#Traditional Gujarati

[florenceawc]

A Beginner's Guide to the Traditional Gujarati Cuisines Course

Discover the flavors of traditional Gujarati cuisines with the Florence Authentic World Cuisine (AWC). This course is designed to take you on a flavorful journey through the enchanting spices and culinary delights of Gujarat. Join us to learn the secrets behind popular dishes like dhokla, theplas, and Undhiyu, as well as traditional cooking techniques. Unleash your inner chef and create authentic Gujarati dishes that will impress your family and friends. With Florence AWC, prepare to indulge in the rich cultural heritage of Gujarat from the comfort of your own kitchen!

[sajra-savera]

Look from Navratri Day 4🦋

[scrollnshops-blogs]

Celebrate Govardhan Puja in ScrollnShops Designer Wear

After the grand celebration of Diwali, the next day people celebrate Govardhan Puja, or Gujarati New Year, also known as Bestu Varas. Friends and families celebrate this day as a new year. Devotees organise lavish vegetarian feasts and dress up in their most beautiful Indian Wear for the celebrations of this auspicious day. Here are some amazing outfit inspirations to flaunt during the vibrant era of festivities.

Drape yourself in the radiant charm of ScrollnShops Vibrant Ombre Saree. This designer ethnic saree is one of the greatest options for traditional sarees for family gatherings during Govardhan Puja. Don't forget to finish the look with some essential jewellery.

Maheep Kapoor, wearing our Purple Crystal Embellished Saree with a sweetheart neck blouse featuring full sleeves that adds an extra layer of charm, making this one of the best festive sarees for women available only at ScrollnShops, which blends tradition and contemporary elegance.

Stay in fashion with ScrollnShops fusion style Cape Lehenga Set for women. This excellent lehenga set pays homage to tradition while making a fashion statement.

Actress Pankhuri Awasthi is looking perfectly ready to celebrate Govardhan Puja wearing a Designer Kurta set by ScrollnShops. It's the epitome of class and sophistication, ideal for a refined and graceful appearance. 

Captivate attention in our Ombre Anarkali Set for women only at ScrollnShops that combines tradition with contemporary flair. Add a touch of some statement earrings and a necklace and you are ready to rock alongside the festive charm.

Govardhan Puja is considered a celebration of joy and harmony, it is believed that individuals who remain cheerful on this day are destined to have happiness throughout the year. So adore yourself and your loved ones in the flawless fantastic fashion of luxurious ethnic wear only at ScrollnShops. 

Happy Govardhan Puja to All!

[spicyvegrecipes]

Farsi Puri Recipe: Crispy and Flaky Indian Snack Perfect for Festivals

Farsi Puri is a traditional Indian snack known for its crispiness and rich, flaky texture. It is a popular tea-time snack, especially during festivals like Diwali and other special occasions. Originating from Gujarat and Maharashtra, Farsi Puri has gained popularity across India due to its long shelf life and versatility. Key Features of Farsi Puri: Crispy and Flaky: Made with a blend of…

[teapost]

Delicious Methi Masala Bhakhri - Pack of 10 | Traditional Gujarati Snack

Discover the taste of tradition with our Methi Masala Bhakhri. Priced at ₹250.00, this pack of 10 crispy Bhakhri breads is made with selected spices and methi. Perfect for breakfast or an evening snack, these Bhakhris are packed in special hygienic paper to ensure freshness and quality. Enjoy the perfect blend of methi and masala with a cup of tea. Order now and relish this healthy and delicious Gujarati snack!

[poppy86579]

3 Gujarati Dishes That Are Most Popular on Every Indian Wedding Catering Menu

The most recent Census of England and Wales revealed that about 1,412,958 British Indians live in the UK. It means they are the single biggest ethnic minorities living in the country. Most of them, including the Gujarati people, still follow their ancestors’ customs and traditions, especially during special events like weddings. They would contact their go-to Gujarati Wedding Caterers in London to provide food for these usually extravagant celebration.

Gujarati Caterers usually provide traditional Gujarati meals fit for the occasion. Here are three of the most popular Gujarati dishes that are often included in any Indian wedding in the UK.

1: Undhiyu Puri

The Gujarat people often serves Undhiyu Puri at their important events. This delectable and flavourful delicacy is often synonymous with winter due to the assortment of vegetables included in creating the dish.

