I love books with strong women as the lead, and Ahdieh's Mariko does NOT disappoint. Too direct, intelligent and stubborn to be the perfect daughter and woman in feudal Japan, Mariko takes off on a mission to discover why the notorious Black Clan would try and assassinate her. Her ingenuity, inventiveness, and stubbornness serve her well as she realizes that not everything is what she had thought. I'm excited for my students to read this!

She remembered Chiyo telling her that finding one's match was like finding one's other half. Mariko had never understood the notion.

She was not a half. She was wholly her own.

"...crinkling the tattoo of the various stages of the moon's cycle stamped across it."

I'm wearing this shirt today, and it keeps reminding me of Ianthe. ?

Finally on summer vacation and get to finish Flame in the Mist!
#summerreading

When your mom is reading teacher, you do summer reading even on the first day of summer vacation 😊

I know your soul. Everything else is just an ornament.

Loved Cora Macormack's first YA novel! Princess Aurora, a stormling heir born with a secret, has to face off against her scheming betrothed, a hard-headed but good-hearted love interest, and alarmingly sentient storms. I love how Roar takes control of her destiny and can't wait for the second book!

Brought my pretty Shakespeare rainbow home from my classroom for the summer. 😍