hello, chelly.

Apartment Must-Haves

2017-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

When I first moved into my apartment, I had no idea what I wanted. I had only ever decorated my bedroom before and suddenly I had this whole space to furnish. It took me a while but I finally settled on a look that was me. And even though I still change things around or retire certain decor ideas from my apartment, I realized I do have certain staples that I do think make an apartment.

1. Statement rug

Whenever I post pictures of my living room, the rug is usually the first thing that gets complimented. This was actually the first big non-furniture purchase I made for my apartment almost 4 years ago and I still love it to this day. It was totally worth splurging on.

2. Throw pillows

Whether it's throw pillows on your couch or your bed, they can totally brighten things up and give the room a cozy feel. I had bold and colorful pillows for years but recently switched so a more subtle color scheme.

3. Fresh flowers

I love having fresh flowers in my apartment! I buy flowers every week from Trader Joe's which I put in the entryway and on my coffee table. I also have plants and fake flowers scattered throughout too. I think it looks really pretty and just adds a personal touch.

4. Art prints

I'm going to do a whole post on art prints in a few weeks but needless to say, I have them everywhere! In my dining room, bedroom, living room, over my dresser, on my desk. It's such an easy way to decorate and show off what you love, whether it's travel, quotes or illustrations. Or in my case, a little bit of everything!

5. Gold accents

I recently became obsessed with adding gold accents to my apartment. On my desk, I have a gold organizer and a little gold & ceramic succulent figurine. But also scattered through my apartment is a gold frame, gold geometric triangles, a gold ampersand. The list goes on. I don't have too many and I try to make sure they're mixed in with other items so it's not overwhelming. But I do think they had a chic touch to the rest of my decor.

***

So those are my staples! Who knows what other ideas I'll come up with or be inspired by but in the meantime, I think these five will remain a bit part of my apartment's look overall.

What are YOUR apartment must-haves?

Stacking the Shelves (42)

2017-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews

I am so happy with today's Stacking the Shelves! I only bought three books and already read two of them (5 stars to Wayfarer and Frostblood!). Then I got one of my most anticipated books of 2017, The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord, in the mail. But there are some e-ARCs I mention below that I'm super excited about too.

Now, onto the books!

PURCHASED

Hardcopies

Wayfarer (Passenger, #2) by Alexandra Bracken
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Frostblood (Frostblood Saga, #1) by Elly Blake

FOR REVIEW

e-ARCs

Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson
The Secret History of Us by Jessi Kirby
Coming Up for Air by Miranda Kenneally

ARCs

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
Finished copies
The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins

What new books have you guys gotten lately?

Mini-reviews: Windwitch + The Careful Undressing of Love

2017-01-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

Windwitch (The Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard

pub 1/10/17 by Tor Teen
Young Adult - Fantasy
Received ARC from pub

If you read my blog, you know how much I love Susan Dennard which is why I'm nervous to be posting this honest (but thoughtful!) review. With Truthwitch, she created a truly fascinating world. I was intrigued by its caste of witches and following Safi, Iseult, Merik and Aeduan on their adventures was exciting. But in Windwitch, I felt like the focus of the plot and world was less cohesive and the spark in her characters was missing. I still loved Iseult and Aeduan as they remained the most complex and multi-faceted. I looked forward to all their scenes! (I don't deny that I ship it, 100%.) With Safi and Merik, they felt the most different. Granted, their situations are the most extreme but the changes seemed abrupt since the story picks up soon after Truthwitch. Their paths were so disconnected from everyone and considering the series is touted as being about an epic female friendship, it's a shame we get little evidence of that. I just don't think the multiple perspectives worked out well this time, although I surprisingly liked the addition of Vivia. Overall, the book drifted away from the things that made me love Truthwitch in the first place – building these characters and their relationships and the abilities that come with being a Witch.

Do I recommend? I'm conflicted because I didn't enjoy Windwitch as much as I had hoped but I still remember loving Truthwitch. If this series has been on your radar, I still say check it out and decide for yourself.

The Careful Undressing of Love by Corey Ann Haydu

pub 1/31/17 by Dutton Books
for Young Readers
Young Adult - Contemporary
Borrowed ARC from Alexa

I actually had no idea what this book was about when I started. Corey Ann Haydu is an auto-read author for me and The Careful Undressing of Love proves, yet again, just why that is. It did take me a few chapters to settle in the setting of the story. Haydu changes history a bit and there's a lot to learn about Devonairre Street and the people, particular the girls and woman, who inhabit it. They're cursed and the men they fall in love with die because of it. Lorna Ryder is a Devonairre Street girl who doesn't buy into curse but wants to be apart of the community in spite of it. It's where her friends are and where her memories of her father are, who died in the 2001 Times Square Bombing. But when her best friend's boyfriend dies, the community and those fascinated by them turn the curse into a sort of mania that infects everyone. Suddenly the curse is "absolutely real" and love is truly to be feared. It was strange but also an interesting commentary on grief, love, sexuality and to me, how cults probably start. If anyone but Haydu had written it, I probably would've passed but that's the power of her writing. Her prose is beautiful and lyrical and I enjoy how she consistently makes me think outside the box.

Do I recommend? Yes! I admit I have my reservations about the ending but otherwise, I felt invested in the characters and the story. Super interesting read!

Table for Two #1

2017-01-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm really excited that Alexa of Alexa Loves Books and I have teamed up once more to bring you a brand new collaboration that involves two of our favorite things - New York City and food. We're proud to introduce Table for Two, where the two of us will be highlighting restaurants and dessert spots in New York City. You'll be hearing our personal opinions on the place and the food, as well as where you can go to try it out for yourself.

To kick things off, Alexa and I had dinner at Burger & Lobster and then ended the night with donuts from Dough, which you can read about on Alexa's blog.

Burger & Lobster has restaurants in various parts of the world but only one located in New York and that's in the Flatiron area. (Same street as Dough actually!) It's a pretty big place filled with tons of booths, tables and an impressive bar area if you enjoy going to happy hours. At first glance, it looks like the kind of restaurant that probably gets busy fast but luckily for us, we got seated right away.

