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 ♥️

Ten Books We Meant To Read In 2017 But Didn't Get To

For future TTT topics, click here.

Starting next week, January 16th, Top Ten Tuesday will be moved to Jana's blog, That Artsy Reader Girl. Jana has the schedule of future topics up through May! 

This week we're talking about the books we'd planned on reading in 2017 but never got to for one reason or another. But it's a new year and we've still got all the days to read them! 

Jana's Picks:

1. The rest of the Harry Potter series. I've only read book #1, but am on Chamber of Secrets right now!

2. Charing Cross Road 84 by Helene Hanff - It sounds so sweet, and my book club read this this year but I got really sick and didn't get a chance to read it in time for the meeting. Has anyone read this one?

3. All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda - I've heard great things, and I love mysteries like this one!

Lori's Picks:

4. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - I know it's a 2016 release, but I meant to get to it in 2017 too and just didn't. I started it, but then for whatever dumb reason--probably got busy with school--I put it down. It's definitely on tap for this year. Promise!

5. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - I got this for my Book of the Month pick and just didn't get to it. Everyone I've seen who's read it has loved it. Definitely need to pick up this year.

6. Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong - This was another BOTM pick that I've heard so many great things about and that I just didn't get to. It's not a terribly long read and the character should be somewhat relatable since we're around the same age...

Daisy's Picks:

7. Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas - though I'm a bit less excited about this installment, it's still [art of one of my favourite series and I really need to read this.

8. The Fallen Kingdom by Elizabeth May - I'm DYING to know how it ends, really want to re-read the first two books though.

Julia's Picks:

9. The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman - I totally meant to not only read this, but reread the entire His Dark Materials series 

10. Literally all the books... by all the authors - I think 2017 was the least that I have read in years. Like maybe even under 20 books. I am too afraid to count...

Which books are you making a priority for 2018? 

Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

Important News:

Hello everyone! Jamie here! Before we get to today's topic....I have some NEWS that is relevant to Top Ten Tuesday. We've been doing Top Ten Tuesday since we started this blog in June 2010 and it's such a special thing for me as my little baby of an idea that grew bigger than I could have ever imagined. We have decided that, as of January 9 after our last TTT topic, that The Broke and Bookish is going to be shutting down (at least for now). I was 24 when the ladies and I got together to start this blog and now I'm a 32 year old MARRIED LADY WITH A BABY and my own blog has even taken a different direction (though still heavy on the books). And it's not just me...we've all gotten busy and life has taken us in various directions as you have probably been able to tell with our sparse posts. It's sad but I'm so grateful for doing this with these ladies for all these years. We will have a more ~formal~ goodbye post with links to social media/blogs where you can find us if you want.

BUT DON'T PANIC. Top Ten Tuesday is not going away!! I'm going to hand over the reigns to our dear TBTB contributor, Jana, and she's going to host it on her blog, That Artsy Reader Girl! She has put up a schedule so you guys can still have the topics in advance past January 9th.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you thank you thank you to the people who decided to join in way back in 2010 which helped make this little idea of mine such a fun weekly blogging event and to everyone who jumped in after. I've had fun getting to know you and you've added like A MILLION books to my TBR. I love your passion and your enthusiasm and creativity and I can't wait to see where it goes when Jana takes over. It's so hard for me to let go something that has been a huge part of the past almost 8 years of my life but it's time...

We will try to make this move as smoothly as possible but could definitely use your help in spreading the word and being gentle with us as we make this change.  --- Jamie

---

Now, on to this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic! Christmas is less than a week away, so it's probably time to declare which books we hope Santa brings this year! 

Jamie's Picks

1. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng: I've heard amazing things about this book and I need it nowwww.

2. What To Say Next by Julie Buxbaum: I loved Tell Me Three Things and I NEED her latest book!

Jana's Picks

3. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella: I love Sophie, and I've heard awesome things about this new book of hers.

4. Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh: MULAN RETELLING that I want to read!!

5. The Valiant by Lesley Livingston: Gladiators!

6. Up to This Pointe by Jennifer Longo: People keep telling me to read this book about friends figuring their lives out.

7. Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier: I read Heart's Blood earlier this year and really loved it, so I want to jump into this series that everyone loves!

Lori's Picks

8. Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom by Julia Child: I just found this one today, but it sounds so cool! Child gives some base recipes and techniques and variations. It sounds like a great book for those with some kitchen experience who are looking for no recipe recipes.

