Books Everyone Else Likes, but Me

We all know how fun it is to rant about the books we don't like and it turns out it is equally as fun to write about them! Today I picked a bunch of books that are popular with everyone else, but definitely are not on my favorites list. I do have to explain that the main reason I don't like these books stems from the writing and not usually the plot. All of these books have really great ideas, but the way they were written does not work for me. Please do not start to hate me because I don't like your favorite book! I mean no offense to any of you! Books can be perfect for one person and terrible for another, so just because I did not like these books, it does not mean that you will hate them! I hope you enjoy!

1. What Happens When You Mix The Hunger Games, The Fifth Wave, and The Darkest Minds With Bland Writing 

I read this book after a bunch of my friends told me I would love it. It took me forever to read and I only finished it because I hoped the ending would be better. The characters were super extreme and the way they act is so not how fifteen year olds are. I love dystopian novels, but this just felt like overkill. The romance also felt super forced and this is coming from someone who loves romance in every single book. Marie Lu just does not work for me. If you want an alternative to this book, try The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. Both are fast paced dystopian novels with corrupt governments.     

Legend by Marie Lu
My rating: ❤❤

Leaving readers confused and underwhelmed, Legend by Marie Lu does not live up to the hype. June is from one of the wealthiest families in the Republic. She has been groomed since birth for the elite military that serves her ever at war country. Day, the Republic's most wanted criminal, hails from the slums. He just wants to fight for what he believes is good. When Day becomes the number one suspect in the murder of her brother, June sets out for revenge. As June starts to hunt Day, she sees that he may not be everything the government makes him out to be. As the secrets start to unravel, June and Day must work together to discover what is really going on in their country. I really did not enjoy this book. The characters were completely unrealistic and there was no way for me to relate to them. The story was interesting, but it was really confusing and hard to follow. The setting kind of felt like a bunch of different dystopian novels mixed together. This book did come out before a lot of the other dystopian novels, but by the time I read it, I was really sick of the same type of story. When I finally finished the book, I had no desire to continue with the series. Even though I kind of wanted to see how the story ended, the writing was so bland that it totally outweighed it. I would only recommend this book to people who have already read something by Marie Lu and loved it.

2. And You Thought We Were Liars Was Confusing 

I honestly hated this book. I read it my Freshman year of high school during a week of testing for the other grades. We had big blocks of time to do what we want, so of course I decided to read. I ended up finishing the book during my first period Spanish class (which was entirely full of Sophomores because, I am so cool and a year ahead, so everyone was still testing 😂.) I had nothing else to do so I reread the ending over and over, trying to make sense of it. In order to write a good book, the characters have to be realistic enough for the reader to relate. The characters in this book had no redeeming qualities or anything to make them believable. If you really want to attempt this book, try We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. The plot of this book has the same kind of feel and a lot of the same events seem to happen. If you get through We Were Liars and did not feel at all confused and you really loved it, then try this book.

Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten
My rating: ❤

Readers should be prepared for extreme confusion and outrageous characters in the unsuccessful thriller novel that is Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten. June and Delia were closer than best friends, until one fateful night broke their bonds. A year later Delia is gone leaving only a suicide note behind. in an attempt to help with her grief June starts to notice some cracks in the story of Delia's death. Soon June is investigating Delia's murder and it seems like everyone in her life is a suspect. As the truth starts to come out, June learns that Delia is not the person she thought she was and there is more to her death than June could ever imagine. This might be the most confusing book I have ever read. I have read and reread the ending and done research and I still do not understand the ending. The characters are insane and completely unrealistic. This book takes a lot of mature subjects and difficult situations and kind of glorifies them. Suicide is completely idolized and all of the characters are bordering on psychopaths. I really disliked this book as it was frustrating, improbable, and slightly horrifying. I would not recommend this book to anyone and to those who really want to try it, you should be issued a trigger warning.

3. If I Wanted to Hear Someone Complain I Would Just Go Find My Sister

The only reason I think this book got popular is that there is a lack of LGBT books, so even the ones that suck are promoted. There is a simple solution to this problem, just write more LGBT books! I just hate the fact that it has taken this long for us to finally have characters in books who struggle with real life issues such as coming out as gay and what we end up with is this. This comment also goes for Will Grayson, Will Grayson. (see below) There are so many better books than this where the main character is going through the same thing as Simon. Try I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe or The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli!!!!! You want something in the fantasy genre, try Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. (I have a full review of I'll Give You the Sun Here and for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Carry On I have spoiler free reviews on my spoiler free review page!) See, so many better options, including one by the same author. The two good things I have to say about this book are that it was better than Will Grayson, Will Grayson and the cover is awesome. 

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
My rating: ❤❤

Becky Albertalli disapoints readers with a whiny, slow book, that feels a little bit too much like Will Grayson, Will Grayson in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Simon is not ready to come out as gay, so when an email to his mysterious pen pal Blue falls into the hands of trouble maker Martin, Simon has no choice but to submit to his blackmail. Being Martin's wingman isn't easy and it seems like Simon's friends are growing away from him. Simon's junior year shouldn't be this difficult right? This book was boring. There isn't much going on and the problems feel really exaggerated. Simon's life feels like the movie GBF, but without all of the comedy, so its just melodramatic teenage angst. As you can see, there is so little happening in the book that I was barely able to write two sentences describing the plot. Speaking of the plot, it is super predictable. The second Simon mentions writing to a mysterious pen pal you know who it is and the rest of the story is just as easy to guess. The book is fine if you don't like action or real movement of plot. The funny thing is, Becky Albertalli is a really good writer. The Upside of Unrequited is fantastic and her writing style is completely different from Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. You can read this book if you think it sounds interesting, but if you did not like Will Grayson, Will Grayson then you will not like this book either.