I thought the food was really good! We may be a little biased since we both love lobster but I was very happy with my order. It was hard to settle on one because they had so many tempting options and combos to choose from but in the end, I settled on the Original Lobster (1.5 lb whole lobster with fries and salad) and Alexa got the Original Lobster Roll (lobster tossed in Japanese mayo with chives). The lobster was fresh and paired really well with the garlic butter. (I may have dipped my fries in it too!) Plus we decided to get mock-tails: the Flirty Flatiron (melon puree, lemonade, splash of sprite) and Puttin' on the Spritz (green tea, pineapple, lime, splash of soda ). I am not embarrassed to admit that I totally downed mine.

Between the food, the drinks and the excellent service (we adored our waiter), it was a great dinner! I can definitely see us coming back here and given the decent prices, we most likely will.

You can find Burger & Lobster on 19th St, between 5th and 6th. Let us know if you check it out!

BookBags (44): What's in My Bag?

2017-01-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Monthly feature where I pair books with bags or share what's in a bag (mine or otherwise!) est. 4/2013.

I recently reorganized my bag and bought a couple new things that I love carrying around with me. So, it seemed liked the perfect time to bring this feature back! (It's been a year!).

Over the holiday break, I gifted myself with the Madewell Medium Transport tote. It's perfectly sized (especially for petites) and great as an every day bag. And here's what I've been carrying around with me:

Balenciaga wallet / Black makeup bag from H&M (has: powder, lip balm, eyeliner, concealer, various lipsticks 1 2 3 4 - yes I like to be prepared!) / wireless headphones / iPhone 7 / BKR water bottle / planner & pens / anti-bacterial spray (a must-have) / Korres travel-sized body butter / card holder / planning to read: Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

***

What have you been carrying in your bag lately?

Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

2017-01-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Collaborative feature with Alexa since Nov 2013. We read ARCs together and post our reviews on the same date.

Caraval (#1) by Stephanie Garber
pub 1/31/17 by Flatiron Books
Young Adult - Fantasy
Received ARC at ALAMW16

Plot • Scarlett has been writing to the organizer of Caraval, a unique performance where the audience participates in the show, for years and now that a marriage has been arranged for her, she thinks the chance will never come. But then she gets a once-in-a-lifetime invitation and despite her fear of their cruel father, Scarlett's sister Tella steals her away, with the help of a mysterious sailor, to join the show.

Characters • I related a lot to Scarlett and her need to do the right thing and take care of her sister at all costs. But there's an obvious desire to explore inside of her and games in Caraval bring that out. We don't get to know Tella nearly as well but I want to know more. And don't get me start on the mysterious sailor because well.. I'm sure you can guess.

Writing • The author's words made it easy to imagine the world she created. It's magical, dark and mysterious and so compelling to read about. She did a phenomenal job of describing Caraval and juggling the characters along with the twisted plot that pushed them along.

Overall feelings • It should be on your TBR. Enough said.

What is your favorite film or TV show that features magic? • My answer is so obvious but I don't care – Harry Potter!

Life lately, according to my iPhone

2017-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

The last week or so of December was filled with lots and lots of family get togethers because of the holidays, which is why I love Christmas and New Year's so much. Then since getting back to reality.. it actually hasn't been that bad. My commute is shorter (you'll see why!), I had a belated holiday dinner with Carina and I went to a book event with Alexa. All in all, my year is off to a good start!

A couple days before Christmas, I had a little holiday reunion with cousins on my dad's side of the family. I also got to meet my niece Marina for the first time. She's adorable!

Christmas Eve with the fam = church, dinner and baking cupcakes.

Christmas day! Aside from the usual Secret Santa antics with my cousins, we decided our theme would be a pajama party! Def the comfiest Christmas ever.

New Year's Eve! For the first time in a while, I brought my Instax with me and took a ton of pictures.

From last week's Alex Bracken event at Books of Wonder for the release of Wayfarer. Not only is she an incredible writer, but she's just so nice to all her fans. I adore her!

Last week, my company officially moved to our new office in the Flatiron area and it's so good to be back! // Estelle sent me a handmade card, based on This Adventure Ends.

***

What have you been up to lately?

Flights of Fantasy Book Club #7: Anne Bishop

2017-01-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's our first book club read for 2017! In case you forgot, the rules have changed a bit since last year. We're still committing to only reading the first book in the series but now we have the whole quarter to do so. Then in March, we'll post a discussion on what we thought. Super easy! We hope you'll join us.

For this quarter, we'll be reading Written in Red which is the first book in The Others series by Anne Bishop. And don't forget to scroll to the bottom to find out the winner of our giveaway!

Here's more about series (summary from Goodreads):

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

And if she makes it out of Ulrich alive, what in Hell is she returning to?

***

Will you be joining us this month?

The winner of last year's giveaway is:
Heather from Based on a True Story!

Links + Loves

2017-01-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some non-bookish articles I really liked this past month and my latest loves.

Links

1 / Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams (two of my favorite actresses!) interview each other for PBS SoCal. I saw Jackie recently and Natalie was phenomenal.

2 / This post on The Lazy Genius Collective shows that the best solutions are usually right in front of us.

3 / I totally believe in friendship at first sight.

4 / I always bring a notebook with me when I travel but I usually forget to write in it. This post on Matador Network is a good reminder why I should.

5 / After listening to a clip of Emma Watson singing in Beauty & the Beast, I'm convinced she can do no wrong.

6 / This mash-up of every Carpool Karaoke from last year is everything.

7 / Seeing the girls from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants hang out, never fails to bring a smile to my face.

8 / If you need motivation for 2017, look no further than this post on Thought Catalog.

Loves

1 / Mary Ann got me this J.Crew bag for Christmas and I've used it so many times since. It's great for the weekend when I'm not carrying a lot.

2 / During the holiday break I started watching Doctor Who and quickly made it through 3 seasons (and still going!). Right now, season 2 and Ten are my favorites.

3 / I still like bullet journaling but needed a simpler (aka lazier) version of it. This planner from MochiThings already has exactly the kind of layout I want, so all I need to do is fill it out!

