12 Audio Books for Your Next Road Trip

First - an announcement! I decided to start sharing my short stories on WattPad! I'll publish my flash fiction here on the blog first. But then I'll share them to WattPad. It's a great place to post and read fiction and I'm really excited to build a platform there! You can follow me by clicking here. 

Long ago (so like... a few months), I was a part of a thing called Booktube. Basically... people on YouTube who talked about books. I burned out on it a bit and that was when I switched back to blogging, which has been good for me. But, some of my friends host Monthly Recommendations on Goodreads where each month there is a topic and people share their recs for said topic. It's open to people who blog too and I realized the other day... there is literally zero reason why I can't still participate in Monthly Recs here on the blog. 

So... here I am!

This month we're talking about favorite audio books. Which is perfect because I associate audio books with travel and driving, and what better time than summer to be planning what you'll listen to on your next road trip? When I had a longer commute to work, I realized it was a ton of wasted reading time so I started to listen to audio books and podcasts. I loved it! My commute for work these days is much shorter, so I mainly listen to podcasts now because they're faster to get through. But I still download audio books to my phone here and there. It's such a great opportunity to experience a book in a different way. 

You absolutely don't need to be in the car or on a road trip when listening to books - of course. That's simply my favorite way. Even when I'm road tripping with friends and family, sometimes it's fun to have an audio book to listen to along the way. Once, I listened to an audio book when I had to fly and it was completely delightful because the whole trip I could close my eyes, shut out the world, and listen to my book.

I have a lot of friends as new moms love to listen to audio books because it's the easiest way for them to read while taking care of their baby, some people listen while working out, other while doing things around the house, etc. 

The Night Circus written by Erin Morgenstern, Narrated by Jim Dale

• Genre: Historical Fantasy
• Length: 13 hours 39 min

This is one of my favorite books of all time - so it must go at the top of the list. Jim Dale is also the narrator for the Harry Potter books (which, you should listen to those as well if you haven't yet because it brings the books to life n a whole new way!) and he's the absolute perfect person to narrate The Night Circus. 

It is a book full of magic, romance, mystery, and everything that is beautiful and wonderful in this world. This book follows two magicians who, since childhood, are pitted against one another in a magic competition where a circus which only opens at night is the arena. If there is only one audio book you ever listen to, make it this one. 

The only hitch is that the narration does go back and forth between years and locations, so be sure you're paying attention at the start of each chapter so you know what year and location you are in.

Neil Patrick Harris:  Choose Your Own Autobiography written and narrated by Neil Patrick Harris

• Genre: Autobiography/Memoir
• Length:  7 hours 15 minutes

Some of my favorite audio books are memoirs which are narrated by the authors. In fact, I read celebrity memoirs almost exclusively as audio books because I love feeling like I'm sitting down and hanging out with the author as they tell me their life story. 

I loved Neil Patrick Harris' memoir! It's a bit tricky to listen to because it's set up as a "choose your own adventure book" where you do the "to pick this ending jump ahead to..." sort of thing. Which, this is still an option in the audio book if you aren't driving and have your hands available to skip around to different pages and chapters. However, it still totally works and makes sense if you don't because you can listen to it straight through and hear all of the alternate endings of the chapters. 

He also has exclusive audio clips in the audio book you can't get in the regular book, so that's pretty awesome as well.

A Madness So Discreet written by Mindy McGinnis, narrated by Brittany Pressley

• Genre:  Young Adult Historical
• Length:  9 hours 34 minutes

When I talk about books by Mindy McGinnis, I always want to remind you to not let the "young adult" label turn you away from her work if you aren't a fan of YA. Yes, it is a YA book. But, a majority of her fan base are adults and her books don't always have the same tone of other YA's. They're very gritty and deal with some intense topics. (Not that other YA books don't, but it's slightly different with Mindy's books.)

This was the book I listened to on an airplane a couple of years back. It was the day after the election and usually I enjoy flying, but that day I just wasn't in the mood for dealing with people. This book was the perfect solution. I loved closing my eyes and letting the narrator take me away with the story. (Also, the subject matter and story was kind of perfect for how I was feeling that day. So, if you were like me a pretty sad that day, this book is for you!) A Madness So Discreet is still one of my favorites by Mindy McGinnis. I wish she would write a sequel so badly!

The Paper Magician Trilogy by Charlie N Holmberg, narrated by Amy McFadden

• Genre: New Adult Historical Fantasy
• Length:  7 hours 25 minutes (the first book- The Paper Magician)

When I first read The Paper Magician series it was via audio book and I was so into the final book, I switched back and forth between the audio and the Kindle version so I could keep reading no matter what. But, switching to the "regular" book was weird after listening to the audio for so long! Not that the "regular" book was bad, it wasn't at all! I think it just shows what a great narrator Amy McFadden was for the series!

This trilogy is my favorite of all of Holmberg's books, and I loved the spin-off as well. It's fun, magical, sweet, but also has some dark twsists that I loved! Also, I've heard Disney has picked up these books so... I say get on the train!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda

• Genre:  Young Adult Historical (Technically it's historical... it takes place in the late 1980s)
• Length:  7 hours 29 minutes 

The first time I read this book, I read it via a "regular" paper back and completely fell in love. It's another one where yes it's young adult, but I firmly believe that even if you don't typically like young adult you'll like this book. It's beautiful, heartfelt, honest, and the characters are some of my favorites. It totally deserves all of the awards it was given!

Then... I heard Lin-Manuel Miranda narrated the audio version. Naturally, I checked it out of my library and listened.

If Lin-Manuel Miranda doesn't convince you to listen, I don't know what will. 

Binge written and narrated by Tyler Oakley

• Genre:  Autobiography/Memoir
• Length:  7 hours 16 minutes

I adore Tyler Oakley and love his videos and his podcast. So, when he released a memoir I was all over it. I went back and forth between the hardcover and the audio and both were great! I loved his stories (even if some of them made me feel like a concerned parent and I was like "please be careful and make good and safe life choices...") and getting a deeper insight into his life. 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, narrated by Rosamund Pike

• Genre:  Classic
• Length:  11 hours 35 minutes

Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic novels! I've seen nearly every adaptation roughly a million times. When I saw Audible had a narration by Rosamund Pike (she was Jane in the 2005 movie) I was all over it! I loved how she told the story and really nailed each character! Sometimes it's odd hearing a female voice read a male character, but with her when she did the men's dialogue it wasn't weird at all! 

There are times when it is hard for me to read classic novels because the writing style is so much different than what authors use today, so audio books can help with that!

The Selection series by Kierra Cass, narrated by Amy Rubinate

• Genre:  Young Adult Romance/Dystopian
• Length:  8 hours 7 minutes (the first book- The Selection)

Now, The Selection series, it is completely 100% young adult. If you don't like fluffy YA that takes place in a dystopian America and is basically The Bachelor with royal teenagers filled with love triangles and drama - you can pass on this one.

But if that sounds appealing to you, you'll LOVE The Selection. A friend of mine read it a few years ago and told me to read it and to text her all of my reactions because she thought they would be funny. I had so many feelings and reactions to these books, and it was 100% filled with fun. I listened to all three on audio and enjoyed every moment. 

Shades of Milk and Honey written and narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal

• Genre:  Historical Fantasy
• Length:  7 hours 37 minutes

Do you know what's just as awesome as authors of memoirs reading their own books? Authors reading their own novels as well. Thankfully, Mary Robinette Kowal has a history in puppetry, so she's an amazing audio book narrator! She does the best voices and it feels like she's reading you a bed time story. 

Shades of Milk and Honey is the first in her Glamourist Histories series, but it doesn't end in a cliffhanger and is it's own complete book so if you don't want to dedicate yourself to a whole series, you'll still enjoy this one. It's basically like reading a Jane Austen book - but with magic!

The Cormoran Strike novels by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling), narrated by Robert Glenister

• Genre:  Mystery/Thriller/Detective
• Length:  15 hours 54 minutes  (the first book - The Cuckoo's Calling)

I only listened to the second and third books of this series on audio - but they were fantastic so I'm confident the first book is just as good on audio as it is in print form!

I'm not usually a huge fan of mystery and thrillers, and when it comes to detective stories I prefer them as movies or TV shows. These books are one of the exceptions and I simply adore them! They each have their own "flavor" and theme, but the third one so far is my favorite. It was creepy (which I'm usually not a fan of) and exciting. So much so that once I missed my exit coming home from work because I was so engrossed, and once I had to turn it off and wait until I got home to keep going because I was getting so creeped out! (But in a good way.) I need the next book as soon as possible.

Talking as Fast as I Can written and narrated by Lauren Graham

• Genre:  Autobiography/Memoir
• Length:  4 hours 38 minutes

If you are a fan of Gilmore Girls and/or Parenthood and you haven't listened or read this book yet, why haven't you? It's wonderful, fun, and I loved hearing more about how Lauren Graham became an actress and her experiences on set. 

A plus is that it's pretty short. I listened to this on a quick road trip and it was the perfect timing!

The Diviners by Libba Bray, narrated by January LaVoy

• Genre:  Young Adult Historical Paranormal/Fantasy/Horror
• Length:  18 hours 14 minutes

For my grand finale we have one of the best audio books I have ever listened to! This is another one where if you enjoy paranormal/horror/fantasy/history, but not young adult - don't turn away from this book because it's labeled YA! I think anyone who enjoys these genres will like The Diviners!

I listened to this in October for Halloween and it was the perfect pick. It was creepy and mysterious, but so much so that I couldn't sleep at night. Our main character Evie is fun and delightful, and I am in love with this inclusive cast of characters! The narrator does each voice so well, which is difficult because this book has a BIG cast! She also has moments where she has to sing and sometimes with audio books that can feel awkward, but in this one it's completely perfect. I have zero complaints about this book and I can't wait to listen to book 2!

There you have it! 12 audio books for you to listen to on your next road trip - or whatever it is you're up to and you want something good to listen to!

Do you listen to audio books? What are some of your favorites?

Ready to read? Check out this promotion from Barnes & Noble:

Fiction Beach Reads only $10

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Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee.

May Reading Round-Up

May was an ... interesting... month for me. I feel like my emotions and energy level has been all over the place lately. But, that's the great things about books, right? Nothing like the lives of fictional characters to distract you from your own life. 

Am I right?

Let's get to it then.

Some notes on how I do wrap ups:  I rate books on a 1-5 star scale. (1= worst book ever why did I read this?; 2= did not enjoy; 3= this was good!; 4= I really liked it! 5= OMG LOVED THIS IT'S THE BEST EVER!) For the most part, you're going to see 3-5 star ratings from me and not a lot of negative simply because if I don't like a book, I'm not going to finish it.

A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses 3.1) by Sarah J Maas

• Genre: New Adult Fantasy Novella
• Format: Hardcover
• Rating: 3.5 stars
• Plot Summary: Everyone in Pyrithian is preparing for the winter solstice. 

Being the Sarah J Maas fangirl that I am, it's probably no surprise that this was a highly anticipated book for me. ACOFAS serves as a transition between the ACOTAR trilogy and the upcoming books set in this world. 

If you want a novella filled with adventure, plot twists, and a lot of things going on... you're not going to like ACOFAS. Simply stated, there really isn't much of a plot whatsoever. However, if you want to pop in and check up on your favorite characters to see how they're doing after the events of ACOWAR with a side of holiday fun ... you'll like this novella. It's as simple as that.

