So You Like... #37

There are very few authors who I trust to write consistently good books. Kasie West is one of them (and we're getting two books by her next year, so it's gonna be a great year). This post is all about the books you might like if you like Kasie West's contemporary romances.

Bantery characters and a swoony romance.

Hijinks, laughter, and a great love interest.

A protagonist who grows (a bit like Charlie in On the Fence) and fake dating (like in The Fill-In Boyfriend).

Just everything about this book screams read-alike for Kasie West's titles.

The main character is bookish like Addie from Pivot Point and there's the joy of first love.

Do you like Kasie West's books? What other titles would you recommend for fans of her books?

Rewind & Review #73

Created by Shae Has Left the Room.

~It's November, the month when everything is due. Over the next week I have two presentations, one quiz, one exam, six critiques, and one fiction revision due. Pray for me.

~The election has left me feeling disheartened, and my anxiety hasn't been too great lately as a result.

~I'll be home in a little over a week for break! It's going to be so good to get away from school.

Books I Received for Review

Mind Games by Heather W. Petty (from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley)

Girl Out of Water by Laura Silverman (from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley)

Books I Won/Traded for/was Gifted

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson (won in Nori's 2017 authors giveaway)

Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty (traded with Angie)

Books I Read

The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan (3.5 stars)

Sofia Petrovna by Lydia Chukovskaya

Map to the Stars by Jen Malone (3 stars)

A Million Worlds with You by Claudia Gray (5 stars)

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (4 stars)

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (2 stars)

The Reader by Traci Chee (DNF)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (3 stars)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (5 stars)

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple (3 stars)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (4 stars)

Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson (reread)

Blog Posts You Might've Missed in the Last Few Weeks

   (from 10/31-11/5)

• Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read if Your Book Club Likes Strong Heroines
• Writing Prompt #10
• Review: Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin (4 stars)
• The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
• The Odyssey Article - Why Aren't You Reading Diverse Books?

   (from 11/6-11/12)

• Top Ten Tuesday: Recent Additions to My TBR List
• New(bery) Reading Challenge
• Random Friday: Autumn
• Writing Prompt #11
• The Odyssey Article - 11 Solutions For When Your Day Is Gray

Writing Prompt #11

This is another writing prompt from my creative writing class. We had to read the novella Train Dreams and the class after we finished it, my prof started us with a prompt inspired by the novella. Basically, she told us to write something inspired by the title and it could go wherever we wanted it to. My piece is very vague, I know, and it's not really finished. Anyways, hope you enjoy and, if you use this prompt, feel free to let me know what you wrote about!

Margot. She heard her name rustle through the air over and over in time with the clack of the train wheels against the rails. Stepping out the door, she left the car with green wallpaper and plush red seats. The wind rushed around her, shoving her back into the doorframe. She could still hear the voices, whoever they belonged to, chanting her name.

Behind her, the train was empty and the lights were dim. She wondered if the other passengers were in their…what were they called? Bedroom cars? Sleeping chambers? She couldn’t remember if she had one.

Margot. Whispery air trickled down her spine. Goosebumps rose all over her skin, and she wiped sweaty palms on a dress she was sure she hadn’t been wearing only seconds before. What had happened to her favorite jeans?

She stepped across the shaky divide between train cars and pushed against the other door. It opened only after she exerted great effort. This car was empty of people, but rows of crates lined the aisle. She peered at labels as she passed, but they were all in a different language. Something from Eastern Europe, she thought.

Margot. She quickened her steps. The voices were chasing her.

Random Friday: Autumn

Want to participate in Random Fridays? Just do the following: 

• Include the above image in your post and link back to my post.
• Blog about this week's topic.
• Add the link to your Random Friday at the bottom of this post.

Hey, everyone! My name’s Elise, and I’m one of Emma’s friends at school. We were actually roommates freshman year, but I think we would have killed each other if we’d kept it up, so we room separately and saved our friendship. ☺

This week’s topic is the umbrella topic of autumn, the season, and Emma obviously knew what she was doing when she asked me to write to this, because I. Love. Autumn. In my humble opinion, it is the best season of them all. My power is at its peak in autumn, or so I like to joke.

