<a href="https://www.chrissysbooks.com/blog" target="_self" class="wixui-rich-text__text"> Chrissy&#39;s Books

Welcome all! I do love my monthly Favorites guest post with the wonderful Ash! This month, it seems we were both swamped with life but we did manage to squeeze our monthly post just in time for the end of the month! This time, Ash got to pick our five fab questions, they were quite fun to answer too!! Very thoughtful! Hope you enjoy our May Favorites peeps.

P.S- Be sure to check out Ash's website HERE. She's a fab blogger.

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3. Favorite LGBTQ+ Book?

Ash > They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera -- which I’m going to be doing a reread for during June for the Reading it Queer Read-A-Thon! This novel is, once again, incredibly heartbreaking and it holds the record for the highest number of sobs a novel has ever gotten out of me. It’s just a beautiful story with amazing characters and I just love it so much.

Chrissy > I loved the character Simon from The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. He was such a staple character in the book and was one of my favorite characters in it. He really showed us what it was like to be queer and out in the height of San Francisco's 70s gay scene. This book has a great plot too, highly recommend it!

DREAMY LIBRARIES

How amazing would it be to stroll over from a swim in the ocean and pick a book up from this gorgeous little library in Peru. I say, booking my flight as I speak!! HA! How gorgeous and cute is this little lib though?! What are some of your favorite libraries? I love a good quiet one filled with loads of old smelly books! Saying that, I wouldn’t be opposed to this little dreamy one served with a tasty cool cocktail. Pure bliss.

Just wanted to share this cool photo with you all and hope your having a fab day/week.

Chrissy xo P.S- Bring on Summer!

The Favorites | April Guest Post

Monthly Guest Post with Ash from 'iinktrailss'

It's that time again peeps! My monthly guest post with the wonderful Ash on all our favorite bookish Q&As. This time I got to pick the fun five questions for our spring time April post, hope you'll enjoy getting to know both Ash and I more with these fabulous bookish questions!

Ash is an amazing blogger and has a kick ass website. She is your go-to blogger if your a fan of all things fantasy so be sure to check out her website here!

Here are our 5 bookish Q&As below!

Ash & Chrissy- Posted 27th April 2019.

1. Favorite imaginary book world that you would like to most live In?

Ash:

This one was actually pretty difficult for me, but after a lot of consideration (I’m making this sound a lot more deep than it actually is but oh well), I decided that it’d have to be The Grishaverse from Leigh Bardugo’s series, the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, the Nikolai Duology, and also The Language of Thorns, a standalone novel. This world has completely entranced me since I first read Six of Crows so I don’t think I really had another option.

Chrissy:

Is it weird to say that I would like to live in the forests with Winnie the Pooh and the gang? Haha, I think it sounds so nice there, I would totally be at peace and would spend my days eating honey with Pooh and chatting to all the animals. Also I adore Winnie the Pooh stories, so sweet!

Ash:

Okay, so here’s the thing -- I don’t really watch book to movie adaptations. Either I read the book and don’t watch the movie, or I watch the movie and never read the book. I’m trying to combat this though! I actually just recently read Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman but I haven’t watched the movie yet, though I am planning to!

Chrissy:

I’m actually exactly the same as Ash here, I only ever watch the movie, then don’t read the book, or vice versa! I have to say that I really liked Love, Simon. I thought the movie did pretty great justice to the book! It’s a sweet story and I enjoyed the movie too. I also really liked the movie adaptation to The Color Purple. They went above and beyond with the movie, all the characters were as described in the book, and I really enjoyed both the book and movie. Great cast too!

3. Favorite book recommended by a friend?

Ash:

Hands down, it’s They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (though, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is also pretty high on this list). This novel was recommended to me by a good friend of mine, Nikki (@xonikkee), and I live-texted her as I cried during it. And when I was finished, I sent her a copious amount of videos throughout the course of two days explaining to her how much I loved it, and how I would never recover from this heartbreak. Fun times, truly.

Chrissy:

I had never heard of Daphne Du Maurier until my buddy Jeny told me about her, I absolutely fell in love with the book Rebecca as well as My Cousin Rachel. Such good books! I loved them both so much. Still to this day, I think it was one of my favorite reads and I always recommend Rebecca anyone that wants a good suspense novel. That book will never go out of style, great classic read.

4. Favorite childhood book?

Ash:

If you’re following me, then you probably know that it’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. And if not, then now you know! But basically, I have been a fan of this book for so many years and am obsessed with everything about it.

Chrissy:

Yeah I’m gonna have to have the same answer as my first response. I LOVE Winnie the Pooh. Ugh I just wanna give him a big cuddle, such great stories. I also really liked The Lion King. I used to have the book when I was younger and loved looking at all the pictures. Such great meanings and morals behind the stories too.

5. Favorite reading format, physical books or e-Books?

Ash:

Physical!!! There was a long period of time in which I only read physical books but I’ve actually recently started reading a few ebooks! Speaking of, I think I’m going to go look for some free ones now, even though I have so many other books to read. Oof, why am I like this?

Chrissy:

100% Real books, all the way! There’s nothing like holding, smelling and getting the full experience of a real book. I also like being able to see how far I am with it, and generally love the feel of holding one. I have read a few ebooks and tend to get ARC in that format, but my true love will always be real books, love the smell of them, old, new, they’re just awesome.

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Well, that's it from Ash and I, I hope you enjoyed this month's favorites. These were fun questions for us to answer and it's always so nice to get to know all about Ash as well as my favrotes! Be sure to check out her website for our collab guest post HERE on 'iinktrailss'. Till next time peeps.

Chrissy xo

2. Favorite book to movie adaptation?

April 2019 Posts

Posted: 1st April, 2019 by- Chrissy's Books

I absolutely adore getting to know fellow book lovers in the bookish community and this is no exception to that. Cassandra does it all! She's a momma, a wife, an avid reader, a book blogger and also offers proof reading and editing services! She's basically superwoman guys and a really lovely human too. Cassandra and I got to chatting and thought it would be fun to ask each other some fun and warming questions about our bookish worlds, so we did just that! It's been wonderful to get to know all these amazing book bloggers and I hope you will enjoy getting to know Cassandra's story.

Be sure to check out her website The Bibliophagist as well as my Q&A answers on Cassandra's Website HERE.

Alright peeps, without further delay, below are the Q&As on some fun bookish subjects with Cassandra from The Bibliophagist.

What is the story behind your blog? Why did you decide to start one?