9. The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown: I love reading successful women wrote their stories. This one is supposed to be gossipy and personal. I love the magazine, so I want to read some behind the scenes stuff!

10. The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Brombauer: This is one of those seminal cookbooks that has a bit of everything and I need to add it to my collection! :)

Top Ten Books On Our Winter TBRs

For future TTT topics, click here.

Winter is coming (or if you live on the other side of the world, summer is coming!)! What's on your to-be-read list this season? We're showing you a few of the titles we're most excited about. Which ones should we get to first? Which ones should we not bother with at all?

Lori's Picks

1.  The Revolution of Marina M. by Janet Fitch: I bought this one for myself to celebrate finishing my last semester of law school. I cannot wait to dive in!

2.  Private Citizens by Tony Tulathimutte: I just stumbled across this one day while browsing on Amazon. It sounds pretty interesting.

Julia's Pick

3. La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust, #1) by Philip Pullman: I meant to reread all of His Dark Materials before reading this new foray into the land of daemons, but I just cant wait. I am so excited that the Book of Dust is actually coming out... and part one is already out! I must read this... and soon.

Jana's Picks

4. Winter of Ice and Iron by Rachel Neumeier: I love reading wintry books this time of year, and this fantasy sounds amazing!

5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling: I'm having fun reading this series for the first time ever, and I can't wait to continue!

6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: I've been so excited to read this book, and it's wintry too! It seems like the perfect book to snuggle up under a blanket with.

Lauren's Picks

7. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: I might’ve gotten a head start on this one. Don’t judge! 😇 I love Greek Mythology and am excited to read another version of this amazing story. When the

8. When the English Fall by David Williams: Y'all know I can’t contain myself around anything dystopian. And here pops up a dystopian novel involving An Amish community... hells yes I can’t wait!

9. The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden: I read the first book in this series and adored it. The storytelling was amazing and made me want to believe in real, actual magic. I can’t wait to get into this sequel!

10. Into the Drowing Deep by Mira Grant: I love everything by Mira Grant and I was lucky enough to get an ebook copy from NetGalley! *squeals*

What are you hoping to read this winter?

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?

Top Ten Books We're Thankful For

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Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers in the USA! I (Jana) hope you all have a wonderful day with your families, eating lots of good food. This week's topic is books we're thankful for. Which books have touched your heart and left you feeling SO thankful that it was written?

Jana's Pick

1. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard: This book seriously changed my life. It's the kind of book that encourages you to take the bull by the horns and go with it. I just felt so refreshed by the end, like I had been the one to go on a whirlwind trip that changed my life. It prompted me to make amazing goals: to travel more, to practice my art more, to be spontaneous, to let my hair down and not worry what other people think, to look to the future, to develop other talents, to conquer fears, and to enjoy my life more. I ended up going on a whirlwind trip just like Bria did, and I cam home a completely changed person.

Kimberly's Pick

2. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: No matter how many books I read I always come back to this series. I'm so grateful for what it has taught me and the joy it brings me! It's the first thing I ever read to my daughter, I was still in the hospital after my c-section when I started.

Jamie's Picks

3. Just One Day by Gayle Forman: this book really resonated with me at where I was in my life and inspired me to make some big changes in my life. I will always be thankful to Gayle for writing this.

4. Twilight: Yep...I'm one of those people who fell in love with YA because of Twilight and I'm so thankful I took a chance on it even though I thought it sounded terrible.

5. The Wonder Weeks: lol I'm thankful for this book (and the app) as a new mom because it helps me be patient with Riley when she is going through a developmental leap which tend to be hard on babies. It helps make sense of things plus helps me know what she is working on!

Lori's Picks

6. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein: These poems first started my love of language. My dad would read them to me at night. It was always so much fun.

7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: This is one of the first classics I ever read, which definitely got me thinking about the genre as a whole. It also first got me thinking about law school.

8. Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion: Didion. OMG! I love her. I can't keep away from these essays and her other collection, The White Album. Her commentary on her times is so astute. And oddly widely applicable to today. Very inspirational to me in my writing.

9. Public Enemies by Bryan Burrough: This book got me thinking about becoming a history major. It's really interesting and an extremely accessible history of five criminal groups at large at the same time during the Depression.

