Hi, lovelies! I feel like I haven’t done one of these in forever, so to close out one of the last few days of Blogtober 2021 I want to shout out some bloggers that I love.
Who are some of your favorite bloggers?
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
Hello, lovelies! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Today I just want to spread some love to some others on this day of family and friends. So, today I will be sharing a list, with links, to a few BookTubers and Bloggers whose content that I really enjoy.
Bloggers
Avhlee @ Tea Cups and Torn Pages
Kal @ Reader Voracious
Alana @ The Bookish Chick
Ari @ Bookish Valhalla
Jess @ Jessticulates
Jess @ Fiction No Chaser
Evelyn @ Evelyn Reads
Sol @ The Bookish King
BookTubers
Michelle @ Michelle Reads YA
Em @ Em Likes Books
Heathur @ Aphrodite Reads
Madison Mary @ Princess of Paperback
Zoe @ Zoe’s All Booked
These arer a handful of bookish content creators that I really enjoy following. I hope you’ll consider checking them out!
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
Hi, lovelies! I’m here for day five to share with you all some of my favorite bloggers. This list is based on the people, the content, and other factors. I have a personal relationship with some, just enjoy the content of others, but overall think you will love them too. So, click the links and make sure to give them a follow, because they really deserve it.
Alana @ The Bookish Chick
Steph @ Books in the Skye
Avhlee @ Tea Cups and Torn Pages
Kelly @ Struggling Bookaholic
Jenny @ So She Tries
Rae @ Thrifty Bibliophile
Kim @ Whimsical Mama
Jess @ Jessica C Writes
Erin @ Undercover Binge Reader
Kerri @ Kerri the Book Belle
Solomon @ The Bookish King
Jessica, Emily, & Amber @ The Book Bratz
Evelyn @ Evelyn Reads
Jess @ Jessticulates
Melanie @ Mel to the Any
Now, I’m sure I managed to forget someone because there are just so many bloggers out there that I love. So, if you’re not on this list it is completely due to my forgetfulness and not because I don’t love you and your content.
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
I saw this tag posted by Boston Book Reader and thought it looked like fun! I hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed writing!
Chocolate Chip – A classic book you love or really enjoyed
Amanda: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Antonia: The Count of Monte Cristo is my new favorite classic.
Thin Mints – A fandom that you really want to join and/or a hyped up book you want to read
Amanda: The Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin. I have this on my shelves and I’m DYINGG to read it.
Antonia: A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas.
Shortbread – An author you can’t get enough of
Amanda: John Green forever, but also Sarah J. Maas.
Antonia: I literally never get sick of Nora Roberts.
Samoas – An emotional rollercoaster
Amanda: Looking for Alaska by John Green.
Antonia: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini.
Oreos – A book whose cover was better than the story or whose story was better than the cover
Amanda: The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco i didn’t like this story as much as i thought i would but the cover is to die for.
Antonia: I absolutely love the cover for The Gilded King by Josie Jaffrey but didn’t love the story quite as much.
Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties) – A book that wasn’t what you expected
Amanda: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. I didnt expect to learn so much about the French Revolution and enjoy it.
Antonia: I really wasnt expecting much from The Dragon’s Gift series by Linsey Hall but ended up absolutely loving all the subseries.
Snickerdoodles – A book you may never stop loving or rereading
Amanda: I’m going to have to say A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (but only because i already answered a question with Looking for Alaska)
Antonia: The Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory will forever be my favorite.
It’s that time of year bookworms! Back to school is an exciting time of year. New pens, pencils, and markers. New notebooks and planners. Back to school shopping was always my favorite kind of shopping! This tag originally comes from a YouTuber named Jenny Unscripted.
English/Language Arts – Name your favorite author or books’ writing style
Amanda- John Green is my favorite author. But Ellen Hopkins is my favorite writing style. The way she writes her books in such a poetic way is incredible.
Antonia- I really love the way Patrick Rothfuss writes in The Kingkiller Chronicles. It’s as though the main character is telling the story directly to you and it adds so much depth to his character.
Math – A book that made you frustrated
Amanda- The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. I just wanted to get some answers. I almost dnf’d it.
