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fede💚

@federicareads

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25 | avid reader 🇮🇹🇷🇴
🐛 reading has always been political
📚 cr: horror + feminist nonfiction
📩 email for arcs/pr: [email protected]

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it feels surreal to say this but it has been one whole year of me being on booksta🥲❤️

many of you might not know the story behind this account. it all started in the summer of 2022 when i downloaded procreate and tried digital drawing for the very first time… i ended up liking it a lot. i felt the need to share my journey and connect with other like-minded people so, a few weeks later, i started posting on this account under the name “fedetriesart”. my very first drawing was of a kpop artist. one day i got the idea to make a comic, over the next few months it took its own shape: a comic around the themes of identity and friendship. i started a newsletter, i joined challenges. over time i became more proud of my art and what it could mean for me and for other people.

after a while, because of many different reasons, i fell out of love with drawing and posting on here started to fell weird. so i took a break, i decided to focus on myself and not share my art on here until i was ready. overtime something did change: i realized i could still use this space for my creativity, even if my drawings wouldn’t be on it. and that is how “federicareads” was born.

most of you know me as a booksta account. but i see this space as much more than that. “this” is a space for my creativity, a place where i’m free to create and express myself. here i found many wonderful people that share my love for reading and, to be honest, being on here consistenly for the past year has been amazing for me. thank you to the people who have been here from day one, when i was drawing with my hands and the procreate app would close down without saving any progress. thank you for the people who found me when my laptop broke down and i was editing posts on my phone. thank you to my friends who encouraged me to keep going. thanks to all of you❤️

ps; yes that’s actually my face, i look like that irl, so beware if you see me on the street😈 person standing with their face completely covered. text reads: one year on bookstagram, i never thought i could be so consistent. four years of creating things on insta. by @federicareads

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5 months ago

book recommendations based on dramas/shows i like💌 if we have similar taste you might find some book recs here💕

lately life has been very overwhelming. i’m doing a bit better now. i had this idea two months ago and slowly worked on it over time🍀 it is not perfect but i’m trying to focus on my creativity, rather than perfection. we’ll see how that goes…

i’m looking forward to watching the new season of alice in borderland. even though they could have stopped at s2 (w a different ending), i’m still going to watch it cause i love the characters so deeply and the concept is very interesting to me🙈 (you can tell i’m reeeally obsessed with certain media if i’m yapping and sharing my critiques).

let me know if we have any fav dramas in common and/or if you’ve read any of these books💓 might do an episode two?!

alt text in pictures!! :) collage of a couple standing on a bridge and a man hiding behind a bush. text reads: book recs based on dramas i like: ep 1. by @federicareads

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4 months ago

I’ve heard about people looking for book recs on chatgpt so I’ve come to the rescue with some extremely specific book recs💖 I’m no videographer so the quality isn’t the best😅

Slide 2: looking for books that feel like an endless maze? You keep reading but you have no idea where you’re going. Stories so bizzarre and unique that they will keep you engaged until the very end, with no clue about what actually happened.

Slide 3 - looking for books that are emotionally devastating while also being beautifully written? These books talk about grief and the effects of colonization with an honesty that is unforgettable.

Slide 4 - looking for books that make you feel like you’re entering a new dimension? Whether it’s a fantastical adventure or a terrifying nightmare, these books will make you doubt the reality of the world around you.

Full list of books mentioned:
- Perfume by Patrick Suskind
- To the east of the east by Ping Lu
- Season of migration to the north by Tayeb Salih
- The master and margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
- 70,000 by Lenna Jawdat
- Return to Haifa by Ghassan Khanafani
- The white book by Han Kang
- Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
- The living realm by Jordan Tannahill
- Of cattle and men by Ana Paula Maia
- The neverending story by Michael Ende
- The tartar steep by Dino Buzzati.

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#bookrecs #booksta #sadbooks Book laying on a bench. Text reads: why ask chatgpt for very specific book recs when you can ask me? taken in BOOKSTA by @federicareads

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a month ago

Time flies and it’s already october🍂🧡 and also my birthday is approaching, I’m more than excited to celebrate it🥳🌷 this year has been full of ups and downs but thankfully I’m doing okay and that’s all that matters really🤎

Here is a short list of books I want to read before the year ends (inspired by Kaitlyn’s post - go check her acc out @baitlynbooks!!💕💗).