4. Why John Green Why?

Okay warning I hate David Levithan. Everything I have read by him I really didn't like. His writing just doesn't work for me. I love John Green. I was so disappointed by this book. I was disappointed for basically the same reasons as Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Also Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda has a lot of the same plot as Will Grayson Will Grayson. Gay guy struggling to come out to his friends and familya and in an intense secret relationship with an mystery guy. I wish that only John Green has written this because then I think I would have liked it more. 

   

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
My rating: ❤❤

John Green can only work so hard to cover the disappointing nature of David Levithan's writing in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Will Grayson could not be any more different from the other Will Grayson. One is in love with a girl and is friends with Tiny Cooper, creator of the autobiographical musical Tiny Dancer. The other is in love with a boy he met online and is about to learn that his best friend Maura might not be quite as nice as he thinks she is. Both will meet on one fateful night and their lives will be forever intertwined. John Green does not deserve to have a book rated as only two stars by me. So I am giving all parts written by David Levithan two stars and everything written by John Green three and a half stars. I really did not like where this book went. Will Grayson two (written by David Levithan) was horrible to read about. He was boring and his depression didn't feel real, it kind of felt like it was being made fun of. Will Grayson one was okay, but the real star of this book was Tiny Cooper. He was interesting and fun and totaly extreme. I loved Tiny, but he couldn't pull for everything else in this book that was not good. I know a lot of people love this book because it was the first LGBT books to get really big, but its fame doesn't make the book good. I'm not quite sure who I would recommend this book too as John Green fan don't always like David Levithan and David Levithan fans seem to rarely like John Green. So I would recommend this if you really love them both.

5. The Plot is Fantastic...If Only the Writing Was Good 

This book should have been good, but sadly it wasn't. It desperately needed better writing and some comedy to cut through all the drama. This book is something that I would actually recommend to others, but only if they want something really easy that has a lot of plot twists. If you love comedy, then do not read this book as you will probably hate it. Otherwise, if you can get past the writing, the story is really great.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
My rating: ❤❤

The Maze Runner by James Dashner shows just how much terrible writing can ruin a great plotline. When Thomas wakes up all he can remember is his name. He is welcomed into a community of all boys, all around his age, all who have had their memories wiped. They live surrounded by a maze full of terrible creatures. Thomas seems perfect for the job of the maze runner, a person who creates a map of the maze before the gates close. When a girl shows up and some how remembers Thomas, they realize that there might be more to their community than meets the eye. I wanted to like this book so badly. The plot was fantastic and the story was fascinating. The writing was awful and at such a low level of vocabulary that it just ruined the whole book. The characters were not that great either. Because they can't remember anything of their past it was kind of hard to get to know them or relate to them. I wish the writing was better because then I think I would have enjoyed it more, but I guess life isn't fair. I would recommend this to fantasy lovers and people who are looking for a really really easy read. I do have to warn you that while the writing is simple, the plot is confusing.

Bookish items

Lately bookish items have been on my mind. My sister asked me why on earth I wanted all these book related things such as t-shirts; Funko pops, jewelry, pins, artwork. The majority of them are useless aside from t-shirts and jewelry. Last thing I need is another mug or bedspread, but that isn't stopping me from desperately wanting them with them quote "Ignite my love, Ignite" (From the Shatter Me series, I love Warner!) I have no idea why I want these awesome items that don't do much, but I really really do! I have a whole collection of Funko pops that are so totally adorable! I also get so many cool bookish items from my owlcrate box that I don't need, but are really fun! I find it kind of funny that we crave these totally worthless things because they are cute or cool. For example I spent a bunch of money on my shadowhunters taro cards. I have never used them for anything other than put them in the case on my bookshelf, yet I have no regret in buying them. Of course in order to not go broke I am not allowing myself to buy anymore bookish items outside my owlcrate box. I have been contemplating making my own bookish items. It isn't very hard to use sharpie on a mug or fabric markers on a t-shirt. I already make my own jewelry so it wouldn't be hard to expand. There is some sort of extreme satisfaction in buying these things. Maybe I just have a shopping addiction, who knows. I just need to make sure I don't blow my college fund on a mortal instruments themed room! If you have any DIY ideas for bookish items comment below and share them! If I like it I will give a tutorial and a rating on my blog! Happy Reading!
 

Why Time Flies

They say time flies when you are having fun
And it crawls when you wish it would sprint
Time and I are friends you see
But it has never been good to me
Leaves me behind while it soars
My knees still pressed against the ground

Just three weeks left
Feels like more
But summer has to end some day
Summer and I have a love hate affair
Work to be done
Time to be wasted

I can't deny the sounds
The creaks and the shakes
Can't blame the elements of winter
The rain, the heaters, footsteps in night
Makes me know I'm not alone
Pull the covers over my eyes

But I am alone
At least for two more days
Or three more weeks
Until I see them every day
I see him every day
Beautiful torture

Time and summer have ganged up on me
Left me with boring forced words to write
And wonderful stories itching in my mind
Forced me into a schedule
Forced me into society and responsibility
Leaving lazy days behind for months  

They Say the Sequel is Never as Good as the First

Since I just did the amazing series I need to finish post, I figured I might as well show some books where I either plan to never finish them or I wish I hadn't. The first (Or fist couple books) I highly recommend, but the rest of the series I do not. For this post I will be including a rating of the first book, an overall rating of the series (If I finished it), and a rating for the book where the series started to suck. I would never want you to waste your time reading bad books, so here is a way to prevent that! (Also I love to rant about books so this is a win win situation!)

1. Small Town Magical Romance

Beautiful Creatures was a good book with a bad ending. Instead of giving the readers what the whole story had been building up too, the author decided to have absolutely nothing happen and push everything off until the next book. Sadly the next book was so confusing that I decided not to continue. I think I got maybe 3/4th of the way through Beautiful Darkness before I realized the series was just going to keep spinning and leave the reader in the dark. Because the book does not end well, I would not recommend reading it unless you want to take on the whole series. I really liked the initial story that the author created and I wish she had stuck with it because then I would have stuck with the series. 

