Romantic Books in Other Genres // Romance Month

This is my last post for romance month: romantic books in other genres. So if you like a little love, or a lot... but you'd rather read fantasy or historical fiction, check this post out! I enjoyed these books quite a lot!

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox*

Plot: When scandal strikes the Montrose family they must leave Boston for the country. There the three sisters and their parents move into the splendid Willow Hall. In the house strange noises are heard, figments are seen, and messages are written in foggy mirrors, but is it all in their imagination? Emeline, the youngest claims that there is a little boy by the pond, Lydia hears a wailing throughout the house, and Catherine is acting more desperate than usual. As they try to adjust to life in their new home, the gossip from Boston does not fade. Will Catherine and Lydia be able to make matches despite the rumors? What do their suitors know of the strangeness occurring at Willow Hall?
My Rating: 3.5 - 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy historical fiction and classic novels with a bit of a dark theme.

The English Wife by Lauren Willig *

Plot: When Janie finds her brother, murdered, at his mansion's opening costume party she knows there is more to the story that meets the eye. Her family, one of the richest in the United States, is very proud and suddenly has a ruined reputation. When no one else will seek to investigate her brother's murder more fully, she teams up with Mr. Burke, a journalist, in hopes of discovering the truth, and getting justice. The story shifts back and forth between Janie and Mr. Burke solving the murder, and her brother Bay and his wife Annabelle's past. Both plots reach their apex at once in an exciting revelation.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy mysteries, historical fiction, and strong female characters.

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Plot: This book follows Julie, as she finds out that her beloved aunt Rose, the woman who raised her, has passed away. Not only that, but she has left her entire estate to her twin sister. She quickly finds out that she was left something even more valuable, a key to a safety deposit box in Siena, Italy. She is soon swept up in an adventure to Italy to solve the mystery of the key, all the while uncovering information about her ancestor Giulietta's tragic past in 1340. The past and present are woven together in a mysterious way, as what had happened in the past, was very much still relevant in the present.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy books that flash back and forth between multiple time periods, romance, adventure, and bits of "historical fiction". As well as Romeo and Juliet. (I'm not bonkers for R&J, but did enjoy this quite a bit!)

The Tumbling Turner Sisters by Juliette Fay*

Plot: This book follows the Turner family, when their father breaks his hand and is unable to sew boots to support his family, the lady of the house has an idea: she trains her daughters into a Vaudeville tumbling act.. and they set off to tour the country. Along the way the sisters grow, family dynamics are tested and strengthened, they meet interesting characters, and perhaps fall in and out of love.
My Rating: 4.5 - 4.75 stars - I recommend if you like historical fiction, colorful characters, family dynamics, or books similar to Water for Elephants. This also reminded me a bit of Call the Midwife.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Plot: This book follows a former WWII nurse named Claire as she explores the Scottish Highlands with her husband Frank. While she's exploring ancient ruins one day, she gets pulled into the 18th century, where she's promptly abducted by a band of Scottish men. She then meets Jamie Fraser, a dashing young Scot. She has every intention of getting back to the ruins and returning to the 1940's ... but it quickly becomes much more complicated than it seemed.
My Rating: 5 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for the perfect blend of romance, historical fiction, and action adventure. Oh yeah, and there's time travel in there somewhere too.

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

Plot: Louise Brooks is a young dancer, who has been accepted to a dance school in New York City. Her parents make an agreement with Cora, a married woman, to be her chaperone for the trip. Cora has a mission of her own while she is in New York, one that she'd rather keep to herself. Over the trip Cora realizes that Louise is a lot more work than she had expected, but learns from her all the same. This story is an interesting coming of age, and coming into one's own story for both characters, set in the backdrop of the 1920's.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy historical fiction and complex characters who experience a lot of character growth.

Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz

Plot: The plot centers around something that happened 18 years ago on an island off the Seattle coast, two young girls are preyed upon by a man. In the present, hotel executive Madeline is dealing with the aftermath of the situation 18 years ago, and struggling in personal relationships due to the trauma. When the caretaker of the hotel where the incident took place 18 years ago, calls Madeline saying they need to talk, she quickly travels to the island to meet with him. The caretaker was calling to say that their dangerous secret from all those years ago, is in danger of being discovered. When she arrives to find him dying.... and the killer still on the premises things get interesting. Her head of security Jack, comes to help her figure out what's going on. Arson, murder, mystery, and a little romance ensue. 
My Rating: I was really riveted by this one. I don't read a lot of murder mysteries, but this book had a lot of depth to the story lines, multiple POVs in the writing, and some character development that I thought was pretty good. Overall, I really liked this book at lot, and would definitely recommend it if you like suspenseful mysteries! I had to laugh by how glad they were to leave the PacNW and get to Arizona... I definitely felt that way coming back from Seattle! haha

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

Plot: Nikki is a modern woman. Despite her family's Indian and Sikh heritage, she makes her own way in the world. She works in a pub, isn't interested in arranged marriage, and smokes cigarettes. When her sister asks her to take a marriage ad to the local temple for her, she sees that they are hiring a creative writing teacher for women. Nikki jumps at the chance to empower these women, and takes the job. She doesn't realize that many of them cannot yet read or write, she's even more surprised when she finds out that they really just want to share their deepest fantasies in story form. Kulwinder's daughter disregarded their rules and culture, and now she is dead. Kulwinder spends her days afraid of stepping out of line. When Nikki is hired to teach the women, Kulwinder finds that she is more like her daughter than she is comfortable with. This story blends two cultures, multiple generations, and brings women together.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy diverse contemporary fiction. Specifically books that delve into gender roles, religion, and immigrant families.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Plot: This book follows Marin who's grandfather, her sole guardian, passed away just before she's to move across the country for college. She deserts her friends and heads straight to school. She can't face San Francisco or her memories anymore. When she convinces her college to let her stay on campus over winter break, her best friend Mabel pays her a visit. Mabel has an agenda, but Marin isn't ready to dig up the recent past.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a raw and emotional contemporary YA read. This book explores loneliness, grief, sexuality, mental illness, and hope.

