All Good Things Come To An End

Hey all! Jamie here! It's that time...to officially turn the page on The Broke and the Bookish after 8 awesome years.

-As a reminder, Top Ten Tuesday is NOT stopping...it's going to move over to fellow TB&TB contributor Jana's blog so definitely check that out! It's been a JOY doing Top Ten Tuesday with you guys every week for all these years. Thank you for making it such a fun part of this community! I've gotten questions about what will happen about Secret Santa...it is likely that Jana and I will come back to bring it back for next year...I mean, we are still part of the community and it's such a fun event that it would be just wrong for it not be back!


Now a couple of words from myself and the other ladies....along with where you can find us around the Internet!

Jamie says...

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little teary thinking about The Broke and the Bookish coming to an end. I started this blog on a whim when I saw that book blogs were a thing and asked a few of my friends in the Goodreads College Students group that I ran if they wanted to start a book blog with me! They were enthusiastic and we spent months planning before we launched in June of 2010. This decision changed my life. I can't even BEGIN to tell you all the ways it did because this post would be ridiculously long but it was the best decision I made in my young adult life. I met some of my best friends and I really found myself in my 20's through this community and writing on my own blog in addition to this blog with these AMAZING ladies. I think about that 23/24 year old girl that started this blog and now I'm like WOW...I'm 32 now, am married, have an almost 6 month old. How life has changed! I'm grateful that I've had these ladies to share this journey with!


Where to find me: 

The Perpetual Page-Turner: In addition to blogging here, I've been blogging at my own blog, The Perpetual Page-Turner, for the past 8 years and will be continuing that. It's evolved from a book blog to more of a lifestyle blog that's heavy on the books (because that's who I am) and I'd love you to come visit me over there and stay in touch!! (Apparently people didn't know I had another blog?? I guess I'm not good at promoting myself lol)

Twitter -- I will still be tweeting @brokeandbookish as I always have (though I might change the handle name...so hard to decide..I've become rather attached to it).

Instagram: www.instagram.com/perpetualpageturner  or my personal Insta which is mostly pictures of Riley and my dog, Finn is www.instagram.com/jamielee841

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1518370-jamie-the-perpetual-page-turner

Jana says...

I've loved writing with the ladies of The Broke and the Bookish these last 8 years! I didn't even know book blogging was a thing until Jamie posed the idea to a bunch of us college students, and we jumped into this amazing project that turned into something so much bigger than I think any of us imagined. The Broke and the Bookish helped me find my love of reading again, discover genres I never thought I'd read (sci-fi and fantasy, what!?), and make lifelong friends. It made me start up my own blog, and I even went to grad school to get a degree in library science because book blogging made me realize how much I love the world of literature. Recommending books to people brings me so much joy. I never would have known any of this about myself, nor would I have made such life-changing decisions had I not thrown myself into the bookish community.

Where to find me:

That Artsy Reader Girl: Not everyone knows that Jana of TB&TB and Jana of TARG are one and the same person. lol. I started my own book blog about 7 years ago. I write lots of book reviews and put on fun events (sometimes with friends). It's also home of the Debut Author Challenge. I hope you'll come chat books me with there! 

Top Ten Tuesday's new home.

Twitter: I'm @ArtsyReaderGirl, and I'm always up for late night silliness, book chats, fangirling, cat pictures, and commiserating!

Instagram: I love posting pics of books, weather, food, and crazy life things. 

Goodreads: Here lies the longest TBR and most detailed list of shelves in the world. If I ever disappear online, someone please come look at my Goodreads and see if they all fell on me.

Lauren says...

I knew I’d love blogging with these ladies long before I jumped in... back when we were all young hoodlums (ok, maybe just me) in the College Students Goodreads group. TB&TB has given me an amazing outlet to chuck all my book love into, as well as a place to find new bookish friends. I've LOVED reading comments and finding I'm not alone when it comes to the emotional rollercoaster books tend to take me on. Readers of any written word will always have a special place in this world and I'm just happy to be one of them. It's bittersweet to say goodbye, but I'm still here, as are all the lovely TB&TB ladies. If you can't find me, I'll probably be in a corner somewhere, sniffing a book. 