Originally from the region of Surat in Gujarat, “undhu,” meaning upside-down, came from a Gujarati word. Based on traditions, this dish, which is cooked upside-down below the ground, uses a type of eaten pots called matlu.

Some of the most common ingredients of Undhiyu include green beans, eggplants, chickpea flour, purple yam, and potatoes. The caterers use a dry curry paste to add flavour to the dish.

2: Rajma with Makai

No Indian wedding will be complete without a curry dish. But one of the most common staples in a Gujarati wedding catering menu is the Rajma shaak served with Makai kernels.

Rajma dishes are comprised of red kidney beans cooked in thick and rich curry gravy. The Makai, more commonly known as sweetcorn kernels, are added to enhance the flavour of the dish and make it a complete meal.

The Rajma & Makai dish is often served with rice or parathas during a wedding.

3: Assorted Daal 

As part of the Farsan (salty snacks) of any wedding party, Indian caterers often serve Mix Daal to keep the guests well-fed and satisfied.

This healthy and protein-rich food uses traditional Indian spices to achieve the spicy, tangy flavour that is best served with rotis and parathas.

Some of the most common ingredients for this special dish include tomatoes, garam masala, coriander and cumin seeds, and ghee.

Serving traditional Indian food during a wedding will connect the couple and their guests to their roots. Even non-Indian wedding guests will enjoy these highly flavourful and lip-smacking dishes once served at the table.

[sheskv1956]

How are Gujarati traditions integrated into SKV girls' boarding schools?

Gujarati traditions thrive in girls' boarding schools, weaving a colorful fabric of cultural richness. Festivals like Navratri and Diwali bring vibrant celebrations, featuring Garba dances and traditional rituals. Culinary delights include Gujarati dishes, fostering a connection to heritage. Language classes preserve Gujarati, promoting unity and understanding. The schools embody inclusivity, creating an environment where students of diverse backgrounds, including Gujarati, feel valued and celebrated. SKV invites you to witness the colourful Gujarati Traditions at Girls' Boarding Schools.

[satadharsweet]

Satadhar Sweet Shop - Explore Our Delectable Sweets and Namkeen

Welcome to the Satadhar Sweet Shop, where you can explore a tempting array of sweets and namkeen. Indulge in the flavors that have been cherished for generations. From classic favorites to contemporary delights, our shop is your gateway to sweet indulgence.

Shop Now Satadhar Sweet & Namkeen : https://satadharsweet.com/shop

[teaah-art]

Gujarati Miku/ગુજરાતી મીકુ

Requested by @\i-am-a-megalodon

She is wearing a chaniya choli set with Kutchi Banni embroidery and mirror work. She is wearing traditional gujarati jewellery. Chaniya : The lower garment, cinched at the waist and flairs outwards

Choli : A blouse like upper garment that usually tied in the back.

Jewellery :

Kundan Butti : Gem encrusted ear ornament that loops behind the ear and is fastened to the hair.

Kandora : Waistband/kamarbandh

Kundan Bangdi : Gem encrusted bangles worn on the wrist

Patla : Chunky bracelet worn on the wrist

Kaliganthi : A necklace that is a composite of several amulets (dodi), strung together on a chain base.

I'm drawing a series of as many South Asian Mikus as I can! Here's the tenth one! Is there a South Asian Miku you would like to see? Feel free to request!

All South Asian Mikus

Commissions Open | Support me on Ko-fi!

[kaalbela]

Basawan and Suraj Gujrati. Illustration from Baburnama or Memoirs of Babur, ca. 183-1530.

Baburnama is an autobiographical account by Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur, a descendant of Timur and the first Mughal king of India. The miniatures are from an illustrated copy of the Baburnama prepared for the author's grandson, the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Akbar’s commissions were divided up among teams of artists working at the court, and often two painters collaborated on a single image, in addition to the calligraphers. This particular illustration is attributed to Basawan, responsible for the composition and the drawing, and Suraj Gujarati, who painted it. The miniatures reflect the culture of the Mughal court at Delhi, and are important as evidence of the tradition of exquisite miniature painting which developed at the court of Timur and his successors. Timurid miniatures are among the greatest artistic achievements of the Islamic world in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

[matan4il]

I’m making this post at the request of the lovely @siflovesbuddie​​. Thank you for sending me your ask, and for your interest in my own thoughts! xoxox

Resource post with names info for all the notable 911 characters, compiled by the fandom’s resident name geek (slightly better than your average baby name site, which doesn’t give a damn about accuracy or about respecting the original cultures).

