Witty, Sharp and Sassy - I NEED MORE // REVIEW: Swear You Won't Tell? by Vedashree Khambete Sharma

Title: Swear You Won't Tell?
Author: Vedashree Khambete Sharma
Publication Date: March 25th 2018
Publisher: Harper Collins India
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Harper Collins India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Flipkart || Infibeam || Google Books

Blurb Description: When Mumbai Daily journalist Avantika Pandit is asked to interview her childhood nemesis Aisha Juneja, she knows it'll like an express bikini wax - painful, but quick. Then Laxmi, her former best friend, shows up dead. And suddenly Avantika finds herself turning into the reporter she used to be - a nosy little newshound with the self-preservation instincts of a dodo. Now, she has to meet old acquaintances she'd hoped never to run into again, try to unravel the puzzle of Laxmi's death, and ask the questions nobody seems to be asking: Who is the man Laxmi was in love with? Why hasn't anybody heard of him? What does he have to do with her death? The answers could get her killed. But if the choice is between churning out listicles on handbags and death, dying might not be that bad after all. 

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

THINGS Swear You Won’t Tell? Contained:

-          A SASSY PROTAGONIST (Yes for sassy people)

-          Who also tackled Indian Society and the Patriarchy on so many fronts

-          And was also fearlessly trying to solve a murder-mystery

-          Some ADORABLE chemistry (and awkward moments)

-          A GENUINE male and female friendship (how do we not see more of this in books?)

-          DID I ALSO MENTION THAT THIS LADY’S HUMOUR AND SASS WAS ON POINT?

If you can’t already tell, I kind of LOVED this book.

When I first read about this book on a Harper Collins press release, I knew I had to get my hands on it somehow. I LOVE the murder mystery genre, but for some reason don’t read nearly enough as much as I’d like. Combine the genre with that beautiful cover and the praise it’s been getting, I knew it was a must read. I waited a matter of DAYS before picking it up from my TBR and diving in (*looks apologetically at the books that have been there since 2014*)

Swear You Won’t Tell was, in a nutshell, SUCH a fun book to read. Each time I picked it up, I simply did NOT want to put it down – it was THAT good. There was always something happening, I was rooting for the protagonist from the very first chapter, I let out laugh after laugh at her snarky disposition and her misfortune and honestly, this book made me CARE. I cared about the whodunit and the why and I wished Avantika Pandit got her happy(ish) ending. I cared about the secondary characters, what happened to Swati, about Avantika’s boss and even Ganesh, the Gandhian. (You HAVE to read this book!)

The only thing that I didn’t like – and the thing that’s stopping me from giving this book a five star rating is the flashback scenes to Avantika’s childhood. I felt like the writing suddenly turned a little awkward, and I just didn’t enjoy the scenes as much as I did with the present day ones.

All in all, Swear You Won’t Tell? Is a rambunctious, snarky witty little book with a true whodunit element that will leave you craving more. 4.5 stars.

Vedashree Khambete-Sharma is an award-winning copywriter in her mid-thirties. For the past twelve years, she has peddled everything from moisturisers to magazines, like some kind of a one-woman corner shop. 

She has contributed to several websites and blogs and is the author of the widely unrenowned novel There May Be An Asterisk Involved.

She lives in Mumbai with her husband, daughter and the niggling feeling that she should be writing more.

amazon.com/author/vedashreekhambete

What are some of your favourite murder mystery novels?

Whar are som eof your favourite novels with INDIAN characters/ by Indian Authors?

Which sassy literature character is your favourite?

 

Eloquent, Real, Beautiful, Tragic // ARC Review: A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bathena

Title: A Girl Like That
Author: Tanaz Bathena
Publication Date: February 27th 2018
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux Books (Macmillan)
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Macmillan INTL (Thank You!)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: A timeless exploration of high-stakes romance, self-discovery, and the lengths we go to love and be loved. 
Sixteen-year-old Zarin Wadia is many things: a bright and vivacious student, an orphan, a risk taker. She’s also the kind of girl that parents warn their kids to stay away from: a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school.  You don't want to get involved with a girl like that, they say. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that. 
This beautifully written debut novel from Tanaz Bhathena reveals a rich and wonderful new world to readers. It tackles complicated issues of race, identity, class, and religion, and paints a portrait of teenage ambition, angst, and alienation that feels both inventive and universal.

