Category: Book Lists

5 YA Books to Make Your Mouth Water

4/15/2018

I love reading—there’s something about being able to look at symbols on a page and be able to create worlds, characters, and scenarios inside your head. While I love “seeing” all of these things come to life, my favorite scenes to craft in my head are the ones involving food. Books with food scenes (specifically baking and desserts) can bring a little extra spark of immersion into their stories while also having a bit of fun along the way. For that reason, I am bringing you five of my favorite books featuring the foods they’re known for.

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4 Books To Combat Your Post Valentine’s Day Blues

2/14/2018

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The Valentine’s Funk

We’ve all been there. February 14th is the day where all us single people get to watch the happy couples fawn over each other. So while we all say we don’t care that we don’t have a valentine, it can be sad to think we don’t have a significant other with whom to share the day. The good news is that you and I are in the same boat, and I have compiled a small list of charming and amusing stories that are sure to be better than any valentine you could’ve gotten. (Unless you received a stack of books from someone as a valentine. Or a giant cake. Then it probably won’t be better. However, it will come close. I promise.)

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Rainbow Book Recommendations

2/7/2018

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#ShelfieGoals

As book lovers, we tend to do a few things people don’t expect. For starters, we DO judge books by their covers. (And if you just denied that statement...you’re lying to yourself.) One of my favorite things as a bookworm is to sort my books by the color of their cover, because, let’s be real, folks, it’s super satisfying. There hasn’t been a rainbow #shelfie to cross my Instagram dash that I didn’t like. So, to coincide with that, I thought I would share some book recommendations this week in rainbow format, just in case you still need a book in that one color to even out your shelfies. (I’ve got your back.)

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Series I Want to Finish (Because I’m SO CLOSE)

1/24/2018

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I have a confession to make...

I’m not good at finishing series (There: I said it, okay?). There are just so many great ones out there and not enough time in the day to finish them all. More specifically, I have time to start all these great novels, but I am awful at finding the time to fit the last few installments into my schedule. The first one will come out, I’ll read it, and then I have to wait a year for the next one to come out, and by that time I’ve forgotten what happened in the last book. (Vicious cycle, I know) After you’ve been reading books as long as I have, there is a long list of these series that I would love to find the time for, and today is the day that some of those are made into an official record for your viewing. If you have any other series I should start, I encourage you to discuss any of these or any new ones in the comments.

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6 Nonfiction Books Worth the Laugh (Feat. Recommendations by My Mom)

1/14/2018

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Ashton's Nonfiction Books

Nonfiction is one of those genres that sometimes gets lost in the vast sea we call my brain; I just never think to read them. When I do choose to read nonfiction books, they usually end up in the pile of books that I am more likely to recommend to other people. So the question is this: Why do I not pick them up on a regular basis? To be completely honest, I do not have any idea what the answer is, but I do know that they deserve more praise than they get. Not only do they tell great stories, most of the time they are known for making us laugh.
Though I do not pick up nonfiction very often, my mom, on the other hand, reads quite a bit of it. So, what better post than this to make her guest-reviewing debut than today? Without further adieu, my mom and I are bringing you six nonfiction books guaranteed to make you laugh.

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My 2018 Bookish Goals

1/1/2018

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New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year's everyone! I love this time of year because we can reflect on the past year and set goals for the next. There are a handful of personal resolutions I have set for myself, but I thought I would share my five book-related goals for the new year!

1. Goodreads Goal - Read 60 Books

Ah, Goodreads. It is the center of the book community and provides us with the ultimate reading goal. This year, I read a total of 67 books, which blew my goal of 50 out of the water. In a perfect world, I would like to read one book a week all year, but I know how

busy and inconsistent my schedule is throughout the year, it varies from week to week. I have settled on 60 because although I might not consume books at a constant rate, I read enough books in the summer to compensate my slower reading when I am busy during the school year.

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#TBRBookTag - An Event Where Ashton Continues to Cower at All the Books She Still Has to Read

10/22/2017

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TBRs

Before we start, I want to take a moment to say that in the grand scheme of things, I have a very small pile of books (physically, mind you) that serves as my TBR pile. The problem is all the books I want to read I don't actually own. If you were to decide to scroll through my Goodreads shelf, (which I don't recommend.) you will find the equivalent of a never-ending black hole filled with books. I'd say it's safe to say my entire TBR is a bit extensive, so let's answer some questions about it!