Gif makers and fic writers, please feel free to use this! If you do, credit or a reblog would be nice.

Also for anyone into enjoying different cultures and languages!

Here’s an open invitation if anyone wants to consult me on any other character’s name.

Under the cut: the info for all the characters in text, including a little more detail and explanation for the (giffed) main characters

Michael

origin: Mikhael (Hebrew). meaning: Who (mi) is like (ka) God (el)? evolution: Mikhael (Hebrew) > Michael (Greek) > Michael (Latin) > Michael (English)

David

origin: David (Hebrew). meaning: Beloved (dod, spelled in Hebrew exactly like David). evolution: David (Hebrew) > David (Greek) > David (Latin) > David (English)

May

origin: Maia (Latin). meaning: The name is derived from the Roman month, which is itself named after Maia, a Roman goddess of spring. evolution: Maia (Latin) > May (English)

Harry

origin: Heimirich (Germanic). meaning: Home (heim) ruler (rich). evolution: Heimirich (Germanic) > Heinrich (Germanic) > Henri (French) > Harry (middle English)

Josh

origin: Yehoshua (Hebrew). meaning: God (Yeho and its abbreviation Yo represent the explicit, unmentionable name of God in Judaism), save (shua)! evolution: Yehoshua (Hebrew) > Iosue (Latin) > Joshua (English) > Josh (English, short form)

Denny

origin: Dionysos (Greek). meaning: God (dios) from Nysa (the region of Greece that the god of wine and dance Dionysos was born in). evolution: Dionysos (Greek) > Dionysius (Latin) > Denis (French) > Dennis (English) > Denny (English, diminutive)

Linda

origin: Lintha (Germanic). meaning: Soft (linth). Nowadays sometimes merged with the Spanish word for beautiful (linda). evolution: Lintha (Germanic) > Linda (Germanic) > Linda (English)

Sue

origin: Shoshana (Hebrew). meaning: Lily (shoshan. Sometimes conflated with rose). evolution: Shoshana (Hebrew) > Sousanna (Greek) > Susanna (Latin) > Susan (English) > Sue (English, short form)

Albert

origin: Adalbert (Germanic). meaning: Noble (adal) and bright (beraht). evolution: Adalbert (Germanic) > Albert (Germanic) > Albert (English)

Ravi

origin: Ravi (Sanskrit). meaning: Sun (ravi). evolution: Ravi (Sanskrit) > Ravi (Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Nepali and more).

Abby

origin: Avigail (Hebrew). meaning: My father (avi)'s joy (gil). evolution: Avigail (Hebrew) > Abigail (Latin) > Abigail (English) > Abby (English, diminutive)

Carla

origin: Karl (Germanic). meaning: Man (karl. Sometimes used specifically in the context of ‘free man’). evolution: Karl (Germanic) > Carl (German) > Carl (English) > Carla (English, feminine)

Ana

origin: Chana (Hebrew). meaning: Grace (chen). evolution: Chana (Hebrew) > Anna (Greek) > Anna (Latin) > Ana (Spanish)

Eva

origin: Chava (Hebrew). meaning: Living (chai. The biblical character of Chava is described as ‘em kol chai,’ the mother of all who are living). evolution: Chava (Hebrew) > Eua (Greek) > Eva (Latin) > Eva (English)

Lou

origin: Hludwig (Germanic). meaning: Famous (Hlut) in battle (wig). evolution: Hludwig (Germanic) > Ludwig (Germanic) > Ludovicus (Latin) > Louis (French) > Louis (English) > Lou (English, short form)

Shannon

origin: Sionainn (Irish). meaning: Old (sen). It derives from the name of the longest river in Ireland. evolution: Sionainn (Irish) > Shannon (Irish) > Shannon (English)

