Review: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

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Goodreads

Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.
When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle….
But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

So, going from I Wish You All the Best to this was a ride. I was not prepared for this much emotion, and once again, I don’t know if I can put into words how I feel about this book.

Felix is a trans boy who is still questioning his identity. He has a best friend called Ezra and goes to art school. And his story captured my heart. The thing about this book is it really allows the characters to be messy and real. Felix was far from perfect, and he made me angry at times. But I couldn’t help but forgive him because he was so soft and just trying to work out how he could be himself, in his own body.

I’m not flaunting anything. I’m just existing. This is me. I can’t hide myself. I can’t disappear. 

This book is about revenge. It’s about love. It’s about questioning your identity and coming to terms with yourself. It’s about family and friends and relationships. It’s freaking beautiful. Felix is constantly being bullied and struggling daily because of the negative way people treat him because he’s queer, Black and trans. And sometimes, he messes up. And the people around him mess up. But this book teaches so much about forgiveness, about being angry and being able to stand up for yourself and those around you.

I got through this so quickly, in just over 24 hours! I’ve been reading quickly at the moment anyway, but with this being over 350 pages, I thought it would take me a bit longer. But as soon as I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. It was so cleverly written, with a revenge plot and mystery thrown in too, that didn’t feel unrealistic or like it was forced in. It felt natural and I couldn’t help but be hooked by the story, I just wanted to find out what was going to happen.

And even if I could, I don’t f**king want to. I have the same right to be here. I have the same right to exist.

I had full body shivers/goosebumps at some parts of this book, especially at times that really meant a lot to Felix (I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t say any more than that!). I had tears in my eyes multiple times. Again, this book is just so needed right now. It was raw and honest and vulnerable. It will change lives.

★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

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Review: I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

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Goodreads

When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they’re thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents’ rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.
But Ben’s attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan’s friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.

Wow. I wish I could find the words to give this book the review it deserves, but I feel like I will never be able to. Becky Albertalli sums it up so well as quietly groundbreaking, and this is the perfect way to describe this novel. It will change people’s lives. It will rock people’s worlds. It will make you laugh and cry, but most importantly, it will educate.

At the start of this book, Ben comes out as non-binary to their parents, which they don’t react well to and therefore kick them out of the house. They then move in with their sister, who they haven’t spoken to in around 10 years. The thing that hit me the most about this book is that there is really nothing else out there quite like it. I’ve never felt so informed about what non-binary people have to go through just to be who they are. It honestly broke my heart over and over again, but also filled me with hope to see Ben surrounded by the people who love them the most.

“Whatever happens”—his grip tightens a little—“I wish you all the best, Benjamin De Backer.”

The characters in this book are just amazing. Ben went through so much and were treated so unfairly by their parents, and to see them slowly open up was just such a beautiful story to witness. Ben’s sister is such a great character, strong willed and always wanting what is best for Ben. Her husband, Thomas is also so loving and warm. Ben’s friends at school were such a great group and overall Ben was surrounded by such a diverse group of people. I love how good family relationships were reinforced among Ben’s friends families and their relationship with their sister and brother in law. It really balanced out the bad relationship Ben had with their parents and warmed my heart.

I also can’t write this review without mentioning how positive Ben’s relationship with their therapist was. She was such an amazing character and I love the conversations she had with Ben about informed consent, medication, and other important aspects of having therapy. Nothing was shied away in this book and everything was discussed.

He says it with a smile. “You deserve it.”

I wish I could tell you how much this book meant to me because I can really see how many lives it will change. It gave me goosebumps, made me cry, made me laugh, warmed my heart and broke it so many times. Again, I am going to leave you with the quote from Becky Albertalli, because she sums it up better than I ever could:

“Heartfelt, romantic and quietly groundbreaking. This book will save lives.”