I have always loved reading and books have always been a huge part of my life. While in college for my first BS degree, yes I have two, I met a good friend who was an aspiring author. As we became close, she introduced me to a published author that was a good friend of hers, Kevin James Breaux. He and I hit it off, talking all the time. One day he reached out to me for my opinion on the cover options he gathered for one of his novels that was in the process of being published. I was beyond excited. I mean really...an author reached out to me for my opinion on his book cover! What reader wouldn’t be excited? So, I gave him my opinion on the image, font style, and cover layout.

Kevin and I became friends, talking on and off. Things were great but little did I know they were about to get better. He came to me disappointed about how poorly his hired proofreader did on his published book. She had missed so many mistakes. That was when things changed for me, he asked if I would like to give it a shot. From that point on I was his proofreader. Now I freelance proofread, freelance edit, and beta read.

He put me in touch with the head of the Paranormal Romance Guild, a huge review group. That was when I began getting books to review on a regular basis. This was the point in my life where I dove into the book blogging world. I was suddenly introduced to a world I had no idea even existed. It was kind of like the shadowhunter realm, it had always been there but I was unable to see it. I wrote so many reviews and decided that I wanted to make my own blog...so I did. I’ve gone through many changes since I began and I am still finding my place in the book blogging world, but nonetheless...The Bibliophagist was born.

I never knew an entire realm where people talked about all bookish things could be real. So that is where I began...I first created a free WIX website but hated the design and wasn’t happy. So I moved to the free version of WordPress. That was short lived as well because I am now a self-hosted blog! I hope to learn more about coding so I can further customize my blog and make it a place where people love to visit for book reviews and all bookish posts.

2. How often do you read?

Oh reading, how I wish I could spend all day reading! That would be heaven wouldn’t it? I am a stay-at-home mom of two boys (ages 2 and 7), a freelance proofreader and editor, office manager and safety and compliance office for my father-in-law’s business, I’m writing my own novel for the first time ever, obviously a book blogger, recently a member of the publishing and editing team at B.L.O.G. Unwritten Magazine, second hand for @TheWriteReads...I basically lead a very busy life. Yet among all of that, I manage to find time to read.

It is difficult but I add in a little bit of reading anyplace I can. You can read more about how I find time to read here (https://thebibliophagist.blog/2019/02/07/how-i-find-time-to-read-as-a-mom/)

I read a little every day, or try to at least. With two kids, sometimes I only read a few pages. There are some days where I am a few days ahead of blog posts and decide to spend my night reading instead. Those are the best ones, a nice cup of tea and a good book while curled under a blanket.

3. What is your preferred reading format?

If you would have asked me this a few years ago, it would have been an easy answer...physical copies only! There is something about the weight of the book in my hand, turning the pages, the smell...nothing compares to reading a physical book. I also prefer hardcovers because those pesky paperback covers that like to bend and never lay completely flat again bother me...OCD. In the past, that would have been the end of that answer but I have evolved as a reader, become more accepting and open.

I now enjoy all formats of books. Ebooks became popular in my life when I began reviewing. Actually, that’s a lie...I started reading ebooks a few years back when I first bought a Nook. That is when I discovered the world of free books. The first time I opened my Nook, I went on a downloading spree. Then I won a Kindle Fire, which I’ve since given my mother when I received a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas. My Kindle sees a lot more of me than my nook does now but I love them both. They are my saviour when I don’t want to read the ebook on my computer or phone.

As my life began getting busier and busier, I tried an audiobook to see if I could multitask. My first experience was awful. I’m not even sure which book it was but the narrator was very monotone and I just couldn’t focus. That is what gave me such a bad idea about them. Recently, I decided to give them another chance because everyone was talking about how great they are for busy people. I borrowed Shadow of the Fox and fell in love. You can see my review of it here (https://thebibliophagist.blog/2019/01/15/shadow-of-the-fox-julie-kagawa/). I also have a discussion post about audiobooks here (https://thebibliophagist.blog/2019/02/12/discussion-post-audiobooks-to-listen-or-not-to-listen/) which actually played a part in my choice to give them another try. It really is all about how well the narrator reads the book. Now on long car rides we all listen to audiobooks, even my seven-year-old son asks to listen to them.

4. What is reading to you? Does it hold a special meaning?

This is a huge question for me. Reading is enjoyable and can be done for fun, that is part of what it means to me. But my answer goes much deeper. I talked a little about it here (https://thebibliophagist.blog/2018/02/22/what-reading-is-to-me/) It actually begins in my childhood and this is going to get personal so I apologize if it makes you uncomfortable.

As a child, I dealt with a lot and no I don’t mean not getting what I wanted. My father was emotionally and physically abusing me and did so until he passed away suddenly when I was 17. We had our happy moments, those are what I cling to. Growing up in such a hectic life is difficult, not knowing when the next time will come. The one thing that I could count on in my life, that would always be there, were books.

Reading brought me to new worlds, introduced me to close friends, and let me travel on adventures I never would have dreamed of otherwise. It gave me a little peace in my crazy life. Aside from showing me happiness it showed me that there were always people who battled monsters worse.

Books were there for me when I lost my dad as well. No matter what life has thrown my way, books have been there to ground me. I know that might sound silly, but through books I’ve known people who’ve had lives much worse than mine. Yet, they prevail. They continue pushing and growing, that is what I’ve done.

5. What has been the best part of the bookish community?

There are so many amazing things about this bookish community, I could write an entire post about it. My favorite part though has been the people themselves. There are avid readers all around the world but it seems we are all spread apart. The book community is what brings us together.

I’ve met so many amazing people through various blogs or Twitter. Some are even moms, such as myself. It is amazing how we can connect over books and feel close though we’ve never met in person. The bookish community is a place where people of all variations can come together and discuss books but it doesn’t stop there. Through books we also advocate for representation in books and the world in general.

I think I am most happy about knowing so many people who value a book as much as I do and understand the true power between the pages.

Well there you go! I hope you enjoyed getting to know Cassandra with these 5 awesome bookish Q&As. I definitely enjoyed answering these wonderful questions, you can find my answers to them on Cassandra's website HERE.

Feel free to leave any comments below, even if it's to let me know of your fav reading spot! Thanks so much for reading Cassandra's Guest Post.

Posted 1st April 2019 by- Chrissy's Books

Chrissy xo

Interview Q&A with Cassandra from The Bibliophagist

The Favorites | March Guest Post

Monthly Guest Post with Ash from 'iinktrailss'

I had so much fun doing this post with Ash from 'iinktrailss' for our February post that we had to make it a regular monthly blog post!