Isabel

origin: Elisheva (Hebrew). meaning: My God (eli) is perfection (sheva is the Hebrew word for seven, a number representing perfection in Jewish tradition) or My God (eli)'s oath (shvua). evolution: Elisheva (Hebrew) > Elisabet (Greek) > Elisabeth (Latin) > Isabel (middle Occitan) > Isabel (Spanish)

Ramón

origin: Raginmund (Germanic). meaning: Decision (regin) of protection (mund). evolution: Raginmund (Germanic) > Raimund (Germanic) > Ramon (Catalan) > Ramón (Spanish)

Josephina

origin: Yoseph (Hebrew). meaning: He will add (yosiph. From the biblical language of oath taking: ‘So will God do to me and so he will add if I...’). evolution: Yoseph (Hebrew) > Ioseph (Greek) > Ioseph (Latin) > Joseph (French) > Joséphine (French, feminine) > Josephina (English)

Helena

origin: Helene (Greek). meaning: Torch (helene) or possibly derived from moon (selene). evolution: Helene (Greek) > Helena (Latin) > Helena (English)

Lucy

origin: Lucius (Latin). meaning: Light (lux). evolution: Lucius (Latin) > Lucia (Latin, feminine) > Lucie (French) > Lucy (English)

Toni

origin: Antonius (Latin). meaning: The name derives from Etruscan and its meaning is unknown. The first notable historical figure to carry the name was Marcus Antonius (Mark Anthony), bringing many to link the meaning to him, or incorrectly to the Greek word for flower (anthos). evolution: Antonius (Latin) > Antonia (Latin, feminine) > Antonia (English) > Toni (English, diminutive)

Nia

origin: Nia (Swahili). meaning: Purpose, aim. evolution: Nia (Swahili) > Nia (English)

Beatrice

origin: Viator (Latin). meaning: Voyager, traveler. evolution: Viator (Latin) > Viatrix (Latin, feminine) > Beatrix (Latin) > Beatrice (Italian) > Beatrice (English)

Samuel

origin: Shmuel (Hebrew). meaning: His name (shmo) is God (el). evolution: Shmuel (Hebrew) > Samouel (Greek) > Samuhel (Latin) > Samuel (English)

Doug

origin: Dùbhghlas (Gaelic). meaning: Dark (dubh) river (glais). evolution: Dùbhghlas (Gaelic) > Dùghlas (Gaelic) > Douglas (English) > Doug (English, short form)

Ali

origin: Adalheidis (Germanic) or Alexandros (Greek). meaning: There are two names whose English diminutives are Ali. Adalheidis means noble (adal) kind (heit). Alexandros means defender (alexo) of men (andros). evolution: Adalheidis (Germanic) > Adelais (Latin) > Aalis (middle French) > Alison (French, diminutive) > Alison (English) > Ali (English, diminutive) or Adalheidis (Germanic) > Adelais (Latin) > Aalis (middle French) > Alice (French) > Alice (English) > Ali (English, diminutive) or Alexandros (Greek) > Alexandra (Greek, feminine) > Alexandra (English) > Ali (English, diminutive)

Daniel

origin: Daniel (Hebrew). meaning: God (el) judges me (dani). evolution: Daniel (Hebrew) > Daniel (Greek) > Daniel (Latin) > Daniel (English)

Lena

origin: Helene (Greek) or the town of Migdal (Hebrew). meaning: There are two names whose short form is Lena. Helene means torch (helene) or is possibly from the Greek word for moon (selene). Magdalena refers to a woman who is from Magdala, the Greek pronunciation for Migdal, the town in ancient Israel mentioned in the Bible. The town’s name means tower in Hebrew. evolution: Helene (Greek) > Elena (middle Slavic) > Yelena (Russian) > Lena (Russian, short form) or Migdal (Hebrew) > Magdala (Greek) > Magdalene (Greek) > Magdalena (Latin) > Magdalena (English) > Magdalena (English, short form)

Noah

origin: Noach (Hebrew). meaning: Comfortable, pleasant (noach) or resting (nach). evolution: Noach (Hebrew) > Noah (German) > Noah (English)

Taylor

origin: Taylor (English). meaning: Tailor (from the Italian verb ‘taliare,’ to cut). evolution: Taylor (English)

