Tag: books

• Book Review: “The Queen of Blood” by Sarah Beth Durst

  Posted at 3:15 am by Laura, on December 6, 2016

  The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

  Publisher: Harper Voyager
  Published: October 2016
  Genre: fantasy
  ISBN: 9780062413345
  Rating: ★★★★

  Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

  But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.

  With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.

  Renthia is ruled by a queen who governs the spirits of the land and keeps the humans safe within the vast forest. If she ever loses her control, the spirits wreck havoc and destroy everything in sight. Daleina witnessed this as a child, a survivor of a vicious attack against her small village on the outskirts of the kingdom. She survived because she, too, held power over the spirits. Several girls who show an affinity, like her, are sent to the academy to train to become heirs, to take over the throne when the current queen dies. When Daleina is chosen by Champion Ven to train in the forest, several more attacks on villages take the kingdom by storm, and it’s up to them to save the land against its true enemy.

  Don’t trust the fire, for it will burn you.
  Don’t trust the ice, for it will freeze you.
  Don’t trust the water, for it will drown you.
  Don’t trust the air, for it will choke you.
  Don’t trust the earth, for it will bury you.
  Don’t trust the trees, for they will rip you,
  rend you, tear you, kill you dead.

  I can’t help but think this book is the equivalent of The Hobbit as the future books in this series is to Lord of the Rings. A novel of adventure and magic and epic world-building, a novel hinting at so many wonderful things to come, shedding light on what is going to be — without a doubt — a fantastic, atmospheric series.

  This contained so many elements I love about fantasy. There’s a school to teach young girls how to control their magic (or affinity, the ability to call upon and command nature’s spirits), the enemies of the novel are of the natural world (wood spirits, air spirits, earth spirits, water spirits, much like the woods in Uprooted was terrifying), there’s a quest without it being one entirely drenched in violence*, and the atmosphere is full of mythological, fairytale qualities. It feels like a real place, like something I’ve known of since childhood but never fully grasped, much like Hogwarts or Middle Earth or Narnia. And with Durst’s writing, I can believe it is real.

  *The spirits are quite violent in this novel. Six in particular encase heirs in wooden spheres, crushing them to dust. Being in the mind of one particular heir when this happened really made me cringe. But what I mean by “without it being entirely drenched in violence” is that this is more of an adventure, it takes on a more emotional quality to it without a thirst for bloodshed. Daleina’s focus is on unity and understanding. She knows the spirits are malevolent, but she knows they like to destroy and build, and she commands them to create more often than she demands violence. She redirects their energies into something positive, and her efforts are explored throughout the novel. Swordplay, armies, and mindless warfare are not found here!

  One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the matriarchal monarchy. A human queen rules the land but, primarily, controls the spirits. She is chosen from a pool of heirs by the spirits themselves. She can be married or single, she can have children or none, she can be of any age as long as she is a recognized heir with the affinity. Such a beautiful concept! A lineage entirely based on magical strength rather than blood-lines or warfare.

  There are moments of humor dispersed throughout, along with friendships, camaraderie, familial love, adventure, terror, wonder, and awe. So much was packed into this one novel, no doubt a prologue to the stepping stones of The Queens of Renthia series. I am eager to read the upcoming installments!

  This qualifies as book 13 of 10 library books in 2016.

  This qualifies as book 7 of 5 of the “Flights of Fantasy” Challenge, hosted by Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books and Rachel @ Hello, Chelly.

  Posted in books, Flights of Fantasy, Reviews 2016 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, flights of fantasy, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review

• On Reading Epiphanies and Getting Back to Bookish Roots

  Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on November 23, 2016

  For several months now, many bloggers (myself included) have talked about reading fatigue, both on their blogs and through social media conversations. Apart from making the time to read each day, it’s been difficult diving into books because we haven’t felt excited to read them. For some people, it’s the pressure of reviewing ARCs over backlist titles. For others, it’s not finding enjoyment in one’s usual go-to genres. For many, it’s something unidentifiable, but it leaves an emptiness nonetheless.

  Reading is my job. Reading is, quite truly, my life. I am an agent, so I read lots of manuscripts and decide whether or not I want to represent them in hopes of selling them and getting them published. I am a librarian, so I read lots of backlist titles in the collection to recommend to patrons as well as books chosen by the book group I run. And I am a blogger, and I [attempt] to read a mixture of ARCs, re-reads, and books on my TBR to share my enthusiasm with you.