No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering by Clara Benson

Plot: This book follows the life of Cara Benson as she pulls herself out of a quarter-life crisis complete with crippling anxiety, the bulk of the story occurs during a 13 day, 8 country trip, with (you guessed it) no baggage & a guy she met on OK Cupid. First of all, how intriguing! No baggage?! Also, no itinerary?! With someone you barely know... ?! Crazypants.
My Review: 5 Stars - I would recommend if you are feeling the "quarter life crisis" or like reading witty non-fiction or travel.

Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven*

Plot: Gilene has the ability to summon fire. When the empire culls girls and women as slaves for the Rites of Spring, they will be given to the gladiators for a bit of fun, and later burned as a sacrifice to the gods. Gilene attends each year out of duty and to save another from her fate. This year, she is recognized (despite her disguise) by the gladius prime, Azarion.When Azarion explains his goal to escape the arena, she must help him or risk her secret being exposed to the empire. Upon escape, however, Gilene is taken Azarion's prisoner and whisked across the world to his plainland home. He needs her help, and her gift of fire.
My Rating: 4.25 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy fantasy with sweeping adventurous plots with a bit of romance.

Saga vol. I by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

Plot: This graphic novel follows Marko and Alana, two soldiers from different planets as they embark on a journey to start a family and a new life in a dangerous world. It begins with them having a baby, and follows their journey as they are hunted down by members of their own races, as well as other galactic forces who know that the news of their interracial baby threatens the way their world works. Think action-packed, sarcastic, sometimes explicit Romeo & Juliet.
My Rating: 5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy science fiction, or if you are looking for something different to read. I don't love sci-fi, and I had only ever read one graphic novel before this... but I really enjoyed this one!

East by Edith Pattou
Plot: This book follows Rose, who was born facing North, by her mother's superstitions that predestines her to be wild and always seeking adventure. Fearing that life for her, she lies, and says she was born facing East, meaning she will be level headed and happy at home. However, Roses's destiny will be that of a North child, and everything sets into motion one day when a white bear comes to take her away from her home. Rose must leave with the white bear, figure out his curse, and then journey to the ends of the earth to save him.
My Rating: 4 stars - I recommend if you enjoy epic adventure novels (think long spans of time and space), as well as fantasy elements. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (whole series..)

Plot: This book follows Feyre (Fay Ruh), the main provider for her family. When she kills a wolf in the forest one day, she does not know that a price must be paid. When someone comes to claim her, she must learn to survive in a different world, with different dangers. (I don't like to give the plot away too much on this one!)
My Rating: 5 Stars - I HIGHLY recommend if you enjoy fantasy, action/adventure, and a bit (lot?) of romance. As always -- I implore you to stick with it through book #2. It's seriously soooo good!

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Plot: This book follows Tristran Thorne as he journeys from boy to man in search of a fallen star (a gift for his bride-to-be). In order to find it he must cross the wall into the realm of faerie, and weather all that he encounters there. To his surprise the star is not a star, but a woman, and he is not the only one in search of her.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you like fantasy novels, beautiful writing, and stories that are not sugar coated. Gaiman is a wonderful writer!

There you have it, quite a few books to add to your TBR for when you'd like something a little bit romantic, but not a full on romance novel!

Have you read any of these? Do you have favorite romantic relationships that are in books of other genres?!

Other Romance Month Posts: Diverse Romance Novels & Favorite (Non-Classic) Romances.

XO,

Alexandra

Favorite (Non-Classic) Romances // Romance Month

Last year I started reading romance novels, and really loved them. As a reader in general I always appreciate a bit of romance in any book! If you are considering reading a romance novel this year, or just looking for a new book to pick up this month, this list is for you!

A note on classics: Before we get too far... let's go ahead and say that classics are not on this list, because they should have their own list! Jane Eyre and Austen, etc. etc. aren't really something that can be compared to contemporary romantic fiction. :)

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Gender Swapped Pretty Woman
My Rating: 5 Stars - OH MY GOD READ THIS!
Steam Rating: 5 Flames - Proceed with caution, R+ rated.

The Real Deal by Lauren Blakely*

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Family Reunion + Super Hot Boyfriend for Hire.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance and the fake-to-real dating trope.
Steam Rating: 5 Flames - Proceed with caution, R+ rated.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren*

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: College acquaintances meet years later and try to be friends. Many disastrous double dates ensue.
My Rating: 5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, quirky characters, and lot of heart. 
Steam Rating: 5 Flames - Proceed with caution, R+ rated.

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast (and the rest of the Steampunk Proper Romance Series) by Nancy Campbell Allen

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Beauty & the Beast meets steampunk Victorian England. 
My Rating: 4.5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy fantasy, steampunk and/or proper romance novels. This one is for fans of Edenbrooke (proper romance) and Changeless (steampunk setting).
Steam Rating: 1-2 Flames - The steam is in the banter and longing glances.

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews*

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Man courts woman. Man never talks. Woman calls off courtship. They spend Christmas together, along with others, and find that they might like each other after all.
My Rating: 5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy Christmas fiction and/or proper romance.
Steam Rating: 1-2 Flames - The steam is in the banter and longing glances.

Pestilence by Laura Thalassa

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Horseman of the apocalypse comes to Earth, woman tries to kill him. He takes her prisoner.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy paranormal romance. Major emphasis on ROMANCE.
Steam Rating: The Steam Meter is BROKEN - PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

The Beau and the Belle by R.S. Grey

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Teenage girl falls in love with law student, but the age gap is too big. Ten years later they meet again. (IN NOLA!)
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy romance novels, "the one that got away" trope, and New Orleans.
Steam Rating: 4 Flames - Somewhere in the middle.

Head Over Heels by Serena Bell*

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Single dad goes on blind date with girl who is his opposite in every way, they become best friends. Years later she needs a place to stay and he needs someone to watch his daughter.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, especially ones that follow the "friends to lovers" trope, or include a single parent.
Steam Rating: 4-5 Flames - Somewhere in the middle, but steamier than The Beau and the Belle.

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Woman desperate to escape suitor flees to the country to visit her sister who happens to be staying with the very flirtatious (and available) Phillip Wyndham.
My Rating: 5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy proper romance, lots of banter, and moments that are too cute to handle.
Steam Rating: 1-2 Flames - The steam is in the banter and longing glances.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - entire series!

Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Girl writes letters to a crush when she moves on, one day they all get sent. The letters were never meant to be sent.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a cute YA read. The characters in this are complex and well written. I enjoyed the family relationship between the sisters (so Little Women!) and their dad. I also really enjoyed the perspective of a bi-racial main character, I wish there was more diversity floating around in popular literature.
Steam Rating: 3 Flames - PG-13, teenage love.