My current (physical) TBR Pile.
The goal is to finish them all before the new year. :)

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Four Summer Books For the Fourth of July

7/4/2017

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Happy Fourth of July, my fellow Americans. If you're reading this from any other country, Happy Tuesday! The Fourth of July is, for me, one of the days that feels the most like summer. There are barbecues, pool parties, and just time to spend with the people you care about. So, I've come up with a list of four different books set in summer so we can keep those summer vibes flowing!

A Book to Read With Your Best Friend:

Since You've Been Gone, by: Morgan Matson

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.
On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?
Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.
Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?
Kiss a stranger? Um...
Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check

things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she’ll find?
Go skinny-dipping? Wait...what?

Click Here to Buy Since You've Been Gone

I'm so glad I've gotten a chance to recommend this book because it's one of my all-time favorites! It's cute, fun, daring, and everything else you could want in a summer book. Morgan Matson does a wonderful job making you feel like you really know and relate to the characters that she creates.
This book is also perfect if you're looking for one to read with your best friend or book club. I actually read it with a few of my friends a couple of years ago, and we had so much fun with it! So if you're looking for a light summer read, this is the book for you!

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Fall Releases I'm Dying to Read

9/7/2016

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Falling Over Sideways, by: Jordan Sonnenblick

It's not easy being Claire. (Really.)
Claire's life is a joke . . . but she's not laughing. While her friends seem to be leaping forward, she's dancing in the same place. The mean girls at school are living up to their mean name, and there's a boy, Ryder, who's just as bad, if not worse. And at home, nobody's really listening to her -- if anything, they seem to be more in on the joke than she is.
Then into all of this (not-very-funny-to-Claire) comedy comes something intense and tragic -- while her dad is talking to her at the kitchen table, he falls over with a medical emergency. Suddenly the joke has become very serious -- and the only way Claire, her family, and her friends are going to get through it is if they can find a way to make it funny again.

I think this sounds like a very interesting concept. On one hand, you have a very sarcastic and funny tone of a synopsis. On the other, you have a very serious event. It will be interesting to see how the narration and writing style makes the events in this book feel, whether it's sarcastic or serious.

The Female of the Species, by: Mindy McGinnis

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.
While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.
But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.
So does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.
Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

While this book is not something I would normally read, it has definitely piqued my interest. This reminds me of my younger reading days, when I loved the Sammy Keyes books (Although, let it be known that this book sounds way darker than Sammy Keyes, but you get the idea.). I think this will be a perfect book for Halloween this year.

Gamescape: Overworld, by: Emma Trevayne

The planet is dying. Centuries of abuse have damaged the earth beyond repair, and now all the authorities can do is polish the surface, make the landscape look pretty to hide the disease within. Two prominent yet mysterious businessmen couldn’t fix it, either, but they did something even better. Together, they invented Chimera, the most complex and immersive virtual reality video game the world has ever known. The Cubes in which Chimera is played quickly became a fixture of this landscape: part distraction, part hospital, and almost wholly responsible for holding up the failing world economy.
Miguel Anderson is also dying. He isn’t the only one who plays the game–everybody does–but Miguel has more reason than most: When players leave their Cubes for the day, the upgrades and enhancements they’ve earned for their virtual characters leave with them. New lungs to breathe poisoned air, skin that won’t burn under the sun are great and everything… but Miguel, born as broken as the earth, needs a new heart–and soon–if he wants any hope of surviving just a little longer.
Then the two Gamerunners announce a competition, with greater rewards and faster progression than ever before, and Miguel thinks his prayers have been answered. All he needs to do is get picked to lead a team, play the game he’s spent years getting good at, and ask for his prize when he wins. Simple, really.
At first, things seem to go according to plan. Mostly, anyway. Inside his Cube, with his new team–including his best friend–at his back, Miguel begins his quest. He plays recklessly, even dangerously, for someone whose most vital organ could give up at any moment, but his desperation makes him play better than ever. The eyes of the world are on him, watching through status updates and live feeds, betting on his chances. With greater rewards, though, come greater risks, and the Gamerunners seem to delight at surprising the competitors at every turn. As he ventures deeper into a world that blends the virtual and the real to an unsettling degree, Miguel begins to wonder just why the game was invented at all, and whether its stakes could be even higher than life and death.

I have to say, I'm a sucker for both a good dystopian and a virtual reality story. Anything to do with gaming in a story, is a definite yes from me. This definitely gets some Ready Player One vibes, but after being let down with Armada, I don't really get my hopes up too high.

Side Note: If you're really into gaming novels, I highly recommend Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde. It's the book that got me into the genre in the first place. There are also two companion books with it if you enjoy it, too.