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
My rating: ❤❤❤❤
Series rating: I did not finish the series
Where the series went wrong: Beautiful Darkness ❤❤

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia is a whirlwind of plot twists, romance, and magic that is sure to keep readers entertained until the very last page. The small town of Gatlin holds very little for Ethan Wate. He can't wait to escape both the town and the dreams of a gorgeous girl he has never met. When Lena Duchannes moves into town an aura of secrets seem to surround her. Lena holds a power that has been passed down from her family for generations and must hide it from the town of Gatlin. Lena and Ethan find themselves drawn to each other and soon feelings start to grow, but can Lena give up her secret? First off, this book might be one of the most confusing books I have ever read. While I very much enjoyed reading it, I had to reread the ending several times to understand what was happening. The romance between Lena and Ethan is fantastic! I loved how the author made it a large part of the story, but still focused on the plot. The element of magic is very important in the book and it was very different from other books I have read. I also loved the setting and how being set in a small town in the south really enriches the story. Overall this book is really good, but the rest of the series not so much. I would recommend this book to fans of romance, magic, and fantasy.
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2. The Hunger Games Meets the Bachelor 

I love to rant about The Selection. America drives me crazy because if I was in her position, the whole series could be covered in the first book. The first three books in this series were fantastic and the plot arc they covered was really well developed and finished. Sadly, I think Kiera Cass got a little too drunk on her success, so she spent very little time on what came next. The Heir and The Crown should have never been written. They are not necessary to the series. The characters and practically non-existent plotline they contain are really poorly done. I really expected more from Kiera Cass and she let me down. Now the good news is, The Selection and its accompanying two books as well as the many novellas are really, really good. Basically, if you just forget The Heir and The Crown ever happened, you have found your next favorite series! I know I gave the series a four out of five rating, but that is just because of the last books. If you take those out the series gets a five out of five for sure! I really love these books and I definitely recommend them! I swear I am telling the truth, my copy of The Selection has been read so many times it is completely falling apart! (Actually I have reread the selection more than any other book I own, with Eclipse coming in close second with one less reread!)

The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Series rating:❤❤❤❤
Where the series went wrong: The Heir ❤❤

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 in her meager life as a five. She has her family, her music, and her secret boyfriend Aspen, who shows signs of proposing. 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 cause 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 America finds comfort in the arms of the last person she would have ever thought to look too. The Selection is one of my all time favorite books. I love the world that Kiera Cass has built and the characters she 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 through 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. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romance and science fiction!
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3. Fantasy that will be Loved by all Readers

Graceling is so good! Like really, really good! And the next book Fire is also like really, really good, some would even argue that it is better! Sadly the last book, Bitterblue, is really bad. It is a total let down compared to the amazingness of the first two books. The way the Graceling series works, is that you can read the first two books in either order, but the last book requires you to have read the previous books to understand it. Graceling and Fire have different characters and are really different books. The thing that links them is the world (kind of), the writing style, and the fantasticness of the story! I actually never finished Bitterblue because it was so disappointing, but from what I read it only deserved two out of five. I would also highly encourage listening to the audiobook version of Fire because it is really well done. (I have not listened to the one for Graceling so I am not sure about that one!)
    
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Series rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where the series went wrong: Bitterblue ❤❤

Katsa is a graceling, a person with two different colored eyes who possess magical abilities. While the the gifts might seem like a blessing, it curses the graceling to a life out of their control, serving their royalty. Katsa has been graced with the ability to kill and is forced to serve her Uncle, the king, by killing off his enemies. Katsa had ruled out all happiness in life until she met the fascinating Prince Po. Graced with combat, Katsa and Po form an unlikely friendship that threatens to out secrets that will change their lives as they know them. This book is phenomenal in every way. The characters are extremely well developed and entertaining. The plot is action packed and full of surprises, yet it is not confusing. The world is extremely creative and well explained and truly transports the reader. I read this book in middle school and it completely opened me up to the fantasy genre. One thing that the author handles perfectly in this book is romance. This book is in no way a romance novel. It has really well balanced romance in it, so that romance lovers and everyone else will enjoy it! I would highly recommend this book to anyone as it contains things that all readers will enjoy!
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4. Romance on a Spaceship 

Across the Universe feels like a standalone novel. When I read it, I assumed it was a standalone, because the ending actually wraps up really well. When I finally found out about the rest of the books, I realized that the story continued. I really enjoyed what the author did with the second book and I was really looking forward to the last book. Shades of Earth was nothing like the first two in the series. It got really weird and kind of felt like author was just grabbing at something to throw off the readers. So here is the thing. You can't read the second book and not read the third because it will not end right. You can read the first and stop there. I would recommend trying the first one, if you are satisfied with the ending then stop, because it isn't going to get better. If you really need to know more, read the whole series. Romance enthusiasts you are going to want to read the whole series as you just don't get enough from the first book. Everyone else? Just do what feels right. Who knows, maybe you will enjoy the last book more than I did. 

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Series rating:❤❤❤❤
Where the series went wrong: Shades of Earth ❤❤❤

Beth Revis gives us a beautiful science fiction story of romance, technology, space, and the future in Across the Universe. Amy barely agreed to be frozen for 300 years on the spaceship Godspeed in order to travel to a new planet and she definitely did not agree to be woken up 50 years early. Suddenly, Amy is thrust into a new society where she is utterly alone, except for Elder, the young leader of the ship. Elder has never seen anyone like Amy before and he is mesmerized by her. Eager to please, Elder helps Amy learn about life on Godspeed. Together they realize there is more to Amy being woken up then meets the eye, and Amy and her parents lives are in danger. As the secrets start to unravel, Amy and Elder realize that Godspeed seems to run on lies and any sort of future together may be doomed. I picked up this book in middle school due to its gorgeous cover and it took me barely a chapter to realize that I loved it. The story is fantastic and the romance is beautiful. I spent many years believing this was a standalone novel as the ending is fantastic and it was not until a couple of years ago that I realized there were more books. Sadly, the rest of the series is not quite as good as the first book. One thing I loved about this book was the society on Godspeed. It was so well crafted and original and it really brought something more to the story. I would highly recommend this book to science fiction lovers!
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5. I Just Read The Uglies Now What?

