Weekly Reading Update

Finished Reading 

I loved Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas. I think it might be one of my favorites of hers. West is definitely one of her best male characters. Phoebe definitely grew on me and I loved having a book from the perspective of a mother. I also loved the ending so much! I will definitely be writing a spoiler free review for this book! 

I have officially found my least favorite Lisa Kleypas book. Again the Magic was not very sweet and honestly the characters were extremely shallow. The fact that there were two romances happening at once did not give enough room for development for any of them. Aline I thought was the most interesting character, but it did not make up for the 360 degree change in McKenna. I loved young McKenna who was sweet and I also loved his moments of vulnerability, but other than that I found him annoying and honestly mean. When I compare him to that of West as I had just finished reading Devil's Daughter, I realized he was just lacking depth. This book honestly is not necessary to any of the series so I wouldn't recommend it when Lisa Kleypas has so many other amazing books to read. 

I finally finished The Awakening by Kate Chopin and I hated the ending just as much as I hated the rest of the book. I respected the symbolism, but my loathing for just about every character, especially Edna, made getting through the story a horrible journey. I did however realize that one of my favorite short stories, The Story of An Hour, is by Kate Chopin. So I guess I don't hate her writing that much, I must just really dislike her characters!

Currently Reading 

I still have not finished Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout as I am listening to the audiobook and have about a half an hour left. I totally forgot what the ending is so I am very excited to finish it and continue rereading the rest of the series.  

I am about 3/4ths of the way through Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas and it might rival Devil's Daughter as one of my favorites! I love Cam and Amelia and how hilarious her writing is in this book! The romance in this book is so fantastic and I love how original all of the characters are. I am really excited to read the entire series and I find myself relating to Amelia so much!

In my Theory of Knowledge Class we are watching The Hunger Games to learn about ethics. It is really just a way to keep us entertained, but I happen to love the movies and rewatching them had  me itching to reread the books! So after school on Monday I spent the afternoon binging The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I totally forgot how simplistic the writing style is and it is kind of refreshing especially compared to the dense, imagery based books I read in school. I am definitely going to reread the whole series (and probably some fanfiction too!). 

Weekly Reading Update

I have decided to start a new weekly post where I give an update on what I have been reading! Sorry for the lack of activity, school takes up so much of my time. The good news is I have been making lots of progress in my creative writing and one of my novels is up to 17,000 words! I am hoping to be able to post more frequently and since the weather is getting nice maybe I can go take some more beautiful book pictures!

Finished Books

This week I plowed through The Risk by Elle Kennedy. She is one of my guilty pleasure authors because her writing is so entertaining! I have to say I did not like The Risk as much as I liked The Chase because I felt like the plot fell kind of flat. I did really like Brenna's strong personality and I enjoyed having the setting change from Briar to Harvard, but I felt myself wishing more would happen plot wise. It probably didn't help that this book really focused on hockey and I am not really into sports. I would recommend the Briar U series and the series it spun off from, the Off-Campus series to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining New Adult read. And if you love hockey then its a bonus because basically all of the male characters are obsessed with it! 

I also finished Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas this week. I swear I have become obsessed with Lisa Kleypas recently! I love how she recreates history and I have actually learned so much about old England it is kind of crazy. Scandal in Spring was a great book and the Wallflowers series is just so good. I think it may be my favorite series of hers so far. Scandal in Spring I thought was better than Devil In Winter, but oh my gosh It Happened One Autumn was so good! Daisy as a character was so relatable and I loved how this plot actually kept me on my toes! While I do feel like Lisa Kleypas follows a very predictable plot line of characters who don't like each other or are secretly in love with one another are forced together and then fall in love and then something terrible happens proving their feelings for each other, the characters are one of a kind. I would highly recommend reading the Wallflowers series if you love historical fiction and romance and you like having a little bit of humor in your books. 

Currently Reading

I am currently reading Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas (do you maybe sense a theme in my reading recently?). I am loving it so far. I had no idea this would be a Ravenels and Wallflowers crossover! honestly I just started the book so I don't have too many thoughts, but so far it is exactly what I love about the Ravenels and the Wallflowers all wrapped up in a tiny package. The only thing is I don't really like Phoebe that much, but I have a feeling she will grow on me.

I am also rereading Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I love the Lux series and I am actually listening to Obsidian on audiobook. The recording is really good and I had forgotten just how funny Armentrout is in this series. For me the Lux series feels kind of like the vampire diaries (The TV Show because wow were those books mediocre) where it gets very complicated so you honestly cannot remember how it ended, which means rereading is exactly like reading it for the first time! I would highly recommend Obsidian to anyone loves paranormal romance because this book checks off so many boxes by being swoon worthy, creative, unpredictable, humorous, and strong in both plot and character development. 

Due to schoolwork I am also currently reading The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I usually love feminist before their time 1800's-1900's writing, but my goodness this book is hard to get through. I think if I was in the time period the idea of a woman being bored as a wife and mother and pursuing an affair would be shocking (which it was as this book was banned from libraries and critics called it disgusting and horrendous), but unfortunately it is 2019 and the book just moves too slowly. Additionally all of the symbolism works towards one message, which just gets way too repetitive for a book with no plot and only one character with any development. I can understand the point of reading this in school, but I just find myself grasping for any sort of excitement in the book or humor or minor themes other than the one major theme being shoved in my face.

And that concludes my weekly update! Have a great week and happy reading!

Poetry

I have a love hate relationship with poetry. As you can tell from the writing section of this blog (which hopefully you have checked out by now...) I really enjoy writing poetry. It is a fantastic way to share complex emotions and it is very similar to the song writing process which I also adore. Reading poetry however is another story. While I have some lovely memories of pondering the writing of Pablo Neruda, most of my poetry experiences have been ones of annotation and literary analysis. Now do not misunderstand, as I jump for joy every time I get to write an English paper (yes I am a nerd, if you just figured this out then you obviously did not realize you were reading a book blog...), but sometimes I feel lost in the breaking down of poetry. In trying to evaluate how to prove my interpretation of the author's work, I feel like I lose touch with the actual purpose of the poetry. Am I alone in this feeling? Is poetry meant solely for feeling or also for our intense literary analysis?