10.  East of Eden by John Steinbeck: In terms of storytelling and retellings...this one is tops. I can't get over it. Steinbeck was truly a master.

Rules for Life

Having recently marked the occasion of my birthday, I began contemplating what all I've learned and what all I've concluded during my years.  I shot for thirty, one rule for each year.

Here's what all I came up with:

1. Always keep a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge for celebrations, like Thursdays.
2. Even the inexpensive champagne can be quite good.
3. By all means, reduce your intake of carbs, but never give up on them.
4. Add a little half and half or cream before scrambling eggs.
5. Sometimes the best meals are for one.
6. Invest in boots, purses, gloves, olive oil, books, jewelry, coffee, planners, notebooks, knives, and your laptop.
7. Even savasana can be a rigorous practice.
8. Baked goods are perfect for winning over the hearts of children.
9. Otherwise, baking is largely overrated.
10. Cooking well, even just one dish, can garner admiration.
11. Bar stools make great places for thinking and writing, plus you get better service.
12. Find a local liquor store and make friends with the workers.
13. Buy toilet paper in bulk--you won't not use it.
14. Pack light, but always bring an extra book or two.
15. Buy multiple copies of your favorite books.
16. Re-read old favorites, even if you only read part--it's good for the soul.
17. Don't be afraid to say goodbye. If someone was meant to be in your life, they won't hold it against you and will welcome you fondly.
18. That said, apologize if you need to.
19. Conversely, don't give someone too many chances.
20. Throw things away.
21. Don't spend much on sunglasses.
22. Don't smile if you don't want to.
23. Try to be good. If that fails, try to limit your damages.
24. Always keep a corkscrew in your travel kit (but check TSA if flying).
25. Keep those little NCIS flashlights scattered throughout your house.
26. Get yourself presents for the holidays too--from you, to you--and to hell with anyone who snarks at you for it.
27. It's OK to disengage from being social at any time.
28. Never let your birthday plans depend upon someone else coming through.
29. If it's not working, try pivoting a few times. But know when to pull the plug.
30. There are always exceptions and exceptions to exceptions and so on.


What rules for life have you come up with?

Top Ten Yummy Foods Mentioned In Books

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This topic is right up my (Lori) alley! I love food. I love reading about food. I love making food. I love eating food. I'm surprised I'm not 84,000 lbs.

1.  Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan--This book is basically what it seems on its face: a comedian rhapsodizing on food. Yes, I think the American diet is horrible, but you can't deny that most Americans love their food. :)

2.  Life Is Meals: A Food Lover's Book of Days by James Salter and Kay Salter--The book is divided into 365 short entries, one for each day of the calendar year. Each entry has a note about entertaining or recipes or a variety of food related topics that helped make me a better cook and hostess.

3.  An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler--Filled with essays on food, this book forever changed the way I make scrambled eggs and boil pasta.

4.  Heartburn by Nora Ephron--Ths novel describes the end of Ephron's marriage to Carl Bernstein. It also contains a few recipes by Ephron, a known foodie.

5.  Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living by Julie Powell--I loved this book! I love how Powell used cooking to change her life and pull herself out of a major rut. It's one I think of whenever I get a little blah about my life.

6.  Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook--This cookbook has so much yes. Full of amazing southern style recipes, it added a fantastic tweak to my already near-perfect fried chicken recipe and gave me my chili recipe (which has needed very few tweaks over the years). Highly recommend.

7.  100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life--This is my go-to cookbook whenever I know someone getting their first apartment. It has everything. Yes, the recipe titles might be a little strange or creepy (Let's Make a Baby Pasta? Seriously? But it is damn good pasta, with a nice kick of spice!). It's very budget-friendly and has so many recipes that I always recommend it.

8.  Made in Italy by Giorgio Locatelli--I first heard of this cookbook in one of those celebrity reading lists. It's a huge book, with a pretty good-sized price tag, which kept me from purchasing it for quite a while. I finally found a good used copy. :) It is full of food porn and for that I love it.

9.  Audrey at Home: A Kitchen Table Biography by Luca Dotti--What a wonderful idea for a biography! Hepburn's son compiled photographs, details, and recipes that say so much about the beloved actress and humanitarian. I love the idea of using someone's favorite foods to tell their story! If anyone ever writes a biography about me, this is how I want it to be done!

10.  To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion by Phillip Greene--A book of alcoholic recipes related to the novels and stories of one of my favorite authors? Yes, please!

