Tag: books

• Book Review: “Future Perfect” by Jen Larsen

  Posted at 5:30 am by Laura, on January 25, 2016

  Future Perfect by Jen Larsen

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: October 2015
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780062321237
  Goodreads: 3.19
  Rating: ★★

  Every year on her birthday, Ashley Perkins gets a card from her grandmother: lose enough weight, and I will buy your happiness.

  Ashley doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with the way she looks. She knows exactly how she fits into her life, wide hips and all. But no amount of arguing can persuade her grandmother that “fat” isn’t a dirty word—that Ashley is happy with her life, and her body, as it is.

  But Ashley wasn’t counting on having her dreams served up on a silver platter at her latest birthday party. She falters when Grandmother offers the one thing she’s always wanted: tuition to attend Harvard University. Ashley wants it—she can’t deny it. But their annual negotiation has upped its stakes—Grandmother wants her to get weight-loss surgery in return for the money.

  As Ashley grapples with the choice that little white card has given her, she feels pressured by her friends, her family, even administrators at school. What’s a girl to do when the reflection in her mirror seems to bother everyone but her?

  Ashley Perkins is valedictorian at an advanced high school, has a wonderful, artistic boyfriend, supportive friends, and a killer resume for college applications. But her grandmother doesn’t see that. All she sees is her granddaughter’s weight, and how it could influence her admission into Harvard. When Ashley receives the tempting note from her grandmother on her birthday — free tuition for four years at Harvard if she gets weight-loss surgery — she grapples with the price of her dreams and her priceless worth.

  Before diving into this, I was looking forward to reading another kind of body book and was curious about its premise. While Dumplin’ was very body positive, embracing all shapes and sizes and health, this one tackles another kind of issue: what if the protagonist does care what others think about her weight?

  I am the sum of my parts. Everything I’ve ever done and everything I’ve ever
  achieved and everything I have ever been. Fat and smart and afraid and
  fierce and angry and brave all together right here, and every piece of the
  puzzle fits the way it’s supposed to and I can’t pretend anymore.

  Ashley’s passionate and determined and hard-working, destined for greatness.I was on board with her anxiety before her birthday, the tension and build-up and pacing that would become Turning Point 1 in the novel. But after receiving the note (and everyone getting all up in her business with their opinions on what she should do with her own body and future), her ultimate decision in Turning Point 2 seemed a bit lackluster. I’m not sure the Ashley at the beginning of the book would’ve gone in the direction Ashley at the end of the book did, but is that the character growth? I don’t know. Nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do with your life, especially when you’re a teenager, but Ashley’s reasons for going to Harvard pre- and post-note almost seem unimportant. Surely someone with her resume could also receive scholarships, right?

  I guess I’m just unsure about the delivery of the ending. It could be inspirational; it could be a cop-out. I’m on the fence about it.

  What was completely unexpected was how integral her friends’ lives (and their own journeys they tackled) were in the book. Jolene, transgender, and Laura, a free-spirit artist, have a lot on their plates. I was interested in each of them, but to the same degree and intensity I was interested in Ashley. So whose story am I supposed to invest most of my time in? Is this book about finding your own direction in life, regardless of what people say? If so, I think it was halfway to meeting that goal. I really wanted to read about Ashley. Save Jolene’s powerful story and Laura’s interesting one for other books to let all these voices ring properly.

  Again, I’m unsure. There are good things in here, and moments of greatness (like that quote! YES!), but I think too much was attempted for one book. Body perception and health is quite the issue, and Ashley was a strong character. I wanted more.

  This fulfills book 1 of 10 library books in 2016. 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, review

• #ReRead2016 Book 1: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on January 21, 2016

  

  Kelly @ Belle of the Literati is hosting a fun challenge for bloggers: The Re-Read Challenge! Not much of a “challenge,” per se, because why wouldn’t you want to re-read and re-experience some of your favorites? Sign up and start re-reading!

  Book #1 of 2016:
  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

  

  

  

  WHEN I First Read

  June 21, 2003, at approximately 12:15am. I read all day and into the night, finishing just before June 22 and in no state to be by myself at that late hour. Because Sirius.

  WHAT I Remember

  I remember a lot of CAPSLOCK!Harry, a lot of dreams, a lot of dark and scary things, feeling incredibly pissed with Umbridge (so much so I threw my book across the room and left a dent in my wall), and distraught over Sirius. Actually, “distraught” is an understatement. Let’s be honest.

  OotP was an emotional read. Both with all of Harry’s emotions and all of mine after waiting ages for this book.

  HOW I Felt After Re-Reading

  Even more pissed with Umbridge and a little less distraught over Sirius. Here’s why…

  UMBRIDGE — She loves scapegoats. She loves control and order, which is fine and dandy when you have a heart (like McGonagall and Hermione). But because she’s heartless and takes pleasure in others’ pain, she is worse than Voldemort. She also has issues with anyone who is not like her: pureblood, wealthy, pro-government, human. Any half creature (Hagrid, Firenze, Flitwick), any human with extra abilities (Trelawney’s Sight, Harry’s Patronus, Fred and George’s wit), anyone who questioned her judgement with logic or reasoning. She reminds me of closed-minded right-wing politicians, and we all know they make me rage.