Jeffrey

origin: Gautfrid (Germanic). meaning: While ‘frid’ refers to peace (fridu), ‘gau’ might derive from the word territory (gawi) or from gautaz, a reference to the Germanic tribe of Geat. evolution: Gautfrid (Germanic) > Geoffroi (middle French) > Geoffrey (English) > Jeffrey (English)

Elaine

origin: Helene (Greek). meaning: Torch (helene) or possibly from the Greek word for moon (selene). evolution: Helene (Greek) > Helena (Latin) > Hélène (French) > Elaine (English)

Jonah

origin: Yona (Hebrew). meaning: Dove (yona). evolution: Yona (Hebrew) > Jonah (English)

Evan

origin: Yochanan (Hebrew). meaning: God (Yeho and its abbreviation Yo represent the explicit, unmentionable name of God in Judaism) has graced (chanan). evolution: Yochanan (Hebrew) > Ioannes (Greek) > Iohannes (Latin) > Johann (German) > Johan (middle English) > John (English) > Ifan (Welsh) > Evan (English)

Eddie

origin: Eadmund (old English). meaning: Rich, wealthy (ead) protection (mund). evolution: Eadmund (old English) > Edmund (English) > Edmundo (Spanish and Portuguese) > Eddie (English, diminutive)

Athena

origin: Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom and fair, smart, brave war. meaning: Unknown. The goddess got her name from the city she was a patron of, Athens, but the city’s name comes from an undetermined language (likely an unknown language spoken in Greece before Ancient Greek even developed), so its meaning is also a mystery. Most people therefore associate the meaning of the name with the qualities the goddess represented. evolution: Athene (the name of the city in Ancient times) > Athena

Bobby

origin: Hrodebert (Germanic). meaning: Bright (beraht) fame (hruod). evolution: Hrodebert (Germanic) > Robert (Germanic) > Robert (English) > Bobby (English, diminutive)

Howard

origin: There are three names that have entered modern English as Howard, Hughard (Germanic), Ewehirde (middle English) and Harvardr (old Norse), making any of these likely to be considered the origin of the name. meaning: Brave, hardy (hart) spirit (hugu) or ewe (eowu) herder (hierde) or high (har) guardian (vordr). evolution: Hughard (Germanic) / Ewehirde (middle English) / Harvardr (old Norse) > Howard (English)

Maddie

origin: The town of Migdal (Hebrew) or Mahthilt (Germanic). meaning: There are two names whose English diminutives are Maddie. Magdalene refers to a woman who is from Magdala, the Greek pronunciation for Migdal, the town in ancient Israel mentioned in the Bible. The town’s name means tower in Hebrew. Madison means Maud’s son, Maud originating in a name that means might (maht) in battle (hilt). evolution: Migdal (Hebrew) > Magdala (Greek) > Magdalene (Greek) > Madeleine (French) > Madeline (English) > Maddie (English, diminutive) or Mahthilt (Germanic) > Matilda (English) > Maud (French) > Madison (English) > Maddie (English, diminutive)

Hen

origin: Heimirich (Germanic). meaning: Home (heim) ruler (rich). evolution: Heimirich (Germanic) > Heinrich (Germanic) > Henri (French) > Henriette (French, feminine) > Henrietta (English) > Hen (English, diminutive)

Karen

origin: Aikaterine (Greek). meaning: There are two Greek names it might have been influenced by. Hekaterine, meaning each of the two (hekateros) or Hekate meaning far off (hekas). Either way, during the early Christian era, the name's spelling was changed, adding an ‘h’ after the ‘t’ and tying it to the Greek word for pure (katharos). evolution: Aikaterine (Greek) > Katerina (Latin) > Katharina (Danish) > Karen (Danish) > Karen (English)

Chris

origin: Christophoros (Greek). meaning: Bearing (phero) Christ (christos, meaning anointed, Greek translation of the Hebrew word ‘mashiach’ which has entered English as ‘messiah’). evolution: Christophoros (Greek) > Christophorus (Latin) > Christopher (English) > Chris (English, diminutive)

[sajra-savera]

Look from Navratri Day 2🦋

[richincolor]

New Releases

All of these books look interesting to me. I don't even know which book I want to add to my TBR reading list first. 

