It's My Blogoversary, and I'll Party If I Want To

Time to celebrate!

Five years ago, I wrote my very first blog post. (I wouldn't recommend going and reading it. Or anything from 2011/2012. It's all embarrassingly bad.) Book blogging has been one of the best things in my life these past five years, and it's seen me through so many changes - graduation, two years of college, a move across the country, new friends, changing my minor, etc. 

I've really only celebrated my blogoversary twice, but this year, I decided to do something a little different. I'm going to share my fifteen(ish) favorite Awkwordly Emma posts, and then, of course, there'll be a giveaway. I assume most of y'all will skip down to that, but if you don't, you should check out what posts have been my favorite over the last couple years! They're in no particular order but without further ado...

Emma's Favorite Blog Posts

1. Random Friday: Bookstores

In which I shared my face (for the first time?) and my voice and took y'all on a tour of my then-local Barnes & Noble.

2. It's Not a Man

ALL THE FEMALE SUPERHEROES.

3. Top Ten Tuesday: The Syllabus of Saving the World 101

This post was so fun to do that it inspired a new series of mine called Professor Emma Teaches, in which I talk about what YA titles I'd teach in fictional classes.

4. Review: Heir of Fire

Still one of my favorite reviews I've written, mainly because of the way I incorporated tweets and also for the pain this book caused me.

5. From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen: Cowgirl Cookies AND Chai Sugar Cookies

Both recipes inspired by Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before series. I can't wait to see what book three inspires me to bake!

6. Interview with Heidi Heilig, Author of The Girl From Everywhere

I've conducted a number of interviews over the years, but for some reason, the one with Heidi holds a special place in my heart.

7. Dear Incoming College Freshmen

This post was so important to me that I followed it up with a letter to college sophomores yesterday.

8. So You Like... #18

My tribute to fellow Gilmore Girls fans.

9. Merry Christmas to the Book Characters series

I thought this would be a one-time post, but it's turned into an annual event that I look forward to.

10. A Bookish Swiftie Recommends series

As a huge Taylor Swift fan, I love recommending books for fellow fans. I've also done a couple book tags involving her, but this series remains my favorite since the categories were all set by me.

11. Fifteen 2015 Reads

The post that started it all. This was an innocent post in February 2014, but I realized I couldn't do just fifteen. So it turned into a multi-part series that led to...

12. Sixteen 2016 Reads

which led to...

13. Seventeen 2017 Reads

This has become a big thing for me. I don't think these posts get much attention, but I love them anyways. Besides, even one viewer who learns about a new book means I've done my job. And I can't wait to keep doing these series in future years!

14. "Girly" Books for Manly Guys

I don't have many bookish causes, but one of them is the fight for guys to read so-called "girly" YA books. Here's the link to all the posts in the series, if you're interested!

15. If You Take Me to a Bookstore

The YA book nerd version of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

16-17. Two of my posts for The Odyssey Online, while not originally shared here, are some of my strongest pieces of writing, in my opinion.
When You Feel More Like Paris Gellar Than Rory Gilmore
Art Has Value

And now that you've read that list, here's the giveaway!

Giveaway Rules

~No cheating. I check entries.

~There will be two winners. One will receive one ARC of their choice from my collection. (Winner will be given a list of options.) The other winner will receive an envelope filled with random book swag including a Fierce Reads coloring book, a mini Wayfarer notebook, and The Diabolic buttons.

~Open to the U.S. only.

~If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours; otherwise, I will have to choose another winner.

~If you win, you'll be expected to provide a mailing address. I will be the only one (besides the post office and maybe my mom) who views this address. I won't give or sell it to anyone else.
~Good luck!

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Dear Rising Sophomores

I felt it was time to give advice once again, since I've finished my sophomore year. Obviously not everyone's experience at college will be the same, since many of you won't attend a Christian liberal arts university in a town with two stoplights, but that's semantics. So let me launch into my advice.

