the future of Gaza could be, while reaffirming the critical role of Gaza in Palestinian identity, history, and struggle for liberation.

Light in Gaza is a seminal, moving and wide-ranging anthology of Palestinian writers and artists. It constitutes a collective effort to organize and center Palestinian voices in the ongoing struggle. As political discourse shifts toward futurism as a means of reimagining a better way of living, beyond the violence and limitations of colonialism, Light in Gaza is an urgent and powerful intervention into an important political moment.]]> 280 Jehad Abusalim 1642597252 Chiara 0 4.55 2022 Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire
author: Jehad Abusalim
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, tbr-own-ebook
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine]]> 22710348
These stories are acts of resistance and defiance, proclaiming the endurance of Palestinians and the continuing resilience and creativity of their culture in the face of ongoing obstacles and attempts to silence them.

Whether tackling the tragedy that surrounds missile strikes and home raids, or the everyday indignities encountered by Palestinian refugees, Gaza Writes Back brings to life the real issues that the people of Gaza face. One prominent theme in many of the stories is the value placed on the wisdom of parents and grandparents. A sense of longing pervades the book, as the characters in the stories reveal desires ranging from the mundane to the complex—including, in several of the stories, a strong yearning to return to the characters� long-cherished family homes and properties after many decades in exile from them. Social differences within Gaza are also sensitively explored. A few stories are especially difficult—but critical—to digest , for the vividness with which they depict the experiences of victims of Israeli military strikes and confront the legacy of violence and occupation, particularly on young people.

Readers will be moved by the struggles big and small that emerge from the well-crafted writing by these young people, and by the hope and courage that radiates from the authors� biographies. The contributors are university students and recent graduates, Palestinians who have chosen to speak out in their second language, which is an “expressive way to be more creative in a world where words are significantly mighty,� according to Tasnim Hamouda. Another contributor, Nour El Borno, believes “that if a person can write effectively, it is his or her duty to get up, write, and help change this world to something better.�

Five years after Operation Cast Lead, these stories remind us that the pain lingers on and the people of Gaza will be forever scarred by the attack. Yet, the call for justice remains forceful and persistent, and these young Gazan writers refuse to let the world forget about them—their land, their people, and their story.]]> 210 Refaat Alareer 1935982435 Chiara 5 4.52 2014 Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine
author: Refaat Alareer
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/03
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, young-adult
review:

]]> Rifqa 57653182 Rifqa is Mohammed El-Kurd’s debut collection of poetry, written in the tradition of Ghassan Kanfani’s Palestinian Resistance Literature. The book narrates the author’s own experience of dispossession in Sheikh Jarrah—an infamous neighborhood in Jerusalem, Palestine, whose population of refugees continues to live on the brink of homelessness at the hands of the Israeli government and US-based settler organizations. The book, named after the author’s late grandmother who was forced to flee from Haifa upon the genocidal establishment of Israel, makes the observation that home takeovers and demolitions across historical Palestine are not reminiscent of 1948 Nakba, but are in fact a continuation of it: a legalized, ideologically-driven practice of ethnic cleansing.]]> 100 Mohammed El-Kurd 1642595861 Chiara 0 4.65 2021 Rifqa
author: Mohammed El-Kurd
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.65
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> <![CDATA[You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! (Scholastic Gold)]]> 37822657
A big fantasy reader, Jilly connects with another fan, Derek, who is a Deaf Black ASL user. She goes to Derek for advice but doesn't always know the best way to ask for it and makes some mistakes along the way. Jilly has to step back to learn to be an ally, a sister, and a friend, understanding that life works in different ways for different people, and that being open to change can make you change in the best possible ways.]]> 256 Alex Gino 0545956242 Chiara 4 kids-books 4.01 2018 You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! (Scholastic Gold)
author: Alex Gino
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/31
date added: 2025/01/31
shelves: kids-books
review:

]]> The Invisible Wild 218372411 An epic adventure steeped in Hawaiian lore, this enchanting novel explores the connection between our world and that of the spirits of the wood, from bestselling author Nikki Van De Car.

The indigenous people of Hawaiʻi are known as kanaka maoli, “true people.� In the third century, they sailed over 2,000 miles across untraveled seas, traveling from the Marquesas to the most remote island chain in the world. According to legend, however, the true kanaka maoli were already there. They were two to three feet tall, squat and strong, good and kind, and bothered no one without cause—they were the Menehune. When the Hawaiians came, the menehune chieftains feared the changes they brought. So, on the night of a full moon, they called all men and their firstborn sons and ordered them to leave Hawai’i. Some refused and, instead, hid behind to remain with their families. In the early 1800s, Kauai chief Kaumaualiʻi took a census of his people—and 65 of his 2,000 subjects were all that remained of the original people of Hawai’i.

Flash forward to sixteen-year-old Emma is out running errands when she comes across a boy from Hilo living in the woods, saying things that do not make sense. It’s here, in these woods, that Emma has memories of finding a space between “the worlds� as a child. She soon realizes this boy has accessed the place shelost, as well as the people, the Menehune. She helps him hideuntil whatever spell has been cast over him is broken. Together, Emma and the Hilo boy have to figure out what the Menehune want before it’s too late to save the only home any of them have known. ]]> 240 Nikki Van De Car 0762487062 Chiara 0 to-read 4.35 The Invisible Wild
author: Nikki Van De Car
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.35
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> ó 217421173 In this Latinx YA fantasy inspired by El Zorro, Lola de La Peña becomes the masked heroine ó in order to save her family and town from a man who would destroy it for the magic it contains...if she doesn't fall in love with one of his men first.

Lola de La Peña yearns to be free from the societal expectations of a young Mexican lady of her station. She spends her days pretending to be delicate and proper while watching her mamá cure the sick and injured with sal negra (black salt), a recently discovered magic that heals even the most mortal of sicknesses and wounds. But by night, she is ó, the free-spirit lady vigilante protecting the town of Coloma from those who threaten its peace and safety among the rising tension in Alta California after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

But one night, a woman races into Coloma, barely alive, to tell the horrifying tale of how her town was obliterated by sal roja, a potent, deadly magic capable of obliterating anything it comes into contact with and the man who wields it: Damien Hernández. And when Hernández arrives the next day with a party of fifty strong and promises of returning Alta California to México, Lola knows it’s only a matter of time before he brings the region under his rule—all Hernández needs is the next full moon and the stolen, ancient amulet he carries to mine enough sal roja to conquer the land. Determined to protect everything she loves, Lola races against time as ó to stop his plans. What she didn’t count on was the distracting and infuriating Alejandro, who travels with Hernández but doesn't seem to share his ambitions. With the stakes higher than ever and Hernández getting closer to his goals, Lola will do anything to foil his plans, even teaming up with Alejandro—who she doesn’t fully trust, but can’t help but fall in love with.]]> 336 Sandra Proudman 1250895081 Chiara 0 to-read, p 3.77 2025 ó
author: Sandra Proudman
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: to-read, p
review:

]]> The Witch and the Vampire 60784554 Francesca Flores's The Witch and the Vampire is a queer Rapunzel retelling where a witch and a vampire who trust no one but themselves must journey together through a cursed forest with danger at every turn.