Why, you ask, is autumn so special?

Well. I’m glad you asked, because there are so many fantastic reasons:

1. The Temperature Outside

If you’re anything like me, summer can feel a bit brutal after a while. I live in the Midwestern United States, and stepping outside in the summer feels like someone took a thick quilt out of the dryer before it was actually dry and tossed it unceremoniously on top of me. The humidity can be downright unbearable.

But in autumn, the great outdoors begins to cool down. There are cool mornings occasionally adorned with frost, crisp breezes that leave little goose-bumps on your arms, and the sunshine still shines, feeling refreshing and warm instead of imposing and burning.

2. The Actual Weather

 Call me crazy, but beating sunshine gets a bit…old, after a while. And while I really enjoy a big summer thunderstorm, there is nothing like a lightly overcast sky on a cool autumn day, even including a light drizzle now and again. Yeah, I know, gross—but honestly, it’s one of the best kinds of weather to sit by a window for, armed with a good book and a mug of tea. The weather practically forces you to partake in cozy activities, which is the biggest reason I enjoy it so much.

3. All the Colors

When the air cools and the skies become a bit drearier, the leaves on all the trees start to change—and that, my friends, is truly Art by Mother Nature. Taking walks outside in autumn is truly a pleasure; there are rainbows of colors up above you, fluttering in the breeze, and below you, crunching beneath your feet. I like to go out and collect different colors and types of leaves that have fallen and press them in books. (I’m a bit of a nerd; I don’t exactly care that much.)

4. All the Layers
Because things get so much cooler outside, tank tops and shorts are no longer an option (something I shed no tears over—I don’t consider myself to have the body type that looks good in summer clothes). The viable option?

Sweaters. All the sweaters. Sweaters everywhere.

I adore being able to wear something so thick and cuddly throughout my entire day. It’s literally a blanket you can wear, and the best part is that it’s actually stylish. And autumn fashion colors are great, as well, subdued and warm. When I can throw on a giant sweater over a pair of leggings and pull on some boots and not only look good, but also feel comfortable…that is a good day.

5. Cozy Foods

In addition to having a reason to get cozy in sweaters, autumn also offers another way to get cozy: autumn food. Any food made from apples and pumpkins is welcome in autumn with open arms—pies, soups, crisps, dumplings, cider, pastries—but there are also things like caramel popcorn and cinnamon-roasted almonds that warm me up at this time of year. Pumpkin spice lattes are a hit in every coffeehouse in autumn, as well, no matter how basic you consider them to be.

6. Harry Potter

This one is a bit more of a personal autumn favorite, but autumn is a fantastic time for anything Harry Potter-related. The first time I read the entire series was in autumn, and every year, like clockwork, I read them again. I wait until October, to give autumn a bit of a head start, and then I dig into all seven books and embrace them like old friends. Who doesn’t enjoy stories about witches and wizards and a magical school like Hogwarts in autumn? Although this may have less to do with the actual season of autumn and more to do with another favorite thing happening during the season…

7. Halloween!

If you’re looking for a stress-free holiday that’s literally about candy, look no further than Halloween. All the great things about autumn become incorporated into the holiday—there are pumpkins to carve into jack-o-lanterns; traditional Halloween parties have a tub for bobbing for apples; the now-bare treetops give the day a spookier feel—and in addition, of course, there’s trick-or-treating, which means getting to pick out or design a cool costume and collect free candy.

Halloween as a holiday feels really chill to me; there’s no tradition heavily leaning towards the need to visit family, for those who have stressful times at family functions. Thanksgiving will come along at the tail-end of autumn, a time for family, but Halloween remains really chill and is truly a holiday to celebrate in your own way with whomever you please.

Honestly, I could continue on and on about all of my favorite autumn-related things, but this list covers the majority of most of the things I particularly enjoy. I find myself a lot happier of a person in autumn, probably because there are so many things around me that I’m enjoying that I have less time to feel down. Which is fine by me, really!

Is there anything I missed on this list that you enjoy about autumn? Feel free to comment below! Also, if this really struck a chord with you and you want more autumn-ness in your life—and you have a tumblr—feel free to follow my blog that I’ve dedicated entirely to the season, URL: cider-and-sweaters. Thanks for reading and thank you, Emma, for letting me guest post to all of your lovely readers! Happy Autumn, everyone!