  But somewhere along the line, my consumption of reading published books diminished. Reading was still enjoyable, but it felt like a chore.

  After staring at my TBR bookcase — packed so full with books I’ve purchased and haven’t read yet — I had an epiphany. And of course, that meant sharing it with Lindsey and Morgan, who also had similar epiphanies.

  I have to go back to my reading roots.

  

  With that light bulb flash, I decided to come up with a loose reading plan. In 2017, I’ll have to read at least 24 books for the library. With my goal to read 50 books a year every year, that leaves at least 26 spots to fill. Why not fill it with books pre-chosen from my TBR case?

  Then it became easy. I would read the books by authors whose writing I’ve enjoyed, authors I know will not disappoint me, authors I would’ve continued reading even if I never had the agent job, the library job, or the blogging hobby. I’ve forgotten how to properly binge-read, the way I would with Harry Potter and Narnia and yes, even Cassandra Clare. I lost the art of binge-reading after Book of Life, because my own life in books took off. I miss that. I want that back.

  Thankfully, I have several copies of books by two authors with series that fit this bill. It’s about time I’ve finished Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series (Daughter of the Forest is so amaaaaaaaazing, as is the Shadowfell trilogy!) and started her new Blackthorn & Grim series. I also haven’t read Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series in a while (March 2015, in fact), and I want to finish the rest of her [published] series before the last book (or two) comes out.

  When I made this little announcement on instagram, Alyssa was quick to remind me of some other novels by Juliet Marillier I should try, and I’ve already checked out Heart’s Blood. It should get me back into Marillier’s style easily, as it’s thankfully a standalone.

  So now what? I have 11 books from my TBR bookcase to read in 2017, leaving 15 other books — new authors, other TBR books, ARCs — to fill the void. I think that’s an excellent start to my vague reading goal.

  ~

  Have you experienced reading fatigue? What did you do to get out of the slump?

  Have your reading habits changed since you started blogging? What other factors in your life have changed your reading habits?

  Do you have any books or series you’re dying to start or finish?

   

  Posted in books, Rock My TBR, Update Post | 10 Comments | Tagged books, personal, reading, reading habits, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “A Constellation of Vital Phenomena” by Anthony Marra

  Posted at 5:45 am by Laura, on November 17, 2016

  A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

  Publisher: Hogarth
  Published: February 2014
  Genre: literary fiction, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780770436421
  Rating: ★★★.5

  In a small rural village in Chechnya, eight-year-old Havaa watches from the woods as Russian soldiers abduct her father in the middle of the night and then set fire to her home. When their lifelong neighbor Akhmed finds Havaa hiding in the forest with a strange blue suitcase, he makes a decision that will forever change their lives. He will seek refuge at the abandoned hospital where the sole remaining doctor, Sonja Rabina, treats the wounded.

  For Sonja, the arrival of Akhmed and Havaa is an unwelcome surprise. Weary and overburdened, she has no desire to take on additional risk and responsibility. But over the course of five extraordinary days, Sonja’s world will shift on its axis and reveal the intricate pattern of connections that weaves together the pasts of these three unlikely companions and unexpectedly decides their fate.

  When Akhmed finds his neighbor’s daughter, Havaa, hiding in the woods with a bright blue suitcase, her takes it upon himself to see to her freedom and care. They hike to an abandoned hospital, where an overworked ethnic Russian, Sonja, treats the sick, dying, and wounded. Sonja, however, has a difficult time welcoming the two into her life. But across five seemingly ordinary days, Akhmed, Havaa, and Sonja’s lives become irrevocably interconnected, past and present coming together in one pivotal moment.

  What a remarkable novel.

  Marra’s writing was accessible and commercial while still powerfully beautiful and literary. The characters — varied as they were and with drastically different life experiences from our own — were easy to relate to. It’s easy to find at least one character to follow closely and eagerly anticipate their next chapter. The focus on the characters and the human story was appreciated, as the book highlights a tumultuous political moment in recent Chechen history. Marra could’ve easily bogged down a reader with facts and figures.

  That said, I wish there would’ve been a bit more information at the beginning of the novel to “set the stage” more, as I wasn’t aware of the struggles between Chechnya and Russia (granted, at the time this was happening, I was a child/selfish teenager).