  SIRIUS — As an adult rereading OotP for the first time (I reread the others multiple times, but never OotP till now), I can see Sirius’s flaws. I’m not as distraught over him, but he still makes for a great character study. He was a father and a friend for Harry. He was the adult male who was closest to his parents, and therefore a father figure. He was a friend to Harry, because Sirius was not quite up to the task of being a father. Besides, neither one of them knew how to have that father-son relationship, as neither character had a father or son to compare the experience to.

  Sirius is also a hypocrite, but not in a way that makes you hate him. He tells Harry to treat others with kindness, that you know everything about a man based on how he treats those below him. And yet Sirius was cruel to his house elf. I understand why, but it doesn’t quite excuse his behavior. He was also vicious with Snape — and again, I understand why — but Sirius never attempted to try to make peace with Snape as adults. He never tried to trust him like Dumbledore asked of the Order. The Weasleys could do it, Lupin and Tonks could do it. It’s called being civil. But Sirius never was.

  I think Sirius may be one of the most human of characters in the series. He is forever trapped in a time when his friends were young, he’s traumatized by the horrors of Azkaban, he has moments of wisdom and moments of weakness. It’s a tragic life, and I can forgive him for his hypocrisy.

  WOULD I Re-Read Again

  It was an emotional read this time around, too. It may be another 10+ years before I pick it up again, though the rest of the series will always be reread without question.

  What books have you re-read recently?

  Posted in books, Flights of Fantasy, ReRead2016, Reviews 2016 | 17 Comments | Tagged books, flights of fantasy, reread2016

• Book Review: “The Case of the Girl in Grey” by Jordan Stratford (ARC)

  Posted at 4:50 am by Laura, on January 12, 2016

  The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Girl in Grey by Jordan Stratford

  Publisher: Knopf BFYR
  Publishing Date: January 26
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9780385754446
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★.5

  The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency was supposed to be a secret constabulary, but after the success of their first case, all of London knows that Lady Ada and Mary are the girls to go to if you have a problem.

  Their new case is a puzzle indeed. It involves a horrible hospital, a missing will, a hasty engagement, and a suspiciously slippery servant.

  But Mary’s stumbled onto a mystery of her own. She spotted a ghostly girl in a grey gown dashing through the park. A girl who is the spitting image of their new client.

  The two cases must be linked . . . or else there’s a perfectly supernatural explanation.

  Ada and Mary have two new detectives in their agency — their sisters — whether they like it or not. But the sisters prove to be of assistance when another case crops up, one that requires understanding the class system and social etiquette. But Mary is certain this case may be linked to an almost supernatural one she and Charles stumbled upon: a girl in grey, quite distressed, and one who seems to know a thing or two about the case the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency is working on.

  I love how Stratford manages to share bits and pieces of the true Ada and Mary (and Charles and Claire and Percy) in his mystery novels for MG readers. We know what these children and young adults become later on in life, and though there’s some fudging with the timelines, it’s all excellently written and fun.

  This case echoes another Wilkie Collins book, The Woman in White. It also has more character development for our adorable protagonists. Ada is obsessed with codes, which becomes incredibly helpful in solving this case. Mary is growing up and it appears she’s becoming chummy with Percy (*squeal*). But you can always rely on Ada to be awkward with people and for Mary to point it out and smooth over. Some things never change.

  Cute, clever, and darker than the first, this next installment of the Wollstonecraft mystery series is a bit more gothic and a tad less humorous. As I’m familiar with Woman in White, I knew within the first 30 pages which direction the book was going, but it’s still an excellent introduction to gothic for MG readers. Can’t wait for more!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Knopf BFYR for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, review

• 2016 Bookish Resolutions & Reading Challenges

  Posted at 3:10 am by Laura, on January 2, 2016

   

  

  READ 50 BOOKS || Easy peasy. I’ve been doing this every year. It’s always a challenge to see if it’ll get done, what with agenting and all. 2016 will be especially difficult because there are a lot of travels planned (and, strangely enough, I don’t read much when I’m traveling).

  READ FEWER ARCs || ARCs are important. I’ll always love receiving them. But I think I hit my max in the number of ARCs to read and review in 2015, and I’d like to take a step back from that in 2016. My primary job is to find new manuscripts — to be the hipster in the publishing industry (cause that’s what agents are!). I’ll be more selective in the ARCs I accept for review, just like how I’m selective in the manuscripts I read.

  REREAD 5 FAVORITES || Last year I made a goal of rereading 10 favorite books, and only managed to complete 3 and nearly finish another. Five seems like a more achievable goal.

