Why am I passionate about this?

My reading habits came from my mom, a voracious reader. Every book she enjoyed she would leave on my bedside table. I’d read them after school until I fell asleep and finish them up in the morning before breakfast. All of that reading allowed me to hone in on my preferred genre. If you haven’t guessed by my list, it’s dystopian. No matter the story, it will never get old because it will always have three things: Self-discovery, hope, and an intriguing world to explore. In the rare lull between books, when I can’t find a world I like, I write one for myself.


I wrote...

The Goddess Binding

By Lydia Ruanna,

Book cover of The Goddess Binding

What is my book about?

In a world divided into houses, each with its own source of energy and lore, the House of the Earth…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Divergent

Lydia Ruanna Why did I love this book?

I read this book when it first came out in 2011 and was hooked on the idea of splitting everyone into factions based on aptitude. It seemed like a genuinely new idea to me. It was enough to keep me waiting for the next two books before watching the movies.

Tris picking Dauntless is what defined this series for me. I often wonder what would have happened if she had picked something else, in the same way that most people wonder what would have happened if Harry hadn’t picked Gryffindor. For a book to be so prevalent a decade after release is a testament to Veronica’s ability to write a compelling story.

It’s a great book, so great that I believe it has shaped the dystopian genre and set a precedent for other authors.

By Veronica Roth, Nicolas Delort (photographer),

Why should I read it?

17 authors picked Divergent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The explosive debut by No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth.

DIVERGENT - a major motion picture series.

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice. Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs.

Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. The hardest choices may yet lie ahead....

A debut novel that will leave you breathless.


Book cover of The Calling

Lydia Ruanna Why did I love this book?

I loved reading this book for the same reason that I loved reading Divergent; the idea of splitting a society up into factions makes this story ripe for dystopian themes.

I’ve always been drawn to this genre for its common themes of self-discovery and hope, and this does an amazing job of checking off those boxes for me.

By L.C. Pye,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Calling as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Answering the calling may be the last thing she does.

For thirty years, the people of Landore have been segregated by the five callings, living in disunity and isolation.

But for 18-year-old Talia Caffrey choosing one of the five is her hope at finding a place in a society that has rejected her. When her best friend, Jules, is kidnapped on the eve of her calling ceremony, everything changes. She walks away from her chance at belonging, becoming a fugitive who must hide her true self.

Talia’s life becomes even more complicated when she encounters seven strangers who challenge everything…


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Book cover of A Beggar's Bargain

A Beggar's Bargain By Jan Sikes,

Historical Fiction Post WW2.

A shocking proposal that changes everything.

Desperate to honor his father’s dying wish, Layken Martin vows to do whatever it takes to save the family farm.
Once the Army discharges him following World War II, Layken returns to Missouri to find his legacy in shambles and…

Book cover of The Hunger Games

Lydia Ruanna Why did I love this book?

There are a million reasons why I love this book. Like any other dystopian fantasy, it checks off my boxes for self-discovery and renewed hope. It’s unique in that it is set in a world divided into districts, each with its own resources, and I believe that was what drew me in more than anything.

The story is amazing, but the hook was the idea that maybe we could get a glimpse into these other districts and see what stories they hold.

By Suzanne Collins,

Why should I read it?

55 authors picked The Hunger Games as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before - and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever...


Book cover of Red Rising

Lydia Ruanna Why did I love this book?

This book is not a book I thought I would like. It has a male protagonist and threatens to dive deeper into sci-fi than fantasy. Yet, once I got started, it became incredibly easy to root for Darrow.

The world-building was fantastic, dividing people into fourteen colors representing their social class. It was such a unique take, but it wasn’t the only thing. The blending of classic Greek mythology made this book different from any other dystopian I had read. It marked every box on my checklist and more.

By Pierce Brown,

Why should I read it?

22 authors picked Red Rising as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, BUZZFEED, GOODREADS AND SHELF AWARENESS

Pierce Brown's heart-pounding debut is the first book in a spectacular series that combines the drama of Game of Thrones with the epic scope of Star Wars.

**********

'Pierce Brown's empire-crushing debut is a sprawling vision . . . Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow' - Scott Sigler, New York Times bestselling author of Pandemic

'[A] top-notch debut novel . . . Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field' - USA Today

**********

Darrow is a Helldiver. A pioneer…


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Book cover of The Emerald Necklace

The Emerald Necklace By Linda Rosen,

It’s 1969. Women are fighting for equality. Rosalee, an insecure sculptor, and Fran, a best-selling novelist, have their issues. Will their bitter envy of each other and long-held secrets destroy their tenuous friendship? Or will Jill, Rosalee’s granddaughter, and the story behind her emerald necklace bind them together?

A multi-generational…

Book cover of The Rise of Kyoshi

Lydia Ruanna Why did I love this book?

I watched Avatar, The Last Airbender, when it first came out. I waited diligently in front of the TV for the commercials to end and for the story to continue every week for three whole seasons. I watched The Legend of Korra and fell even more in love with their world. So naturally, when I found out that there was a book about Kyoshi, I snatched it up.

It did not disappoint! It’s set in the same world, divided into nations based on their elements, and these elements are always multiplying in such a way that keeps the story intriguing and lends strength to its characters.

By F. C. Yee, Michael Dante DiMartino,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Rise of Kyoshi as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender comes the instant USA Today and New York Times bestselling novel starring Avatar Kyoshi-now in paperback

After years of searching for the next Avatar, the four nations have found peace with Avatar Yun-until Kyoshi, Yun's friend and servant, demonstrates remarkable bending abilities herself. With the identity of the true Avatar After nine years of desperate searching for the next Avatar, the discovery of young, charming Avatar Yun has brought stability to the four nations-that is, until Earth Kingdom-born Kyoshi, Yun's unassuming friend and servant, demonstrates remarkable bending during a mission to the…


Explore my book 😀

The Goddess Binding

By Lydia Ruanna,

Book cover of The Goddess Binding

What is my book about?

In a world divided into houses, each with its own source of energy and lore, the House of the Earth Queen has been isolated for almost a century. Their people believe that the earth provides everything they need.

Sixteen-year-old Alira is ready to prove them wrong, even if it means leaving the only home she has ever known.

Book cover of Divergent
Book cover of The Calling
Book cover of The Hunger Games

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