Continue avoiding those 8 a.m. classes like the plague. You'll thank me later.
If your dorm has a kitchen, stock up on ingredients for things that are easy to cook - Kraft macaroni and cheese, ramen (buy some vegetables to cut up and toss in while you're at it), grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, and pasta with sauce.
If you haven't already, join a club/group of some sort. Check out what your university has to offer, intramural-wise, if you're at all athletic but don't want to be on an official team. See if your major has an honors society. Try out for a play. If your university has an co-curricular fair at the beginning of the year, go to it. It's a great opportunity to see what's available (and you can often acquire free T-shirts).
Realize your classes will likely be harder. By your sophomore year, you're (hopefully) taking more classes for your major and minor and, in addition, you can start taking 300-level courses. These will require more effort and time, and, if they're for your major, you'll want to devote time to them.
Besides big events, see what else your campus has to offer - like video game tournaments, hall outings, and concerts (put on by the music majors and various music groups).
Make time to read at least one book a month for pleasure. Instead of watching Netflix or playing video games, pull out a book and relax. You'll form habits that'll last you a lifetime. The average adult is only reading five books a year (*tries not to cry*); if you read one a month, besides reading for school, than you'll have read twice as many as the average adult!
Make new friends. You don't always keep the friends you make in freshman year. I'm fortunate to have kept several of them (including Former Roomie), but even though friend groups have mostly formed, you can still make new friends! I did this year. This is another good reason for finding new/more co-curriculars. You'll meet people with similar interests!
Stay organized. Make to-do lists, but accept you won't be able to accomplish everything on it in one day. Keep a planner, even if it's only to list quizzes, exams, and projects (I don't put every single homework assignment in mine).
Keep your room clean. I tidy mine once a week so the mess isn't terrible. I accept that my desk will never be neat, but I can at least pick up the piles of clothing and what-not on the floor, do laundry, and wash dishes.
Let go of stress. It gets hard, I know. I got so stressed out this past semester that I caught a cold. Just try your hardest and know that sometimes you need a mental health day or you need to leave something on your to-do list for later.
On a related note, try not to procrastinate too much. This creates stress and situations where you can't take a breather and leave something to do later. Also, procrastination means you can't always do spontaneous things with your friends, which will make you feel sad and left out.
I'm going to repeat some advice from last year. If you find a significant other, DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR FRIENDSHIPS. Yes, your romantic partner is important to you and you should get to know them better and spend time with them. But having a girls' (or guys') day or night with your friends is important, too, especially if several of your friends are still single. They want to spend time with you - not you and your significant other.
Start looking for internships. You can sometimes get internships in the summer between your freshman and sophomore years, but it's often easier to get one once you're a rising junior. That doesn't mean you can't look, though, especially since application season usually starts in January. Explore options in your desired career field, and you'll be surprised what you can find.
Get a job. Even if your parents are as rich as Midas, find a job. It'll probably be minimum-wage and/or physical labor, but you'll be earning money that's all your own. Otherwise, you'll have to continually turn down invitations to go out to eat or shop. 
Jumping off of that, put aside at least 25% of your paycheck for something special. Save that money for a weekend trip with friends, or for the summer, or for a day when you need to treat yo'self. You'll thank me later.
Keep having fun. Keep making good choices, but keep making mistakes, too. You'll be stronger for it. Don't beat yourself up for those mistakes, either. Apologize (if the situation calls for it), learn from it, and move on. And once you finish this year? You'll be an upperclassman and halfway done with your college education. (Unless you're going on to grad school. If so, you have my condolences.)

Sincerely,
Emma

P.S. If you're an incoming freshman, here's the letter I wrote to you last year.

DNF Review: Smash & Grab

Smash & Grab by Amy Christine Parker
Grade: DNF
Release date: July 19, 2016
An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration.
Summary: LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.

CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .

Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.

When did I stop reading?: 11% into my e-galley (so about page 42)
Why didn't I finish?: Wasn't feeling the characters or the crime.

The Long(er) Review: I first expressed interest in Smash & Grab because of the comparison to Ocean's Eleven, which is something Ally Carter has referenced many a time when it comes to Heist Society. I'm not usually down for committing crimes, even if it's to help one's family, so the narration and characters' voices have to be strong for me to keep going. That wasn't the case here, unfortunately. Ah, well, c'est la vie.

The Verdict: Wasn't for me. It may be your thing, though! 