  Compelling read, emotional, shocking, heartfelt, and powerful. An experience to read. Best to go in not knowing too much about this one!

  This qualifies as book 12 of 10 library books in 2016.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: historical fiction, review

• Book Review: “Nine Women, One Dress” by Jane L. Rosen

  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on November 14, 2016

  Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen

  Publisher: Doubleday
  Published: July 2016
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9780385541404
  Rating: ★★★★

  A charming, hilarious, irresistible romp of a novel that brings together nine unrelated women, each touched by the same little black dress that weaves through their lives, bringing a little magic with it.

  Natalie is a Bloomingdale’s salesgirl mooning over her lawyer ex-boyfriend who’s engaged to someone else after just two months. Felicia has been quietly in love with her happily married boss for twenty years; now that he’s a lonely widower, she just needs the right situation to make him see her as more than the best executive assistant in Midtown Manhattan. Andrea is a private detective specializing in gathering evidence on cheating husbands—a skill she unfortunately learned from her own life—and can’t figure out why her intuition tells her the guy she’s tailing is one of the good ones when she hasn’t trusted a man in years.

  For these three women, as well as half a dozen others in sparkling supporting roles—a young model fresh from rural Georgia, a diva Hollywood star making her Broadway debut, an overachieving, unemployed Brown grad who starts faking a fabulous life on social media, to name just a few—everything is about to change, thanks to the dress of the season, the perfect little black number everyone wants to get their hands on…

  It all begins with one Little Black Dress. From the moment a shy Southern model is pushed into the limelight, this particular dress becomes a smashing hit and changes the lives of eight other women who wear it.

  I really enjoyed this novel, told in multiple vignettes from a variety of perspectives outside of the nine women who get their hands on this one particular black dress from Bloomingdale’s. After reading Lauren’s review, it was apparent this would be a treat to read, and perfect for the approaching holiday season.

  Of all the vignettes, I liked Natalie’s the most. She’s a simple Bloomingdale’s salesgirl who was asked by a movie star and his agent to step in as a red carpet date last minute. Fueled by rumors of the star’s sexuality, Natalie agrees, believing this would be the perfect way to get back at her ex and not fall for the star. Little does she know…

  There’s also a sweet storyline between Arthur, a lawyer, and Felicia, his longtime secretary. One nosy Bloomingdale’s employee purposely messes up Arthur’s order, and the dress is sent to sweet Felicia instead of Arthur’s snobbish girlfriend.

  From an Instagramming millennial to a longtime pattern-maker for a phenomenal fashion designer, this dress touches the lives of several people. A quick and charming read, you’re guaranteed to find a storyline to hook you in through the end.

  This book qualifies as book 11 of 10 library books in 2016.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 6 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review

• Book Review: “Leave Me” by Gayle Forman

  Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on November 1, 2016

  Leave Me by Gayle Forman

  Publisher: Algonquin
  Published: September 2016
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9781616206178
  Rating: ★★★★★

  For every woman who has ever fantasized about driving past her exit on the highway instead of going home to make dinner, for every woman who has ever dreamed of boarding a train to a place where no one needs constant attention–meet Maribeth Klein. A harried working mother who’s so busy taking care of her husband and twins, she doesn’t even realize she’s had a heart attack.

  Afterward, surprised to discover that her recuperation seems to be an imposition on those who rely on her, Maribeth does the unthinkable: She packs a bag and leaves. But, as is so often the case, once we get to where we’re going, we see our lives from a different perspective. Far from the demands of family and career and with the help of liberating new friendships, Maribeth is finally able to own up to secrets she has been keeping from those she loves and from herself.

  Maribeth Klein is too busy to notice all the symptoms she’s experiencing point to a heart attack. During an annual doctor visit, Maribeth is sent straight to the hospital for an emergency bypass surgery. When she’s discharged under strict orders to not overexert herself, her family seems to think not being in the hospital is the equivalent of being well — and her stress levels rise exponentially. So she does the unthinkable: packs up and runs away. But as Maribeth finds the peace she so desperately needed, how will she ever go back to her family after what she’s done?

  I began this book when my mother went into the hospital this month, and ended it when she came home after her prolonged stay. While I’m not a mother, having had to deal with house and home, errands and bills, dog and cat care, an already ailing father, and two jobs, I’d like to think I have a smidgen of an idea of what Maribeth experienced pre- and post-surgery. In fact, I think just about any working woman can relate to Maribeth’s experience.