If I'm not napping or watching Netflix, you can probably find me online somewhere...

For hilarious pictures of my wiener dog, you can add me on Snapchat (tattooedbiblio). For more dog pictures with a sprinkle of family and books, I recommend my Instagram. For all things bookish, my Goodreads is a safe bet. And lastly, for deadpan jokes and sarcastic memes, Facebook is where it's at.

Daisy says...

I can't even begin to describe how much this blog and blogging in general has meant to me over the years! And I'm feeling pretty nostalgic and sad to see The Broke and the Bookish end, but I have to admit that it's time. I've loved being a part of this group of wonderful ladies and sharing so much with each other. When we started this I was doing my internships and now I'm a GP, married and have daughter who's almost 10 months old. CRAZY. 

Without Jamie deciding to start this I probably wouldn't have found my way into the blogging world and I'm so thankful for that! I've connected with amazing people and am part of a book club now that meets up monthly (can't imagine not having these girls in my life anymore!) and though I'm not as active in the community as I used to be, I'm very thankful for each and everyone of you that I've gotten to know over the years!

Where to find me:
Twitter | Instagram | My personal blog (that hasn't been updated in almost a year, but maybe soonish)

Julia says...

My heart hurts thinking about the end of The Broke and the Bookish. I fondly remember 8 years ago talking to everyone to figure out a name, direction, the About Me page, coding the first site… We launched the first review the day I started my first job out of college. This blog, these ladies and all you were so instrumental in keeping me sane during those crazy years of travel and figuring out adulthood. I will always cherish the time we had here – all the good reviews, all the amazing recommendations, all of the ways to read out of my comfort zone. I love you guys and I loved this. Now onto the next big adventure, once I figure out what it is. If I do anything else, I'll make sure to let Twitter and Instagram know :)

Where to find me:
Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram 

Lori says...

It has been an absolute pleasure to contribute to this blog over the years. I have met a lot of wonderful people that I call friends through book blogging. I have had great conversations about books and life with people far and wide. My TBR has grown at an exponential rate and my bookshelves overfloweth. It's been fun to see everyone transition from carefree college student through our late 20s and into our 30s. This blog and the connections I've made here have been a great comfort in the storms of my late 20s when I just didn't know which way was up. I am sad to see this blog shut down, but I can't wait to see what everyone takes on next.

Where to find me:

An Irreverent Escapade: I'm reviving my personal blog. I've missed having a space to go write about whatever. Look for posts about books, cooking, yoga, clothes, and life--basically, whatever I feel like tackling on a given day.

Twitter: CoffeeGirl217

Instagram: LLindsey217

Kimberly says...

In the time since we started The Broke and the Bookish I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree, got married, adopted a dog, and had a baby. The one constant? This blog and these incredible ladies. We were just a group of college students who wanted to talk about what we loved, who knew it would be such a big part of our lives? Because of this blog I have formed friendships, discovered amazing books, and found the community that has helped me become a better person.  I’m sad to see an end to an era, but excited to see what comes next.

Please come find me on any of these sites! 

Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

Bridget says...

Joining up with TBTB was one of the best things I ever did during my blogging life! It was such a pleasure working with these ladies. I’ve fallen off the blogging train in the past couple years, but it’s been so lovely having this great group of women to talk books with. I so appreciate all the readers for helping make this blog what it is. Thanks, TBTB, for giving me so many fun years ♥️

A Cocktail and a Conversation: Thanksgiving Edition

We have so much to be thankful for this year. Seriously. Some of us had kids. We have great partners. Some of us got new jobs. We got new houses. We're graduating. We're healthy.

But of course we are thankful for all of that!

So this year at Broke and Bookish, we decided to break with tradition and divulge our silliest, most off the wall things that we are thankful for.

Bridget says: I am thankful that we will be on Long Island for Thanksgiving this year, which means I will get to partake in real pizza, which my life is currently lacking. (No, we don’t eat pizza FOR Thanksgiving. But I wouldn’t complain if we did.)