***

Do you have any links or loves to share?
Would love to hear about them!

Mini-reviews: Frostblood + After the Fall

2017-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1) by Elly Blake

pub 1/10/17 by Little, Brown
Booksfor Young Readers
Young Adult - Fantasy
Received ARC from pub

I read a lot of fantasy in 2016 and unsurprisingly, all the usuals (I'm looking at you Sarah and Leigh!) got five stars from me. Want to know how many new fantasies got that high of a rating in my book? One. Frostblood. So I'm excited to be finally sharing my thoughts on it. The heroine is seventeen-year-old Ruby, a fireblood who must hide her powers because her kind are being persecuted by the frostbloods ruling their kingdom. When her mother is killed in front of her, it sets Ruby on a path of joining forces with rebel frostbloods, who want her help taking down the king and end up showing her how to control her abilities. Naturally, the rebels and Ruby do this grudgingly, especially a young man named Arcus who Ruby clashes with. In other words, has amazing chemistry with. What I loved about Ruby was that she wanted to embrace her identity. She's a fighter and survivor but also compassionate. Then the romance! It's slow-burning and filled with snark, banter and tension, which you know is my favorite kind. I loved Arcus just as much as Ruby and he had a compelling story of his own too.

I just thought the writing and plot was top-notch. Even though the whole fire versus ice thing is a familiar fantasy trope, I truly loved the author's spin on it. It's slightly light on the world-building side but the pacing was fast and focused on the characters which I personally much prefer.

Do I recommend? Definitely! I was really impressed with Elly Blake's debut (I pre-ordered it right after I finished) and I can't wait to see where she takes the rest of the series.

After the Fall by Kate Hart

pub 1/24/17 by Farrar,
Straus and Giroux
Young Adult - Contemporary
Received ARC from pub

I have to get this off my chest first – the main character's name is spelt Raychel and it drove me crazy. It just looks wrong!

Names aside, the book itself wasn't what I expected. I knew it would be complicated but then it got to soap opera levels of drama. We meet Raychel, whose difficult home life has led her to be taken under the wing of a family with two sons, Matt and Andrew. Matt is her best friend, who for all his support and good intentions, doesn't really get her. But his brother Andrew surprisingly does and she gets into a secret relationship with him. Now, I don't mind a love triangle if it's done well but everything just felt too sudden and left field for me to connect to it. Then, on top of that, Raychel is also dealing with a classmate who assaulted her. I thought this part of the novel was particularly strong – at first – because the author approaches the topic honestly as she explores Raychel's feelings of confusion in the aftermath. It brought up open conversations with the people in her life that were very thought-provoking. But then the ball gets dropped in favor of the romance. I really wish the author had continued on this track because it was the most compelling part of the entire story.

Do I recommend? It wasn't for me. While some parts were well-written and the writing engaging enough, I didn't like the overall story and the path it took.

Hello 2017!

2017-01-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hello 2017! It's so good to see you. (I think we were all ready to say goodbye to 2016.)

As I've said before, I'm not great with the whole resolutions thing so last year I called them "goals". Turns out I'm not great with that either because I forgot all about them. Although, I surprisingly did accomplish most of what I set out to do. Travel, save money, work on my photography and challenge myself. Check, check, check and check. I also meant to go to the gym except that didn't happen. Not once. (Sigh.)

I'm going to try something different this time though. When I opened my new planner, there was a page for a Bucket List and I realized, maybe that's how I should approach it. My summer bucket list was super successful for me last year and I think this will be too. So.. here goes!

Go on a trip with my best friend
Travel outside the country
Go on at least 5 photography outings with my cousins
Integrate some form of regular physical activity (be it yoga or any of those exercise programs on YouTube) into my life
Save, save, save (I have a particular goal in mind!)
Go to at least 3 shows. Ballet, concerts and Broadway all count.
Read 150 books; 35 of them should be fantasy!
Re-read 2 "classics" + 1 new one: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie and Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

But while those are the specific things I want to do, there are some general things I want to remember for 2017:

Take care of myself. Be that my physical, mental or emotional health.
Continue to always make time for the wonderful people in my life. Text messages, planning dinners, brunches and outings. They seem like little things but they make all the difference to me.
Don't waste time on things or people who don't bring you happiness.
I love what I do and I want to keep pushing myself to better and do what's best for my career. (Plus continuing to stay firm on my work/life balance stance!)
Have fun with the blog or what's the point.
Keep challenging myself in general and always move forward.

***

What are your resolutions for 2017?

December Recap + Flights of Fantasy Update

2016-12-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Life lately

I've pretty much summed it all up in my 2016 reflection post but these last couple of weeks have been great. Work was less crazy, I had a bunch of days off and hung out with my cousins and BFFs a lot. The holidays are always my favorite time of the year because of that. (And because I get to sleep in more.) I'll be sharing more on Monday's post and pictures the week after!

This month's favorites

Read

Song

"Make your mind up
And I'll chase you through the streets
The chase will wind up
I got blood on the soles of my feet"

Photo

On the blog

Book Reviews

Features

Personal

I read 4 fantasy books this month, which include: Windwitch by Susan Dennard, Frostblood by Elly Blake, Caraval by Stephanie Garber and Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen. I've really been in a fantasy mood lately!

As promised, there will be a giveaway! We'll randomly pick a winner from

the people who linked up so don't forget to add yours below.

We'll announce the winner on Sunday, Jan 8. Good luck!

Looking Back on 2016

2016-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

If you know me in real life, then you know how I feel about my birthday and the end of the year. I usually don't want it happen. But the funny thing is – as much as I sometimes wish that I was 23 instead of 33, I can't deny that the further I get into my 30s, the more sure of myself I become. But more importantly, the more initiative I take when it comes to doing the things I want to do. Which is why that for all the things I struggled with in 2016, it was still an incredible year to me.