There you have it! My top 10 romance novels from proper to steamy!

What are some of your all-time favorites?!

What other proper romances are great?!

Other Romance Month Posts: Diverse Romance Novels.

XO,

Alexandra

Diverse Romance Novels // Romance Month

Like many fictional genres, romance is one that is very white washed. Nearly every book has a cast full of white cowboys, vampires, royals, etc. and time has gone on this way forever. However, publishers are finally starting to note that readers want diversity in books, and that most minority groups are severely under-represented in fiction. There are so many books cropping up with a diverse cast of characters, many of which are written by people who fit the profile that they are writing: known as "Own Voices" novels. Let's dive into a few that I've read lately, and would highly recommend.

1) The Kiss Quotient by Helen Huang

Why It's Diverse: A neurodiverse main character, a half Vietnamese main character, a family of Vietnamese (and half-Vietnamese) side characters.
Own Voices? Yes, Helen Huang is also neurodiverse!
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Gender Swapped Pretty Woman
My Rating: 5 Stars - OH MY GOD READ THIS!
Steam Rating: 5 Flames - Proceed with caution, R+ rated.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Why It's Diverse: An African American main character, a Latinx supporting character.
Own Voices: Guillory is an author of color.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Strangers meet in an elevator and decide to be pretend dates for a wedding.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy a more realistic take on a romance novel.
Steam Rating: 4 Flames - A little more than PG-13.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren*

Why It's Diverse: A Korean main character, a Korean supporting character.

Own Voices: No.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: College acquaintances meet years later and try to be friends. Many disastrous double dates ensue.
My Rating: 5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, quirky characters, and lot of heart. 
Steam Rating: 5 Flames - Proceed with caution, R+ rated.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Why It's Diverse: A Biracial main character (African American/Japanese)
Own Voices: Not quite. She wrote Maddie's character based on her biracial daughter.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Girl with "bubble disease" falls in love with the boy next door. But she can't leave her house, and she shouldn't let him come inside.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I highly recommend if you like YA, and light hearted, cute-as-can-be romance.
Steam Rating: 3 Flames - PG-13, teenage love.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simison

Why It's Diverse: A neurodiverse main character
Own Voices: No.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Man creates science based "The Wife Project" to find the perfect wife. Along the way her runs into a woman who does not meet his specifications, at all.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a feel-good book. Especially if you enjoy Sheldon Cooper or Harold Crick (from Stranger than Fiction).
Steam Rating: 3 Flames - PG-13.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sendaya Menden

Why It's Diverse: Indian main characters, Religiously diverse.
Own Voices: Yes.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Independent and modern young woman goes off to summer coding camp before she starts college, is excited that she is allowed to pursue her career rather than marry. Traditional young man also goes to coding camp. Starts pursuing young woman as if she knows that they are "arranged" to date toward marriage. Awkwardness ensues.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a contemporary read with diverse voices and endearing characters. I particularly loved the commentary on the "American Dream" and how the characters found their places within that.
Steam Rating: 3 Flames - PG-13, teenage love.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertali

Why It's Diverse: Gay main character, gay supporting character.
Own Voices: No.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Gay teen that is not "out" meets another gay teen from his school. They really click... but the catch is... their entire relationship is online.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary YA, and are looking for diversity within the genre.
Steam Rating: 3 Flames - PG-13, teenage love.

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory - *Reese Witherspoon's book club pick this month!*

Why It's Diverse: An African American main character, a Latinx main character, a Korean supporting character, an LGBTQ+ supporting character.
Own Voices: Guillory is an author of color.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Woman turns down proposal on jumbo tron, man witnesses it and helps her get out of there. Many foodie dates ensue.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, and especially if you are looking for more diversity within the romance genre.
Steam Rating: 4 Flames - A little more than PG-13.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Why It's Diverse: Korean and Jamaican main characters, and their families.

Own Voices: Yes, Yoon is Jamaican as well.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Natasha and Daniel randomly cross paths in NYC and have an instant connection. Their families both have expectations for them, the other person does not meet that expectation. The biggest issue? Natasha is being deported tomorrow.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy YA and are looking for diverse representation in your reading.
Steam Rating: 4 Flames - A bit more than PG-13, teenage love.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - entire series!

Why It's Diverse: Koren-American main character, and her family.
Own Voices? Yes, Jenny Han is a Korean-American author.
Quick (& Dirty) Plot Run Down: Girl writes letters to a crush when she moves on, one day they all get sent. The letters were never meant to be sent.
My Rating: 4 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a cute YA read. The characters in this are complex and well written. I enjoyed the family relationship between the sisters (so Little Women!) and their dad. I also really enjoyed the perspective of a bi-racial main character, I wish there was more diversity floating around in popular literature.
Steam Rating: 3 Flames - PG-13, teenage love.

On Deck:

A Princess Theory by Alyssa Cole
Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann
Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai
Butterface by Avery Flynn
Leah and the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Muffin Top by Avery Flynn
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
Intercepted by Alexa Martin
The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli
What If It's Us by becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Waiting for Publish:

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalauddin
Pride and Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

Whew, there are SO many on my TBR!! I hope to get to so many of these soon. 

What are some of your favorites?! I would love to add more to my list!

I particularly want to read more romance with LGBTQ+ characters. Most of what I've read is YA and therefore a bit more "coming of age" than romance, anyhow. 

XO,

Alexandra

February = Romance Month!

I love love. I love reading about love, I love watching movies about love, I love showing my love for others by making them treats and gifts. I thought, what better thing to talk about this month than romance?!

Last year I read my first *true* romance novel. It was heaven. Cute, funny, steamy, with a happy ending? Sign me up! (If you have perked up OR rolled your eyes... you might remember my post on Book Shaming & Romance Novels from a few months back... ;) )

There are definitely layers to romance: from proper romance to super steamy reads and everything in between there's an option for everyone. Maybe you're thinking about trying a romance read this year, but you aren't sure where to start?

There are also plenty of people who aren't interested in reading only romance, but don't mind it within other genres. So, I'll be sharing a few picks from other genres as well!

I'll be sharing romantic books that fit these different categories in case you feel like being just a bit mushier than usual this month! Stay tuned!