“Playing the victim” by journalist and writer Kylie Cheung. The book explores how DARVO tactics (which stands for Deny Attack Reverse Victim and Offender), usually present in domestic violence cases, have also been deployed by governments to justify domination (see Israel’s rhetoric of being the victim, echoed by European news outlets, trying to change history in front of our eyes).

The title of this one immediately captured my attention. One thing that is missing from many feminist discussions here in Italy is the voice of muslim women, which are not listened to, they are not spoken to, but spoken over. “The othered woman” by editor and writer Shahed Ezaydi tries to show the deep connection between white feminism and islamophobia. I really believe we can learn a lot by reflecting on how harmful “white feminism”*is for muslim women (*to be honest, I don’t believe it should be even called feminism in the first place!!!).

Then we have “Immediacy or, the style of Too Late capitalism” by Anna Kornbluh, university professor and writer. I do want to read more philosophical books and this seems like a good pick. Little Women is a classic I own and want to read soon - I believe this is the perfect season to read it too💚 Last but not least, as someone who grew up watching Nickelodeon shows ofc I’m attached to Jennette McCurdy’s characters (and I love books that talk about death). I’m excited to dive into “I’m glad my mom died” before the year ends💖🥲

@kylietcheung @shahedezaydi
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#tbrlist #autumntbr #booksbooksbooks #readingchallenge #nonfiction A book laying open on a carpet. Text reads: 5 before the end, five books I want to read before the year ends taken in BOOKSTA by @federicareads

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4 days ago

A reading update (kind of). I wanted to share some of my thoughts about tracking apps (by that I mean apps that are used to track our reading habits). While in the past I used to love them, now I feel completely disconnected from those communities. Here’s why.

When I started posting reviews online I was still in high school. I discovered writing randomly, nothing planned, it just happened. I thought it was fun, pouring my thoughts onto the page, transforming my feelings into words. Some of my favourite movie/book reviews took hours to write and they are personal and depressing. The one thing I always tried to keep in mind when writing was the balance between raw and edited: I do want to keep the tenderness and hurt I feel without overediting myself.

Over the years, this passion of mine has dwindled. Not because I don’t love writing, but because reading platforms (like goodreads, storygraph, etc) have built a system that rewards consistency, quantity, and quickness. This means being active, interacting with other reviewers, sharing thoughts frequently, and focusing on giving constant updates. Over time this process has completely drained my creative brain. I hate having to update my dnf shelf, explain why I didn’t finish a book, update my reading progress about my current reads. Firstly, who cares. Secondly, why am I wasting so much time updating others when I could just... breathe and enjoy my book?

Reading challenges have become the norm, to the point that people in real life have asked me multiple times how many books I have read this year. And I’ve noticed that my brain is tying these numbers to my worth as a reader. Why haven’t I reached last year’s number? As a reader I should achieve greater goals each year, right...?

The pressure to appear, to be seen as a reader, coupled with the anxiety of falling behind every single time has made these reading apps a place I don’t love anymore. While crafting a review before was a slow and time-consuming process, now it has become a challenge of immediacy. How quickly can I write down my thoughts and share them with the world?

Just my thoughts - I’d love to hear yours, even if we have different views💖 A person laying in the grass. Text reads: recently I have been avoiding tracking apps, here’s why. by @federicareads

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12 days ago

Hispanic heritage month has arrived!!💖 Inspired by @jenniereadss (go check out their amazing posts!!), I decided to share a list of books written by hispanic and latinx authors that I’m looking forward to reading soon🥰

Full list of books:
- El príncipe de la niebla by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (in english: The prince of mist)
- No es un río by Selva Almada (in english: Not a river)
- Crocodilopolis by John Manuel Arias
- Cenizas de Izalco by Claribel Alegría and Darwin J. Flakoll (in english: Ashes of Izalco)
- Crónica de una muerte anuciada by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (in english: Chronicle of a death foretold)
- Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina García

As I have said many times before, events like this one are a great way to find new books/authors to fall in love with. They also encourage us to learn the history and rich culture of other countries. At the same time, however, it’s important to read diversely all year around. Why? Because to enact change we first need to listen to the words of those around us.