  READ 10 LIBRARY BOOKS || I’m debating between making this 10 library books and 15 library books — either way, read more books from the library! One does not need to buy all the new books when you could easily check them out from the library and decide if they’re worth keeping in your own personal library later on. I managed to read 7 books from the library in 2015, so I think 10-15 seems a good range.

  PURCHASE NO MORE THAN 5 NEW BOOKS || This will be the tough one. I could never quite follow the “for every 5 books read, 1 unread book can be purchased” resolution I’d make in previous years, because…well, are ARCs part of the list? Or was it 5 already published books? And because I was wishy washy with the definition, I wouldn’t keep track of the number of books I read and just bought stuff whenever I felt like it. Now I have something to keep track. Only 5 completely-new-to-me, never-been-read-in-any-format-ever-before books.

  Reading Challenges

  This year I’m participating in four reading challenges, all quite naturally. While I have a goal to read fewer ARCs, more library books, and tackling my TBR, these challenges can also keep me in line a bit with all of them.

  

  I’ve told Stacey @ The Pretty Books that I would participate in her Classics Challenge ever since she started this, and two years have gone by and I haven’t kept my word. NOW I WILL! I plan to read at least five classics in 2016, four of the five on my TBR bookcase and one of them I’ve been eyeing for a couple years now. Might as well snag it from the library!

  

  Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books is a massive fantasy fan, and we tend to share similar reading preferences. This year I decided I would join her Flights of Fantasy reading challenge. It’s quite simple: read fantasy books. Well, I have loads of those on my TBR bookcase, so I’m planning to read at least five fantasy books in 2016.

  

  I’m continuing in the Re-Read Challenge in 2016, now hosted solely by Kelly @ Belle of the Literati (because former co-host Hannah @ So Obsessed With will be busy with a little bundle of joy!), and like I said in my resolutions, I plan to re-read five books in 2016.

  

  And last but not least, there’s actually a challenge out there for reading books off your TBR shelves! Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler is hosting the Rock My TBR Challenge, and all you need to do is read at least one book a month off your shelves. I will certainly read more than one a month in 2016.

  As you can see, these challenges will easily overlap with one another. They’re not challenges so much as ways to make me accountable for what I’m resolving to do in 2016. We all need a little something to keep us in line, right?

  What are your bookish resolutions for 2016? Are you participating in any reading challenges (and if so, which ones)?

  Posted in books, Classics Challenge, Flights of Fantasy, ReRead2016, Rock My TBR, Update Post | 18 Comments | Tagged 50 book challenge, books, classics challenge, flights of fantasy, personal, reading, reread2016, resolutions, rock my TBR

• Flipping Through the Pages: Autumn Rewind 2015

  Posted at 6:05 am by Laura, on January 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

  

  

  

  I fell down the Book Outlet Black Friday hole and managed to snag some books cheap. Gotta love those sales upon sales! Shortly before Thanksgiving, my friend Amanda (the one whose wedding was featured in my summer post) was able to announce the gender of her baby! IT’S A GIRL! And finally, a wonderful gift from my parents: a signed edition of Outlander.

  Life Highlights

  SEEING BRITISH BEAU FOR CHRISTMAS.

  

  We were disgustingly adorable and I miss him gigantic amounts.

  

  But it’ll be okay because SUMMER ROAD TRIP.

  

  (Can you tell my emotions have been all over the place?)

   

  Tunes on Repeat

  This season was all about Christmas music — and not your usual pop tunes like Sleigh Ride or All I Want For Christmas. Most of the music were choral pieces and carols. Rather than list all the songs on here, the two I played the most (one Christmasy, one not) were…

  Adele’s “Send My Love” is just a fun, weird, dance kind of tune. Not quite like Adele’s usual stuff, and if that makes it more pop than anything else, fine. I don’t care. I enjoyed it immensely.

  And Nutcracker “Act 1 Scene 6 (The Magic Spell Begins)” is just…yes. I love this. The music across this transitional scene is so varied and wonderful and tells a story on its own. And what’s great about this scene is that there’s typically very little dancing on stage. All lighting and props and music telling the story.

