Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

A few years ago I was looking for new books to listen to on my long work drives and picked up Eleanor & Park, having seen it all over the book stores and hearing lots of wonderful things about Rainbow Rowell’s work. I almost didn’t bother listening to it after the first 5 minutes –… Continue reading Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Memoir/Autobiography, Nonfiction, Travel

The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

Adventures of an American in Britain My mother had a copy of A Short History of Nearly Everything in our minivan for pretty much my entire adolescence. Intrigued, I figured that when I finally wanted to read nonfiction (once it was done being assigned to me), I would read a book by Bill Bryson, especially as I… Continue reading The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

Nonfiction, Photography/Art, Travel

The Grand Tour Guide to the World by Jeremy Clarkson, James May & Richard Hammond

It's all my husband's fault. When we first started dating, he asked if I wanted to watch a little British show call Top Gear. "What is Top Gear?" I asked, ignorant of it's cultural relevance. "Oh, well it's kind of a car show, kind of a comedy show," he answered. "Ok," I shrugged, "let's watch… Continue reading The Grand Tour Guide to the World by Jeremy Clarkson, James May & Richard Hammond

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

Fiction, Historical, Photography/Art

The War Bride’s Scrapbook by Caroline Preston

Each year for Christmas, my boss at the bookstore lets each of us pick out a book for our Christmas present. It is SO hard to narrow it down to just one, but this year, The War Bride's Scrapbook screamed my name. Synopsis Lila Jerome has never been very lucky in love. She has always been… Continue reading The War Bride’s Scrapbook by Caroline Preston

Contemporary, Fiction

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

As a young woman who desperately wanted to be one of the Gilmore Girls, I knew as soon as I found out that Lauren Graham had written a novel, I would be reading it. Synopsis It's January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left on the three-year deadline she set for herself when she… Continue reading Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Fiction, Historical, Young Adult

The Montmaray Journals by Michelle Cooper

A Brief History of Montmaray, The FitzOsbornes in Exile, The FitzOsbornes at War My sister told me I absolutely had to read these books, and while being told to read something is not usually a good incentive, this time I am so happy that she introduced me to these books. These are three of my… Continue reading The Montmaray Journals by Michelle Cooper

Essays, Fiction, Nonfiction, Short Stories

The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

Essays and Stories Fantasy author Brian Staveley once told me he was haunted by the yellow coat on the cover of The Opposite of Loneliness, and for good reason - he was one of Marina Keegan's high school teachers. He knew her before the rest of the world knew her. The Opposite of Loneliness would never had been… Continue reading The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult

Paper Towns by John Green

When I was student teaching, my sixth grade students raved about John Green. Around that time, The Fault in Our Stars was blowing up and the movie was expected to do well as well. Given how much they raved about him, I figured I might as well read one of his books, especially given how many… Continue reading Paper Towns by John Green