Monthly Recommendations: Contemporary

Another new post that I would like to try is Monthly Recommendations. It is run by BookTubers Kayla Rayne and Trina (from Between Chapter). Every month there is a different theme and the point is to recommend books based on that theme. The theme for this month is Contemporary reads. Here they are:

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

I really enjoyed this one, especially because I could relate to Auden in that she suffered from insomnia and I do to. I loved the romance and how it was also kind of a coming-of-age story as well.

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Even though the plot was pretty cliche, I still think that Jennifer E. Smith did a great job of making it interesting and I loved it! It is probably one of my favorite contemporaries and I might even pick it up again this summer.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Just Listen was an interesting read because even though there was a romance, it also dealt with the loss of friendship and other things.

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

I really enjoyed the whole concept of Holly’s husband leaving behind letters for her after his death that challenge her to keep living life without him. It was a really cute and quick read!

The Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn

I really enjoyed this series in high school, I’ve probably reread it about four times already. Christy Miller is a relatable character and a lot of the struggles she went through were ones that I experienced as a teenager.

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

I finished this about a week ago and I loved it! It was a great road trip novel. I liked how both of the characters had to deal with an issue from their past and learn how to move forward while on a cross-country journey.

The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

Almost all of Debbie Macomber’s books are great contemporary reads and they can usually be read in one sitting. The Shop in Blossom Street is about a knitting class where each of the women comes from different walks of life and are dealing with issues and it follows them as they deal with it, as well as developing new friendships.

By Your Side by Kasie West

This follows a boy and a girl who get locked up in a library over a weekend which sounds like a dream come true to yours truly. What I liked about the novel is that it showed what happened after the get out!

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

This is a darker contemporary that deals with suicide (trigger warning) and it was hard to read at times, but it was also a good read.

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

I’ve Got Your Number was a fun read and I also loved how there was some intrigue included in the plot. It was interesting and I loved the ending!

Even though this a recommendations post I thought it would be fun to share some contemporaries that I am excited to pick up soon:

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella 

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Lucky in Love by Kasie West

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen 

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella 

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith 

Wanderlost by Jen Malone 

Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl 

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C. 

Library Haul #9

If it hasn’t been obvious, I love books and I love checking out books from the library. It’s time for another library haul and here are the books that I picked up:

1. Caraval by Stephanie Garber

2. Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley

3. Princeless Book 2 – Get Over Yourself by Jeremy Whitley

4. Princeless Book 3 – The Pirate Princess by Jeremy Whitley

5. Princeless Book 4 – Be Yourself by Jeremy Whitley

6. Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

7. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

8. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

Top 5 Wednesday: Summer Reads

Welcome to this week’s installment of Top 5 Wednesday! The theme for this week is Summer Reads which means books that I think are perfect summer reads. 

5. Anything by Debbie Macomber 

Debbie Macomber writes light fluffy contemporaries that are quick reads! I love reading her books in the summer and I usually end up reading them in one sitting. 

4. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 

I just finished this book and I loved it! Sarah Dessen’s books usually take place during the summer but out of the three that I have read so far, I love this one! 

3. The Waterfire Saga by Jennifer Donnelly 

This four book series is all about mermaids and magic! They are perfect summer reads because it gives the reader the feeling that they are in ocean. 

2. I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella 

This was another light and fluffy contemporary and I loved it. It’s all about a woman who loses her engagement ring and phone and finds a phone in a trash can and starts using it, even though she keeps getting calls from a business man. 

1. This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith 

I am planning on reading more of her books over the summer, but I loved this book and I read it in a number of hours because it was so good! Yes, the plot is kind of cliche and cheesy but Jennifer E. Smith does it in such a way that it is enjoyable! 

That’s all for this installment of Top 5 Wednesday.

Happy Reading, 

Janelle L. C. 