Ava and Kaye used to be best friends. Until one night two years ago, vampires broke through the magical barrier protecting their town, and in the ensuing attack, Kaye’s mother was killed, and Ava was turned into a vampire. Since then, Ava has been trapped in her house. Her mother Eugenia needs her: Ava still has her witch powers, and Eugenia must take them in order to hide that she's a vampire as well. Desperate to escape her confinement and stop her mother's plans to destroy the town, Ava must break out, flee to the forest, and seek help from the vampires who live there. When there is another attack, she sees her opportunity and escapes.

Kaye, now at the end of her training as a Flame witch, is ready to fulfill her duty of killing any vampires that threaten the town, including Ava. On the night that Ava escapes, Kaye follows her and convinces her to travel together into the forest, while secretly planning to turn her in. Ava agrees, hoping to rekindle their old friendship, and the romantic feelings she'd started to have for Kaye before that terrible night.

But with monstrous trees that devour humans whole, vampires who attack from above, and Ava’s stepfather tracking her, the woods are full of danger. As they travel deeper into the forest, Kaye questions everything she thought she knew. The two are each other's greatest threat—and also their only hope, if they want to make it through the forest unscathed.]]> 368 Francesca Flores 1250220513 Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical, lgbtqia, p 3.24 2023 The Witch and the Vampire
author: Francesca Flores
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.24
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: tbr-own-physical, lgbtqia, p
review:

]]> Best Hex Ever 204640549 A kitchen witch with a penchant for baking and a (literally) cursed love life meets someone who's worth breaking a hex for in this sweet and spicy debut romance.

As a skilled kitchen witch, Dina Whitlock knows her way around a pastry recipe. In fact, she runs her very own London café serving magic-infused pastries for her loyal customers. But only a select few friends know about her magical abilities or the hex that has plagued her love life. It’s hard to fall in love when your partner is guaranteed to have a string of bad luck the second they start to have feelings for you.

Scott Mason is back from traveling the world and is excited to begin his new job as a curator at the British Museum. After leaving London to heal from a brutal breakup two years ago, Scott only now realizes how much he missed out on. Now that his best friend’s wedding is right around the corner, Scott is determined to be the most amazing best man ever, but he doesn’t expect to be bewitched by the maid of honor, who also happens to be the owner of his new favorite café and, more surprisingly, a witch?!

After a weekend in the countryside full of peculiar hedge mazes, palm readings by candlelight, and a midnight Halloween ritual, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. But there’s just one problem: The hex still holds, and Dina knows that Scott is in danger. In the past, she’s always cut her losses, but this time is different. Scott could be the one. Will Dina be able to undo the hex, before it’s too late?]]> 320 Nadia El-Fassi 0593871790 Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical, p 3.50 2024 Best Hex Ever
author: Nadia El-Fassi
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: tbr-own-physical, p
review:

]]> Sister Heart 25870194
Poignantly told from the child’s perspective, Sister Heart affirms the power of family and kinship.]]> 251 Sally Morgan 192516313X Chiara 5 aussie-nz-author, kids-books 4.17 2015 Sister Heart
author: Sally Morgan
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: aussie-nz-author, kids-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The City of Dusk (The Dark Gods, #1)]]> 57197053 This dark epic fantasy follows the heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with a divine power—as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war.

The Four Realms—Life, Death, Light, and Darkness—all converge on the city of dusk. For each realm there is a god, and for each god there is an heir.

But the gods have withdrawn their favor from the once vibrant and thriving city. And without it, all the realms are dying.

Unwilling to stand by and watch the destruction, the four heirs—Risha, a necromancer struggling to keep the peace; Angelica, an elementalist with her eyes set on the throne; Taesia, a shadow-wielding rogue with rebellion in her heart; and Nik, a soldier who struggles to see the light—will sacrifice everything to save the city.

But their defiance will cost them dearly.]]> 512 Tara Sim Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical 3.60 2022 The City of Dusk (The Dark Gods, #1)
author: Tara Sim
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> The Sunbird 213586107 112 Sara Haddad 1763518302 Chiara 4 adult, aussie-nz-author, p 4.37 2024 The Sunbird
author: Sara Haddad
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/27
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: adult, aussie-nz-author, p
review:
My only gripe is that the author only used the 41,000 death toll count and never mentioned the various, credible estimates that are far, far more than this. To quote only this number does not provide enough scope to the scale of death caused by the zionist entity from October 2023 to January 2025.
]]> Dark and Deepest Red 44218347
Five centuries later, a pair of red shoes seal to Rosella Oliva’s feet, making her dance uncontrollably. They draw her toward a boy who knows the dancing fever’s history better than anyone: Emil, whose family was blamed for the fever five hundred years ago. But there’s more to what happened in 1518 than even Emil knows, and discovering the truth may decide whether Rosella survives the red shoes.

With McLemore's signature lush prose, Dark and Deepest Red pairs the forbidding magic of a fairy tale with a modern story of passion and betrayal.]]> 309 Anna-Marie McLemore 1250162742 Chiara 2 retelling, young-adult 3.55 2020 Dark and Deepest Red
author: Anna-Marie McLemore
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/27
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: retelling, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kim Reaper, Vol. 1: Grim Beginnings]]> 35941643 Part-Time Grim Reaper. Full-Time Cutie!

Like most university students, Kim works a part-time job to make ends meet. Unlike most university students, Kim's job is pretty cool: she's a grim reaper, tasked with guiding souls into the afterlife.

Like most university students, Becka has a super intense crush. Unlike most university students, Becka's crush is on a beautiful gothic angel that frequents the underworld. Of course, she doesn't know that.

Unaware of the ghoulish drama she's about to step into, Becka finally gathers up the courage to ask Kim on a date! But when she falls into a ghostly portal and interrupts Kim at her job, she sets off a chain of events that will pit the two of them against angry cat-dads, vengeful zombies, and perhaps even the underworld itself. But if they work together, they just might make it... and maybe even get a smooch in the bargain.]]> 112 Sarah Graley 1620104555 Chiara 1 3.63 2018 Kim Reaper, Vol. 1: Grim Beginnings
author: Sarah Graley
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2018
rating: 1
read at: 2024/10/31
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: n, comics-or-graphic-novels, lgbtqia, new-adult, lgbtqia-bisexual
review:

]]> Clementine: Book One 59515378
...CLEMENTINE LIVES!

Clementine is back on the road, looking to put her traumatic past behind her and forge a new path all her own.

But when she comes across an Amish teenager named Amos with his head in the clouds, the unlikely pair journeys North to an abandoned ski resort in Vermont, where they meet up with a small group of teenagers attempting to build a new, walker-free settlement.

As friendship, rivalry, and romance begin to blossom amongst the group, the harsh winter soon reveals that the biggest threat to their survival...might be each other.

A coming-of-age tale of survival written and illustrated by two-time Eisner award winner Tillie Walden (Spinning, On a Sunbeam).]]> 256 Tillie Walden 1534321284 Chiara 2 3.63 2022 Clementine: Book One
author: Tillie Walden
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/09/22
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: comics-or-graphic-novels, lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, young-adult, disability
review:
I really wanted to like this but was generally confused the entire time :')
]]> <![CDATA[Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love]]> 124067902 A lyrical narrative of a Palestinian family in exile explores universal bonds of family, loyalty, and friendship through the lens of eleven Arabic expressions for love.