What are your feelings on poetry anthologies? One poem can be emotionally draining and I have never actually attempted to read several from an anthology, just for fun. Comment with your thoughts on poetry and feel free to share any recommendations. Happy reading!-Becca 

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon Full Review

Spoiler Free Review:

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Similar Books: The Kissing Booth (Girl falls for her best friend's older brother causing general chaos in her life)
Romance, intrigue, drama, humor, and movie making, if you haven’t already picked up From Twinkle with Love just from that sentence, then what are you waiting for? Twinkle has two dreams, to become a famous and impactfull director, and for Neil Roy to acknowledge her existence and fall in love with her. So when Neil’s twin brother Sahil approaches her about making a movie together, Twinkle realizes maybe both of her dreams could come true! But as the movie making progresses, Twinkle finds herself having feelings for the wrong person, and just when it seemed like Neil had noticed her! This book is exactly what a contemporary YA romance novel should be. It has great character development with a totally original story, that provides great entertainment, while still giving exposure to greater world issues. Twinkle is very relatable, and while her drama sometimes feels a little unrealistic, it only adds to the story. I was really impressed by how satisfying the story was, as I am usually left wanting more after a standalone. It takes a lot of talent to effectively wrap up a story and still have it end with a bang. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute contemporary!

Recommended Mindset For Reading 

This is not a book to pick up and put down again! I would set aside a few hours to just read the whole thing because it goes by pretty quickly. If you are in the mood to get into a whole series then this book is not for you because it is fast and its a standalone. If you just want a cute summer read or something to get you out of a reading slump, then I would start reading as soon as possible! This book is pretty PG so if you like romance without all the, well, romance, then this book is for you.  

Reading a Loved Book for a School Assignment

There is nothing that can compare to the joy one feels when they realize they get to read a book they have not only already read, but also love, in school. Unfortunately, that happiness comes crashing down after realizing that your classmates do not share your love, and how difficult it is to stop fangirling and start annotating. Well, I might be exaggerating a little, but still, it sucks to have to take a book you just want to relax with, and have to spend the whole time thinking about its deeper meaning! This is also weird for me, because I actually enjoy thinking about the deeper meaning in books, and I love writing English papers (I know, I might actually be crazy). Currently, I am reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (one of my favorite books of all time) for a school project and I can't help but notice how different my reading habits are. I look forward to reading it, but my annotating is essentially pointing out irony and sarcasm and then writing LOL next to every other line. I mean, I can't help it! That book is just so dang funny! I think it is interesting how we want to think about some books and others, we just want to entertain us. Luckily, absolutely nothing could ruin Jane Austen for me, and I am actually enjoying my project, but I can't help but wonder why we don't want to think academically about the books we love the most. Maybe it is because we are all too busy fantasizing about Mr. Darcy! Happy Reading! -Becca 

Books to Read When You Are Super Busy

Being busy is great until you realize that you have no time to read. And even when you do have time to read, you don't want to start a new book, only to have to put it back down. For me, throughout the school year is usually when I reread books because that way I am easily able to put it down. I also have some books that I just always read when I am busy because they calm me down. I hope that my recommendations help all of you busy people out and for those of you who aren't busy (I hate you) then these are just great books in general!

1. Basically My Only Reason To Live

Ah The Selection. What can I say, I really freaking love this book. Just glancing at the cover will calm me down. The other day, I was talking with one my friends in English class who loves this book and the feeling of just needing to reread The Selection crashed over me. I have this little ritual where I read books before bed and I usually rotate between easy, comforting rereads. So for about two weeks I read The Selection before bed every night and it was amazing. The Selection fits on so many of my book recommendation lists and I feel like I am cheating you guys out of new recommendations. Oh well, no one has complained yet, so I am just going to keep on including it. Back on topic, The Selection is great for when you are busy because while you will get sucked in, it is also very easy to put down and pick back up again. Also, it isn't scary or action pack, so you can easily fit in small portions of reading it before bed and in between work or classes. I would however recommend getting a hard cover copy because my soft cover is totally destroyed from reading it so many times! 

Fun Fact:
This is one of the first pictures I ever
took of books!

The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Other Posts Related To This Book: They Say the Sequel is Never as Good as the First 
Similar Books: Shatter Me (a girl with crazy powers fights against a crazy government and somehow finds the time to fall in love) Matched (Girl matched with her true love fights against yet another crazy government. Click here for spoiler free review!  )
Spoiler Free Review:
Kiera Cass brings a whole new story full of romance and fierce competition set in a dystopian world that readers won't be able to get enough of in The Selection. America is happy with her meager life as a five. She has her family, her music, and her secret boyfriend Aspen, who it seems might pop the question soon. So when an application for the selection shows up on her doorstep, there is no way she is going to jeopardize her happiness for the tiny chance of becoming the uptight Prince Maxon's plaything and the Princess of her country. When a course of events causes her to sign up, America is astonished to find she has been selected. Upon arriving at the castle, America has her heart set on going home, but the palace and the people in it, are not what she expects and she soon finds comfort in the arms of the last person she would have ever thought to look to. The Selection is one of my all time favorite books. I love the world that Kiera Cass has built and the characters she has brought to life. America Singer may be one of my least favorite characters in all the books I have read, but I love her for it! The romance in this book is so agonizing, as what is very obvious to the readers takes its time to appear to America. The plot in this book is very well done and works really well throughout the whole series. The character development is just so fantastic as we get growth from both major and minor characters that feels realistic and relatable. While the world is a little confusing at first, it is well explained and all questions are answered. An added bonus to Kiera Cass's writing is the witty humor she weaves throughout her stories! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romance and science fiction!

2. I Really Shouldn't Have to Remind you About This Book

Um yeah. Harry Potter rocks. Enough said. Just kidding, I could never be that brief about books! Harry Potter is great for when you are busy because most of us already know the story, so we can pick it up or put it down as needed. Also, there is a crap ton of Harry Potter fanfiction, so once you finish reading it, just hit up the fanfiction and continue the story. The only issue with Harry Potter is if I read it before bed it gives me really weird dreams, but that might just be me!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
My rating:❤❤❤❤❤
Other Posts Related to this Book: Middle Grade Must Reads
Similar Books: Umm the rest of the series?
Spoiler Free Review:
If you haven't heard about Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling yet then you must be living under a rock! Harry Potter is miserable living at his Aunt and Uncle's house, where they treat him like a second class citizen. All he wishes is for his parents to have never died in the car crash that left him an orphan with a horrible lightning shaped scar. When unexplained things start to happen around Harry and a bunch of very resilient owls carrying letters arrive, Harry learns that he, and his family, are not quite as normal they seem. Harry is not only a wizard, but an extremely famous one at that, and before he knows it, he is being shipped off to Hogwarts, the magical boarding school for wizards. But when trouble starts to brew at Hogwarts, Harry must rely on his newly made friends to help him save the whole magical world. I love this book, which places me in the majority of readers! Harry Potter was a large part in starting the YA movement and genre, which is something I am extremely grateful for! The best part of these books is of course, the interesting plotline and the fantastic world that has been built. The writing itself is not difficult to read and the idea of good versus evil is nothing new, but the way the books are written is so entertaining that it makes you want to place it in the genius category. Perfect for readers of all ages, but I would recommend starting it when you are younger so you can be the same age as Harry. I never got that experience, but people who did said it made the books even better!