Personally, I think this novella fulfilled what it needed to. Is it her best work? No. But, I'm glad she wrote it because we can fill in the gaps between the books and see where everyone is and we can just jump right in when the next full length book comes out Although, there might be other novellas on the way as well? I'm not entirely sure how it's all going down and when what is being released.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  the other ACOTAR books, holiday stories, romance, sexy times, found family, squad goals, fantasy, fae
• Trigger Warnings:  PTSD, memories of war, depression, aftermath of abusive relationships

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Fortune's Flower (Passport to Romance #1) by Anetha Lawson

• Genre: Historical Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating:  4 stars
• Plot Summary:  Artist Lily agrees to one last adventure before bending to her parents wishes of marrying.

I decided to tackle this book next because of how much I enjoyed Lawson's novellas in December. This was a complete delight - and I think it featured one of my favorite heroes thus far. (He's like a 19th century Indiana Jones! How could you not love that?) 

The flirting and banter was so cute and fun. There's something about historical romance flirting that I sometimes prefer over the contemporary romances. Since the culture is so much more "proper" than ours, they had to be a tad more clever in how they flirted and I love seeing how they can play with words. 

There was travel, adventure, and scheming plot twisting villains! With historical romance I've been reading hate-to-love stories a lot lately, and this was more of a forbidden love because of the class system which was a nice change. Definitely want to read her other books!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:   class difference trope, travel adventures, historical romance, Indiana Jones
• Trigger Warnings: assault

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Every Which Way but Dead (The Hallows #3) by Kim Harrison

• Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Rating: 4.5 stars
• Plot Summary:  Rachel deals with the aftermath of working with demons and putting away Cincinatti's big bad. 

I don't know why it takes me so long to continue on with this urban fantasy series because it is just SO SO GOOD. The Hallows series has some of the best characters (Jenks!) and I love how I can see these different relationships bonding and changing and growing while being challenged as well. It's one of the huge draws for me. I want to keep reading the books because I want to see the friendships and romantic relationships equally. Even the relationships with the villains are FASCINATING. 

The plot and world building are fantastic as well - don't get me wrong. Those pull me in so much and I want to see what happens next! I wish I could say more but you know... spoilers for the first two books.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  bi-sexual rep, vampires, witches, fae, urban fantasy, demons
• Trigger Warnings:  torture, emotional and physical abuse, blood, explosions, near drowning

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The Plastic Magician (The Paper Magician #4 - Spin Off) by Charlie N Holmberg

• Genre: New Adult Fantasy
• Format: ebook
• Rating:  4 stars
• Plot Summary: Alvie begins her apprenticeship as a Polymaker Magician and helps create a new invention. 

This was another highly anticipated release for me. I LOVED the Paper Magician trilogy and was ridiculously excited when I heard she was writing a spin-off book.

You do not need to read the Paper Magician trilogy to read this book. They take place in the same world, and you may have some great appreciation or understanding of some elements of this book if you have, but it's not needed to understand the story and she does a great job of explaining the world and magic system. 

It had a very different plot than The Paper Magician, which I liked. In a sense the stakes weren't quite as high, or at least not as you normally would see in fantasy. But it felt so realistic and a story which could happen to anyone. Just with magic. Which was so great!

I loved the new characters and we did get a cameo from some old favorites which made me very happy. AND we had some disability rep and conversation which was so awesome! On top of that, our heroine was super nerdy and loved math, engineering, and knew how to work cars - while in the early 1900s! How great is that?

I breezed through this book and I hope we get even more!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:   The Paper Magician trilogy, magic, historical fantasy, books in the UK, disability rep, innocent/clean romance, women in STEM 
• Trigger Warnings: amputation

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Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J Maas - Re Read

• Genre: YA Fantasy
• Format: Hardcover
• Rating: 4 Stars
• Plot Summary:  Celeana begins her work a the king's champion. 

I'm still going through my re-read of the Throne of Glass series before the final book is released in October. I'll admit, I didn't pay as close attention as I did the others. But, I've read the early books so many times I figured it was okay. It made me super excited to get to the later books which I haven't read as much though. 

As I've said with Throne of Glass and The Assassin's Blade, it's a lot of fun to go back and see all of the pieces Maas was putting together all the way at the start. So many details I didn't notice or didn't think were important have all new meaning. The best part though is knowing more about the character arcs. I see more now of how she was building the characters, why certain people don't end up together, why one character had to do a specific thing, etc. Since I know more of where it's headed, it all makes so much more sense. 

If you are reading the Throne of Glass series for the first time, this is the order I recommend reading them in:

• Throne of Glass
• Crown of Midnight
• Assassin's Blade
• Heir of Fire
• Queen of Shadows
• Empire of Storms
• Tower of Dawn

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  the other Throne of Glass books, high fantasy, fae, young adult, romance, friendships, assassins
• Trigger Warnings: brutal murders, allude to sexual and physical abuse, beheading, loss of loved ones

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The Queen's Rising (The Queen's Rising #1) by Rebecca Ross

• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
• Format: Library Hardcover
• Rating:  5 stars
• Plot Summary:  Brienna finishes her training in the Passions, but her path doesn't lead where she expect.s

Pardon me while I fan girl flail a bit.

My friend Trina from BookTube told me to read this book so she would have someone to fan girl with, and now I'm asking the same of you. This was such a wonderful surprise of a book!

It has a lot of your "typical" fantasy tropes. Magic school! Lost princess! Prophecy! Visions! Abandoned by a parent!! But.... ahhhhhhhh I loved what Rebecca Ross did with them. The main character was so relateable and was one of those strong women, but that didn't mean she went around killing everyone either. She had a great balance of trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted while still having agency and making her own choices. The found family element was one of my favorites too! 

I was pretty wary of one romance plot line because it did involve a teacher and a student - but I think she handled it well. Nothing happened between them until after they were no longer teacher/student.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  fantasy, lost princesses, magic schools, slow romance, squad goals, found family, coming of age
• Trigger Warnings: loss of parents, violence, war

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Second Position (District Ballet Company #1) by Katherine Locke

• Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating:  4 stars
• Plot Summary: A prima ballerina and her ex reunite four years after a car crash which changed their lives forever. 

This book was not quite what I expected. It was very good! But much more intense than I anticipated. Which... I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. It's about two ballet dancers who were in a car accident and reunite four years later. But, being considered a contemporary romance, I was still expecting it to be somewhat light-hearted. (Don't worry, there's still a HEA!) I was simply anticipating more of a Center Stage or Step Up story. 

Second Position was packed with issues the characters were dealing with. From what I could tell, they were all handled very well. Granted, I don't know anything about most of these issues. (They're all listed below in the trigger warnings.) Even the disability rep I can't say a whole lot on because it was about amputation which is not something I've experienced.

Although, the one thing about the advisability rep that I really connected to was talking about how you can't always rely on your body and depend on it the way others can. That's something I have a hard time expressing to people who ask me about why my disability is such a big deal, and it was awesome to have it in this book so I could be like "Yes! That's what I'm talking about!"

I definitely enjoyed this book and was rooting for the characters the whole time. I liked how hard they had to work at the relationship. It made it feel very realistic. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  reading about mental health in relationships, disability rep, dancers, serious contemporary romance
• Trigger Warnings:  depression, amputation, car crash, negligent parents, eating disorders, anxiety, PTSD, miscarriage, suicidal thoughts, alcholoism

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Dirty Little Secret (On Goodreads as My Strongest Weakness) by Brighton Walsh

• Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance Novella
• Format: ebook 
• Rating:  3 stars
• Plot Summary:  A college football star and a punk rock film maker have a secret relationship.

After Second Position, as much as I liked it, I needed something light and fluffy. Especially since I also was reading Crown of Midnight and that book has some emotionally intense moments too. 

Brighton Walsh is always exactly what's needed when this happens!

This novella was super easy to get through and a lot of fun. It was odd because it talked a lot about cliques and social groups in college, but it felt a bit too much like high school for me. But, the couple was sexy and cute and that's what ultimately matters. Particularly when it's such a short novella.

And yes, I did have the song "Dirty Little Secret" by All-American Rejects stuck in my head the entire time I was reading. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  novellas, opposites attract romance, secret romance, 1990s, college settings, punk rock girls, athletic guys
• Trigger Warnings: loneliness, peer pressure

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Currently Reading:

Head On (Lock-In #2 - stand alone follow up) by John Scalzi

• Genre: Science Fiction
• Format: Library Hardcover 
• Plot Summary:  A famous athlete with Hayden's Syndrome suddenly dies in the middle of a pre-season game. 

I read Lock-In last year and while it wasn't my favorite, it was good and I liked the exploration of disability in a futuristic (but not too futuristic) world with a fictional syndrome. So, I was curious about the sequel. When I saw it sitting on the new arrivals shelf at the library, I thought I'd pick it up. 

While it is a sequel/follow-up to the first book, you can read it on it's own. 

I haven't gotten very far yet, but it's interesting. The opening was a bit boring because it was this "sports article" talking about the game and the athlete. I could have skipped that and gone right into chapter one. Beyond that, so far so good. 

What did you all read in May? Have you read any of these books? Have any recs for what should be on my June TBR?

Also, I’m hosting a giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card on my Instagram!  https://instagram.com/p/BjVgfXTlxtL/

Check out books everyone should read! Find the best summer reads at B&N

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Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. 

*This post contains affliated links.

Let's Talk About New Adult Books

From time to time when you read my end of the month reading round ups, under "genre" you'll find me describe a book as "New Adult."

I've been on the Internet for some time now, and for the last several years been active in the book community on the Internet. Therefore, there are many book and writing terms I come across which I read, and I understand immediately what it means. I know and understand the lingo. 

So, when I am chatting with friends and I bring up terms such a "new adult" and my friends are like "what are you talking about?" - it throws me off a it. I tend to forget that not everyone is like me where they live on Instagram and Twitter.  When I thought about it, I realized that when I use this term in my reviews, readers may not know what I'm talking about. 

Over the last couple of months, I've seen a lot of discussion about the "new adult" genre. What it is. What it isn't. What people think it should be.

"It's just an excuse for young adult to have explicit sex scenes!"

"Why is this book shelved as young adult when it's new adult?"

"What is New Adult????"

These are some of the things I tend to see floating around when this discussion comes up.

If you've hung out around my Twitter, you've probably seen that I have also chimed in with my own opinions. And well... I have OPINIONS. 

Mostly stemmed from my being selfish as my current work in progress I'd consider "new adult." But as of right now, it wouldn't be shelved as such. I'll go more into that later. For now, let's dig into what New Adult is, where it came from, what it isn't, and what I think it should be.

What IS New Adult Anyway?

Officially, New Adult fiction is a sub-genre within romance. Yes - romance specifically. Not any other genre. JUST ROMANCE. 

It was created by romance writers/publishers/editors to specify a younger age range. They are books about college-aged protagonists in their first intense relationship- but very adult relationship. Sometimes, this age will spread to mid to late 20's. (I read this through the Nelson Literary Agency Newsletter a couple weeks ago.) 

Therefore, when you are querying an agent with your brand new shiny manuscript - if your new adult book isn't part of the romance genre, your book is NOT new adult. Sorry to burst your bubble and ruin your hopes and dreams. But as of right now, that's how it is.