New(bery) Reading Challenge

Just a few days ago, I posted about my first true reading challenge (beyond the annual Goodreads reading goal). Today I'm going to talk about my second reading challenge.

When I started my adolescent literature course back in August, the professor gave us a list of all the Newbery Medal winners, particularly since we would be reading three of the winners and a few Newbery Honor books. (Fun story: I always thought Princess Academy was a Newbery Award winner, but apparently it only has a Newbery Honor.)

I started looking over the list. It was fun to see which ones I've already read, and I'd actually love to reread a lot of those. I've read the following Newbery Award books:

• Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (1936)
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare (1959)
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell (technically my fourth grade teacher read it to us, but that counts in my book) (1961)
• From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (1968)
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (1977)
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (1978)
• Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (1984)
• Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (1986)
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (1990)
• Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1992)
• The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman (1996)
• Holes by Louis Sachar (1999)
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (2004)
• Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (2013)

So I've read 14 out of 95 books, and I thought that seemed pretty shabby. Obviously, some of the earlier ones aren't all that great. Still, I went over the list and checked Goodreads synopses and ratings and found 21 more books (plus the one we still have to read for class) that interested me.

I felt like this was a nice starting point to complete my Newbery Reading Challenge. Here are the 21 books I plan to read, hopefully within the next year:

• The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (1923)
• Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (1930)
• Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright (1939)
• Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski (1946)
• King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry (1949)
• Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes (1952)
• Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen (1957)
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1963)
• Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt (1967)
• Sounder by William H. Armstrong (1970)
• The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars (1971)
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (1972)
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (1978)
• Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson (1981)
• The Giver by Lois Lowry (1994)
• The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (1997)
• A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (2001)
• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (2002)
• Kira-Kira by Cytnhia Kadohata (2005)
• The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (2007)
• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (2010)

What Newbery Award books have you read? Do you want to read more of them, too? Oh! And if you can recommend any Newbery Award winners that I didn't list, please let me know in the comments below or on Twitter.

Top Ten Tuesday: Recent Additions to My TBR List

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

(I promised myself that, when I wrote this post back at the end of October, I would wait to read all of these books. Hopefully I stuck to that plan.)

1. Pointe by Brandy Colbert

2. Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham

3. The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough

4. Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

5. Whisper by Chrissie Keighery

6. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

7. The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds

8. Secrets of Shakespeare's Grave by Deron R. Hicks

9. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil

10. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski

What about you? What books have you recently added to your to-be-read list?

The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge

If you're attuned to the Gilmore Girls fandom at all, you'd know that, a couple years ago, a guy came up with a list of all 339 books referenced in Gilmore Girls. As an avid reader, I decided it was time I take that challenge...but with some modifications.

First of all, some of the "books" referenced are really the movie adaptation like The Yearling and Bambi. So I didn't include those.

Second, I wasn't going to include any books that had been seen on bookshelves in bookstore/library scenes. Those are not true references, in my opinion, nor do they necessarily have Rory Gilmore's stamp of approval.

Third, I was a bit picky and tried not to include many books seen in Sookie's or Luke's homes, just because I wasn't sure those counted.

I found a pretty solid set of Goodreads lists, compiled by a girl named Amanda. If you scroll down to where it showed who voted, you can click on her name and see why she added each book to the lists. I used her lists to compile my spreadsheet of 219 books.

(Basically me right now.)

The good news is, I've already read 22 off the list. That means only 197 more to go. Which is still going to be a great feat. I'm going to pace myself, though. Maybe aim for one or two a month, especially since I have a lot of YA I want to read (and, if you remember my post from a few weeks ago, I want to try more memoirs). 

I would like to note that I'm not sure yet if my spreadsheet is complete. The lists on Goodreads mention several books on a Banned Books poster in Rory and Paris's dorm/apartment the last few seasons. I hesitated to include those because it's not a direct in-series reference. However, I included books that were spotted on Rory's bookshelves or that she was purchasing. Do y'all think the books on that poster count? And let me know if you've attempted this challenge, too! I'm happy to email my spreadsheet to anyone who wants it.