A family has fled their homeland in search of safety in another country, carrying a single suitcase. As their journey unfolds, the oldest child reflects on the special contents of that photo albums that evoke eleven of many names for love in Arabic. From sunshine-warm friendship to the love that dissolves all tears; from the love that makes you swoon to the love that leaves you yearning for the heart’s homeland—her family has experienced it all. Illustrated in vibrant watercolor pencil and collage on textured card stock, this moving scrapbook shows a family embracing an unknown future even as they honor the past, casting immigration and the refugee experience in the light of universal human connection.]]> 40 Randa Abdel-Fattah 1536234621 Chiara 3 4.14 Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love
author: Randa Abdel-Fattah
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.14
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: aussie-nz-author, kids-books, palestinian-stories-authors
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Walk With Us: Welcome to Our Country]]> 195436042 Walk With Us is inspired by the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and invites readers to find out more about the First Nations Country where they live. From Australian of the Year Adam Goodes, former journalist Ellie Laing, and Barkindji illustrator David Hardy.

Harvey and Mum are heading to their favourite park for a walk on Cammeraygal land.

'Time to awaken the ancestors,' says Uncle Boris. 'Every time we sing or acknowledge Country, the ancestors are listening.'

What do you know about the Country where you live?

Inspired by the Uluru Statement from the Heart, Walk With Us is an invitation to go on a journey of learning and appreciation � with family, with friends, and with our nation � together.

The bestselling Welcome to Our Country series aims to connect young children, parents and educators with First Nations history and culture.]]> 0 Adam Goodes 1761188100 Chiara 4 aussie-nz-author, kids-books 4.00 Walk With Us: Welcome to Our Country
author: Adam Goodes
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: aussie-nz-author, kids-books
review:

]]> Back On Country 75331727
'Where are we going again?' asks Lucy.
'Back on Country,' says Mum. 'Where we're going is where your nanna comes from, where we come from. Our Country is special to us. You'll see.'

It's Lucy and David's first time back on Country.
They meet their cousins and Elders, and see special places, learn local language words and hear stories as old as time.

Join them to feel the strength that comes from being back on Country.]]> 24 Adam Goodes Chiara 4 aussie-nz-author, kids-books 4.28 Back On Country
author: Adam Goodes
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: aussie-nz-author, kids-books
review:

]]> Behind Bars (Pandemonium, #2) 33301049
But when his now-adult son disagrees with his actions, he is forced to reexamine the past. Is he doing the right thing, when it could lead—has led—to the deaths of innocents? Why is his son skulking about, and what secrets is he keeping? And while Pel's hands are full with this, a stranger comes to stay at his inn... a stranger who makes the question more relevant than Pel ever imagined would be possible.]]> 129 Meredith Katz 1620049481 Chiara 0 tbr-own-ebook, romance, m 3.68 2017 Behind Bars (Pandemonium, #2)
author: Meredith Katz
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: tbr-own-ebook, romance, m
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The High King's Golden Tongue (Tales of the High Court, #1)]]> 25902535
High King Sarrica is ruling an empire at war, and that war will grow exponentially worse if his carefully laid plans do not come to fruition. He's overwhelmed and needs help, as much as he hates to admit it, but it must be someone like his late consort: a soldier, someone who understands war, who is not unfamiliar with or afraid of the harsher elements of rule. What he doesn't need is the delicate, pretty little politician foisted on him right as everything goes wrong.

Publisher note: this is a highly expanded, completely re-written version of the free short that was previously available under the same title.]]> 410 Megan Derr 1620046245 Chiara 0 3.99 2012 The High King's Golden Tongue (Tales of the High Court, #1)
author: Megan Derr
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-gay, tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> Off the Ice (Hat Trick, #1) 35482402
Sebastian is on the bottom rung of the Sociology Department at Georgia State. He has his sights set on tenure, and he can’t afford to be distracted, especially not by a sexy student with a body straight out of Sebastian’s dreams. No matter how much Tristan tempts him, that’s one line Sebastian won’t cross. At least not until summer classes end. After that, everything is fair game.

But Sebastian lives loud and proud, and Tristan is terrified of being the first out player in the NHL. Neither of them can afford to risk their hearts when they can’t imagine a happily ever after. The problem is, unlike hockey, when it comes to love, there are no rules.]]> 275 Avon Gale 1626496617 Chiara 0 3.63 2017 Off the Ice (Hat Trick, #1)
author: Avon Gale
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: lgbtqia, tbr-own-ebook, romance, p
review:

]]> Heavy Vinyl #1 36107967 27 Carly Usdin 1613989326 Chiara 0 3.97 2017 Heavy Vinyl #1
author: Carly Usdin
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: comics-or-graphic-novels, lgbtqia, tbr-own-ebook, p
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)]]> 33099588 The Black Tides of Heaven is one of a pair of standalone introductions to Neon Yang's Tensorate Series. For more of the story you can read its twin novella The Red Threads of Fortune

Mokoya and Akeha, the twin children of the Protector, were sold to the Grand Monastery as children. While Mokoya developed her strange prophetic gift, Akeha was always the one who could see the strings that moved adults to action. While his sister received visions of what would be, Akeha realized what could be. What's more, he saw the sickness at the heart of his mother's Protectorate.

A rebellion is growing. The Machinists discover new levers to move the world every day, while the Tensors fight to put them down and preserve the power of the state. Unwilling to continue to play a pawn in his mother's twisted schemes, Akeha leaves the Tensorate behind and falls in with the rebels. But every step Akeha takes towards the Machinists is a step away from his sister Mokoya. Can Akeha find peace without shattering the bond he shares with his twin sister?]]> 236 Neon Yang 076539541X Chiara 0 lgbtqia, tbr-own-ebook, n 3.70 2017 The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)
author: Neon Yang
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: lgbtqia, tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> Team Phison (Team Phison, #1) 35606210
One night, he encounters a newbie who is so helpless, Phil can’t help showing him the ropes. It doesn’t take long for Phil to become interested in his enthusiastic teammate. 28-year-old Tyson Falls from Georgia loves working as a server in a rinky pizza joint and sees the best in everything. As Phil’s online dating matches get worse and his in-game matches with Tyson get better, he finds himself wanting to pursue the easygoing chatterbox with a thick, sexy drawl.

But Phil can’t get past the fear that Tyson couldn't possibly want a fossil like him. If his brain doesn’t stop being so damn insecure, it might be game over for his heart.]]> 154 Chace Verity 1310018138 Chiara 0 romance, tbr-own-ebook, n 3.90 2017 Team Phison (Team Phison, #1)
author: Chace Verity
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: romance, tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Zodiac Starforce Volume 2: Cries of the Fire Prince]]> 35320557
After defeating a former Zodiac Member and her mean-girl minions, the girls thought they'd catch a break! But once a mean magical girl, always a mean magical girl and Libra's former best friend wants that power back! Determined to bring the goddess Cimmeria into our dimension, her coven opens a portal to the dark dimension Nephos, only they don't get what they bargained for. A new big-bad has come out to play and demons begin to overrun the town! Zodiac Starforce discovers they aren't the only Zodiac team in the game and together they form a tenuous alliance to find out who's behind the demon infestation.