  She felt so caught out. She’d thought she’d done everything right.
  She spent her entire life making lists, following through,
  keeping everything in check, all to make sure this kind of thing
  would never happen.

  And look where it had gotten her. Just fucking look.

  In so many stories, disappearing parents are painted as the villain. We hardly hear their excuse as to why they left the family, and when we do it’s at the very end of the novel. As readers we have only an ounce of sympathy for them. Why? Because as a general rule, parents should not leave their children.

  But Maribeth does. She leaves life’s obligations behind to start fresh. Gayle Forman introduces us to a very relatable and sympathetic character — hardworking, driven, compassionate, and extremely tired — with the first third of the book dedicated to her daily experiences pre- and post-bypass. We know what it’s like to be Jason, her husband, relentlessly hopeful and optimistic that her homecoming from the hospital means she’s well. We were once Liv and Oscar, the sweet twins that are still young enough to throw tantrums and not understand just how much words and actions can truly hurt. Maribeth’s voice in her family is completely lost, and stress levels rise to a point where the fantasy of packing up and leaving all responsibility behind becomes a reality.

  Now what?

  She was in free fall now. And it wasn’t killing her. In fact,
  she was beginning to wonder if she might’ve had it backwards.
  All that fixating on the fall…maybe she should’ve been
  paying more attention to the free.

  Maribeth’s journey to Pittsburgh and all the people she meets — adorably funny college neighbors Todd and Sunny, sweet cardiologist Stephen and his dark history, and enthusiastic birth-mother-hunting Janice — help her calm down, revitalize, reevaluate, and heal inside and out. I fell in love with Forman’s writing all over again, and every step of Maribeth’s journey felt sure, raw, and honest. I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation of all her decisions, and simultaneously relaxed, like I was leisurely catching up with an old friend.

  In short, I will follow Forman for the rest of her career, hands down.

  And forever and always thank my mother for all she’s done for our family.

  This book qualifies as book 10 of 10 library books in 2016. Challenge completed! 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review

• Book Review: “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne

  Posted at 4:45 am by Laura, on October 6, 2016

  The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

  Publisher: August 2016
  Published: William Morrow
  Genre: adult fiction, chick lit
  ISBN: 9780062439598
  Rating: ★★★★

  Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
  2) A person’s undoing
  3) Joshua Templeman

  Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

  Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

  If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

  Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

  Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman are the assistants to the co-CEOs of Bexley & Gamin, recently merged publishing houses with two very different ideas of how to run a business. From the very start of their jobs, Lucy and Joshua try to one-up the other in every aspect of their job — until an announcement is made for a new promotion, and only one of them can have it. The stakes are higher, and soon the line between love and hate is blurred, and there’s more at risk than a swanky office.

  A few weeks ago I asked Twitter what they were reading, and how I needed a book to dive into and break out of my reading lull. My client Nina recommended a “funny workplace rom-com,” and after I looked it up I knew I had to get my hands on it. A debut voice a la Kinsella set in the publishing industry? Yes, please. In the midst of reading it, I found other elements that I knew would be appealing to several blogger friends. Soon this book exploded across Twitter and Instagram and Goodreads. If that doesn’t convince you to pick it up, then maybe read on for the review…

  I enjoyed this book. It was like candy for the brain. Intelligently written, funny, with fully-fleshed main characters. Their backstories — Lucy’s childhood on a strawberry farm, Josh’s history with his medically-inclined family — enhanced the experience and really gave the characters the depth they needed to further explain their desires and motivations for the promotion.

  There’s a tension between Josh and Lucy that starts as colleague rivalry, moves into frustration, then secret, romantic glee. The entire story is told through Lucy’s perspective. It’s clear she doesn’t want Josh in her life, but it’s also clear to the reader from the get-go that Josh is into her. These two experience a whole range of scenarios together, at work and otherwise, that demonstrate their compatibility. Thorne was great at not shying away from all the details, never fading to black or glossing over scenes. It was like experiencing these few weeks with/as Lucy as they came up for her, no holds barred.