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

YallWest Book Haul

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend YallWest with some friends. YallWest is a YA book festival that is held in Santa Monica every year and it was great! I had a lot of fun and acquired a lot of books. Today I would like to share the books that I picked up at YallWest:

Nemesis by Brendan Reichs 

Published by: G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Release date: March 21st, 2017

Things I Should Have Known by Claire LaZebnik 

Published by: HMH Teen
Release date: March 28th, 2017

Dear Reader by Mary O’Connell

Published by Flatiron Books
Release date: May 9th, 2017

A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge 

Published by: Amulet Books
Release Date: May 9th, 2017

Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill 

Published by: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: June 6th, 2017

More of Me by Kathryn Evans 

Published by Amulet Books
Release Date: June 13th, 2017

The Beautiful Lost by Luanne Rice 

Published by: Scholastic Point
Release Date: June 27th, 2017

The Waking Land by Callie Bates 

Published by: Random House Del Rey Books
Release Date: June 27th, 2017

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell 

Published by: Simon Pulse
Release Date: July 18th, 2017

Amid Stars and Darkness by Chani Lynn Feener 

Published by: Swoon Reads
Release Date: July 18th, 2017

Lucky in Love by Kasie West

 

Published by: Scholastic Point
Release Date: July 25th, 2017

Dinosaur Empire by Abby Howard

Published by: Amulet Books
Release Date: August 1st, 2017

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee 

Published by: Amulet Books
Release Date: August 8th, 2017

Zero Repeat Forever by Gabrielle Prendergast

Published by: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: August 29th, 2017

She, Myself, and I by Emma Young 

Published by: Amulet Books
Release Date: September 5th, 2017

Nyxia by Scott Reintgen 

Published by: Crown Books for Young Reader
Release Date: September 12th, 2017

Odd and True by Cat Winters 

Published by: Amulet Books
Release Date: September 12th, 2017

A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck 

Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 26th, 2017

Haunting the Deep by Adriana Mather 

Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 3rd, 2017

Satellite by Nick Lake 

Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 3rd, 2017

Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar 

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: October 3rd, 2017

Forest of A Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao 

Published by: Philomel Books
Release Date: October 10th, 2017

The Breathless by Tara Goedjen

Published by: Delacorte Press
Release Date: October 10th, 2017

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

 

Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 31st, 2017

Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill 

Published by: HMH Teen
Release Date: December 5th, 2017

The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura Creedle 

Published by: HMH Teen
Release Date: December 26th, 2017

Your One and Only by Adrianne Finlay

Published by: HMH Teen
Release Date: February 6th, 2018

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Published by: Disney Freeform Publishing
Release Date: February 20th, 2018

I am really looking forward to reading all of these books soon!

Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.

P.S.  Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

Try a Chapter Tag

A few days ago I was having a hard time deciding which book to read next, there were so many that seemed to be screaming “READ ME!,” so I decided to do the Try a Chapter Tag that I have seen several BookTubers do. It was created by BookParadise and you can click here to watch her original video.  How this tag works is that you read the first chapter of five books, and it is supposed to help you pick the next book that you read – it doesn’t always work, but it worked for me last Saturday! Here are the books that I tried a chapter from:

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Technically I read two chapters of this book before I decided to try other books. I liked what I had read but I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood to read a contemporary, especially since I had been trying to read The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon but just wasn’t getting into it.

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

This first chapter was only two pages!! But it was intriguing and I am looking forward to continuing the series, I just wasn’t sure if it was a good time to pick it up because the first book took me a while to get into.

The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket

It was a good start to the tenth installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events, but I also feel like I need a break from this series for a few weeks otherwise I am not going to enjoy the last four books.

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

It was interesting and I might pick it up. It seems like it might be a cute read, but Along for the Ride seems to be sticking out a lot more than the other books I have read a chapter from so far.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Again, it was another intriguing start but I don’t know if I am in the mood for a fantasy book right now, although I do want to start it soon.

After thinking about for a few minutes I decided to continue with Along for the Ride because it was the one book that I wanted to keep reading while I did this challenge. I have already finished it and I loved it!

Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

Top 5 Wednesday: Books As Event Themes

Welcome to another installment of Top 5 Wednesday! This week’s topic is which Top 5 books I think would make good themes for events such as a wedding, prom, etc.

This is a hard one because I feel like there are several books that would be good event themes. But I think I have been able to narrow it down to five books/series:

5. Anything by Jane Austen 

A Jane Austen themed wedding or party would be fun because everyone could dress in Regency costumes, or not even whole costumes but mainly accessories. I think there is a lot that can be done with this theme, even something as simple as a tea party!

4.  Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Besides the whole kidnapping thing and magical element in this book, it could be a good theme for a scavenger hunt at a party, especially if people get into dressing up in fantasy costumes.

3. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This could be a cool event because people could dress up as their favorite characters or court from the series.

2. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

I think this would be a good theme for a costume party because people can dress up as version of their fairy tale characters, and not necessarily just the main characters in the book. I feel like there is a lot that people can do with this and some would be very simple such as if anyone wanted to dress up as Scarlet they just need to wear jeans and a red hoodie.

1. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

This would be an awesome theme because you don’t necessarily dress up as characters but you could make food inspired by the books/movies and serve it to people. Plus the decorations would be pretty cool!

That is it for this installment of Top 5 Wednesday, let me know what are some books you think would make good event themes down in the comments.

Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

Library Haul # 8

A few weeks ago I went to library and got a total of 13 books. Most of them were graphic novels and I have already read most of them. Here are the books that I got:

1. Ms. Marvel Vol. 2 – Generation Why  by G. Willow Wilson

2. Here by Richard McGuire

3. My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

4. Ms. Marvel Vol. 3 – Crushed by G. Willow Wilson

5. Ms. Marvel Vol. 4 – Last Days by G. Willow Wilson

6. Ms. Marvel Vol. 5 -Super Famous  by G. Willow Wilson

7. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

8. Princeless Book 1: Save Yourself by Jeremy Whitley 

9. Squirrel Girl Vol.1 – Squirrel Power by Ryan North 

10. Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

11. The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket

12. The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket

13. The End by Lemony Snicket

Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

#AtoZreadathon

Now that I am done with school I thought it might be fun to take part in a readathon. While looking through the list of readathons taking place this month I came across the #AtoZreadathon which is hosted by YouTuber Denise Harwood. There are three challenges for this readathon and the goal is to try and complete one of them, they are:

 HARD: Read 26 books in May, each Title starting with a different letter of the alphabet (read them in order for pretend bonus points). You may choose to ignore definite/indefinite pronouns (but don’t have to).

MEDIUM: Read some number of books in May, making sure that every letter shows up as part of the titles (eg, Wildwood would count for D, I, L, O and W).

EASY: Read some number of books in May, making sure that every letter shows up as part of the title or author name.

I’ve decided that I want to complete the easy challenge because it is doable and there is no way I could read 26 books in a month. I don’t really have a TBR for the readathon because I know I probably won’t stick to it, but here are a list of some books that I know I am definitely going to read this month:

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

Things I Should Have Known by Claire LaZebnik

I still need to find books that contain a Q and an X in the title or the author’s name. If you have any suggestions let me know down in the comments section.

I don’t know if I will complete the #AtoZreadathon, but I am excited to give it a try! 

Happy Reading, 

Janelle L. C. 

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Covers

I’ve seen several BookTubers take part in Top 5 Wednesday and it is something that I would like to try and do. Welcome to my first Top 5 Wednesday post. Top 5 Wednesday is run by Sam from the Youtube channel ThoughtsonTomes and Lainey from GingerreadsLainey. If you are interested in taking part in Top 5 Wednesday here is the link to the GoodReads group: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/118368-top-5-wednesday

This week’s topic is Favorite Science Fiction/ Fantasy Covers. This is a hard one since there are so many good covers in these two genres it was hard to narrow it down, but here are the Top 5 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Covers that I love and, in my opinion, are memorable. 

5. Heartless by Marissa Meyer 

This exclusive cover of Heartless for the November Owlcrate box is so pretty, I love the original cover too, but I love black vines against the white backdrop. I also love the red text! It’s just pretty even though it is very simple at the same time! 

4. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton 

I love this cover and it was because of it that I actually showed interest in this book. It’s just so pretty and it captures the essence of the desert world that this novel is set in. The U.S. edition recently got a cover change and I hate it, it is not appealing at all and I feel like they are trying to hard to market it as similar to Throne of Glass, which it isn’t at all! 

3. Hunted by Megan Spooner 

I have yet to read this Beauty and the Beast retelling, but from what I know about the novel it seems to capture the essence of it and I love it. I love the model’s green cape and the winter forest, I just love it and I am looking forward to reading this soon. 

2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 

I love this cover of The Hobbit, it just screams fantasy and adventure and I love the kind of old school illustrations of Middle Earth. I also love that the top and bottom of the cover is bordered with elvish. Whenever I think of The Hobbit, I remember this cover. 

1. Illuminae and Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

These covers are amazing. They are bright and eye-catching and just really pretty! 

And those my favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy books covers. I hope you enjoyed this new kind of post and I am looking forward to making more Top 5 Wednesday posts! 

Happy Reading, 

Janelle L. C. 

P.S.  Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.