The Last True Love Story, by: Brendan Kiely

The point of living is learning how to love.
That’s what Gpa says. To Hendrix and Corrina, both seventeen but otherwise alike only in their loneliness, that sounds like another line from a pop song that tries to promise kids that life doesn’t actually suck. Okay, so: love. Sure.
The thing about Corrina—her adoptive parents are suffocating, trying to mold her into someone acceptable, predictable, like them. She’s a musician, itching for any chance to escape, become the person she really wants to be. Whoever that is.
And Hendrix, he’s cool. Kind of a poet. But also kind of lost. His dad is dead and his mom is married to her job. Gpa is his only real family, but he’s fading fast from Alzheimer’s. Looking for any way to help the man who raised him, Hendrix has made Gpa an impossible promise—that he’ll get him back east to the hill where he first kissed his wife, before his illness wipes away all memory of her.
One hot July night, Hendrix and Corrina decide to risk everything. They steal a car, spring Gpa from his assisted living facility, stuff Old Humper the dog into the back seat, and take off on a cross-country odyssey from LA to NY. With their parents, Gpa’s doctors, and the police all hot on their heels, Hendrix and Corrina set off to discover for themselves if what Gpa says is true—that the only stories that last are love stories.

I think this book sounds like so much fun. There's some romance, adventure, and a tad bit of suspense to get me interested. It gives me the vibes of a contemporary romance/road trip novel, but it's seems like something with a very different meaning. I'm excited where this story leads!

Three Dark Crowns, by: Kendare Blake

Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.
But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.
If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

Royalty, magic, possible anti-hero(es)? Yes please! If Red Queen and Half Bad had a love child book, it sounds like this would be it. Every once in a while I get in the mood to read a book like this, and I think this book is the one. I haven't read a book like this in a long time, so maybe this will be the one.

The Sun Is Also a Star, by: Nicola Yoon

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.
Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.
The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

Just with a synopsis, I can already relate to these characters. We are all very school, good kids, although I'm a little bit more of a dreamer, but that's okay. This does sound like a really neat romance, read though. I also have a feeling that this story might be narrated by "The Universe", which would be very interesting.

The Fever Code, by: James Dashner

Once there was a world’s end.
The forests burned, the lakes and rivers dried up, and the oceans swelled.
Then came a plague, and fever spread across the globe. Families died, violence reigned, and man killed man.
Next came WICKED, who were looking for an answer. And then they found the perfect boy.
The boy’s name was Thomas, and Thomas built a maze.
Now there are secrets.
There are lies.
And there are loyalties history could never have foreseen.
This is the story of that boy, Thomas, and how he built a maze that only he could tear down.
All will be revealed.
A prequel to the worldwide Maze Runner phenomenon, The Fever Code is the book that holds all the answers. How did WICKED find the Gladers? Who are Group B? And what side are Thomas and Teresa really on? Lies will be exposed. Secrets will be uncovered. Loyalties will be proven. Fans will never see the truth coming.

Here's my thing with this new TMR book. I know they're stretching out this series for all it's worth. I also know that The Kill Order was downright awful and, quite frankly, pointless. (I won't even go there.) But, I also know that this prequel is (hopefully) about the main characters, and there is no way on Earth that is worse than The Kill Order. Even though my expectations are lower than low, I would like to know more about what happened to Thomas, and friends, before the maze.

What's your most anticipated fall release? Let me know in the comments!

While she waits patiently,
Ashton

Once I got home, though, and saw several packages on my front porch, all the crap from the day disappeared. A few had smiley faces on them. Squealing, I grabbed the boxes. Books were inside-- new release books I'd preordered weeks ago."
— Jennifer L. Armentrout, Obsidian

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What to Read for Your Book Club

8/21/2016

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Book Clubs

Over the years, there have been books that I am dying to talk about with someone. But, as soon as that feeling strikes, everyone who has read that book seems to disappear, leaving me as the lone survivor. Not really, but there have been times that I wish I had read a book with someone, or think that a certain book is a good discussion book. So, I have compiled a list of books that I think would be perfect for reading with a group to discuss.

I have actually read this book with a group of girls in my Algebra class a couple years ago, and it was a huge success. We would read a couple chapters a week, and it was hard for all of us to stop. We all just wanted to keep reading. It was great book for discussion since Sloane goes on so many adventures throughout the book.

Since You've Been Gone, by: Morgan Matson

We Were Liars, by: E. Lockhart

We Were Liars is an awesome book for discussion. But, it's also best if you go into it without knowing the premise. So you're going to have to trust me on this one, and I promise I'm not leading you astray. This is an awesome read.