3. Everyone who hated this book now spend their time hating 50 Shades of Grey

It is amazing to me how many people hate Twilight without having ever read it. I really enjoyed Twilight just because it was very entertaining. Sometimes, we need a light read that is enjoyable, not complicated, and has a little bit of everything. For this reason Twilight, and the whole series, is great to read for when you are busy. You could easily pick it up, and put it back down, and just read it for 15 minutes a day. It is a great book for reading right before bed because the chapters tend to have nice ending points that work in around 15 to 20 minutes of reading. If you are a first time reader of Twilight, chances are you think you already know everything about the book due to spoilers, and I can tell you, it is a pleasant surprise to read it and find there are things the haters have left out. If you are a constant rereader, like myself, it is so easy to just pick this up and read it for a short while and then put it down and pick it up a month later. And if you find yourself hating it, then stop reading it and pick up one of the many other books on this list!

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Similar Books: Vampire Academy (Hot vampires and badass women fight the evil vampires) Bloodlines (Hot alchemists and badass women fight the evil vampires and other assorted evil beings. Click here for my spoiler free review!) 
Spoiler Free Review:
Love, hate, blood, vampires, hot people, a tiny, rainy town in Washington, and a perpetual klutz, what more could you want in a romance novel? Bella Swan has elected to leave her sunny home in Arizona for the rain and cold of Forks, Washington, to live with her father. The transition is just as horrible as she had imagined, made even worse by the mean, frightening, and stunningly beautiful Edward Cullen. As much as she tries to avoid him, Bella is drawn to Edward and his secrets-secrets that might just kill her. Lets face it, this book is not profound and it is not going to teach you anything. People like to scream how worthless it is at the top of their lungs. Well guess what? Twilight is not supposed to be profound, it is supposed to be entertaining. And oh boy is it entertaining! I first read Twilight in 7th grade and I could not put it down. I am being literal, I was in a play at the time and I would say my lines and sit on stage reading, which drove my teacher nuts! The plot is engaging and while slightly predictable (especially if you don't live under rock and have heard what happens), it doesn't make it any less interesting. The writing itself is not bad actually and the descriptive imagery is great. If you like vampires and you want something fun, pick this up!

4. And You Thought I Wouldn't have a Cassandra Clare Book on this List?

Honestly you can substitute any book in the Mortal Instruments series on this list. While I usually try and read them all in one sitting, I have found it is pretty easy to read them in small increments whenever you need a pick me up. I also love to put on the audiobook version of City of Glass or any of the Infernal Devices books while I am cleaning, because all of the fighting and action makes me appreciate the fact that all I have to do is clean instead of fight demons!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Other Posts Related to this Book: Jace the Perpetual Damsel in distress , Spoiler Free Reviews for the Whole Mortal Instruments Series!
Similar Books: Other Cassandra Clare books! (and yes, you should read them all!)
Spoiler Free Review:
Readers will be whisked away into a new world of good vs evil in City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. 15 year old Clary Fray has had as typical of a life as you can ask for. Her overprotective mother makes her life difficult and her best friend Simon makes it easier. Then all in one fatefull night; she witnesses a murder she can't explain, her mother goes missing and she is thrown into the world of Shadowhunters, the mysterious guardians of humans from demons. With the help of an inscrutable and gorgeous shadowhunter named Jace and his gaggle of friends, Clary starts the adventure of a lifetime that will uncover all kinds of things about her past. Cassandra Clare takes old mythology to a new level in this book, creating a very interesting read. The characters in this book have great dimension and connections that keep readers intrigued and guessing for the whole novel. The plot of this novel and the foreshadowing into the past is so wonderfully confusing that it makes for such an amazing read. One of the best things about Cassandra Clare's writing is the easy going humor that so many fantasy and romance novels are lacking. I would say that Cassandra Clare is my favorite author of all time and the Mortal Instruments series is so fantastic! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone! If you find that City of Bones is a little slow, stick with it! The books get much, much better as they progress. Happy reading.

Fanfiction, the reason why my imagination no longer has a purpose

Fanfiction is a hotly debated topic nowadays. Is it good? Is it bad? Does it constitute plagiarism? Honestly, these are hard questions to answer. I love fanfiction. It gets hard waiting for that next Cassandra Clare book and sometimes I just want Clary and Jace to go on an adventure that may have never been written! Of course you lose the amazing writing of the author, but the characters still get to live on. But what happens when you read fanfiction for a series that you assumed was finished, but then another book gets published years later? This happened to me on two occasions. First with the Alienated series which I love to pieces. Melissa Landers had told her fans there was more coming, but she only had a book deal for the first two in the series. I didn't know how long I would have to wait before the next book would come out so I read a lot of fanfiction about it. Then the lovely United was published. While the book was still great, I felt kind of let down and I never ended up finishing it. I think this was in part due to the fanfiction I read. I don't regret reading fanfiction because a couple of them were really good, but  I wish it hadn't altered my reading experience. Now flashforeward to today, or I guess last week. I'm currently reading Restore Me, the amazing and totally unexpected fourth book in the Shatter Me series. Tahereh Mafi is one of my favorite authors and her writing is so unique and original and explores important topics without losing any quality in entertainment and writing style. She is also one of the best YA authors at incorporating humor into her Dystopian world. The last book in the series (or so I thought) came out in 2014. Ignite me still stands as one of my all time favorite books that I can continue to reread and never get tired of. It is really only beat by The Selection, Eclipse, and the entire Harry Potter series. Restore Me came out this year (2018). After four years and an ending that was honestly perfectly done, readers had no reason to assume another book (and two others after this!) were coming. I have read all of the good (and plenty of the bad too) Shatter Me fanfiction. This has had absolutely no effect on my reading experience with Restore Me. Now, why did fanfiction effect one book, but not the other? Its all about ambiguity my friends. Not only is ambiguity a great literary device to include during the reading experience, its also prefect to keep readers guessing for the next book. While I couldn't predict the exact plot of United, the generic plot arc and characters feelings were very easy to guess. Sure it was satisfying to have the characters do exactly what we want them too, but it wasn't enough and that is why I couldn't finish the book. I essentially already know how it ends because all of the other books have a race against the clock plot line as well. Now Tahereh Mafi knows how to keep readers on their toes. I have only been able to predict one thing in her books, which is that (cover eyes for spoilers!!!!) Warner would also be able to touch Juliette. Everything else is a complete surprise. I have not finished Restore me yet, but it is nothing like the fanfiction or my imagination, but all in a very good way. It is so much better to still be excited by the book because you can't already guess the story. No matter how predictable the bad jokes Kenji makes are, the rest of the book isn't something some random fanfiction writer could easily predict. So what does all of this mean? If you want to read fanfiction, go for it, but think about this warning first. Does the author of the book tend to write predictable stories? Are more books coming out soon? Do you hate reading about characters when the writing style is not similar to the author? If you answered yes to these questions then I would suggest passing on fanfiction for that book and picking up some good Harry Potter or Twilight fanfiction. Here is a link to Buzfeed's compilation of the best Harry Potter fanfiction (which I totally agree with. I have read a bunch of them and they were all really good!) Or even better? Just pick up a different book. I tend to read fanfiction when I am in a reading slump and I can't find the motivation to pick up another book. Instead of fanfiction maybe try reading something varied and super short like webcomics (try the app line webtoon, it is really great I promise!) or try listening to an audiobook or a podcast (remember to check out After School Club Podcast, link in About Me!). Overall, fanfiction is definitely a personal decision. The most important thing is to never compare the  author to the fanfiction, they have to be separate things.
Happy Reading!