Gita Desai Is Not Here to Shut Up by Sonia Patel Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books

It’s eighteen-year-old Gita Desai’s first year at Stanford University, and it’s a miracle she’s here and not already married off by her traditional Gujarati parents. She’s determined to death-grip her good-girl, model-student rep all the way to medical school, which means no social life or standing out in any way. Should be easy: If there’s one thing she’s learned from her family it’s how to chup-re—to “shut up,” fade into the background.

But when childhood memories of her aunt’s desertion and her then-uncle’s best friend resurface, Gita ditches the books night after night in favor of partying and hooking up with strangers. Still, nothing can stop the nagging voice in her head that’s growing louder and louder, insisting something’s wrong… and the only way she can burst forward is to stop shutting-up about the past.

Click below to read about all of this week's new releases.

Ida, in Love and in Trouble by Veronica Chambers Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Before she became a warrior, Ida B. Wells was an incomparable flirt with a quick wit and a dream of becoming a renowned writer. The first child of newly freed parents who thrived in a community that pulsated with hope and possibility after the Civil War, Ida had a big heart, big ambitions, and even bigger questions: How to be a good big sister when her beloved parents perish in a yellow fever epidemic? How to launch her career as a teacher? How to make and keep friends in a society that seems to have no place for a woman who speaks her own mind? And – always top of mind for Ida – how to find a love that will let her be the woman she dreams of becoming?

Ahead of her time by decades, Ida B. Wells pioneered the field of investigative journalism with her powerful reporting on violence against African Americans. Her name became synonymous with courage and an unflinching demand for racial and gender equality. But there were so many facets to Ida Bell and critically acclaimed writer Veronica Chamber unspools her full and colorful life as Ida comes of age in the rapidly changing South, filled with lavish society dances and parties, swoon-worthy gentleman callers, and a world ripe for the taking.

Till the Last Beat of My Heart by Louangie Bou-Montes HarperCollins

When you grow up in a funeral home, death is just another part of life. But for sixteen-year-old Jaxon Santiago-Noble, it’s also part of his family’s legacy. Most dead bodies in the town of Jacob’s Barrow wind up at Jaxon’s house; his mom is the local mortician, after all. He doesn’t usually pay them much mind, but when Christian Reyes is brought in after a car accident, Jaxon’s world is turned upside down.

There are a lot of things Jaxon wishes he could have said to his once best friend and first crush. When he accidentally resurrects Christian, Jaxon might finally have that chance. But the more he learns about his newfound necromancy, the more he grasps that Christian’s running on borrowed time—and it’s almost out.

As he navigates dark, mysterious magics and family secrets, Jaxon realizes that stepping into an inherited power may also mean opening up old family wounds if he wants to keep the boy he may be falling for alive for good.

The Rez Doctor written by Gitz Crazyboy & illustrated by Veronika Barinova HighWater Press

Young Ryan Fox gets good grades, but he’s not sure what he wants to be when he grows up. It isn’t until he meets a Blackfoot doctor during a school assembly that he starts to dream big.

However, becoming a doctor isn’t easy. University takes Ryan away from his family and the Siksikaitsitapi community, and without their support, he begins to struggle. Faced with more stress than he’s ever experienced, he turns to partying. Distracted from his responsibilities, his grades start to slip. His bills pile up. Getting into med school feels impossible. And now his beloved uncle is in jail. Can Ryan regain his footing to walk the path he saw so clearly as a boy?

Desert Echoes by Abdi Nazemian HarperCollins

From Abdi Nazemian, the award-winning author of Like a Love Story and Only This Beautiful Moment, comes a suspenseful contemporary YA novel about loss and love.

Fifteen-year-old Kam is head over heels for Ash, the boy who swept him off his feet. But his family and best friend, Bodie, are worried. Something seems off about Ash. He also has a habit of disappearing, at times for days. When Ash asks Kam to join him on a trip to Joshua Tree, the two of them walk off into the sunset . . . but only Kam returns.

Two years later, Kam is still left with a hole in his heart and too many unanswered questions. So it feels like fate when a school trip takes him back to Joshua Tree. On the trip, Kam wants to find closure about what happened to Ash but instead finds himself in danger of facing a similar fate. In the desert, Kam must reckon with the truth of his past relationship—and the possibility of opening himself up to love once again.

Desert Echoes is a propulsive, moving story about human resilience and connection.

