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!

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

Favorite book pics:

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.

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust Full Review

Spoiler Free Review:

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.

Recommended Mindset For Reading 

This book is perfect for anyone looking for a fairy tale without all of the men doing the saving. It has very light romance so if you are not into the hot and heavy stuff (unlike me) then this book is perfect for you! I didn't binge this book. I ended up splitting up my reading into a couple of days because it just wasn't the kind of book where you have to read everything all at once. This book is perfect for the start of the school year because you can read a little bit in your free time and spread it out over a couple of weeks. If you are the kind of person who needs humor in everything you read then this is not the book for you as there is very little comedy. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a nice story that fits a more modern perspective with age old fairy tales!

Becca's Best Banana Bread!

Ever have an excess of bananas on the verge of going bad? I know we always seem to! Besides eating terrible, mushy bananas, you can make delicious banana bread! I love this stuff! It is super moist and yummy and just all around great! Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a midday snack. This makes about 2 loafs of bread.

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.
View all my reviews

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!
View all my reviews

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.

Books That Made Me Cry

Have you ever felt like you just need to get a good cry in, but you don't have anything to cry about? Well boy do I have a solution for you! Just pick up any of these books and you will be in for a marathon of crying. Besides the effect they have on your tear ducts, these books are extremely well written and are a guaranteed fantastic read. Just make sure you always have extra tissues on hand! In addition to my regular spoiler free review, I have also included a rating for how much this book will make you cry. This way, you can make sure you have enough ice cream to balance out the tears!  

1. What We Should be Reading During Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Part the First) 

This book earns three crying faces on the scale, as you should be prepared to use up a box of tissues. Stevie's emotional journey is a roller coaster that goes from the present; to a flashback (AKA time to cry), to an interaction with another patient at the treatment center, to a therapy session (AKA also time to cry). This book is so beautifully written that I have actually decided to use it for an interpretive reading in speech and debate. (Speech and debate nerds, don't you dare steal my idea! I will hunt you down and send you a strongly worded letter!) This book truly captures how an eating disorder can completely take over a person. I have a lot of friends who are currently struggling or have struggled with an eating disorder and reading this book actually helped me to understand what is going on just a little bit more. I very much encourage young girls to read this book and hopefully it will inspire you to extend your awareness about eating disorders, as well as show just how much each of our lives are worth.   

Paperweight by Meg Haston
My rating: ❤❤❤❤
How much will this book make me cry?:😭😭😭

Readers will be shocked by this emotional masterpiece guaranteed to make you bawl your eyes out in Paperweight by Meg Haston. 17 year old Stevie has lived a hard life, and she is ready for it too end. Stuck in an eating disorder treatment center, she has lost all control of her life, and is being forced back into the state she views as fat. Worst of all, they won't even give her satisfaction of being anorexic. No, instead they call her bulimic, reiterating her knowledge of just how weak she is. But it's okay, it only has to last for 27 days, just until the anniversary of her brother's death. Then she can repent for her role in losing her brother, by giving in to the sweet, sweet, release of death. This book was so well put together. The combination of flashbacks to Stevie's life and her meetings with her therapist caused me to just cry my way through the whole book. The characters in this book were so complex, and some how, the author managed to give them the development most characters get over the course of three books, in just one. The writing in this book is very real and relatable: especially for young women dealing with body image issues. I would highly recommend this book to all young adults as it deals with so many issues that hit very close to home. This book makes you want to smile through the tears and I beg you all to read it!
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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  

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.
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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!

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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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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Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia Book Review

Spoiler Free Review: 

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers should expect a fresh perspective on life in the comical and heart wrenching wonder that is Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. Eliza Mirk is a nobody in person; no friends, weird, never talks. Eliza Mirk is a legend online, or at least her web comic, Monstrous Sea, written under the name LadyConstellation is. No one knows except online and Eliza likes it that way, that is until Wallace Warland transfers in to her school. Wallace Warland is Monstrous Sea's most popular fanfiction writer, and now the most important person in Eliza's life, just one problem, she has no intention of telling him who she is. This book took me completely by surprise. I was expecting a typical YA novel with a little romance thrown in to it. What I got was a beautiful story about excepting your identity and preparing for your future. Francesca Zappia created extremely interesting round characters that grow throughout the whole book. The emotions of these characters just blew me away and felt so real and at one point even made me cry. I would highly, highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially young adults as this book will really resonate with them.
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Recommended Mindset For Reading

 This book is something you need to read when you have a large chunk of time on your hands. You will not want to put it down so make sure you have enough time to do this. I actually read it in a four hour stretch where I just did not get up from the couch and sat back and read my book. This is not a light read, it is of medium length and there is a lot of feeling packed into it so prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster. If you like cool artwork this book is chockfull of it so if you are in an artsy kind of mood then pick up this book. Lastly, if you are an owlcrate subscriber like me and you got this book in your May 2017 box, how cool is the exclusive cover and artwork that was included! Now get off your beautiful buts and read this fantastic book!