Review: Blood For Blood

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for Wolf by Wolf. Proceed with caution.


Blood For Blood by Ryan Graudin
Grade: B+
An e-galley was provided by the publisher in exchange for review consideration.
Summary: For the resistance in 1950s Germany, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun.

Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against the New Order, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.

But dark secrets reveal dark truths, and one question hangs over them all: how far can you go for the ones you love?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The feel of Blood For Blood isn't all that different from Wolf by Wolf - the stakes are still high, there's tension around every corner, and surprises abound. The difference? The ending didn't feel quite as satisfying to me. I hate cliffhangers, but the one (of sorts) at the end of Wolf by Wolf worked well. This ending is much more tied up, but it didn't feel as good for some reason. I blame Luka. (And spoilery reasons.)
BFB does something different than its predecessor and that's giving readers Felix's and Luka's POVs as well as Yael's. It felt very necessary because of all the new threads, and it gave life to Luka's character (and we finally learned what happened during the race that Adele won, the event that made Luka want to get revenge on Adele). I liked the contrast between how he reacted to Yael and how Felix reacted. Not everyone in this book is perfect, especially because of the environments they were raised in. But I liked that Ryan Graudin gave Luka a background that made him less abysmal. 
I liked a lot of the twists, but the ending reminded me too much of how I felt after finishing The Hunger Games. (Don't get me wrong, I loved Mockingjay, but it wasn't quite what I wanted.) 
There's some foul language. A fair amount of violence.

The Verdict: This duology is so worth the read.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble

Will I be adding this book to my library?: Yeah, most likely.

Writing Prompt #10

This is another prompt from earlier in the semester. My prof showed us a time-lapse video some photographers took at a fort (I think) on one of the Florida Keys. She said we could use it to inspire whatever we wanted and, as I was watching it, I started thinking about "Starry Night" and "Starry Night Over the Rhone." (Side note: if you haven't seen the latter painting, look it up. I like it way more than "Starry Night.") Anyways, here's my short piece (with a bit of editing).

Aviana felt the grass bend beneath her as she shifted on the worn afghan she’d pulled from her parents’ cedar chest. She breathed in the night air and gazed up. The stars moved like a Van Gogh painting, all loops and whirls and dreams come to life. That could be a line in a poem, she realized, and she reached for her notebook before realizing she’d left it in Sam’s car. She clung to the words and prayed she wouldn’t forget them.

Sam’s hand reached for hers, and she slipped her fingers through his. The field was quiet enough that she could hear his breaths, punctuated by insect chirps and shrieks.

Did bugs shriek? she wondered. There was probably a better word to describe the high-pitched noises they made, but ‘shriek’ sounded pretty accurate.

She sighed, her shoulders relaxing. It was good to be away from the craziness of life. She and Sam hadn’t had much alone time lately. She scooted closer to him, and his arm moved to envelop her shoulders.

The stars danced overhead, a private ballet for just the two of them. A winking light, an airplane, jetéd across the blue-black stage as delicate constellations pirouetted and performed arabesques. The cricket orchestra could’ve been better, but Aviana didn’t want to be anywhere else at the moment. Sam kissed her cheek, and she had a feeling he agreed.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read if Your Book Club Likes Strong Heroines

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Since I don't have a book club, I had a hard time deciding what the topic for this post should be. But I really like the one I settled on.

1. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

If you're looking for great character development, look no further than this title.

2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Bonus points for the relatable factor.

3. Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed

Naila endures so much, and I admire her strength.

4. Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Mercy Wong is one of my top heroines of 2016.

5. The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Tess is basically Veronica Mars and Olivia Pope rolled into one.

 

6 and 7. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone and Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson

Two strong heroines who learn to be themselves and learn to trust others.

8. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Basically any of Robin's assassin ladies - Ismae, Sybella, and Annith - are great.

9. The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

My heart breaks for Paige, but her journey is one to root for.

10. The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson

Trixie is opinionated, smart, and doesn't take crap from anyone, but she's also caring, passionate, and has the capacity to love.

What was your topic for today's TTT?