1) Favorite Romance PG to STEAMY
2) Romantic Picks in Other Genres
3) Diversity Romance Picks



Are you into romance? 

What are some of your favorites?!

XO,

Alexandra

Dumplin'

I know that Dumplin' came out last month, but I feel like it wouldn't be fair not to share about it here. Oh Dumplin'! I ADORED this book. ADORED IT. I was so so so excited when I heard that it was being made into a movie.

I read this back in early 2016, here is my review:

The Movie:

I absolutely loved the movie as well! I felt like it was a lot more centered on her self confidence, and her relationship with her mom than the book was, which was a nice change of pace. The book focuses a little bit more on her romantic relationships. I thought the acting was so well done Jennifer Aniston and Danielle MacDonald had great mother-daughter chemistry. It was so funny, and so heartwarming. I absolutely adored all of her fellow anti-pageant mates too. I looooved Millie, and KC could not stop cracking up over Hannah. I loved all of the Dolly stuff, again! Let's not forget my favorite, Harold Perrineau, who also played Mercutio in Romeo + Juliet. Everything was so over the top and I loved it! :) I had a lot of fun seeing this book come to life on the screen.

I know that some people liked the movie more than others, and that some were disappointed by the movie because they loved the book so much, and that others were disappointed by the book because it wasn't anything like the trailer for the movie. You are my reader friends, what did YOU think?!

For me, enough time passed in between reading and watching that I wasn't too critical about it.

I cannot wait to read Puddin' which I have heard from you guys is just as good (even better, some say!) than Dumplin'! :)

See my thoughts on To All The Boys I've Loved Before & Guernsey too!

XO,

Alexandra

PS - I sent this to my grandma for Christmas and she loved it. So much so that she didn't want to "ruin it with the movie". :)

Let's Just Stop Book Shaming // Thoughts on Romance Novels

Welp. I know I've had mini rants on this topic before... but here's a longer one. And some of y'all chimed in! So make sure to scroll to the bottom and find out why (other) real-life romance readers enjoy these books. :)

image via google

Last week I wrote a post on reading romance novels for Year of Gratitude. The gist of the post is that in 2018 I "allowed" myself to read genres and books that I might have previously rolled my eyes at. Silly covers are partially to blame, of course. I didn't want to read romance novels or heavy science fiction because they looked over-the-top and therefore seemed intimidating. However, reading these books has actually taught me that there is merit in all genres, and that it's good to do what you are feeling, and not worry about what others think. It's also totally fine to read a fluffy novel: not everything we read needs to be a literary masterpiece.

Upon doing a little research on romance novels and getting pictures for my post... I stumbled across an article (I hesitate to link this... but it's so bad you guys, that I have to) that basically starts out by saying that women read romance novels because they are "STARVED" for satisfying intimacy in their real lives. My first reaction was laughter. This has got to be a joke right?! Is this site like The Onion?! No... it's real. My second reaction is absolute fury... because, really? We're going to say that a billion dollar industry thrives on the sexual frustration and loneliness of millions of women? Um, no. I'm sure that some readers fit that bill, but I am also sure that some readers are just the opposite.

There is a reason that romance novels made up 29% of fiction in 2015 (source), and make up 46% of all mass market paperbacks sold in America (source). And I'll give you a hint... it's not because women are too sex starved, or too stupid to read other books. Many women enjoy reading romance because it is fun, it is often well-written, and it gives us a lovely mental break in between other books that we read. (Especially modern women who juggle family, school, and work life, and keep up with current events who might need a break from the heavy stuff.)

Romance novels also vary wildly in their content: from proper romance to Hallmark-y romance, paranormal romance, historical romance, BDSM and everything in between there is a type of romance novel for everyone. A recent trend in present-day romance novels are "smart romances" where the characters have a lot of emotional, career, etc. depth in addition to their love stories. Young romance readers are also asking for more diversity in their romance novels. I love seeing all of the places that romance novels have gone.

In addition to "smart romances" many other romance sub genres like historical romance and paranormal romance take so much research to create. I read a novel that took place on a ship in the 1700's and I LEARNED SO MUCH! I was like a kid in a candy shop learning how a ship is run, who does what, etc. These authors know their stuff, and not just the romantic things.

Lastly, romance novels are ultra feminist. Often written for women, by women, about things that women are interested in. Topics ranging from: women's relationships, thoughts on sexuality, friendships and support, careers-life balance, going after our dreams. It's all there in so many of these books, and it has been for years. I think that's pretty powerful.

Bottom Line: Let people read what they like, and leave them alone about it. Don't base an entire reader-base's interest in a genre on their sex life or intelligence. That's just pathetic.

What Y'all Had To Say:

 

Helpful & Entertaining Links:

The Ripped Bodice - State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report
Nielsen - Romance Readers by the Numbers (2016)
Why Smart Women Read Romance Novels
Men, Stop Lecturing Women About Reading Romance Novels
The Changing Face of Romance Novels (Thanks for sending to me, Heather!)
Powerful Twitter Responses as To Why Romance Novels Matter to Readers 

See my Favorite Romance Novels (or romance in novels) here.

What do you think? 

Have you ever been book shamed?

Is there a genre (or genres) that you are embarrassed to read?!

XO,

Alexandra

Guernsey & Lara Jean

TODAY WE ARE FINALLY GETTING OUR FLOORS PUT IN AFTER THREE MONTHS OF IMPATIENCE! We are SO SO SO excited to get it finished up and move in this weekend, finally! :)

It's been a good month for book-to-movie adaptations. While these are not the only two that have come out (I'm looking at you, Crazy Rich Asians!), they were highly anticipated for me!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - Now on Netflix

Plot: Juliet, a London journalist takes up correspondence with Dawsey, a citizen of Guernsey (an island off England's coast) after WWII. Guernsey was occupied by the Germans during the war, and Dawsey tells of his and his friend's book club that kept their spirits up during the war. As Juliet learns more about the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society she makes the trip to Guernsey to write meet and write about this extraordinary group of people.