Examples of books that are New Adult:

• The Reluctant Hearts Series by Brighton Walsh
• The Ivy Years series by Sarina Bowen
• The Off-Campus series by Elle Kenedy

So... why does it seem like New Adult is just trashy romance books?

Well... because that's what they are. They are a sub-genre of romance. 

What New Adult is NOT

This brings us to my next point. There seems to be a disconnect where readers and writers assume that just because a book's protagonist is no longer a teenager, they aren't necessarily dealing with the same issues dealt with in adult books, and the prose might read like a young adult novel, it must be New Adult.

According to the publishing industry - this is incorrect. 

Books people label as New Adult but are not would be:

• A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

These books may have romantic elements to them - but they are not strictly romance novels. Therefore, according to the publishing industry, they are not New Adult.

Make sense?

In My Humble Opinion, What New Adult Should Be

"But Emily, you label books as "New Adult" in your reviews all of the time, but they aren't romance!" I hear you say.

Yes. I'm aware. 

Because I'm of the stance that it's time we expand how we define New Adult books. When I look around on the Internet, people seem to really be craving this genre/age range. Something that's like a young adult books but deals with more mature issues, while not being a full out "adult" novel. For me, I love the young adult genre and the writing style. It can talk about deeper issues, but in a way that doesn't put me to sleep. (Not that all adult novels put me to sleep - that's not the case by any means!) But sometimes I want something that is similar, but more about people my age or closer to my age. Or, I think about books I would have loved to read when I was in college or just graduated college. If New Adult was a thing back then, I would have devoured it. 

Or, more selfishly, I think about the novel I'm working on at the moment. If I have it completed, I would love to submit it for Pitch Wars at the end of the summer. But, I would have to pick between Young Adult and Adult. It's not a full out romance, so New Adult wouldn't fit. Even when I someday query it, I'm going to have to pick between the two, even though I genuinely don't see it as either one.

My youngest "main character" is 18, all of the others are in their early to mid-20's. None of them are in school. They're dealing more with issues such as their future, marriage, etc. It can be violent and yes... they may even have sex. (Gasp!) Not that young adult doesn't deal with these issues - especially when the book is fantasy. But the way it's dealt with in a New Adult book is going to be very different than in a Young Adult book. Yes, perhaps I could push it toward adult, but I genuinely don't see that as my audience.

Or,  think of books such as A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. It's so similar to mine in that none of the characters are teens and it deals with and handles certain issues in a way which I personally don't consider to be for the young adult genre. The same goes for her later books in the Throne of Glass series. But there are a ton of others like this as well, and not just fantasy. Let's Talk About Love, Wintersong, The Paper Magician, Just One Day, Grave Mercy... all of these are about characters in that "in between" time when they are no longer a teenager, but they aren't a "full" adult  yet. 

However, I do understand the conundrum. New Adult started as romance, and it would be incredibly difficult and take a very long time to create a whole new genre. When you think about it realistically, that's a lot to ask. 

Because technically, young adult is children's literature. Yup. You read that correctly. According to the publishing world and the way it's set up, young adult is still children's literature. Therefore, a sub-genre that is part of adult publishing would have to make the jump to children's. Or children's would have to make the jump to adult. It would be ridiculous.

So... I have a suggestion for a compromise.

When I walk into my local bookstore (usually Barnes and Noble) you find the different sections divided up. Children's usually has a whole corner to themselves. Then you have a couple of shelves for Young Adult. Then there's a whole part of the store for general fiction (adult) that's divided up by genre. Usually something along the lines of Fiction, Romance, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, on occasion I've seen Western.

But, even on those few shelves for young adult, there's a bit of division. You'll see one portion for new releases, another for Fantasy, for awhile there was Paranormal Romance, etc. That way, customers could more easily find the genre and style of book they're looking for within the young adult/adult/children's section.

Why can't we do something similar for New Adult? In the young adult section, have a few shelves dedicated to "older young adult" or "new adult" so readers who want those stories can easily pick them out. Or perhaps do this in the adult section of the store/library. It wouldn't have to completely revolutionize the publishing industry. Just some rearranging so people can see the difference between a book intended for a younger audience, and a book that is for an older audience.

Wait... are you talking about censorship for young adult? That's not right!

I agree. I'm not a fan of censorship by any means. 

But I am talking about marketing books according to what's age appropriate. I mean... I've gone to places where a Sarah J Maas book will be shelved in the same section as Nancy Drew.

Um... no. That's not right.

A person can like and enjoy books covering all genres and age ranges. I know full grown adults whose favorite books are middle grade. I know teens who read adult novels. There is nothing wrong with this, and in fact I think this should be encouraged. Most teens know how to self-censor anyway. When I was in high school, a friend of mine let me borrow a historical romance novel. (A bodice-ripper if you will.) I was so scared I was going to read something I would be uncomfortable with, I didn't get past the first chapter. I knew what I would and would not enjoy. 

Probably because I thought all romance writers were like Ms. Perky in 10 Things I Hate About You.

Yes, I did watch that movie every day one summer between my sophomore and junior years of high school. Yes, I still maintain it's one of the best movies ever. Fight me.

The point is - I knew what I was and was not comfortable reading. So, if a teen picks up a book and aren't a fan of the content, they'll probably put it down. However, that romance book my friend let me borrow was never shelved in the young adult section. It was very clearly in the adult romance section. 

When I go to the romance section and see shirtless men on the covers, I know what sort of book I'm picking up. But if when I was younger and I was browsing the young adult section and picked up a book that seemed interesting and then half way through there's this super explicit or violent scene that isn't found in other young adult books, I probably would have felt very betrayed and gotten into something way over my head that I wasn't ready for. That's just not fair. 

Having a section to give me a heads up that there would perhaps be content suited for a more mature audience, is something I probably would have found useful, and something I still would today. That way, the reader can choose to read it and decide if they're ready for it themselves. (Although, not all New Adult necessarily has explicit and violent content.)

And people are asking for this genre. They want it to be a real thing. I'm all for romance novels and have zero problems with New Adult being part of that genre. But I'd love for it to have a chance in other genres too. Characters on the brink of adulthood, on their own for the first time, figuring out life. I simply want the book and publishing industry to see that. 

From what I can tell, independent authors can do this and are pushing those boundaries. Which is awesome! But the traditional publishers need to catch up. People always seem to be worried about the traditional publishing industry and it keeping up with the times. I'm not saying adding New Adult to the mix will fix those problems. But embracing new ideas like that could be something helpful. 

That's why in my reviews I classify some books as "New Adult" even if technically they aren't classified as such. That way, people can see what the age range the protagonist is and it's focused more on that in between time of life. 

So, what are your thoughts? Have you heard about New Adult books? Have you read any? Which do you like? Do you think the publishing industry needs to expand in this genre?

Want to start reading New Adult (or any other books for that matter)? Click the link below!

(Affiliated link - I get a teeny tiny commission if you use it. But don't worry - no one is sponsoring this post! No one told me to write about New Adult books in exchange for anything! All of these thoughts are my own and I came up with this topic because of conversations I've been having with people.) 

Save $5 on Any 2 Books with code BOOKISH

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April Reading Round-Up

I know I probably say this every month - but April seriously flew by. I feel like I blinked and suddenly it was May. Is it just me? 

But, at least the weather is FINALLY starting to feel like spring. Here in Chicago, I think the high is supposed to be close to 80 degrees. Which feels like summer to me... but I'll take it over the snow and freezing weather we had most of April! I'm not one to complain a ton about winter taking forever to leave, because we're in Chicago. It could potentially snow in May sometimes. Yet... even for me this was a bit much. This was one of the coldest Aprils we've had in a long time. 

ANYWAY. Onto books. I started seven books and finished six, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed them all except for the one I didn't finish. Which, I suppose I do genuinely enjoy most of the books I read, since as time has gone on I've gotten a good sense if I'll like something or not when I pick it up. 

Some notes on how I do wrap ups: I don't include plot summaries because the publisher can summarize them much better than I can. If you want to know the plot summary, I've left an Amazon affiliated link in the book title so you can check it out. I rate books on a 1-5 star scale. (1= worst book ever why did I read this?; 2= did not enjoy; 3= this was good!; 4= I really liked it! 5= OMG LOVED THIS IT'S THE BEST EVER!) For the most part, you're going to see 3-5 star ratings from me and not a lot of negative simply because if I don't like a book, I'm not going to finish it.

A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove #1) By Tessa Dare

• Genre: Historical Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 4.5 Stars

For the last few months I've seen a lot of my book friends talking about Tessa Dare and how her books are SO GREAT. I downloaded this one, the first in her Spindle Cove series FOREVER ago, but haven't picked it up until now. 

Well...

IT WAS SO GREAT.

I was literally laughing out loud at moments in this book. It's this awesome opposites attract/battles of the sexes/could be labeled hate-to-love romance in Regency (I think) England. The hero and heroine were both fantastic and really sexy. It was feminist, had disability rep (our hero was wounded in a war), a fun cast of side characters I can't wait to get to know in future books, and I love the setting of Spindle Cove where women go when they don't fit in "normal" society and can learn to accept themselves for who they are and build confidence. 

I can't wait to continue with the series!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  battle of the sexes, opposites attract, historical fiction, soldiers, feminism, steamy romance
• Trigger Warnings: amputation and explosion

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Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J Maas (Re-read)

• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
• Format: Hardcover
• Rating: 4 Stars

And I'm continuing my re-read of the Throne of Glass series in preparation for the final book coming out in October! (Sob.) I'm basically a mess when it comes to reading this series. Even though the intense stuff hasn't happened yet, I read a single chapter in this first book and I'm ready to cry because I'm seeing all of the little pieces Maas has been putting together and all that she's built up. I read it and I'm like "MY PRECIOUS BABIES YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S COMING." 

Are her books flawed? Yes. But I just adore them still and I'm unhealthily attached to these characters. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  assassins, high fantasy, epic fantasy, love triangles, rags to riches, competitions, political intrigue, action/adventure
• Trigger Warnings:  starvation, slavery, torture, loss of parents, violence

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Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Legacy #1) by Jaqueline Carey (Temporary DNF)

• Genre: Epic Fantasy
• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Rating: NA

This is the one book I didn't finish. At first, it was a temporary choice because there were other books I wanted to get to and I'd go back to it when I was done with those. However... the more I think about it, the more I lose interest.

Which, is incredibly disappointing for me. I've heard such great things about this fantasy series. It's about courtesans and assassins, this big epic fantasy world, it's sexy and unique, there's a strong female leading character etc. All of these things are things I enjoy in books! But the whole book I was kinda... meh.

The world, characters, and plot definitely have their interesting moments. But I still found myself bored and waiting for something to happen. Then something would happen and I'd be really excited... but then it was anti-climatic. I'm all for character driven books, and not always plot driven. I also know with these long epic fantasies, you need to be patient and a lot of times you get a big pay-off in the end. But when plot points you've been waiting for for over 500 pages arrive and it just is "meh," that doesn't give me much hope for the following 400 pages. (No, I'm not exaggerating, this book really is that long.)