From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen: Black Cherry Cobbler

I just really love books that incorporate food or recipes. It's my goal as an author to put one good recipe in all of my books so my readers have something to make if they want to taste what my characters taste. Anyways, part of what connected me to one certain character was his love of cooking and baking.

Jonah Daniels is one of the best book boyfriends out there - plus he loves to cook and bake. What could be better? I knew as soon as I read When We Collided that I wanted to use one of his dishes for a From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen post, but I wasn't sure what. Then I saw someone on the official blog tour mention his black cherry cobbler, and an idea started to form.

Goodreads  Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble

I love peaches. My mom loves raspberries. And my dad loves cherries. So I searched for a black cherry cobbler recipe and held onto it until Father's Day. That's when I undertook the task of making the cobbler. I definitely needed some assistance from my mom - something I'm not ashamed to admit - but I think it was worth it in the end.

Black Cherry Cobbler

3 c. bing cherries, pitted and halved (I used frozen, so I let them defrost in the fridge overnight)
4 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour

1 c. flour
3 T. unsalted butter, chilled
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. buttermilk
sugar, for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, combine cherries, flour, and sugar; toss to coat evenly. Place in an 8 x 8 pan and evenly space the pieces of butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Meanwhile, sift flour into a medium bowl; add baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and cut in chilled butter with pastry blender or two knives. When pea-sized crumbles are formed, add buttermilk and stir just to blend. Do not overmix. When cherries are finished, remove from oven and drop dough in large spoonfuls over the cherries. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Return to oven for 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden. Serve hot or cool with whipped cream.

It got Emery Lord's stamp of approval, fyi.

Have a recipe/book suggestion for From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen? Leave it in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: Facts About Me

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

You know, I was just thinking the other day how much fun it would be to share more facts about myself. So here are ten...that I hopefully haven't shared before!

1. History geekery is in my blood, thanks to my parents (my mom taught 4th grade history for several years) - so much so that I love any little bit I can get, from Wikipedia pages on royal families to Who Do You Think You Are?

2. I've never been out of the country, but I hope to change that within the next two years!

3. I've already started a list of picture and board books I'll want to read to my future children, including...

My children are going to be so cultured.

4. I don't spend as much time on Twitter as I used to. This political season has stressed me out, and it's hard to avoid on Twitter.

5. My favorite song from Taylor Swift's 1989 is still "Out Of The Woods." (Although I really love "I Know Places," "This Love," "I Wish You Would," "Wildest Dreams," and "You Are in Love.")

6. I'm really hoping to dress up as Supergirl for Halloween this year. The only problem is, I need glasses, and Kara doesn't wear glasses when she's in costume.

7. I was diligently learning American Sign Language for a few years and then I just...stopped? I really should pick this up again.

8. I've been trying to stop biting my nails for years.

9. I think I'm still figuring out my reading tastes since I still read a fair number of books I dislike. Hopefully I'll figure out what I truly like soon so I can read more 4 and 5-star books. 

(The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts)
10. I really like art museums. After all, the one in my hometown is where I met Degas's Little Dancer.

So what facts did you share about yourself?

YA You Should Read This Election Season

I don't talk much about politics on my blog anymore, just because as I've grown and learned, I've decided I feel most comfortable sharing my political opinions in small groups with people who won't berate me for disagreeing with them. Twitter has been a nightmare during this election year, what with all the different opinions flying from the Left, the Right, and all the various groups in between. But I decided I'd take advantage of these strong opinions and recommend some YA books for any teens who can't vote yet but want to be involved in some way - or just anyone looking to escape into some fiction for a while since the real world is pretty messy.

First off, you have to read...

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne
It's literally about being on the campaign trail and what to do when your dad is running for president.


Next, you should tackle The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

It's set in the messy behind-the-scenes world of Washington D.C., and there's a relevant side-plot about choosing a new Supreme Court justice.


A certain male candidate has received a lot of comparisons to Adolf Hitler. One of my favorite books set around World War II is...

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman
The protagonist is situated within Hitler's intimate circle.


Immigration has been a hot topic for the last several years. If you're looking for a POC point-of-view on how Americans have historically treated immigrants, than you should read...

