Thanks @bibliolifestyle for hosting this book tour for The Blood Trials. I don’t think I ever signed up for a book tour faster! I first saw this one through @ibingebooks . She has been RAVING about it and Briana is definitely a bookstagrammer with impeccable taste. I can’t wait to dig into this one. Also I do judge books by their covers, and this one is A+. Check out the synopsis: Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport’s fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.
#thebloodtrials #thebloodgiftduology #nedavenport #bibliolifestyle

#Bookstagram is an online cultural community on Instagram, where thousands of people take pictures of books and write reviews or reflections. Sometimes community members post pictures of stacks of books or book mail. Niche communities exist within bookstagram, from accounts specializing in science fiction and fantasy to those dedicated to romance novels. When new users find themselves on bookstagram they may at first be perplexed by the language frequently used by more seasoned reviewers. For example, DNF stands for “did not finish” and “TBR” stands for “to be read.” The community itself is sometimes embroiled in heated debates and can become littered with controversy. As a result of this specific language and hyper-cliquishness some people may find certain aspects of Bookstagram to be reminiscent of a cult. In this essay I will……

#Cultish #Cults #TheLanguageOfCults #BookstagramIsCultish #TBR #DNF #ARC #Bookstagrammer #BookReviews #BookReflections #GoodBooks #NonfictionBooks #LosAngelesReads #CaliforniaReader #AlwaysReading #aapibookstagrammer

Lots of amazing books this month but sadly it didn’t end on a strong note. Free Food for Millionaires was probably too ambitious. At over 500 pages it was kind of a slog to get through. I thought I was in the mood for another family drama but it didn’t quite hold up to The Arsonists City. But no matter because the rest of the month was simply outstanding. I know Beloved isn’t an easy read but it’s truly one of the greatest American novels of all time and it’s a reading experience I will never forget. The Arsonist’s City is a book I’ve already recommended to several IRL friends. More thoughts on many of these soon. But March was special. I went to Manila to see my Lola and hung out with family. It was a really lovely trip and a time I will cherish. Sitting around with my Lola watching Filipino dramas and laughing is a memory I’ll fold into my heart forever. And I got to meet @ricetwicethrice!! I don’t know what April has in store but Spring Break is upon us in one more week!

Fiction books read are The Arsonists City by Hala Alyan, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis, Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman, Free Food For Millionaires by Min Jin Lee, and The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

Nonfiction: They Were Her Property by Stephanie E Jones Rogers and Cultish by Amanda Montell

Middle grade literature: When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller, Starfish by Lisa Fipps, and Ancestor Approved edited by Cynthia Leviticus Smith

Poetry: Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire

#bookstagram #fiction #nonfiction #poetry #middlegradebooks

I can’t believe I didn’t post a single book for #MiddleGradeMarch hosted by @onedetailedteacher. So many of the middle grade books coming out now are a huge step up from when I was a kid. Of course there is room for improvement, but I love that graphic novels and comic books are finally getting the respect they deserve. Graphic novels don’t stay on my shelf long at all! There is so much joy to be found in middle grade books. I think they’re great for adults looking to bust a reading slump or maybe rediscover some of that joy they felt as a child. But at the end of the day, I think we can all agree that there are few finer things in life than hearing a kid say “I loved that book!”

I do think kids publishing needs to hire more teachers though. Some middle grade books are too long! Books over 300 pages are a lot for adults! For kids who don’t see themselves as readers yet?! Forget it! Also some of the books labeled middle grade are not quite reachable or accessible for ALL readers. I’m not saying EVERY book has to cater to EVERY child, but I am saying we need more books for the 8-11 set that not only cover heavier topics they are ready for, but also use language that is accessible to them so they can read it independently. Please do not take that as dumbing down, we all know what it’s like to read things that are way above what we can understand, and you know it’s not fun, especially when you’re trying to get kids to think of reading as fun. I think this is why so many kids in this age group find graphic novels so powerful, they are easier to process independently AND cover deep topics they are ready for. I know there are a ton out there, but we can always have more (ESPECIALLY from authors of the global south and LGTBQIA+ folks)! Anyways, children’s publishers hire me please. I have thoughts. Ha.

#ReadMiddleGrade #TeachersOfInstagram #MiddleGradeMarch #MiddleGradeBooks #IteachFourth #FourthGradeTeachers #AlwaysReading #WeLoveMGLit #MiddleGradeLiterature

THE ARSONIST’S CITY is possibly a new favorite. A messy family drama spanning decades and taking place in Damascus, Beirut, and even parts of the United States, this book is about the secrets we keep from our families. What secrets are okay to keep? Which ones are not? Who gets to decide and why? I loved every minute of this reading experience. This book has been shortlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and it is easy to see why. A sublime reading experience, if you haven’t read it and love family epics you will surely fall in love with this one too.

[image: The novel THE ARSONISTS CITY by Hala Alyan rests against some plants. The book cover features a painting of a two story house with a red tree in the middle. There are three figures smoking or sitting on the outside of the house and it is nighttime.]

#TheArsonistsCity #AspenWordsLiteraryPrize #FamilyEpics #FamilySagas #FictionNovels #BestBooks #PlantsAndBooks #ReadMoreBooks #Bookstagram #AlwaysReading #ReadersOfInstagram