The series Comics Alliance calls "your favorite new magical girl team" returns with even more laughs, crushes, and monsters in their latest adventure! Collects Zodiac Starforce 2 #1-#4.]]> 136 Kevin Panetta 1506703100 Chiara 0 tbr-own-ebook, n 3.99 2018 Zodiac Starforce Volume 2: Cries of the Fire Prince
author: Kevin Panetta
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride]]> 54418849
I always wanted to be an X-Man. Except people and me never got along, and apparently you need social skills to run a successful team. Cue Emma Hall's party. One hot make out session with the host herself, and I can talk to objects like my pillow (who's far too invested in my love life) and my baseball bat (who was a pacifist before I got hold of him). Now there's a whole group of us with strange abilities, including super hot ice queen Dani Kim who doesn't approve of how reckless I can be. The bigger problem is a mysterious mutant causing unnatural disasters, and we're the ones who have to stop him. Except trying to make a difference makes things blow up in my face and the team's on the verge of falling apart. Can I bring them back together in time to stop the villain from taking revenge? Have I mentioned I'm not a people person? Magneto help us.]]> 414 S.J. Whitby 0473528649 Chiara 0 tbr-own-ebook, n 4.31 2020 Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride
author: S.J. Whitby
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Unseelie (The Unseelie Duology, #1)]]> 60840489 432 Ivelisse Housman 1335428593 Chiara 0 tbr-own-ebook, n 3.76 2023 Unseelie (The Unseelie Duology, #1)
author: Ivelisse Housman
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> Greymist Fair 61361706 Greymist Fair is a suspenseful and inventive murder-mystery inspired by the lesser-known fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. Greymist Fair will bewitch readers of Rachel Vincent’s Red Wolf, Liz Braswell’s A Twisted Tale series, and fans of Into the Woods.

Features chapter decorations by the author throughout, as well as a map.

Two roads lead into a dark forest. They meet at Greymist Fair, the village hidden in the trees, a place kept alive by the families that never leave. The people of Greymist Fair know the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and to set foot off the road is to invite trouble.

When Heike, the village’s young tailor, discovers a body on the road, she goes looking for who is responsible. But her quest only leads to more strange happenings around Greymist Fair.

Inspired by the original, bloody, lesser-known fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, acclaimed author Francesca Zappia crafts an enthralling murder-mystery that will keep readers turning the pages. Told from multiple points of view, with each narrative building on the crime discovered by Heike, Greymist Fair examines the themes of childhood fears, growing into adult responsibilities, and finding a place to call home amid the trials of life and death.]]> 336 Francesca Zappia 0063161699 Chiara 0 e-arcs, tbr-own-ebook, n 3.81 2023 Greymist Fair
author: Francesca Zappia
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: e-arcs, tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> My Dearest Darkest 55812253 WILDER GIRLS meets THE CRAFT in this Sapphic horror debut that asks: What price would you be willing to pay to achieve your deepest desires?

Finch Chamberlin is the newest transfer student to the ultra-competitive Ulalume Academy... but she's also not what she seems. Months before school started, Finch and her parents got into an accident that should have left her dead at the bottom of a river. But something monstrous, and ancient, and terrifying, wouldn't let her drown. Finch doesn't know why she woke up after her heart stopped, but since dying she's felt a constant pull from the school and the surrounding town of Rainwater, like something on the island is calling to her.

Selena St. Clair sees right through Finch, and she knows something is seriously wrong with her. But despite Selena's suspicion, she feels drawn to Finch and has a sinking feeling that from now on the two will be inexplicably linked to one another.

One night Finch, Selena, and her friends accidentally summon a carnivorous creature of immense power in the depths of the school. It promises to grant every desire the girls have kept locked away in their insecure hearts―beauty, power, adoration―in exchange for a price: human body parts. But as the cost of their wanting becomes more deadly, Finch and Selena must learn to work together to stop the horror they unleashed, before it consumes the entire island.]]> 352 Kayla Cottingham 172823641X Chiara 0 e-arcs, tbr-own-ebook, p 3.73 2022 My Dearest Darkest
author: Kayla Cottingham
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: e-arcs, tbr-own-ebook, p
review:

]]> Stone Fruit 55678434
At turns joyful and heartbreaking, Stone Fruit reveals through intimately naturalistic dialog and blue-hued watercolor how painful it can be to truly become vulnerable to your loved ones � and how fulfilling it is to be finally understood for who you are. Lee Lai is one of the most exciting new voices to break into the comics medium and she has created one of the truly sophisticated graphic novel debuts in recent memory.
]]> 231 Lee Lai 1683964268 Chiara 0 tbr-own-ebook, n 4.07 2021 Stone Fruit
author: Lee Lai
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> Camp Spirit 51317103 Summer camp is supposed to be about finding nirvana in a rock garden... But Elodie prefers Nirvana and Soundgarden. Can she confront rambunctious kids, confusing feelings, and supernatural horrors all at once?

Summer 1994: with just two months left before college, Elodie is forced by her mother to take a job as a camp counselor. She doesn't know the first thing about nature, or sports, of kids for that matter, and isn't especially interested in learning... but now she's responsible for a foul-mouthed horde of red-headed girls who just might win her over, whether she likes it or not. Just as Elodie starts getting used to her new environment, though -- and close to one of the other counselors -- a dark mystery lurking around the camp begins to haunt her dreams.]]> 204 Axelle Lenoir 1603094652 Chiara 0 tbr-own-ebook, n 3.84 2020 Camp Spirit
author: Axelle Lenoir
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> Girl Haven 54303303 When seventh-grader Ash, his crush Eleanor, and their friends are transported to a girls-only imaginary world, Ash must come to terms with the fact that he may actually be a transgender girl. Full of wonder, humor, and heart,Girl Havenis the newest original story from the author of Lumberjanes.

Three years ago, Ash's mom, Kristin, left home and never came back. Now, Ash lives in the house where Kristin grew up. All of her things are there. Her old room, her old clothes, and the shed, where she spent her childhood creating a fantasy world called Koretris.

Ash knows all about Koretris: how it's a haven for girls, with no men or boys allowed, and filled with fanciful landscapes and creatures. When Ash's friends decide to try going to Koretris, using one of Kristin's spellbooks, Ash doesn't think anything will happen. But the spell works, and Ash discovers that the world Kristin created is actually a real place, with real inhabitants and very real danger.

But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy. Ash uses he/him pronouns. Shouldn't the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in?]]> 160 Lilah Sturges 1620108658 Chiara 0 tbr-own-ebook, n 3.77 2021 Girl Haven
author: Lilah Sturges
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> The Aurora Circus 217497388 Follow your heart, and reach for the stars.

With all his friends� dreams suddenly simultaneously coming true, Ember Quinn is forced to realize he may not be as content with his life as he once believed.

In a desperate attempt to fill the void in his heart, he answers a spectre’s vague plea for help, which leads him to the magical world of the Aurora Circus.

He definitely isn’t going to the Circus because of a childish dream long buried, nor for the sexy, intimidating circus performer known as Pyro, who has just so happened to sweep him off his feet with a literal breath of fire.

When the spectre’s true intentions are revealed, Ember is forced to make a choice: go back to his life of simple uniformity, or become the person he knows he is, but has always been afraid to be.

THE AURORA CIRCUS is a New Adult standalone M/M fantasy romance about following your heart, fulfilling your dreams, and fighting for what you believe in.

This book is a newly titled second edition of THE BUTTERFLY FINALE by Viano Oniomoh. It contains brand new and improved content.]]> Viano Oniomoh Chiara 0 p 4.00 2016 The Aurora Circus
author: Viano Oniomoh
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: p
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1)]]> 2800905 Chloe Saunders used to have a relatively normal life.

