SOLVED. y/a book written as a journal of a slave girl? [s]

[Vivian]

I read this book when I was maybe 14, so 2004ish? I don't know if the book was new at that point or older. I believe there was more than 1 book. They were written as a journal or from the POV of a young slave girl. I only remember two scenes specifically, one she got mad at her owner and slapped her, and claimed she killed a bug and showed some smashed up fruit in her palm and said it was the dead bug. And after she escapes, she's supposed to get married the the boy she loves but one their wedding day her hot air balloon is released with her in it? I think? i hope more comes to me, i feel like there's another scene i remember but i can't pull it too the front of my mind.....

I also remember them as being somewhat middle eastern flaired, but i'm not sure if that was actually part of the book or how i chose to see it in my head.

[Vivian]

golly gee. i googled a combination of terms i must not have before and THINK I might have found it! The Claidi Journal series by Tanith Lee. I'm going to check them out tomorrow and read them before I change this to solved though, because nothing about the summary is tickling a memory except Claidi's name and the title of the second book seem familiar.

[Kate]

Be sure to let us know!

[Vivian]

It was the book! I read the first one with my kindergartener, and she loved it as much as I did.