Daisy says: I'm thankful for Zoey the Zebra, a toy that endlessly entertains my daughter and makes her dance, which is the best thing ever. I'm also thankful for the existence of sushi, since I can eat it again now.

Julia says: I am thankful over the air digital receivers so that I will be able to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade while not having cable. Also for free XM for the weekend so while I am driving around Ohio to hit up all the family gatherings, it will be with a great variety of music.

Jana says: I’m so thankful for cozy blankets because they make me unbelievably happy. If I’m sad or not feeling well, I curl up with one. I love being surrounded by soft things, so I own way too many blankets.

Lori says: I am so thankful for hot toddies. Bourbon. Little bit of honey. A hot drink on a cold night. I think the citrus will help prevent me from getting scurvy this winter. And I'm thankful for fuzzy socks. I could live in them!

Kimberly says: I'm grateful to have a dog to help clean up the floors after my nieces and nephews have picked through their Thanksgiving meal.


What off the wall things are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Cocktail and Conversation

It's time for another Cocktail and Conversation with the Broke and Bookish ladies!

This week we're talking about fall:

What are you most looking forward to as we head into fall?

Bridget says:  I am sooo looking forward to opening the windows, lighting candles (Yankee Candle Kitchen Spice or bust), wearing boots and sweaters and jeggings, offices being a reasonable temperature instead of feeling like a refrigerator, the leaves changing, finally having an excuse to wear tights with my dresses, less humidity aka less frizziness...I could go on!!

Jana says:  I love the cool, crisp weather that makes sweaters so cozy! Pumpkin bread from my favorite local bakery. Drives up the canyon to see the leaves change colors. I love the atmosphere of the excitement surrounding Halloween and the spooky novels I read around that time. And I loooove Thanksgiving! 

Lauren says:  I'm looking forward to the weather cooling down and not freaking out every other day. I'm ready to sit on the swing outside to read without sweating to death. Oh yeah... and new book releases of course. :)

Lori says:  I can't narrow it down!  I've started missing my boots and scarves.  I will always be a summer girl, but I do love those clothes.  College football, for sure.  I love waking up on a Saturday and knowing my entire day is already full of the games.  It doesn't even matter who is playing--it's just fun to watch.  Lastly, the endless supply of chili that goes with the endless supply of college football.  I have an awesome recipe.



What are you looking forward to with fall?

A Cocktail and Conversation

This week's question:  What is you favorite thing to cook and why?

Bridget said:  Probably my mother-in-law's macaroni and cheese recipe!! So easy and so delicious. Perfect for potlucks and picnics!

Kimberly said:  I'm not sure if it can be called a recipe, but I love making pasta salad. It's pretty simple, but so so yummy! It's perfect this time of year too, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, pepperoni and cheese with Italian dressing.

Lori said:  I love experimenting with pasta, but in the interest of something different--my favorite meal to make is fried chicken, fried potatoes, and corn bread.  I love the amount of time it takes to make the whole meal.  And my fried chicken recipe is just damn good.  :)

Jana said:  I love this chicken!  Sooooo good! I use a glass dish for baking instead of the foil, and it's crunchy and amazing.


What about you?

Cocktail & Conversation

Pour yourself a drink and pull up a seat!  This week's question for the Broke and Bookish Ladies is:

Water park or amusement park? Why?


Bridget says:  Amusement park! I hate being all wet and squishy walking around the park. Plus I always just feel slimy with all that gross water, and awkward walking around in a bathing suit all day. Gimme a roller coaster over a water slide any day!

Jana says:  Amusement park! I'm with Bridget, I hate being wet all day and walking around in a swimsuit. I also fry and end up looking like a lobster after 30 minutes. I love roller coasters and other rides, though, and I've spent many summer days hanging out at various amusement parks. So many memories!

Lauren says:  I choose... both! For now I'd rather go to an amusement park because I am on my weight loss journey and I don't quite feel comfortable wearing swimwear yet. Plus I LOVE roller coasters!