But now she finds herself in the middle of some really strange situations because:
~She suddenly starts seeing dead people.
~She gets locked up in a group home for unstable teens.
~The group home isn't what it seems.

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House... before its skeletons come back to haunt me.]]> 390 Kelley Armstrong 0061662690 Chiara 4 4.03 2008 The Summoning (Darkest Powers, #1)
author: Kelley Armstrong
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: young-adult, read-own-physical, series-to-finish-complete, n
review:

]]> The Program (The Program, #1) 18051342
Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.

And The Program is coming for them.]]> 405 Suzanne Young 1442445815 Chiara 4
I was so excited when I randomly received The Program in the mail from the lovely Simon & Schuster Australia. Let me repeat: SO EXCITED. I have heard so many wonderful things about this book, and the premise is just fantastic, and so different. I could barely stay away from this book once it was in my grabby hands.

The Program lived up to my expectations, which is saying a lot because when I have expectations they are generally high, and most of the time books don’t live up to that high expectation. But The Program most certainly did.

Before I jump straight into MY ARDENT LOVE FOR JAMES, I want to talk about how awesome the story is. Young has created a world that is not exactly dystopian � there is no totalitarian government regime or people killing each other for basic necessities � but there is certainly a dystopian element. And that is the fact that suicide is an epidemic. It’s considered a disease of sorts, and teenagers are most prone and can “infect� one another with their sadness and therefore willingness to die. I simply cannot get over this. It is amazing. But don’t get me wrong, me raving about how amazing this story is means in no way that I am raving about suicide. Just so you know.

But the story is fantastic because there’s The Program which “fixes� kids, but actually just really takes away their essential uniqueness � what makes them them, and not like everyone else.

I wasn’t the hugest fan of Sloane as a character, and possibly the only reason why this book wasn’t five stars had to do with her being admitted to The Program. The kids have to take pills, and all this time Sloane had been hateful of The Program (as is understandable), but once she gets admitted, she kind of gives up. She takes the pills they give her, she does what they tell her to do. I was kind of annoyed. Where was her oompf? Where was any kind of badassery? Even rejecting them and then being forced to take them would have shown some non-compliance on her behalf. But nope, she just swallowed them down like a good girl, which annoyed me to no end.

James. James. Oh, boy. I love him. I’m just gonna come straight out and say that I LOVE HIM. He’s so realistic and suave and just turned me into a puddle of mush. He wasn't a perfect knight in shining armour that we all love but all know is unrealistic. He was sad, and broken, and confused. He was just a guy. A normal guy. James and Sloane together are adorable, and I ship them very hard. Very hard indeed.

Realm is the other boy in this book. It’s not really a love triangle in the traditional sense, but there are definitely heavy undertones of love triangle-ness. I don’t really know what to think of Realm. Sometimes I really liked him and thought he was a sweet hot mess (new term coined right there � making history, people!), and at other times I was just like: eurghghgh I don’t know if I like you. He’s confusing, but confusing characters are always interesting to read about, and I definitely enjoyed reading about him. On the overall, I did like him (I think).

I think what makes The Program such a good book is how it evaluates what it means to be us. What makes us us are our memories, and our little isms, and without those, we aren’t really anyone.

I cannot recommend The Program enough. For so many reasons. It’s a brilliant book that looks at love, loss, sadness, solitude � and what it means to be who you really are.

© 2014, . All rights reserved.]]> 4.07 2013 The Program (The Program, #1)
author: Suzanne Young
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2014/08/09
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: young-adult, physical-review-copies, series-to-finish-complete, n
review:
A copy of this novel was provided by Simon & Schuster Australia for review.

I was so excited when I randomly received The Program in the mail from the lovely Simon & Schuster Australia. Let me repeat: SO EXCITED. I have heard so many wonderful things about this book, and the premise is just fantastic, and so different. I could barely stay away from this book once it was in my grabby hands.

The Program lived up to my expectations, which is saying a lot because when I have expectations they are generally high, and most of the time books don’t live up to that high expectation. But The Program most certainly did.

Before I jump straight into MY ARDENT LOVE FOR JAMES, I want to talk about how awesome the story is. Young has created a world that is not exactly dystopian � there is no totalitarian government regime or people killing each other for basic necessities � but there is certainly a dystopian element. And that is the fact that suicide is an epidemic. It’s considered a disease of sorts, and teenagers are most prone and can “infect� one another with their sadness and therefore willingness to die. I simply cannot get over this. It is amazing. But don’t get me wrong, me raving about how amazing this story is means in no way that I am raving about suicide. Just so you know.

But the story is fantastic because there’s The Program which “fixes� kids, but actually just really takes away their essential uniqueness � what makes them them, and not like everyone else.

I wasn’t the hugest fan of Sloane as a character, and possibly the only reason why this book wasn’t five stars had to do with her being admitted to The Program. The kids have to take pills, and all this time Sloane had been hateful of The Program (as is understandable), but once she gets admitted, she kind of gives up. She takes the pills they give her, she does what they tell her to do. I was kind of annoyed. Where was her oompf? Where was any kind of badassery? Even rejecting them and then being forced to take them would have shown some non-compliance on her behalf. But nope, she just swallowed them down like a good girl, which annoyed me to no end.

James. James. Oh, boy. I love him. I’m just gonna come straight out and say that I LOVE HIM. He’s so realistic and suave and just turned me into a puddle of mush. He wasn't a perfect knight in shining armour that we all love but all know is unrealistic. He was sad, and broken, and confused. He was just a guy. A normal guy. James and Sloane together are adorable, and I ship them very hard. Very hard indeed.

Realm is the other boy in this book. It’s not really a love triangle in the traditional sense, but there are definitely heavy undertones of love triangle-ness. I don’t really know what to think of Realm. Sometimes I really liked him and thought he was a sweet hot mess (new term coined right there � making history, people!), and at other times I was just like: eurghghgh I don’t know if I like you. He’s confusing, but confusing characters are always interesting to read about, and I definitely enjoyed reading about him. On the overall, I did like him (I think).

I think what makes The Program such a good book is how it evaluates what it means to be us. What makes us us are our memories, and our little isms, and without those, we aren’t really anyone.

I cannot recommend The Program enough. For so many reasons. It’s a brilliant book that looks at love, loss, sadness, solitude � and what it means to be who you really are.

© 2014, . All rights reserved.
]]> <![CDATA[I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me]]> 75283912 There will be blood.

Ace of Spades meets House of Hollow in this villain origin story.

Laure Mesny is a perfectionist with an axe to grind. Despite being constantly overlooked in the elite and cutthroat world of the Parisian ballet, she will do anything to prove that a Black girl can take center stage. To level the playing field, Laure ventures deep into the depths of the Catacombs and strikes a deal with a pulsating river of blood.

The primordial power Laure gains promises influence and adoration, everything she’s dreamed of and worked toward. With retribution on her mind, she surpasses her bitter and privileged peers, leaving broken bodies behind her on her climb to stardom.

But even as undeniable as she is, Laure is not the only monster around. And her vicious desires make her a perfect target for slaughter. As she descends into madness and the mystifying underworld beneath her, she is faced with the ultimate choice: continue to break herself for scraps of validation or succumb to the darkness that wants her exactly as she is—monstrous heart and all. That is, if the god-killer doesn’t catch her first.