Antonia- Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima. I character I loved from the previous series died in this one and I’m still so mad about it. (Note: I resent the fact that this one is for math because math was always my favorite subject.)
Science – A book that made you think or question things
Amanda- Any book by John Green. Also The Alchemist by Paul Coelho.
Antonia- The Shack by William P. Young.
History – Your favorite book from a different time period
Amanda: My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand and Jodi Meadows for a historical fiction. And The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien for a book that’s actually from a different time period.
Antonia- I love any of the regency romance novels by Julia Quinn.
Art – Your favorite book with pictures
Amanda- Moon Chosen by P.C. Cast. This book (and the second one) have actual pages with pictures in them rather than just cute little pictures with the chapter headings.
Antonia- Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
Drama – A book you would love to see adapted to a movie or TV show
Amanda- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas would be excellent to see as a tv show for sure.
Antonia- I totally agree with Amanda but to choose my own, I think The Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory would make amazing movies.
Music – Name a character you think would have the same musical taste as you
Amanda- I think Charlie from Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow has potential to have the same musical taste as me. Likely some moody alternative music but also sometimes some poppin’ rap/hiphop.
Antonia- Simone from Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts. She mentions what music she’s listening to often and I loved all her choices.
Lunch – A food you would love to try from a book
Amanda- I’m going to be basic on this one but I’d love to try butterbeer or any of the candies from the Harry Potter books.
Antonia- I always wanted to try all the foods from the epic feasts in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.
Bus Ride Home – A book or author that is relaxing
Amanda- I’d have to say the Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich. Reading this series is like hanging out with an old friend. Always a good time guaranteed to have some laughs.
Antonia- Beastly by Alex Flinn. I’ve read it so many times at this point that it’s like hanging out with an old friend.
Extra Credit – A book someone else told you to read and you ended up enjoying it
Amanda- Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. My step sister told me to read this and I’m glad she did. It was super good.
Antonia- Most of the books Amanda yells at me to read. Most recently was the Air Awakens series by Elise Kova.
GoodReads Summary:
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know…
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is a well-known book in a series that is loved by many readers. I am one of those readers that loves this series. I read this book for the first time years and years ago. Since then I have read all of Clare’s other books as well. I’ve also had to get rid of my books and recollected the entire series once again. Since completing my recollection, along with the upcoming release of the newest book (Queen of Air and Darkness), I knew I wanted to reread all of her books so that the stories are fresh in my mind but also so that I can finally take the time to review them all.
I’m really glad that I decided to do this reread because I found that I had forgotten more than I thought I had. I remembered the basic storyline. Shadowhunters (created by the angels) keep the downworlders (werewolves, vampires, fairies, etc.) accountable for their actions and make sure they’re following the laws. They also hunt demons that manage to find their way into our world. The story is set in a realistic world with the fictitious world belonging to the shadowhunters skillfully interwoven with our own. Clare builds an incredible world that is somehow hidden alongside the real world. The world is believable and almost makes me question whether or not something like that could really exist, hidden from most people.
The characters that make up this story are something else. Clary is our main character. A girl who finds out that her mother has been hiding her true heritage from her to keep her safe from her psychotic father. Clary will always have a special place in my heart, but during this reread she kind of annoyed me a few times. When she finds out that there’s this whole other world out there she doesn’t hesitate for a second before involving herself in as much crap as she can. I understand one of her loved ones disappears, but she does this even before that happens. She gets herself into situations that she’s completely unprepared for and with this, puts the other’s she’s with in danger to appease what she wants. Other than this, Clary is determined and strong. Being thrown into the insanity that is the shadowhunter world, she does pretty well for herself. She’s smart and clever with a tendency to find herself in ridiculous situations but also to get herself out of these situations. She’s fiercely loyal and just a little reckless. All of these things combine for a very interesting girl.
Our love interest, Jace Wayland. He’s everything you want from a book boyfriend. Attractive but also standoffish and a little bit of a jerk. Dangerous and full of secrets. Mysterious but also makes himself vulnerable to Clary with his horrible past that’s left him a little damaged. I liked learning about Jace and seeing him open up to Clary throughout these pages. I’m excited to reread the rest of the books and read more about him to see what else I’ve forgotten.