★★★★
5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

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Blog Tour + Review: The Silent Stars Go By by Sally Nicholls

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Seventeen-year-old Margot Allan was a respectable vicar’s daughter and madly in love with her fiance Harry. But when Harry was reported Missing in Action from the Western Front, and Margot realised she was expecting his child, there was only one solution she and her family could think of in order to keep that respectability. She gave up James, her baby son, to be adopted by her parents and brought up as her younger brother.
Now two years later the whole family is gathering at the Vicarage for Christmas. It’s heartbreaking for Margot being so close to James but unable to tell him who he really is. But on top of that, Harry is also back in the village. Released from captivity in Germany and recuperated from illness, he’s come home and wants answers. Why has Margot seemingly broken off their engagement and not replied to his letters? Margot knows she owes him an explanation. But can she really tell him the truth about James? 

Thank you to Kaleidoscopic Tours and Anderson Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t usually pick up historical fiction but this one actually really intrigued me and I ended up almost requesting a copy through work. And then a beautiful parcel turned up on my doorstep, with a copy of this book, which also included parcels and envelopes to unwrap at certain pages. It was such a delightful thing to be a part of, thank you to everyone involved!

This book felt weirdly nostalgic, especially for having absolutely no reason to be nostalgic for 1919. It was nostalgic for that feeling of Christmas as a little kid, being excited for the Christmas tree and decorations and the sweets shop in the village. It was absolutely charming and utterly heartwarming.

I absolutely flew through this in just a couple of days, it’s a real page turner and the plot is so fast, I really enjoyed reading it. The book is set in the lead up to Christmas, and it has a real wintery, Christmassy feeling to it. My favourite thing about this book was probably how descriptive everything was, from the little interactions between Margot and her family, to the village at Christmas, to Christmas Day, to the grand New Years Ball at the end. It was all so beautifully written and absorbing.

Overall, this book was fairly simple and predictable. But it’s fun and charming and has just enough emotion to keep you engaged with Margot’s story. I quite enjoyed it and it definitely got me into the Christmas spirit!

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

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Review: The Bone Witch (#1) by Rin Chupeco

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Goodreads

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.
In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice. 

This book follows Tea, a bone witch/necromancer, who has also brought back her brother from the dead. After finding this out, Tea travels to another land, with a mentor, to be taken to a school to become an asha. From what I understood, Asha are kind of like Geisha, in that they learn to perform for others, dance and sing, and are recognised by their outfits, which in this case is hua.

They also have heartglasses, which hang around their necks, and change colour with the emotion of the wearer. Silver heartglasses means you can draw runes and fight, as an asha (for women) or a soldier (for men). Heartglasses are also exchanged with the person you fall in love with, which can be dangerous as they are essentially a part of you.

Then perhaps we should carve a world one day where the strength lies in who you are

There was a lot I liked about this book, but I did feel mixed about it. For a start, I felt like I was being thrown into this story almost as if it was a sequel. The world feels very fantastical and for a good chunk of the book, I just felt a bit..lost. If you enjoy high fantasy, I think you’ll get on with this just fine and enjoy it. But for me, who has only recently gotten into fantasy, I still find it hard to wrap my head around some things and it felt like I was being plunged in at the deep end sometimes! I also couldn’t quite grasp who was telling the in-between chapters, even though I enjoyed them I have since learned it is also Tea, telling the same story but in the present, whereas the main narrative is Tea in the future, telling the tale.

All that aside, there are some really cool parts of this story. Once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. The pacing isn’t exactly fast, but I didn’t want to put it down in the second half either. The writing is just beautiful, magical and weirdly comforting, and I really enjoyed reading about the world.

I also want to say I love how Rin discusses gender. Even in a regimented world in which there are two genders and they both have their roles, gender issues are discussed. The fact that Asha face criticism as females is not shied away from. The characters as a whole were great, and I really loved Tea’s mentor and some of the older Asha’s. Her relationship with her brother and friendship with Likh were also lovely to read about.

rather than in what they expect you to be.

Overall, I had mixed feelings about this but overall quite enjoyed reading it. This world has so much potential and I will definitely be carrying on with the series, now I have more understanding about how the world works I think I’ll really enjoy it!