  Bookmarked in the Community

  1. I Value My Time @ Perpetual Page-Turner — Jamie talked about her struggle to DNF, and whether or not it’s okay to DNF. While I’m on the side of “DNF if you’re just plain not into it,” she presented some great points about valuing time (DNF) and waiting to see if you strike gold (reading to the end).
  2. Inside Out #17: Laura from Scribbles & Wanderlust @ Boomark Lit — Lauren hosts this awesome book cover + bookmark feature on her blog and lets guest bloggers gush over their favorite cover designs and bookmarks. Check out my guest post!
  3. Is Twitter Replacing Blog Interaction? @ The Fox’s Hideaway — I stumbled across Holly’s post and it resonated with me (and many other bloggers, it seems). Bloggers are writing up posts and reviews and sharing links on Twitter, and while the blog may receive traffic, somehow, someway, the comments are next to nothing on the blog but quite high on Twitter. I noticed in the #back2basicsblogging hashtag on Twitter mentioned a lot of personal goals for 2016 to comment on blogs more than replying to tweets. Perhaps there will be a change?
  4. Recovering From Blogging Blues @ So Obsessed With — Well, now we all know one of the main reasons for Hannah’s blogging blues (yay bundles of joy!), but her post was still universal for many bloggers this summer/autumn. So many of us felt a little burnt out in blogging or reading, and Hannah’s post sums things up quite nicely.
  5. Home For the Holidays with Lindsey from A Bookish Sinister Kid @ What Sarah Read — Sarah hosts a cute holiday feature each day of December, and this particular post from Lindsey was my favorite: a Holiday Musical Playlist!

  Popular Posts on Scribbles

  1. Book Buying Habits — Similar to Jamie’s post linked above, I expressed confusion on what I should buy, how, when, and why. You guys seemed to connect to that, too!
  2. Thankful For…in 2015 — This Thanksgiving-themed post linked some of the things I’m thankful for this year, and the books that best represent what I’m thankful for.
  3. Top Five Books of 2015 — Well, no surprise there. We love our Top Fives, don’t we? (Do you have Top Tens? Fifteens?)
  4. Book Review: “The Lake House” by Kate Morton (ARC) — I am so happy this review was a popular one! Kate Morton is amazing, and it was so much fun to read this book with the #KMflails ladies!

  Cherished Reads

  

  

  

  A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis ★★★★★

  Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown ★★★★★

  Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor ★★★★★ (review to come!)

  Cherished Quotes

  “There is more to you than beauty. There is more to you than strength.
  There is more to you than intelligence. You are a whole person,
  and I would have you treat yourself as such.”
  –A Madness So Discreet, by Mindy McGinnis

  Safety of any kind is just an illusion.
  —Velvet Undercover, by Teri Brown

  Progress Update on Reading Challenges

  Library Books: 6 / 10
  Odditorium || The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency || Emma
  Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? || The Girl With the Glass Bird
  Murder is Bad Manners
  

  #ReRead2015: 3 / 10
  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire || Fangirl
  Anna and the French Kiss

  Overall Challenge: 66 / 60

  Random Obsessions

  On TV: What started off as “I’ll just watch the Thanksgiving episodes” turned into marathoning FRIENDS again. I just wasn’t ready to start watching a new TV show this season. My Netflix is all queued up with some great stuff, so hopefully a new show will crop up next season.

  On Film: The Age of Adaline is todiefor. I could watch that over and over again. Super huge thanks to Hannah for the recommendation!

  In the Shopping Bag: Etsy and Redbubble, for my Secret Santa and British Beau. I’ve recently added the Target Cartwheel app and the Starbucks app. Discounts abound!

  Miscellaneous: Harry Potter Ambience! Seriously, if you want to add a little Hogwarts magic in the background of your working day, check this out. I’ve also fallen into the crazy cat lady hole with a lot of you bloggers and downloaded the Neko Atsume cat app. Guys, it was a great day when I could remodel their little home.

  Looking Towards the Future

  I am looking forward to a quiet January after a wild December, a snowy but lovely February with an international Valentine’s Day, and my a-little-beyond-mid-20s birthday in March! Low-key winter. Just what the doctor ordered!

  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, Update Post | 2 Comments | Tagged books, personal, recap, rewind, this season's rewind

• Advance Excitement at a Glance XX

  Posted at 5:40 am by Laura, on December 31, 2015

  

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

  There are too many exciting books coming out in January: Geek Girl: Picture Perfect, Anna and the Swallow Man, Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, This is Where it Ends, The Radiant Road, and Moonlight Over Paris, to name a few. (Ha. A few.)

  I’m going to do my best to read at least one of these ARCs for review ahead of publication date, but until then I’ve another ARC to share. Remember my flailings over a MG gothic detective mystery series? Well, another one’s coming out!

  

  The Case of the Girl in Grey by Jordan Stratford
  (Knopf BFYR, January 26)

  The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency was supposed to be a secret constabulary, but after the success of their first case, all of London knows that Lady Ada and Mary are the girls to go to if you have a problem. Their new case is a puzzle indeed. It involves a horrible hospital, a missing will, a hasty engagement, and a suspiciously slippery servant. But Mary’s stumbled onto a mystery of her own. She spotted a ghostly girl in a grey gown dashing through the park. A girl who is the spitting image of their new client.

  HELLO, ANOTHER WILKIE COLLINS BOOK IN MIDDLE GRADE FORM, THANK YOU.

  What books are you looking forward to in January?

  Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 2 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, advance reading copy, books

• End of Year Book Survey II

  Posted at 3:40 am by Laura, on December 28, 2015

  

  This is the second year I’m participating in Jamie’s (@ The Perpetual Page-Turner) End of Year Book Survey. What started off as a fun recap on her blog has turned into an excellent way for other bloggers to catch up with each other and what happened to them/the blog that year.

