This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

Reads like an old-fashioned fairytale!

Alizeh is alone in the world, hiding her true identity and living as an overworked servant. She’s Jinn and has ice in her veins. She’ll be in danger if anyone discovers who she is because she’ll be seen as a threat to the human king. Kamran, the young prince, sees Alizeh help a homeless thief and is intrigued by her actions. The more he observes her, the more curious he becomes. The king, Kamran’s grandfather, sees that the prince is interested in the girl so he explains that their kingdom’s peace is at stake if they let her live. He orders Kamran to put her to death and then be ready to attend the planned ball the next evening and choose a wife. Alizeh works as a seamstress after her servant hours are finished for the day. She’s helping Miss Huda with several gowns. Alizeh is exhausted and after she leaves Miss Huda, she’s attacked by six men. She warns them but they laugh at her so she subdues them with the only weapons she has available, seamstress needles and scissors. Afterwards, she’s approached by a man who has been searching for her and wanting to protect her from harm. He sees the attack and knows she can protect herself. He offers her assistance and safety. He will take her away at the ball the following night. He also gives her a nosta, a rare orb that warms in your hand when the truth is told and chills like ice when a lie appears. This man’s identity is a surprising twist to the story! Huzzah!!!
The action takes over and another twist is revealed, ending the book with a bang! I can hardly stand to wait for the next book! Elegant storytelling, 5 stars!

I’m Saying No! by Beverly Engel

41gyzolhdsl._sx328_bo1204203200_

Intelligent and helpful guide for everyone!
Thanks to Edelweiss and She Writes Press for the opportunity to read and review I’m Saying No! by Beverly Engel!
Education and knowledge leads to empowerment and protection. The introductory quote fits perfectly with the concept of this book, “For everything that gets taken from you, don’t let your voice be one of them.” -Anonymous.
The author carefully explains and describes the actions that everyone should take to protect themselves from being used in any way or harmed. Her carefulness shows that she truly wants to help us all become stronger and doesn’t want us to feel like a victim or at fault in any way. The best two tips for staying safe are the following:
-Stay focused and stay safe
-Use all your senses
METRAC’s free phone app generates response suggestions for harassment situations and can be helpful in situations where just walking away isn’t enough. I love the suggestions of creative ways to take action against a harasser, such as writing down their license plate number or writing down the statement that was said to you or telling the harasser that you’re conducting a harassment survey. These are awesome ideas that will possibly throw off the situation so the perpetrator loses his steam! This book is a confidence-building and helpful guide to keeping ourselves strong and safe! 5 stars for a book that everyone needs to read to either protect themselves or to become more aware of how people treat others.