Becca's Crazemazing No Bake Dairy Free Chocolate Cheese Cake!

The other day I was having a very stressful week and I had been watching a lot of Golden Girls and I was craving some cheese cake. I unfortunately had not had cheesecake in over a year due to my severe lactose intolerance. I looked in the fridge and it hit me, why not make my own no bake dairy free cheese cake? I had an abundance of dairy free sour cream and cream cheese from making dairy free blintzes and I have to have watched over a 100 no bake cheese cake videos from Tastemade and Tasty so I thought I would give it a shot. I just threw together some ingredients and went for it and boy was I surprised when it actually tasted like cheese cake. And no, not the horrible vegan cheesecake that vegans have deluded themselves into thinking is good, but actually tastes good! (Probably because of my secret ingredient) Fair warning, this recipe is an approximation of what I made and you will probably need to adjust the amount of ingredients to your taste. I like my cheesecake really sweet, some don't. Also, I like my graham cracker crust almost falling apart so you will probably want to add more butter than I do. Finally, most dairy free cream cheese and sour cream brands suck and taste absolutely horrible. I would use the brands I recommend or ones you already know taste good (or at least good with a crap ton of sugar added to them). I can in no way guarantee that this will taste good with other brands, so proceed with caution. So without further ado, here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 6 oz dairy free sour cream (I use Tofutti better than sour cream) 
• 8 oz dairy free cream cheese (I use follow your heart)
• around 2 cups dairy free semi sweet chocolate chips, melted (I like chocolate dream, but enjoy life is also good)
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract (or accidentally dump in half the bottle and then have to dump out most of it like I do) 
• 2 packets Knox unflavored gelatin (I am guessing around 3-4 tablespoons)
• around a cup of water, hot (This is just to mix with the gelatin, so as little as possible to still fully dissolve the gelatin is best)
•  3/4 cup sugar (I would start with 1/2 cup and then add more to taste)
• 1/2 cup Hershey chocolate syrup (my secret ingredient! I would say this is more to taste depending on how chocolaty you like your cheesecake) 
• 1 sleeve of graham crackers, crushed 
• 4 Tbs vegan butter, melted (I love earth balance, it is by far the best vegan butter) 

Directions:

1. Melt your butter and crush your graham crackers. You can use a food processor and then add the butter to the crushed crackers and mix them together in that. I happen to love smashing the crackers with a rolling pin. Either way you want a wet sand texture that will hold together. Press this mixture into your pan. I used a pie tin, you can use whatever you want. 
2. Whip together your sour cream and cream cheese until well combined.
3. Heat up your water and add the gelatin. Try and get it as dissolved as possible. If parts are not mixing then either add more water or don't add those parts. Add this to the mixing bowl
4. Melt your chocolate and add it to the mixing bowl. Add in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt if you desire.
5. Mix until well combined. Taste your mixture. Add in your sugar until it is the sweetness level you like. Don't over sweeten because the Hershey's syrup will be sweet as well.
6. Mix in the sugar and add in Hershey's syrup, tasting to get the desired chocolatyness. Mix until everything is combined. 
7. Put in the pie tin and spread evenly. Add shaved chocolate, chocolate ganache, or maybe some crushed Oreos. Get creative with it! I have a feeling whipped cream would probably taste good. 
8. Let set for at least 30 min in the fridge. mine set really quickly, but just wait long enough to get that delicious cheesecake texture.
9. Grab your book and piece of cheesecake and enjoy! 

Recommended Reading to Pair with Recipe 

Now I know most people don't just sit down and read the Great Gatsby, but they really should. While it isn't an easy read, this cheesecake will give you a taste of the decadence and high life of Gatsby's parties. Just don't get caught up in the book and eat the whole cake!

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
My rating: ❤❤❤❤

The Great Gatsby explores a world of money, love, drama, and mystery. Nick Carraway has moved to New York to pursue being a stock broker when he moves in next door to the mysterious Jay Gatsby. Everything about Gatsby seems fake, yet Nick can't stay away. When he finds out there is a history between Gatsby and his cousin Daisy, Nick is pulled into a crazy affair and a course of events that leave you asking why. I read this book in English class (not surprising) and I loved it! The imagery and metaphors are fantastic and the plot is some how slow and fast at the same time. The irony and sarcasm are amazing. This book is a classic and I think that a lot of teenagers have a hard time relating to it. I find that the story itself can be a little confusing as the writing is complex. This book definitely inspires deep thought and immerses you in the story. This is not a fast read, but it is an enjoyable one. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, though I think adults get a lot more out of it than teenagers.

Battle of the Books: The Epic Battle

In my school district we have this reading competition called battle of the books. I do not think this exists any where else, so boy am I glad that we have it. Essentially, you read around 10 books over a two-three month period and then you answer crazy detailed questions about the books. An example would be like, in which book do characters have to think about a clock? Then you pick which book out of the 10 this would happen. (The answer to this one is Eye of Minds). So yeah, its difficult. Well my team of lovely ladies are our school champions and we made it to semi finals at the district battle. (I know very impressive, especially considering we never finished reading all of the books!) I thought I would share some of the fun we had by sharing my reviews of the books we read. I did not finish all of the books because I was way too busy so a review of These Shallow Graves will hopefully come soon. Other books that I had already read that were part of the battle were Everything Everything, 1984, and the Red Queen, but I had not read them recently enough to give a good review. Happy Reading!

1. Yes, the Book Title is Cheesily Mentioned in the Book Several Times 

This book was one of my favorites that I read for battle of the books. Unfortunately, I was not very good at answering questions about it because so much happens over the course of the book. One thing this book severely lacked was humor (as I find with many thrillers or action packed books. They can't all be Sara J Mass or Cassandra Clare). Also, if you know how to code, this book will bug you because it makes it look like hacking is extremely easy, so be warned. Do not read this book if you want something to keep coming back to over a month, it won't be as good as just powering through and reading it all in one week. 

