So a couple of years ago I hosted a feature Book Blogger Shoutout and wanted to dedicate more time to bringing it back!The purpose of this is to showcase some awesome book bloggers! I posted on twitter about wanting to start it back up to see if anyone would be interested! I was lucky enough to have Maria volunteer! Her blog is absolutely adorable and I love that she has tons of pictures on her homepage. And also she has a booktube channel! I am always so jealous of people who are able to do both a blog and booktube channel! She reads a wide selection of books and posts often!
Hello! Thanks for viewing my blog, ReadingMaria!
I love to read, read, and read some more. I recently completed my Bachelor’s B.A. in English from York University, and completed a certificate in publishing at Centennial College. I work as a Marketing Coordinator at a publishing company, too! I’ve been reviewing books for a few years now, and I love to just talk and rave about my latest reads.
Come follow me everywhere, and let’s be bookish friends!
Top 5 Book Recommendations
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to be writing this for you all! I’m Maria from readingmaria on Instagram, Booktube, and my blog If you follow me anywhere on the internet, you’ll know that I love book recommendations more than anything in the world. So I thought it would only be fitting that I write my top five book recs for this blog post.
If you’re into historical fiction:
Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J Pearce
I love recommending this book especially to those who are curious about historical fiction. I think it’s so much more than “a war book.” You get a lot of friendship, breaking gender barriers, and just an all-around good story that keeps you reading.
If you want to learn something:
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
Ok, if you seriously follow me ANYWHERE, you’ll know the love I have for Tiffany D. Jackson. If you haven’t read any of her books, well you’re missing out. Learning is why I read – I read to learn about people, different experiences, different situations that I would never begin to understand. Monday’s Not Coming gives me all of this, and more. If you read just ONE of her books, this is it. But really, you should read them all!
If you love animals:
Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley
Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a pet owner to appreciate this one. There’s no doubt that this one will make you cry, that’s for sure. I cannot even begin to explain to you how much this book has resonated with me over the past few years. You’ll read about the bond a dog and her owner has for each other, but you’ll also learn about how to navigate tricky situations, and how others deal with the hand they’re dealt. It’s incredibly profound and I just love rereading it.
If you’re looking for sister bonds:
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
A family dealing with childhood cancer is tough enough, but add a lawsuit from your own kid into the mix? UGH. Another heart wrenching read that I think is just an important look into what family means, and what makes us stronger. Is this the best Jodi Picoult novel? Definitely not, there’s other ones that I’ve loved so much over the years! But this is one I revisit once in a while, just because I’m drawn to it that much. This book will stay with you for a LONG time.
For the underappreciated novel:
The Youth of God by Hassan Ghedi Santur
A book with a not-your-average ending, and not-your-average characters. This book is written with switching POVs between our main character, Nuur, a highschool student, and his amazing biology teacher Mr. Ilmi, who is trying to get Nuur to choose a life of education (since he’s a really smart kid). On the other hand, Nuur finds himself most comfortable within his faith, and at his local mosque Imam Yusuf is trying to radicalize him. This book is a commentary on kids from poorer neighbourhoods and how the odds are stacked against them, and how they find themselves in not ideal situations. I know this book isn’t on any of your radars, but I really hope if you’re ever looking for diverse canlit, that this is the one you pick up first!
There you have it! My top 5 book recommendations of all time! I really hope you find something new to read, and most importantly, that you love it!
Thank you Ashley for having me on your blog!
~Maria
Make sure to check out her blog and other social media!
Blog: Reading Maria
Twitter:@MariaZuppardi
Booktube : Reading Maria
I would love to hear thoughts on this feature. If you have any questions or comments for Maria make sure to leave them here or head over to her blog! Look out for the next book blogger!
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