Audiobooks

Today, my friends, I am here to talk to you about the wonderful invention of audiobooks. One of my largest pet peeves is being in the middle of a fantastic book and then bang, you need to go do a chore. Luckily there is a simple fix to this problem, audiobooks! Now I know that a lot of people are very opinionated about audiobooks and if they like them or not. I happen to love them as long as they are recorded well. I remember the first time I realized I loved listening to books was during a road trip with my family a long while back. We were listening to Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls by Meg Cabot. It was hilarious because the actor who was reading the book did such great voices. From that point on in every road trip we listened to books on tape that we got from the library. Well fast forward a few years and you  get current me. I listen to audiobooks all the time thanks to the overdrive app that my library is affiliated with. If your library is a part of overdrive I highly, highly recommend you get the app. My library collection has tons of audiobooks that I listen to and I have discovered many fantastic series through it! Now every time people tell me they don't have time to read I tell them to listen to audiobooks because you can still do things! One of my favorite things is to do the dishes while listening to a good audiobook because it makes chores fun! Also I love to run (or more frequently due to my complete nonathletic abilities, walk) on the treadmill while listening to an audiobook! Now do't you haters go saying that you can't find any good audiobooks because there are plenty!(Check back soon for a book recommendation list of some of my favorite audiobooks!) Here is a freebie before the list comes out, try A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Grey. The audiobook version is fantastic! Well that is all folks, so happy reading! -Becca ❤❤❤💕💕📚📚📚📙  

The Infernal Devices

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will not be able to put down the enthralling tale of magic, daemons, love, and humanity, that is Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. Tessa Grey has never traveled outside of New York until in 1878 her brother Nathan summons her to London. But when Tessa is kidnapped and subjected to magic she didn't know was inside her, all she can think of is her brother and how to save him. So when she is saved by Shadowhunters who are willing to help her find her brother, she is thrown into the shadowworld and the lives of the mysterious and attractive Will Herondale and James Carastairs. Their search will take them all over London and into the Pandemonium Club full of dangerous Vampires. Will they be able to save Nathan before its too late? I love this book! I mean like its my second favorite book written by Cassandra Clare, the first being the last book in this series. The story line is so fascinating and the characters are amazing in every way. The character development is fantastic and the humor is out of this world. The action starts right from the start and there is no pesky,, boring world building and instead they just throw you in which worked very well. I would say that I love this series more than the Mortal Instruments series though I highly recommend them both. If you answer yes to liking fast paced fantasy, historical fiction, romance, or humor than Clockwork Angle and the whole Infernal Devices series is right for you!

Other Thoughts

Direct quote from Becca Barer to friend Lily "OMG, I read this new book and like OMG, OMG, WILL HERONDALE!!!!!!!!!!" Direct quote from friend Lily "Becca slow down, who the hell is Will Herondale? Wait Becca are you going to force me to read another romance novel?". That happened around three years ago and my reaction still everytime I read the Infernal Devices or hear Will Herondale or just Will, is OMG Will Herondale is like the love of my life! Basically Cassandra Clare is the reason I can't date because I expect every guy to be like Will Herondale. So about this book, why are all shadowhunters so freaking awesome? I don't know, honestly I think its because it makes us want to be as amazing as they are, but still allows us to be lazy people that just st around eating ice cream and fangirling over Will Herondale.  

Focus

I'm sure there were loud screams

Coming out of her mouth

When I gave my sister her first bath

I'm sure there was soap and warm water

Covering her in a tub

But I'm not sure

It's all black tinged in my mind

My almost three year old brain didn't focus

On any other details

Not focused again until

It's a hot summer day in

my striking pink corvette

only four though I feel

like so much more when

I meet my first friend

Not focused again until

Otter pops, one a day

Sticky hands, sticky day, playing cops and robbers

Lighting off fireworks

In the street, popping in the blackness

Nighttime still light, eyes rubbed red from battles previously fought

Not focused again until

Loud bustling bumper cars in bright colors

Desire to crash, fear of impact

Fear to fall off the boardwalk along the beach

Seaside, rolling waves, sand

Everywhere, my toes, my swimsuit, my hotdog and s'mores

Not focused again until

Clanking nickels and number calling

The glares, the consequence of beating

The old nursing home ladies with their hearing aids

Where we eat our pinwheels and mint chocolate ice cream

Sit in great grandpa's chair so calm and happy

Not focused again until

The hissing air of blowing up the bed

Lights from the bridge keeping me up but really

An excuse to read all those classics

In the little bookshelf, on the yellow walls

Of my grandparents house

Not focused again until

The wet grass soaking my shoes while

We pace with each other, talking, imagining

Our game, the four of us best friends always

Playing, creating more, taking on more roles only

Waiting for the bell to ring and end our fun

Not focused again until

The crunch of gravel, cementing the feeling

Of the first day of middle school, truly

Realizing that only three of us will be there

One in another school just waiting

To be united again

Not focused again until

High heels too tall, tripping and

Recovering last minute making it a more

Memorable 8th grade graduation than

The speech and solos I performed causing

A surge of relief of moving on

Not focused again until

Three months in and

I’m staring at the wall

Of my freshman health class

The impact of high school

Only just then taking its hold

Not focused again until

My hands are on the wheel

Of my car where tears

Stream down my face in

The hot weather of my

Last day of sophmore year

Unfocused again

Will probably stay

Until the realization hits

That life is real

And I am not

Only a dreamer lost in a deep sleep