  That said, there were so many moments I wanted to dive into the book, shake Lucy, and tell her she’s reading each and every little situation wrong. She’s simply not seeing the signs — but after working for the merged B&G for a year with the particular attitude and sass Josh gives her, it makes sense she would see him in such a negative light. But that’s my qualm with hate-to-love relationships. Not a huge fan of them because of one character’s obvious feelings and the other’s blatant blindness. But it kept the plot moving!

  If you’re looking for a Sophie Kinsella-esque book set in a bookish office and lots of sexual tension, this is the one for you!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: fiction, genre: romance, review

• Advance Excitement at a Glance XXVI

  Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on October 3, 2016

  

  A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.

  It seems so many of my favorite authors have new books out in October. Some long-time favorites like Jodi Picoult (October 4) and Tana French (October 4), a new favorite in Emma Mills (October 4), a middle grade debut from Megan Shepherd (October 11), Kenneth Oppel‘s latest (October 11), and Marie Benedict’s debut book The Other Einstein (October 18) are all titles I’m looking forward to reading.

  But this one in particular holds a special place in my heart.

  

  Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
  (October 4, Knopf BFYR)

  Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for EVERY POSSIBILITY LIFE HAS TO OFFER. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything. 

  Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything in new and bad-ass ways, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.
  
  Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. . . . Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours.

  Niven is such a remarkable woman, and All the Bright Places moved me. I can’t wait to dive into her next!

  Also, it looks like all of my money will be gone October 4th…*prepares bank account*

  What books are you looking forward to in October?

  Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 0 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, books

• Flipping Through the Pages: Summer Rewind 2016

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on October 1, 2016

  

  Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

  Through the Lens

  

  

  

  Timekeeper ARCs became available and I was super excited to receive them in the mail! My friend Audra had a lovely wedding reception after she and her husband returned from their private ceremony/honeymoon trip. This was taken while we wandered around an old, lovely neighborhood for official pictures. And finally, the symphony played the score to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone while we watched the movie. Such a blast!

  Life Highlights

  I covered a lot of topics in my If We Were Having Coffee post, so check that out first! Otherwise, the latest news: I welcomed a new client to Team Triada in late September and had a fantastic time at lunch with her while she was vacationing in the Midwest. And, speaking of agenting, Tara not only received a fantastic blurb from Victoria Schwab, but some great reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal! There’s also an excerpt from the first chapter up on Bustle!

  Tunes on Repeat

  I’ve listened to more Radio Lab and NPR shows than music this summer. However, I did listen to the whole Rachmaninoff Vespers, sang the version of Jerusalem that was performed in the Royal Wedding, and started rocking out to The Nutcracker in the car. Will these count?

  Bookmarked in the Community

  1. If We Were Having Mexican Margaritas @ Bring My Books — In the same vein as the If We Were Having Coffee posts, Lindsey opens up on her blog in a fun way. Bring your chips and queso!
  2. The YA Sorting Hat: Back to Hogwarts @ Writer of Wrongs — Gillian always has some creative posts, and this one was (of course) my favorite kind. How would you Sort any of your favorite books?
  3. What Does Your Favorite Book Say About You? @ Huffington Post — An interesting read.
  4. Do You Have Book Guilt? @ Wall Street Journal — At first I thought this article was going to be about the inability to finish all the books you want to read, or buying lots of books and not reading, but nope! It was about feeling guilty for not reading classics. Reading a classic is different from reading a modern book — it is meant to be savored, not devoured. Dive in to the article and see what others have to say!

  Popular Posts on Scribbles

  1. If We Were Having Coffee – so pleased to see the enthusiasm for this post! I rarely write up anything personal outside of these rewinds, so I’ll probably do this kind of post more often.
  2. Book Review: “The Lie Tree” by Francis Hardinge – YES COME TO THE DARK SIDE. It’s so much more thrilling!
  3. Book Review: “My Lady Jane” by Hand, Ashton, Meadows – Genuinely not surprised this received so many hits. If I had to name a book of the summer, it would be this Monty Python-esque YA!