Julia says:  I enjoy both water parks and amusement parks, but I usually go to amusement parks over water parks if I am looking for a vacation or a break. In fact I am heading out to one today to ride all of the roller coasters! Let's hope for good weather.

Lori says:  WATER PARKS!!!!!  I love chillin' in the lazy river (although kids have NO CHILL and constantly bump into my tube), but I also love riding the water rides.  I like being able to be outside, getting some sun, and staying cool at the same time.  Where's my fruity umbrella drink?  :)

Kimberly says:  I really like both, but I feel like I get bored with water parks faster. It could be because the only actual water park I've been to is Lagoon here in Utah. It's fun, but once you've done a few of the slides you've done it all. But I do love amusement parks! It's something I've missed this summer being pregnant, I could go walk around but I'd have to skip all the rides and who wants to do that?



Your turn!  Water park or amusement park?

Best & Worst Dads We've Come Across In Literature

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We are talking dads in literature -- the good and the bad!

 Jamie's picks: 

I honestly picked books I've read recently....not an OF ALL TIME sort of thing because I wanted to talk about books I read recently.

1. BEST: Lara Jean's dad in Jenny Han's To All The Boys I've Loved Before series: Oh man how I love Lara Jean's dad. LJ's dad is so wonderful and I love how he tries to uphold all the Korean traditions of their mother after she passes away. He's just seriously the best and such a caring dad.

2. BEST: Lucy's dad in The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord: Lucy's dad really reminded me of my stepfather in how he took care of my mom when she was sick. He's such a great dad to Lucy and I really enjoyed both of her parents.

3. BEST: Starr's dad in The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: OH MY GOD I LOVE HER DAD SO MUCH. Her mom too. I honestly would just read a book about her mom and dad because they are just so great.

4. BEST: Kate's dad in My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella: Kate's dad...oh I just loved him. He made me laugh sometimes with the whole glamping business thing and how grumpy the city made him (honestly kind of reminded me of my dad in some ways). He was such a caring dad and wanted his daughter to succeed but, like all dads, doesn't always show it in the most perfect of perfect ways. Loved their relationship.

5. WORST: Savannah's dad in All in Pieces by Suzanne Young: Her dad was seriously terrible. I wanted to kick him so many times. STOP BEING SO SHITTY.

6. WORST: Both Dill and Travis's dads in The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner: Two best friends with two awful dads. HAAAAAAATRED RUNS THROUGH MY VEINS WHEN I THINK ABOUT THEIR DADS.

Bridget's Pick

7. BEST: Mr. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice: He knows it's BS that Elizabeth is being pressured to marry Mr. Collins and defends her against her crazy mother. Seems like a chill dude who I'd like to have in my life!





Who are your picks??

Cocktail and Conversation with the Broke and Bookish Ladies

It's been a while since we've done a Q&A post, so we decided to give it a shot.  This week's question is:

What do you miss most about being a kid during summer break?

Kimberly says:  I miss summer days with my Grandpa. I spent a lot of time with him as a kid. I remember very distinctly the smell and feel of mornings at his house. (Freshly brewed coffee. ) We'd go on adventures and do crafts. It was paradise for a kid!

Jana says:  I miss how valuable and precious summer used to be to me as a kid. School was out, and I had a few months of freedom. The sky wasn't even my limit, and I loved living every summer day like it was a gift I was given. :)

Jamie says:  I miss endless pool days with my sister, eating ice pops all day long, bare feet, the ice cream truck coming around after dinner....I just really miss not having any structure. My sister and I had so much fun during summer break -- from playing games we made up when we were little to sunning ourselves and reading by the pool when we got a bit older.

Lori says:  I miss how the summer just seemed endless.  Each day seemed like an opportunity for something huge and exciting to happen.  I also miss the summer reading program at the library.  (Why don't they have those for adults?!)  I miss going to the pool all day and not having to worry about the tab I was running up at the snack shack.  Basically, I miss the freedom to just do.