At the beginning of the year, I got this panicked feeling of being stuck. It's what prompted me to text my travel buddy about needing to go out of the country and us booking a trip to Dublin only a few weeks later. Next, I told my best friend we needed to go to Disney World (this got bumped to next month but it's happening!) and plan more outings in general. I did a summer bucket list and completed most of the items on it. I was the Maid of Honor for my other BFF. I planned weekend getaways and other trips. I was that friend who wanted to check out museums, shows and concerts and texting people to join me. But at the same time, I still focused on myself and loved those Friday nights when I was in bed by 8pm with a good book or on the couch Netflix'ing a new show. I just tried to seize opportunities when they arose and did what made me happy.

But it wasn't a perfect year and I don't want to pretend that it was either. There's a lot I don't share online (or in general) because it's personal or uncomfortable for me to do so. But if I'm going to reflect on 2016, I want to share both sides of it. So at the end of last year, my grandmother – who lived with me since I was a baby and was like a second mother to me – passed away. She was 97 years old and lived a full, amazing life. But I miss her. It's been bittersweet experiencing holidays without her for the first time and I just think about her a lot. Then back in April, my mother's cancer came back more advanced. It was such a shock because we thought that chapter of our lives was over. Luckily she's in remission again (thank God!) but I was scared out of my mind for the first couple of months. It's been really tough but I'm so grateful it all turned out okay.

As corny as this is about to sound, I think it was things I struggled with the most that made me chase all the good that came out of this past year. Of course I had my moments of wallowing (and crying) but I can honestly say I'm walking away from 2016 with wonderful memories. And that's how I want to end this post - remembering that.

Here are my highlights from 2016:
+ Road trip to Boston with Alexa
+ Seeing Smart People (I was in the same room as Joshua Jackson!), Waitress and An American in Paris
+ Attending "An Evening with the Cast & Co-Creator of Orphan Black" and fangirling over Tatiana Maslany
+ Going to LA to visit my cousin and spend time with my beautiful niece and nephew. Plus Harry Potter World!
+ Photography sessions with my cousins (see here and here)
+ 3 ballets (Firebird, Le Corsaire, The Golden Cockerel) with Alexa that left me in awe of Misty Copeland and Stella Abrera
+ Jana Kramer, Florence + the Machine and James Bay concerts
+ Ice cream and indie bookstore adventures
+ Dublin, Ireland with Jackie
+ Cape Cod weekend with Alexa and Kelly
+ Visiting the Museum of Ice Cream, MoMA, Society of Illustrators and New Museum of Contemporary Art
+ Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and going to Queens Night Market with Carina
+ My younger cousin getting engaged! (I helped him pick out the ring!)
+ Mary Ann's wedding, plus bridal shower and bachelorette
+ Becoming a book fairy for Books on the Subway

Now I can officially say goodbye to 2016! And 2017? I'm ready for you!

***

Thank you for reading my blog and hope you all have a Happy New Year!

Best Books of 2016

2016-12-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

This was a little tougher than I thought it was going to be! There were so many amazing books that came out this past year. Originally I was only going to pick 10 books for my list but then I realized how impossible that was. So instead, I went through Goodreads and picked out all my five-star reads.

Young Adult & Middle Grade

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo • What an ending to the Six of Crows duology! I've said before that it's hard to pull off multiple POVs, let alone six, and Bardugo made me care deeply for every character!

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas • I pretty much expect to have all the feels while reading Sarah's books but ACOMAF seriously blew my mind. She is an expert storyteller.

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas • Each book in Throne of Glass just gets more and more amazing and EOS was no exception. But as someone who was shipping Rowan & Aelin since Heir of Fire, this book made my heart explode.

Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson • It's funny because I wasn't a big fan of The Kiss of Deception (the twist was lost on me!) but then Heart of Betrayal completely changed my mind. And Beauty of Darkness? Well, it solidified this series as being a favorite.

The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows • Jaw-dropping conclusion to the Orphan Queen. I had to text Alexa multiple times while reading!

This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills • If you're in the mood for a feel-good book that focuses on friendship and family (and a little romance), this is a must-read.

Shuffle, Repeat by Jen Klein • I read this book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down! It's one of my favorite YA contemporary romances.

The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes • I was nervous as to how The Long Game would live up to The Fixer but no worries were necessary because it was just as good, if not better.

The Winner’s Kiss by Marie Rutkoski • I remember thinking that if Kestrel and Arin didn't actually use their words and communicate in this book, I would throw a fit. Luckily, I got what I wanted and more! Another series ender that totally met my expectations.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner • I read this only because everyone was talking about it and while that can be a recipe for failure, that wasn't the case here. I'm glad I listened to the hype and read this incredible book.

The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin • Only Estelle could convince me to read middle grade. It's not a genre I gravitate towards so you can imagine my surprise when I found myself crying over this book on the bus. So moving!

Upcoming in 2017: Frostblood by Elly Blake • This comes out in a few weeks and friends, if you love fantasy you'll want to read this.

New Adult, Adult & Non-Fiction

The Deal by Elle Kennedy • I never would've expected to give a NA book 5 stars but oh man, The Deal was something else. Funny, sweet, sexy and with surprising depth.

Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn • I'm so glad Alexa and I read this for Flights of Fantasy! I ended up bingeing the entire series because I enjoyed it so much. Troubled Waters is my fave though!

The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes • I want everyone to read this book. It was inspiring and made me laugh out loud. Anyone who's a fan of Grey's Anatomy (or any of her shows) will enjoy this immensely.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid • I love all of TJR's books but as of right now, I think this one is my favorite. She continually amazes me with the way she explores love, life and relationships.

The Choices We Make by Karma Brown • Powerful book that will make you think (and think and think), get angry, cry and just feel. I was already a fan of Brown's but this sealed the deal.

***

What were your favorite books of 2016?

Stacking the Shelves (41)

2016-12-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Every time I think there's no reason for me to buy new books.. I step into a book store and that thought completely goes out the window. But, on the plus side, I only bought books I've already read so yay me! I'm also really excited about the ARCs I've received and I'm looking forward to reading them all.

Now, onto the books!