  Cherished Reads

  

  

  

  Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter ★★★★

  The Gilded Cage by Lucinda Gray ★★★.75

  First & Then by Emma Mills ★★★★

  Cherished Quotes

  “Bertram!” Jackaby patted him on the arm affably as he bustled
  past him into the front hall. “It’s been ages, how are the kids?”
  “I remain unmarried, Mr. Jackaby, and I’m afraid you can’t be seen just now.”
  “Nonsense. Miss Rook, can you see me?”
  “Certainly, sir.”
  “Well, there you have it. You must have your eyes checked, Bertram.”
  —Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

  I don’t know if it’s better to have people laugh at what you are
  or just not understand.
  —The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow

  Progress Update on Reading Challenges

  Library Books: 9 / 10
  Future Perfect || Blackhearts || Rebel of the Sands
  The Buddha in the Attic || Wide Sargasso Sea || Re Jane
  The Elegance of the Hedgehog || The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
  The Gilded Cage

  #ReRead2016: 2 / 5
  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix || Emma

  Flights of Fantasy: 6 / 5 // complete!
  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix || Rebel of the Sands
  Lady Renegades || The Star-Touched Queen || Assassin’s Apprentice
  My Lady Jane

  Classics Challenge: 1 / 5
  Emma

  Rock My TBR: 13 / 12 // complete!
  Walk on Earth a Stranger || Arsenic for Tea || Since You’ve Been Gone
  Picture Perfect || Twenties Girl || Remember Me? || Assassin’s Apprentice
  Eligible || The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow || 13 Little Blue Envelopes
  Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here || Me Before You || First & Then

  Impulse Buys: 5 / 5 // no more buying!
  Can You Keep a Secret? || I’ve Got Your Number || The Undomestic Goddess
  My Lady Jane || The Hating Game

  Overall Challenge: 42 / 50

  Random Obsessions

  On TV: YOU GUYS. Big Bang is back, as is Poldark! I also watched a lot of Olympics this summer (who didn’t?). Of course I hissed and groaned when an athlete wasn’t perfect, because that’s what you do when you’re a couch potato who doesn’t want to acknowledge the fact you have no athletic abilities whatsoever. *wink*

  On Film: The Beau and I saw a lot of movies, one of them The Light Between Oceans. No, I haven’t read the book yet *gasp* but I did enjoy the film. My favorite soundtrack composer, Alexandra Desplat, worked on this film, too. At the end, the Beau turned to me and said, “If we find a baby in the ocean, we’re reporting it immediately.” Had to laugh at that.

  In the Shopping Bag: Not much shopping this summer, though in the last few weeks I’ve started buying a lot of autumn decor. And now ModCloth has autumn apparel online, so you know I’m going gaga over that…

  Miscellaneous: I don’t know if this is a local brewery or a national chain, but I’ve been going to Hopcat more and more just because I’m obsessed with their crack fries. YUM.

  Looking Towards the Future

  In October, I’m going to see Into the Woods with Mom for her birthday, and we’re both very excited about this! A huge group of friends are going to see Star Wars and Fantastic Beasts, too. It’s prime awesome-movies-time! And of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays to look forward to, as well as all the Christmas concerts and festivities. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

  What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts! 

  Posted in books, This Season's Rewind | 4 Comments | Tagged books, personal, recap, rewind, this season's rewind

• Book Review: “First & Then” by Emma Mills

  Posted at 3:15 am by Laura, on September 28, 2016

  First & Then by Emma Mills

  Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
  Published: October 2015
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9781627792356
  Rating: ★★★★

  Devon Tennyson wouldn’t change a thing. She’s happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon’s cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn’t want them: first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

  It’s Devon’s senior year, and her counselor is pushing hard for her to be more active in her school for the sake of college applications. But Devon likes being exactly where she is: somewhere in the middle of the popularity pool, best friends with Cas, a high school football fan, and general friendly person. When her awkward cousin Foster arrives after a family crisis, Devon’s plans for senior year derail. What’s more, the school seems to be obsessed with new football star Ezra, and he has taken a liking to the surprisingly athletically-inclined Foster. Devon and Ezra’s lives soon become intertwined, and senior year is starting to become something wholly unexpected.

  I should not have been wary about this Pride & Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights retelling/expansion/-inspired novel. But I was! I couldn’t help it. I’m not interested in football, classic retellings tend to not do so well with me (except for this year…I’ve actually been doing pretty well with them!), and the cover actually made me think this was going to be some sort of tragic sob-fest. I’d heard Foster was potentially autistic, and that was another red flag to me too (unfortunately these characters are treated as if they’re weak, and I loathe that!).