There are too many supporting characters for me to name them all but I want to point out that there here. They each have such distinct personalities that we see shine through the background. They all play their own parts and add so much fun and craziness to the story. I loved that they are all fully developed and each has their own dramas going on outside of the main storyline. We get to see these characters grow and overcome their own personal struggles and I loved that.
The plot twists in this story were crazy. I knew what they were because I’ve read this before but they still snuck up on me. There were a few minor ones I’d forgotten too. Cassandra Clare is an excellent writer. I’m excited to continue the series.
If you haven’t read any of The Mortal Instruments books you are truly missing out. I had the pleasure of reading the 10th-anniversary edition and the illustrations were beautiful. I liked having this special edition because it just added that much more to the story. Overall, everyone should read these books. They take place in an amazing world with wonderful main characters and even better supporting characters. I’d recommend to anyone for sure.
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our affiliate link (just click on the book cover) to support us!
Goodreads summary:
Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?
It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.
In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?
Okay, I totally loved this story. I borrowed this book as an audiobook from my library because I liked the look of the cover. Then I read the book summary and thought it could be something I would like. I had doubts at first because I was really annoyed listening to the narrator reading the email addresses over and over and I almost DNF’d the book about 20% in. But I didn’t and I’m glad I didn’t.
I LOVED Jessie. She’s a girl who’s trying to find herself. Her mom died and she’s trying to figure out how to continue living without the one woman that’s supposed to be there for her whole life. On top of all of this her dad has married a new woman, a complete stranger, and totally changed her life by making her move across the country. So this poor girl is still trying to figure out how to keep on living without her mother and also going to a new school where she doesn’t know anyone, living in a new house that doesn’t feel like her own, trying to figure out how to accept all these changes and be happy. I admire the crap out of Jessie for the strength she shows because I would have lost my freaking mind trying to deal with all of that at sixteen.
Enter “Somebody, Nobody.” This mysterious person who starts emailing Jessie with the advice of who to befriend, who to avoid, and how to survive at this crazy new school. I loved the idea of SN keeping an eye out for Jessie and helping her navigate this new school. Though about halfway through the story I just wanted to yell at him to TELL JESSIE WHO HE IS ALREADY. (We sadly don’t find out who SN is until Jessie does.) We are left guessing at the identity of SN for most of the book. I liked this a little because I spent most of the book arguing in my head with Jessie about whom she thinks SN is. That’s all I will say about SN except that I totally knew who it was and I’m SO HAPPY that SN is who I thought they were.
I think the family dynamic was written really well. I come from a pretty dysfunctional family. I have step parents and siblings and know how hard it is to adjust to having a new family living in one house and learning how all the different people work together and around one another. The family dynamic was written and portrayed accurately and I really liked that. I feel like there aren’t enough books that have stepfamilies and crazy broken, makeshift families that are outside of the norm of a mom and a dad or a single parent home.
I ended up really loving this book way more than I thought I was going to. I thought I would like it well enough, but I definitely loved it. There really is nothing negative to say about it aside from the annoyingness of reading the email addresses, but that’s only because it’s an audiobook. I adored the characters. They all played their own parts very well and each added something to the story. I loved the message that the story gave. Jessie learned so much about herself, but she also learned so much about how she treats others and what she deserves from life. I think this is an excellent young adult story and should be read by anyone and everyone.
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our affiliate link (just click on the book cover) to support us!
GoodReads Summary:
First published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic, an intellectual and artistic benchmark from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman. Now, discover the mystery and magic of American Gods in this 10th anniversary edition. Newly updated and expanded with the author’s preferred text, this commemorative volume is a true celebration of a modern masterpiece by the one, the only, Neil Gaiman.
A storm is coming….
Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life. But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.
Life as Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined. It is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own.
Along the way, Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover that beneath the placid surface of everyday life, a storm is brewing – an epic war for the very soul of America – and that he is standing squarely in its path.