I love Matched so much. It is truly a really good book. Unfortunately, it suffers from something that happens pretty commonly in Science Fiction books, which is when the last book stops reflecting what was happening in the first books. Matched handles it better than say, the Divergent series, but it is still apparent. Reached was not what I had hoped it would be. The characters changed too drastically with not enough time for build up. This caused the last book to feel unrealistic and out of place. The good news is that it is still a good book. Compared to the rest of the series, Reached gets a three out of five, but as a book in general it is probably a four. This series is worth reading the whole thing because you will not be satisfied with just the first book. Also, if you are looking for something to get you out of weird mindset caused by reading the Uglies series, then Matched will do it for you!

Matched by Ally Condie
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Series rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where the series went wrong: Reached ❤❤❤

Matched by Ally Condie will feed your addiction to dystopian romances with a fantastic story that will leave you begging for more. Cassia is ready to be matched. She knows the government will pick someone she will love because they always pick correctly. They chose everything in her life; where she will work, what she eats, when she will die. When Cassia finds out she has been matched with her best friend Xander, she knows they have picked perfectly. But the screen doesn't just show a picture of Xander, for a second it shows a picture of Ky. Now Cassia must make a choice of her own that will lead her to see how her society really works. Matched is one of those books that came out right as the young adult dystopian craze started up. I can completely understand why people could not stop reading Matched as it is fantastic! Matched is layered with a lot of commentary about society in it, that I feel a lot of younger readers are not able to pick up on. I recently reread it and was amazed by everything I had missed. In addition to this, Matched has a fast paced storyline, interesting characters, and a well built world. The one thing that the Matched series suffers from is setting up a story that then completely changes in the later books. I really loved this book and I highly recommend it for anyone who is a part of the dystopian fad.
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And I Darken by Kiersten White Full Book Review

Spoiler Free Review:

And I Darken by Kiersten White
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

With fantastic characters, beautiful scenery, and an epic storyline, And I Darken by Kiersten White brings a whole new perspective to young adult historical fiction. There is nothing Lada Dragwlya loves more than her homeland of Wallachia. So when she and her brother Radu are ripped away from their father, the prince of Wallachia, in order to become prisoners of the Ottoman Courts, Lada makes a promise that she will one day return home. The one thing Lada hates more than the Ottoman Empire is being underestimated for being a girl. Lada knows she is stronger than all the men combined, so she sets herself to plotting her revenge. That is, until she meets Mehmed, the intriguing son of the Sultan. In Mehmed, Radu finally has a friend and Lada someone to give her heart too. Can Lada open up her love to more than Wallachia? I can not completely describe how amazing this book was. I picked it up because I am a terrible person who totally judges books by their covers. When I read the synopsis I expected something along the lines of My Lady Jane or The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, historical fiction with more contemporary characters. This book was so much more. I happen to love history and god do I wish a history text book was written like this! Of course a lot of the history in this book is from the author's mind, but the basis was so well researched and historically accurate. This book actually inspired me to do further research into the Ottoman Empire, which earlier in the year I had found totally boring. The three best things in the book are; the characters, the history, and the incorporation of Islam into the book. That of course can fit both into the characters and the history categories, but it was so fascinating that I think it needs it's own shout out. This is not a religious book, please don't stop reading this review because you think it is, it is a historical book. Islam was a major part of the Ottoman empire and the author handled it really well and completely enriched the story. The characters in this book are horrible and I love it! I can not say any more without spoiling the book, so go read it! This book is perfect for lovers of history and intense characters, though it is not for everyone. I would not recommend this book for people who want a basic storyline, a quick read, a comedy, or a basic romance novel, because this book is none of those things.

Recommended Mindset For Reading

And I Darken is not the kind of thing you can pick up, set down, and pick back up again a month later. The storyline is complex and detailed, requiring a lot of focus. This also isn't something that you can read all in one sitting. I would make sure you have a week where there is adequate time for reading each day. Not that you will have a hard time getting yourself to read, as this book is extremely engaging. While you do not have to love history to enjoy this book, you have to have some respect for it. The plot and the characters can not single-handedly hold up the book, the history is a big part, so if you hate it, this book is not for you. Also, if you want a cute romance novel, go pick up P.S. I Like You by Kaise West (I have a spoiler free review of this on my spoiler free review page!) and leave this book be. There is nothing cute about this book. So I hope I didn't scare you off because this novel is phenomenal!

Try Not to Eat the Whole Batch By Myself Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I love chocolate chip cookies. I mean so do most people, but I really love them. Actually I really want some right now, but its 80 degrees outside, so it's too hot to bake. Also I am sick so no cookies for me. But there is nothing holding the rest of you back from eating some cookies! This recipe is originally the Tollhouse cookie recipe with my minor adjustments as well as my notes to make it dairy free! This recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Reading Withdrawal

