firewhiskeyreader

First of all, my apologies for getting this up a little late and for keeping this post short and to the point. But let’s hop in to it! This Elle link is where I pull my quotes and inspiration from and the books will all be linked to their respective Goodreads pages!

1. Moxieby Jennifer Mathieu

If you’ve been around for a bit, you may remember that I didn’t adore Moxie because it felt a little too Feminism 101 to me. However, Vivian is absolutely an Aquarius. According to Elle, people who fall under the Aquarius sign, “combine logic and creativity into pure genius” and have an “innate concern for human rights.” Viv uses her creativity to put her desire to end sexual harassment and gender discrimination into a zine, crafting a message to allow for solidarity and empowerment for all women. I think adult Viv will be even more of a force to be reckoned with, but Viv at 17 is already leagues beyond where I was at 17.

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2. North to Youby Tif Marcelo

Is there a better way to combine logic and creativity than into the pure genius that is delicious food? As the owner of a food truck and guardian to a younger sister about to start college, Camille feels a lot of pressure and a lot of pride in Luciano. That pressure that she feels does keep her from really opening up to Drew and you could say that she really does embody the Aquarius trait of “eschew[ing] all things sappy.” She comes around eventually though! Camille also crafts her messages via social media in a way to maximize her profits and advertising budget, and being a gifted communicator is another Aquarius trait! This adult romance is basically “the one that got away” trope and it’s only flaw is Drew’s failure to communicate resulting in a fight that had me rolling my eyes at the end. However, if you’re looking for a book with complex family dynamics and characters you want to cheer for, you really don’t need to look any further than North to You.

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3. The Duchess Dealby Tessa Dare

Emma is a fantastic heroine. She shows up on a Duke’s doorstep demanding payment for the wedding dress she made for the bride who jilted him and she’s wearing her dress. Further, later in the book, her compassion is clear, in that she truly cares about those around her and those less fortunate than her. Emma is also really funny and I just love her as a character. Also, Khan the butler is fantastic. And no, I’m not forgetting that I adore our hero, Ashbury either. This whole book is wonderful and I highly recommend.

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4. Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz

Another incredible book and another creatively inclined heroine. Etta’s grasp on humanity is really well established in this book and she exists at the intersection of a lot of marginalized identities, but also recognizes her privilege in other areas. A ballet dancer who is in recovery from an eating disorder, Etta grapples with whether to give up dance forever or to try for a scholarship to a school in New York City. NYC is away from all of the small minds in her small midwestern town, where she isn’t gay enough for her lesbian friends and not really straight enough for others. Etta’s also black and from a pretty solidly middle class family. This book basically has it all and is so good. Etta’s voice is incredible and I think this book is one everyone should read.

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5. The Suffragette Scandalby Courtney Milan

I said in the Capricorn edition last month that this book deserved an honorable mention, but I changed my mind after some more thinking and reflecting because Free is definitely an Aquarius. She literally started a newspaper and uses her voice to try and garner support to give women the right to vote. She is able to work collaboratively and is straight forward and logical in what she does. I think she’s an amazing character and I honestly loved her book so much. Edward Clark, the hero in this book, is… a piece of work, but one that I couldn’t help but adore. If you haven’t tried Courtney Milan yet, I’m not saying you have to read this one, but I’m not saying you don’t either…

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And there you have it! If you have any books that you think are perfect for Aquariuses, let me know! If you have thoughts about how the plural for Aquarius was decided, let me know those too because it just looks weird, right? This is what Google said it is though, so, I’m trusting you, Google!

xx