Bridget says:  I miss not hating the heat! I used to live for summer, like a lot of kids, but now I hate it. This could be due to the fact that I live far more south than I did when I was growing up (grew up in New York, currently live in North Carolina) and the heat here is just unbearable. I truly miss looking forward to summer rather than dreading it! Give me crisp fall weather any day and gtfo with your heat and humidity!

Daisy says:  I miss having the whole summer off and just getting to spend it having fun and being lazy! No responsibilities and not having to figure out what to have for dinner or actually make said dinner. All those endless days in the sun, swimming and reading piles of books were amazing!

Lauren says:  I miss hanging out with my grandparents and following them around all day. I miss running through the sunflowers that were taller than me, chasing butterflies, picking up baby birds that have fallen out of their nest and putting them back. Out of all of the memories I can sweep up, I miss sitting on the swing with my grandma. We'd talk about anything and everything, or we'd just swing and enjoy the country life. Oh... and I miss running around barefoot. :)

Julia says:  Reading all your answers. I agree with with them all. I'm so nostalgic for summer!

There you have it...What do you miss about being a kid during the summer?

Top Ten Things That Will Make Us Instantly Want To Read A Book

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Happy Tuesday everyone! Today we are talking about those things that will just instantly make us want to read a book!

Jamie's Picks

1. Even a whiff of a hate-to-love romance type relationship: Listen, if it even hints at it in any type of book (even if it isn't a romance/rom com) I'm going to add it to my TBR.

2. Road trip: If I see the word road trip in a summary (honestly though...any kind of huge travel plot) I'm game.

3. Loss of a parent: Oookay this one probably feels like a downer but apparently this is my thing. A few years after I lost my mom in 2006 I started really gravitating towards books about losing a parent. IDK WHY. I know some avoid it for the same reason if they've gone through it but for me it's apparently cathartic and a thing I enjoy (weird word...probably not what I'm going for) so if I see that a book deals with a loss of a parent (especially a mom) in any way it's like Jamiebait. 

Kimberly's Picks

4. Magic - I'm such a sucker for fantasy reads. If the description of a book mentions magic, it immediately goes on my tbr. 

5. Horses- The 10 year old in me just can't let this go. I've always loved horses (I grew up with a Wyoming rancher for a grandpa, so it was inevitable) and stories about them just make me happy. 

Jana's Picks

6. Pirates: I'm a sucker for books with pirates in them! I've probably got a crush on every literary pirate.

7. Mermaids: Underwater worlds and mermaids are my favorite!

8. Travel: If the book has traveling in it I'm all over it!

9. Nerdy Characters: I love adorkable/nerdy/bookish characters so much! 

10. Holidays: I love books centered around different holidays. It's so much fun reading Halloween books in October and Christmas ones in December. 

Bridget's Pick

11.  Any sort of endorsement by one of my favorite authors (Stephen King, JK Rowling, Gillian Flynn, etc)

Top New-To-Us Authors We Read For The First Time In 2016

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Top Ten New-To-Us Authors We Read For The First Time In 2016

Bridget's Pick:
Jeff Vandermeer! He wrote the Area X trilogy. I've only read the first two (I really need to go back and finish!) but the prose is stunning. Very different from what I would normally expect from sci-fi. It's beautiful and ethereal and a little dense but definitely worth it. 

Daisy's Picks:

Lyndsay Faye: I LOVED Jane Steele! The writing style was amazing and I can't wait to read more from this author!

Garth Nix: I cannot believe that it took me this long to finally pick up one of Garth Nix's books, but Sabriel was SO GOOD! I'm definitely continuing this series in 2017!

Jamie's Picks:

Sarah Fine: I read The Imposter Queen this year and it was definitely one of my favorite fantasy books of this year! I can't wait to go through her backlist.

Jeff Zentner: His debut novel, The Serpent King, just really blew me away. One of those feelings like "this could be a potential ALL TIME fave author" if all his books do this to me. 

Claire Legrand: GUYS you must read Some Kind of Happiness. I rarely read MG books but this book made her one of my fave new-to-me authors of this year!