Honorable Mentions:

Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste by Bianca Bosker--I haven't read it yet, but it sounds fun.
Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford--I love Italian food. Probably more than I should. This sounded like a good read.
Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food by Megan Kimble--I've started and stopped this one a few times. Sometimes it delves a bit more into the science than I am really interested in knowing, but I love the idea of using my dollars to make a statement.

 -

Ten Books With Fall Themes and Covers

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It's officially fall weather here where I (Jana) live, and this is when I love to whip out my fall reads and get cozy. The following books just scream fall to us. If you have recommendations for others, please tell us in the comments!

Lori says:

Swann's Way by Marcel Proust--This cover always reminds me of fall. It's a super vibrant and yummy red.

The Raven (Tales and Poems) by Edgar Allan Poe--Probably more Halloween-y and because of the subject matter, but this cover just screams fall.

Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe--Maybe not specifically fall-ish, but I frequently find myself turning to this book in the fall. Probably just a me thing. :)

No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy--This cover looks like fall. And isn't it deer season when the novel starts? I don't know. Whatever.

Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey--Full confession: I haven't read this yet. But I can't talk about the fall without drawing in the spooky, haunted stuff, so here we are.


Jana says:

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco - This book takes place in December, but the cover is beautifully fall and creepy for this time of year! And I loved it, so there's that too!

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - A beautiful fall cover for a beautiful fall book! This story takes place in October and November, when the wind is chilly and the sea relentless. It's super fall and unique and atmospheric. It's the perfect read for this time of year.

The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni - This gothic mystery/historical fiction novel is very fall and very creepy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling - I always get the urger to read this series in the fall.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Such a creepy cover!

Top Ten Book Boyfriends

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Today we're proclaiming our love for those book boys we love so dearly! Do you agree with any of our picks? Who will we have to fight you for?

Julia's Picks

1. Remus Lupin from Harry Potter - I have no idea now why he was the one that I loved the most out of them. It must have had something to do with FanFics and being 15. I thought he was a stand up guy. Plus I loved recreating the Love Shack lyrics and making them the Shrieking Shack. Oh to be 15 again...

2. Colin Bridgerton from Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novels - I've always loved these novels, and I have always had an affinity for Colin. He's the funny one in the first three novels, and then when he gets his own, he turns into a dashing hero but while still keeping his character. All the hearts.

3. Legolas Greenleaf from The Lord of the Rings - Yeah, I am stretching here because my love for him didn't come solely out of the books... I mean it may have had something to do with Orlando and being 17.... maybe.

4. Tarver Merendsen from These Broken Stars - I really, really loved this book. And I remember really liking Tarver. Probably more than I like Lilac. So he wins a spot in my five.

5. The guy from the book I read as a pre-teen called, Both Sides of Time - This was one that I read again in college and even though it was middle grade, I still really liked it. This was probably my intro into the time traveling romance genre. I just loved it. 

Lori's Picks

6.  Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind - I know. Me and just about everyone else who's ever read this novel. But! I love how he always called Scarlett on her BS. He didn't fit the mold of the perfect gentleman, yet he respected a true lady.

7.  Florentino Ariza from Love in the Time of Cholera - I love how he waited for his love, Fermina Daza. Yes, he went on his adventures and slept with scores of women, but he always held back a part of himself for her. Love.

8.  Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird - This is one that has come under fire in recent years with the publication of Go Set a Watchman. I get that. But this Atticus was the pillar of virtue. Yet he wasn't a total goody-goody. He was kind of Rhett Butler-ish, but a lawyer set in the 1930s...

Kimberly's Picks

9.  Valek from Poison Study - Ooooh. So swoon-worthy. He's clever, kind, and funny. My favorite combination. He also doesn't take crap from anyone--it's an attractive trait.

10. Elend Venture from Mistborn - I started off thinking he'd be the rich snob. Instead, he's smart and kind. He knows he loves *her (I'll keep the name out for spoilers). She's not an easy person to love. Some men would be resentful, instead he keeps working at his relationship. He's a fitting match for his love interest. He also later becomes an even more powerful character, instead of changing who he is, it just enhances who he already was!

September Faves and October TBR

I know I say this every single month, but I cannot believe another month is drawing to an end! We're already entering the last three months of the year! I'm experiencing this weird paradox where time is simultaneously dragging and flying as I near graduation in December. Anyway, here are our favorite reads from September and the books we're most looking forward to in October...