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

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Review: Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Frances Janvier spends most of her time studying.
Everyone knows Aled Last as that quiet boy who gets straight As.
You probably think that they are going to fall in love or something. Since he is a boy and she is a girl.
They don’t. They make a podcast.
In a world determined to shut them up, knock them down, and set them on a cookie cutter life path, Frances and Aled struggle to find their voices over the course of one life-changing year. Will they have the courage to show everyone who they really are? Or will they be met with radio silence?

This was my last Alice Oseman novel and I had no idea that I would fall in love with it the way I did. I’ve heard mixed things about this and I was unsure how I would feel about it. Even the first hundred pages or so, I was unsure about it and how I would end up feeling about it by the end of the book.

And then I absolutely fell for it. Oseman has a way of writing that has this raw and beautiful honesty, like the characters are speaking directly to you. Like they are hiding nothing. And they are broken, and they are emotional, and they are real. I loved them for it.

I wonder- if nobody is listening to my voice,

This story follows Frances, the listener of a podcast, and Aled, the creator. It is about how they find each other in a time when they both need somebody to save them. It is about friendship, not romance, which felt so refreshing. I love how Oseman decided to write about a friendship and face it up front, even addressing it in the book (You probably think that Aled Last and I are going to fall in love or something. Since he is a boy and I am a girl. I just wanted to say—we don’t). It felt so amazing to have such a diverse cast of characters with different friendships and relationships, with no relationship being the focus of the story.

It dealt closely with sexuality in places, with one of the characters discussing demisexuality which I was surprised by and absolutely warmed my heart, identifying as demi myself. This book also dealt with emotional abuse and family issues, all the while showing an absolutely heart warming family in Frances and her mum that felt so incredibly well done. The diverse friendship group was amazing and supported each other through everything. I loved them.

The plot had just enough mystery in it that I never wanted to put it down, and I read this in less than 24 hours. I read some of it on audio, but at least half in physical format, and I couldn’t put it down. The podcast being woven into the story played into this, as I wanted to find out what happened in the Universe City world too.

am I making any sound at all?

It also discussed a lot of issues surrounding school and university, which as somebody who could be classed as a ‘school refuser’ at one point in my life, I related to and found it such an important conversation which I’m so glad Oseman faced head on. It was fascinating and encouraging to see a book that talked about healthy alternatives to higher education, and I loved it.

Overall, wow did this blow me away. I had no idea how much I would fall for it and that it would become my favourite Oseman book!

★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

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Review: You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Liz has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed town. But Liz has an escape plan to attend an uber-elite college, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor. But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to college. The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?

This is one of those books I just knew I was going to adore. I heard about this book earlier in the year and picked it up pretty much as soon as it came out. A couple of my friends have read it and loved it too, so I was reassured that this one would be for me!

And I wasn’t wrong – I ended up adoring this book. I listened to it half on audiobook and half read the physical version depending on what I was doing. I’ve never actually read an audiobook before but I loved the experience and narrator, and it was a great thing to have on while I was driving!

I never needed this race, or a hashtag, or the king to be a queen. 

This book was so full of emotion. It made me actually laugh out loud in places and almost cry in others. I loved Liz as a main character and so many elements of the story made me feel for her in various ways. There is a big focus on friendship groups and family, which I loved. Liz lives with her grandparents and her little brother, and I adored the scenes that included them. Their relationships were portrayed beautifully.

The friendships were so well portrayed too. I felt up and down about Liz’s main friendship group and the high school drama in general, but by the end of the book I made peace with any annoyances I’d had and I felt like the issues between friends had been handled well. I also loved the friendship between Liz and Jordan because, yes to platonic male/female friendships! The relationship was also so lovely and I really enjoyed reading about it but it not being the main plot worked well.

The discussions of race and lgbtqia+ issues were also so brilliantly written. It introduced and handled these complicated social issues so well and was so readable (that feels like the wrong word, but I can’t find the one I’m looking for!), especially for an audience of young people who may be only just learning of these issues.

I was born royalty. All I had to do was pick up my crown.

Overall, this book was fun and entertaining but also tackled important issues and made me so emotional. It was diverse and beautiful and I really loved it!