Ash is an amazing blogger and has a kick ass website. She is your go-to blogger if your a fan of all things fantasy so be sure to check out her website here!

We had a good 'ol think and this time, Ash came up with five awesome Q&As on some fun favorite bookish subjects! So without further delay, here is March's Guest Post of our Favorites!

Check out our collaborative March post of The Favorites

Ash & Chrissy- Posted March 24th 2019

Ash > I get incredibly attached to book characters, as all of us do, so I kind of cursed myself for putting this question in. But! Thinking about it, Delilah Bard from the Shades of Magic Trilogy by V. E. Schwab is my favorite character ever. She’s a strong ass woman living in shitty Grey London (but not for long) stealing, cheating, and beating her way through it. She never asks or begs for pity in regards to her crappy childhood and she works towards what she wants. And she’s a pirate in the making. What’s honestly not to love? By extension, badass female characters are my favorite type of characters!

Chrissy > Oh boy! What a question! This is like asking what my favorite ice cream flavor is! I’m always changing my mind with this haha I have read a lot of books with some amazing characters but I’ve gotta say, the character that I loved the most well, for now, because I’m sure this will change in time, is Achilles from The Song of Achilles. He is a total kick ass character and I really enjoyed reading that book so much too. The Song of Achilles is a Greek mythology book so you know it’s guaranteed to have loads of action, drama, sex and amazing scenes, I just loved his character so much. Achilles is a demi-god and he was pretty much created to fight and be the best warrior there ever was. He’s charismatic, confident, cocky even, and did I say hot? Haha well I just liked the guy and wish I could have met him in real life. I adored Madeline Miller’s retelling of this amazing story and if you haven’t read The Song of Achilles, then you're totally missing out! Here’s my full review of this amazing book.

3. Favorite Non-Fiction Book

Ash > No doubt -- Love’s Executioner by Irvin D. Yalom. An old teacher gifted me this book when I wanted to be a psychiatrist and I fell in love with it within the pages of the prologue. Behind being an interesting book about a psychotherapist and 10 of his patients, it’s an incredible story of discovering the complexities of human nature and how all of us, every one of us, is in this together.

Chrissy > Well this is a no brainer for me. Michelle Obama, Becoming. Ugh this book!!!! THIS BOOK. If you haven’t read it yet I strongly suggest you get yourself a copy from wherever you get books from because this book is everything. I’ve always liked Michelle Obama but after reading her eloquent memoir, I literally think that she’s my hero. Like actual hero. Her book was so well written, and it’s not just about her time at the white house, it’s so much more than that, it tells the story of her life and how she became to be the person she is today. Also, she’s just so down to earth that you really feel that you can have a normal conversation with her. You don’t even have to be into politics to read it, it’s just a well rounded amazing read, also it’s so cool to get the inside scoop on the on goings of the white house too. I adored it!! Check out my full review of this ermazing book, I promise you, you will love it. I’ve also yet to see a negative review of this book!

4. Favorite Book of 2019 (so far)

Ash > For those of you who frequent my blog, you all probably think the answer to this is going to be King of Scars, because I have been waiting for it for so long. And you’d be right! In terms of the book I was most excited about and made me feel all of the things, it would be King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo, the newest edition to the Grishaverse that has so much going on that I don’t know if I can accurately explain everything. But in terms of a book that I didn’t know I was going to read this year, did, and fell 100% in love with -- that would be They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. On the other hand, They Both Die at the End is a contemporary book about what happens when people are notified the morning of their death day. It follows Rufus and Mateo, who are both going to die. They meet and go on one last adventure -- together. Needless to say, that shit hurted.

Chrissy > Actually I would have said Becoming by Michelle Obama because I had read her book in January and it’s my fav read of 2019 so far, but….I think I should pick a 2nd book because I can’t talk about Michelle throughout this whole Q&A right? Or can I...nah just kidding. Okay, my 2nd fav book of 2019 is a psychological thriller by Wendy Walker titled The Night Before. This book literary kept me on my toes! It was just a good page turning can’t stop thinking about it thriller. I loved it. It follows Laura, a young lady who signs up for an online dating profile to basically get out there and start dating after her terrible break up, Laura’s always been a bit insecure but she is determined to feel good about herself and get out there and date. She goes on this date with a guy she knows very little about and doesn’t come back home after her date. Her sister goes crazy looking for her everywhere, I mean the whole story is as tense as it comes. It’s filled with lots of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I was in the mood for a good thriller when I read it and basically got just that! Which makes it one of my fav books of 2019 so far. This book doesn’t come out till May 14th, 2019 but when it does, definitely grab yourself a copy. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Check out my full review of this awesome twisty book.

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5. Favorite Late-Night Read

Ash > As someone who has nightmares for years, I find reading before I go to bed helps. I literally have no idea and with the book I’m about to say, it really shouldn’t help -- but it does. I’ll read stories from Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales -- the original creepy as hell ones -- and then I’ll go to sleep. I don’t get it either, but it works for me. For those of you unaware, the Grimm’s Fairy Tales include all your favorite Disney-fied tales, such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, and the Sleeping Beauty, but these are the originals. And they are a lot more gorey, bloody, and creepy. It’s a great time, honestly.

Chrissy > Well I have to go with a creepy book for this question. I’m Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjork. This book was creepy!!! I mean it sent chills down my spine long after reading it. It also has some pretty good twists in it that I found very disturbing, imaginative and scary. It follows two detectives, Mia and Holger. Mia is a bit of a reclusive person, Holger had to practically beg her to get her on board for a crime that has recently happened and desperately needs her help for. She signs on to help Holger out, a veteran detective and the story goes on from there. A 6 year old girl is found dead hanging from a tree. The only clue being an airline tag around her neck that says ‘I’m Travelling Alone’. Creepyyy! This book gave me late night chills. Loved it. Haha so it’s definitely my pick for a long time fav night time read because sometimes there’s nothing better than curling up in your bed sheets on a late night with a creepy page turning book. Check out my brief review of I’m Travelling Alone here.

Well that's our March Favorites wrapped up in a little bundle for you guys. I sure hope you enjoyed reading it! This is always so much fun for Ash and I to collaborate on and we hope you get some awesome recommendations from it too! Stay tuned for our April Favorites due in a month. That's all for now peeps. Feel free to leave any thoughts or comments below.