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
Mercy Wong experiences racism and struggles as she fights to make her place in the world.

Lastly, I want to remind y'all to think for yourself. You can listen to others' opinions, but don't let them influence you. Decide what you think is right and wrong. Be careful on social media - Tumblr is very biased and doesn't always give all sides of the story. Twitter can be a bit more accurate when delivering news, but it is also full of bias and intense emotions. And if you don't feel comfortable sharing political opinions online, that's okay. But you should read Free to Fall by Lauren Miller, which is all about thinking for yourself and trusting your instinct.



Also! I wanted to highlight a couple books that are supposed to release in 2017 that, from the short synopses on Goodreads, seem to feature racism in a way that's very relevant to 2016. So I'd suggest keeping an eye on these three titles:
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
The Hate U Give by A.C. Thomas
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson (side note: she wrote This Side of Home, which I LOVE)

Are there other YA titles you think would be great reads during this election season? Leave them in the comments below!

Review: Written in the Stars

Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed
Grade: B
Summary: This heart-wrenching novel explores what it is like to be thrust into an unwanted marriage. Has Naila’s fate been written in the stars? Or can she still make her own destiny?

Naila’s conservative immigrant parents have always said the same thing: She may choose what to study, how to wear her hair, and what to be when she grows up—but they will choose her husband. Following their cultural tradition, they will plan an arranged marriage for her. And until then, dating—even friendship with a boy—is forbidden. When Naila breaks their rule by falling in love with Saif, her parents are livid. Convinced she has forgotten who she truly is, they travel to Pakistan to visit relatives and explore their roots. But Naila’s vacation turns into a nightmare when she learns that plans have changed—her parents have found her a husband and they want her to marry him, now! Despite her greatest efforts, Naila is aghast to find herself cut off from everything and everyone she once knew. Her only hope of escape is Saif . . . if he can find her before it’s too late.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I haven't read many books that are as poignant and heart-breaking as Written in the Stars. Even as I reread it, my heart hurt. Naila's story is one rarely explored in fiction, let alone YA fiction, but I know it's inspired by reality, thanks to Aisha's author's note.
The diversity and things I learned are part of what makes this one of my favorite books. We read to learn about different experiences, and that's what Written in the Stars is for me (I am as as white as they come, y'all). Naila's voice is strong, and I enjoyed what we saw of all of the different women in her life - Selma, Feiza, Saba, Nasim, and Naila's mother. They aren't all lovable characters, but they are realistic and strong women nonetheless. They all have convictions, and they stand by them. What we see of Saif is wonderful, too. He cares deeply for Naila.
There are a few things that keep me from completely loving Written in the Stars. The narrative is a bit choppy. Time jumps are frequent, and I was fuzzy on how much time was passing. Also, there were a few statements that seemed to be following a thought process that was missing in the previous lines. 

The Verdict: Beautiful cover, important story within its pages. If you haven't read Written in the Stars yet, you need to.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble

Will I be adding this book to my library?: I already have.

How to Read Multiple Books at the Same Time

The title is perhaps a bit misleading, because I'm not going to teach you how to read multiple books at the exact same moment. But I can give tips on how to read more than one book at the same time over the course of a day or more. Anyways, first I'm going to answer the question that may be on your mind.

Why would someone choose to read two or more books at once?

It all comes down to supposed efficiency. I read pretty quickly. It's a skill not every bookworm is blessed with, so I'm grateful I was. I can read a whole book in just a few hours, if I have the time. I'm also a perpetual multitasker. I rarely watch TV or movies without doing something else (not while I'm at the theater, of course). I often listen to music while I read so I'm taking in sound and new knowledge at the same time. So one day, I decided I might read more if I read more than one book over a couple days. It also gives me an opportunity to mix things up (since, for example, I don't like reading intense thrillers right before bed). I haven't figured out if I actually read more or less because of this practice. I certainly feel like I read more, but I'm not sure. Still, if you'd like to try reading two or more books at once, here are my tips.

Tip #1: It's usually best to pick books of different genres. It helps you separate the characters and settings better so you don't start to mix up plot points. Advanced multi-readers can do the same genre with ease, but if you're a beginner, start simple. Read a contemporary novel and a fantasy novel. Or sci-fi and historical fiction. Or romance and non-fiction. Whatever floats your boat.