From debut author Jamison Shea comes I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, a slow-burn horror that lifts a veil on the institutions that profit on exclusion and the toll of giving everything to a world that will never love you back.]]> 339 Jamison Shea 1250909562 Chiara 4 Maybe 3.5? Undecided 3.69 2023 I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me
author: Jamison Shea
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/21
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: horror, lgbtqia, lgbtqia-queer-general, young-adult, p, series-to-finish-complete
review:
Maybe 3.5? Undecided
]]> <![CDATA[The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist, #1)]]> 203053214
When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.

The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.]]> 432 Kylie Lee Baker 1399725033 Chiara 4 3.98 2023 The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist, #1)
author: Kylie Lee Baker
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/15
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: read-own-physical, young-adult, n, series-to-finish-complete
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1)]]> 38423521 Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, Enne has only one lead: the name Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless Mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city�

And she’ll need to play.]]> 464 Amanda Foody 1489256563 Chiara 4
First things first: I thoroughly enjoyed Ace of Shades. And here are five reasons why:

1) Levi, one of the two POV MCs, is a bisexual black boy

CAN YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING? I didn’t know about this until just before is started reading Ace of Shades, and now I will be shouting it from the rooftops. Bi boys are so rare in any genre of YA, and to be honest, the same can be said for black boys. As for bi black boys? I don’t think I’ve ever read about one before now, which is truly saddening. (I hope one day I can read an #ownvoices story!)

Levi Glaisyer is just darn special. I don’t even know where to start? He cares a lot, but pretends he doesn’t. He’s out and proud about his sexuality. He’s trying to do something good by doing something bad. He wants to be better and provide for those around him. Levi was the perfect blend between total bad boy and soft boy, and I adored him.

2) Enne, the other POV MC, was� different

I say different because at the start of Ace of Shades I didn’t like Enne at all. I thought she was pompous, bordering on ridiculous. But throughout the course of the book Enne grows so much as character. She gains strength she didn’t know she had, she faces things she never thought she’d face. Girl got fierce, and I absolutely loved her character arc in Ace of Shades. She started off as a sheltered schoolgirl, and even when things scared her she was willing to do whatever it took to find her mother again. Kudos.

3) The romance was non-existent and also slow burn

I would not say that the romance in Ace of Shades took over any part of the plot. It was hardly there at all, really, and I loved this. There’s a bit of pining from both sides, but neither of them believe that the other likes them and this is painful??? Why are these people never honest with each other? But I also kind of liked that the romance took a backseat in Ace of Shades because this book was not about finding the love of your life. It was about finding your mother, your family, your money. So even though I was reading this and going just kiss already , I also really liked how the romance was handled.

4) The City of Sin was great

I really liked the world building in Ace of Shades. It was incredibly immersive, and I think part of that is because we were able to see the city through the eyes of someone who had never been there before, and the eyes of someone who had been living there for quite some time.

I don’t want to say too much about the world building because I think it’s best discovered alongside Enne, but I will say that it was unique and creepy and very dark. And I liked it a lot. *sunglasses emoji*

5) I’m excited for the sequels *gasp*

I am not inclined towards embarking on new series endeavours. I have too many series that I need to complete to make starting a new one anything but a little painful. But I honestly cannot wait to see where the story of Ace of Shades goes next. I can’t wait to get back to Levi and Enne, and the City of Sin. Colour me intrigued.

© 2018, . All rights reserved.

trigger warning: death of adopted mother, reference to murder of mother, regicide, reference to multiple murders, torture, murder of friend (fire), physical assault, poisoning, multiple graphic murders, physical fights (graphic + burns), paedophilic themes, reference to bullying, forced drug use (in drink)]]> 3.90 2018 Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1)
author: Amanda Foody
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/03/24
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-bisexual, physical-review-copies, young-adult, series-to-finish-complete, m
review:
A copy of this novel was provided by Harlequin Teen Australia for review.

First things first: I thoroughly enjoyed Ace of Shades. And here are five reasons why:

1) Levi, one of the two POV MCs, is a bisexual black boy

CAN YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING? I didn’t know about this until just before is started reading Ace of Shades, and now I will be shouting it from the rooftops. Bi boys are so rare in any genre of YA, and to be honest, the same can be said for black boys. As for bi black boys? I don’t think I’ve ever read about one before now, which is truly saddening. (I hope one day I can read an #ownvoices story!)

Levi Glaisyer is just darn special. I don’t even know where to start? He cares a lot, but pretends he doesn’t. He’s out and proud about his sexuality. He’s trying to do something good by doing something bad. He wants to be better and provide for those around him. Levi was the perfect blend between total bad boy and soft boy, and I adored him.

2) Enne, the other POV MC, was� different

I say different because at the start of Ace of Shades I didn’t like Enne at all. I thought she was pompous, bordering on ridiculous. But throughout the course of the book Enne grows so much as character. She gains strength she didn’t know she had, she faces things she never thought she’d face. Girl got fierce, and I absolutely loved her character arc in Ace of Shades. She started off as a sheltered schoolgirl, and even when things scared her she was willing to do whatever it took to find her mother again. Kudos.

3) The romance was non-existent and also slow burn

I would not say that the romance in Ace of Shades took over any part of the plot. It was hardly there at all, really, and I loved this. There’s a bit of pining from both sides, but neither of them believe that the other likes them and this is painful??? Why are these people never honest with each other? But I also kind of liked that the romance took a backseat in Ace of Shades because this book was not about finding the love of your life. It was about finding your mother, your family, your money. So even though I was reading this and going just kiss already , I also really liked how the romance was handled.

4) The City of Sin was great

I really liked the world building in Ace of Shades. It was incredibly immersive, and I think part of that is because we were able to see the city through the eyes of someone who had never been there before, and the eyes of someone who had been living there for quite some time.

I don’t want to say too much about the world building because I think it’s best discovered alongside Enne, but I will say that it was unique and creepy and very dark. And I liked it a lot. *sunglasses emoji*

5) I’m excited for the sequels *gasp*

I am not inclined towards embarking on new series endeavours. I have too many series that I need to complete to make starting a new one anything but a little painful. But I honestly cannot wait to see where the story of Ace of Shades goes next. I can’t wait to get back to Levi and Enne, and the City of Sin. Colour me intrigued.

© 2018, . All rights reserved.

trigger warning: death of adopted mother, reference to murder of mother, regicide, reference to multiple murders, torture, murder of friend (fire), physical assault, poisoning, multiple graphic murders, physical fights (graphic + burns), paedophilic themes, reference to bullying, forced drug use (in drink)
]]> Squire: A Graphic Novel 57992923
It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined.

Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire.]]> 305 Nadia Shammas 006294584X Chiara 3 4.05 2022 Squire: A Graphic Novel
author: Nadia Shammas
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/17
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: palestinian-stories-authors, comics-or-graphic-novels, young-adult, p, read-own-physical
review:

]]> The Lost Coast 35053372
Danny didn't know what she was looking for when she and her mother spread out a map of the United States and Danny put her finger down on Tempest, California. What she finds are the Grays: a group of friends who throw around terms like queer and witch like they're ordinary and everyday, though they feel like an earthquake to Danny. But Danny didn't just find the Grays. They cast a spell that calls her halfway across the country, because she has something they need: she can bring back Imogen, the most powerful of the Grays, missing since the summer night she wandered into the woods alone. But before Danny can find Imogen, she finds a dead boy with a redwood branch through his heart. Something is very wrong amid the trees and fog of the Lost Coast, and whatever it is, it can kill. Lush, eerie, and imaginative, Amy Rose Capetta's tale overflows with the perils and power of discovery � and what it means to find your home, yourself, and your way forward.]]> 352 Amy Rose Capetta Chiara 3 A generous three tbh 3.72 2019 The Lost Coast
author: Amy Rose Capetta
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/20
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves: lgbtqia, n, lgbtqia-asexual, lgbtqia-bisexual, lgbtqia-lesbian, lgbtqia-queer-id, lgbtqia-trans, young-adult, disability
review:
A generous three tbh
]]> Violet Made of Thorns 60629652 A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.]]> 368 Gina Chen 1399707140 Chiara 2 p, young-adult 3.65 2022 Violet Made of Thorns
author: Gina Chen
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/15
date added: 2025/01/15
shelves: p, young-adult
review:

]]> Sitti's key 157978277 37 Sahar Khader Ali Chiara 4 4.56 Sitti's key
author: Sahar Khader Ali
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/14
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves: kids-books, palestinian-stories-authors, read-own-ebook
review:

]]> The Teller of Small Fortunes 207611551 A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for readers of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna.

Tao is an immigrant fortune teller, traveling between villages with just her trusty mule for company. She only tells "small" fortunes: whether it will hail next week; which boy the barmaid will kiss; when the cow will calve. She knows from bitter experience that big fortunes come with big consequences�

Even if it’s a lonely life, it’s better than the one she left behind. But a small fortune unexpectedly becomes something more when a (semi) reformed thief and an ex-mercenary recruit her into their desperate search for a lost child. Soon, they’re joined by a baker with a knead for adventure, and—of course—a slightly magical cat.

Tao sets down a new path with companions as big-hearted as her fortunes are small. But as she lowers her walls, the shadows of her past are closing in—and she’ll have to decide whether to risk everything to preserve the family she never thought she could have.]]> 336 Julie Leong 0593815912 Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical 3.81 2024 The Teller of Small Fortunes
author: Julie Leong
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Corruption of Hollis Brown]]> 215492426 From acclaimed author K. Ancrum comes a queer romantic thriller in which the lives of Hollis, a boy in search of meaning, and Walt, a spirit with unfinished business, collide when Walt takes possession of Hollis's body...and maybe his heart. For fans of Adam Silvera and Aiden Thomas!

Hollis Brown is stuck. Born to a Blue-Collar American Dream, Hollis lives in a rotting small town where no one can afford to leave. Hollis's only bright spots are his two best friends, cool girls Annie and Yulia, and the thrill of fighting his classmates.

As if his circumstances couldn’t get worse, a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger named Walt results in a frightening trap. After unknowingly making a deal at the crossroads, Hollis finds himself losing control of his body and mind, falling victim to possession. Walt, the ghost making a home inside him, has a deep and violent history rooted in the town Hollis grew up in and he has unfinished business to take care of.

As Walt and Hollis begin working together to put Walt’s spirit to rest, an unspeakable bond forms between them, and the boys begin falling for one another in unexpected ways. But, it’s only a matter of time before Hollis’s best friends begin to notice that something about Hollis isn’t quite…right.

With the threat of a long overdue exorcism looming before them, will Walt and Hollis be able to protect their love and undo the curse that turned their town from a garden of possibility into a place where dreams go to die?

Praise for

"The sparse prose in this unconventional, must-read of a trauma-infused borderline thriller is packed with emotional breadth." �Kirkus Reviews(starred review)

"In this intimate poetic reimagining of the Icarus myth, Ancrum crafts a subversive triumph that is a love letter both to healing from trauma and to the importance of connection and empathy." �Publishers Weekly(starred review)

"Beautifully written...Psychologically acute, subtle, and sophisticated." �ALABooklist(starred review)

"In her extraordinary fifth novel,Icarus,K. Ancrum performs a confident high-wire act, balancing the weighty manifestations of connection, desire, and contradiction." �BookPage(starred review)

"Both romance and thriller fans will likely be gripped by this memorable love story, tinged with mythology, built around a mystery made up of bitter secrets between the two families." �The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books(starred review)




]]> 384 K. Ancrum 0063285835 Chiara 0 preordered 4.42 2025 The Corruption of Hollis Brown
author: K. Ancrum
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: preordered
review:

]]> Espíritu (Cemetery Boys, #2) 219147513 New York Times-bestselling author Aiden Thomas returns to the beloved world of Cemetery Boys in Espiritu, this time following Julian, who is dealing with newfound powers, a new relationship with Yadriel, and the return of demons he had hoped were gone forever!

Julian used to be a ghost and now he can’t stop seeing them.

Ever since being sacrificed as part of a forbidden ritual, Julian has been able to see and communicate with the spirits of passed brujx. And that would be okay, if it allowed him to be part of his new boyfriend's community. But Julian’s also seeing other things: shadows in the corner of his eyes, glowing eyes in the dark, and “dark spots� on people � gaping, black gashes that are somehow wrong. He did ask his new magical boyfriend about it, but Yadriel has never heard of anything like it either, and he’s so busy with his new Brujx responsibilities, trying to figure out where all the new malingos are coming from, that Julian hates for his problems to ruin what little time together they have.

Then, a strange new brujx shows up. Ángel, as a nonbinary brujx, can heal the living and release the dead, but more than that, they can also see the same dark spots as Julian. Despite Yadriel’s reservations, Julian eagerly accepts their help. But, Ángel’s ruthless methods feel wrong to Julian, who wants to move away from hurting others.

With the shadows growing darker, and the discovery of a gaping dark spot on his friend Luca, Julian has to decide who he wants to put his trust in, and just how far he’s willing to go to save what is his.]]> 368 Aiden Thomas 1250894948 Chiara 0 preordered 4.69 2026 Espíritu (Cemetery Boys, #2)
author: Aiden Thomas
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: preordered
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Elle(s) Vol 1: The New Girl (ELLES TP)]]> 62089942
ABLAZE proudly presents Elle(s), a vibrant, imaginative new series. Featuring brilliant, Pixar-esque art from Aveline Stokart, and an engaging story by Kid Toussaint that brings moments of real emotion, mystery, intrigue and humor together during the epic highs and lows of high school.]]> 110 Kid Toussaint 1684970938 Chiara 3 4.02 2021 Elle(s) Vol 1: The New Girl (ELLES TP)
author: Kid Toussaint
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/09
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Of Jade and Dragons (Fall of the Dragon, #1)]]> 215536844
Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally - Aogiya Ye-yang, the nation's taciturn eighth prince. With her father's renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father's journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who has mysterious plans of his own.

The secrets hidden within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build - and with her life and the country's future at stake, Ying doesn't know who to trust. And can she avenge her father if it means going against everything he stood for?]]> 466 Amber Chen 0241708303 Chiara 3 2.5 stars rounded up 3.60 2024 Of Jade and Dragons (Fall of the Dragon, #1)
author: Amber Chen
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/08
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:
2.5 stars rounded up
]]> <![CDATA[The Seafarer's Kiss (The Seafarer's Kiss #1)]]> 32890474
Determined to forge a different fate, Ersel seeks help from Loki. But such deals are never as one expects, and the outcome sees her exiled from the only home and protection she’s known. To save herself from perishing in the barren, underwater wasteland and be reunited with the human she’s come to love, Ersel must try to outsmart the God of Lies.]]> 214 Julia Ember 1945053208 Chiara 0 3.59 2017 The Seafarer's Kiss (The Seafarer's Kiss #1)
author: Julia Ember
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves: lgbtqia, lgbtqia-bisexual, retelling, tbr-own-ebook, n
review:

]]> The Nature of Witches 54717138
In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It's wild and volatile, and the price of her magic―losing the ones she loves―is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.