September Favorites

Jana says...

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco: This was such a beautiful, creepy, and romantic story! It takes place at Dracula's castle in December, and it's so atmospheric and amazing. Kerri's writing is beautiful. I loved it a million times more than Stalking Jack the Ripper!

Lori says...

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran: It took me a while, but I finally finished this great collection of essays. Moran writes with such pointed humor that even when she talks about the inequalities and unfairnesses that should break my heart, I walk away with a smile and some hope. I have one more collection of essays by Moran--Moranifesto--and then she needs to get cracking on publishing some more. :)


October TBR

Jana says...

Renegades by Marissa Meyer: I'm on the blog tour at the end of the month, and I'm so excited to read Marissa's new book!

Lori says...

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Fiction hasn't so much been my jam lately because my time to read is limited. So I'm opting for something short. I even cheated by starting this on September 30. I'm looking forward to reading about this exploration of humanity and feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Banned Books Week, September 24-30

Source: @BannedBooksWeek on Twitter

I always love Banned Books Week. I still find it amazing in our day and age that we even need to celebrate such an event, but the sad fact remains that books are still banned to this day. I mean, I guess I can see why. Books promote ideas. And what could be worse than people having ideas? They might change their life-views, expand their horizons, question the status quo, think for themselves! Horror!

It's one of the things that has truly shocked and disappointed me about my family dynamic. I grew up in a pretty sheltered, small environment. To be sure, my parents freely encouraged me to read and never really monitored what I read. I guess they felt that if I wasn't ready for something, I just wouldn't get it, but I wouldn't be scarred by the experience. And I think they were right. I am so grateful for that kind of freedom growing up. Then I went to college. Not only was I reading things, but I was discussing these things. I was no longer in a vacuum. I participated in the free exchange of ideas. And I changed. I broke off the shackles that fettered me to my parents' modes of thinking; in a way, I outgrew them. Eventually, I even became more vocal about disagreeing with my parents and questioning them and the status quo.

And it's like they don't really believe me. Like they think I'm going through some phase, like a rebellious teenager. If they even acknowledge it (my dad usually turns a blind eye and a deaf ear). This turn of events has certainly put a strain on the relationship. Mostly we can get along, but sometimes I just have to walk away or call bull-shit. Or pour another extra large glass of wine.

I wouldn't change it for the world.

I wouldn't dare go back to living a small-minded, closed-minded existence for the sake of familial harmony.

This is why we're here--to question, to think big, to dream big, to move beyond.

I am so grateful to books for giving me this medium to expand my horizons. This is so important in the current political climate. Books have made me question, books have made me wary, and books have made be fight.

This week I celebrate the perpetual quest for knowledge and growth by promoting open access to books. I hope you will join me by picking up something controversial and thinking about it. Maybe it will change your view, maybe it will reaffirm your view, but it will definitely change you and make you grow.

Cheers!

August Faves and September TBR

Ahhhh...the end of the month.  It's the perfect stop to stop and reflect on our favorite reads and our hottest upcoming TBR.... :)

August Faves

Lauren says:  All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood - This is definitely a controversial book that I can see many people having different opinions on. My opinion is simple... this was very well written and I legit read in one sitting. While I don't in anyway condone situations that occurred in the book, it was completely engrossing and heartbreaking.

Lori says:  Run River by Joan Didion - I practically inhaled this novel!  It was Didion's first novel.  The subject matter (cheating spouse) kind of hit a nerve with me (I just don't like reading about infidelity), but I read the novel more for research on Didion and her craft and tried to shake off the infidelity.  She doesn't use many spare details or words.  Her style is very precise, which makes it very deeply felt.

September TBR

Lauren says:  The Wonder by Emma Donoghue - I picked this book up to get back to my historical fiction roots. I've neglected that genre for too long. If anyone can help me leap back in, it's mystery historical fiction book by Emma Donoghue.

Lori says:  A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving - Every now and then I get this itch to read a John Irving novel.  It's usually in the fall.  I don't know why I always associate his stuff with the cooler months, but I do.  Whatever.  I've been meaning to read this one for a while and am going for it.  Bonus Pick:  It by Stephen King - I want to read it before the movie comes out.  I actually snuck this into a textbook order, so please don't tell my mom...

What did you love in August?  What are you looking forward to in September?