I haven't given up complete hope on this book yet. But, we'll see if I get back to it. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:   slow burn plot/romance, epic fantasy, character-driven, BDSM (kind of... I thought it was super tame for all of the warnings I got about that particular element of the sotry)
• Trigger Warnings:  pain, torture, violence, negligent parents, BDSM moments, sex as religious expreience

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Second Chance Charmer by Brighton Walsh

• Genre:  Contemporary Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 3.5 Stars

After being disappointed by Kushiel's Dart, I went to one of my new go-to authors for something light and fun. Enter Brighton Walsh's newest book! It just came out in March or April and it was exactly what I needed.

It's not my favorite book of hers (that goes to Tessa Ever After) but it's everything you'd want in a Brighton Walsh novel. SUPER sexy, fun, and a dual POV narrative. My one big critique is that I wish we had seen more of the couple with their relationship, and not just the sexy times. For me, for the sexy times to work, I need to see that the couple has an actual relationship too. We know they have one because they were high school sweethearts, but because that was in the past we didn't get to see it on page as much. But, I was convinced by the end so I guess that's all that matters. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: This kind of reminded of a Sweet Home Alabama type of story where they were high school sweethearts, he was a bad boy, it takes place in the south, etc. 
• Trigger Warnings:  abandonment, negligent parents

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Given to the Earth (Given #2) by Mindy MicGinnis

• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
• Format: Hard Cover
• Rating: 4 Stars

This is the sequel to Mindy McGinnis' other fantasy book, Given to the Sea. Out of Mindy McGinnis' books I've read, Given to the Sea wasn't my favorite. However, I love this author and want to support her, and it was interesting enough that I wanted to know what happened next. Honestly, I think I liked this second installment more than the first.

Maybe because she got more into the stride of writing fantasy? Maybe it was because I knew more of what to expect from this author when it came to fantasy? Who knows. But I really enjoyed it. I liked where each of the characters went ("like" being used loosly because some of the end completely broke my heart), I liked the direction the story went, and how it was mostly about a people simply needing to learn how to survive when their land is failing them. Yes, it had the political stuff, but that wasn't the main focus the way it is in other fantasy books. It was much more focused on the character development which I appreciated. 

Also, don't judge Mindy McGinnis' books because they're young adult. A majority of her readers and fans are actually adults. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: character-driven fantasy, shorter fantasy, 
• Trigger Warnings: rape culture (although that theme was not as prevalent as it was in the first book), mental illness, cheating and affairs, violence, harm to animals

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Leah on the Offbeat (Creekwood #2) by Becky Albertalli

• Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
• Format: Hard Cover
• Rating: 4 Stars

With the first book, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda being one of my favorites EVER, it's probably no surprise the sequel, Leah on the Offbeat was one of my most anticipated books of 2018. 

It did not dissapoint!

I loved seeing all of my favorite characters in their senior year preparing for their futures. THE PROM DINNER WAS LITERALLY ONE OF MY DREAMS FULFILLED. I loved how Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was the musical the characters were in because that too was my musical my senior year of high school. I also loved that Leah got to be in the spotlight! (Bi-sexual rep!)

The reason why this book is four stars is because compared to Becky's other two books, I didn't enjoy and relate to this one quite as much. Also, I felt the beginning was a bit scattered, and the ending rushed. However, compared to other books of the same genre I'd give this 4.5-5 stars.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  young adult contemporary, coming out stories, high school seniors thinking about the future, cute/sweet romance, any of Becky's other books.
• Trigger Warnings: racism... and I can't think of any others

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A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J Maas (Re-Read)

• Genre: New Adult Fantasy
• Format: Hard Cover
• Rating: 4 stars

In preparation for the novella coming out May 1st (today!!!!) that is the bridge between the A Court of Thorns and Roses trilogy and the spin-off books, on a whim I decided to re-read the trilogy to catch up. Because apparently I don't have enough Sarah J Maas in my life.

I liked this book more upon my re-read of it than I did the first time. Which, I've learned happens a lot with Maas' books. Not that I don't enjoy them the first time, but for some reason when I go back it's even better. 

That being said, it's a good conclusion to the trilogy and I like where everyone ends up. But at the same time, there could be more. Which is ridiculously vauge, but it's the best way I can describe it. With certain elements it's like Maas goes for something, and then backs off just slightly. Even if it totally rips our hearts out, sometimes I wish she would really GO FOR IT. 

I know... that probably doesn't make any sense. But it's the best I can do at the moment without giving away spoilers. Haha. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  Sarah J Maas' other books, romance, sexy times, fae, war stories, squad goals, a lot of shippable couples, epic and high fantasy
• Trigger Warnings:  war, violence,  not great diverse representation, PTSD, breaking of bones, abusive romantic relationship

What did you all read in April? Anything you think I'd like? Have you read any of these books? If you've read Kushiel's Dart, is it worth my finishing?

Also, if you're buying some books - check out this offer from Barnes and Noble, good May 9-15, 2018!

Take 10% Off Your Order with code YESWAY

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Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. 

March Reading Round-Up

Okay, did March completely fly by for anyone else? Because I felt like I blinked and March disappeared. It wasn't even like I was super busy or anything! Maybe I was too distracted by the 10 books I read this month. Who knows!

Anyway. It was a decent reading month for me. Most of what I read I really enjoyed, but I didn't really have a new book which I FELL IN LOVE WITH either. 

Some notes on how I do wrap ups: I don't include plot summaries because the publisher can summarize them much better than I can. If you want to know the plot summary, I've left an Amazon affiliated link in the book title so you can check it out. I rate books on a 1-5 star scale. (1= worst book ever why did I read this?; 2= did not enjoy; 3= this was good!; 4= I really liked it! 5= OMG LOVED THIS IT'S THE BEST EVER!) For the most part, you're going to see 3-5 star ratings from me and not a lot of negative simply because if I don't like a book, I'm not going to finish it.

Life is too short to read books you don't like, right? Right. 

Let's get to it then and let me know if you've read any of these books and what you read in March!

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

• Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 4 Stars

Reading Sunshine took me way longer to read than I anticipated. Not because it wasn't good, it was just a time issue and I had library books I needed to read first! 

Sunshine was a really unique vampire book. It's one of those that reads more like a traditional fantasy than an urban fantasy, so I would definitely put it more in the same vein as Interview with a Vampire than Chicagoland Vampires. McKinley had a stream of consciousness style which was a great way to be introduced to the world. It felt much more natural than a bunch of random info dumps. But at the same time, it slowed down the pace in some places where something would be happening and the character would go on a tangent in her mind and I'd be all "JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS."

Overall though, I really enjoyed Sunshine. It was magical, mysterious, and made me crave more by the end. (Which, the end was SUPER abrupt.) I wish there was a sequel!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Interview with the Vampire, Robin McKinley's other books, not much romance (some "tension" and the main character does have a BF, but it's not a romance by any means)
• Trigger Warnings: PTSD, kidnapping, blood and gore, violence

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Shadowsong (Wintersong #2) by S. Jae-Jones

• Genre: New Adult Historical Fantasy
• Format: Library Hardcover
• Rating: 3.5 Stars

I was hesitantly excited to read Shadowsong. I read Wintersong last year because S. Jae-Jones (JJ) is a host on one of my favorite podcasts, Pub(lishing) Crawl, and I really wanted to support her book. I liked Wintersong, but didn't LOVE it. Yet, I was curious to see where she would take the characters in the sequel so I picked it up. 

Overall, I enjoyed Shadowsong a bit more than Wintersong. I loved how more of the focus was on her brother and we got to see that relationship, and we saw how Leisel was dealing after the events of the first book. We never think much about what happens to characters after the experience something strange and magical in a fantasy book, so I was glad that was in here. It was very focused inward, vs. outward plot points and dealt more with psychology instead of action. Which is also refreshing for a fantasy novel. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: 
• Trigger Warnings: Depression, Bi-polar disorder, suicidal thoughts

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Paige in Progress (Reluctant Hearts #3) by Brighton Walsh

• Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 4 Stars

Shadowsong ended kind of heavy for me, so I decided to jump into something light and fun and Paige in Progress definitely delivered! Paige was so fun to read about in Tessa Ever After, and it made me excited to read her story next. 

Paige isn't your typical romance heroine where she's inexperienced and insecure around men. She isn't afraid of her sexuality and isn't afraid to show that there's more to her than just blonde hair and a hot body! Then Adam was a great hero and a total romantic - the opposite of Paige! Which made for a fun story. 

Tessa and Jason are still my favorite couple in this trilogy, but I really liked Paige and Adam too!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Alyssa Cole books, falling for the older guy you knew growing up, one night stand turned relationship, more athletic characters
• Trigger Warnings:  promiscuity, one night stands, divorce

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God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire #1) by Kate Locke

• Genre: Urban Fantasy/Steampunk
• Format: Library Hardcover
• Rating: 4 Stars

God Save the Queen is one of the most unique settings I've seen in an urban fantasy/steampunk series. It's inspired by Victorian London, but takes place in an alternate universe modern-day society where the nobility are immortal and the country is run by vampires, goblins, and werewolves. It's a great mix of modern and past, which at times was confusing, but still fun!

There was a bit of a romance, and as the story progressed it came more to the forefront, but the main focus was on the mystery and her relationship with her sister and mentor.I liked how the romance felt a bit more natural than you'll see in other books of this genre. 

It does get pretty gory though. For the most part, I can handle violence in fantasy books. But towards the end when it was the "final showdown" it was really hard to read and I wished it was a TV show or movie so I could close my eyes! 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Gail Carriger novels, urban fantasy, steampunk
• Trigger Warnings: violence, death of parents and siblings, abandonment of parent

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A Princess in Theory (Reluctant Royals #1) by Alyssa Cole

• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Format: Library Mass Market Paperback
• Rating: 4 Stars

I'd been waiting all of February for A Princess in Theory! It just released at the end of the month and I was so excited when my library got it since I enjoyed An Extraordinary Union by the same author so much. 

Some great things about this book was that it featured a woman who was also a scientist, I loved the play on those spam emails about people from other countries needing your information, and the whole secret of him being a prince and she didn't know it.  I also loved when we saw his culture!

Her transition into falling for him could have been a bit smoother though. For a character who is so "anti-love" she fell for him a bit too fast. Which, it's a romance, I get that you're going to have more "insta-love" but it wasn't believable to me. Some people weren't a fan of her best friend, and she was pretty awful. But, I also liked how it felt like a REAL friendship that isn't always perfect. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: romances about royalty, secret identities, women in STEM fields, own voices
• Trigger Warnings: abandonment and death of parents, back story dealing with being a foster child

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The Assassins Blade (Throne of Glass #.01-.05) by Sarah J Maas - Re-read

• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
• Format: hardcover
• Rating: 5 Stars

With the final Throne of Glass book being released in October, I needed to start my final re-read of the series! I'm reading one book a month leading up to the release in chronological order. If this is your first time reading the series, I suggest reading them in this order:

• Throne of Glass
• Crown of Midnight
• Assassin's Blade
• Heir of Fire
• Queen of Shadows
• Empire of Storms
• Tower of Dawn

Honestly though, as long as you read it before Queen of Shadows, and before Empire of Storms for sure, you should be good to go. But, this was how I read them the first time, and I thought it was perfect. At least in my personal opinion. 

This compilation of novellas is actually one of my favorites of the series. It builds on the world so much, we see back stories, and now that I know what happens it's SO FUN to go back knowing how she ties in all of these characters.