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei
My rating: ❤❤❤❤
Similar books: Diplomatic Immunity (I don't know why it just feels similar. If you want a little bit a mystery, an interesting main character, and a whole lot of romance try this)
The Fixer (Also about the government, warning, the beginning was so bland I could not keep reading)

Kidnapping, hacking into complex technology, the fate of the world at stake, and a fast paced look at the US government, what more could you want from a book? (Romance of course, but guess what, this book has that too!) Addie Webster was kidnapped eight years ago, leaving her family, her best friend, and her country mourning her loss. Now her father, Mark Webster is the President of the United States and is desperately trying o fight against cyber terrorists. After tragedy strikes, Addie is suddenly returned, seeming to be the same lost little girl she had been eight years previously. But nothing is the way it seems and when the secrets start pouring out, the fate of the entire country becomes placed in Addie's hands. When I saw the cover of this book, I immediately assumed it was some historical fiction war novel that I had no interest in reading. When I actually looked at the back cover and read the synopsis I almost jumped for joy. This book hits all my book wants with a thrilling plot, tons of secrets, a little romance (I wish there was a bit more), and a contemporary setting that still feels adventurous. I also happen to love books with a political theme to them because I love government (might be why I hope to be a judge some day). I had three issues with this book. First, the characterization of Addie was done in a way that was meant to keep you asking questions about her secrets, but it wasn't pulled off. The author either needed to be more ambiguous or give Addie a slightly more relatable and believable personality, because she feels very robotic and fake. Second, the point of view was constantly changing up and we would get information from an unnamed character or the main character, or some minor character. Now this when done right (cough cough Cassandra Clare) can be a really great way to tell a story, especially if it is a series and we get lots of time for characterization of our main character. This book is a standalone and this style resulted in a lot of confusion and missed opportunities for us to relate to Addie more. Finally, while the book had a lot of twists and turns, the areas that were meant to be big shockers were easily predictable, and that made them big disappointments. There were too many hints about what was coming and that made the book a lot less enjoyable. Overall, this book was super entertaining and a fast read. I gave it four stars because despite its faults, the author got their message across and created a very enjoyable read. I would recommend this if you are in a reading slump and need a fast paced standalone to get you back in the reading mood.

Quick Update!

Sorry guys no post today. I am so busy and I have the PSAT and homecoming on the same day in a week so sadly I have no time to write. Of course this makes me sad as I love writing, but sometimes school has to come first. I hope you all have great weeks and just to let you know, I will most likely not be able to post on Thursday either. I am super busy, so I will see you all next week with hopefully an extremely long post! Love you all and happy reading! -Becca

Who Am I?

I have a fun game for you all! As I have been super busy this week (Four tests!) I decided to post a poem I wrote about a famous author for Night of the Notables in eighth grade. I love this poem and if you know me well enough you might be able to guess the author without even reading the poem! Comment your guesses and on Monday I will reveal the subject of my poem! Happy reading!

I am known as a writer

Unusual in my time

But my novels are still famous

I wrote only six before I died

I lived with my family

My sister Cassandra my best friend

My father encouraged me to read and write

Where in other houses this would offend

They say I was funny

With a humor quite subtle

I was a woman very wordy

Always prepared in arguments with rebuttal

My books are romantic

Ironic I must say

For I never married

And I was happy that way

Incorporated in my works

Because it is my style

Realism, irony, and social commentary

Make reading them worthwhile

Two of my novels

Have titles quite alike

With and’s in the middle

And identical first letters of the two words left behind

Even though I died

In Winchester at only 41

My legacy lives on in classic novels

And eager readers who are young

So one last clue

If you still are not able to guess

My last name relates to cities of Texas

Which when I lived did not exist  

AHHHHHHHH-That Moment When You Realize That You Are in a Reading Slump

Guys I'm scared. I finished zero books for all of September. I have a strong urge to curl up into fetal position and rock back and forth or hide under the table. I don't remember the last time this has happened. I know why I didn't read anything, this was the first month of school for me. I have two jobs and the PSAT/homecoming (Both are on the same day this year because they hate us) in less than two weeks. I am taking five IB (international baccalaureate and if you don't know what that is think of AP both with extra self-reflective assignments and a zero hour class) classes. I also have debate twice a week (supposed to be three times a week, but I have to work on one of the days). Now add in football games that I decided to start going to, hanging out with my friends every weekend in an attempt to be more social, and two blog posts a week and playing music and cooking. I have no time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, okay. I have time. I have time, but instead of reading, I am always too tired and I decide to watch Netflix. This is sad. This is really sad. I am in a reading slump. I haven't been in a slump in so long! I have all these books that I boast are cures for reading slumps and I can't even stand to look at them! Okay I know what I need to do. Finish this blog post and turn off Netflix (which is playing in the background right now because I am an addict) and pick up The Selection. I think part of the problem is that I have all of these books for review and I am trying to read them in order of when I promised I would have them finished by (I am like way overdue because of school, but authors have been warned so...) and I am so not enjoying some of them. A couple of them are great, but I really need to finish the others so it is totally bringing me down. Okay I should go. I really need to read The Selection and try to get out of my slump. Goodbye all. Happy reading!-Becca

Book Relationship Fails versus Real Relationship Fails: the Scary Similarities

So for those of you who don't know, I have a fourteen year old sister, who I love more than anything else in the world. One of the best things about her is the sheer number of inane acts she does, that happen to be hilariously entertaining. Four days ago she announced that she now has a boyfriend who lives in a city around an hour and 30 minutes away from here. They have never met each other and have only known each other through friends at camp and Snapchat. Sound like a YA romance novel yet? It gets better, today she came home to tell me that as she was walking with her friend at school and witnessed him get punched twice in the face. She then decided to break up with her boyfriend due to the distance between here and the place where he lives. Now let us compare this with a YA romance novel. We have the online romance aspect as seen in Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithian and John Green, Simon versus the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli , and Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon. You get your short romance like that of November 9 by Colleen Hoover and The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. Crazy violence from like every book ever as well as crazy teenagers, which is basically the definition if a YA book. So my sister is basically a YA novel, which is great because I am currently writing a YA novel and I am basing so much stuff on her. Also beware future debate opponents because the hilarious things you say in round will go into my book! Anyways speaking of debate I need (Meaning I want to really badly because I honestly love it) to work on my dramatic interpretation so I have to end this post. Love you all and happy reading! -Becca
   

Terrific Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut Soup)

I am so sorry for not posting on Wednesday! I have been extremely busy and sick as well as my homework load has tripled from last year. So I did not have any time to write a blog post and I did not want to post a draft and have it be bad. I figured it would be better to just wait and post something way better. So in honor of me being sick here is a delicious Tom Kha Gai (or Thai Coconut Soup) recipe. The original recipe is delicious and can be found at http://pin.it/DmmYiq3 by the food blogger Carls Bad Cravings. I did change the recipe to better fit my own tastes and so it would taste more like the version I get at my local Thai food place. Also here are some added benefits to this recipe, it can easily be made vegan, vegetarian, or paleo. It is already gluten free and dairy free! This is great for when you are sick because it will completely clear out your sinuses and definitely will improve your mood. Plus when you are sick it can be hard to taste, but this soup is so flavorful that it will overcome those horrible flu symptoms! Please enjoy and make sure to comment your thoughts and opinions!