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#hispanicheritagemonth #tbrlist #booksta #translatedfiction Collage of streets from Latin and Central America. Text reads: hispanic heritage month. taken in BOOKSTA by @federicareads

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19 days ago

I’ve been a NetGalley user for years now. It’s a place that has allowed me to write (one of my favorite things to do, I started writing reviews for movies and books when I was in high school and never stopped since) and read new releases (which has always excited me so much! I love discovering new authors and new stories). It’s a platform that I love dearly🧡

This is my current shelf. These ARCs are all so different from each other, and I’m eager to read them all soon!!

Full list of books:
- Beneath, it sleeps by Maria Tureaud (published by Kensington publishing @kensingtonbooks)
- Even your bones would do by Claire Schultz (published by Daphne Press @daphne.press)
- Ackermann by Nicolette Polek (published by Astra publishing house)
- Cracks by Kristy Park Kulski (published by Boozhoo Books @fromthemixedupdesk @bindery_books)
- The bee kingdom by Joy Amina Garnett (published by Gaudy Boy @gaudyboysu)
- Compensation by Agustine Cerf (published by Penguin Fig Tree @penguinfigtree
- Discipline by Randa Abdel-Fattah (published by Oneworld Publications @oneworldpublications)

📌 what are your reading plans for September? Do you have any ARCs you’re currently eyeing?

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#netgalley #tbrlist #arcreviewer #anticipatedreads @netgalley Person smiling at the camera while holding a shopping cart full of things. Text reads: what’s on my netgalley shelf? by @federicareads

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a month ago

My end of the year tbr🥰 The point isn’t to read them all, but to move forward and get over some of the fears I have...🫣

I’ve been trying to get out of my comfort zone by reading more classics. I want to read slow-paced, challenging, and rule-breaking classics, because those are the books I end up enjoying the most (see the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, or Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih)💔

I’m also actively trying to read more nonfiction, but I don’t know where to start, I’m always worried when there are so many books on a specific topic because it makes it harder for me to pick just one!!!😭😭

These books have been on my tbr for a while (the only exceptions being the two ARCs here - beneath it sleeps and cracks, which only recently joined my tbr), so I think it’s time to read them.

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Full list of books:
- Freedom is a constant struggle by Angela Y. Davis
- Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe
- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
- Beneath, it sleeps by Maria Tureaud
- Abolish rent by Tracy Rosenthal and Leonardo Vilchis
- Sula by Toni Morrison
- Cracks by Kristy Park Kulski
- Orientalism by Edward W. Said
- Maurice by E.M. Forster

📌Do you like reading classics and/or nonfiction? What are your tips for reading them?🧡
#classicalliterature #tbrlist #nonfiction #booksta #nonfictionbooks Person sitting on a bench holding a book in front of their face, behind there are some trees. Text reads: End of the year TBR by @federicareads

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a month ago

Next country we are traveling to? Morocco💕 after a while I’ve officially revived the “all around the world challenge” (🫣) and for the end of the year I’ll be focusing on Moroccan literature🤎

The three picks I have chosen are all very different from each other, but they do share some elements in common. They all talk about change, in one way or another, and considering the many changes in my life right now, that might have been the reason why I unintentionally picked them.

- Hope and other dangerous pursuits by Laila Lalami. This is Laila Lalami’s debut novel. After loving her nonfiction I’m excited to see how I find her fiction writing. A story of four people crossing borders and risking their life for a better future. Seems right up my alley!!

- The last chapter by Leila Abouzeid. This book came into my radar randomly (saw @jaffareads talking highly about it so ofc I was intrigued), but it’s exactly the type of premise I love. A coming-of-age story of a young Moroccan woman trying to find her identity between love, traditions, and religion.