  So without further ado, here are some of my reflections on my 2015 book life! Note: This includes all books read in 2015 – they do not have to be published in 2015. 

  

  Number Of Books You Read: 66
  Number of Re-Reads: 3.5 (I’m halfway through a 4th one!)
  Genre You Read The Most From: contemporary

  

  

  1. Best Book You Read in 2015?

  AHHHHHHH of course we must start with the toughest question. I think, of the top five books I chose, it would be Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier.

  2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

  Uprooted by Naomi Novik was definitely a good read, but I didn’t love it the way the blogging community seemed to. A lot of it had to do with the romance plotline. That particular kind of romance with that kind of guy isn’t my cup of tea, but everything else about the book was fantastic. A forest as a villain? Yes.

  3. Most Surprising (in a good way or bad way) Book You Read in 2015? 

  Most Surprising (Good): The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski, only because I didn’t have very high expectations for it, and now I’m gaga over the trilogy.
  Most Surprising (Bad): This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer Smith. I thought I would fall to pieces over it, and instead the book fell flat for me! Major bummer.

  

  4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (and they did) in 2015?

  A lot of what I recommend when I’m working at the bookstore tends to be contemporary YA that’s a bit on the lighter side (plenty of teens and parents ask for books that “aren’t so dark and heavy” or “the romance isn’t the main focus of the plot”). So with that in mind, I’d say I pushed Sophie Kinsella’s YA debut Finding Audrey and Holly Smale’s Model Misfit the most (and equally).

  5. Best Series You Started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015?

  Best series started: The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
  Best sequel: The Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman
  Best series ender: The Wondrous and the Wicked by Page Morgan (mostly because this is the only ‘series’ (rather than duology) that I finished this year)

  6. Favorite New Author You Discovered in 2015?

  Stacey Lee! Her debut Under a Painted Sky convinced me to read all of her future work, forever and ever amen.

  7. Best Book from a Genre You Don’t Typically Read/was Out of Your Comfort Zone?
  

  Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling, because I’m not a memoir person at all.

  8. Most Action-packed/Thrilling/Unputdownable Book of the Year?

  Teri Brown’s Velvet Undercover was definitely thrilling and hard to put down. Right up there with Blankman’s books. It’s that espionage element I’m surprised I love so much.

  9. Book You Read in 2015 That You are Most Likely to Re-Read Next Year?

  Probably Marillier’s Daughter of the Forest cause it’s so damn good.

  

  10. Favorite Cover of a Book You Read in 2015?

  Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch for series continuity and overall Balzer + Bray brilliance, or The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston for the way it almost looks like a portrait (the background has brush strokes and everything!), or Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy, again a credit to B+B brilliance. I DON’T KNOW. I love covers!

  11. Most Memorable Character of 2015?

  Sorcha (of Daughter of the Forest). Gosh, she’s nearly everything I could want in a character. Sorcha is strong, intelligent, wise beyond her years and yet still innocent, determined, driven by instinct.

  12. Most Beautifully Written Book Read in 2015?

  Daughter of the Forest. How many times will I need to mention this book before I convince you to read it, too? We’re only on Question Twelve!

  

  13. Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2015?

  It sounds terrible to say I didn’t read a thought-provoking/life-changing book (well, Daughter of the Forest, again, is close on the life-changing), but there are a couple books I read this year that can inspire great conversations.

  • Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman is all about the underbelly of German government before Hitler became Chancellor, a period of history so rarely discussed in American schools.
  • A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis opens up a whole host of discussions about mental illness, asylums, feminism, and crime in nineteenth-century America.
  • Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway dissects the ways a tragic incident can change not only the life of the victim but other lives surrounding him as well.
  • Dumplin’ has a body positive message, one I’d never seen before (but surely had been mentioned or discussed in literature at some point…right?)
  • Finding Audrey is one of few positive mental health books where things do not end in tragedy (why must mental illness always end tragically?)

  14. Book You Can’t Believe You Waited UNTIL 2015 to Finally Read? 

  Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon. I think I’ll be answering this question with Outlander books forever. For shame I didn’t read them before!

  

  15. Favorite Passage/Quote From a Book You Read in 2015?

  Perhaps he could still weave together the broken threads of his life. And yet, I wanted him here now. I needed him here. In the darkness, if I sat very still, I could almost feel his presence by me, quite near, but not too near. Didn’t I promise to keep you safe, he would say softly. I have never broken a promise. Don’t look so worried, Jenny. And yet, he would be careful. Careful not to move too close. Careful not to frighten me. Waiting still. I am your shelter. Don’t be afraid.
  —Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

  16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read in 2015?

  After checking my Goodreads stats, the shortest was picture book The Animals’ Santa by Jan Brett (my favorite of her books!) at 32 pages and the longest was Drums of Autumn at 1,070.