Chrissy xo

LEAVE COMMENT IN FORUM

1. Favorite Bookish Map

Ash > This question is so hard for me! I read so many fantasy books and a lot of them have maps in them. But taking into account the coloring of it, the exactness, the book itself, and, of course, how helpful it actually is, I’d have to say the map of the Grishaverse, a universe created by my favorite author, Leigh Bardugo. I find myself referring to the map throughout these books to track where all of the characters are and where they’re going. It’s also a gorgeous map and I’m in love with it, and basically anything else Leigh Bardugo does.

Chrissy > I felt a bit silly with this question because I had no clue what a Bookish Map was! You definitely learn something new everyday that’s for sure!! Ash explained to me what it was and now I totally wish I had one! Haha Usually bookish maps are in fantasy books and are usually placed in the beginning, middle or the end of the book to highlight what journey the characters partake in. I’ve never actually read any fantasy books so I’m totally missing out on these awesome maps! Maybe I can get some inspiration from Ash on her fav bookish map and will read a fantasy book one of these days. But for now, I unfortunately do not have one. Sad times. Sad times.

2. All Time Favorite Character/Type of Character

Mar 2019 Posts

Which Book Would You Like To See Turned Into a Movie? | Guest Post

Posted on: 9th March 2019

How lucky am I to have the wonderful Zoe from 'Zooloo's Books Diary' make another guest appearance on Chrissy's Books! I adored collaborating with Zoe so much that I had to have her back and this time, Zoe tells us all about 'Which Book She Would Like To See Turned Into a Movie'! How exciting :) I love these posts so much, I even had another fellow blogger tell us her opinion a while back, which you can easily scroll down and see. Rebecca from 'A Tale of Two Pages' told us all about this subject and I had to do it again! I hope you will all enjoy Zoe's Guest Post on this awesome question, because let's face it, we all have that one book that we would die to see turned into a movie!

Without further delay, here is Zoe's Guest Post on which movie she would LOVE to see turned into a movie. Take it away Zoe!

Which Book Would You Love To See Turned Into a Movie?

God this is a tough question! I have two books in my head

The Siren and The Specter by Jonathan Janz OR The Lion Tamer Who lost by Louise Beech……

Well, my current mode has been horror so I guess I am going to have to go with my true love for horror….

This book, if it is done right, could be the best horror movie done ever! I mean The Siren and the Specter has it all.

The story of a non-believer of the spirit world has been asked to stay at Alexander House, a notorious house for evil-doing, by his best friend Chris. He wants David to prove something is going on but at the same time, he has brought David back to a place where he has an unresolved business. He is not over the death of a loved one, and this plays a part BIG time! While investigating the story, we learn of the most horrifying and evil man known in the area, Judson Alexander. His story of torture and cruelty had me burrowing under my duvet hoping I would not be discovered, I mean who reads a ghost book, on your own in bed at night!! This plonker that is who!!!

I think maybe Rob Zombie should collaborate with M. Night Shyamalan and I think between they would get it to a Tee!! Zombie could take the crazy and the messed up story of Shelby and her family, and the terrifying Judson Alexander, I think he would get this perfectly done! I think that if Glenn Jacobs would have to play Judson Alexander, he is tall, dark and brooding (not in a good way!). Then Shyamalan could focus on the supernatural, the ghost hunting, the absolutely terrifying sightings in the Long room! My god, getting goosebumps already with how epic this could be.

With who could play David Caine, our main man, well I am not sure. I am trying to think how the man was described but I think David Giuntoli would be perfect because we will need that eye candy just to get us through (yes shallow I know). Margot Robbie is who I have had in mind for Chris’ wife as I feel she would get that small but integral part to the tee, if not that character then Shelby because she is such a versatile actress, yes, in fact, I change it she can get Shelby to perfection!

Gill Birmingham would be perfect as the neighbor of David when he is in Alexander House.

I really need Hollywood to pick this up! It would be awesome! I may have to read the book again now that I have thought this through with the characters! Lol

If this movie was ever to be made, it would be one intense roller coaster of a ride, I mean it would be epic. It would definitely not be for the faint-hearted and there would be no relief at the end but it would be one hell of a ride for sure. Maybe someone should start a kick start programme for it…#justsaying

Until next time xxx

Blog - www.zooloosbookdiary.co.uk

Twitter - @zooloo2008

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/zooloobookblog

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There ya go! I would love to say a big big thank you to Zoe for writing this excellent post about which book she would love to see turned into a movie. So great to see what types of books other fellow bloggers are passionate about. I hope you enjoyed her guest post. Be sure to check out my guest post on Zoe's website HERE on which book I would have loved to see turned into a movie! So great to be featured on her website too.

What about you guys? Which movie would you love to see turned into a movie? I would love to hear your thoughts :) Feel free to leave a comment in the forum below.

That's all for now peeps!

Chrissy xo

Posted: 9th March 2019

What or Who Inspired Your Love For Reading?

Guest Post from-Zooloo's Book Diary by the lovely Zoe, a fellow book blogger on Her Love For Reading

I adore getting to know all these amazing book bloggers. Zoe is such a sweetheart, she is a very busy momma but somehow finds the time to post on her awesome blog on the regular. I don't know how you do it Zoe! Zoe lives in England with her lovely family, she reads all sorts of books from romance, to contemporary fiction, and especially thrillers! We have that in common! I can't get enough of thriller genre. Anywhooo let's get on with it! This is Zoe's Guest Post on 'What or Who inspired your love for reading? Hope you will enjoy!

What or Who Inspired My Love For Reading

Zoe | Zooloo's Book Diary | Posted March 1st, 2019.

Reading is my passion! Ever since I was little, I remember just devouring books, as soon as I was old enough to go to the library by myself, I would be down there on a Saturday morning! Deciding which 7 books I wanted to take home with me, 7 was the limit! Half the time I would be there all morning, as I just could not decide walking up and down the aisles. As I got older, I would take my dad’s library card and take out 7 books on his card, but this time be the Adult books like Stephen King and Richard Laymon.

All the books I loved to read were horror books! I would sit and read happily in my room, scaring myself with some books even at a young age, and I still do now! I would then try to write a scary book too! This did not amount to anything. I have a vivid memory of my early teens, we were having a BBQ Party at home, not old enough to drink, so I went upstairs and sat and read The Lord of the Rings, I so know how to rock and roll!!

