Well, I don’t know about you but to me, January simultaneously felt like it would never end and like it passed way too quickly for my liking. This was the month I started my “new” job, returned to work 4 of 5 days in the office, and felt a ridiculous level of stress and pressure that I haven’t felt in quite some time. It has been both good and bad and although it’s gotten slightly better and I’m slowly finding my feet, it’s been a lot to adjust to!
With my first chunky new paycheck I decided to indulge in new tech and invested in my first ever tablet—the 5th Gen iPad Air and of course, I got it in the colour purple! 💜 I think 2023 is fast becoming the year I take my favourite colour and make it into my whole aesthetic and I’m not mad about it at all.
disclaimer: i’m absolutely losing my mind at work so i’m sorry if this post is a little dramatic 😂
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
Hello, friends! I’m back with a blog tour review for Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim. Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it!
Thanks to Delacorte Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!
Spice Road (The Spice Road Trilogy #1) Publisher: Delacorte Press Publication Date: 24 January 2023 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rep: Middle Eastern, Arabian, Lebanese
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
The first book in an epic fantasy series for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal and Elizabeth Lim, set in an Arabian-inspired land. Raised to protect her nation from the monsters lurking in the sands, seventeen-year-old Imani must fight to find her brother whose betrayal is now their greatest threat.
In the hidden desert city of Qalia, secret spice magic awakens affinities in those who drink the misra tea. With an affinity for iron, seventeen-year-old Imani wields a dagger like no other warrior, garnering her the reputation as the next greatest Shield for battling the dangerous djinn, ghouls, and other monsters that lurk in the sands beyond city limits.
Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother who tarnished the family name after he was discovered stealing their nation’s coveted spice – a tell-tale sign of magical obsession. He disappeared soon after, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes, and leaving Imani reeling with both betrayal and grief.
But when Imani uncovers evidence her brother may be alive and spreading their nation’s magic beyond the desert, she strikes a deal with the Council to find him and bring him back to Qalia before he can reveal the city’s location. Accompanied by Qayn, a roguish but handsome djinni, and Taha, a powerful beastseer whose magical talents are matched only by his arrogance, they set out on their mission.
Imani will soon discover there are many secrets that lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes – and in her own heart – but will she find her brother before his betrayals endanger the fate of all of Qalia?
In this epic and action-packed fantasy, one young heroine navigates the treacherous road between protecting the ones you love and staying loyal to the place you call home.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Colonialism, slave labour, brutality/cruelty, gladiator/ring fighting, prison labour, death, public hangings, sexual assault/attempted r*pe (not to main character), bullying
Note: The quotes below are taken from an advanced copy and are subject to change in the final version.
TL;DR:Spice Road is a book that I’m glad I was patient with because, despite a bit of a rough start, it really pulled through for me in the end! The world-building was descriptive and vivid, the atmosphere was tense, and the story unfolded at a fast pace. I loved the development of our main character, Imani, the most though. What had the potential to ruin a great read with an unsympathetic main character, was saved by realistic gradual growth and it made the second half of this book so much more enjoyable to read! There were a few twists and turns at the end that only served to increase the intensity of the story and now that I’m invested, I can’t wait to get my hands on book two to see what happens next! 😍
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
Special thanks to Algonquin Books for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Moonrise Over New Jessup Publisher: Algonquin Books Pub Date: 10 January 2023 Genre: Historical Fiction
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
Winner of the 2021 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, a thought-provoking and enchanting debut about a Black woman doing whatever it takes to protect all she loves at the beginning of the civil rights movement in Alabama.
It’s 1957, and after leaving the only home she has ever known, Alice Young steps off the bus into the all-Black town of New Jessup, Alabama, where residents have largely rejected integration as the means for Black social advancement. Instead, they seek to maintain, and fortify, the community they cherish on their “side of the woods.” In this place, Alice falls in love with Raymond Campbell, whose clandestine organizing activities challenge New Jessup’s longstanding status quo and could lead to the young couple’s expulsion—or worse—from the home they both hold dear. But as Raymond continues to push alternatives for enhancing New Jessup’s political power, Alice must find a way to balance her undying support for his underground work with her desire to protect New Jessup from the rising pressure of upheaval from inside, and outside, their side of town.
Jamila Minnicks’s debut novel is both a celebration of Black joy and a timely examination of the opposing viewpoints that attended desegregation in America. Readers of Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Robert Jones, Jr.’s The Prophets will love Moonrise Over New Jessup.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Sexual assault (minor mention), racism, racial slurs, hate crimes (brief mention), death of parent (off-page, mentioned), police brutality (minor mention), physical violence, slavery (brief mention)
TL;DR:Moonrise Over New Jessup was a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking historical fiction and a wonderful debut by Jamila Minnicks! This slow-paced character-driven story set in Alabama at the beginning of the civil rights movement shared a not-so-black-and-white perspective about integration and I found this an educative and informative, as well as an emotional read. Alice and Raymond were wonderful characters and I enjoyed how the author thoughtfully crafted these insights and viewpoints through their life and love story. I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy historical fiction!
Iron Widow (Iron Widow #1) Publisher: Penguin Teen Pub Date (Original): 21 September 2021 Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy
Panda Rating: (3 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it’s to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.
To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Misogyny & femicide, rape (mentioned), sexual assault, physical & emotional abuse, suicidal ideation, alcoholism, blood & gore depiction, murder, torture
TL;DR:Well, I’ve finally read Iron Widow and I have very mixed feelings. When I first started reading this, I was sure it was going to be my next 5-star read because it gave me all the tingly and excited feelings I tend to get when I’m reading something I’ll love. But the further I read, the more disappointed I became because this had so much potential and IMHO, it failed to deliver. While I’m glad that I’ve finally read it (and with one of my book besties too!), I’m pretty sad that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I do get why people love this though, so if you’re still curious about it and own a copy, I think you should still give it a try cos I found the concept unique. Plus, if you like doggedly relentless revenge-fuelled MCs that would go to any extreme to successfully stick it to the man, with plenty of giant robot battles and spirit energy magic, then there’s a chance you could enjoy this more than I did!
Hello, hello and welcome back to another episode of WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be answering these questions:
Special thanks to Meghan Quinn and her team for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A LONG TIME COMING, a brand new sexy, friends-to-lovers standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn, is Now Available in all formats, including the illustrated hardcover edition!
Get ready to fall in love with this unassuming, smoking hot billionaire and his beautiful, quirky best friend he’s destined for! One-click your copy of this sexy, laugh-out-loud romance full of charm and heat today!
Convenience Store Woman Publisher: Granta Books Pub Date (Original): 27 July 2016 Genre: Translated Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Panda Rating: (3 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
Meet Keiko.
Keiko is 36 years old. She’s never had a boyfriend, and she’s been working in the same supermarket for eighteen years.
Keiko’s family wishes she’d get a proper job. Her friends wonder why she won’t get married.
But Keiko knows what makes her happy, and she’s not going to let anyone come between her and her convenience store…
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Ableism, misogyny
TL;DR:I think I’m coming in with a slightly unpopular opinion here but I know I’m one of very few who didn’t fall in love with this book. Convenience Store Woman ended up being just okay for me and I was slightly disappointed because I think I was expecting more. Keiko is an interesting character who does stand out after having read this book and while I agreed with the social commentary, I don’t think this will stick with me in the long run. Still, this was a well-written and engaging novella and I’m not mad that I gave it a try—I’m only sad that I didn’t love it as much as everyone else seemed to!
dinipandareads 