Kimberly's Pick:

Steven Rowley: I read Lily and the Octopus this year and... It was an incredible experience. I reviewed it on the blog this summer. 

Julia's Pick:

Kelly Bowen: I read Duke of My Heart on a whim earlier this year when I was trying to be better about getting into reading again. I have been leery with trying new historical romance authors because I have been put off by so many, but I actually quite enjoyed it. So I read the second one, and like that too. Now I have got the third one on my radar... 

What are your favorite authors this year? 

Ten Things We Are Thankful for this Year

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Thanksgiving freebie -- tell us what you are thankful for! Books you are thankful for! 

We ladies at the broke and the bookish are thankful for...

Lori is thankful for...

Dry Shampoo--Makes my hair look great, smell great, and let's me be lazy. Win-win-win.

Reducing my wardrobe for neutrals--I can throw together a great outfit with no thought and next to no time. Love it!

Jamie is thankful for...

My dog Finn's health: we had a real big scare with his health this Fall but I'm so thankful that two months later he's doing so much better and is back to himself.

New friends: this past year has brought me a group of girls who I couldn't be more thankful for and have spent so much time with this year. They are the best and I feel supported and loved and encouraged and I just have the best time with them. Plus I love that our husbands all get along so well. It's been one of the best things of 2016.

Bridget is thankful for...
A great job with (mostly) great coworkers who I can actually be friends with. This has been pretty rare for me in most jobs but I really like the people I work with and we hang out occasionally and it's nice to actually have friends. It's been really difficult for me to make friends post-college thanks to introversion and general awkwardness. So yay work friends!

That we will be leaving North Carolina in less than a year. I don't know yet where we're going (we'll find out early next year and move sometime between July and September) but I am so tired of this place. I know that conflicts with what I said above somewhat, but mostly I'm tired of the south itself--it's too hot and too many people introduce themselves and then ask what church you go to >_> and I am ready to be somewhere that is less intrusive like that. Very thankful that our two years here are more than halfway over!

Julia is thankful for...

All of the friends that I have that make me get up and out of the house and hang out with them. I feel like year 29 would have been lonelier without them. I had friends before and I went out with people before, but this year I have just been crazy social. It's nice, even if it takes me away from books. :)

The fact that I have a great job with people I enjoy working with, that gives me the flexibility to take time off when I need to and travel the world when I want to (and sometimes when and where I dont want to). 

My health and the continued health of my family. We are all still alive and moving, despite missing a few pieces, or not being able to eat a few (dozen) things anymore. Overall I can't complained and am blessed.  

Jana is thankful for...
My mom and my sister, who are my biggest supporters and loudest cheerleaders. 

Your Ultimate Gilmore Girls Playlist

As I'm sure you all know, the new episodes of Gilmore Girls are coming out on November 25th!! I'm anxiously counting down the days and in fact I may or may not have decided to watch the series AGAIN (for the...fourth? fifth? time) on Netflix so I'll be ready when the new episodes premier after Thanksgiving. Yes, I probably have a problem.

Anyway, we've all seen the posts about Rory's favorite books and all that good stuff, but I'm going in a different direction today. Gilmore Girls has a great soundtrack, and I've discovered some of my favorite songs through watching. Some of these songs come at the most pivotal moments of the series, so if you haven't watched or finished it yet, beware the spoilers below!

1. There She Goes - La's 



This is the perfect song to open the series. This might seem a little trite, but the Gilmore girls are so admired by so many people that it seems appropriate to me. Stars Hollow seems to center around them in a lot of ways (though of course, they are the stars of the show, so that might have something to do with it).

2. One Line - PJ Harvey

 
As weird as Dean got later, this is such a sweet scene. It took a while for Rory to be able to admit her feelings for him, and I was so happy for her (and him). Good song, too!

