Alia Nathani, a native Houstonian and member of the class of 2020 at Langham Creek High School, is a First Reader for Polyphony LIT and blogger for Voices. With a love for literature, particularly poetry and fantasy, she is never without a book in her hand (and a dozen on her TBR list) and is often found quoting her favorite lines and speaking in ancient English. Her discovery of Polyphony resulted from the search for a community of readers and writers like her and now, as a member of the Polyphony LIT staff, she enjoys the opportunity to read others’ work and help them improve their writing skills.

As an avid reader, passionate gardener and baker, and a lover of math and science, Alia loves to compete on the Science Olympiad team at her school and tutor her peers in math. She also takes every opportunity to spread her fierce enthusiasm for the Lunar Chronicles and the Legend trilogy and pretty much every other book she’s read. Although talented in being clumsy (and dropping every delicate glass item she holds), you can always trust her to have the perfect book recommendation. Also, a self- proclaimed environmentalist, she hopes to make a difference in the field of climate change. With three siblings, she never finds herself bored, and when she isn’t researching, studying, baking a cake, riding her bike, or editing for Polyphony and writing for Voices, you can find her in her happy place: nestled in bed, with a chocolate on her tongue, and her nose in a book, with another beside her, or two or three.