This review is almost painful for me to write. I have so many different thoughts on this story, but also not that many. How that even makes sense, I’m unsure. I’ve recently dived into the world of audiobooks from my library. So I get the audiobook for two weeks on the app my library uses. Let me just tell you. This book was so long and so, just, so much that I could only listen to it at certain times and in small doses. Because of this, I had to renew (which meant that I had to put it on hold, again, and wait another two weeks to get the book back because it’s popular and many others were requesting to borrow the audiobook as well) this audiobook FOUR TIMES. This book is a twenty-hour long audiobook because it’s the anniversary edition, so we get a bunch of extra tidbits from the author in the beginning and the end. I feel like I invested so much more than twenty hours into listening to this book.
Okay, now to my thoughts on the actual story. First of all, I loved that we were given a few tidbits actually read by the author. It was a nice touch to this book. Second, the narrators did an AMAZING job reading this book. There were SO many different characters and so many different things all going on at the same time in different places. I think the narrators did an excellent job of giving each of the characters a different voice and really showing the personality that Gaiman wrote for them.
I am having a hard time thinking of the words I’d like to use to describe American Gods. It was such a complex story with so many details and plotlines and characters. It was just on the border of being too much. There were definitely a few times I asked myself what was going on and what the relevance to the story of our main character was, but everything was always brought back together and connected. I found myself saying, “No waaay.” And “Oh my god, shut up,” quite a few times when Gaiman caught me by surprise with the direction of the story and some details here and there.
As I mentioned, American Gods is full of different characters so I’m not going to talk about them like I usually do in my reviews. I will, however, talk about the characters overall. They were incredibly written. Each character had such a distinct personality. Some funny, some terrifying, some annoying. Each character played an important part in the plot and brought something unique to the story being told. The characters were well written and I felt like I really knew them by the end of the book. I mourned some and was glad to lose others. I admired all of them.
The story itself was astounding in all the best ways. Right, when I thought I knew what was going on Gaiman said, “HAHA, YOU THOUGHT.” And totally changed the direction of the story. This happened a few times before we had enough of the pieces to actually understand the story. I can only hope to be as excellent of a writer as Neil Gaiman someday. The way he led us around on this wild ride wondering where the hell we were going and why we got in the car in the first place. There were so many aspects and elements to American Gods, but not so much that it was hard to keep them straight, instead of leaving the reader wondering what the hell was actually going on. I found myself asking that frequently in the first half of listening to this book. “What the hell is even happening right now, I just don’t get it.” Now, on the other side of the book, having learned what was actually going on I’m still a bit blown away and processing the crazy words that make up this adventure.
To keep it simple, this book was awesome. It was an investment, of my time and emotions. The characters were wonderfully written and the story was incredibly complex. If you like mythology stories, you’ll love this book. Just make sure you have the time and mental wherewithal to handle the craziness that is American Gods.
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our link (just click on the book cover) to support us!
Hello, Bookworms! This week we are talking about books with the letter J.
For those of you that are new here – each week we post about books beginning with a specific letter of the alphabet starting with A all the way through Z. We’re going to mention one or sometimes a few books that were memorable with the letter of the week and also books that are sadly still living on our TBR lists. So without further ado.
This week’s letter is – J
Most Memorable Books
Amanda
Jane, Unlimited by Kristen Cashore – I was so excited for Cashore to come out with another book. I absolutely adored the Graceling books (once Antonia finally bugged me enough that I read them). So I was excited to see what she was going to come up with next. I liked it well enough, but not nearly as much as her other books.
Antonia
Joust by Mercedes Lackey – This is the first in her Dragon Jousters series. It’s one of my favorites. Dragons are pretty much an autobuy topic for me and I absolutely love the way Lackey portrayed them in this series; more like really intelligent animals that can be domesticated. I highly recommend this one to any fantasy lovers.
Books Still on Our TBR Lists
Amanda
(A) Jungle of Rogues by Bella Forrest – This is the fourth book in the newest season of Forrest’s A Shade of Vampire series. I haven’t read any of the books in this season yet because I hate waiting for the next one to come out. I also have a ridiculous TBR list, so I’m fine waiting and being able to binge read the whole series in a few days.
Antonia
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne – I’ve read Around the World in 80 Days and loved it so I’ve been wanting to read more of Verne’s books.