3. Reflecting Light - Sam Phillips



This is one of my favorite moments in the entire series (and also one of my favorite songs!). Lorelai accompanies Luke to Liz's wedding, and he surprises her with his dance skills...and they seem to surprise each other with their slow embrace. Oh man, happy tears every time. LORELAI AND LUKE 5EVER

4. Then She Appeared - XTC



Sigh. I freaking love this song, and it's perfect for the scene—Rory and Jess's first official "we're together" kiss—but I just can't get behind Rory and Jess as a couple. I do have to admit that he grows on me each time I watch the series, but he's so closed off; Rory deserves someone who actually treats her well, and Jess just doesn't treat her right. This is still a great scene and a great song, though.

5. I Think It's Going to Rain Today - Claudine Longet



After Logan's father tells Rory she doesn't have what it takes to make it in journalism, Rory flips and, with Logan's help, steals a yacht, drops out of Yale, and subsequently moves into her grandparents' poolhouse. This song plays as Lorelai watches Rory unpacking her books. Very pretty song but such a sad scene :(

6. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston


During the final controversial season, Lorelai sings this to Rory—and then to Luke—at karaoke night. That little shrug at the second verse gets me every time.

~~~~~~~~

I know there are probably plenty that I'm missing. Which songs would you add?

Ten Books To Read If Your Book Club Likes To Read Super Discussable YA

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For this week's topic, we chose ten books to read if your book club likes to read totally discussable YA novels. 

Jamie's Picks

1. All the Rage by Courtney Summers: All the Rage will get your blood boiling and touched on a lot of important issues — victim-shaming, slut-shaming, rape and rape culture, etc which are sure to get your book club talking. I couldn't put this one down. 

2. Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn: This is one of those books that people have strong feelings about. I personally really liked it. Firsts is definitely a honest and provocative book that will make you uncomfortable for sure but I loved the honest and open exploration of teen sexuality in it though I felt kind of conflicted about certain aspect

3. All the Bright Things by Jennifer Niven: I read this with my book club and we had SO much to talk about with this one. It was certainly a divisive one.

4. Tease by Amanda Maciel: Tease is told from the perspective of a girl who, along with her best friend and others, bullied another girl who ended up killing herself. It goes back and forth between what started the bullying/led to the suicide and then also is in the present where she’s fighting a case against her and the others for their responsibility in the girl’s death as well as trying to live life after this event. It's definitely a book where people are going to have opinions plus it's a good discussion starter re: bullying.


Bridget's Pick

5. Tiny Pretty Things


Lauren's Picks

Short preface for my picks today... I dug deep for these picks for this week's topic. These novels are truly near and dear to me. I normally don't wear my heart on my sleeve, but let's just say I wore a damn tank top today. Enjoy!

6. Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick: This is a YA historical fiction novel based on a true story about a child of war. You've seen it on the news, maybe read a Facebook article or two, or have just seen a monochromatic photo of a young child holding an assault rifle. This novel pulls you into the world of an innocent child facing an impossible reality... one that involves humanity diving to one of it's lowest points... all starting with the taking of an individual's childhood.

7. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson: This novel raises one of the simplest, yet amazingly complex issues that we all may trip upon in our future... or maybe our children's future. Ethics are called into question and we all feel like we know what the right answer is, but if our life were on the line... if our child's life were at stake... what would you do?

8. Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer: Ok, I'll be honest... this novel involves a classroom setting and while reading, every time I put the novel down, I felt like I had just left the philosophy night class that I took in college. I felt mentally exhausted, but exhilarated by how I had just viewed all of life. We all see ourselves in a certain light, but in that same light, others see us differently. This book reminded me of how I am just a speck in this world, but also how this speck is meaningful and has a purpose.