Except the end will ALWAYS gut me. EVERY TIME. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: the other Throne of Glass books, assassins, high fantasy
• Trigger Warnings:  violent death of loved ones, sexual assault, violence

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Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels #8) by Illona Andrews

•  Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Format: Library Hardcover
• Rating: 4 Stars

Then it was time for me to jump back into post-magic Atlanta with Kate Daniels! But compared to the previous two books this one was... underwhelming. Don't get me wrong. Kate Daniels at this point will almost always be superior to other books and I always really like them. I had all of the feels, I loved seeing where Kate and Curran and The Pack were after the events of the first book, the monsters and lore were great, the humor was on point, and it was a fun fast read. Just not quite as good as some of the previous books.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  Urban fantasy, alpha male romance, bad-ass female leads
• Trigger Warnings: terrible parents, violence

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Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi

• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
• Format: Hardcover
• Rating: 4.5 Stars

This book was one of my most anticipated of 2018! And I'm not alone in this. I've been hearing so much hype for this book for MONTHS, maybe even years when Adeyemi signed with a publisher. It's a young adult fantasy inspired by West African culture and mythology featuring a total BA character and there's magic, and gods and goddesses, and a slow burn romance, and this big epic plot and world... it's great. 

The only reason I didn't give it a full five stars is because it took me a lot longer to really get into the story than I anticipated. I enjoyed the whole thing, but my focus was kind of all over the place and even though I liked the beginning, I didn't love it.

The end is such a cliffhanger though and I really want to read more!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: epic fantasy, West African culture, multiple POVs, slow burn, political intrigue, magic
• Trigger Warnings: VERY violent, child abuse, violent death of family members, tyrannical political figures

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Our Love Unhinged (Reluctant Hearts #3.5) by Brighton Walsh

• Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 3.5 Stars

After the epic and heartbreaking end of Children of Blood and Bone I needed something quick and fun so... time for another Brighton Walsh book! This is the final book in the Reluctant Hearts series, a novella, and we go back to focusing on Cade and Winter's relationship.

I liked seeing Cade and Winter get their happy ending and seeing where the other characters went. But, it also cemented that they are my least favorite couple in the series. I like them, and root for them. But Tessa and Jasen are definitely my favorite and I wished I could see more of them! Cade and Winter are a tad too co-dependent and insecure for my taste. But again, I never not rooted for them. So... I guess that didn't' ruin my enjoyment of it too much.

There was one moment that bothered me though, where they had a bachelor/bachelorette party and when the girls came back drunk Adam mentioned something about all of the things Paige would want to do and I'm like "UM SHES DRUNK DON'T DO ALL OF THE THINGS SHES SAYING SHE WANTS TO DO."

Beyond that. It was fine. Not my fave of the series, but glad I read it.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: couples where one person is super emotionally closed off, tattooed heroes, weddings, the other Reluctant Hearts books
• Trigger Warnings: implying sleeping with someone when they're drunk, parental abandonment

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A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J Maas - Re-read

• Genre: New Adult Fantasy
• Format: hardcover
• Rating: 4 stars

I have so many unread books on my shelves and on my Kindle app. But... I've been in the mood for this series and it was calling to me and the next book comes out at the beginning of May. So... I gave in and re-read A Court of Thorns and Roses. What's interesting is that I appreciate this first book more upon multiple reads because I see everything Maas is building and preparing for the rest of the series and it's pretty great. 

Also, Sarah J Maas announced on Instagram that a movie is definitely in the works. It's the SUPER early stages. They don't even have a director yet. But still! AHHHHHH. As I was reading I kept on seeing it on the big screen and it could be so EPIC. But some scenes are super violent and disturbing so... I might have to close my eyes sometimes once it does happen. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: epic fantasy, fairy tale retellings, fae, Beauty and the Beast, Tamlin, romance, the heroine rescues the hero
• Trigger Warnings: violence, poverty, hunting, murder, starvation, torture

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Currently Reading:

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J Maas, Re-Read

• Genre: New Adult Fantasy
• Format: hardcover

I wasn't going to keep going with the series right away... but I had a few days left of March and couldn't decide on another book to read so... yeah. 

But this is the best one of the series, so how could I resist?

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: fairy tale retellings, Hades and Persephone, romance, adventure, fantasy
• Trigger Warnings: abusive relationships, violence, torture

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Why Representation in Media Matters (To Me)

It's Saturday night and I hop into my car after seeing the movie, Love, Simon. It's no secret I'm a Becky Albertalli fangirl. I've read the book, Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda five times, have cried over The Upside of Unrequited, pre-ordered Leah on the Offbeat, and I met Becky at YallFest in 2016. (Twice. She follows me on Twitter now and patiently and kindly puts up with all of my flailing.) The movie was all I had hoped it would be. Of course there were a couple of minor tweaks I would have made, but nothing that ruined my enjoyment and appreciation of it. I laughed and cried and one of the best moments was when the theater erupted in applause at the big romantic scene towards the end. Nothing could warm my heart more. 

Thank goodness for friends who don't judge too harshly when a grown woman gushes about her "precious baby Simon" and how she wants to "squish his cheeks and give him a hug." 

As I opened up "Simon's Playlist" on Spotify and drove home, I couldn't help but think about how glad I am this movie and book exists. There are so many kids (and adults) who will, and already, have gotten so much out of it. I think of the friends I've known who are somewhere on the LGTBQIA+ spectrum and how much media like this would have meant to them when we were in high school.

Because while Simon is one of my favorite books and I loved the movie - this story isn't for me. It's for them. I'm so happy they have it.

As I drove, my mind wandered to the books, movies, and TV shows that are for me. The ones that deal with the types of representation which would reflect who I am. I've talked about this topic before and more of my personal reasons for representation in media on my now abandoned YouTube channel. It was in response to a video My Name is Marines made, which was much better done than mine. 

I want to revisit this topic, but here on my blog. My video was fine, but not as good as I want it to be, and I tend to write out my thoughts better than speaking them sometimes. Go figure. 

For a long time, I purposely avoided anything which featured a character who had a disability because whenever I saw any, it was terrible. The character had no depth, all they ever talked or thought about was their disability (sorry, I don't wake up thinking about it every single morning), and they were always this weird-perfect-better than everyone else-someone we should all aspire to be- and only existed to be inspirational-being.

No thanks.

I also never saw a character who had a condition I could fully connect with. They would be blind, or deaf, or permanently in a wheelchair, and I was none of those things. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta which basically means I break my bones a lot and have short stature. (I'm 4'2.) For most of my childhood, I had braces and a walker. Then in jr. high I didn't need braces anymore, but we did get a wheelchair because that was an easier and safer way for me to travel long distances and to carry my books through the school hallways. Even then, I wasn't in it permanently. And none of the characters I saw had short stature the way I did. Then, when shows like Little People, Big World, came out, I was able to connect with them on a certain level. But we have completely different conditions, so it still didn't quite fit the bill.

As I thought about it, I realized it went deeper than this though. Part of me felt I wasn't allowed to enjoy media featuring disabilities. 

My strongest memory stemming to this is from the 1996 summer Olympics. Naturally, all of us kids were excited about it and all summer talked about our favorite Olympians and moments. One day, I was with some of my friends and we were listing our favorite gymnasts. My answer was Kerri Strug. 

The other girls, who were very familiar with my disability and all of my injuries which sent me to the ER several times a year, rolled their eyes and said "you only like her because she got hurt."

Embarrassed, I tried to defend myself by saying that I also thought she was a good gymnast. But it was no use. Already, my opinion was regarded as not valid. 

I wish someone had told me "So what if you only like her because, like you, she's experienced extreme pain but also had to keep going and push through it?" 

Because it's a completely valid reason to admire someone.

Yes, I understand we were in fourth grade and kids can be ridiculous. But, we also can't deny that sometimes what appears to be the smallest things from childhood stick with us for a long time. Even in college my friends would tease me about my love of Snow White, and said it was only because the dwarfs were short like me.

Later in my 4th grade year, I picked up a book called Midnight in the Dollhouse by Marjorie Filley Stover.  It was a novel about a young girl living in post-Civil War time and broke her hip, then during the healing process was confined to her bed for three months. To pass the time, her family got her a set of small dolls and a dollhouse for her to play with. (Of course, the dolls came to life and had adventures.) This book ticked so many boxes for me. I was an avid reader of the American Girl books, so historical fiction was my jam. Then, I loved to play with my dolls and create elaborate stories for them. But on top of it, was a character I could connect to. 

A majority of my childhood was spent with broken bones, having to stay in bed for long periods of time, and needing to find something to do. I remember I was even excited because when the character healed, her left leg ended up being slightly shorter than her right leg. I had the same thing!

While she didn't have the exact same situation as I did, for the first time I had a character I could see myself in. I didn't even realize how much I was craving for a story where I could say "me too!" until I read one.

But, I never tried to seek any more out. Maybe I thought it was a fluke, and for the most part, it kind of has been. Because whenever I did see or read something with a character who had a disability, it wasn't done well.

How awesome it would have been for me to read a book about a kid with braces on their legs. Or now as an adult to read a book about a character with a disability and it doesn't end with them dying, or moaning and groaning about their situation all of the time, or being so perfect and inspirational it's impossible to connect.

Which, we are coming along in that area. But we still have so far to go.

Then, I think about all of the other areas in my life I could see more in media. A big example was when I read The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli. The premise is about a teenage girl who has had 26 crushes, but never a boyfriend. 

As a perpetually single person, this book resonated with me on a deeper level than I had anticipated. She expressed feelings and insecurities I had back then, and even now as an adult, when it comes to relationships I never fully admitted to myself. So often we read stories about people who are in relationships and have had relationships as though it's assumed EVERYONE has had these experiences. I want more stories about the rest of us.

Or, when I read Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit  by Jaye Robin Brown. It was so refreshing to see a book featuring characters who are Christian - but also aren't complete jerks like you usually do. AND it wasn't a "Christian" book either. (Don't even get me started on Christian books.)

Or books about sisters.

And platonic friendships.

 And healthy families. 

It's amazing how even us writers tend to write awful stories about writers. (Example - Rory writing her book in Gilmore Girls:  Year in the Life. I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.) 

Then, there's also the point of that we don't have to be like a character in order to learn from the story. When I go back to Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I think of how much I learned and connected to the book. No, I'm not a gay teenage boy. I have no idea what that's like, I'll never have to come out to my family, or experience someone blackmailing me about my sexuality. But, there were still so many other elements of the book that I could relate to when I was in high school, and I was able to see something from a different point of view. 

That's the beauty of storytelling. We see through someone else's eyes. 

I've been watching a lot of Queer Eye on Netflix lately, and so much of it is about just this. People who are completely different from one another learning from each other. 

There's power in learning and seeing the perspective of someone different than you are.

And there's power in seeing yourself in a story. Just think of all of the black kids right now who are watching Black Panther and feeling empowered by it. Think of all of the women who felt the same when they watched Wonder Woman.

That's why representation matters.

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Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

February Reading Round Up

I hope you all are ready for an avalanche of romance books! Because what else would I read in February?

With Valentines Day and Black History month, I wanted all of my reading focused on either romance or books written by a black author. Bonus points if the book did both! (Because apparently it's a competition with points?)

We can officially say whatever issue I was having at the start of January with my reading focus is completely gone and I've read A TON of books this month! It's been a good time. I think I'm going to throw the whole "read less" goal out the door because reading a ton of books is who I am, and I like it!

