Contemporary, Fiction

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

Scottish Bookshop #2 After reading the third in the bookshop loosely related series this summer, 500 Miles From You, I decided I'd just fill my summer with lots of Jenny Colgan and go for three with the series! Synopsis From the publisher marketing:Desperate to escape from London, single mother Zoe wants to build a new… Continue reading The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

Biography, Book Club, Memoir/Autobiography, Nonfiction

Jell-O Girls by Allie Rowbottom

A Family History I've been half-heartedly participating in a book club that used to be mine and has now migrated into someone else's, but I've still had a foot in the door. When a fellow member picked Jell-O Girls for today's discussion, I was thrilled to finally read nonfiction AND get to talk about it. Downside, my opinion and… Continue reading Jell-O Girls by Allie Rowbottom

Memoir/Autobiography, Nonfiction

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly Oddly enough, Kitchen Confidential was not the first Bourdain I read, but the last, despite it being the entire reason that the world knows his name. I put it off, thinking that they way it was described was not in line with the Tony I had come to know and respect through… Continue reading Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Reduction Duology by Diana Peterfreund

For Darkness Shows the Stars & Across a Star-Swept Sea Diana Peterfreund is one of my most favorite authors. I first discovered her works when I was getting ready to head off to college in 2007 and I stumbled upon the Secret Society Girl series. It is one of the few series that actually covers college age… Continue reading Reduction Duology by Diana Peterfreund

Fantasy, Fiction, New Adult

City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

City of Dark Magic #1 City of Dark Magic is a testament to how well Ben knows me. One fall day, a few years ago, we were partaking in one of our favorite Saturday afternoon activities of perusing the shelves of the local independent bookstore (where I now work) when he called me over to… Continue reading City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

Book Club, Memoir/Autobiography, Nonfiction

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

A Mostly True Memoir It is not often that I get the idea in my head that I absolutely must read a book at a particular time, but I decided this year before Christmas that I absolutely had to read Furiously Happy. My coworker, Jennifer, who loves Jenny Lawson, said "No, no. You have to… Continue reading Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Contemporary, Fiction, New Adult

Jessica Darling quintet by Megan McCafferty

Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds, Fourth Comings, Perfect Fifths Jessica Darling helped me survive high school. I was first introduced to the delightfully snarky, sarcastic and spunky teen heroine of Sloppy Firsts when I was a freshman in speech and debate practice after school one autumn afternoon back in 2003. A frenemy of mine… Continue reading Jessica Darling quintet by Megan McCafferty

Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Young Adult

Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess While an undergrad at Pitt, I was book browsing before seeing a movie with a friend, I saw Clockwork Angel sitting on the shelf at the Waterfront Barnes & Noble. Not knowing anything about the vast popularity of the Mortal Instruments series, I picked it up as I was… Continue reading Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

My sister gave me her copy of this book for Christmas a few years ago, along with a copy of the movie. I had thought it a little odd that she was giving me her copy (as neither of us ever want to give up our books) but after reading it, I understood the significance… Continue reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Fantasy, Fiction, New Adult, Novella

Hear Me by Viv Daniels

This book is known to my family as "the reason Sarah owns a dreaded Kindle." New Adult author Viv Daniels (aka my second favorite author in the whole wide world Diana Peterfreund), originally released this book eBook only. Two years later, I found that I could order a paperback (pictured above), but of course I… Continue reading Hear Me by Viv Daniels