I have now learned that if you start off by reading two books a day and then cut yourself off and read zero books for multiple days, you will start to go insane. I have come to the conclusion that reading is an addictive substance! We have had friends over and I have not had the chance to read, which is giving me serious withdrawal. A Man Called Ove is sitting in my room and I found myself slowly inching towards it. Eventually I was just holding the book in my lap and talking to people, which meant I got some interesting looks! I am even missing my required summer reading that I have skipped a couple of days of and now have to read and take notes on 10 chapters. I am not looking forward to that. What really sucks is that school now starts in less than a month and I will not have much time to read. Maybe I should just marathon a bunch of books before school starts to try and get it out of my system. Don't worry, I am just kidding, I could never getting tired of reading! I have sadly burned through all of my cute new young adult romance novels. Maybe I will get a new one in my owlcrate box (If you owlcrate people are reading please give me more! I loved The Upside of Unrequited and P.S. I Like You) Basically, reading withdrawal is a very serious condition and might affect you or a loved one. If you have symptoms of restlessness; dreaming about Will Heronadale or any other book boyfriend, staring at your book for long periods of time, staring at your bookshelf for long periods of time, reading fanfiction on your phone and trying to hide it as you are supposed to be interacting with people, obsessively blogging or reading other blogs while you are supposed to be interacting with people, reaching out towards books like your long lost love as you pass by a bookstore, or trying to explain the complicated plotline of a major fandom to your cat, then you may be in serious trouble. Do not fear, the solution is simple. Just shirk all other obligations in life and pick up your book. If anyone judges you, just calmly explain that this is necessary for your survival. If symptoms persist even after reading, then you may be in danger of a reading slump. And to cure that, well you are just going to have to wait until next week! -Becca      

Owning Multiple Versions of a Book

I was recently inspired to write about this, when I opened up my owl crate box to find, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, as the book of the month. As you may know, I posted a full review of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue a few days ago, so I obviously have already read it. I actually own the ebook version. I had to take a second to think to myself, how do I feel about owning multiple versions of books? I own all of the Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, in both ebook, and paperback versions. Back in November, I received Heartless by Marissa Meyer in my owl crate box, which I had already pre-ordered on my ereader. I have to say, I really like having multiple versions! With Heartless, and The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, I have owl crate exclusive covers, that are both beautiful (as you can see by the pictures below). With books, there is more than just reading them. Owning these books is kind of like having a collection, except the things you collect, have a really great use that never goes bad. Having multiple versions of an item is not at all uncommon in a collection, and having exclusive version of something makes it much more valuable (Not that I would ever sell my books!) Also, as a bookstagrammer, having multiple copies of a book makes it really easy to do giveaways. You still get to keep a book, but you also gain followers, and you know your book goes to a booklover, and will get good use! I think that many people would say owning multiple copies is a waste of money, but I think the pros out weigh the cons. That's all I have to say on the matter, what do you think? Comment your feelings on owning multiple versions of a book, and what books you own multiple copies of. Happy reading! -Becca  

Why must I always?

Why must I always study?
Cause I'm not ready?
Am I in a hurry?
To complete the last years of adolescence
Secured with the message
That I am in first place?

Why must I always use a schedule?
Cause I'm not reliable?
Am I that undisciplined?
To complete my important tasks
Yet still remain flexible
Without being slave to a bell?

Why must I always worry?
Cause the future is always blurry?
Am I so scared?
To complete a simple task
And recognize my ability
To be truly independent?

Why must I always use a pattern?
Cause I'm not sure how to flatter?
Am I creative enough?
To complete my life goals
And stay true to myself
Without being a cliche?

Why must I always write poems?
Cause I'm not really broken?
Am I so tapped out?
To complete no songs for two years
because poetry is easier
than finding the right tune?

Why must I always doubt myself?
Cause I'm not up high on a shelf?
Am I willing to accept change?
To complete my happiness
Because new passions can arise
And sometimes we need to move on?

But have I really changed?
I'm still forcing myself into patterns
into schedules
into insane goals
pretending my passions wouldn't have a chance
But I'm breaking the rules
And the old me would never
break the continuum of a poem.

Becca's Special Stir-Fry!

As you may know, I love to cook. Also, as I hope you know by this point, I love to read! So I thought to myself, why not combine my two loves! So from this point on, I will be including recipes (My own and my favorites from other blogs). With these recipes I will include the kind of books that pair well with the recipe, as well as a specific book recommendation. So here we go! Today's recipe is one of my family's favorites that I created a long time ago, and only recently wrote down and configured into a recipe, Becca's special stir-fry!

So this recipe is super flexible and while the ingredients I put in are what I like, there are so many other vegetables you can include to make this even better! I know I don't give exact measurements for the amount of ingredients in this recipe, but that is because I never use a set amount of vegetables or rice. I have to thank my middle school cooking class teacher (who was also the choir, and orchestra, and sewing, teacher because she was amazing) for inspiring this recipe. It was one of the first days in class that we made stir-fry, and from that day this recipe was born. I also want to thank my grandmother for having me write down this recipe for her. In the moment when she asked me to write this recipe down, I realized that I not only loved cooking, but I also am good at it, and should record my recipes for myself and others.  

Ingredients:

Here are the basic ingredients, which are obviously variable and can be tailored to many dietary needs (I feel your pain! Finding flexible recipes for my dairy allergy is so agonizingly annoying!)  

Meat:

Shrimp or chicken or *salmon or tofu/other meat substitute. I don't recommend beef because I don't think the sauce works quite at well, but you can try it if you like!

Vegetables: 

Anything you want, but I usually have a staple of onions, zucchini, garlic (you can substitute garlic powder), bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots

Sauce:

Brown sugar, garlic powder (or fresh garlic but it won't be cooked for very long, so I don't recommend it unless you mince the garlic, and love a strong garlic flavor), fresh grated ginger (or ginger powder, it tastes very similar), red pepper flakes, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, olive oil, honey, sesame seeds, chicken stock ( depending on desired thickness and amount of sauce and if stir fry contains no meat, then I recommend chicken stock, or vegetable stock.)

My Basic Sauce:

So, this how I make basic amount of sauce. I usually have to adjust to taste because every time I make it, I want it to be a little be different.

• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic 
• About 1 inch piece of fresh garlic grated or 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder (this is more or less to taste, this is how much I like to use, but not everyone likes this much ginger) 
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or if don't like spice, then use 1/8 teaspoon)
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar 
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• Sesame seeds to taste
• Chicken Stock (if using) I would start out with 1 1/2 cups or to taste

Directions:

Cut up meat and vegetables into similarly sized pieces. Stir fry the meat and vegetables in sesame oil. Start with your onions, garlic and meat (I am not sure with tofu, I can not eat it, as I can not have large amount of soy, so I am sorry I can not explain how to cook with it). If you are cooking with shrimp, then cook all of your shrimp first, then remove from pan, and cook vegetables, then add all ingredients back into the pan when you add in the sauce. You are going to want to use medium low heat, because sesame oil does not cook well on high heats. If you are impatient and want to cook things faster, then use olive oil, and you can cook on medium high heat. How long you cook your vegetables and meat depends on how much you are cooking, and how large your pieces are. The general rule is cook your chicken and beef (unless you are making the beef rare, I'm just trying to prevent food poisoning) until it is 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or the chicken is completely white and the beef is to the pinkness of your liking. Shrimp should be cooked to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or when it changes in color to pink and shrinks slightly, if you see it shrink a lot  (which is basically every time I cook it, because I always cook meat to death) you have over cooked it. Heat chicken stock (I recommend better than bouillon). Mix together sauce in another bowl until well mixed. Add other sauce ingredients to chicken stock, mix well, and remove from heat. Once all stir fry ingredients are fully cooked, add sauce, and stir well for around 30 seconds, so sugar does not burn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve over rice, ramen noodles, rice noodles, or eat as is. Enjoy your meal!
*If you make this with salmon cover the salmon in the sauce without chicken broth and then bake or grill the salmon and stir-fry your vegetables, then serve together.

Recommended Reading to Pair with Meal

I would recommend an adventure story with this meal! Stabbing into those veggies while you are reading about swashbuckling pirates, is honestly a perfect night in! As versatile as this meal is, it will pair with any book with lots of action, but I would recommend something in the vein of a hero's journey. (I know, so specific!) I would also recommend sitting in a comfortable area, like your bed, or your couch, putting on some energetic music, and having a glass of lemonade (Or wine for those of you who are old enough to drink, unlike me) while you eat this meal, and read your book. This is actually what I'm planning on doing this Friday night!

For a specific book recommendation, you should read Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller  

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
My rating: ❤❤❤❤

Readers will love this nontraditional tale of swashbuckling pirates, and fierce female main character, in the fantastic adventure story that is, Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. Alosa is the daughter of the fearsome Pirate King, and she packs quite the reputation herself. Sent on a secret mission by her father to find a treasure map, Alosa has to allow herself to be captured by a group of less then terrifying pirates, in order to search their ship. Alosa feels she has this one in the bag, that is, until she meets the ships first mate, the surprisingly smart and handsome Ridden, who is making things just a little bit difficult for Alosa. But Alosa doesn't scare easy, and a little romance never hurt trying to get information right? I read this book all in one sitting because I absolutely could not put it down! Its a pretty average sized book, but the story is jam-packed with adventure and action, and it totally transported me to a pirate ship! Alosa is a great character and her self discovery in this book is so relatable to young adult girls everywhere. This book does a great job of showing how women don't have to act like a man to be a badass, and how just because you may love dresses, it doesn't mean you can't take someone down in a fight. This was a very entertaining read, that definitely gets your adrenaline pumping, and I would highly recommend it to fantasy, romance, and adventure lovers!
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Amazing Series I Need To Finish

Sometimes life gets busy and other books arrive so even though I have read the first or second book in a series I just never get around to finishing it. I really need to because so many of these books are really really good! So, here are some books that are fantastic and I need to get around to finishing their series. I hope you enjoy and actually finish all the books unlike me! Happy Reading! -Becca

1. Dark Retelling with Great Humor

Around a year and a half ago I listened to this book as an audiobook and just fell in love with it. The story really pulls you in and even though the book isn't ginormous, it kind of feels like the book goes on for a really long time and I love that! I can't remember if I finished the second book or not, I don't think I did, but I actually own all the books so I really need to finish them! I have a feeling my problem was that I tried to read the second one instead of listening to the audiobook, and I really loved the audiobook version and actually reading it wasn't as good for me. This book is definitely for a certain kind of person as I tried to get my sister to read it and she immediately disliked it, as did some of my other friends. Just make sure you realize that even though the book is called Dorthy Must Die, this is not an extremely violent book. I hate gore and I'm afraid of blood so don't worry about it being to gross or anything because it isn't. I would recommend listening to the audiobook version, but I have to say I love the cover so much that I wish I had it on my bookshelf so its up to you!

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

The Wizard of Oz is not what it seems in this twisted, fantastic, and darkly romantic retelling that is Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. Amy Gumm has no desire to save anyone, but when you get pulled into a tornado into the land of Oz, its kind of hard to say no. Oz is not what it seems as Glinda the Good Witch has to use an artificial smile, flying monkeys are being executed, the yellow brick road is practically gone, and Dorthy is drunk on her own power. Amy is recruited (Kind of against her will) to the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked where she is trained for a single purpose. Dorthy Must Die. I loved the dark humor of this book! Amy is such a great character and the minor characters have such well crafted personalities that really enrich her as a character even more. I think Dorthy might have been my favorite character because of her amazing transformation from the original book. I just love how horrible she is! The plot of this book is so jam packed with action even while being a pretty normal sized book. The best part is the characters as this twisted retelling is just so well done! There is a lot of sarcasm in this book and I think it worked really well to balance out the amount of action and character growth. I would recommend this book to lovers of retellings and sarcastic, slightly dark humor.
View all my reviews

The Gentleman's Guide To Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Full Book Review

Spoiler Free Review:

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will be swept off their feet by this adventurous, historical, humorous romance that is The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. Henry Montague dreads nothing more than his impending duty as a British Lord. He is much more content to live out the 18th Century getting hammered and into trouble with his best friend Percy. He can barely contain his excitement to be leaving for his grand tour with Percy, imagining it to be lounging around, having fun, and hopefully discovering if his undying love for Percy is unrequited or not. When Henry's father ruins this by sending someone to watch over them, the trip looks like its going to be extremely boring, until Henry steals something he shouldn't have and sets himself, his sister, and Percy on the adventure of a lifetime. I adored this book! I love it when books are set in historical times, but the characters act more modern. In some ways this book reminds me of My Lady Jane which I also loved! The plot of this book was not at all what I was expecting. I thought this was going to be an LGBT romance novel set in historical times, not an adventure story with excellent character development. While the characters are definitely made a little more extreme to be entertaining, they are still very realistic and have interesting emotional development I would recommend this book for romance, adventure, and history lovers and people who love great plot, but don't want to read a whole series.
Want to read something similar to this book? Try My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. You can find my review on the spoiler free reviews page. Or pick up Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller.