I first met Tanaz Bathena on Instagram, when she followed by #bookstagram account and upon discovering her profile, I read the Publisher’s Weekly announcement for her debut novel and I KNEW that it was something I NEEDED TO READ.

I read this book over the course of a week, and it was poignant and beautiful and it really hit home for me on multiple levels and easily one of the BEST books I read this year.

Let’s break it down:

WRITING:

Told through multiple points of view, A Girl Like That eloquently portrays the lives of teenagers living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with honest, unflinching prose that will haunt you long after you’ve put it down. Even though this was only Tanaz Bathena’s debut novel, I felt everything she wanted me to feel – the fear, the sense of inequality, the sadness, the anger and the joy – and it was experience like no other.

IDEA:

I’ve been RANTING on Twitter to anyone who will hear me about how much I NEEDED to read this book before I actually got my hands on it all because it SOUNDED SO BRILLIANT. Like, honestly, just read that synopsis and tell me you’re not intrigued.

PLOT:

The structure of the plot was unconventional, to say the least. And by that I mean that not only was this book not told in a chronological manner, but throughout its varying viewpoints, we learn stories from the past and present of each of the main characters; stories that shaped them, and it’s done in such a beautiful manner. A Girl Like That slowly constructs and deconstructs its diverse cast of characters in a heart breaking manner that will leave you SPELLBOUND.

I loved that this had so many points of view – Zarin, Porus, Farhan and Mishal, because it really pieced every heart breaking part of this story together.

CHARACTERS:

I absolutely loved Zarin and Porus. I loved Zarin’s need to be someone more and her need to break the shackles keeping her down with her rebellious streak. I wanted to reach in and hug her for the things life had put her through and I absolutely loved that Porus was there with her for it all.

Porus was a GEM of a human being. With rantings on true love and loyalty so fierce, I loved how Zarin and Porus worked together and how right they were for each other at the moment.

All the girls in this book, in one way or another were fighting for independence, fighting for individuality and also just to be equal in a society that does everything to push them down and everybody’s story was beautiful in its own way.

CONCLUSION:

This book was BETTER than I expected it would be, and I expected a LOT from it.

A poignant, heart breaking, diverse book on love, life and death; a harsh look into society in the Middle East and the beautiful, broken lives of girls living there.

Tanaz Bhathena was born in Mumbai and raised in Riyadh, Jeddah and Toronto. Her short stories have appeared in various journals, including Blackbird, Witness and Room Magazine. A Girl Like That is her first novel. Find Tanaz on Instagram

Have you heard of // read this book? WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT?
What are some of your favourite Diverse book?
I'd love to hear your recommendations.

A New All Time Favourite // ARC Review: Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk

Title: Blood And Sand
Author: C.V.Wyk
Publication Date:January 17th 2018 
Publisher: Tor Teen (Macmillan)
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 1 on 2 of the Blood and Sand Duology
I Got A Copy Through: Macmillan Intl (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Foyles || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: FORGED IN BATTLE...FROM THE DUST OF THE ARENA...A LEGEND WILL RISE
The action-packed tale of a 17-year-old warrior princess and a handsome gladiator who dared take on the Roman Republic―and gave rise to the legend of Spartacus...
For teens who love strong female protagonists in their fantasy and historical fiction, Blood and Sand is a stirring, yet poignant tale of two slaves who dared take on an empire by talented debut author C. V. Wyk.
Roma Victrix. The Republic of Rome is on a relentless march to create an empire―an empire built on the backs of the conquered, brought back to Rome as slaves.
Attia was once destined to rule as the queen and swordmaiden of Thrace, the greatest warrior kingdom the world had seen since Sparta. Now she is a slave, given to Xanthus, the Champion of Rome, as a sign of his master’s favor. Enslaved as a child, Xanthus is the preeminent gladiator of his generation.
Against all odds, Attia and Xanthus form a tentative bond. A bond that will spark a rebellion. A rebellion that threatens to bring the Roman Republic to its end―and gives rise to the legend of Spartacus...
The story continues in Fire and Ash, coming in 2019 from Tor Teen. 