Between the Pipes Story by Albert McLeod with Elaine Mordoch and Sonya Ballantyne (Contributor) & illustrated by Alice RL HighWater Press

Thirteen-year-old Chase’s life and identity should be simple. He’s the goalie for his hockey team, the Eagles. He’s a friend to Kevin and Jade. He’s Kookum’s youngest grandchild. He’s a boy. He should like girls.

But it’s not that simple. Chase doesn’t like girls the way that the other boys do. It’s scary being so different from his peers. Scarier still is the feeling that his teammates can tell who he is—and that they hate him for it. If he pretends hard enough, maybe he can hide the truth.

Real strength and change can’t come from a place of shame. Chase’s dreams are troubled by visions of a bear spirit, and the more he tries to hide, the more everything falls apart. With the help of an Elder, and a Two-Spirit mentor, can Chase find the strength to be proud of who he is?

“Between the Pipes” explores toxic masculinity in hockey through the experiences of an Indigenous teen.

They Thought They Buried Us by NoNieqa Ramos Carolrhoda Lab

Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is… unsettling.

Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school’s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It’ll take all Yuiza’s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady’s grasp.

How to Lose a Best Friend by Jordan K. Casomar MTV Books

For as long as anyone can remember, Zeke Ladoja and Imogen Parker have been best friends. Their classmates, their parents, and even the school custodian think that they’re meant to be together. And that’s exactly what Zeke wants: for Gen to be his girlfriend. Now that she’s about to be sixteen (and allowed to date), Zeke is finally going to tell her how he feels—in front of everyone at her birthday party.

Imogen loves Zeke with all her heart, but only as a friend. The pressure to be with Zeke has sometimes been overwhelming, but up to this point, she’s been able to manage it. Then she falls for the new boy, Trevor Cook, and she knows the news will devastate Zeke. The last thing she wants to do is hurt her best friend, but she also resents the fact that no one seems to care about what she wants.

The night of Gen’s party, everything goes wrong. There’s backlash, most of it directed at Gen, and Zeke feels emboldened. He isn’t about to give up on his feelings, and he’ll do whatever it takes to prove that she made the wrong choice…even if it means destroying their friendship. But Gen isn’t about to give up on fighting for herself and the freedom to love the boy she wants, not the boy she’s expected to be with.

[hollywoodroses]

I’m currently at a traditional indian(gujarati) dinner and dance. I can’t stop thinking about izzy after reading an article from 1992 that he likes indian music and food/drink. 🥺

[sagesolsticewrites]

Meet Ruthvika “Ruthie” Patel 🪔

Name: Ruthvika Patel

Age: 26

Birthplace: Harlem, Manhattan

Home: Lynbrook, New York

Star Sign: Virgo

Born to immigrant parents from India, Ruthvika Patel— Ruthie to… well, pretty much everyone with a (ahem) lighter complexion—  is doing her best to find happiness in a life stuck working to keep her parents’ hotel afloat. Her one solace is coming back in contact with her old school friend, Juliet Thompson. And when Juliet invites her along to a celebration of her engagement to one John Brady, who is she to refuse?

A certain husky barreling into her legs as she wanders the streets of New York, utterly lost, leads to a chance encounter with pilot Bernard “Benny” DeMarco. Swept off her feet by his charm and kindness, quiet Ruthie is lovingly tugged along into her friend’s little family, and she has… absolutely no idea what to do.

A fairly sheltered life has left her unprepared for the friendships she finds in the girls— her new friends Olive, Val, Jo, and Jean all seem eager to fit her into their little gang, though with her accent and noticeably caramel complexion, fitting in in 1940’s New York has never been her strong suit. And she has even less of a clue how to handle the attentions of a certain pilot; how does she know that the fluttering in her chest isn’t how all girls feel around a good male friend? It’s not as if she has any experience in that area. And even if she could admit her feelings to herself, she has no guarantee he feels the same. The true obstacle, though, are her parents: traditional, conservative, Gujarati, the Patels will have no part of a white man attempting to court their good Indian daughter.

In stepping out from the shadows of her quiet life, Ruthie is pulled along into the sunshine with her new friends, with a guarantee that no matter what happens, her little life will never be the same.

Part 1 of Ruthie’s story is coming soon! 👀

@winniemaywebber @ginabaker1666