When I went to university, instead of spending my money on textbooks (which I did), I ended up wandering over to the book section where I discovered Darren Shan Cirque du Freak series, by this point I was probably too old for them Pah! That was not going to stop me! I think when I discovered his books, the first 7 had been released and over that weekend I had read them all!! I was gutted because then it was a case of having to eagerly wait for the next book and then finish it that afternoon. Note to everyone, do not watch the film!!! Always read the book before watching the film is my advice!

I still use books as my escapism! When I use to go running over the Salisbury plains in Tidworth, surrounded by the army tanks, I wouldn’t be listening to music, I would be listening to a book, Mortal Instruments truth be told, I listened to all of them and Infernal Devices when out running and driving 172 miles a day when commuting back home for work.

These days, with my blog I am discovering so many new authors and stories I need to read. New series to be addicted to and rediscovering my love for the horror. Something new to immerse myself in, share the love of the story and fall in and out of love with new characters.

I have also started to read to my little lady every night before bed. She has heard the first three books in Chronicles of Narnia as she loves the film, and recently we have finished Matilda which she adores. I brought her all the Ronald Dahl books, so we are working our way through them!

With my blog, it has been amazing! I get to make friends with people who love books just as much as me, and in some cases more! I get excited over books coming out and I know there are other people all over the world just like me!

I am hoping that my little lady enjoys reading just as much as me and we can start to enjoy them more together.

Zoé O’Farrell – 28th February 2019

Website : www.zooloosbookdiary.co.uk

Facebook : Zooloo Book Blog

Twitter : @zooloo2008

There you go peeps! I hope you enjoyed Zoe's guest appearance on Chrissy's Books! It's so amazing getting to know all these wonderful book bloggers from all over the world and sharing a love of all things bookish makes for some pretty awesome friendships too. It's so fascinating to find out how people fell in love with reading. Zoe will be a regular guest appearance on my blog so I hope you will welcome her with open arms :)

As for who or what inspired my love for reading? Why not check out my guest post on Zoe's website HERE.

How did you fall in love with reading? I would love to know :) feel free to leave a comment on the forum below !

Hope you enjoyed today's post.

Chrissy xo

Top 5 Underrated YA Books

I've always thought that YA, a.k.a Young Adult books can be so underrated so I thought I would jump at the chance to do a fun guest post with a fellow book blogger who mainly focuses on YA books! Let me introduce you to Lily of 'A Home For The Lost' book blogger. Lily is a down to earth gal who is currently living in York, England. Pretty awesome that I get to meet all these amazing bloggers from all over the world! Lily loves all kinds of YA books, contemporary being her fav, but also delves into fantasy and even sci-fi, a total well rounded individual. Anywhoooo, lets get on with her awesome guest post on her Top 5 YA books that your probably missing out on!

Guest Post | Lily | Posted 27th February, 2019

Hi there! I’m Lily and I usually blog over at A Home For the Lost, talking about all things YA, sci fi and fantasy. I’m a big champion of diverse young adult novels so I’m really excited to collaborate with the lovely Chrissy on this project! Seeing as my blog is a lot more YA-centered than Chrissy’s I thought I would share with you five books I think you might have missed out on if you aren’t an avid YA reader.

Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee

It’s no secret on my blog that The Gentleman’s Guide is probably my favorite book right now! It’s the story of Henry “Monty” Montague, a young English gentleman who refuses to be tamed by his parents. Along with his best friend Percy and sister Felicity, Monty embarks upon a tour of Europe, meant to be his one last fling before preparing to take over his father’s estate.

Monty is the funniest, sassiest and most engaging narrator I’ve ever read and I enjoyed every second of this book. The audio book is especially good as well! Gentleman’s guide is a raucous, ridiculous adventure in which pretty much everything goes wrong for our trio. Not to mention Monty is unashamedly bisexual and somehow uses it to his advantage in their adventures!

You can check out my full review here

2. Release - Patrick Ness

Release is another of my favorites, but for very different reasons. It follows a day in the life of 17 year old Adam Thorn, but this day is likely to be on of the most difficult days of his life. It’s the day so many things go wrong, and a day in which weirdness is approaching. Adam’s relationships are fracturing, especially as this young gay teen finally has to confront his preacher father.

This is a book that makes you feel everything. I laughed, I cried and I desperately wanted Adam to be ok. It’s so touching and it’s a book that will speak to so many other queer kids and adults, which is why I wished more people would read it, whether it’s YA or not. It’s a story that shows there’s still hope, no matter what your situation and that’s something special.

You can read my full review here

3. The Illuminae Files Trilogy - Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I’m very picky when it comes to sci-fi, so when I say this trilogy blew me away, that means a lot. Each book follows a different group of young heroes in the fall out of a horrific genocide. The planet of Kerenza was an illegal mining colony, and when rival BeiTech discovered it, they decided to invade. Not only were thousands killed, but a dangerous and experimental biological weapon was released with terrifying consequences. Illuminae follows Kady Grant and Ezra Mason, two teenagers who survived the attack and escaped into the

skies, as they try to help save the remaining population from a psychotic artificial intelligence, a enemy vessel hot on their trail and a deadly virus.

Fair warning, these books are dark, and they get darker the further you get into the trilogy. But there’s something about the juxtaposition of the dark themes and the honestly hilarious narration that draws you in. These aren’t ordinary books, either; the stories are told through internet chats, video transcripts, schematics and so much more. It’s a really a unique and captivating read.

You can read my full reviews (so far) here and here

4. History is All You Left Me - Adam Silvera

What’s this? Another book that will make you cry? Something you need to know about Adam Silvera books is that they always pack an emotional punch and one of them is eventually going to make you cry.

History Is All You Left Me is a story that moves between two halves; before the death of Theo and after. It’s told through the eyes of Griffin, Theo’s first love but not the boy he was dating when he died. At the funeral, Griffin meets the new boyfriend, Jackson, and his world is turned upside down. As he grieves for his first love, his relationship with Jackson becomes increasingly complicated and his OCD worsens.

This is a book that really stayed with me after I read it. And yes, I cried. These teens are messy and they’re grieving and all you will want is for them to be ok.

You can read my mini review here

5. Leah on the Offbeat - Becky Albertalli

You’ve probably heard of Love, Simon, but did you know there’s a sequel of sorts? Leah on the Offbeat follows the same group of friends as Love, Simon, but this time we get to follow Leah’s story. Leah has many more secrets than her friends know, one of them being that’s she’s proudly bisexual. As her friendship group starts to fracture with prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high and Leah doesn’t know what to do.