  So when I opened up to the first chapter and immediately connected with Devon’s voice, I knew I had nothing to worry about. Mills is a gem of a writer. Devon is snarky, witty, sassy, and it’s so easy to fall in friend-love with her. Her voice alone demonstrated the perfect execution of “show, don’t tell” when it came to her friendliness with others in the school, how she was something of a chameleon while still being effortlessly DEVON. Her journey to finding other things to beef up her college applications — topics for her essay, stuff to pad her resume — felt just right for her, rather than forced. And, as an extra bonus, they kept her connected to football!

  Ezra’s character was just the right balance of friendly and broody. The best part was that he was broody for a very good reason, one that advanced the plot and added some heft to the story. Foster, likewise, is so authentic, fun, young, a great contrast to Ezra and Devon’s personalities. Almost like a bouncing puppy standing between the two of them at times, Foster just saying what’s on everyone’s minds, with Ezra frowning and Devon scolding him on proper social etiquette.

  The parallels to Pride & Prejudice actually felt like a mixture of that and Sense & Sensibility. Mills was able to make this book feel like Austen without sticking to any one particular plot. Reading it, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities (without pinpointing which Austen story it belonged to, except that it FELT SO AUSTEN) and acknowledge that this book was wholly unique on its own. If Austen wrote YA today, Mills nailed it.

  The only thing I wanted more of was the rest of Devon’s senior year! How did everything work out?! Mills, why must you torture me like Austen did?!

  .

  This book qualifies as book 13 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, review, rock my TBR

• The Bedtime Book Tag

  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on September 22, 2016

  

  I was tagged by Lindsey (no surprise!) to do the Bedtime Book Tag, created by YouTube user Kelly’s BookSpill. 

  

  

  The one that popped to mind immediately was All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I did not heed the advice of my manager at the bookstore when she said “don’t read this before you have to go into work.” She was right. I should not have read this the night before, because then I stayed up long into the morning (plus there was all the crying…).

  

  

  The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle freaked me out. The only time I could read, too, was just before bed. I read this book for my graduate thesis on Gothic literature, so it was pretty much a summer of nightmares for me. This one, though, wouldn’t allow me to go to sleep at all. It was awesome.

  

  

  I’m sorry, massive-fans-of-this-book, but I just couldn’t read it anymore. The Secret History isn’t for me whatsoever, or at least in this point in my life. Or both. Who knows…I DNF’d at 60-something% because I kept nodding off.

  

  

  Deathly Hallows, hands down. Or, you know, [insert all the Harry Potter books here]. I have never been as excited for a book before or since this series.

  

  

  YOU KNEW IT WAS COMING. Daughter of the Forest is my jam, and Red is my forever husband. (I’m sorry, Jamie. I do love you, still!)

  

  

  This was difficult, as it would be a toss-up between Hunger Games and The Island of Doctor Moreau. Both, honestly and truly, feel highly plausible these days, and that’s what makes them so nightmarish. I found Dr. Moreau extra chilling though…not sure what that says about me.

  

  

  Now, I don’t know if this is because it had a cliffhanger, or because of the historical period it covered, or because I knew there would be another book and I wanted to read it immediately…but I felt Prisoner of Night and Fog had quite the nightmarish cliffhanger.

  

  

  The Night Circus, partly for the title, partly for the setting, and partly because I read this ONLY at night. It’s just so much more magical that way!

  

  

  SKIP! Sort of. I really haven’t dreamed about a book. I’ve dreamed of movies and TV shows that are based on books (that’s why I have the Outlander placeholder). I’ll have nightmares inspired by the book I’ve read but not set in that world or featuring those characters. But unless I can actually see the characters in their setting “in real life,” my dream self can’t re-conjure the world an author’s created.

  

  

  That creepy vampire slash bog monster slash pedophile slash I don’t even know just get it away from me THING in Long Lankin!!!!! *shudders* I can’t even. No. And, to top it off, if this creature is under my bed, I’m definitely going to die. There’s no hope for me.

  ~

  What are some books you’d answer for these questions? Have you read any of the above? I tag… Ashley @ LvsBks, Lauren @ Bookmark Lit, and Sabrina @ Forest of Words & Pages. Anyone interested in doing this particular book tag may join in as well!

  *bookish slumber party commences*

  [no monsters-under-beds allowed!]

  Posted in book tag, books | 4 Comments | Tagged book tag, books

• 

• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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