My Thoughts: I absolutely adored this adaptation of Guernsey. It was so atmospheric and everything about it really swept you up into the story. I thought that Lily James did a wonderful job, as did the rest of the star-studded cast. I thought that the film version might be harder to watch than the book was to read, but I thought that they handled the sad parts very well. (and they left out one part that made me particularly sad, so yay!) One of my favorite things about the story is it's focus on resilience, it translated well into the movie version.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - Now on Netflix

Plot: Lara Jean writes a letter to her crush when she's ending it. She keeps them hidden in a box, but one day the letters get sent. Now, all of the boys she's loved before are coming out of the wood work. Including her sister's newly ex-boyfriend, Josh. In order to keep Josh from finding out her true feelings, she starts a fake relationship with someone else who received a letter, Peter K.

My Thoughts: This is my favorite contemporary YA series, I adore everything about it. I was a little nervous about the film adaptation, but thought it was very well handled. For one thing, I loved seeing a POC as the main character, in a movie! I loved Jenny Han's article on the topic as well. One of my favorite things about the stories is the family relationships between Lara Jean, her sisters, and their father. The movie did such a good job capturing those familial ties and sibling quirks. All of the teen swooniness and cringe-worthy moments were intact as well. I *heart* Peter K. I cannot wait for the next movies! I hope to goodness that they make them! :)

Have you seen or read either of these?! If so, what did you think?

Have you seen or read Crazy Rich Asians yet?!

What's your favorite book-to-movie adaptation?

XO,

Alexandra

Spring & Summer Reading Bucket List!

Hello friends! I hope that you had a great weekend! :)

I've been extra book crazy lately, and I wanted to make a little list of things I want to accomplish book-wise this spring and summer.

Finish Erin's 8.0! (April 30 deadline, 5 books left!)
Read historical fiction/classics for Audrey and I's decades collaboration (at least 1 per decade)
-1930s -1940s -1950s -1960s -1970s -1980s -1990s -2000s
Check off AT LEAST 3 Netgalley reads (old ones)
Read 'First Reads' Book by (May 4)
Re-Read Little Women before PBS Show is Released (May 13)
Read At Least 3 Neil Gaiman Books (he's coming to speak in November!)
Finish 2 Books on my "Currently Reading" Shelf
Pick back up the Throne of Glass series
Acquire and Read A Court of Frost and Starlight! (ACoTaR spinoff)
Read a travel memoir or travel-based novel
Read a romance novel
Read The Hate U Give 
Read a book about mermaids
Read Sing, Unburied Sing
Complete my library's Summer Reading Program
Read a fairy tale re-telling

What book goals do you have for spring and summer?

XO,

Alexandra

7 Non Fiction Books I Want to Read // Bookworm

Happy Wednesday friends, I was thinking about post topics for today... and I started thinking about how a lot of us have goals to expand our reading horizons. I know that purposefully approaching under-loved genres has helped me grow a lot as a reader, and I know that a lot of you have been expressing a desire to do the same. A very common one I see, is that we want to read more non-fiction. So I thought, why not share a list of some non-fiction titles I've been wanting to read?!

Here we go, these are some that I already own:

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham

This book is filled with essays and personal stories from Lauren Graham, as the title implies "from Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between".

I love Gilmore Girls and Lauren Graham, I read her fiction debut last February, and I really enjoyed her hilarious writing style. I can't wait to pick this up and read about the actress's life. Of course, the Gilmore stuff will be great, but really all of it will be a blast.

The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron

The book explores the idea of being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), how to know if you fall into that category, how to manage that sensitivity, and "to create a fuller, richer life."

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you  know that I am dealing with and managing my new(ish) anxiety. At first glance, I don't feel that I fall into all of the categories to be deemed an HSP, but I do identify with others. I've heard that this book is a great resource, so I want to investigate it more fully!

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking

Written by the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, this book explores hygge, and why it makes Denmark the happiest country in the world. Practical ideas, tips and tricks fill this beautiful book.

This has been on my TBR for a while, I picked it up in February and I cannot wait to read it. I like the idea of incorporating more hygge into our daily lives. In fact, I made it a goal for 2017!

The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-Changing Journey Around the World by Kim Dinan

A true story about Kim and her husband who decide to quit their jobs and travel around the world. Before they leave, they are given an envelope of money and told to distribute it and share their experiences along the way. This book follows Kim and her husband's adventures in travel and in giving.

This book sounds very inspiring. I love travel memoirs, and I love books about giving. I think that this one will be a good blend of both and inspiring to read.

21 Life Changing Rituals: Daily Practices to Bring Greater Inner Peace and Happiness by Theresa Cheung

This book analyzes personal rituals and habits, and how they shape our lives. This book is broken down into 7 morning, 7 afternoon, and 7 evening rituals that are designed to help the reader impact positive changes in their lives.

I am fascinated by the idea of habit, rituals, and motivation. I think that reading this book will be really interesting to continue developing systems and rituals that work for me.

Your Life In Color: Empowering Your Soul with the Energy of Color by Dougall Fraser

This new age life guide is written by a renowned psychic and life coach, and explains the qualities and uses for each color, and how to draw on them in your daily life.

This book on "colorology" - is that a thing? sounds very interesting to me! I've always loved the idea that different colors symbolize different traits, moods, etc. I think that reading about it in more detail will be really interesting, and fun to try. :)

The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra by Helen Rappaport

This book revisits the lives of Nicholas and Alexandra's daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia Romanov. With entries from their diaries and letters, this book explores their perception of the turbulent time in Russian (and world) history.

I think that Anastasia (the 1997 animated movie) has given me a disposition to love everything related to the real people behind the story, and many other things Russian. This book grabbed me immediately because it focuses just on the daughters, I feel like there are a lot of books about Nicholas and Alexandra, but this seemed like a fresh take. I scored this on kindle daily deals, and I cannot wait to read it!

What non-fiction books are you hoping to read soon?

Do you want to see more of these posts?

Are there other under-loved genres that you'd like suggestions for? 

Let me know in the comments! 

XO,

Alexandra

February Reads // Delightful

February Reads... :)

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

5 Stars - Tied for first as my favorite in the series with Cress. I would recommend if you have read Cinder and enjoy dystopian themes, science fiction, and fairy tale re-tellings.

Ok, so if you remember my whole rambly... "I have a hard time identifying with the dystopian female lead..." blah blah ... "but I think I'll be more attached to the story and characters as I read more books..." Well I was right. I really really really liked Scarlet. Both the character and the book. I felt like the second installation in The Lunar Chronicles had all of the plot development, unpredictability, character development, and fast paced plot I was hoping for. I loved how the story lines were woven together, I loved Scarlet and Wolf, I loved Cinder so much more, and Kai too. Thorne was excellent comic relief as well. I feel like I know so much more about all of the characters and the plot now. LOVE. I'm about to start Cress now! Eep!