- Last, but not least, The lemon by Mohammed Mrabet. Described as dark and shocking, this novel follows the adventures of Abdeslam, a twelve-year-old boy who runs away from his home and tries to support himself.

📩 is there a country you’re curious to read from? If yes, which one?💚

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#moroccanliterature #translatedfiction #translated #booksta #readingtheworld A collage of three book covers, on the background a table with tea and bread. Text reads: moroccan literature, all around the world challenge, ep 4. by @federicareads

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2 months ago

Do you want to suffer? Then you’ve come to the right place. Inspired by MC’s (@cloudy_readss ) posts (check her account to see her amazing recs!!), I decided to compile a list of books that destroyed me emotionally. Enjoy?🥲🫣💗

Full list of books.
First slide:
The emperor of gladness by Ocean Vuong
The living realm by Jordan Tannahill *
70.000 by Lenna Jawdat *
Season of migration to the north by Tayeb Salih
L’amore assaje (in english: so people know it’s me) by Francesca Maria Benvenuto
Madonna in a fur coat by Sabahattin Ali
The white book by Han Kang
Returning to Haifa by Ghassan Kanafani
The shadow king by Maaza Mengiste

Second slide:
Nervous conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
These letters end in tears by Musih Tedji Xaviere
A private man by Stephanie Sy-quia *
My brilliant friend by Elena Ferrante
Come home to my heart by Riley Redgate *
Minor detail by Adania Shibli
The bluest eye by Toni Morrison
Il latte è buono by Garane Garane (never translated and now out-of-print, a little gem for anyone who can read italian)
Family meal by Bryan Washington

Have you read any of these?💚🌤

* = I received an arc from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Alt text inside pictures. Just a reminder to not write too much text in your edits in order to make the posts more accessible. And remember to always add alt text! :)
#bookrecs #booksta #sadbooks Coffee, a notebook, a croissant laying on a wooden table. Text reads: books that will emotionally destroy you. by @federicareads

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2 months ago

A small reading update🧸🚿 When I started cleaning my tbr I didn't have huge expectations. While it's true that I wanted to reduce the total number of books, I really didn't know where to start.. my library lists were the most daunting and overwhelming task (I had more than 5 lists with 80 books minimum per list)😫 I surprised myself when I actually took the time to sift through everything, look over synopses, reflect on what I actually wanted to read and what I added compulsively without thinking much about it.

As you can imagine, this project was time-consuming, but the result makes me soo happy that I honestly don't mind🥰🙂‍↕️ I feel much lighter now looking at my tbr because I know I can get through all of these books in the next 5 years and that makes choosing my next read so much easier. Instead of having to look through endless lists, I have three lists that are short (compared to before lol) and useful. The feeling is indescribable🥳

The only issue is trying to keep everything organized and not overwhelm myself again by adding new books constantly. I'll try to take it easy, let synopses simmer in my head for a while before moving them to my tbr. We will see how things go from here❣️

Do you think TBRs are helpful? Do you add books to your TBR often or only rarely? I'm curious!

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#readingupdate #tbr #tbrclearout #tbrchallenge #bookish A dark-skinned person wearing a long shirt dancing, in the background there is a bookshop. Text reads, cleaning my tbr, part two. by @federicareads

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2 months ago

One of the positive aspects of joining Bookstagram for me has been discovering new books/authors. In the past few weeks many of my mutuals have shared their recommendations for Women in translation Month and this has made me happy. At the same time, it forced me to carefully look at my shelves to see how many books I have actually read that are 1) translated (from other languages outside of english) and 2) written by women. This journey made me realize that I haven’t read many translated works written by women (or, at least, not as many as I thought I had?). So take this list as a collection of current favorites, not a definitive list (of course I have included some of my favorite italian novels which have been translated in multiple languages). I’ll take this as a reminder that there are so many wonderful books I still have to check out - and I’m very excited to do so soon. We should broaden our horizon throughout the whole year, not only in August. Cheers🤎🧡

Which book(s) have you read for WIT month?

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#translatedliterature #womenintranslation #womensvoices #bookstagram #readingchallenge person with long hair and pale skin holding a book in thrir hands. by @federicareads

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2 months ago