Some notes on how I do wrap ups: I don't include plot summaries because the publisher can summarize them much better than I can. If you want to know the plot summary, I've left an Amazon affiliated link in the book title so you can check it out. I rate books on a 1-5 star scale. (1= worst book ever why did I read this?; 2= did not enjoy; 3= this was good!; 4= I really liked it! 5= OMG LOVED THIS IT'S THE BEST EVER!) For the most part, you're going to see 3-5 star ratings from me and not a lot of negative simply because if I don't like a book, I'm not going to finish it.

Life is too short to read books you don't like, right? Right. 

Let's get to it then and let me know if you've read any of these books and what you read in February!

Amethyst (Chase Family Series #1) by Lauren Royal

• Genre: Historical Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 3.5 Stars

In December I read Lauren Royal's novella A Secret Christmas and it was really cute. So, when I found that it was part of a series which all follows the same family line, I thought it would be fun to start from the beginning. 

I liked reading a full length novel by this author to get a better idea of how she usually plots and develops characters. There didn't seem to be a whole lot to the plot and premise, so it could have been condensed to a novella. But, I also didn't feel like it dragged at all. I would have liked a bit more development with the characters though, instead of stretching the plot. I liked the couple a lot, but they also didn't know each other very well and the first half of the book I felt like the tension between them was a bit forced and they'd start kissing and making out and I'd be like "that came from nowhere..." But it got much better as the book went on. 

What I appreciated a lot was that we got to see some of their lives after the "happily ever after" and how they overcame challenges as an established couple. You don't see that very often. 

It was a fun fast read, but not one of my favorites. But I'm still willing to give another book or two in this series a try. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Romance, history, falling in love with someone of a different class/station trope, falling in love but you're betrothed to someone else trope, big loud families
• Trigger Warnings: fire, loss of parents, orphans, on page sexual assault/rape attempt, cheating

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Binti: Home (Binti 2) by Nnedi Okorafor

• Genre: Science Fiction
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 4 stars

This was a great follow-up to the first novella, Binti! In this one, she returns home for her pilgrimage, and learns more about who she is and what she has become as a result of the events in the first novella. 

It was really good and I'm excited to read the third and final book in this trilogy, but it didn't pull me in as much as the first. Still fantastic, though!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: sci-fi, space, unlikely friendships, African inspired, coming of age, navigating changing family ties
• Trigger Warnings:  PTSD

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Wires and Nerve:  Gone Rouge (Wires and Nerve 2) by Marissa Meyer

• Genre: Science Fiction
• Format: Hardcover
• Rating: 3.5 stars

This was a really fun follow-up to Wires and Nerve and I believe it is also the conclusion of Iko's story. I'm glad it was longer than the first one, because we were able to see more of all of our favorite Lunar Chronicles characters and get more into the plot. I felt the first one went a little too quickly! But, I also don't read many graphic novels so I always feel as though they go by fast! 

You definitely need to read The Lunar Chronicles and the first Wires and Nerve book before this one! The first book wraps up what happens in The Lunar Chronicles but you won't get all of the nuances and backstories as much. If I wasn't a Lunar Chronicles fan already, I don't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: graphic novels, cyborgs, romantic comedy, sci-fi, werewolves
• Trigger Warnings:  prejudice

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Size Matters (Perfect Fit #1) by Allison Bliss

• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Format: Library Mass Market Paperback
• Rating: 3.5- 4 stars

Super fun and fast read! I got through this book in only a few hours. It's the first in a new trilogy all focused on heroine's who are plus size. Which, I think is fantastic because women of all shapes and sizes can be beautiful and have amazing love stories! Personally, I think we could have seen more of our main character, Leah, outside of the fact that she was overweight. Her learning to overcome it and get past her insecurities was a big part of the plot, so I understand why the focus was how it was, but at the same time it sometimes felt like it was her whole identity. Looking at the future books in this trilogy though, it doesn't appear as though we'll have the same focus for the other characters which makes me feel better. 

Size Matters definitely took on the vibe of a romantic comedy where there's a lot of miscommunication and situational comedy where the characters get into ridiculous situations and chaos ensues. At first, I didn't mind some of the miscommunication because it was very relateable. How many times do words get twisted around or you're nervous and don't say what you really mean? It happens all of the time! But after awhile, it was simply frustrating. JUST USE YOUR WORDS.

In spite of those things, Size Matters was still really fun. It has it's flaws, but still compelling and enjoyable. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: heroine's who aren't you're typical stick-thin models, situational comedies, romantic comedies, the "be in a fake relationship than fall in love for real" trope. 
• Trigger Warnings:  Fat phobia/hate, critical parents, body image insecurities

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Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

• Genre: Contemporary Young Adult/New Adult Romance, #ownvoices
• Format: Library Hardcover
• Rating: 4 stars 

Let's Talk About Love started out rough for me. I'm not a huge fan of Kann's writing style, and I personally felt you could tell this was a book that had been published because the Internet liked it. (This was from a site called Swoon Reads where people post their manuscripts, people vote on them, and the most popular books get published.) One of the big culprits is her overuse of parenthesis. As someone who also overuses parenthesis, as well as ellipses, I totally get that it was a "voice" and stylistic choice. But at the start of the book it was WAY over the top that even I wasn't a fan. Another reason it was slow for me was because I felt very old when reading it. I could very much tell that while this is a YA, or more of a New Adult book, and a 31 year old is not the target audience. 

Both of these things got better the longer I read, though.

I loved that the main character is both bi and asexual. Both of these types of representation is pretty rare, so I really enjoyed just "listening" to that point of view and learning about it more. I for sure saw how much I still need to learn.

The more I read, the more I enjoyed the friendships and the relationship between our main character and the love interest. They were adorable! 

What's a bummer is that this book is marketed as young adult. It should absolutely be considered new adult. All of the main characters have completed their first year of college or have even graduated college. They have an apartment together and a lot of the story is about paying rent, figuring out the next steps for your future, and dealing with picking a major. People lately have been begging for the new adult genre to go beyond what's considered "trashy" romance novels. As much as I love romance novels, I too would love to see this group of books expand beyond that because it's definitely an age group that needs great books. Books such as Let's Talk About Love for sure fit the bill and I hope we see more of this style.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: contemporary romance, LGTBQIA+ rep, new adult, young adult, stories about college, friendship goals, ownvoices
• Trigger Warnings:  aphobia, creeper guys at parties, mediocre parenting

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Relationship Goals by Christina C. Jones

• Genre: Contemporary Romance Novella, #ownvoices
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 5 stars

THIS NOVELLA WAS SO GOOD.

First of all, it's written by a black author, it's a romance, AND has disability rep because our hero has Sickle Cell Disease. So... that's a win!

One of the things I loved about this novella is how "normal" it felt. When I read YA romance, most of the time (or at least the ones I like the most) feel like real life. I can see these events actually happening in reality and I appreciate the real world and real people more. While I love adult romance, I don't get that vibe. I get more of the "I wish that would happen in real life" vibe. While there's a bit of the over the top romance in Relationship Goals, ultimately I could see this love story actually happening.

There's the social media element, but it's not done in a way that makes your eyes roll the way so many books have it done. They have a long distance relationship, they deal with past mistakes, there's a ton of feminism, and both characters are fantastic.

I loved how they handled his SCD. It was a vital part of who he was, but you for sure did not see him as just the guy with a chronic illness. He was a fully fleshed out character. When he talked about it, I loved how he pointed out the way most people at first aren't phased by it. When he first tells them, it's not a big deal. But when they're faced with the long-term reality of being fatigued easily and how he could randomly go to the hospital at any time, it's a totally different story. These are SO MANY of the thoughts I have too, even though I have a completely different condition.

I was rooting for them from page one and read this in just a few hours. So great!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  romantic comedy, books that feature social media, realistic romance
• Trigger Warnings:  hospital visits, cheating, being lied to in a relationship, a lot of swearing

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Take My Hand (Take My Hand #1) by Nicola Haken

• Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance 
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 3 stars

Usually, I'm not one to complain about covers of books. I love it when a cover is GORGEOUS of course. But when I'm not a fan, I don't care a whole lot. That being said, I really hate the covers  for this series. I think it's mainly because I hate wife beater tank tops and the mix of the American and British flags in the background give me a very "'Merica vibe"... even though a majority of the book takes place in London and the author is also British.

I also want to say, I'm in this series for Rachel. I discovered a blog called Sense and Disability where she reviews romance books which feature characters with disabilities. It's fabulous. She reviewed a book in this series which is about Rachel who has paraplegia.  It looked really good, but it's the third in the series and she said that while it can stand alone you need to read the other books to see how this couple met. Therefore, I started with book one. 

At first, I was very turned off by how the main character, Emily (go figure!), talked about Rachel. The intro paragraph about Rachel was "Rachel is a paraplegic" and hardly any of the characters at first could even talk about her without mentioning the wheelchair. In fact, a character even called her "wheelchair girl" or something along those lines. NO THANK YOU. But, it did get better as the book went on and Rachel is a pretty bad ass character, so I let it slide.

As for the main love story which was about Emily... it was good. I was always rooting for them and liked the progression of the relationship. It's very bad boy meets good girl which can be fun. The hero has a very sordid past, and adds another layer to their relationship that plays a big part. But, they became a little too "I'm going to fix you and I need you to survive" for my taste. Again, I was always rooting for them. It just felt a bit unhealthy for me. 

I also wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. A lot of times the characters would break the fourth wall and talk to the reader which unless you're Zach from Saved by the Bell... no thanks. There also were many times when I got "hetero-normative" vibes. It wasn't shaming LGTBQIA+ or anything, but also didn't sound supportive of it either. While, I get this wasn't an LGBTQIA+ story, if all you're going to do is throw shade at it... don't put it in your book. 

This book was enjoyable, but not a favorite. I was looking at book two and it seems like I might be able to just skip ahead to Rachel's story in book three. If I can, I'm definitely going to go with that and not read the remainder of the series, unless something changes where I'm enjoying it more.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy: bad boy/good girl trope, guys with piercings, a more dramatic romance vs. comedic, books that take place in the UK
• Trigger Warnings:  excessive alcohol use, addiction recovery, loss of parents and siblings, reference to past drug use, reference to past abusive relationships, hetero-normative vibes, a lot of swearing

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Tessa Ever After (Reluctant Hearts #2) by Brighton Walsh

• Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 5 stars

Now this is what I'm talking about! I can't get over how great this couple was. I read the first book in this series, Caged in Winter, and it was good but not a favorite. We meet the couple for Tessa Ever After in Caged in Winter, but you don't have to read the first book to follow what happens in this one. I was a bit hesitant about this couple. I knew I liked Tessa, but the love interest, Jason, I was like "him.. really?"

But it didn't take my long to see why Jason was so great. He had me from the moment he stepped on the page! Jason is the rich guy who wants to get out from under his parents thumb and make his own way (they were very Richard and Emily Gilmore) as well as a notorious play boy. He also is funny, and completely adorable with Tessa's daughter. Going back to the Gilmore Girls references, think Logan with a bit more heart. As one of the only "Team Logan" people in the world - I loved Jason. 