PURCHASED

Hardcopies

Feverborn (Fever, #8) by Karen Marie Moning
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (x2!)
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood by Brian Azzarello
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

E-books

Encore (Amplified, #2) by Tara Kelly
Fire in You (Wait for You, #6) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Heat Wave by Karina Halle

FOR REVIEW

e-ARCs

Maud by Melanie Fishbane
Girl Out of Water by Laura Silverman

ARCs

A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery
Windwitch (The Witchlands, #2) by Susan Dennard

What new books have you guys gotten lately?

Short & Sweet (17)

2016-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Dirty Talk (Mechanics of Love #2) by Megan Erickson

pub 9/15/15 by Avon Impulse
Romance - Contemporary

1 Line Summary: Brent Payton is a ladies' man and everyone knows it but he finds himself wanting more when he meets Ivy Dawn except.. she and her sister have sworn off men indefinitely.
The Couple: On the surface, Brent and Ivy seem like total opposites who happen to have a ton of chemistry. But looking back, they have more in common than they realize. They're devoted to their families, have good hearts and are extremely passionate people. I totally shipped them from page one but it was a lot more fun to go down the slow burn route with these two.
The Plot: Even though Brent is one trying to prove that he's taking this thing with Ivy seriously, I think the book is actually more about her. She and her family have had a tough time and it's balance between doing right by them but also taking care of herself and her own needs. This book, more so than the rest in this series, has the most heartwarming family moments.
Do I recommend? I do! The first book, Dirty Thoughts, is still my favorite of the three but I liked them all!

Dirty Deeds (Mechanics of Love #3) by Megan Erickson

pub 12/8/15 Avon Impulse
Romance - Contemporary

1 Line Summary: Alex Dawn has sworn off men after being in an abusive relationship until a one night stand with L.M. Spencer makes her wonder if there's happiness out there for her after all.
The Couple: We first get to know Alex in the previous book (she's Ivy's sister) so knowing her back story from the get-go made her emotional (and sexy) connection with Spencer that much more impactful. And I'm glad the author chose to introduce a totally knew guy instead of a secondary character because one, I can't imagine who she would've picked and two, I really liked Spencer!
The Plot: It's another opposites attract story that's done so right. Alex has a past to overcome but she loves her family, job and friends. But Spencer, a hot British guy, is only in town temporarily for work so he's not exactly looking for a relationship either. Except, they can't stop thinking about their one night together. Their story is a little bit about mixing pleasure with work but most of all, making that decision to open up to another person who's worth it.
Do I recommend? Yes! I don't know if there will be more books in this series but I certainly hope so.

Fire in You (Wait for You #6) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

pub 11/28/16 by JLA

1 Line Summary: It's been six years since Jillian Lima since she had her heart broken by Brock "the Best" Mitchell and her life altered by a stranger with a guy but she's finally determined to move forward.
The Couple: I love second-chance romances! Jillian and Brock have known each other all their lives but she was always the "little sister" to him. But now they're both all grown up and sparks fly! She's attracted to him more than ever and he's finally recognizing the wonderful woman who's always been there for him.
The Plot: The book has a lot to do with revealing what happened that night and how Jillian and Brock's lives came to be intertwined in the first place. But it also spends a lot of time in the present. They become friends, revisit old wounds and explore the obvious chemistry between them. I enjoyed that their relationship wasn't rushed and that they had so much history. Plus a bunch of my favorite characters from past books make an appearance! (Multiple ones!)
Do I recommend? I do. I've read every Wait for You book and I don't see that changing any time soon.

2016: Movies, Music & TV

2016-12-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I'm kicking off my end of the year posts today! 2016 has been quite the year and while I'll save my introspective thoughts for later, I am excited to talk about the songs, movies and TV shows I loved. My music habits haven't changed at all (aka always looking for new songs). I was much better about going to the movies this year and usually with my cousins which was an added perk. And lastly, Netflix binging happened a lot.

Most-Played Songs

Spotify's Year in Music makes this part of my post so much easier to do but they give you a playlist with 6 hour worth of songs. I looked at top of the list and picked out the ones I personally remember listening to it a lot.

I would say the least surprisingly artists on this list: Ariana Grande, James Bay (he shows up twice!), Maroon 5 and Florence + the Machine.

I knew I listened to these songs a lot but I didn't realize just how much: Draper, Betty Who, Nick Jonas, Kehlani, Drake, Hailee Steinfeld, Zoology, Meghan Trainor and Gwen Stefani.

Special mention on this list: Miranda Lambert. I don't normally gravitate towards country but my goodness, this song. I'm still playing it constantly.

Top TV Shows

Netflix was so bad (read: so good) this year! A lot of shows were released and two revivals I never thought would happen did (if you don't know which ones I'm referring to, it's Fuller House and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life). But when I sat down to think about my favorite new shows that I binged, I think the list might surprise you.

Newbies | Broadchurch, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Stranger Things, Poldark and The Crown.

Oldies that are still awesome | Bones, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead (I'll just ignore this recent season thank you very much), Grey's Anatomy (yes still), Outlander, The Affair, Daredevil, House of Cards (those last couple of episodes!), Orphan Black, The 100

Top Movies

I made a point to go to the movies more often this year and try to watch the ones I put on my Netflix/HBO Go queues. And I did both! Here are a mix of favorites and ones that just stood out to me the most.

Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them • I hadn't read the book before so I didn't know what to expect. But Eddie Redmayne was perfect in this role and Nifflers are the cutest beasts ever.

Captain America: Civil War • I feel like the Captain America movies just get better and better. I loved seeing the gang all together again (except I missed Thor and wanted to punch Iron Man in the face) and I can't wait to see what's next for everyone.

Doctor Strange • Again, it was a different kind of superhero movie. I'm not a super Benedict Cumberbatch fangirl but I liked him in this role and it was fun to see the magical side of Marvel.

Spotlight • This has on my list for a while and I'm so glad I finally watched it. It's such a powerful movie on an extremely tough topic. It absolutely deserves every awards it's won.

X-Men: Apocalyse • If you had told me Sansa Stark would make an awesome Jean Grey a couple years ago, I wouldn't have believed it. But she was! I think in general, they did a great job with casting and in general, I've enjoyed this X-Men arc more so than the original.