GoodReads Summary:
Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White is a book that I read years ago when the whole series was first released. I remember liking this book so much more than I did this time. Though last time I read the books and this time I listened to the audiobook via my library.
I loved the audiobook honestly. I loved the narrator. She did a great job differentiating between the various characters. She was an excellent voice for Evie. She really kept me interested in the story even when Evie’s actions and some of the things she said had me rolling my eyes.
The story and plot was super interesting. I liked the uniqueness of the paranormals characters. This wasn’t just another supernatural story with the same old characters. There were obviously the usual vampire and werewolves, but they weren’t the typical beautiful vampires and big macho wolves. I like that White made these popular kinds of characters unique and different.
I adored our love interest, Lend. He’s a shapeshifter so he can be whatever hunk we want him to be. He’s also fiercely loyal to those that are part of his circle. He’s funny and sarcastic and sweet. I just loved Lend. I loved how he wanted to look out for Evie and do everything he could to help her in whatever way she wanted, even if that way was getting to spend a day in high school.
As for our main character, Evie. Honestly, she annoyed me a little. She’s kind of super immature and I can’t remember if that changes in the next books, but I’m hoping that it does. She was super boy crazy until she met Lend. Then she was Lend crazy. She was so focused on wanting to have a ‘normal teenage life’ getting to go to high school and prom and all of the things she would see on her favorite high school drama TV show. I understand it a bit because she’s never had a normal life. She craves the normalcy that she sees on her favorite show, but she just talks and thinks about it to the point where it’s a little annoying. Even after her situation changes, but she’s still getting new information that could help with the craziness that’s part of the story, she doesn’t do anything to help or share her information at first. She tries to just pretend she’s not a part of it anymore and give up any sort of responsibility. She drove me a little nuts for a decent amount of this book, but she got a bit better at the end. She made the right choices and accepted responsibility, her part in all of everything going on.
Overall, I really liked the unique plot. I liked the interesting twists on the typical paranormal sorts of characters. I loved Lend and I grew to love Evie. I’m excited to see where the second book goes. This book was one that I picked for the Transfiguration (a book with a shapeshifter) requirement during the Magical Readathon – O.W.L.s.
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our link (just click on the book cover) to support us!
I Heart Characters! is a weekly meme hosted by Dani @ Perspective of a Writer to showcase our book blogger love for characters! Each week she’ll supply a topic and you’ll supply the character. Post on whatever day suits you, about characters from whatever media you love (books, movies, K-dramas, television, manga, anime, webtoons, whatever!) and link up on Thursday so YOU and others can blog hop and share the character love.
This weeks topic is High School First Love (Pick a character you’d want for your first love! Would it last forever or be a passing relationship?!)
Amanda- Rather than picking a smoking hot bad boy that I would have LOVED to date during high school, I’m going to pick someone that I would totally have actually dated while I was a high schooler. Ronald Bilius Weasley is absolutely my favorite character from the Harry Potter series. He is exactly the kind of person that I would have dated in high school. A little awkward. Smart but not super nerdy. Great sense of humor. A big crazy family that does all the fun family things. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for redheads.
Antonia- I was not good at dating in high school. I tended to jump into relationships too quickly then realize I wasn’t all that interested so my relationships were always really short. I’m going to choose a character that I WISH I dated in high school. Garret Xavier Sebastian from the Talon series by Julie Kagawa would have made an excellent first boyfriend. He’s mature, kind, and grounded in a way most high school boys aren’t. There’s no drama with him. He accepts Ember for who she is and gives her space when she needs it. He’s exactly the kind of guy I wish I’d dated in high school; I think he would have been a good influence on me.
GoodReads Summary:
In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book full of words to live by.
I picked this audiobook to listen to purely because it fulfills the Muggle Studies – A muggle non-fiction novel O.W.L. Exam for the Magical Readathon that I am participating in this month. I don’t frequently pick up non-fiction novels on my own for pleasure reading. Generally, if I read non-fiction it’s for one of my college courses, so this was a little bit outside of my normal reading choice.
I’ve loved Amy Poehler since I first saw her while watching Parks and Recreation. Leslie Knope is hilarious and Amy plays her wonderfully. So this opportunity to learn more about who she really is, not who she is as a character, was too fun.