  17. Book That Shocked You the Most

  Rook by Sharon Cameron. The intricacy, the plot, the world, the way it both mirrored and differed from Scarlet Pimpernel. Gosh, that door stopper was good. I remember I wasn’t quite in the right mindset to read the book, so it’ll be reread again eventually.

  18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

  RED AND SORCHA.

  19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship of the Year

  Grace and Dr Thornhollow from A Madness So Discreet. I said in my review:

  What an individual. And what an opportunity for Grace to fall in love and forget her entire past and the scars it left behind, an opportunity for a scientific man to crack open his shell and break free and fall in love. Thank goodness McGinnis did not go that route!

  

  20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 from an Author You’ve Read Previously

  The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord. She’s an automatic read and buy for me, and I didn’t think it was possible to love a YA male character more than Matt Finch, but then Max Watson showed up and SHUT THE FRONT DOOR I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT.

  21. Best Book You Read in 2015 That You Read Based SOLELY on a Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure

  The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, recommended by Hannah @ So Obsessed With, and thank goodness! I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy…well, frankly, “royal family fanfiction” (because WHAT), and I TOTALLY DID.

  22. Newest Fictional Crush from a Book You Read in 2015?

  Red. ‘Nuff said.

  

  23. Best 2015 Debut You Read?

  Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee, again. Best newly discovered author and best debut!

  24. Best World-building/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

  Gosh, those are two completely different things in my head. The best world-building may go to A Court of Thorns and Roses by SJ Maas, and the most vivid setting will (of course, you guessed it) Daughter of the Forest. Both are fantasies, but one is entirely new and the other based on Ireland.

  25. Book that Put a Smile on Your Face/was the Most FUN to Read?

  Murder is Bad Manners / A Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens. Talk about a classic MG detective mystery!

  26. Book That Made You Cry or Nearly Cry in 2015?

  Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey, but I think that has something to do with the fact it was late at night and it reached a point in the story that touched me so deeply I couldn’t help but cry. I’m emotional like that.

  

  27. Hidden Gem of The Year?

  Kate Alcott holds a special place in my heart, so I’d say her “Gone With the Wind”-behind-the-scenes book A Touch of Stardust was a hidden gem in 2015.

  28. Book that Crushed Your Soul?

  The Winner’s Crime. Right in the feels.

  

  29. Most Unique Book You Read in 2015?

  The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon. It’s a quirky and unique adventure-that’s-not-quite-an-adventure MG, and the author used his own artwork to enhance the story. He’s definitely someone to watch.

  30. Book that Made You the Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

  I Remember You by Cathleen Bell was…odd. I still don’t know what it was I read, and I remember feeling unsettled the entire time I read it. Again, not mad, necessarily, just…frustrated.

  

  1. New Favorite Book Blog You Discovered in 2015? 

  Probably Kelly @ Belle of the Literati. I stumbled across it after joining the ReRead 2015 challenge, and I love her mixture of discussion, challenges, tags, and reviews (plus she reviews a lot of historical fiction, which is hard to find in a YA-saturated blogosphere).

  2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015? 

  A Madness So Discreet because there were so many things I wanted to talk about and discuss. The quotes alone said it all, though!

  3. Best Discussion/Non-review Post You had on Your Blog?

  Best discussion: “Finding Yourself in YA Contemporary” received a lot of traffic on the blog / “Book Buying Habits” received a lot of traffic on the blog and feedback on Twitter.
  Non-Review post: “First BEA Experience” had a lot of comments, received a lot of traffic, and is picking back up in stats again.

  4. Best Event that You Participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

  My very first Book Expo America! I met so many bloggers, had meetings with my favorite editors, gathered up some excellent reads, and successfully navigated New York City solo.

  

  5. Best Moment of Bookish/Blogging Life in 2015?

  Making my first sale as an agent!

  7. Most Popular Post This Year on Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

  Most popular non-review post of 2015: First BEA Experience.
  Most popular book review post of 2015: The Doldrums

  8. Post You Wished Got a Little More Love?

  My Thankful For post for Thanksgiving should’ve received a little more love, I think. We all need to take a moment to be thankful for what we have and what we’ve been given.

  

  9. Best Bookish Discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

  BookOutlet.com, though if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, the jury is still out…

  10.  Did You Complete Any Reading Challenges or Goals that You had Set for Yourself at the Beginning of This Year?

  I made a goal to read 50 books in a year, and I read 66! I also participated in ReRead 2015, but only read 3 books, so I don’t think that was…completed or successful. Haha!

  

  1. One Book You Didn’t Get To in 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016?

  I genuinely can’t say. Maybe The Fiery Cross (Outlander‘s fifth book) or Son of the Shadows (the second Daughter of the Forest book).

  2. Book You Are Most Anticipating for 2016 (non-debut)?

  Anne Blankman’s Traitor Angels or Stacey Lee’s Outrun the Moon or Ruta Sepetys’s Salt to the Sea.