WELL HELLO NEW ADDITION TO MY FAVOURITE BOOKS EVER LIST.

Let’s be honest – you can hear all kinds of GREAT things about a book through hype or from your favourite reviewers, but everybody’s reading experience is personal. Which is why, despite ONLY having read four and five star reviews about Blood and Sand, I was a little skeptical going in. (I’m skeptical about everything, though. #PessimistLife)

And yet, C.V. Wyk’s debut novel BLEW MY MIND and had me SERIOUSLY INVESTED in her characters and at the edge of my seat, waiting for more.

Which reminds me, IF SOMEONE COULD KINDLY HAND ME THE SEQUEL NOW, IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. HONESTLY.

Let’s break this down. MY THOUGHTS:

1.       The pace of this book was STUNNING. It was fast paced but not brutal and there was never a dull moment. I loved who C.V. Wyk unravelled and created this world, made us fall for her characters and their need to be free from their chains and IT WAS SUCH AN INSPIRING, WONDEROUS, BRILLIANT STORY.

2.       I ABSOLUTELY LOVED ATTIA AND HER WARRIOR SPIRIT. She was truly an epic, unafraid, weapon wielding badass who let absolutely NOTHING stand in her way and nothing dampen who she was. Her pain was raw, her healing from her tragedy was beautiful and GOD SHE WAS JUST SUCH A WONDEROUS CHARACTER TO FALL IN LOVE WITH.

3.       This book was set in Rome and there were Gladiator brothers, scandals, politics, slaves and everything FELT SO AUTHENTIC AND YET, there was no brutality, making this book suitable for younger readers as well. Also, SPARTACUS WAS FEMALE. THIS BOOK HAD A FEMALE BADASS REBEL AND UGH IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.  

 

4.       The fierce undefeated gladiator, Xanthus, who is also the Champion of Rome was an ADORABLE MUFFIN AT HEART and it took me all of one chapter in his point of view to fall for him. I LOVED HIS PEACEFUL SPIRIT, HIS LOYALTY and most of all, HIS RESPECTFULNESS TOWARDS ATTIA. Yes for boys in literature that show that nothing is MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONSENT.

5.       The ending, the last scene and WHAT IT ALL MEANS FOR BOOK TWO was mind blowing. I also don’t THINK that a certain aspect of the ending will remain in book two and I’m really hoping for that.

6.       The only minus point to this book was the AMOUNT OF SECONDARY CHARACTERS (like Xanthus’ gladiator brothers) that were introduced so fast, I didn’t get to know them and I BARELY remember their names. (There was a dude with ‘a’ and another with ‘I’? I don’t KNOW?)

Should you read this book?! YES. RIGHT NOW. GO. READ. IT.

An absolute masterpiece from a debut author that will make you fall in love, make you hope, leave you in awe and inspired by it's wonderful cast. 5 GLOWING, SWORD SHAPED STARS.

C.V. Wyk is the author of BLOOD AND SAND, debuting from Tor Teen in winter 2018. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Wyk now resides on the east coast along with a precocious mini poodle and demanding guinea pig. 

In her not-so-spare time, she enjoys playing MMORPGs, kayaking, coding, hiking, staring listlessly at blank walls, and nursing a totally healthy coffee addiction. 

Find Wyk online at www.cvywyk.com.

What are some of your favourite historical fantasies?

Blood and Sand is already the SECOND Roman Inspired fantasy I've read this year and I've LOVED both of them. 

Do you have any more recommendations for me?

Whatt have some of your favourite 2018 books been?