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: This should be on the world's top five YA novels to read. And I can almost 100% guarantee every single person who has read this book would agree. It's not another historical fiction novel with a main character we can all relate to. It's not another novel some teacher added to your reading list and you have to drag ass to figure out what is symbolic and what is a metaphor. It truly reaches deep down, grabs your heart, finds what makes you well, you... then rips it out. At least, that's how I felt when I read it the first 3 times. And each time I discover another missed detail that would've made my heart beat a little faster before it's fateful death (no death pun intended).

10. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson: This was an early read for me... as in I can't even remember how old I was when I read this novel for the first time. But I can remember how the main character felt and consequently how I felt. When the season changed to winter, I felt cold. When news of the sickness was getting closer, I felt scared. When death was knocking at the neighbor's door, I felt complete despair. This novel will raise the hairs on the back of your neck and make you yearn to have the power to save lives.

What book club picks are on your list?

Only FOUR MONTHS Until Gilmore Girls!!!

Guys. GUYS. I am SO EXCITED for the new Gilmore Girls episodes and now there's a DATE:

November 25th, y'all. Mark your calendars.

All four 90-minute episodes will drop at once (can you say post-Thanksgiving binge?) which I understand Amy Sherman-Palladino wasn't thrilled about, but for we bingers, it's a god-send.

OH AND DID I MENTION THERE'S A TRAILER:




As you can see, I have lots of feelings about this. Will Luke and Lorelai be together, finally? Who of her three beaus will Rory end up with? (I had always rooted for Logan, but it's allllmost a tie between Logan and Jess at the moment.) Or will she end up with someone new? Will Marty be back in her life? (I did always have a soft spot for him.) Will Christopher be back to screw things up again? Are Lane and Zack's kids mini punk rockers? Did Paris end up becoming a surgeon AND a judge? Where did Rory end up after working on Obama's campaign? I'm dying to know what her career is!!

There are tons more questions that I'm sure I'll think of, but that's what I've got for now. I've been binge-watching the series for probably the fourth time since it was added to Netflix (in fact, I'm watching it as I write this) and I think I love it more every time. I want to BE Rory. Or maybe Lorelai. Or a combination?

Out of any TV show I've ever watched, Gilmore Girls feels the most real to me. Rory and Lorelai feel like old friends who I haven't had a chance to catch up with in forever, and I can't wait until I do get to catch up with them! I'm sure they're just as witty and sparkling as ever.

Who else is super excited for this??

A Cocktail & Conversation -- Summer Go-To's

Every other Thursday here at The Broke & The Bookish is A Cocktail Conversation time. One of the TB&TB members will pose a question to 2-3 of the other members of TB&TB crew about books, life, music, etc and then they'll answer and we can converse about it. So grab a cocktail & cozy up for some conversation. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, friends. 

This week we are talking FOOD -- which, besides books, is my favorite thing in life.

This week the question is: 

What is your go-to summer recipe/meal/drink?

  
Jamie says: In the past couple summer's one of our go-to recipes is this healthier, no-mayo potato salad. I love potato salad but I don't particularly love eating mayo so I found this and last year we had to cook for about 30 people during our family vacation one night and it was a HIT. We actually just made it last week to bring to my niece's graduation party. It's so easy to make and it's tasty without being loaded with mayo so I don't feel like I have to miss out on typical ~summer classics~ while still trying to be mindful of what I'm eating.  It's a compromise.

Bridget says: Going to any barbecues this summer? Need to bring a dish? This mac and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser. It's my mother-in-law's recipe and my husband and I make it all the time. It's super easy and super delicious. I never liked mac and cheese until I had this recipe, and once you try it you'll never go back to the boxed stuff ever again!

Daisy says:  One of my favourite things to make is pesto chicken salad, because you can just prepare it at any time and put it in the fridge till you're ready to eat/take it with you if you're bringing food. It's also ridiculously easy to make:
Cook pasta (any pasta, doesn't matter what you choose, it's all good), let it cool off after, add a little bit of olive oil so they don't stick together. Cut up some lettuce and add a bit of rucola (arugala for those in the states), mix in a small bottle of green pesto, add pieces of smoked chicken, pine nuts, add in pasta and TADA DONE! Tastes awesome and you can save leftovers for the next day, maybe next 2 days if it hasn't been sitting out on the table all night. Add tomatoes if you want, not necessary though.
This is always a winner with my friends and family and so easy. You can also switch the smoked chicken with bacon or add mozzarella. This is almost anything goes

Tell us your go-to summer eats!!