Recommended Mindset for Reading    

This is a great book to binge read because it isn't super long and its a standalone novel. Its the kind of book you can get yourself out of a reading slump with because it wraps up pretty nicely so you won't be going crazy wondering what happened. This book is definitely for a certain kind of reader so if you just want an adventure story and don't like romance then this isn't the book for you because a lot of the plot is character development which is mainly based off romance. Also this book deals with LGBT themes so if that isn't your thing you may not like it, but for the rest of us its great because good LGBT romance novels are few and far between! Overall this is a great book for a lazy day when you want to be transported to a different time!

Modern Baby Books

Seeing as that I am 16 I do not have any children of my own (thank god 16 and pregnant is scary TV show), but I have been spending a lot of time with my cousins who are two years old and 6 months old. Last week I babysat them for a week and in that time I got to see what kind of baby books they have. When asked what her favorite book was, my two year old cousin grabbed My First Busy Book by Eric Carle which when opened looks like a pretty typical baby book. Lots of bright colors and letters to help shape young minds. My six month old cousin obviously can't talk yet but if he could he would tell you about his little cloth book with fish in it that makes noise that doesn't have a title. Again pretty typical baby book. But when you take a closer look at what is in my cousins bookshelf you get titles such as:
Pride & Prejudice : A BabyLit Counting Primer
by Jennifer Adams





Vader's Little Princess
by Jeffrey Brown





My Body! What I Say Goes!: Teach Children about Body Safety, Safe and Unsafe Touch, Private Parts, Consent, Respect, Secrets and Surprises
by Jayneen Sanders






Books like this definitely did not exist when I was a baby. Now we have great pop culture references for children's books and educational books that make sure everyone stays safe. My favorite is obviously the baby Pride and Prejudice because I'm a die hard Jane Austen fan! (some Jane Austen themed reviews will be going up soon!) So even though baby books might start to drive parents, siblings, nanny's, and babysitters crazy, I'm glad they exist to help mold young minds and foster learning. (By the way, my cousin Morgan is the one who requested I write about this and is now saying over and over I want to see the books, I want to see the books)

Middle Grade Must Reads

While I primarily read young adult novels and classics, I still have some middle grade novels that I love and I want to share these with all of you! While their target audience might be for pre-teens these books can be enjoyed by all ages! Happy Reading!-Becca

1. Wacky Characters, Coming of Age Story 

I honest to god reread this book last month during finals week and I am 16! Its so great to just calm you down and take you away from your stress for awhile. This is the kind of book you read and then you just keep on rereading and it never gets old!

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Ready yourselves for a laugh out loud comedy for readers of all ages, because Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan might just become your new favorite book! Jake is a bad kid, who by 13, has gotten himself kicked out of every public school in Rhode Island. His grandfather has had enough of him and with his parents in jail, it looks like he is on the fast track to Juvie. That is until the Applewhites invite him to stay at their Creative Academy, the place where all of the artsy and completely crazy Applewhites are schooled. Jake is set on staying bad and getting himself kicked out, but when he forms a bond with the only non-crazy Applewhite E.D., and learns of a passion for acting, will he give in to his good side? I read this book in fourth grade and fell in love with it. This is the kind of coming of age story that you can relate to at any level and is always perfect for a good laugh. While the characters might be a little extreme, their core ideas are reflected all around us. As this is a middle grade novel, the plot is easy to follow and the book is short, but luckily the author is able to pack a great story in there and as I recently found out there are two other books in the series! I would highly recommend this book for kids from 4th grade for a challenge to 7th grade as an easy reading slump killer or before bed read!
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My high and mighty opinion

If I was labeled

I would be a goddess

the creator

of all things

The written language

flew from my mouth

to my hand

spurring all of history

I was born from the big bang

I took nothing

and made it

everything

I am a finch

crawling into Darwin’s head

heck I invented evolution

knowing when the weaker man should bow out

I am destruction

the disease on the flee

on the rat on the boat

from China to Europe death followed

I am redemption

the scale that weighs

a souls worth

before opening the gates to the Underworld

I am Mnemosyne

I birthed the nine bringers

of inspiration

for all art

I am love and hate

war and peace

every contradiction

that rules our universe

New Favorite App-WebToon

Look What Just Came In The Mail!