Trying to Promote one's Book Blog

Lately I have been trying to promote my blog a little bit more than usual. While writing for only 20 people is fine with me it would be great to share my love of books (and cooking!) with a slightly larger group of people. Well I suck at promoting things because I have no desire to force anyone to subscribe or install some sort of thing where you can only view my full post if you share it, because that is just mean. As I was researching for friendly ways to promote your blog, I found that Pinterest can be a great way to share your blog. I of course, am kicking myself for not thinking of this earlier. I exclusively find my recipes and cooking blogs on Pinterest, but I had not put two and two together of sharing my blog on Pinterest. I had some of my posts up, but with no descriptions and terrible pictures. Now I am going through each post, creating a Pinterest friendly picture with the title of the post on it, and adding it to my posts before posting to Pinterest. I have a few posts up because it takes forever to edit the pics so they look fantastic, but just hang in there every one! I am a total Pinterest addict and I am hoping you guys are too, because I need you all to go add me on Pinterest this very moment! If you want to see what I like outside of book reviews and if you want to see all of my favorite recipes that I didn't create go follow me! Also make sure if you love this blog to repin your favorite blog posts!!!!! This will help my blog grow and allow me to continue to post knowing someone outside of my family is reading these posts! Just remember, I am doing this because I love books and I want to share my love of books, not because I want to make money (because I am definitely not making money!) or because I want to get famous (blogging would be the worst way to get famous! If I wanted to be a star I would be on youtube!). Sharing my blog posts is just sharing the love, which is great! So click that link below and follow me on Pinterest! Have a great Monday and happy reading!
Follow Me!

Sometimes I Wish for a Little Calm in My Life

Sometimes I wish for a little calm in my life

Its ironic though

The girl who does nothing

Wanting peace

They used to call me the most flirtatious

Vivacious, loquacious

Now to them

I’m just a nerd

But I’m more than that word

I’m curvaceous, courageous

Still definitely loquacious

About my voracious reading

Why is it that I do nothing for fun

In their eyes

Reading and writing

Are just for school

Why do I still crave their acceptance

I’ll ignore my friends

Just for a short conversation

With someone “normal”

Why can’t I ask questions

About our discussions

Why is it weird

To have something clarified

Why can’t I have goals

And be confident

In achieving them

Without being considered arrogant

I just want to get to know someone

Be there for them

And truly understand that

They will be there for me too

And I know that life isn’t a romance novel

But sometimes I wish it was

Where the bossy, intelligent, beautiful, nerd

Finally feels like she fits in

And no my life isn’t terrible

In fact it's pretty damn great

Yet I feel as though I hold the whole world on my shoulders

Without any help bearing the weight

Sometimes I wish for a little calm in my life

A little lull where all makes sense

Where I don’t have to prove anything

Yes I know it's ironic right  

Amazing Book Series I Need to Finish Reading Part 2

There are a lot of book series I need to finish reading! You guys really seemed to enjoy my last post about it so I decided to make a part two! (and a part three, four, and five) For those of you who have been asking for my TBR lists for each month, this kind of serves as my TBR list. I hate to be boxed in to a set of books that I have to read with a time limit because it starts to feel like homework. This is why I only take a small amount of books for review at a time otherwise I never get to read books I pick and my blog stops feeling fun and starts stressing me out. For those of you who don't know, this blog is a way for me to share my feelings on books. It is entirely for fun. I don't have adds because I am not trying to make money. This is why I am not obsessed with follower count or having a large reach because as long as at least one person is reading this blog, then I am successful. Receiving books for review is just an amazing added bonus to this fantastic hobby. So because this is a hobby the most amount of deadlines I am going to put on myself is getting up reviews for authors who sent me their books in a reasonable amount of time and posting twice a week. (or every other day in the summer) This is especially important now that school has started for me. I have only had three days of school and I already have lots of homework so my blog is a way to totally decompress and do something I love. It is a good thing too, because my friends were getting really sick of hearing my very confusing book reviews on books they haven't read at 7:00 AM before school!(Though I miss this and I won't have a chance to do it again now that I am taking a zero hour class that starts at 6:45 AM!) Getting back to the matter at hand, I make these lists of books I have not finished instead of making a TBR list and it creates a better outcome for myself. If you really need a TBR list from me then I am going to say all books that look interesting to me in the world! Now time for some spoiler free reviews!

1. Talk About a Kickass Pageant Girl!

I honestly have no idea why I haven't finished this series yet. I love Rachel Hawkins and I own the last book, but for some reason I can't bring myself to read it! I guess the only thing I can say is that you know this series is good because even though Rachel Hawkins is one of my favorite authors, (I freaking love Hex Hall) when I read this book and fell in love with it, I did not see that she was the author! So I don't just love this book because I will read anything the author writes, it is actually really really good! 

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will adore this entertaining mashup of ancient mythology and southern belles that is Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. Harper Price has never let anyone or anything get in her way on her path to success, especially not her enemy and school reporter David Stark. So on when some crazy weird events go down during homecoming leaving her without her crown and with insane new powers, Harper stops at nothing to figure out what is going on. But when her research leads her to being the protector of David Stark, she is ready to accept failure for the first time. As she and David start to spend more time together, Harper can't deny the growing feelings between them. There is just one problem, David might be doomed to destroy the whole world. There some things in this world that are just so satisfying to read and Rachel Hawkins writing is one of them. I love the idea of setting magical events in the south and this book fulfills everything I had hoped Beautiful Creatures would be! The adorable characters in this book remind me a lot of the non-daemon and nephilim characters in Sweet Evil. The plot line is pretty easy to follow, but definitely keeps you interested and the magic is honestly really cool. The best part is definitely the humor. Rachel Hawkins always manages to create humor in some of the most dramatic situations without poking fun at the drama. The characters have some pretty predictable character development, but they are so cute that it doesn't really take away from the story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loved Rachel Hawkin's Hex Hall series and fans of romance, fantasy, and humor!