  3. 2016 Debut You are Most Anticipating?

  Apart from my answer for #6 in this section, I’d say Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor. I’ve already read it (review coming in February!), but it’s one of those books I have to have my hands on now. There’s also Evelyn Skye’s The Crown’s Game, too.

  

   4. Series Ending/A Sequel You are Most Anticipating in 2016?

  The next Jackaby book, though the title and publication date have not been announced. If the publication timelines are anything like what’s already been published in the series, we’ll see it this fall!

  5. One Thing You Hope to Accomplish or Do in Your Reading/Blogging Life in 2016?

  Announce more book deals!

  6. A 2016 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

  Tara Sim’s Timekeeper, coming out in the fall. For obvious (agenting) reasons.

  

   ~

  What books were highlighted in your End of Year survey?

  Posted in books, Update Post | 10 Comments | Tagged books, End of Year Book Survey, personal

• Bookish Stats of 2015

  Posted at 1:30 am by Laura, on December 26, 2015

  I’m all about the top books of 2015 lists, favorite reads, year in review, and other kinds of posts cropping up late December and early January. It’s already starting on this blog, too! But this particular “year in review” is inspired by Hannah @ So Obsessed With‘s statistics reflection on her 2014 reads. She broke down every little detail you could possibly know about the books she read and examined the results closely to gauge her reading habits. She used this as a way to change, improve, or keep her reading habits the same for her resolutions in 2015.

  The incredibly organized person that I am drooled over this. Hannah was kind enough to send me her spreadsheet and I’ve used it throughout 2015. So, as of December 22, these are the results of my reading habits!

  Ratings in Review

  It’s all in the numbers . . .

  

  The majority of my reviews (20 of 66 books) were 4 stars. Seems like I’m tossing them pretty liberally, doesn’t it? When I look at the books I gave 4 stars, not once have I thought “those need to be less/more than 4 stars.” These are books I would highly recommend to other readers, series I would continue, and books that I enjoyed immensely but didn’t necessarily fall to pieces in love with/think they were phenomenal works of literature.

  Those 5-star books, though. Wow. I gave more than I expected, and as I’m looking at the books they belong to, I can say maybe a handful “moved” me, and the rest were very much heightened-emotions-in-the-moment kind of books. It would be interesting to re-read those 5-star books and see if I’d still give the same ratings.

  

  This chart is based on 2+ books I read from that particular publisher. I read from several small publishers as well, but because it was 1 book per small press, they were not included in this chart.

  I’m not at all surprised by the top two publishers, Random House and HarperCollins. HC has my favorite imprint, Balzer + Bray, and I tend to gravitate to their YA books more than any other imprint or category. The number of Simon & Schuster titles — and the fact there are more of them than Penguin, and less of them than Macmillan — surprised me. I can’t exactly say why. Just that I am!

  

  Bloomsbury may have been small in numbers, but they were knockouts in rating. Solid fives all around! Same could be said for Penguin as well. One thing I find worth noting is that, though there were few Scholastic titles read, they were solidly rated 3. Good, enjoyable reads marketed perfectly for the right readership (two MGs and two YAs, all four with great crossover appeal). You’ll never doubt Scholastic’s capabilities in targeting!

  What I Held in My Hands

  Hardcover, paperback, and digital, oh my!

  

  *facepalm* I knew this would happen. Remember my mad and wild April ARC issue? Clearly shown here.

  35% of the books I read I already owned. They came from my TBR of books purchased in the past, or they were purchased within the last month and read immediately. 15% of the books were borrowed in some capacity — from the library, from a friend, from a family member — and never purchased. Gifted books were presents from the last few years that I finally got around to reading, and I’m sad to say that 8% is such a dreary, low number.

  But that 42%? That needs to be cut way back. Nearly half of the books I read in 2015 were meant for advance review. Galleys from BEA and editors, digital ARCs from NetGalley and Edelweiss — they kept piling up. I’m hoping to cut back on a lot of ARCs for 2016, maybe reviewing 1 or 2 a month instead of the monstrous issue I had in the spring and fall.

  

  Similar to how I tended to read a lot of ARCs (separated into eARC and galley, here, totaling to 42%), I tended to also read anything recently published, and therefore in hardcover. The majority of my reading habits contained books published within the month read. The paperbacks, mass markets, and one audio book were published in previous years.

  I plan to read more paper books in 2016. I’d like to be able to train myself to think in Work Mode when I read digitally — that is, manuscripts and samples on my ereader — and Pleasure Mode with paper. This can also reinforce the “read fewer ARCs” goal for 2016 as well, since the majority of them are sent digitally.

  Meat & Bones

  This book on my shelf is a __ novel.