Okay so you know how on Instagram they have apps that will be advertised, like those hooked text chats that always freak me out because I'm scared of everything. Well, one day this app advertised this webcomic Assassin Roommate, and of course I'm intrigued. So I downloaded the app and I was hooked! Webcomics rock!!!!! Its like a book, but its also like a comic, and they update every week, so its suspenseful! Plus this app is really well put together and has a ton of really great comics all together organized really well! Now for my recommendations, first Siren's Lament by InstantMiso. This is basically the best thing ever (except for the title which sounds really cheesy, but I swear it isn't) The premise without giving anything away is a girl who is in love with a boy is kissed by a Siren, which is supposed to make her into a Siren, but plot twist it only half worked! The artwork is fantastic and the lines are not only laugh out loud funny, but also provoke real emotions! So if you are a fan of romance and comedy, check out Sirens Lament. Okay second place goes to Assassin Roommate by Monica Gallagher! And this isn't just because I love friends😜So Roommate Assassin is about a woman in her twenties who needs a new roommate and the guy who ends up moving in is very attractive, always shirtless, and definitely has a connection with her! There is just one issue, one of them is an assassin, can you guess who? While the artwork in this I don't like nearly as much as some of the other comics, the writing is really funny and cute and a great thing to just sit down and read! And finally, in third place there is Ecstasy Hearts by SilentMaru. This is only on this list due to the amazing artwork, by far the best on the app. The writing on the other hand is so confusing and not funny at all and also creepy at many points. But it also totally pulls you in and makes you want to read more. Added bonus I am learning a ton about tennis. Okay so I don't fully understand the plot and its impossible to simplify so I will give a broad topic overview. Romance, drug lords, family feud, crazy people, and a crap ton of tennis. So if you want to see some beautiful artwork and be confused out of your brain, check it out! Okay, that is all folks! Happy reading!-Becca
   

Shatter Me Series Will Be Continued!

****DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SHATTER ME SERIES BY TAHEREH MAFI****

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG THERE IS A NEW BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So for those of you who don't know, I love the Shatter Me series! I have read Ignite Me a total of 7 times and every time I get to the ending and while I am extremely happy, I have to go read a bunch of Fanfiction because I want more. Well I just found out that there is a new book! Restore Me will pick up where Ignite Me ended and give us that Juliette and Warner fix we are all craving! Also if you look on goodreads you can see that there are two other books set to be in the series after that! I know that isn't extremely reliable as on goodreads it also says that there will be two more books after The Host by Stephanie Meyer and that is never happening so...But anyways, I was actually screaming and jumping for joy when I heard there was going to be another book. I'm not quite sure why after three years of silence about the series and believing it was over, the series will now be continued, but I'm assuming it has to do with Tahereh Mafi and being able to get a book deal for the rest of the series. Or maybe she had writers block for the series and now has miraculously recovered. Whatever it is, I am so happy it happened, because it is basically the answer to my prayers! I mean seriously guys, first Marissa Landers finally gets a book deal for United and releases it, then I find out that there is a graphic novel continuation of the lunar chronicles, and last week I preordered the newest John Green book, and now this! I mean all that is left is for Stephanie Meyer to announce that she actually is going to write Midnight Sun and for the sequel to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe to finally be released and all of my dreams will have come true! Well I hope you are as excited as I am about this book release! As always Happy Reading!-Becca    

Audiobook Recommendations

I don't know about you, but I love audiobooks! Here is a list of not only great books to read, but also great books to listen to! Happy Reading and Listening!-Becca

1. Beautiful LGBT Coming of Age Story

The audiobook edition of this book read by Lin-Manuel Miranda is extremely well done. Whenever I listen to this book I always feel inspired to just sit and draw and be creative. I would recommend listening to this book when you are not doing anything strenuous. Just sit and enjoy, don't do any chores or anything. Also, if you can try and listen to this outside, especially if it is beautiful outside, trust me it will make everything even better.  

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Be prepared to feel every emotion on the spectrum, because Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sánez is the most beautiful coming of age novel I have ever read. Ari is miserable. Being a teenager is the worst and summer seems to go on forever, that is until he meets Dante at the pool and makes the friend of a lifetime. Join Ari and Dante as they grow up together and learn about life, friendship, love, and all the secrets in the universe. I can not pick a favorite thing about this book because every page is amazing! The emotional journey that Ari and Dante embark on in this book is fantastic. I find that in a lot of coming of age novels the plot will fall flat, but that is the opposite in this book. While there isn't much character development for minor characters, the character development of Ari and Dante is amazing. I also love how even though this takes place in the eighties, the characters are the real stars of the book, not the historical aspect. I would highly, highly recommend this book to everyone!
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Paradise

Take me to a far away place, far away from here
Take me to a scream and shout place, scream till I can't hear
Take me to a dance all night place, dance the night away
Take me to a sing it loud place, sing till my voice breaks

You say we're in paradise, feel the summer breeze
So it looks like paradise, is not as sweet as it seems
You say we're in paradise, looking like kings and queens
So this is paradise, I can't wait to break free

Take me to a sweet and sour place, sugar and spice won't do
Take me to a spend all day place, spend the day with you
Take me to an adrenaline overload, energy overload state
Take me to an outcasts only, I shouldn't see no exclusive face

You say we're in paradise, feel the summer breeze
So it looks like paradise, is not as sweet as it seems
You say we're in paradise, looking like kings and queens
So this is paradise, I can't wait to break free

Don't tell me that you, have given up on what you know
Don't tell me that you, have let paradise take control
Don't tell me that you, have given up on our dreams
Don't tell me that you, think that paradise is on our team

You say we're in paradise, feel the summer breeze
So it looks like paradise, is not as sweet as it seems
You say we're in paradise, looking like kings and queens
So this is paradise, I can't wait to break free

Owlcrate Box

As I have now had Owlcrate Box for about a year, I think it is about time I shared my feelings about it with you all. It is fantastic!!!!!! I have loved every box so far and they only keep getting better! Let me state this I am not a rep for Owlcrate, I am doing this of my own free will because I love the box and I wanted to share that with you. (Though I am in no way opposed to becoming an owl crate rep) For those of you who do not know what Owlcrate is, it is a monthly young adult book subscription box that includes one newly released book (sometimes two!), a signed bookplate, a letter from the author, and a bunch of bookish goodies! The boxes are themed and include things from small businesses so it supports our amazing bookish artists! Basically this box is the bomb and if you are looking for a book subscription box, I would highly recommend it! My favorite book I have received from the box so far would have to be Heartless by Marissa Meyer, which is also my favorite box so far because of the awesome tea that was included. For those of you who don't know I love tea! So, check out Owlcrate Box! Comment if you like Owlcrate too! Click Here for the link to the website.  

August 2016 Box (My First Box!)