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong • It's basically a mash-up of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset but in Hong Kong but I still loved it. Real-life couple Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung's natural chemistry make it work and it's been a while since a romantic indie film tugged at my heartstrings.

The Fundamentals of Caring • Go Netlix and their original movies! I'm so aware of their shows that I forget they do original movies too. I have to admit this one is a bit cliche and has every indie road trip trope you can possibly thing of. And you know what? I still liked it. It's a feel good film and c'mon, it's got Paul Rudd!

Rogue One • I was definitely apprehensive after I heard this movie needed major reshoots but whatever they did.. it worked! This was exactly the kind of prequel I wanted and expected when episodes I-III came out. Felicity Jones was an amazing heroine and I think Star Wars fans will be happy with this release. (But Force Awakens is still my fave of the two!)

***

What were some of your favorite music, movies and songs from this past year?

Better yet - anything you'd like to recommend to me?

Review: The Secret of a Heart Note by Stacey Lee

2016-12-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Collaborative feature with Alexa since Nov 2013. We read ARCs together and post our reviews on the same date.

The Secret of a Heart Note
by Stacey Lee
pub 12/27/16 by Katherine Tegen Books
Young Adult - Magical Realism
Received from pub via Edelweiss

Plot • It's about Mimosa (Mim), a sixteen-year-old aromateurs whose abilities are passed down through the family. It's just her and her mom now carrying the tradition of mixing love elixirs for those looking for love. But they cannot fall in love because it would render their noses useless. Then one day, Mim gives a love potion to the wrong woman and when she enlists that woman's son to help her fix the situation, she's finds herself in a romantic situation of her own.

Characters • It's definitely a story where you have to suspend your disbelief and I admittedly found that hard to do because the situation would get so comical at times. But what grounded the story were the characters. Mim is a not-so-typical girl who craves normal and I got that. She has a complicated relationship with her mom (got that too) but I wish she had stood up for herself more. I did like getting to know her family though and her own romance was quite sweet. It didn't reel me in but it was cute.

Writing • The writing was engaging enough that I could fly through it but I didn't love it as much as her first book, Under a Painted Sky.

Overall feelings • It's a cute, fluffy story that very much reminds me of a rom-com. For some reason, it made me think of Simply Irresistble with Sarah Michelle Gellar.

What's your favorite smell/scent? • In general, I love the smell of coffee. But if it was in the context of perfumes, my favorite is jasmine, followed closely by rose.

Review: Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz

2016-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Something in Between
by Melissa de la Cruz
pub 10/4/16 by Harlequin Teen
Young Adult - Contemporary

I can't think of a time when diversity in books is more needed and Something in Between is a story I've been waiting for, for a long time. It's about Jasmine de los Santos, hardworking daughter of Filipino immigrant parents. She's got a great life. Friends, good grades and a full college scholarship. Then everything falls her apart when her parents drop a bombshell - she can't accept her national scholar award invitation because their visas expired years ago and the entire family is illegal. Now she's worried about her parents, her two younger brothers and the future she's been striving towards. Can she even go to college now? These are very real and very scary questions that Jasmine has to face.

As someone who is also a daughter of Filipino immigrants parent, I was lucky. My parents immigrated to the United States during an easier time and applied for American citizenship as soon as they were able. But I still felt Jasmine's fear distinctly. Everything about her life was easy to relate to and it made me happy to see my culture depicted in a young adult book so realistically. Like the daily interactions between Jasmine and her family which were both familiar and heartwarming or the little details of growing up in a Filipino home. But most of all, I loved Jasmine and her determination to not only help her family but to find a way to pursue her dreams. She just wouldn't give up and I admired that so much.

I also can't forget to mention the romance. Royce Blakely, the adorable son of a congressman, probably pops into Jasmine's life at both the best and worst time. But even though the attraction is instant, the relationship is not. We actually get to watch them date and fall for one another. I couldn't help rooting and swooning over their blossoming romance. That said, it did take up more of the book than I expected but the story still came down to Jasmine's journey which I was glad about!

(Super minor) reservations

One thing I did find slightly distracting though was how the author took on this explanatory tone, especially in the first half of the book. By saying things like "it's because I'm Filipino" a dozen times or giving the definitions of Tagalog words a tad too much. I understand why but I think a lot of the context spoke for itself.

Do I recommend?

Yes, I highly recommend it!

Books in Real Life, Episode 14: Heartless

2016-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

For this month's Books in Real Life we chose... Heartless by Marissa Meyer! We both loved this retelling of the Queen of Hearts' backstory but I have to admit, it's not the most obvious choice for Books IRL. Then I randomly remembered my boss telling me about the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park (it's famous but I had never seen it). I suggested we go check it out plus stop by Alice's Tea Cup for a late lunch and afternoon tea. It ended up being a perfect way to pay homage to Heartless while having a super fun day in the city.

Here are some of our favorite photos from our day!

With the White Rabbit and Mad Hatter

Mad Hatter w/ Heartless | Us in front of the statue (so difficult to get this shot!)

Alice and Chesire Cat

Quotes from Alice in Wonderland

Alice's Tea Cup

Their cute menus + a lemon tart (if you've the book, you know why we picked this!)

Look at that delicious food and tea! I highly recommend their scones (the ones with fruit in them), tea (Alice's Tea is my favorite) and their sandwiches.

***

Survey time! At the end of every Books In Real Life post, we are going to answer a few questions:

Anything you wish you'd known beforehand? I wish I knew how many kids loved to actually play on the Alice statue! I thought it was a statue just for decoration to be honest. So taking photos was a lot more difficult than we anticipated.

What was your favorite part? Alice's Tea Cup for sure! They have the best scones I've ever tasted and same goes for their tea! I'm definitely more of a coffee person but I will happily finish my pot of tea from this place.

Would we do it again? Yes! Going to the park, good food and while it wasn't pictured here, we also stopped by a bookstore. Aka it was our kind of day!

***

But before you go, here's the video Alexa created:

Don't forget to head over Alexa's blog to see her post!

FOF Book Club: Geist

2016-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

For October's book club, we read Geist (Book of the Order, #1) by Philippa Ballantine. Here's what I thought!