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

4.5 Stars - I recommend if you're an Anglophile, who loves to laugh, or someone who could use a dose of "I've been there!". I thoroughly enjoyed this even though I'd already seen the movie!

I will be honest and say, I wasn't expecting to love this book. I was expecting it to be a little boring even, having seen the movie. (I just don't usually watch before reading) To my happy surprise, this book was very entertaining! It's really funny, and I think Bridget does a good job of portraying how women often feel. At times, I totally sympathized with her. "This is me!" I thought, just cracking up at how real the situations were. Other times I thought, "At least I can find something to wear in the morning and get to work before 10am!" There were times when it was also so sad, the way we view ourselves, the lack of confidence we have... it's kind of awful. But the delightful thing about Bridget is that she never gives up... even when she's not doing well at all. I found myself oddly motivated to start a load of laundry, or clean out a drawer in the bathroom, in between reading this. All in all, I really liked it, and it made me feel like we are all just fine, right where we are, just now. We are making progress, and baby steps do count. :)

The Heir by Kiera Cass

4 Stars - I recommend if you have read The Selection Series and enjoyed it.

Based on what I'd heard about The Heir, I wasn't expecting to LOVE it. However, after the whole whiny lack of communication thing between Maxon and America in The Selection Series... I found Eadyln very refreshing. Is she spoiled? Yup. But, her annoying-ness is more a product of her independence ... which for me, is much more relate-able. I think I am also really enjoying seeing the plot from the POV of the person who is having to choose from the selected. I think The Selection Series would have been very different from Maxon's perspective. The brother sister bond is really a sweet element of the story as well. I had read maybe 5-6 chapters of this, and then picked it up at about 9 pm one night. I was very tired before hand. But at 2:30 am I went to bed, having finished the book. So, I guess you could say I liked it. Very excited to read the next installment. I also purchased The Siren. Has anyone read it yet?!

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy - Ok... so I finished this March 1... it still counts...

5 Stars - I recommend to anyone and everyone. This book is brimming with heart, colorful characters, and relate-ability.

I will be honest and say, the cover of this book is what drew me to it initially. I knew people had enjoyed it as well, so I was happy to give it a try. Overall, I didn't know much beyond it was about a "self-proclaimed fat girl," living in the south, and something about pageants.... Well, this book is just delightful you guys! There is so much heart and truth in this story. It's colorful too-boot. I love love LOVE the Dolly stuff. Because, I think she's an American treasure. So, that was a fun surprise. Overall it's just a really honest and colorful look at what it's like to grow up. What it's like to figure out who you are. There is so much bravery in this book. I'm not particularly into pageants, books about high school, or Texas.... but I thought that this book is so worth reading. Wow. 5 stars on goodreads from me. :)

Have you all read any of these books?! What did you think of them?

XO,

Alexandra

* Asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!

January Reads // Literary Ladies January Book Linkup

Ah, January 2016, the month when I read #allthebooks. 

I'll be honest and say, that my anxiety started getting the better of me this month. Juggling the #fulltimefulltime thing is hard, and I'm also just trying to do better at normal things like flossing and working out. KC, being the great man he is, spent many January evenings doing things like dishes and vacuuming, knowing that I needed that time to decompress more than ever. I appreciate it so much, love. 

... so, as a result, I read 13 whole books in January! (2 non-fiction!)

Here we go!

Wolf Pact by Melissa de la Cruz

4 Stars - I recommend if you have read the all but the last book of the Blue Bloods series...

So, if you read any of my book posts in the past few months, you'll know that I had been reading the Blue Bloods series... forever. It is LONG. But it was also a pretty darn good series. The holidays caught up with me and I finally finished the last two books in January. This one is a supplemental book that comes right before the last one. It isn't essential to read, but it definitely helped with some background I needed before everything in the finale went down. It's interesting how she tied The Witches of East End story line into this one a little. - this is not an interesting review for those of you who have not or do not want to read this series... lol, sorry!

Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz

5 Stars - I recommend if you have read the rest of the Blue Bloods series as well as Wolf Pact (above).

The final book in the Blue Blood series is a battle between good and evil (and sometimes those inbetween) for the gates of paradise. Not going to give any more info there. But I CAN SAY: for being such a freakin' long series... I did like the way everything played out, and how it ended. Unlike some series... I'm lookin' at YOU, Allegiant.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

4.5 Stars - I recommend if you like dark, twisty, psychologically thrilling, YA. 

This book was a very wild ride for me. The premise follows Mara, who wakes up in the hospital as the only one who survived a terrible accident, but she has no memory of what happened. She spends the entire book trying to navigate the blurry line between PTSD hallucinations and some sort of extremely scary psychokinetic kind of ability. As the book goes on, she remembers pieces of what happened the day of the accident. She also meets a guy at her new school that seems to have a mysterious understanding of what is going on with her. This book is very dark (for YA) but I was absolutely riveted.  At the end of the book, I have to say... I still did not know what was going on with her. There's something about an unreliable narrator that keeps you just enough in the dark... you have to find out what's going to happen. There are (just!) two more books, and I'm really excited to read them, especially after the cliff hanger ending! 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

4 Stars - I recommend if you like YA, science fiction, and fairy tale re-tellings.

I finally got my hands on a copy of Cinder, and it was such a fun read. I will disclose, that I don't typically personally identify with the post apocalyptic/dystopian heroine. Tris, Katniss, Cinder... etc. They just aren't "me". That being said, reading is a glorious thing because it expands your horizons, and you can read from a different POV, etc.... so I guess what I'm saying here is: I really enjoyed this book, though I did not get super invested in Cinder's character. Which probably made me LOVE it just a little bit less. Does any of this make sense?!! 