★★★

4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

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October Wrap Up + November TBR

I managed to read a few more books in October than I did in September, and I’m pretty happy with 7! That means if I stay on track and manage to read just one extra, I’ll easily finish my Non-Binary November TBR. I also read all 4 books on my October TBR!

Books I Read in October

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Mara Dyer believes life can’t get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is.
She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

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Goodreads | Waterstones

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Imogen should be nice to her little sister Marie. She should be nice to her mum’s boyfriend too. And she certainly shouldn’t follow a strange silver moth through a door in a tree.
But then… who does what they’re told?
Followed by Marie, Imogen finds herself falling into a magical kingdom where the two sisters are swept up in a thrilling race against time – helped by the spoiled prince of the kingdom, a dancing bear, a very grumpy hunter… and even the stars above them.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.
Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Seventeen-year-old Margot Allan was a respectable vicar’s daughter and madly in love with her fiance Harry. But when Harry was reported Missing in Action from the Western Front, and Margot realised she was expecting his child, there was only one solution she and her family could think of in order to keep that respectability. She gave up James, her baby son, to be adopted by her parents and brought up as her younger brother.
Now two years later the whole family is gathering at the Vicarage for Christmas. It’s heartbreaking for Margot being so close to James but unable to tell him who he really is. But on top of that, Harry is also back in the village. Released from captivity in Germany and recuperated from illness, he’s come home and wants answers. Why has Margot seemingly broken off their engagement and not replied to his letters? Margot knows she owes him an explanation. But can she really tell him the truth about James?

I really loved Serpent & Dove and it was definitely my favourite book this month. My least favourite was The Retribution of Mara Dyer, and the whole series was really just okay for me.

Books I Want to Read in November

The Bone Witch – Rin Chupeco
You Should See Me in a Crown – Leah Johnson
Boy Queen – George Lester
Radio Silence – Alice Oseman
Felix Ever After – Kacen Callendar
I Wish You All the Best – Mason Deaver
Wonderland – Juno Dawson
Once and Future – A.R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy

All of these books are the ones on my non-binary November TBR, and I’m so excited for all of them!

What did you read in October and what do you want to read in November?

-Beth

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Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper (#1) by Kerri Maniscalco

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.
Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

I read this with my lovely friends (and colleagues!) Amy and Jo and I really liked it. Amy has been wanting us to read it for a while because it’s her favourite series ever and I’m so glad she did! We buddy read it over 2 weeks and we all loved reading it together.

I’m not usually one for historical fiction at all but this one was more steampunk horror which I loved the aesthetic of. The Victorian Gothic vibes worked so well and I loved reading about the city of London in the late 1800s. It felt like the perfect set for this book!

Roses have both petals and thorns, my dark flower.

Audrey Rose was my absolute favourite and I loved her as a female main character. She was so ballsy and brave and was such a strong character that I fell in love with her instantly. Some of the lines she came out with even in the first few chapters were amazing and I loved her for it. The way she defies societies norms is great and I really admired her as a character. This is exactly what we need from YA fiction for young female readers!

I also didn’t feel like the love interest took away from her character or the plot at all, I’m glad it was more of a side addition to the plot rather than the main plot. In fact, I really enjoyed the plot and I thought the element of her being a female ‘detective’ looking for Jack the Ripper. It had a real mystery element to it that intrigued me so much, especially in the last 50 pages or so! I didn’t know who Jack the Ripper was either, and was constantly kept guessing.

You needn’t believe something weak because it appears delicate. Show the world your bravery.

Overall, I really loved this book and I can’t wait to carry on with the series! The only slight thing I struggled with was the actual cutting up of the cadavers, which I honestly think I found more difficult because I’m vegan! But it only got me a couple of times and I really enjoyed reading it despite those very few scenes.

★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

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Stacking the Shelves #28

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

For the first time since my book ban started, I’m finally on top of these posts and I feel like it’s paying off, even if only slightly!

I only received one book this week, and it was a proof copy through work that I’m super excited for! This book looks amazing and I can’t wait to read it.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters–James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna–join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be. 