Red Queen is a book with a way deeper meaning than what's on the surface. Sure, a girl has powers that she isn't supposed to have, she gets to hide away as a princess, but some very controversial topics are discussed. Racism, politics, oppression, and other themes are very present in the novel, which are great discussion points.

Red Queen, by: Victoria Aveyard

The Selection, by: Kiera Cass

The Selection is a great "read for the fun of it" book. This book is definitely a dystopian version of The Bachelor. I really liked being able to talk about it with a few friends of mine, since we all read it at about the same time. I'm sure it would be lots of fun if you are in an all girl group, but if the guys want a shot at it, I encourage them to go for it too!

If you're in need of a fantastic middle-grade book for a school book club, The Lightning Thief is perfect. There is Greek mythology, humor, adventure, and is perfect for a large group of people, especially kids learning about mythology.

The Lightning Thief, by: Rick Riordan

Looking for Alaska, by: John Green

Looking for Alaska is great read for a high school book club, especially seniors preparing for college. It takes turns you just aren't expecting, and provided me with a "can't put it down" experience. I think it is a great discussion book, and would've loved to have had someone to talk to about this book.

I cannot tell you how much I loved Aristotle and Dante. It is another book that covers lots of different topics, and is a "finding yourself" book. It's a great read for people trying to figure out things about themselves, including sexuality. You can read more of my thoughts by clicking the link to your right.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by: Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Why We Broke Up, by: Daniel Handler

Why We Broke Up is a perfect book for a group of friends whose members have gone through a recent relationship status update. It's a great and empowering read, which I really loved. The main character also finds herself after throwing herself at a boy. Again, the link to your left takes you to my full post about it.

What do you think about book clubs? If you have any book club recommendations for me, leave those in the comments!

While she contemplates starting a book club,
Ashton

Why can't people just sit and read books and be nice to each other?"
— David Baldacci, The Camel Club

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<<Previous

5 YA Books to Make Your Mouth Water

4 Books To Combat Your Post Valentine’s Day Blues

The Valentine’s Funk

Rainbow Book Recommendations

#ShelfieGoals

Series I Want to Finish (Because I’m SO CLOSE)

I have a confession to make...

6 Nonfiction Books Worth the Laugh (Feat. Recommendations by My Mom)

Ashton's Nonfiction Books

My 2018 Bookish Goals

New Year's Resolutions

1. Goodreads Goal - Read 60 Books

#TBRBookTag - An Event Where Ashton Continues to Cower at All the Books She Still Has to Read

TBRs

Four Summer Books For the Fourth of July

A Book to Read With Your Best Friend:

Since You've Been Gone, by: Morgan Matson

Fall Releases I'm Dying to Read

Falling Over Sideways, by: Jordan Sonnenblick

The Female of the Species, by: Mindy McGinnis

Gamescape: Overworld, by: Emma Trevayne

The Last True Love Story, by: Brendan Kiely

Three Dark Crowns, by: Kendare Blake

The Sun Is Also a Star, by: Nicola Yoon

The Fever Code, by: James Dashner

What to Read for Your Book Club

Book Clubs

Since You've Been Gone, by: Morgan Matson

We Were Liars, by: E. Lockhart

Red Queen, by: Victoria Aveyard

The Selection, by: Kiera Cass

The Lightning Thief, by: Rick Riordan

Looking for Alaska, by: John Green

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by: Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Why We Broke Up, by: Daniel Handler

Author

2018 Reading Challenge

Categories

Archives

The Valentine’s Funk

#ShelfieGoals

​I have a confession to make...

Ashton's Nonfiction Books

New Year's Resolutions

1. Goodreads Goal - Read 60 Books

TBRs

A Book to Read With Your Best Friend:

Since You've Been Gone, by: Morgan Matson

Falling Over Sideways, by:​ Jordan Sonnenblick

The Female of the Species, by: Mindy McGinnis

Gamescape: Overworld, by: Emma Trevayne

The Last True Love Story, by: Brendan Kiely

Three Dark Crowns, by: Kendare Blake

The Sun Is Also a Star, by: Nicola Yoon

The Fever Code, by: James Dashner

Book Clubs

Since You've Been Gone, by: Morgan Matson

We Were Liars, by: E. Lockhart

Red Queen, by: Victoria Aveyard

The Selection, by: Kiera Cass

The Lightning Thief, by: Rick Riordan

Looking for Alaska, by: John Green

Author

Categories

Archives

I have a confession to make...

Falling Over Sideways, by: Jordan Sonnenblick