Ramblings aside: I thought this book was a quick read, a fun spin on the story of Cinderella. Cinder is a mechanic, and a cyborg. She meets the prince by chance, and sort of falls for him, but he can't know that she's a cyborg. I found the society in this book really interesting, it takes place much into the future, and there are quite a few changes to the world as we know it now. Hover cars, micro ID chips, plague sweeping the world... I appreciated that there was more depth to the society than uprising (the hunger games, divergent). I thought the android, medical research, and plague elements were really interesting and rounded out the setting. As a former community health major I got really into the pandemic part of this... is that strange?  I didn't find myself shocked or surprised by any of the plot, but again did enjoy it. I'm excited to see how things develop and progress as a series. Hoping for more surprising moments in the next few. Anyhow, I thought it was really good, and I am excited to read the next books, I just started Scarlet. I think that the more I read into the series, the more invested I will become! :)

Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham

3.5 Stars - I recommend if you like contemporary fiction, The Big Apple, acting, humor, and the '90's.

I have had this book for years, and I finally read it as a part of the Semi-Charmed winter challenge. Franny is a young woman trying to make it big as an actress in 1995 New York. She goes on auditions that fail miserably, she navigates dating actors, she works as a waitress, she forgets to call her dad a lot. I think the beginning is HILARIOUS! I think Franny's character is really funny, and I love the '90's ness of it all. It's just amusing. Toward the middle of the book, I think I wanted more character development of her roommates and family... and the other actors, because it got a little bit slow for me. It picked back up and I enjoyed it, but I have to say that I am not super into the "life as a struggling actress plot" ... I just wasn't ever ultra curious about it. The ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but I was happy with how it resolved. There were a lot of really good elements, the humor, there's one scene toward the end that is just so fantastic.... I had a really hard time rating this on goodreads. Ultimately, it's a 3.5. or a 3.75 for me. A very good first book, for someone who wasn't initially a writer anyhow! :)

Chocolate by Joanne Harris

4 Stars - I recommend if you like magical realism, chocolate, or bohemian lifestyles.

Have you seen the movie Chocolat? I love it. I needed a food themed book for semi-charmed so I picked this one up at the library. To my (pleasant) surprise, this book is quite a bit different than the movie! It follows a young bohemian woman named Vianne and her daughter Anouk, as they move to a new town in France. She decides to open a chocolatrie right as lent begins. The corrupt priest in town does everything he can to try to get her to quit and move on to another town, but Vianne sticks it out making friends with the locals. In particular, her landlord Armande (played by Judi Dench in the movie) becomes a close friend. Vianne has the mysterious ability to discern what is going on in her customer's lives... some even think she's a witch. When a caravan of gypsies arrive on the river, the town is torn in two; those who welcome them, and those who deny them entrance into their businesses. Overall I found this book very interesting. I liked Vianne's character, she is so passionate and eclectic. There are some passages of the book that are just so interesting to read, filled with little folk stories, mixes of Catholicism and Paganism... it's just really really interesting. There are also some lovely pieces of description related to the cooking, the chocolate making, the settings... you get really immersed in this small provincial French town. If you love food, and aren't offended by pagan sort of themes I would definitely recommend this one! This doesn't end on a super tense cliffhanger, but there are more books. I think I would be interested in picking them up sometime, but I'm not in any rush!

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

3.5 Stars - I recommend if you like Magical Realism and other SAA books. This is not one of my favorites of hers though...

I'm a big fan of Sarah Addison Allen's books. She writes lovely novels containing love, hope, mystery, and just a little bit of magic. It's hard to describe, but it's just so subtle. 

This book is no exception, it follows Emily, a girl who's mother has passed away. so she moves to North Carolina to live with her long-lost grandfather. His home is a mystery, the wallpaper in her room changes pattern, her grandfather is about 8 feet tall, and he has a strange fascination with his clothes dryer. She soon finds that her mother left town, and refused to come back, but why? And why are there strange glowing lights in the trees at night? Next door, Julia, is constantly baking cakes, which unexplainably draw her high school love to her. She's biding time, and saving money, so she can sell her father's restaurant and move back to Boston. But eventually, she's forced to confront some issues from the past that may draw her back to her high school love, as much as she's trying to avoid him. 

Overall, this was not my favorite of Addison Allen's books, but it still contained so much of what I love in her stories. I loved the pieces between Emily and her grandpa, as well as between Julia confronting her past. The "Mullaby Lights" piece was a little far fetched for me. I loved the baking element, the magical element, the back of the book even has a few recipes. I also liked the lore surrounding the meanings of full moons in different months. I think it's fun how many subtle elements Addison Allen weaves into her stories. Very interesting. I liked the ending a lot, and I would definitely read a sequel if she decided to write one. 

For people interested in her books: I would recommend Garden Spells, The Sugar Queen, or The Peach Keeper before reading this one, but I did enjoy it quite a bit! 

Starting Now by Debbie Macomber

2 Stars - I cannot particularly recommend this one. I like Debbie Macomber's books, but this one was really lacking some of the carefree heart that I so much enjoy in her novels. Read it if you are reading the rest of the series.

It may not be a well known fact about me, but it's certainly not one I'm hiding. I'm a sucker for Debbie Macomber books. She writes her stories like a RomCom, or a Hallmark movie (many of her xmas books have been made into (much worse) Hallmark movies...) but the books almost always leave me feeling hopeful. They're really good when the world is in a particularly bad state... ha

This book is part of a series about knitting. Yup, knitting. I don't knit... at all. I just picked up the first one one day... and I loved it. Pretty much all of the books in the "Blossom Street" series are about a woman or two who have landed on hard times, found themselves lost in life, etc. But they pick themselves back up with the help of community. Some of them have more focus on the knitting group than others, but overall they're just really happy, easy, fun books. 

This book comes later in the series (the order has almost no consequence...) when a lawyer expects to make partner, but unexpectedly gets fired instead. She takes the time of unemployment to find herself, and build a life outside of work. She starts going to the gym, re-kindles an old friendship, starts knitting hats for premises at the hospital, and volunteers to rock the newborns. This book was definitely one of the cheesier, but also one of the least happy of all the books. It didn't have the usual charm for me, and I thought the ending portion was really weird. : / 

Devoted by Hilary Duff

4 Stars - I recommend if you like, YA fantasy, travel, and romance.

I've wanted to finish the Devoted trilogy for... a long time. I wanted to read the final book last summer, but quickly realized that re-reading the first two would be wise. I finally re-read the second one this month... and then I can finally move on to finish it!! :) 

I love the first book, you can read my review of that here. I found on the re-read of the second book, that it was still pretty good too. It was very different than the first one, much more focused on finding a character rather than the over arching story. The ending is just crazypants. I'm really excited to see how it ends in the third book. Overall, (so far!) I would recommend the series if you like YA, and easy reads.  I'll let you know if the last book is worthwhile here in the next month or two... again, looking at YOU, Allegiant. 