I absolutely love that Amy is the one that reads this book. After watching so much of her on Parks & Rec I could totally picture her reading the story to me. She made it so much fun with her reading as well as the different guest stars she also had come in and read a few chapters. I loved that she made it so fun. It was more of a story than some non-fiction that I’ve read. It was actually more a collection of shorter stories throughout her life.
I learned a lot about Amy and some of it really surprised me while some of it did not. For example, I was surprised to learn that she was born and raised in Massachusetts (this is where I grew up and lived for most of my life) so all of the stories that she shared of her growing up really were some that I could relate to because I grew up similarly (even though we grew up in different times). I also loved seeing how growing up where she did affected her throughout her life – forever referencing the Boston accent she got rid of when she moved away.
I really enjoyed getting to know Amy Poehler in this book. I think I enjoyed it even more because Amy read it to us herself. It was hilarious and entertaining and I loved every minute of it.
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our affiliate link (just click on the book cover) to support us!
Now that Antonia has finally gotten around to reading my favorite series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, we can do this fun book tag. I love all things ACOTAR related. So I’ve been dying to do this one.
Seasonal Courts
Spring Court – High Lord Tamlin
“Beautiful, everlasting spring but with a bit of a dark side, much like its High Lord, who you might have loved when the series started and rooted for him and Feyre but now you feel completely different.”
Name a book or series that you loved in the beginning and ended up hating.
Amanda- House of Night by P.C. & Kristin Cast. I loved this series so much in the beginning, but after so many books I just couldn’t bother keeping up and finishing it.
Antonia- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I wouldn’t necessarily say hate, but I was obsessed with these books when I was fifteen and after the movies I just couldn’t do it anymore. I tried to reread them years after the movies came out and couldn’t get past the first couple chapters.
Summer Court – High Lord Tarquin
“A court that wants equality for all fae and is working on achieving that. A place that receives everyone.”
Name a book or series with the most diverse characters that you’ve read.
Amanda- Stormcaster by Cinda Williams Chima. (reviewed here). This is book three in the Shattered Realms series. This series is full of diverse characters from all over their world. People with powers, people without powers, dark-skinned islanders, light-skinned northerners, LBGTQ characters and dragons of course.
Antonia- Most recently I’d say Year One by Nora Roberts. It follows several characters during the apocalypse and they’re all so unique. Even the supporting characters had their own distinct personalities.
Autumn Court – High Lord Beron
“Filled with conflict and power struggles under the rule of ruthless High Lord. Most likely where we will be going in the next books in the series.”
Name a book or series that you could not put down because you had to know what happened next.
Amanda- I’m going to choose an audiobook for this question. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel. I could NOT stop listening to this book. It was read by the narrator wonderfully and the story was absolutely incredible. I’m still not so patiently waiting for the second audiobook be available from my library. Read my review for this story here!
Antonia- Well I’d like to say ACOTAR but in an effort to not be too redundant I’ll pick The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan. This entire series had me hooked but I absolutely could not stop with this amazing conclusion.
Winter Court – High Lord Kallias
“A beautiful and cold landscape and very hard to read people.”
Name a book or series that you picked up because of its cover and it ended up being hard to read.
Amanda- The Princess series by Alexa Riley. I found these on my Kindle and loved the pretty dresses on the covers. I’m a sucker for some pretty dresses. But these were just not good. They’re super short so I read a few, but they were just bad and hard to read.
Antonia- The Everneath series by Brodi Ashton. I absolutely love these covers and bought them immediately but now I find myself really reluctant to actually pick them up for some reason.
Solar Courts
Dawn Court – High Lord Thesan
“Healing and inventions are the core of this court.”
Name a book that lightens your mood after reading it.
Amanda- Any of the books in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. They’re funny and entertaining and never fail to make me laugh.
Antonia- Anything by Nora Roberts or Julia Quinn usually does it for me. They’re funny, have swoon-worthy romances, and fantastic characters.
Day Court – High Lord Helion
“The court of light and knowledge.”
Name a book that you found to be the most inspiring.
Amanda- A book that my aunt forced me to borrow, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. This was an incredible story of hardship and struggle and I’m super glad I read it. Check out my review here.