What I Read In April

April ended up being a good reading month for me despite the fact that I was finishing school. Part of it is due to the fact that I’ve been on a graphic novel kick lately and read quite a few last month. Here are all the books that I read in April:

1. Here by Richard McGuire

This was an interesting graphic novel which follows a corner of a room over a span of several million years. It jumps around a lot and it isn’t consecutive, but the date is given in each panel. I liked it because we see this corner of the room from all the way back in the prehistoric era all the way through to over 200 years in the future. It was just fascinating to see all the changes that happen, especially from the late 1800s when the corner of the room is just a piece of open land to when it became a house! I gave it 3.5/5 Stars because all though I loved the concept, some of the artwork left much to be desired.

2. Ms Marvel Vol. 2 – Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson

This was a continuation of the events of the first volume and Wolverine made a guest appearance in this volume. 4/5 Stars.

3. Lit! by Tony Reinke

I re-read this book for a speech I did on the benefits of reading. It was a great re-read and it is a book that I think other Christians will find beneficial whether or not they are a reader or not! 5/5 Stars.

4. The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket

The seventh installment of A Series of Unfortunate Events was interesting and it had kind of a sad ending (which made sense). 3.5/5 Stars.

5. Principles of Public Speaking by Kathleen German, et. al

I had to read this for my Spoken Communications class, it was a little bit interesting but I also skimmed most of it.

6. From Socrates to Sartre by T. Z. Lavine

This was one of two books I had to read for my Philosophy class semester and it was okay. I’m not a big fan of philosophy but Lavine does a good job of presenting the different philosophies that he deals with through out this book.

7. Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

Ever the Hunted was an interesting read although it took me a while to get into it. I did enjoy the story, although I expected there to be more action. It ended on a cliffhanger which was interesting and made want to read the next book, but I also didn’t like it and I can’t say what it is because it is a spoiler to the end of the book. 4/5 Stars.

8. Ms. Marvel Vol. 3 – Crushed by G. Willow Wilson

I really enjoyed the third installment in this comic book series and Loki made a guest appearance as well! 4/5 Stars

9. Ms. Marvel Vol. 4 – Last Days by G. Willow Wilson

The 4th installment in this series was interesting and the original Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers (aka Captain Marvel) appeared in this volume. It was interesting story line but I have no idea how it ended. 4/5 Stars

10. Ms. Marvel Vol. 5 – Super Famous by G. Willow Wilson

This picks up a few months after the end of Volume 4, but I have no idea what ended up happening so that the impending disaster was averted, which was confusing. But a new story line started that is somewhat interesting and I can’t wait to read Volume 6. 3.5/5 Stars.

11. Princeless Book 1 – Save Yourself by Jeremy Whitley

This was an interesting graphic novel that turns the damsel in distress trope on its head and I love it! I can’t wait to continue on with the series! 4/5 Stars.

12. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 1 – Squirrel Power by Ryan North

This was also an interesting start to a comic book series and I can’t wait to pick up the rest of this series. Squirrel girl is just interesting and funny and I loved reading the first four issues as well as the original comic that she appeared in with Iron Man back in the ’90s. 4/5 Stars.

13. The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket

I enjoyed this 8th installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Each book makes me despise Count Olaf even more and more and, this sounds horrible, but I really hope he gets what is coming to him. I can’t go into too much detail about this novel because it will spoil the ending of the 7th book. 3.5/5 Stars.

14. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James

I read this for my Detective Fiction class. It was an interesting read especially since it is set in the ’70s and deals with the issue of women’s rights.  I enjoyed it and Cordelia Gray was an interesting detective and I loved how she dealt with the various issues that she had to deal with. 4/5 Stars.

15. At Your Request by Jen Turano

At Your Request is a prequel to Jen Turano’s new series, Apart From the Crowd. It was great introduction to the characters of the series and I loved the romance that takes place in this novella. 4/5 Stars.

16. Passion for the Western Mind by Richard Tarnas

The second book I had to read for my Philosophy class. It was interesting, but it was also hard to understand at times and I ended up skimming most of it.

17. Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano

I really enjoyed Behind the Scenes, especially the historical background. It was a fun read even though I wish there had been more focus on the intrigue of the novel. It was also a cute romance and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. 4/5 Stars.

Did Not Finish:
Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

I read Passenger last year, however I didn’t really enjoy it but I still wanted to find out what happened next. However, I started reading Wayfarer and it dragged so much!

And those are all the books I read in April and I hope May is also a good reading month.

Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.

P.S.  Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Twitter (@Jlc0904Janelle), Instagram (@jazzyjan101), and to like The Scribbler Facebook page.