In many ways, I enjoyed Leah on the Offbeat much more than Love, Simon. I found Leah more engaging and a lot funnier than Simon, and her story felt more personal. It’s a unique book about the difficulties teens face, especially queer and fat teens.

You can read my full review here

So there you have it, those are five YA books you might have missed out on! I hope I’ve inspired you to pick up one of these, or another YA book that catches your fancy. Thank you so much for reading my guest post and to Chrissy for hosting me!

That's it folks! I hope you enjoyed Lily's Guest Post! Be sure to check out more from Lily's Website on all things YA on A Home For The Lost.

As for My Guest Post on Lily's website, Click Here to check out My Top 3 Fav YA Books That I Adored! It was such great fun to collaborate on this eclectic post and stick around for more posts like this on Chrissy's Books.

Have you read any awesome YA Books? If so, feel free to share them with me! I'm always up for new recommendations and would love to hear all your thoughts!

Feb 2019 Posts

Guest post !alert!

Hello wonderful humans! I had the pleasure of getting to know one of my blogger friends recently and we worked so well together that I had to have her back for another guest post! This will be a regular monthly post so stay tuned for more bookish subjects from the lovely Rebecca Hill from ataleoftwopages.blog

If you enjoyed her appearance from my January post 'What or Who Inspired Your Love for Reading?' then you will adore this post too!

guest post | Rebecca

which book would you love to see turned into a movie?

Click arrow to view

THE FAVORITES

I love chatting with fellow bloggers and having that incredible support from people who do exactly what I do! I think that’s such a humbling experience. I have been getting to know Ash, a fellow blogger with an awesome site BTW, and we decided to do a collaboration of all our Favorite bookish related questions! Such a wonderful way to get to know each other. Ash is super bubbly and is an awesome reviewer. Check out her website HERE. (also kinda cool that there happens to be a movie out right now called The Favorites! ;)

Check out our collaborative Post of The Favorites.

Ash & Chrissy - Posted on Febuary 19th 2019.

Our Top 5 Bookish Q&A

Favorite Genre?

ASH: High Fantasy -- no doubt. I love everything having to do with it -- the fighting, the action, the friendships, the constant fast paced motion -- ugh I love this genre so much! The only thing about it is I don’t really like a lot of politic based high fantasy, but I’m getting better with that so now, officially nothing can stop me from falling down a high fantasy WHOLE.

CHRISSY: That’s a hard one! I love SO many different genres as you can tell from my blog. I can read just about anything! Although, I do have to say, my favorite genre that always keeps me on my toes, is…...drum roll please!..........Psychological Thrillers. Yep! I LOVE a good plot twist. Always been a sucker for them. The reason why suspense/thrillers are my fav genres is because if I’m ever having a reading slump, or need a pick me up after a heavy book, thrillers are my ‘go to’ genres to fix me right up. I can’t get enough of them. Funny enough, I can go ages without reading a single thriller book but once I get back to it, it brings me such satisfaction after reading it and going through all the twists and turns of these books. I just adore them.

2. Favorite Book Cover?

ASH: I had to search through all my books for this one and I finally found one (*cough* three) that I have decided are my favorites and those are the three books in the Queen of Hearts Trilogy. The coloring of these books are so beautiful to me, I love the way they mimic the queen in your standard deck of cards, the inverting of the colors and the coloring as the series progresses is so thoughtful and stunning, hell, even the back of the cover is beautiful. I’m just completely in love over here don’t mind me. (also this picture is NOT mine so don’t get any ideas)

CHRISSY: We all love a good book cover. I hate to say it, but I am definitely guilty of judging a book by it’s cover most times. Especially these days, book covers have come such a long way and now when you walk into your local bookstore and peruse the aisles, some of the book covers are just stunning! This was a very difficult decision for me because there are so many book covers that I adore. I am also judging this by books that I have read. My current favorite has to be Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward. Boy that was a hard decision. My number 2 was very close! Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (the red and gold armor cover). I have included a photo below. From the moment I held this book I was captivated by the cover, it’s so haunting and fragile and sad. I feel like he looks deep into your soul. After reading the story, I loved the cover even more. I loved the warm colors, the vibe of the cover was also striking and raw. Loved it.

CHRISSY: Fun question :) My favorite book of 2018 was When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. A nonfiction memoir that took my breath away. So very beautifully written too. It follows Paul Kalanithi, a respected and well known neurosurgeon, he almost completes a decade’s worth when out of the blue he gets diagnosed with inoperable stage IV lung cancer. It tells the story of his life and legacy. This book just broke my heart but in a moving way. Such a beautiful story that stuck with me till this day. The reason it’s my favorite book of 2018 is because of just that reason. I haven’t been able to forget about it. I gave it a 10/10 on my ratings.

My Least Favorite Book of 2018 was, One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Every now and then I like to mix in a classic literary read and this was one of the ones I read last year, but boy oh boy did it bore me!! I was just NOT feelin it in the slightest. It’s about an ordinary prisoner inmate named Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, set in a soviet labour camp in the 1950s under the ruling of Stalin's communist oppression. It follows him on a normal work day in the camp/prison and the struggles he faces in order to survive a brutal, grueling and harsh day in the prison. I really tried, because reading for me, is a joy. This just killed my soul. Just did not do it for me.

5. Favorite first line in a book?

ASH: “People often shit themselves when they die”. How can you not want to read the novel that follows that line. This one comes from Nevernight by Jay Kristoff and I read this novel recently, and have become completely entranced with Kristoff’s writing style and this series as a whole.

CHRISSY: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again…” Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. What a line. I loved Rebecca so much! It’s one of those books you can read over and over again. Such a classic read. I don’t even want to explain more than that except that it’s an awesome book and everyone should read it. It’s got everything in it. Deception, romance, suspense, you name it. A well rounded classic read indeed.

Well I hope you enjoyed our blog about our Favorites! This was so much fun for me to do and to also get to know Ash, she's a wonderful blogger so be sure to check out my Guest Post on her website 'iinktrailss' CLICK HERE.

What are some of your Favorites? Would be so nice to know!

LEAVE COMMENT IN FORUM

3. Favorite place to read?

ASH: I have to go with Chrissy on this one -- there is nothing like curling up with a cup of tea, a book, and a blanket and reading for hours. It’s the easiest way for me to get into a book and forget the time! Close second goes to the back -- I know, kind of weird but let me explain. I love drawing a bubble bath, lighting a candle, and using my book light to read. It’s so peaceful and lovely. If you haven’t done this, definitely give it a try!!!