Tessa was an awesome character too. I loved getting to know her and her daughter better, and seeing all that she deals and struggles with as a young single mom. (She's about 22, her daughter is about 3 or 4.) Again, with the Gilmore Girls comparisons, she's kind of like a Lorelai where she makes it out on her own with her daughter at a young age, is honest about how difficult it can be, but still a really strong person. She and Jason were so good for each other, and I can't stop flailing over them.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  single mom meets guy who is good with her kid, player meets good girl, childhood friends turned to lovers, guy falls in love with best friends sister, adorable kids, realistic romance, romantic comedy
• Trigger Warnings:  single mom struggles, awful parents

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An Extraordinary Union (The Royal League #1) by Alyssa Cole

• Genre: #ownvoices Historical Romance
• Format: ebook
• Rating: 5 Stars

I thought Tessa Ever After  was going to be my favorite book of the month. THEN I READ AN EXTRAORDINARY UNION. Just... it was so perfect. I'd heard great things about this book, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. 

First, we have our heroine, Elle who was born into slavery but escaped with her parents as a child and is now a spy for the Union and is undercover at a southern mansion. She's a total bad ass, smart, sassy, educated, and has an incredible photographic memory. I loved learning how she sees the world because most Civil War stories are from the perspective of the swooning Southern belles. Elle was completely fantastic.

Then we have our hero, Malcom, whose family endured hardships in Scotland and he is now a detective for the Union. He was very Jamie Fraser from Outlander, but better, because there wasn't that really warped abuse/manipulation/possessive thing that Jamie has. I found his perspective fascinating too because we see how much he's had to go through in life as well, but still seeing him learn how privileged he was.

I wasn't sure how the author would deal with the dynamics of a bi-racial relationship during this time period, but from my limited perspective and knowledge I thought Cole handled it perfectly. She didn't shy away from the challenges, dealt with the power struggle of their different social classes, and had the characters thoroughly think through the choices they were making. 

On top of a super swoony (and really sexy!) love story, you also have all of the spy and detective elements and the Civil War that took up a lot of the plot!

I'm officially becoming an Alyssa Cole fangirl and I definitely want to read her other books!

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  historical romance, Civil War stories, spies, bi-racial couples
• Trigger Warnings:  depictions of slavery, references to sexual abuse, loss of parent due to suicide, references to war violence

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Glamour in Glass (The Glamourist Histories #2) by Mary Robinette Kowal

• Genre: Historical Fantasy/Romance
• Format: Library Hardcover
• Rating: 4 Stars

This is the second book in The Glamourist Histories which is basically a series that feels like a Jane Austen book but with magic. Awesome, right? 

Because it has a Jane Austen feel, it took me a bit to get used to the writing style since it's very different than the other books I'd been reading in February.  Once I did though, I really enjoyed this book. 

What was really great about it is that since it's the second book in the series, the couple is already married. You don't get to read about already established couples often, and I love seeing them navigate the early stages of marriage. Another thing that was really great about this book is she focused more on the political goings on of the time in this book and went beyond just the parties, balls, and other social aspects of Regency society. 

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  Jane Austen, historical romance, political intrigue, stories about already established couples
• Trigger Warnings:  miscarriage, gunshots

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Sunshine by Robin McKinley

• Genre: Urban/Contemporary Fantasy
• Format: ebook
• Rating: Currently Reading

I first tried this book as an audio because I had a credit from Audible to use. It was the first time I hated the narrator so much I ended up returning the audiobook for a full refund. The main character is in her 20s, but the narrator sounded like a bratty 10year old. But, I learned Audible does do refunds as long as the purchase was within the last year. Sweet!

However, I could tell that the book and writing itself was good and I did own the ebook and switched to that. 

So far, it's significantly better. 

I read a couple Robin McKinnley books when I was younger (particularly, Beauty her Beauty and the Beast retelling) and I remember really enjoying it. I had no idea she had written a vampire book too! It was high time I read this one. Although, it's been slow going. Not because it's not good, but because I had other books I wanted to finish in February. I'll definitly be finishing this one soon though!

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The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy and #ownvoices
• Format: Hardcover
• Rating: 3 stars

I had such high hopes for this book, and I know a ton of people on Goodreads loved it. And rightly so. The writing is lovely, it's an #ownvoices narrative, has a powerful and poignant message about beauty standards, there's tiny teacup animals (adorable!), some awesome throwbacks to the story of Snow White which was really cool, and rich world building. 

The thing is, everyone always mentions in their trigger warnings about the sexual assault scene. Which is good! But, no one talks about how there are several scenes depicting their painful beauty routines and procedures. A large part of the world building is how the Belles can alter your appearance and make you more beautiful, and while you can drink this special tea to dull the pain, it's still painful. These scenes happen nearly every other chapter. Some of them even have characters who go under these procedures unwillingly and are screaming in pain, and one scene they don't even administer the tea. So... basically it's torture. Usually, I can handle violence and such in books without a problem. But when a book talks about breaking bones and really experiencing severe pain the way this book did, it's too much for me because of my own experiences with extreme pain. There were several times I wanted to stop reading the book because of these scenes and they distracted me from the characters and the story. 

If it weren't for that I probably would have enjoyed this book much more. But, this is why I include trigger warnings in my reviews so that other people don't have to go through what I did while reading. 

I fully support this book, and I think there are women and girls who'll really connect with what this book is saying about beauty and culture and will love the story and characters. However, that's not me and I will not be continuing with future books in this series.

• You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  French/New Orleans inspirations, fantasy, commentary on beauty, own voices, adorable tiny pets, awesome friends groups, stories where everyone isn't what they appear, 
• Trigger Warnings:  sexual assault, torture, painful beauty regiments, loss of parent 

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What did you read in February? Have you read any of these books?

For March, it's Women's History Month! I don't have any articular reading goals because I basically read almost all female authors already. But, I'm thinking of sharing some Women's History Month recs on my Instagram throughout March! (@eehornburg and @coffee_book_love_!)

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Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

Cross Country Travels, Dusty Altars, and Steven Moffat - Interview with Indie Author Michelle Winkler

One of my favorite things about writing is getting to know other writers! I find other writers and aspiring authors on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and it's always really exciting when you connect with someone and you become friends. 

I love swapping ideas, getting critiques, and having other writers to share woes and successes with. So, when I Michelle and I started to get to know each other through a Critique Partner matching, it was one of the best things ever!

We swapped novels and I loved hearing her feedback, and I really loved reading her novel, Dust on the Altar which she is currently prepping to be self-published. I can't wait for it to be released so you all can enjoy it too! If you like fantasy, witches, romance, and adventure - you'll LOVE Dust on the Altar too!

When Michelle agreed to do an interview - I was so glad!

 Yes, I know I misspelled Steven Moffat in the picture. I don’t know what I was thinking! I, sorry! Please don’t take away my Whovian status!

Me: What do you write?

Michelle: My favorite genres growing up were Sci-fi and Fantasy, so most of my books will be of that kind. My 5 year plan includes: my first novel which will be book one in a fantasy trilogy, a time travel Sci-fi detective novel, and a memoir of my true life journey across country when I was 20 years old, just for a little something different.

Me: Um... I love that you have a five year plan. I barely have a five day plan! I also love that even within SFF, your genres vary like a time travel detective novel. So cool! And you journeyed across country when you were 20? Did you go by yourself???? Or do I need to wait until the memoir to learn? Haha.

Michelle:  The journey across country was not something I’d recommend to anyone. Hitch-hiking Is very dangerous, to put it mildly, even back in the 1980’s. At the time I was desperate, feeling very nearly suicidal but couldn’t bring myself to actually do that, so this is what I did. A last-ditch effort at life, so to speak. I was by myself and had only $60 and a kitchen steak knife for defense. Yeah, pretty risky. I had angels watching out for me, for sure.

It did all work out in the end though, and I can't wait to tell the story of all the great people I met along the way... and some jerks too. Of course I have to finish Dust on the Altar first and its sequels, if the first sells well. I'm determined that no matter how it sells I'm going to write and publish my journey story anyway, it will just take a few years. Stay tuned. 

Me: That's amazing! I definitely want to read that memoir now. You're so brave!

Me: How long have you been writing?

Michelle: I once found a 5 page story about a mouse who went to the moon to find out it was made of Swiss cheese, written in crayon... so, I’m guessing since about first grade. I don’t remember actually writing it though, so let’s just say I’ve been writing a long time.

Me: That's adorable. My first story was about the same time. It was about a giraffe who had multi-colored spots.

Me: When/why did you decide to pursue writing as a career?

Michelle: This, I’m much more clear about. On November 30, 2015 I amazed myself by winning National Novel Writing Month on my first try. I spent the next year or so debating what to do with the newborn manuscript I had created called Dust on the Altar.  

I had never been happy at a regular job, never stayed at one long, but I had always loved writing. I thought, if I could write books that gave people just a little of the joy I felt as a kid reading books, and could make a living doing it, then I would be happy to do that for the rest of my life.

So, I made the commitment to publish Dust on the Altar. On February 27, 2017, I opened my author Twitter account to start growing my author platform. Almost a year later here I am. I’m still revising DOTA but hoping to make my 2018 release date. We’ll see how well it does. If it sells, then I guess I have a new career. If not, then I’ll keep writing and possibly publishing for fun and those who do like my writing, but I’ll have to find work that does pay.

I’ve learned you should never give up on your dreams, however, you do have to pay your bills in the meantime.

Me: Love it! And I'm really impressed with how much you've been able to get done in just a year. I feel like it takes me AGES to even get a rough draft done, even after NaNoWriMo is over. I also love that you recognize how you can pursue your dreams... but you also have to pay your bills! So many times, people forget that. Just because you have to pay bills and get a "regular" job it doesn't mean that going for your dreams has to stop.

Me: How did you pick between traditional and self-publishing?

Michelle: That was a tough choice and I went back and forth on it several times. I don’t think one is better than the other, and I’m disappointed in the negativity authors seem to have toward each other the issue. There is room for everyone at the table.

There are several reasons I chose to be an independent author, but chief among them was complete control over my book. From the cover to marketing, I decide. I also decide when it will be published or if it will be published at all. By going through traditional publishing I leave all that up to someone else. That has its own advantages, but it doesn't seem right for me at this time. Perhaps in the future. Each author should make that choice for themselves.

Me:  Yeah, I've for sure learned more about the independent publishing industry, even though I'm going for traditional. There's a lot of misconceptions out there about self-published authors. But they are some of the best business minded people I've heard of as I read about it and listen to podcasts. It's really interesting, and I can see why they would choose to go that route. I'm really impatient too, so I can see the appeal of self-publishing for sure. But as you said, it's something each author needs to make for themselves.

Me:  What are some of the unexpected challenges that have come up while writing and publishing?

Michelle:  It’s taking much longer than I thought it would to revise my book. I’ve had to push my release date out twice and may have to again, which is upsetting to me. I’m not a patient person when it comes to myself. On the one hand, I want to have my book done already. On the other hand, I want it to be the best it can be.

Another challenge is having to change in ways I didn’t expect. I’m a very shy person but in order to make your voice heard you need to get out there and make friends in the writing and reader communities long before your book hits the market, otherwise they will say, “Michelle who?” Setting up social media accounts and engaging with them every day, blogging, email lists; all these and more are things I didn’t realize I would have to become comfortable with in order to have a presence ahead of my first book release.