 

An Essential Book For Girls Everywhere // ARC Review: The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed

Title: The Nowhere Girls
Author: Amy Reed
Publication Date: October 10th 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Simon Pulse via Netgalley (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Three misfits come together to avenge the rape of a fellow classmate and in the process trigger a change in the misogynist culture at their high school transforming the lives of everyone around them in this searing and timely story.
Who are the Nowhere Girls?
They’re everygirl. But they start with just three:
Grace Salter is the new girl in town, whose family was run out of their former community after her southern Baptist preacher mom turned into a radical liberal after falling off a horse and bumping her head.
Rosina Suarez is the queer punk girl in a conservative Mexican immigrant family, who dreams of a life playing music instead of babysitting her gaggle of cousins and waitressing at her uncle’s restaurant.
Erin Delillo is obsessed with two things: marine biology and Star Trek: The Next Generation, but they aren’t enough to distract her from her suspicion that she may in fact be an android.
When Grace learns that Lucy Moynihan, the former occupant of her new home, was run out of town for having accused the popular guys at school of gang rape, she’s incensed that Lucy never had justice. For their own personal reasons, Rosina and Erin feel equally deeply about Lucy’s tragedy, so they form an anonymous group of girls at Prescott High to resist the sexist culture at their school, which includes boycotting sex of any kind with the male students.
Told in alternating perspectives, this groundbreaking novel is an indictment of rape culture and explores with bold honesty the deepest questions about teen girls and sexuality.

This book was heart-breaking and STUNNING and really dealt with rape and privilege and even feminism in the midst of it all and I was CRYING by the time I reached the end because I haven’t had a book make me feel and think as much as The Nowhere Girls did in a WHILE.

THE NOWHERE GIRLS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT BOOK FOR GIRLS EVERYWHERE. It’s uplifting, real, heart-breaking and filled with girl power. The story itself is centred on girls from different ethnic and economic backgrounds as well as just girls with different personalities. In fact, most of the chapters are told from the point of view of ‘Us’ – that is, all these different and wonderful girls and IT WAS SO TOUCHING.

MY THOUGHTS:

Graphic from Never Too Many To Read

1.       Before we go any further, this book might contain a lot of triggers from someone who is a victim of abuse, so TRIGGER WARNINGS: Rape, sexual and physical assault, sexual harassment and panic attacks.

2.       This book was INTENSE. Not only the story itself, but the descriptions that came along with it – from what all the girls banding together felt and thought to the descriptions of the abuse itself. It didn’t let up, because it was tackling such an important issue and I really appreciated the intensity.

Graphic from Never Too Many To Read

   3.       The first character we’re introduced to is Grace Salter, who is an empathetic girl that is pretty much left to her own devices who lives in the room of a girl who was raped and run out of town. Her viewpoint is harrowing and I loved the growth she went through in this book.

4.       Erin, the second girl we’re introduced to, has Asperger’s. I love that we got to know Erin outside of where she stood on the spectrum, as well as about her disease. We see how she views life and relationships and everything about her was wonderfully done.

5.       I’m still on the fence as to how I feel about the third girl – Rosina. I felt for her, definitely, but I didn’t connect with her.

Graphic from Never Too Many To Read

6.       Like I said in the beginning, though we were introduced to the world from these three girls’ viewpoints, a LOT of the book was told from the Viewpoint of “Us.” Us stands for all the girls that are a part of the town, facing different battles in their lives. They talked about double standards, choice, reputation, beliefs, experiences and SO MUCH MORE. Honestly, reading this book from an “Us” perspective made me CONNECT. It made this book heart-wrenchingly read and it broke me.

The Nowhere Girls is probably one of the MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS OUT THERE FOR TEENAGE GIRLS because it tackles the rape culture, patriarchy, double standards and misogyny and in the centre of it all, shows you how powerful girls standing by each other can be.

I could not recommend it more. This should be on all essential reading lists. 

Amy Reed was born and raised in and around Seattle, where she attended a total of eight schools by the time she was eighteen. Constant moving taught her to be restless and being an only child made her imagination do funny things. After a brief stint at Reed College (no relation), she moved to San Francisco and spent the next several years serving coffee and getting into trouble. She eventually graduated from film school, promptly decided she wanted nothing to do with filmmaking, returned to her original and impractical love of writing, and earned her MFA from New College of California. Her short work has been published in journals such as Kitchen Sink, Contrary, and Fiction. Amy currently lives in Oakland with her husband and two cats, and has accepted that Northern California has replaced the Pacific Northwest as her home. She is no longer restless. Find out more at amyreedfiction.com.