Antonia- The Shack by William P. Young. I first read this in high school and, especially at a time when I was trying to figure out who I was as a person, this book really made me question what my beliefs were; not specifically religious beliefs, it more made me look outside of myself and the little world I lived in. It really inspired me to form my own opinions about life instead of constantly listening to what other people told me I should think.
Night Court – High Lord Rhysand & High Lady Feyre
“With its two subcourts, it’s the perfect example of the dual nature of everything.”
Court of Nightmares
“Just as the name states this court is full of monsters and evil intentions.”
Name a book, series, or character that you hate with a passion.
Amanda- I don’t usually hate books and if I do I certainly don’t continue reading the series. So a character that I hate with a fiery passion is Maeve from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. She’s a crazy lady that needs to be put down. I’m so psyched for the final book to come out later this year.
Antonia- Fallen by Lauren Kate. You can read my review of this one here.
Court of Dreams
“The utopic court, where we all would love to live.”
Name your favorite read of the year (so far). A book that blended everything you were looking for.
Amanda- Air Awakens by Elise Kova. Strong female lead. Crazy adventure. Hunky book boyfriend. Crazy cool magic. Five stars for sure.
Antonia- Once again, I’ll resist choosing ACOTAR. I think the Talon series by Julie Kagawa. All of the books exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend them.
Summary:
You make think you know the story. It goes like this: once upon a time, there was a sixteen-year-old girl named Jane Grey, who was forced to marry a complete stranger (Lord Guildford or Gilford or Gifford-something-or-other), and shortly thereafter found herself ruler of a country. She was queen for nine days. Then she quite literally lost her head.
We have a different tale to tell.
Pay attention. We’ve tweaked some minor details. We’ve completely rearranged major details. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent (or not-so-innocent, or simply because we thought a name was terrible and we liked another name better). And we’ve added a touch of magic to keep things interesting. So really anything could happen.
This is how we think Jane’s story should have gone.
I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book and it’s second that came out this summer (My Plain Jane). My bookish twin, The Bookish Chick (check her out she’s amazing!) ranted and raved about the audiobook and I knew I had to read it. I couldn’t wait for the audiobook to be available through my library so I bought the book when I saw it available on Book Outlet.
This story does not disappoint in the least. It’s full of hilarious and loveable characters. I knew I was going to love this book after ten pages. I was cracking up pretty much the entire book.
I adored Jane. A fellow bookworm that’s not afraid to speak her mind. She ends up in all kinds of ridiculous situations and manages to get herself out of them as well. She’s smart and clever, funny and sassy, but also kind and loving. She’s incredibly protective over those that she loves and will do anything in her power to make sure they’re safe. I adored everything about Jane.
Gifford, preferred to be called G, was entertaining, but slightly annoying. He doubted Jane for most of the story and it really bugged me. Instead of just talking to Jane and asking her about the things he was assuming, he just let himself stew and feel bad. Other than this, I liked him. He did what he thought was right. He tried to protect Jane, even if that meant causing her to be ridiculously mad at him.
Edward, King of England, was funny and infuriating. He had some really backward ideas for most of the story. Ideas about men being superior to women and such. I liked Edward only because of the wonderful development he did throughout the story. He met a girl that helped him see how wrong all of his ideas really were. I liked that we got to see this change and development. It’s really what made me like him.
Overall this book was hilarious and I just couldn’t get enough. I don’t know too much about the real story of Lady Jane Grey, but I’m sure it wasn’t nearly as entertaining as this book. If you like historical fiction, you’re going to love this story. The characters were wonderful and kept me wanting to get the rest of their story. I also loved that the narrators kept chiming in with little tidbits. It just made the story that much better. I really liked that the narrators (I don’t know if it’s called the same thing as is it with the movies, but I’m going to go with it) broke the fourth wall and addressed the readers directly. It was a really interesting aspect of the story and just added that little extra. I think all different kinds of readers would love this story. I will for sure be recommending this book to many readers.
Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.
*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our affiliate link (just click on the book cover) to support us!
Huge thanks to Inkish Kingdoms for tagging us in this TBR Book Tag! It looks like fun. Besides who doesn’t love talking about books that they want to read? Let’s dive right in!