The most surprising thing of all are that all these challenges haven’t scared me away from this career. I should have run screaming back to my cave a long time ago, but instead I have found myself smiling bigger, raising my chin and whispering, “Come on, bring it.”

Me: That's such an awesome attitude to have! I've definitely learned too that no matter if you're traditionally publishing a book, or self-publishing a book, a lot of the audience building and cultivating is the author's responsibility. You really need to put yourself out there. I love that you're not intimidated by it though and you let it motivate you!

Me: What’s the most rewarding thing about writing/publishing so far?

Michelle: Helping others. Every time I learn something new I really enjoy passing that knowledge on to other writers who may be just a few steps behind me on the learning curve. I get the greatest feeling of accomplishment from other writers thanking me for helping them. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn't be where I am without all the people who’ve said they like my writing. The positive feedback I’ve received so far has been the number one factor in deciding to go forward with publishing rather than keep my writing to myself. And I most certainly will cry literal tears for days at my first bad review. However, there’s just something about the feeling I get when someone says I’ve helped them in some way, that makes me smile like nothing else.

In fact, the main focus of my blog is to help new writers through their journey by letting them learn from my mistakes.

Me: I think we're all there with you on the first bad review thing! And YES with helping others! I'm the same way. I just love connecting with other writers (like you) and how we can all help and learn from each other. I have people I've been able to share my knowledge and resources with, and they do the same for me. It's such a great community.

Me:  Where do you get inspiration for your work?

Michelle:  I like to imagine there are bubbles of ideas floating around us all the time. We are constantly running into stray bubble-thoughts of this or that. If we don’t take the idea bubble and do something with it then it continues to float along until someone else grabs it and does something with it. Right?

Being serious, I’m not sure. Sometimes I have a dream. I daydream a lot while I’m driving. The idea for Dust on the Altar came from a daydream while I was driving past a church. I thought, when you hear about a loss of faith you think of religious faith. What if you were a witch and lost your faith in magic? And thus began the questions that grew into a novel.

Other times it will come from a real life experience. I believe it helps if you experience as much as you can in life and keep your mind and eyes open to what’s around you. You never know where your next story idea will come from.

Me: That's so cool where you got the idea for Dust on the Altar! It's really interesting to see where people's ideas come from, and how even with fantasy, so many times the themes and different elements still stem from real life.

Me: What authors inspire you?

Michelle:  In my youth, my mom introduced me to Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Frank Herbert’s epic Dune. I devoured these and more like them by the time I was in 6th grade. It sparked my fascination with the genres I still love today. While I still love the old classics, I find a lack of free time has turned me into a turtle reader and I don’t read as much as I used to.

Most of the books I read now are by new and debut authors. I find them inspiring because while they may have only one or two books out, they show great promise. Two of my favorites so far are Megan Tennant and Jenna Moreci.

Me: I'll have to check out those debut authors!

Me:  What is the first thing you remember writing?

Michelle:  I’ve written countless bits and pieces of things over the years but I’ve never really finished anything until now. Unless you count a Buffy fanfiction series a few years ago. But I didn’t finish the last chapter, so I guess I should count that either.

Anyway, Dust on the Altar is the first novel I’ve ever completed and is currently going through revisions to become my first published work.

I’m overly excited about it because it’s the most complicated, and at over 60,000 words the largest thing I’ve written that I’ve ever completed. It has been toiled over and molded and shaped into the best thing I could possibly make it. I can’t wait to share it with the world and hear back all the good and bad things people have to say about it, so that in 3 years time when asked this same question I can say, “I remember writing my first book.”

Me: Yes fanfiction! So many people get their start writing doing fan fic and I love it!

Me:  What do you like the most about your genre?

Michelle:  One of my favorite quotes by Steven Moffat actually explains what I love best about the Sci-fi and Fantasy genres, more specifically the heroes you find in them. In part, he says, “History books tell us who we used to be, documentaries tell us who we are now, but heroes tell us who we want to be.” Although you may never reach that ideal of the hero, I believe it’s vital to always have it to strive toward.

The other great thing about the two genres is that they can tell us hard truths we don’t want to hear. By setting the scene in a place completely alien to us, with people and situations that we don’t see every day, we can relax and enjoy the entertainment on the surface of the story while between the lines we are learning a lesson about things going on here in our modern day world. It’s like the spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. That lesson stays with us long after we close the book.

Me: I will definitely have to keep that quote from Moffat in mind. That's a good one! And it's so accurate about SFF. People who aren't into those genres I think don't realize must how much truth goes into them.

Me:  Describe your writing process in three words.

Michelle:  Messy. Fun. Typos.

Me:   LOL Definitely relateable right there!

Me:  What are your top three favorite books at the moment?

Michelle:  Like I said, I’ve become very interested in new and debut authors lately, but earlier this year I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman and fell in love with it. I listened to it on Audible over a couple days while painting our new kitchen. It was such an adventure. Of course I love British accents and it helped that the author read it himself. The descriptions were vivid, the plot was interesting, the characters fascinating. It’s one I will love to read again at some point.

Megan Tennant is one of those new authors I mentioned and her debut novel is Aletheia. It’s a dystopian first person account from a woman with no name. I hesitate to say zombie genre, because it’s not zombies. Just read it. It’s so good.

Jenna Moreci has her second novel coming out soon, and by pre-ordering I got to read the first five chapters. I’m totally hooked. It’s called The Saviors Champion.

Me: I love Ocean at the End of the Lane! And those others sound really good too!

Me:  What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Michelle:  I love computer first person shooter games like PlanetSide 2, even though I die constantly, and World of Warcraft. I usually end up playing a supporting role in them like medic or mage. I also am trying to get a veggie and herb garden going, so I can supplement my food and eat better. I dabble with making my own chain-mail jewelry. I love movies and TV… that’s about it I guess.

Me: Chainmail jewelry? That's amazing!

Me:  What have you been watching/listening to lately?

Michelle:  I usually make a separate playlist for each book with songs that remind me of the characters, scenes, or moods in said book, and play it on a loop while I write or edit. Lately however, I discovered a group called Two Steps From Hell and have been playing their album Power of Darkness Anthology non-stop. It’s mostly instrumental music. Very emotional. They’ve written songs for some major blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean and such.

I’ve also been watching a lot of YouTube videos about writing and/or publishing. I usually start with Jenna or Megan and surf through whatever related videos pop up from there. Basically I’m in sponge mode trying to learn all I can about writing and publishing before I launch my first book. It’s been fun so far.

Me: I have some writing playlists that I have on repeat too as I write! I might have to take note of Power of Darkness cause they might have some good mood music for my own work. And I'm all about YouTube videos!

Me: Any online links you'd like to share so we can find you?

Michelle:  I’m on Twitter daily @MWinklerBooks, my writing blog is at michellewinkler.wordpress.com, my Facebook page is at facebook.com/michelle.winkler.397. The debut authors I mentioned are ones I found through Twitter, so you can find them easily on my "following" list.

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Reading, Watching, Listening

I have been feeling particularly lazy the last couple of months. All I want to do when I get home from work is change into sweatpants, make tea, and watch Netflix. I should be writing, building relationships with other writers, making plans with friends, finding new bloggers to follow, etc. 

But nope. Even on my days off and I make all of these grand plans to be SUPER PRODUCTIVE, I end up reading a book and watching TV. Sometimes I'll get out of the house to run errands. 

I blame winter. 

On Thursday, Helene In Between did a "Reading, Watching, and Listening" post, and I thought I'd steal the idea for this week!

Reading

You'll get my usual end of the month reading-round up next week. So, I won't go into too much detail here.

Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal

This is the second book in her Glamourist Histories novels where it's basically Jane Austen with magic. They're so cute and charming and it really feels like I've jumped into an Austen novel. Just you know... they have magic too. 

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

I've heard so many good things about this #ownvoices historical romance that takes place during the Civil War. It's about a former slave who is actually a spy for the Union and can I say YES PLEASE??? Sign me up to read that!

The Sense and Disability Blog

A friend of mine recommended this blog to me and I LOVE it already! She reviews romance books that feature characters who have disabilities. Already I've found two new authors because of this blog and I can't wait to read more! I squeal with excitement every time a new blog post hits my inbox. 

Watching

Winter is perfect for binge watching TV, am I right?

Gilmore Girls

Usually, I like to have a TV show I'm familiar with playing in the background at home while I'm getting other things accomplished. Cleaning, writing, reading, etc. I hate having it too quiet! With a TV show I know well, I don't have to be fully paying attention because I can jump in at any moment and not be lost. That was what Gilmore Girls was SUPPOSED to be after I finished my re-watch of Friends. 

However, I've been legitimately watching it. It's just so charming I can't help myself!

The Marvelous Mrs. Maizel

I know, I'm late to the party! But I finally decided to do an Amazon Prime free trial and this was at the top of my list of things to watch. (Cause you know... same people who created Gilmore Girls...) Everyone has been right in saying how funny and awesome it is!

Riverdale

Only the first season is on Netflix but oh goodness I'm addicted! I love this re-imagining of the classic comic (even though I literally know nothing about the original) and the murder mystery is so compelling. Yes, it's a pretty typical CW teen drama with a dash of murder mystery. But still. SO GOOD. I need season 2 on Netflix immediately because I'm too behind to watch it as it airs on TV.

The Bachelor

Yes, I'm one of those people who watches The Bachelor and The Bachelorette every single week. I just have to know who Arie picks! Even though I know a few weeks after the final rose episode they'll break up. But, one can hope it'll actually last this time... right? 

The Bachelor Winter Games

Judge me all you want. I judge myself. But it's a train wreck you just can't look away from. There's only been one episode and there's so many tears already! Will Ashley FINALLY find love and not be "friend-zoned????" THIS COULD BE HER SEASON! Let's be real- that's the real story behind these Bachelor spin-offs. Is it weird I'm kinda rooting for her in spite of all of the tears? I think it's because I'm secretly like her... but I don't think I cry as much. 

Listening

The Greatest Showman Soundtrack

Like the rest of the world, I've fallen in love with The Greatest Showman. I'm a musical theatre nerd - what can I say? Yes, there are some problematic elements, and yes it's not completely accurate as to how PT Barnum really was and how the circus really was/is, etc. But I've seen the movie twice and it makes me laugh and cry and I get chills and ZAC EFRON and the music is just SO SO GOOD. If you ever need a pick-me-up, this album will definitely put you in good spirits. I also learned that the music goes perfectly while reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Demi Lovato's album Tell Me You Love Me

I've never been a huge fan of Demi Lovato. I've never had anything against her, and when a song of hers comes on the radio I don't turn the station or anything like that. Just, for some reason I never got into her music. But when Tell Me You Love me came out last year I heard someone raving about it and thought I'd check it out.

OH MY GOODNESS now I can't stop. It's awesome inspiration for my Vampire Snow White novel. It's full of girl-power, but also really sexy, but also vulnerable. Just.... aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. How was I not a Demi Lovato fan before now? 

The Snark Squad Podcast

I've been following The Snark Squad blog ever since their early days of commenting on The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High. We have a long-term relationship. Naturally, when they released a podcast I was on it ASAP.

It's PERFECT. 

In fact, their episode about Riverdale was what inspired me to watch the show, and their episode about Star Wars was completely delightful. If you like snark and pop culture, you HAVE to listen. 

What have you been reading/watching/listening to lately? Anything I should check out?