BEAUTIFUL is her first novel. 

What are some of the more REAL books you've read?

Have you read other feminist centred books where Rape and the Patriarchy are taken on by Girls Banding Together?

If you've read more books like this, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

 

It's EVERYTHING You Never Knew You Needed // ARC Review: Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Title: Daughter of the Siren Queen
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Publication Date: February 27th 2018
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 2/2 of the Daughter of the Pirate Kind Duology
I Got A Copy Through: Macmillan Intl (Thank You!)
Buy Links: Amazon US || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.
When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen. 

Read my review on Book One, Daughter of the Pirate King here 

Actual Rating 4.5 Stars

The minute I saw an ARC of Daughter of the Siren Queen in a parcel from Macmillan International, I SCREAMED. I read Daughter of the Pirate King, the prequel and Tricia Levenseller’s debut a few months ago and ever since then, I’d been ITCHING to get my hands on this book.

Despite the fact that I had so many pending ARCs and finished copies to review, I couldn’t help the itch to reach out and read this BEAUTIFUL book and within a week or two of receiving it, I caved.

Daughter of the Siren Queen was a BRILLIANT book filled with pirates, love, family, betrayals, battles, twists, mythical creatures, chemistry and FEMINISM. It was the perfect combination of everything good in the fantasy world and I loved every second of being immersed in this book.

In fact, I NEED MORE BOOKS WITH ALOSA AND RIDEN AND THE AVA-LEE AND EVERYONE ONE IT because HOLY CRAP THEY ARE ALL SUCH AMAZING CHARACTERS AND DESERVE MORE STORIES.

My Thoughts:

1.       While the prequel, Daughter of the Pirate King, took me by surprise with how good it was, I pretty much EXPECTED it from Daughter of the Siren Queen. I expected it to be great, and this book lived up to my expectations.

2.       Like the first book, this story is mostly told on sea, aboard a pirate ship but this one is different because Alosa is no longer a prisoner and is back on her own ship. Most of her crew is made up of badass female pirates and I loved getting to know them especially Mandsy, Nirida and Sorinda.

3.       THE ALOSA AND RIDEN SCENES IN THIS BOOK ARE LIFE. I absolutely loved how he tried to understand her as a half siren, and how she tried to deal with what she felt for him and why he kept her human. Their character development in this book was stunning, just like all their illicit kisses and arguments.

4.       Apart from her journey with Riden, Alosa made HUGE strides as both a Siren and a daughter in this book and how Tricia Levenseller made it all come to life was brilliant. I loved the way her mind worked, her Slytherin attitude, her fearlessness and her loyalty. I will truly miss reading from her perspective.

5.       While this book was GREAT, it somehow just missed the magic that made Daughter of the Pirate King one of my favourite 2017 reads. I don’t know if it was the fact that there were so many new characters, or the fact that I was expecting it to be brilliant, but this book ranks second to its prequel.

Would I recommend this series? HELL YES.

Daughter of the Siren Queen filled with feminism, sirens, magic, pirates, friendship, treasure and chemistry filled banter and IT’S EVERYTHING YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED IN YOUR LIVES. 4.5 Stars.

Tricia Levenseller writes historical fantasies for young adult readers. Her debut, DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING, released earlier this year from Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.

Initially from a small town in Oregon, Tricia now lives next to the Rocky Mountains with her bossy dog, Rosy. She received her degree in English Language and editing and is thrilled that she never has to read a textbook again. When she’s not writing or reading, Tricia enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing volleyball, and watching shows while eating extra-buttered popcorn.

Have you had a chance to dive into this series?! WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT?

What are some of your favourite YA Feminist Fantasy Novels? PLEASE DO GIVE ME RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW!