CHRISSY: This is an easy one, my bed. At night, before I sleep. There are so many other places I love to read, especially a deserted island with a cocktail in hand (that has never happened but could you imagine!). The park, the couch, a coffee shop, they’re all amazing but nothing will ever come close to that cosy feeling you get when you crawl into bed after a long day, and grab your current book and read a chapter or two, or ten! Also it’s such a great way to unwind after the day and helps you sleep so much better than staring at your phone scrolling through fb or insta. As much as I love to do that, I love my good bed habits and will never ever change.

4. Favorite & Least Favorite Book of 2018?

ASH: I’m going to start off with my least favorite book of 2018 because some of you may fully get angry at me for this. Whoops. But, my least favorite 2018 read was Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. Okay, listen -- I read this novel and I was so excited but as I read, I started getting more and more frustrated with the entire book, so much to the point that I almost DNF’d it. OKAY, now to make you all not hate me anymore, hopefully. My favorite read of 2018 was actually a contemporary novel from a debut author which was surprising because I’m not one to read a lot of contemporary novels, though I am starting to get more into them (I know, we love character development). This novel though was Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow and I loved this book more than I could ever probably describe. This novel follows Charlie who is in a hospital for trying to kill herself. The book takes you through Charlie’s life, before and after the first moment we meet her, and takes us through her process of healing and all the roadblocks in the way. It is such a beautiful novel and I love it beyond belief, so much so that it’s actually my favorite standalone novel.

Top 3 Thriller Books To Get You Through Valentine’s Day

Okay, so not all of us are loved up or maybe you are but you may just not be into Valentine’s day or season. Where everywhere you turn around your surrounded by icky hearts and loved up couples and being advertised that you should be loved up and have to succumb to this made up holiday. Well I say forget about it! How exactly can you do that? With a kick ass anti-valentine’s thriller book list to pull you through this icky period! Amirite?

I had the pleasure of having a lovely fellow guest blogger Angela, on Chrissy's Books this week to post about her Top 3 Anti- Valentines Books. Fun Fact: Angela lives in the Philippines! How awesome is that! I love being connected to all these awesome bloggers from all over the world.

Check out her Guest Post Below!

Hi everyone!!!

Before we get into this *ahem* Valentines post, I’d like to thank Chrissy for letting me guest post on her blog!

THIS IS MY SECOND GUEST POST SO PLEASE CLAP WITH ME I’M SO HAPPEEEE <3

Watch out for Chrissy’s post on my blog – I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too!

Now, onto this V-post.. I dunno about you, but I may be just a tad sick of seeing all the hearts and flowers and sappy stuff on my dashboard, not to mention all the Top Insert-Number-Here romance books/love stories recommended for us this LOVE SEASON! If you know me, you’ll probably be thinking aren’t you a ROMANCE READER???? And yes, YES I AM. However, I am also a petty, bitter, and cold-hearted person deep inside who would love nothing more than to read non-romantic stories at a time when the air is just brimming with so much luuuurve.

So this time, let’s change things up! I’ll list down my TOP 3 NON-ROMANTIC BOOKS to get you through the love month if the overflowing love in the air becomes too suffocating for you :D Hopefully this tides you through the rest of February!

Soulless by Christopher Golden

Times Square New York City: The first ever mass séance is broadcasting live on the Sunrise morning show. If it works, all the spirits of the departed on the other side will have a brief window – just a few minutes – to send a final message to their grieving loved ones.

Clasping hands in an impenetrable grip, three mediums call to their spirit guides as the audience looks on in anticipation. Then the medium slumps over, slack-jawed – catatonic. And in the cemeteries surrounding Manhattan, fragments of old corpses dig themselves out of the ground.

The spirits have returned. The dead are walking. They will seek out those who loved them in life, those they left behind… but they are savage and they are hungry. They are no longer your mother or father, your brother or sister, your best friend or lover.

They are soulless.

The horror spreads quickly, droves of ravenous dead seeking out those they left behind – shredding flesh from bone, feeding. But a disparate group of unlikely heroes – two headstrong college rivals, a troubled gang member, a pop star and her bodyguard – is making its way to the center of the nightmare, fighting to protect their loved ones, fighting for their lives, and fighting to end the madness.

EEP!!! OF COURSE MY FIRST REC IS H O R R O R. Now it’s been YEARS since I’ve read this but the rather horrifying moments have been etched in my brain FOREVER lol If you want to read something that will keep you up at night (an image of your zombie relative/friend/SO knocking on your door to say I love you and then eat you), then this book has you covered!

Say Her Name by Juno Dawson

Roberta ‘Bobbie’ Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of ‘Bloody Mary’: say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear… But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?

Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror… five days… but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before…

Another book that I haven’t read in forever, PROBABLY BECAUSE I WAS FRICKIN TERRIFIED!!!! So this is a retelling of the Bloody Mary urban legend, and of course it was truly terrifying (at least for me), and the last line of this book GAVE ME CHILLS PEOPLE. CHILLS. I refused to look in the mirror for days. Sigh.

Edge of Evil (Ali Reynolds, #1) by J.A. Jance

The end of her high-profile broadcasting career came too soon for TV journalist Ali Reynolds – bounced off the air by executives who wanted a “younger face.” With a divorce from her cheating husband of ten years ago also pending, there is nothing keeping her in L.A. any longer. Cut loose from her moorings, Ali is summoned back home to Sedona, Arizona, by the death of a childhood friend. Once there she seeks solace in the comforting rhythms of her parents’ diner, the Sugarload Café, and launches an online blog as therapy for others who have been similarly cut loose.

But when threatening posts begin appearing, Ali finds out that running a blog is far more up-close and personal than sitting behind a news desk. And far more dangerous. Suddenly something dark and deadly is swirling around her life… and a killer may be hunting her next.

AAAAHHHHH!!! I completely, TOTALLY enjoyed reading the Ali Reynolds series by J.A. Jance!! I haven’t read the entire series (YET) but I will most definitely soon, because this is the kind of suspense I didn’t know that I needed! I honestly couldn’t put this book down because I just had to know what happens next. Murder, mystery, suspense – I love love love it!!!

That’s it for this post! Sorry there aren’t any reviews (coming soon promise!) because when I read these, I was just a baby bookdragon and had no idea how to work Goodreads or even write reviews. LOL. But I hope you guys get a chance to pick these books up and let me know what you think of them!