What have you bought recently?

-Beth

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Stacking the Shelves #27

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

Hi everyone! Today’s post is a bumper one because it’s been my birthday this week and I was lucky enough to receive some books. I’ll start with ones I pre-ordered or bought, and then move on to the others I was gifted!

Goodreads

Dive into the epic world of international bestselling author Leigh Bardugo with this beautifully illustrated replica of The Lives of Saints, the Istorii Sankt’ya, featuring tales of saints drawn from the beloved novels and beyond. Out of the pages of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, from the hands of Alina Starkov to yours, the Istorii Sankt’ya is a magical keepsake from the Grishaverse.
These tales include miracles and martyrdoms from familiar saints like Sankta Lizabeta of the Roses and Sankt Ilya in Chains, to the strange and obscure stories of Sankta Ursula, Sankta Maradi, and the Starless Saint.
This beautiful collection includes stunning full-color illustrations of each story.

I had this gorgeous edition on pre-order from Illumicrate and it arrived on my birthday! It was such a lovely present for myself.

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Goodreads

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.
In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

I also had this arrive, which I ordered for the non-binary readathon in November! It’s our group book for the readathon, and I’m super excited.

Birthday Gifts

The Stalking Jack the Ripper Series Hardcover Gift Set (Hardback)

Goodreads | Waterstones

In this spine-chilling gothic murder mystery set in gritty Victorian-era London, a resourceful lord’s daughter named Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her brilliant friend Thomas Cresswell find themselves inescapably embroiled in the investigation of a ghastly serial killer known as Jack the Ripper.

My mum gifted me this gorgeous set, on recommendation from my lovely friend Amy. We are going to start reading it alongside our friend Jo tomorrow, and I’m super excited!

Pride (Paperback)

Goodreads | Waterstones

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable.
When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.
But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

The rest of the books were gifted to me from my gorgeous boyfriend, the first of which I picked up in a bookshop in the summer and he saved for me! I’m super excited to read this.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Learn about identities, true histories, and anti-racism work in 20 carefully laid out chapters. Written by anti-bias, anti-racist, educator and activist, Tiffany Jewell, and illustrated by French illustrator Aurélia Durand in kaleidoscopic vibrancy.
This book is written for the young person who doesn’t know how to speak up to the racist adults in their life. For the 14 year old who sees injustice at school and isn’t able to understand the role racism plays in separating them from their friends. For the kid who spends years trying to fit into the dominant culture and loses themselves for a little while. It’s for all of the Black and Brown children who have been harmed (physically and emotionally) because no one stood up for them or they couldn’t stand up for themselves; because the colour of their skin, the texture of their hair, their names made white folx feel scared and threatened.
It is written so children and young adults will feel empowered to stand up to the adults who continue to close doors in their faces. This book will give them the language and ability to understand racism and a drive to undo it. In short, it is for everyone.

I also picked this up at the same time and it looks so good and it is beautifully illustrated.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth – four “little women” enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England The charming story of the March sisters, Little Women has been adored by generations. Readers have rooted for Laurie in his pursuit of Jo’s hand, cried over little Beth’s death, and dreamed of travelling through Europe with old Aunt March and Amy. Future writers have found inspiration in Jo’s devotion to her writing. In this simple, enthralling tale, both parts of which are included here, Louisa May Alcott has created four of American literature’s most beloved women.

He also picked me up this lovely copy of Little Women! I haven’t ever read it, and I’ve really wanted to for years, especially since watching the 2019 film a grand total of four times in cinema!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

She will become a legend but first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning …
Diana is desperate to prove herself to her warrior sisters. But when the opportunity comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law to save a mere mortal, Alia Keralis. 
With this single heroic act, Diana may have just doomed the world. 
Alia is a Warbringer – a descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery. Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies, mortal and divine, determined to destroy or possess the Warbringer. 
To save the world, they must stand side by side against the tide of war.

The last and by no means least, he managed to get me this rare signed copy if Wonder Woman by Leigh Bardugo. I feel so very lucky 🙂

What have you bought recently?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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