 

A Tale Weaved With Finesse // REVIEW: Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M.Elliot

Title: Da Vinci's Tiger
Author: L. M. Elliot
Publication Date: August 2017 (India)
Publisher: Harper Teen
Part of a Series?: No, A Standalone
I Got A Copy Through: Harper Collins India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Flipkart  || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: For fans of rich and complex historical novels like Girl with a Pearl Earring or Code Name Verity, Laura Malone Elliott delivers the stunning tale of real-life Renaissance woman Ginevra de' Benci, the inspiration for one of Leonardo da Vinci's earliest masterpieces.
The young and beautiful daughter of a wealthy family, Ginevra longs to share her poetry and participate in the artistic ferment of Renaissance Florence but is trapped in an arranged marriage in a society dictated by men. The arrival of the charismatic Venetian ambassador, Bernardo Bembo, introduces Ginevra to a dazzling circle of patrons, artists, and philosophers. Bembo chooses Ginevra as his Platonic muse and commissions a portrait of her by a young Leonardo da Vinci. Posing for the brilliant painter inspires an intimate connection between them, one Ginevra only begins to understand. In a rich and vivid world of exquisite art with a dangerous underbelly of deadly political feuds, Ginevra faces many challenges to discover her voice and artistic companionship—and to find love. 

 

I’ve always been fascinated with everything related to the Renaissance, ever since I first learnt about it back in middle school. Yet, the minute after I flipped open L.M. Elliot’s Da Vinci’s Tiger, I knew that my knowledge about this period or about one of the most renowned painters in history was in fact, barely amounted to anything at all.

Da Vinci’s Tiger weaves a tale around the subject of Leonardo Da Vinci’s first portrait with finesse, bringing to life the Renaissance in Florence and the voice of a woman whose life was dictated by men before this portrait.

My Thoughts:

1.       The first thing that hit me about this book was how much this book felt like living in Florence in the 1400’s. Whether it was the clothing, the dialogue or the Medici, every time I flipped open Da Vinci’s Tiger, I honestly felt like I’d been transported over 600 years into the past.

“But he, awestruck, marvels more at your modest heart,Your old-fashioned virtue, and your Palladian hands,He is inflamed with Holy Love"

2.       I LOVED meeting a young Leonardo Da Vinci. I’ve read about hit, seen a few episodes of DaVinci’s Demons but seeing him through the eyes of Ginerva was a different experience. I saw a budding artist about to make a name for himself and become one of history’s biggest painters and this new take on him was BRILLIANT!

"Outside, my dear, you may be placed within a gilded cage of men's perceptions of you...It is a lonely thing to be turned into an ideal, especially when one is young and has a heart that beats and yearns."

3.       I can’t believe I forgot to mention this but ISN’T THE COVER JUST BEAUTIFUL? It’s simple and yet it catches your eye and I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

"I will not yield to you in this way, signor," I cried. "No matter how much you track me around this room. No matter how many arguments you make to convince me it is my obligation to reward you with my body" 

4.       I loved Ginerva’s poetry, and I loved the fact that she wrote poetry and that it was so important to her. I feel like we barely got to see any of her poetry, despite the fact that it was being mentioned all the time with the exception of one or two pieces. I especially loved this line:

“I beg your pardon. I am a mountain tiger”

5.       More than Ginerva’s poetry, I loved Ginerva herself. Despite the fact that she was confused and growing up, she had this innate strength and thirst for knowledge that made me love the fact that I was in her head!

A book unlike anything I’ve read before. A richly delicate book that will bring Renaissance Florence to life before your very eyes. 

New York Times best-selling writer, L.M. Elliott is the author of the WWII series: UNDER A WAR-TORN SKY—an NCSS/CBC Notable Book in Social Studies, Jefferson Cup Honor Book, winner of Border's Original Voices Award, and a Bank Street College Best Book, plus its companions, A TROUBLED PEACE (also an NCSS/CBC Notable) and ACROSS A WAR-TOSSED SEA (a Jefferson Cup Overfloweth title). Her other books include ANNIE, BETWEEN THE STATES, a New York Times E-book bestseller, an IRA Teacher’s Choice, and an NYPL Book for the Teen Age; GIVE ME LIBERTY; and DA VINCI'S TIGER, a bio-pic style novel about Ginevra de’ Benci, the young poet in Leonardo's first portrait and the artist's only work permanently housed in the Americas.

What are some of your favourite historical books? 

Are you a fan of the art created in the Renaissance period? 

Which of Da Vinci's paintings is your favourite? 

Have you read this book? What do you think of it? 

I can't wait to hear from you!