***

Geist (Book of the Order #1)
by Philippa Ballantine
pub 9/29/10 by Ace
Adult - Fantasy

Geist was high fantasy and paranormal rolled into one and I personally haven't come across that combination often, if at all. It was simultaneously awesome but also kind of rough in the beginning to get my bearings. We're thrown into a world where the Order of the Deacons protect the kingdom against geists which can possess humans (think Exorcist) but can also manifest corporeally. If it sounds like a lot to take in, it is. There are different types of deacons and different kinds of geists but what's clear is that the author has created a unique, vast world I wanted to learn more of.

The most powerful deacon in the Order is Sorcha and she finds herself saddled with a new partner Merrick, a novice Deacon. Together they've been sent to an isolated village aide their fellow brethren against violent geist activity. And not that this should surprise anyone, but nothing is as it seems. There's political intrigue, magic and deceit. Once the book found its stride (aka I got most of the details straightened out), I was hooked. While Sorcha is your typical badass fantasy heroine, she's also multi-faceted. She struggles between what she's been taught and what she sees on the mission. Then she struggles even further when she and her partner meet Raed Rossin, a man considered to be a Pretender to the throne and the bearer of a terrible curse. Her training tells her to hate him but their chemistry says otherwise. (Ship alert!)

Overall, I was impressed with the first book in the series and I'm definitely planning to continue it.

Book Club Questions

For every series we read, we'll be answering the same three questions at the end of our mini-reviews.

Favorite book | Since I've only read one, the answer is Geist.
Favorite character | Sorcha, followed closely by Raed.
Would you read more from this author? | Yes! I already have the second book out from the library.

***

For those of you who read the series with us,

what did you think?

Also, make sure to check out Alexa's thoughts on the series!

Mini-reviews: The Velvet Hours + Alterations

2016-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman

pub 9/6/16 by Berkley
Adult - Historical Fiction
Received from Tandem Literary

The Velvet Hours was inspired by the real discovery of an abandoned Parisian apartment. Alyson Richmond takes facts, theories and her own imagination and gives it a spin that truly intrigued me from start to finish. It's told between two perspectives, in two different times. There's the present with Solange Beaugiron, a young woman living in Paris when Europe is on the brink of war. She starts to regularly visit her grandmother, Marthe de Florian, who shares the details of her life with Solange. Marthe is the other perspective and we get to see first-hand what her life was like as a sophisticated courtesan. Both women are fascinating and different. Marthe blazed her own path and while it's one most people may not be quick to boast of, she owns her life and every decision she's made with intelligence, poise and flair. In comparison, Solange lives more quietly but no less passionately. She's curious, smart and an aspiring writer. We learn each of their dreams, heartaches and romances. But most of all, I loved their relationship. That bond between grandmother and granddaughter is very close to my heart and that's probably what stuck with me the most.

Do I recommend? Yes! If you love reading Paris, history and family, I would recommend checking this out.

Alterations by Stephanie Scott

pub 12/6/16 by Bloomsbury Spark
Young Adult - Contemporary
Received from pub via Netgalley

I can't resist a book based on Audrey Hepburn or any of her movies so when I found out that Alterations was a retelling of Sabrina, I had to read it. It's a modern take in which aspiring-chef "Sabrina" is now fashionista Amelia Blanco. When her grandmother enrolls her in a month-long fashion internship, it means two things things: incredible opportunities and a chance to "get over" Ethan Laurenti. Her family lives on their estate as employees but Amelia has always hoped he'd be her boyfriend one day. Luckily, this internship is exactly what she needs. We get to see her meet people with similar interests and watch her come into her own style. I actually wish more time had been spent at fashion school. We kind of breeze through her classes and the transition between days felt jarring at times. Honestly, before I knew it we were back in Miami and while Amelia is certainly more confident, she goes back to mooning over Ethan. Until she agrees to help Ethan's awkward but geeky-cute brother Liam create a fashion app. It's when Amelia and Liam's friendship blossoms that I felt a bit more invested in the book. Still, I knew how the story would go (having seen the movie) and I didn't mind that at all but, I did feel like something was missing. It was cute enough but I just felt like there were a lot of missed chances to give Amelia's character more substance, not to mention learn more about her family and friends and even the Laurentis themselves.

Do I recommend? It was okay. I didn't dislike it but I didn't quite like it either.

Must Have Apps: Productivity & Travel

2016-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

When Sunrise, my go-to calendar app for years, shut down over the summer, I knew I had to find a new one. Luckily I did (which I'll share in a minute!) but I ended up re-evaluating a bunch of my go-to apps to see if there were other better options. Turns out the answer was yes! I wanted to focus mainly on productivity and travel because aside from the usual social media stuff, those are the apps I use the most.

Timepage by Moleskine (calendar)
I tried five different calendar apps and not a single one stuck. (Note: Google Calendar is actually another great option but I use it specifically for work.) Then I found Timepage! It has a beautiful interface that displays a week and month view seamlessly plus there's a ton of options to make it your own.

Bear (notes)
I loved Simplenote for years but the lack of functionality started to bug me. Why couldn't I bold text? Or add a link? I wanted something in between Simplenote and Evernote (which I've never liked) and found Bear. It's got the best of both worlds and the design is great.

Deliveries (package tracker)
I used to use Slice which I always found clunky but I didn't see any other options so I stopped looking. Then my coworker told me about Deliveries and I've been using it ever since. It's a bit more manual because you have to add each package you want tracked but it's got a great interface and overall works much better.

Wunderlist (lists)
I made the switch to Wunderlist a while ago when I realized having notes and to-dos in ten different places wasn't working. I still love it and haven't found anything else comparable. I even started putting reminders in there (instead of using the Apple Reminders app). Plus I like that I can collaborate on lists too.

Penny (budget)
Again, I've tried a bunch of apps for this like Minted, Spendbook and Wally but they all felt like too much work. Penny is really simple and while I was skeptical of linking my accounts, it's actually great. It shows me my spending habits on a daily/week/monthly basis, reminds me of upcoming bills and I can get a quick view of all my accounts.