  

  I’m genuinely surprised at the number of standalone novels I read this year. Looking back, it feels like every book I read was the first or second in the series, but the numbers don’t lie! Quite happy that I’ve read several standalone books. Not everything needs to be a duology, trilogy, or series. (So it feels somewhat hypocritical of me to say that I have a feeling I’ll be reading a lot of books in a series in 2016. But there it is.)

  

  While several of the books I read contained many of these main genres (parallel narratives with historical and contemporary settings, contemporary romance, historical fantasy, historical or contemporary mystery, and many more), the data reflects what I considered to be the primary focus of the story. Romance, for example, could be in a fantasy, historical, or contemporary setting. If Plot B was the romance, the other category (Plot A) was listed first.

  My reading preferences are very apparent in this chart. I love all of these genres, but am incredibly picky when it comes to historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery books. I want to read historical fiction that’s well-researched, I want to read fantasy with world-building that’s not a massive pile of info-dumping, I want a mystery that keeps me guessing to the end. It needs to be well-written and convincing. Not that contemporary and romance get a free pass, but because we live in a modern world and experience romance of some capacity in our lives, it seems a bit “easier” to dive into those books than other genres.

  

  And lastly, to no surprise, the most-read category of 2015 was YA! What I did find surprising was that the number of MG reads matched the number of adult fiction. I always feel like I don’t read enough MG or enough adult, and end up experiencing these phases through the year of reading exclusively in that category to “make up for it.”

  ~

  After spending some time with the British Beau and hearing how he chooses what books to read in the following year, and using Hannah’s tactic of examining the statistics of one’s reading habits from the current/ending year, I’m starting to build up an idea of what my 2016 reads will look like. I want to read more from my shelves, read books that were gifts, read more from the library, read fewer ARCs. In short, I want to be selective. As a literary agent, I hold manuscripts up to a certain standard — and in doing so, I find pinpointing the client I want to represent an easier task. Why not hold those same standards to books I want to read, enjoy, and review?

  What are some of your surprising (and not-so-surprising) reading statistics? What did you do this year that you’d like to change or stay the same for 2016?

  Posted in books, Update Post | 6 Comments | Tagged books, reading habits, reading statistics, statistics

• Secret Santa Goodies

  Posted at 4:50 am by Laura, on December 23, 2015

  

  This was my second year in The Broke & The Bookish’s Secret Santa, and I had an absolute blast! Alyssa @ With the Banned was my recipient, and I’m so happy to report she loved it. Here’s my little tribute to Samantha @ Novels & Nonsense — my #TBTBSanta sender. She really hit the nail on the head with this box!

  

  I was in England when the package arrived. It became my little piece of sunshine the day after I returned. Once it was opened, her beautiful, sparkly card and letter brought such a big smile to my face! She told me about how excited she was to find little goodies because we had so much in common, and she went above and beyond with the books. Not only did she send me books from my list, she went a step further and assisted in my Northanger Abbey collection and offered a recommendation based on my love for Juliet Marillier: Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice. White chocolates, peppermint baths, Twinings tea, crocheted handwarmers (oh. my. god.), handmade ornaments, a blank journal and pens…guys, this was an excellent package!

  My favorite part of the package?

  

  THE BELLS ON THE RIBBONS.

  Seriously. Bells. Bells on the ribbons. Bells on the ribbons of beautiful wrapping paper.

  It’s the simple things, folks.

  Posted in books | 6 Comments | Tagged books, personal, TBTBSanta

• Top Five Books of 2015

  Posted at 5:05 am by Laura, on December 20, 2015

  

  The most difficult post: selecting five fantastic books from the 66, as of December 20th, I read this year! Thankfully, the season rewind helped me narrow down my favorites from the year even further.

  

  

  

  A Madness So Discreet || Daughter of the Forest || Into the Dim

  A MADNESS SO DISCREET by Mindy McGinnis is, by far, the best YA book I read this year. Historically set, a close analyzation of mental illness and suffrage, and a thrilling mystery throughout. Also? No romance. YA can be successful without romance, folks.

  DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST by Juliet Marillier because I can’t get enough of Marillier and she needs to be on every top list ever ever ever.

  INTO THE DIM by Janet B Taylor is not available to the public yet (not till March!), nor have I posted a review for it yet (not till February!), but wow. This was the answer to a YA Outlander, with a more scientific/less-fantasy spin.

  

  

  Under a Painted Sky || The Royal We

  UNDER A PAINTED SKY by Stacey Lee grabbed me from the very first line. Simply written, an unusual (“unusual” in that it’s rarely written about) point in American history, with a variety of characters and backgrounds. An absolute joy to read — and I can’t wait to read Lee’s future work!

  THE ROYAL WE by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan is purely my candy choice. It’s fun, it’s funny, and it was an immediate winner for this royal-phile. You could call it my guilty pleasure, if you want. I loved it.

  Honorable mentions: The Lake House by Kate Morton, The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven.

  Which books made it to your Top Books of 2015 list?

  Posted in books, Update Post | 9 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, genre: young adult, top five 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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