In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she's the only one who can make a difference.

In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she's terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.

In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves... before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing atmosphere, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate.]]> 367 Rachel Griffin 1728229421 Chiara 0 n, tbr-own-physical 3.79 2021 The Nature of Witches
author: Rachel Griffin
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves: n, tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Witches Steeped in Gold (Witches Steeped in Gold, #1)]]> 51813582 Divided by their order. United by their vengeance.

Iraya has spent her life in a cell, but every day brings her closer to freedom - and vengeance.

Jazmyne is the Queen’s daughter, but unlike her sister before her, she has no intention of dying to strengthen her mother’s power.

Sworn enemies, these two witches enter a precarious alliance to take down a mutual threat. But power is intoxicating, revenge is a bloody pursuit, and nothing is certain - except the lengths they will go to win this game.

This Jamaican-inspired fantasy debut about two enemy witches who must enter into a deadly alliance to take down a common enemy has the twisted cat-and-mouse of Killing Eve with the richly imagined fantasy world of Furyborn and Ember in the Ashes.]]> 544 Ciannon Smart 006294598X Chiara 0 n, tbr-own-physical 3.20 2021 Witches Steeped in Gold (Witches Steeped in Gold, #1)
author: Ciannon Smart
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.20
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves: n, tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel (Raven Cycle Graphic Novels, #1)]]> 221473209 The first book in Maggie Stiefvater's#1 NYT bestselling series The Raven Cycle, now gorgeously illustrated as a graphic novel!

Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics. Only, she has never had the same clairvoyant abilities they had and has always felt too ordinary within the magic that surrounded her. Enter Gansey, a rich student from Aglionby, the town’s all-boys private school teeming with wealth, privilege, and trouble. Blue's always made it a point to stay away from its students, the Raven Boys.

But when Gansey asks her to join him and three other Raven Boys on his quest to find a long-forgotten Welsh king rumored to be sleeping beneath the mountains of their quiet Virginia town, Blue doesn’t hesitate. She jumps at the chance to finally be a part of something real and full of magic, a world she was born into yet one that always stood just out of reach. Soon enough, she’s swept into a strange and shifting world woven into theirs, one far more dangerous than anything they could have dreamt up.

Now reimagined as a stunning full-color graphic novel adapted by Stephanie Williams and illustrated by Sas Milledge, The Raven Boys unravels a thrilling plot around a cast of characters impossible to forget.]]> 256 Stephanie Williams 0593621182 Chiara 0 preordered 4.37 2025 The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel (Raven Cycle Graphic Novels, #1)
author: Stephanie Williams
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: preordered
review:

]]> Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal 45122411
'I'm Peta Lyre,' I mumble. Look people in the eye if you can, at least when you greet them. I try, but it's hard when she is smiling so big, and leaning in.

Peta Lyre is far from typical. The world she lives in isn't designed for the way her mind works, but when she follows her therapist's rules for 'normal' behaviour, she can almost fit in without attracting attention.

When a new girl, Sam, starts at school, Peta's carefully structured routines start to crack. But on the school ski trip, with romance blooming and a newfound confidence, she starts to wonder if maybe she can have a normal life after all.

When things fall apart, Peta must decide whether all the old rules still matter. Does she want a life less ordinary, or should she keep her rating normal?

A moving and joyful own voices debut.

'Honest, perceptive and gutsy; I loved tuning into Peta's world.' - Emily Gale]]> 248 Anna Whateley 1760525308 Chiara 4 4.06 2020 Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal
author: Anna Whateley
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/08
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: aussie-nz-author, lgbtqia, lgbtqia-bisexual, young-adult, disability, n
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling, #1)]]> 25578803 Previous edition for this ISBN found here

Nalini Singh dives into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind-and none of the heart.

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation" - the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was...

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion - and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities - or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation.

]]> 334 Nalini Singh 0425212866 Chiara 4 4.06 2006 Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling, #1)
author: Nalini Singh
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/19
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: series-to-finish-incomplete, read-own-physical, romance, adult, aussie-nz-author, n
review:

]]> The Deathless Girls 43453718
On the eve of her divining, the day she'll discover her fate, seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community.

Forced to work in the harsh and unwelcoming castle kitchens, Lil is comforted when she meets Mira, a fellow slave who she feels drawn to in a way she doesn't understand. But she also learns about the Dragon, a mysterious and terrifying figure of myth and legend who takes girls as gifts.

They may not have had their divining day, but the girls will still discover their fate...]]> 304 Kiran Millwood Hargrave 151010674X Chiara 0 p, tbr-own-physical 3.51 2019 The Deathless Girls
author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
name: Chiara
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: p, tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> Clean 34850295 I can feel it swimming through my veins like glitter ... it's liquid gold.

When socialite Lexi Volkov almost overdoses, she thinks she's hit rock bottom.

She's wrong. Rock bottom is when she's forced into an exclusive rehab facility.

From there, the only way is up for Lexi and her fellow inmates, including the mysterious Brady.

As she faces her demons, Lexi realises love is the most powerful drug of all ...

It's a dirty business getting clean ...]]> 399 Juno Dawson 1786540363 Chiara 0 tbr-at-library, m 4.11 2018 Clean
author: Juno Dawson
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: tbr-at-library, m
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School]]> 58842731 A debut novel about a queer Mexican American girl navigating Catholic school, while falling in love and learning to celebrate her true self.

Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she's gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way.

After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don't fall in love. Granted, she's never been great at any of those things, but that's a problem for Future Yami.

The thing is, it's hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn't going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she'll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?]]> 385 Sonora Reyes 006306023X Chiara 0 m, tbr-own-physical 4.27 2022 The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
author: Sonora Reyes
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: m, tbr-own-physical
review:

]]> Lucy, Uncensored 195356411 A road trip through gender identity, self-expression, and the thorny process of figuring out where you fit after high school as an out-and-proud transgender teen.

Lucy imagines college as more than a chance to party with other drama nerds and be roommates with her best friend Callie. College will be her fresh start. For the first time, she'll be able to introduce herself as Lucy to people she hasn't gone to school with since kindergarten. Plus, she happens to live an hour away from one of the most prestigious theater programs in the country.She's always dreamed of going to Central, but when she finally has a chance to visit, it's not what she imagined.

While Lucy and Callie are on their campus tour, two kids from their high school make the typical transphobic comments Lucy's gotten used to in her small town. She starts to worry that her dream school might end up being High School 2.0. What if she belongs somewhere else?Somewhere that she can truly have a fresh start?

When Lucy finds a beautiful school with a great theater program on a list of the most LGBTQ+ friendly colleges, it seems like fate—except that the school is hundreds of miles away. And there's something unexpected about it's a women's college. As far as she can tell, they've never admitted a trans woman. Will they let Lucy in? There’s only one way to find out: road trip!]]> Mel Hammond Chiara 0 tbr-own-physical, n 4.05 2024 Lucy, Uncensored
author: Mel Hammond
name: Chiara
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: tbr-own-physical, n
review:

]]>