Secret Sisters by Jane Ann Krentz

4 Stars - I recommend if you like mysteries, romance, and a quick read.

This was the Literary Ladies book club book for January. It is a murder mystery, and I haven't read this author before. Definitely pushing me a little out of my comfort zone, but I'm really glad I read it, because I thought it was really good!! 

The plot centers around something that happened 18 years ago on an island off the Seattle coast, two young girls are preyed upon by a man. In the present, hotel executive Madeline is dealing with the aftermath of the situation 18 years ago, and struggling in personal relationships due to the trauma. When the caretaker of the hotel where the incident took place 18 years ago, calls Madeline saying they need to talk, she quickly travels to the island to meet with him. The caretaker was calling to say that their dangerous secret from all those years ago, is in danger of being discovered. When she arrives to find him dying.... and the killer still on the premises things get interesting. Her head of security Jack, comes to help her figure out what's going on. Arson, murder, mystery, and a little romance ensue. 

I was really riveted by this one. I don't read a lot of murder mysteries, but this book had a lot of depth to the story lines, multiple POVs in the writing, and some character development that I thought was pretty good. Overall, I really liked this book at lot, and would definitely recommend it if you like suspenseful mysteries! I had to laugh by how glad they were to leave the PacNW and get to Arizona... I definitely felt that way coming back from Seattle! haha

Miss Moon: Wise Words from a Dog Governess by Janet Hill *

5 Stars - I recommend if you like art, dogs, quirky stories, and fun gift/children's books.

This is a quick little art book, that I absolutely LOVE. Janet Hill is an Etsy artist that I've been admiring for a while. She creates the most delightful paintings with full of old world glamour and a dash of whimsy. She created a series of paintings centered around a character called Miss Moon, who is a dog governess. She is charged with the care and teaching of 67 dogs, and the paintings show various aspects of their life together. Hill turned the series of paintings into a delightful little book, perfect for art lovers, dog lovers, children, and the young at heart alike. You guys, this book is just plain fun. The paintings are adorable! The little lessons are true to life. It's short and sweet, and I want to own a copy just to flip through on my own, but I have a suspicion that my little sister Olivia would enjoy it as a big dog lover. :) If you like art, whimsy, dogs, or just cute little gift or children's books, I would highly recommend this one! I believe she is currently working on another one, Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House. I'm excited to see what comes of her other series.... and eternally hoping I will be gifted some of her prints.... that have been in the limbo of my pinterest wish list for ages!

Non-Fiction:

Cake Magic: Mix + Match Your Way to 100 Amazing Combinations - Caroline Wright * 

5 Stars - I recommend if you like to bake, and are looking for some truly AMAZING cake recipes!

Oh. My. Goodness. You guys, this book is glorious. I should probably mention that I don't usually choose cake of all of the desserts that exist... but these are so beautiful and they all sound amazing. I was having so much trouble deciding which one to make first... that I haven't tried any of them yet. Maybe for KC's birthday...? (shh!) All the same, I am sure I will love nearly every recipe in this book, and I really admire how it is laid out. Wright gives you combinations to try, but they are all made up of individual batter, syrup, frosting, and sometimes topping recipes that you can mix and match to make unique cakes. So for example, you can mix up a big batch of the dry ingredients for say, the vanilla cake... and then use it to make several different cakes throughout the year. It's absolutely brilliant. So, while I can't tell you which I want to try first... here are a few at the top for me: S'mores, Chai Pear Cake, Drunken Tuxedo Cake, Vanilla Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Lemon, Vanilla Chocolate Cherry Cake, New Orleans Cafe Au Lait Cake.... and a lot more. I also like, that she gives gluten free and vegan alternatives and baking info in each section and recipe. Great for cake lovers who don't want to worry about those details!! If you like baking, or cake, or pictures of cake... go pick up this book. It hit shelves in April! I'll let you know how trying a recipe goes!

This one made me think so much of Gina at Pink Wings! She's always baking the loveliest cakes and desserts! OOoh and Shea for that matter! :)

**Update: I have now tried two of the cake recipes... and they are SO GOOD. Seriously, I will be making more! I will blog about these after the book is released!**

Savor by Ilona Oppenheim *

3.5 Stars - I recommend if you are looking for a cookbook/simple living lifestyle resource related to foraging, homesteading, etc. Filled with truly rustic recipes.

This book is a beautifully photographed and documented portrait of Ilona Oppenheim's life. She lives in Aspen with her family, where they live in harmony with their natural surroundings. They forage and search for responsible local sources for their food. Just like the nature of their lifestyle, the recipes and information in many ways go back to the basics. The recipes are for things like oatmeal baked apples, pine needle tea, hearty soups, quiches, and breads. She even explains processes like making cheese, yogurt, etc. things that are not traditionally made at home in modern day American society. After reading this, I get the sense that Ilona and her family live life at a slow and comfortable pace, enjoying the natural environment surrounding them, and leaving a light foot print. It is filled with stories from her life, that really back up her lifestyle choices. It's a really lovely picture. I appreciate that a fair chunk of the recipes are also accessible to your average home cook, someone who does not live somewhere so scenic or remote, who may not be able to forage for mushrooms, etc. I bookmarked quite a few recipes that I would like to try myself! All that being said, some of the recipes were a little far out for me, especially things like making my own cheese or yogurt, it just isn't something I could do right now. But I do like that she presents it to you in a way that is useful, and perhaps a possibility for the future, should the reader decide to taper their life into a more from scratch type of lifestyle. I do have a handful of friends that I could see doing these types of things at home. Overall, I would recommend this book for people who are interested in a simpler, greener lifestyle, and for anyone who loves gorgeous rustic food and photography. I don't think this book is for everyone, but for those who are interested in this type of lifestyle, it would definitely be a treasure on their bookshelf.

Whew, congrats if you made it to the bottom, and certainly don't feel bad for skipping around! There's a lot going on here!

What have you been reading?!?!?! 

Here's a current book challenge I am participating in January-April 2016! :) 

XO,

Alexandra

* Asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!