HAPPY VALENTINES, EVERYONE!! (barfs in my mouth ew ew ew)

Y’all can find me over at Hiding Behind Books for more crazy ramblings!! ;)

Well I hope you all enjoyed that super awesome post from Angela. Be sure to check out my TOP 3 Thrillers on Angela's website HERE! Enjoy, and happy #antivalentines ! HA

20 Amazing Libraries That Will Blow Your Mind

Who doesn’t love a good library! There’s something very comforting and cosy about going to your local library. Also the fact that they’re free is purely incredible.

I used to go to the library loads when I was younger, and also when I had moved to London back in the day. Since then, I actually haven’t been to the library much. I was perusing the world wide web and came across this awesome article from the Travel & Leisure website about all these incredible libraries from all over the world. All of these buildings are absolutely stunning! I would actually go to most of them purely based on the architecture. You’ll know what I mean when you check out the site below.

Some of my favs from this article include The Central Library of Vancouver. Which totally looks like a modern day Colosseum. It’s airy, and a real cool building. The Seattle Public Central Library is a looker for sure! Ultra modern, sleek and fitting for the awesome city. If your a lover of historic and epic libraries then be sure to check out Clementinum in Prague. What a stunner! I can only imagine how amazing the books would smell like in there, and those ceilings! I would definitely say if your lucky enough to live nearby one of these amazing library locations then why not stop by and check out these stunners for yourself! FOR FREE! Ah, you gotta love it.

Check out these amazing libraries HERE on the Travel & Leisure website.

What or Who Inspired Your Love For Reading?

Guest Post from-A Tale of Two Pages by the lovely Rebecca Hill on Her Love For Reading

I am very excited to bring you some very special semi-regular guest posts from some pretty awesome Book Bloggers. This week's feature, will be from Rebecca Hill. Rebecca reviews various genres of books as well as tips and recommendations for all bookish related info. Be sure to check out her website and social media links listed below this post.

As a fellow book lover, Rebecca describes what drove her passion for reading and what/who inspired her love for books. So great to learn about how people fall in love with reading. Check out Rebecca's guest post below!!

What or Who Inspired My Love For Reading

Rebecca Hill | A Tale of Two Pages | Posted January, 24th 2019.

A… B…C… Reading is for ME!

In my house, there has been a lifelong obsession with books. Growing up, we had books everywhere. That love of books has followed me since! I have bookcases all over the place. Kindles are full. The library is just a short drive down the road. Having access to a book has always been one of the best ways to relax. The only time that I can remember not having ready access to any book was while I was in Basic Training with the United States Army. Even then, I begged one of the Drill Sergeants to find me ANYTHING to read. (He did by the way – a old, super boring manual on tanks. But you can bet, I read every word).

Growing up, books were a way to fuel our imagination. But it was also a way for us to unwind after a crazy day. We used to gather in the living room in the late afternoon and read out loud together. Talk about some great adventures! We journeyed to a hundred different places and discovered new worlds.

While in a recent discussion about the person or persons who inspired our love of reading, it made me take a step back to childhood. I would have to say that my parents really fostered that love of reading in each of us. Birthdays and Christmas were always great book giving opportunities. However, in between, they never lost a chance to sit and share books with us or ask about what we were reading. My dad was one who really guided my love of history, and that has not changed at all. I still love diving into a “dusty old book” and gleaning knowledge from those pages. My mom brought me the classics, and the writers of old who penned such lovely works of art.

However, the library was a wonder each time! There were always new books to dive into, and grand new adventures just waiting to be taken. As my parents nurtured the love of reading in my siblings and myself, I am trying to pass on to my children. There is just something amazing about a book. It is a feeling of wonder and curiosity. Between the pages of different books there lies a brand-new journey. To lose oneself for a few hours is to regain a sense of calm. More importantly, it fosters the imagination, keeping your brain more agile. Imagination is truly one of the greatest gifts that we can share.

Share the love of reading with someone you know. Books can do more than provide an hour or two of quiet time. They promote well-being, a vast vocabulary, and best of all – the love of reading!

Rebecca Hill – Penned 22 January, 2019

Website: ataleoftwopages.blog

Facebook – A Tale of Two Pages

Twitter - @duchessofreadin

Pinterest – queenbecca24

Jan 2019 Posts

Top 10 Books To Help Reach Your New Years Resolutions

If your looking for some inspiration to keep those 2019 New Years Resolutions going, well look no further! Here is a Top 10 list of New Years Resolutions inspired books to help you achieve your goals!

Eat Complete

Resolution 1 - Eat Healthier

Did you know that the brain burns more of the food you eat than any other organ? Drew Ramsey, M.D. goes so far to say that the brain determines whether you gain or lose weight. Intriguing, right? Check out his recipes, which include the 21 nutrients essential for brain health, can’t argue with good food for your brain peeps! Also the recipes look super easy and yums!

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Resolution 2 - Self Care

In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. Also, what an eye catching title eh? I have a few friends who have read this book and said it was pretty awesome and just straight up legit. It’s on my ‘to read’ pile for this year and I will be definitely jumping on this self help book.

Elanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

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Resolution 3 - Make New Friends

I’m sure you have all heard of this crazy best seller book. It follows Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking.

But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. Sounds so nice doesn’t it? Now go out there and get yourself some new buddies!

Sweetbitter

Resolution 4 - Get a New Job

A young small town twenty-something girl moves to New York in pursuit of a new life. Less familiar: girl lands job as a server in the most popular restaurant in Manhattan and gets inextricably swept up in the electrifying and, at times, unbelievably dark world of the restaurant industry. It's an education in the pitfalls of mixing business with pleasure and the sacrifices we make to get what we think we want, even if it means losing ourselves in the process. Also if your interested in the restaurant world, this is the book for you!

Beartown

Resolution 5 - A New Hobbie

Why not take up a new sport like tennis, or football, or ice hockey? Random, I know, but stay with me. Beartown’s junior ice-hockey team is competing in the national semifinals when a violent act leaves a young girl traumatized and the town in turmoil. BEARTOWN explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. Also, this book is all the rave in the insta world! It’s also on my to read list.

Educated

Resolution 6 - Read More

You guys I have heard nothing but great things about this book! This is definitely the one to get you out of your reading slump and to get your old or new found love for reading. I cannot wait to read this book too FYI. Here’s the blurb: An unforgettable memoir in the tradition of The Glass Castle about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University.Tara, was raised by Survivalist parents and grew up sheltered and not allowed to go to school, or even be seen be a doctor. It’s a great story you guys. I’m already gripped.