2. The Best Chapter Titles Ever

This book is kind of a stretch on having not finished the series because I technically finished the Percy Jackson series, I just didn't finish the Hero's of Olympus series. I have like 20 pages left on the Lost Hero and I just couldn't finish it. It felt kind of off compared to the rest of Rick Riordan's writing. Or maybe I just don't like all my mythology being mixed. Who knows, but I really need to finish the series because I know I will love it. Also (Please don't kill me) The Kane Chronicles is way better than Percy Jackson and I really wish he would write more books for that series.  

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

If you haven't read Rick Riordan yet then you must be living under a rock, because The Lightning Thief is the perfect blend of Greek mythology and contemporary YA that makes for a fantastic book. Percy Jackson has always been different. He tries and tries to be a good kid, but bad things always seem to happen around him. Pair that with his failure in school due to his dyslexia and you get the makings of a troubled kid. When things go too far on a class field trip, Percy learns that there is a reason he never fit in. Percy is a demigod and the son of Poseidon, which means he gets to stay safe at the awesome camp Half Blood. Percy finally makes some friends and when trouble sets him on a wild adventure to stop all out war between the gods, he can count on them to risk their lives right along side him. I am a totally mythology nut, which is why I am basically in love with Rick Riordan. He combines extremely well done humor with mythology and for me it does not get better than that. While I really liked this book, it is definitely not the best book of the series. The writing gets way better as the series continues and the characters start to become more and more developed. The plot of these books is always full of surprises and is a total thrill ride. Of course my favorite thing is the humor and nothing can ever beat Rick Riordan's chapter titles. I would highly recommend this book for everyone because it appeals to all kinds of readers.

3. How do We Make a Horror Novel Creepier? Just Sprinkle in Some Incest!

I don't know how I survived reading this book. I really hate anything creepy or scary. But somehow I managed to read the first two books and the first like 50 pages of the third book, along with the two extra books that are about Christopher's diary. I couldn't finish the third book because it felt like things were about to delve into the super natural (I have no idea if they do) and I know that would freak me out too much. I do want to eventually finish the series, but I might have to wait until I am an adult to avoid terrible nightmares!

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will be sucked into this terrifying story that reaches creepy on every level in Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. Cathy's mamma said it was only temporary. Just until she can get their grandfather to put her back in the will, then they can go back to their perfect lives, then she and her three siblings can leave the attic. But it has been weeks since her Daddy died and they lost everything and her mamma keeps coming back less and less. Its just Cathy, her siblings, and their horrible grandmother, punishing them so they don't follow in the sin of their parents footsteps. So Cathy has to live in the forbidden. forbidden noises, forbidden actions, forbidden love. Her Mamma said it was only temporary, but it turns out that her Mamma has told her was a lie. I hate scary books. I don't like to be frightened, but oh my god I loved this book! It pulled me in and I could not put it down! The characters are horrible and extremely well done. The plot is full of twists and turns and the romance makes you love it even though you want to hate it! The writing is really dark, but still has that child like innocence that makes the whole thing so much creepier. This book is really mature and even though I read it when I was 12 I would recommend it for those who are a little bit older. This book is perfect for fans of horror and thrillers and dark romances.

4. How I Wish All My Romances Would Happen

Wouldn't life be so much easier if we all just wrote love notes and then had everyone we wrote too just tell us if they loved us? No just me? Okay. So I loved this book and the only reason I haven't 

finished the series is because I am not allowing myself to buy any more books until my birthday and my library doesn't have it yet. But I really really want to finish it! This series is so freaking adorable and perfect to lose yourself in if life gets boring or stressful!
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Jenny Han created one of the sweetest contemporary romance novels when she wrote the completely adorable To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Lara Jean Song has a tried and true way to get over a boy she loves. She writes them a love letter saying why they can not be together and stores them in her mother's old hat box. This way she never has to tell her sister's boyfriend that she is in love with him and she can live her life in peace. But when her letters are mistakenly mailed Lara Jean's life is turned upside down and suddenly all the boys she thought were out of her reach are starting to become possibilities. Jenny Han hit the ball out of the park with this one. While not only is the idea of love letters being mailed great in itself, she created completely three dimensional characters that are very relatable to the reader. The plot is also more than just a romance, which takes this book to a whole new level. Lara Jean might be one of my all time favorite characters because she is just so honest and very real. This book has humor, romance, friendship, and a loving family trying to be its best and in way reminds me of the Penderwick sisters. I love this book and all contemporary romance fanatics will love it too!

5. If My Boyfriend was that Hot I Wouldn't Want to Lose My Memories Of Him Either 

This book is the first YA book I read that I liked. I read this in like 5th grade and the only other YA book I had read was the Hunger Games, which I originally hated. This whole series so creative and amazing and I jsut found out there are six books (plus novellas) and there are two more that I haven't read. I own one of them so I just need to get off my butt and read it, but I can't stand for the series to end. Luckily my best friend Albany is going to kill me if I don't read it soon so I have plenty of motivation!
The Program by Suzanne Young
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will be blown away by this dark look on our future and what we will do in the name of preserving humanity that is The Program by Suzanne Young. Sloane can't afford to look sad. Every day of her life must look perfect and happy. If she doesn't pull it off and she shows weakness, she will loose the most important thing in her life, her memories. They say the program is doing good and it is the only known cure to the teen suicide epidemic that has swept the nation. Sloane doesn't care, she will not give up her life with her boyfriend James, the only person she can be real with. But they slipped up, they lost the fight and the depression has taken over. Now the program is going to take everything. I have never read any book like the Program before. This was the first YA book I ever read and enjoyed and it totally changed my life. The story is completely engrossing and the characters have amazing growth. it is insane how much is fit into a 400 page book and it is even crazier how believable the world is. Suzanne Young had me completely believing that our world could resort to stealing our memories to combat depression. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves science fiction as well as contemporaries and romance. This book is the epitome of a YA dystopian romance novel.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Make sure to comment your thoughts! (Good or bad I just love to get feedback!)

August Reading Wrap Up

I always see people do wrap ups of their feelings on the books they read in the past month and I think that would be fun for me to do! This will lead to some books you have already read spoiler free reviews or full reviews for being featured because I sometimes write about a book immediately, but I hope you can overlook that for me! This summer was definitely not my best in terms of reading a lot of books. My issue was that this summer I not only took a bunch of vacation where I couldn't read, but I also worked, had summer homework, and studied for the SAT. So my reading load was really light. The good news is that of the books I did read they were really really good! I read six books this August, which is pretty light reading for me. My friends on the other hand were amazed because it turns out non-booknerds read around six books per year!