GoodReads (books)
Do I even need to explain? The app has come a long way and while there are still improvements to be made (can we please be able to see quotes?), it'll probably always be my go to for looking up books and tracking my reading.

Hopper (airfare predictions)
Even though I look at different sites for prices, Hopper is what I use to watch flights for specific trips I'm planning. As we speak I'm watching three right now! I pretty much just wait for the app to tell me "buy now" and I've definitely saved money since using it.

Flightview (flight tracker)
This is such an ugly app but man oh man is it useful. When I had to travel a lot at my previous job, I wanted a way to track my flights: what gate, was it on time or delayed, what terminal would I land in. This has it all! Since then, I never travel without adding my flights on here the night before. I did try to find a nicer looking app to replace it but nothing worked quite as well.

Airbnb (homestay)
If you haven't tried Airbnb yet while traveling, I can't recommend it enough. After I used it two years ago for San Francisco, I've booked Airbnb instead of a hotel on almost every trip since. Obviously you have to be careful about your selections but I've had nothing but good experiences and you save so much money!

***

What are your must have apps for productivity and travel?

Links + Loves

2016-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some non-bookish articles I really liked this past month and my latest loves.

Links

1 / "Do People Still Meet at Bars?" A great asked and discussed on Man Repeller.

2 / As if I need more motivation to travel but World of Wanderlust shared the "best bakeries around the world".

3 / In honor of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, I couldn't resist sharing this Gilmore Girls Binging Guide on The Lazy Genuis Collective. I watched a handful of these episodes in the weeks leading up to the release of revival.

4 / If you've never watched Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, go on Netflix right now and watch. There may be movies in the works and I can't wait!

5 / Beauty and the Beast movie trailer. Enough said.

6 / This list of unhelpful things to say to your single friend is missing my favorite: "You just need to put yourself out there!"

7 / The Financial Diet's post, "Social Media Isn’t The Reason You Feel Inadequate. You Are." sums up one of my pet peeves. We should know the difference between the moments posted on social media versus personal stuff that isn't shared. And there's nothing wrong with wanting to post photos either! Some people genuinely just enjoy it. (I have way more to say but I'll stop here 😀)

Loves

1 / I love booties! Especially ones that are easy to walk in, look good with skinny jeans and are super affordable. These new boots from H&M fit all my requirements.

2 / This fur infinity scarf from Anthropologie is the softest scarf ever. Plus I'm not great at wrapping scarves so I love that I can just throw it on with no fuss.

3 / Go Go Geisha from Essie aka my new go-to nail polish. After I got a manicure with this color, I actually look for this for a month! It's from their Fall collection so pick it up while you can. Lovely color.

***

Do you have any links or loves to share?
Would love to hear about them!

Flights of Fantasy: Reading Challenge 2017

2016-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Another successful year of the Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge has gone by and we couldn't be happier. Thank you to everyone who joined not only the challenge but the book club portion of it too! As always, it was a lot of fun seeing people reach their goals and discovering new fantasy authors along with us.

And in case you were wondering, I totally met my goal and surpassed it. I set out to read 35 but ended up reading 50! Plus there's still a few more weeks to go so I will definitely be adding more fantasy books to my list.

***

Alexa of Alexa Loves Books & I will be hosting the Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge again in 2017! We hope all fantasy readers - whether you're a newbie or a veteran - will be joining us, and we promise that, as with last year, things will be real simple.

Things You Need to Know

The challenge will run from January 1-December 31, 2017.
We're welcoming all readers to join us for this challenge! In order to sign up, readers just need to link to their blogs or their Goodreads profile or their Twitter / YouTube / Instagram account in the Linky below. That way, we can see where you'll be sharing your thoughts on all your fantasy reads (and we can come and visit you)!
You can read as many fantasy novels as you'd like to. No levels for this challenge!
There will be two giveaways, one at 6 months and one at the end of the year. More details will be provided closer to those dates.
Help us spread the word! Feel free to tweet about the challenge using our official hashtag #flightsoffantasy, grab the button to link to the challenge in your blog sidebar, share the image on Pinterest / Instagram or even write your own post about it. We love talking with fellow fantasy fans and want to reach as many of them as possible!

How to Participate

Challenge yourself to read a certain number of fantasy books. Share your challenge number in a comment, a blog post, a tweet or whatever other way you can think of!
Around the last week of each month, we'll be sharing our personal updates on how the challenge is going for us. We'll be including a Linky, just in case you decided to do the same. (This is optional!)
As mentioned, there will be giveaways! If you want to gain bonus entries for the giveaways, read any (or even all!) of our favorite fantasy books listed below:

Joint Favorites: Throne of Glass, Harry Potter, Fire and Thorns, Snow Like Ashes, The Queen of the Tearling, Six of Crows, Truthwitch
Alexa's Favorites: Eon, Daughter of the Forest, The Elemental Trilogy, Song of the Lioness, The Hobbit
Rachel's Favorites: The Grisha Trilogy, Harper Hall Trilogy, The Fever series, The Winner's Curse trilogy, Graceling

Flights of Fantasy Book Club

We're continuing the Flights of Fantasy Book Club (FOF Book Club for short) but we realized that we needed to take a simpler approach. In other words, we'll be reading a book by a new-to-us fantasy author together per quarter. We'll announce the book at the beginning of each quarter and post our discussions at the end of it.

Read January / Discuss March: Anne Bishop

Written in Red (The Others, #1)

Read April / Discuss June: Patricia A. McPhillip

Alphabet of Thorn

Read July / Discuss September: Mercedes Lackey

Firebird (Fairy Tales, #1)

Read October / Discuss December: Elise Kova

Air Awakens (Air Awakens, #1)

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Now, for my personal goal, I'm making it a point to read 35 fantasy books next year! I know it's a goal I can reach but as always, I'll try to surpass it.

And that's really all you need to know about the Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge. Simple, right? We certainly hope you'll be joining us in indulging your love of fantasy reads in 2017! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section or tweet either of us directly.

If you have a blog, here's a button you can include in the sidebar and we hope to see your name in the Linky below!