Tip #2: Unless one book is especially riveting, alternate reading the novels. If you read while you eat breakfast, start with book A. If you read while you eat lunch, too, than pick up book B. This tip is pretty loose because, if book A is especially exciting, the key is to keep reading it. Otherwise, you'll start to resent book B and reading it won't be as fun. So you want to alternate unless one of the books has sucked you in.

Tip #3: If one of the books isn't working for you, don't be afraid to DNF it! Otherwise, it'll bog you down and it'll make reading more of a chore in general. You don't want that book to affect the others you're reading, right?

Tip #4: If you listen to music when you read, listen to different genres or artists or playlists for each book you're reading. It'll help keep the plots and characters separate in your head.

Tip #5: Reading a new book and rereading an old favorite concurrently is always a valid option. I do this all the time! Since I'm already familiar with the reread, this is where I often read books in the same genre at the same time because I'm not taking in twice as much new information. But it's a good way to squeeze in rereads and still tackle that enormous TBR list.

Do you have any other tips for reading multiple books at once? Let's talk!

Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies Blog Tour: Review

The Author

Twitter  Tumblr  Instagram  Goodreads

Laura Stampler is a Californian turned New Yorker. After graduating from Stanford University, she became a journalist, interning—and then worked on staff—at various newspapers and magazines. Laura has written about everything from dating to social media stars to social justice issues at Time magazine, Business Insider, Huffington Post, The Nation, The New Republic, and The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably looking at pug gifs on the Internet.

The Book and Review

Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies by Laura Stampler
Grade: B+
Release date: July 19, 2016
Pages: 352
An e-galley was provided by Simon Pulse in exchange for an honest review.

Find It: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | iTUNES | INDIEBOUND | SIMON & SCHUSTER | GOODREADS

Also! You can pre-order a personalized, signed copy of LITTLE BLACK DRESSES, LITTLE WHITE LIES at Oblong Books through July 9^th. Details can be found HERE!

Review: Laura Stampler's YA debut read very much like a teen movie - and I definitely mean one of the good ones! Sure, there were some cliche moments, but this is a book I'm sure teenagers will love. There are two viable love interests, but one is a clear winner from the start, so there isn't a burdensome love triangle. Plus, he's the one everyone is gonna root for. I was worried about cheating at times - just because that's a plotline I generally dislike - but it didn't end up being a problem. 
The main drama in the book stems from Harper's lie (see the summary above), as well as friendship growth and troubles. I thought both worked well - Harper wants to succeed, and she constantly feels guilty about using her best friend's story to get the internship. It's acknowledged several times that Harper is a good writer; she just doesn't have a lot of experience to write from. She isn't a perfect character by any means, but she means well and tries to be a good person and that's what matters in the long run. I was kind of disappointed that Gigi was still a bit of a snob because I enjoyed watching her bond with Harper. I was glad she wasn't stereotypical like I first thought she was going to be, though.
I really enjoyed seeing the dynamics change at the magazine and between the interns. Journalism can be quite competitive, especially in this age of social media. I could relate to the idea of trying to get the most attention for their articles - I write for my university's chapter of The Odyssey Online and this is something I struggle with every week.
Other little notes: I loved the positive Taylor Swift references. Often, YA authors use her as a negative metaphor or mention her derogatorily, but that wasn't the case here. There were a good two dozen s-words and f-words, which is more than I normally like in my books, but at least they weren't used every other sentence.

The Verdict: Overall, this was such a fun book that I'm pretty sure I want to add to my bookshelves soon.

The Giveaway

Must be 13 or older to enter. Giveaway is US only. Giveaway ends July 26th at 11:59 PM Pacific. Book will be ordered from Amazon. Prizing courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours. 

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Some of the Other Tour Stops

Week One

July 6^th – Please Feed the Bookworm – Review

July 6^th – Read Now Sleep Later – Guest Post

July 7^th – Worth Reading It? – Review

July 7^th – YA Book Madness – Review

July 8^th – Awkwordly Emma – Review

July 8^th – YA Reads – Character Interview