Overall rating for the month:❤❤❤

My favorite book:

• The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

This was my favorite book of the month. I loved reading this and it got me out of a reading slump. This totally changed my mindset about Becky Albertalli and was really helpful in my reading this month. This book was fantastic and I would highly recommend this to everyone.
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will love the adorably relatable tale of navigating love in high school that is The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli. Molly has been crushing on boys her whole life. She has harbored unrequited love for 26 boys, which kind of makes her an expert in crushes. Sadly she is an expert in secret crushes and at 17 years old still has not had her first kiss. When two new boys enter Molly's life, her twin sister Cassie is doing everything she can to get them past the crush boundary, especially since one of the boys is friends with a new girl Cassie is interested in. But with all this focus on falling in love and dating, can Cassie and Molly keep their amazing relationship as sisters? Let me start off by saying that I was not expecting much from this book. I did not enjoy Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and I was only going to read this because my sister was begging me too. I picked it up and read it all in one sitting. I even skipped dinner because I could not put it down and I love food. This book was fantastic and might be one of the most relatable books I have ever read. Molly and Cassie go through really typical high school problems and I felt myself really connecting with Molly. The writing is extremely cute and I loved the humor. I also was really able to relate to the characters about religion. There are not a lot of books where the main character is a teenage Jewish girl set in contemporary time. I have experienced so many of the same things as Molly and reading this book felt like putting on an old comfy sweat shirt. I loved Molly's love interests so much and I definitely understand the fear of rejection. This book was really well done and I highly recommend it to everyone. This is a great contemporary and perfect for all young adults, especially romance lovers!

My least favorite book:

• How To Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster.

I really was not happy with this book. There isn't much I haven't already said in my review. This book is part of why I didn't read as much this summer so you can see why I don't like it.

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines by Thomas C. Foster
My rating: ❤❤❤

I was not happy having to read this book. My school summer reading assignment included reading this book and taking notes and I really did not enjoy it. For reading books it wasn't very helpful. For writing essays I'm sure if I had a different assignment and in the future it might be helpful, but it was so boring that I was not happy at all. The reason this is rated three stars instead of two is because it really helped with my writing. I am currently writing a novel and this really helped develop my characters, plot, setting, and reason for writing. Overall this does go in depth into how to unravel a novel. The issue is that the way it goes in depth is by discussing a bunch of books I have not read yet and basically spoiling what happens. The book community does not like people who spoil books. I was already planning on reading Beloved by Toni Morrison, but now I know exactly what happens and I have no desire to read it any more. I am not accurately able to understand how these ideas are being used if it is being discussed with books I have never read. So reading this book and having to take notes sucks. But the bright side was that it really helped with my writing. I just wish it had helped with my reading like it was supposed to.

Reread:

• These Broken Stars by Amie Kauffman

I listened to the audiobook version of this book for like the millionth time and it was amazing as always. I love this book and I always love to listen to it to get rid of stress.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman
My rating: ❤❤❤❤

Readers will be dazzled by this beautiful love story and feel that they just like the characters, are fighting to survive in, These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen could not be more different. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe, Tarver is a war hero stationed on Lilac's fathers' ship, the Icarus. When the impossible happens and the Icarus crashes, Tarver and Lilac are the only survivors. Stranded on an uninhabited planet, they must explore their surroundings and uncover the mysteries in order to survive and have hope in being saved. This book is like a science fiction version of the Titanic, except with a fantasy plot twist at the ending. I can't pick a favorite thing about this book because the majority of it was just so well done! I have to say this is the most beautiful cover I have ever seen and the rest of the series also has just beautiful covers. There are two amazing things about this book, the character development and the world building. The character development is obvious from the synopsis, but the world is entirely different from what I had expected. For me, this book feels like a mixture of Alienated, Obsidian, Across the Universe, and Titanic. I loved this book except for the ending because it got very confusing which is why I gave it four stars. I would recommend this book to a certain kind of reader who loves romance, fantasy, science fiction, and plot twists!

Other books read that month:

• Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

I loved this book and it so far is my favorite book I have been sent for review. It really made my month to have a publishing company want me to review a book!

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
My rating: ❤❤❤❤

Melissa Bashardoust hit the ball out the park with the fantastic, feminist fairy tale that is Girls Made of Snow and Glass. All Lynet has ever wanted is to be like her stepmother Mina, but she is constantly compared to the late mother she resembles so greatly. Mina just wants to love and be loved, but the unbeating, glass heart in her chest won't allow her to. Lynet has no desire to rule, so when her father takes away Mina's control of the Southern lands and gives them to her, she wants nothing more than to refuse. When a turn of events cause Mina to hate Lynet, she must go on her own journey to save the only mother she has ever known. This book was so adorable! I am always a fan of feminist fiction, especially when it's fairy tale related. The story felt like a mixture of frozen and Snow White, but still very original. I love how the story was from both Mina and Lynet's point of view, giving the reader different perspectives. Because it was a mixture of both of their stories the characters didn't feel extremely well developed until the very end, but I still felt connected to the them and able to relate to their feelings. The plot felt kind of slow at the beginning and then kind of rushed at the end, but the well done story totally made up for it. As a romance lover, I of course wish there was more of a love story, but it was really well done and a heavy influence of romance might have ruined the message. One thing I felt there was a lack of was comedy. There are very few places that made me laugh and I think it would have been improved if there was just a little more humor. Overall this book was really really good and I would highly recommend this to fantasy and feminist fiction lovers! Disclaimer: I was sent this book for review from the publisher, but it did not effect my review at all. My thoughts are my own and my reviews are always 100% honest.
Read Full Review 

• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut ❤❤❤❤❤

I loved this book. I read it for my summer reading assignment and I fell in love with Vonnegut's writing style. I am very happy I read this book and it was a great addition to my August reading. I just had to write an essay about it though so I'm not going to write a review.

• PS I Like You by Kasie West

I read this book while I was sick and it made my day. It was so cute and I would highly recommend it to everyone!
P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

P.S. I like you by Kasie West will make you smile, while warming your heart. Lily lives a crazy life with her insane family and lovable best friend. One boring day in chemistry Lily jots down a song lyric and to her surprise the next day the song is continued, along with a note. Soon Lily and her pen pall are writing everyday; sharing stories, songs, and secrets. Between her pen pall; her crush Lucas finally taking notice of her, and her best friend's ex-boyfriend Cade seeming to be all over her life, Lily's life seems to be blowing up. As her feelings start to grow for her pen pall, Lily must decide what she wants. This book is so cute and adorable that you just want to pinch its cheeks. While the writing is not complicated and the characters are not especially deep, it is exactly what I wanted. The story is comforting and like wearing an old, loved sweater. Lily is a very relatable character to young adults and I loved how sweet she was. The story was kind of predictable, but with this kind of book, this is kind of expected. I loved this book and it was a perfect read for the mood I was in. If you are looking for an intellectual read, this isn't it, but if you want a cute comfort read or just have something for a lazy day, pick up this book!

Started but still reading:

• The Limpet Syndrome by Tony Moyle 
• Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading
•  Aaru by David Meredith

Started but never planning to finish: None

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