How do you keep track of your TBR list?
Amanda- I mostly don’t. It’s all in my head. I have a general ‘oh I want to read that in the near future’ list that lives in my brain. But I don’t read off of any list, I look at my shelves and pick whatever looks good. I have recently started marking books on GoodReads as ‘to read’ but they’re all books that I mostly already have at home.
Antonia- It’s mostly just in my head as well. The closest I get to an actual list is books I want to get but once I actually have them it depends entirely on what I feel like reading at the time.
Is your TBR list mostly print or ebook?
Amanda- Mostly print as of now. I recently have gone a little book buying crazy. Once I read some of the books I just bought my ebook TBR list will likely be longer because I’ve been neglecting my Kindle for sure.
Antonia- Mine probably leans a little more towards print but I go through random phases where I’ll just read kindle nonstop then switch to print for awhile.
How do you determine which book from your TBR list to read next?
Amanda- I mentioned above that I mostly just look at my shelves and pick whatever looks good at the moment. I don’t do well with specific lists. One it makes it to the “official TBR list” I’m actually less likely to ever read it.
Antonia- Whatever I’m in the mood for. Usually I’ll just stare at my shelves for awhile or read a few summaries and one tends to jump out and say “You have to read me now!”.
What book has been on your TBR list the longest?
Amanda- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I bought this months and months ago (at this point it’s probably closer to a year ago) and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it, but for some reason, I just can’t get myself to pick it up.
Antonia- Hmm… Probably Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima. I got so mad at the beginning of the book that I never managed to finish it. Now that I have the second and third books I plan on picking it up again soon.
What book have you recently added to your TBR list?
Amanda- Why do all of these book tags want just one book as an answer? I’m a bookworm and I did just say that I bought a ton of books recently. So here’s a few I’m most excited about.
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard
The Book Jumper by Mechthild Glaser
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Antonia- ^Same.
Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
Everneath by Brodi Ashton
The Mythean Arcana series by Linsey Hall
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
What book on your TBR list is there strictly because of the cover?
Amanda- Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten. I love simple covers.
Antonia- Everneath by Brodi Ashton. The covers have such gorgeous dresses that I just had to get them.
What book on your TBR list do you never actually plan to read?
Amanda- The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz. I bought this only because I have all of the other books in the series. It sits on my shelf and begs me to read it but I don’t know how likely it is that I’ll ever get around to it.
Antonia- I don’t think I have anything right now. A couple years ago I moved and had to get rid of most of my books so everything I have now are either favorites or ones I’ve gotten recently.
What unpublished book is on your TBR list that you’re excited for?
Amanda- Again, just one book? Really you should just go check out the whole page we have dedicated to books that are being released this year.
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
Windrider by P.C. Cast
Just to name a few.
Antonia- Again, same. I’m really excited for both Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa and Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts.
What’s a book on your TBR list that basically everyone has read but you?
Amanda- Warcross by Marie Lu. I have this. It’s staring at me from my shelf as I type this, but I just haven’t read it yet.
Antonia- Probably Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I’ve been seeing this for forever but never bothered with it until Amanda made me read A Court of Thorns and Roses which I loved so much I HAVE to read her other series.
What’s a book on your TBR list that everyone recommends?
Amanda- Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. I’ve heard amazing things about this book. I recently bought it and hope to get around to reading it soon.
Antonia- A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas. I’ve heard a ton of good things about this one even though a lot of people (myself included) don’t like novellas.
What’s a book on your TBR list that you’re very excited to read?
Amanda- All of them? Otherwise, they wouldn’t be on my TBR list, right?
Antonia- Definitely all of them. None stand out more than the others right now.
How many books are on your GoodReads TBR shelf?
Amanda- There are 65 books that I have labeled as ‘Want to Read’ on GoodReads. Most of which are books that I’ve bought recently and plan to attempt to read in the near future.
Antonia- I don’t use my GoodReads TBR shelf. I could never keep track of adding books and taking them off.
That’s all for this one bookworms! We’re going to tag anyone who reads this and feels like doing the book tag! Thanks for reading and feel free to leave your TBR books in the comments!
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