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The Bone Shard Daughter Book Review
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart From Goodreads: The emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands. Lin is the emperor’s daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic. Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin…
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The Hand, The Eye and The Heart Book Review
The Hand, the Eye and the Heart by Zoe Marriott From Goodreads: Zhilan was assigned female at birth; despite an unusual gift for illusions, they know they will live out their life in the perfumed confines of the women’s quarters. But when civil war sets the country aflame, Zhilan is the only one who can save their disabled Father from death on the battlefield. By taking his place. Surviving brutal army training as a male recruit – Zhi – is only the first challenge. Soon Zhi’s unique talents draw them into an even more perilous fight, in the glittering court of the Land of Dragons, where love and betrayal are two…
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What If It’s Us? Book Review
What if It’s Us? by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera From Goodreads: Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them? Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated. Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited. But what if they…
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The Miseducation of Cameron Post Book Review
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth From Goodreads: When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they’ll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl. But that relief doesn’t last, and Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone, and Cam becomes an expert at both. Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the…
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LGBTQ+ Book Recommendations
Hey everyone, how’s it going? As you may or may not know, June is America’s LGBT History Month and while I’m not American, I thought this would be the perfect time to recommend some brilliant and diverse books which promote and discuss LGBT issues. These include some pretty well-known series, as well as some lesser known ones which may have slipped under your radar. I include the names of series where sometimes the diversity comes a little later, in case you pick up one of these books and wonder what the hell I’m talking about. So sit back, relax, and grab a cup of coffee as I go through my…
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Leah on the Offbeat Book Review
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli From Goodreads: Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst. When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.…
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The Summer of Us Book Review
The Summer of Us by Cecilia Vinesse Five friends. Five European cities. Ten days. And a messy, complicated, can-this-really-be-happening love story or two… Since the moment they met, best friends Aubrey and Rae have been planning their inter-railing trip around Europe. With graduation just behind them, it ought to be the perfect summer to go on a last adventure together before university. But things are more complicated at eighteen than they were at ten. Accompanying Aubrey and Rae are other friends, each one carrying baggage they can’t put in a suitcase. First there’s Jonah, Aubrey’s popular and dashing boyfriend, and his best friend Gabe, who Audrey may have accidentally kissed. And then…
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I Was Born For This Book Review
I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman From Goodreads: For Angel Rahimi, life is only about one thing: The Ark – a pop-rock trio of teenage boys who are currently taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark’s fandom has given her everything – her friendships, her dreams, her place in the world. Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark too. He’s their frontman – and playing in a band is all he’s ever dreamed of doing. It’s just a shame that recently everything in his life seems to have turned into a bit of a nightmare. Because that’s the problem with dreaming – eventually, inevitably, real life arrives…
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Out of the Blue Book Review
Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron From Goodreads: Sometimes, I imagine alternate endings to the story: last-minute miracles, touches of magic. I picture how things might have gone, if I wasn’t there. If I’d left just a few minutes later. If I hadn’t been alone. It doesn’t make any difference. One way or another, the crash always comes. Ten days after Jaya Mackenzie’s mum dies, angels start falling from the sky. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single one has survived. Hysteria mounting with every Being that drops, Jaya’s father uproots the family to Edinburgh intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can’t stand…
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Love, Simon Book Review
Simon Versus the Homo Sapiens Agenda [also known as Love, Simon] by Becky Albertalli From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised. With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day,…
