Top Five Tools to Kick Start Your New Year’s Resolution Reading

January 6, 2015 by Caitlin

The book-lovin’ world is currently abuzz with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s latest New Year’s Resolution, “Read a new book every other week,” and his “A Year of Books” group page.  While I disagree that he’s “this generation’s Oprah” (mostly because I don’t like to be told what my age’s anything is supposed to be), I know he’s definitely not alone in the “read more books” resolution category, and appreciate the idea of this whole online book club, as anything that […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: Book Clubs, Mark Zuckerberg, New Year's Resolutions, Read More Books, Reading Recommendations, top 5

Erin’s Christmas Wish List – Top 5 Books I need from 2014

December 15, 2014 by Erin

Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery Never mind that I already own three copies of Anne of Green Gables! It’s one of my favorite books ever, and this new edition with gorgeous cover art by Anna Bond of Rifle Paper Co. would make a worthy addition to my collection. The other three titles in the “Puffin in Bloom” children’s classics series are also lovely. The Oldest Living Things in the World, Rachel Sussman Stunning photography of various trees and lichen […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: anne of green gables, christmas, gregory maguire, margaret atwood, mary poppins, rachel sussman, top 5

Jessi’s Christmas Wish List-Top Five Books I Need From 2014

December 9, 2014 by Jessi

The Storied Life of A.J. Fiery, Gabrielle Zevin A grump, a bookstore, and a toddler that opens his heart. Well, this story sounds adorable. This sap may need a tissue box or two. My hope is that the characters are just as quirky and charming as I imagine they should be. Heroes of Olympus, Book Five: The Blood of Olympus, Rick Riordan Okay, you caught me! I own this book. I have been faithfully reading Rick Riordan’s series forever. However, there’s been a bit procrastinating with […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: 2014 books, bj novak, books, caitlin moran, gabrielle zevin, heroes of olympus, rick riordan, top 5, wish list

Caitlin’s Christmas Wish List – Top 5 Books I need from 2014

December 4, 2014 by Caitlin

Yes, Please – Amy Poehler It’s fair to say that I have a pretty big crush on this perky blonde woman. Amy Poehler is delightful, hilarious and inspiring, and I expect nothing less than embarrassingly loud belly laughs. The Secret History of Wonder Woman – Jill Lepore Wondy just doesn’t get enough limelight, in this girl’s humble opinion. Where’s her movie?? I’ll have to settle for this tome, which delves into the fascinating feminist-y story of how my favorite super […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: Amy Poehler, book lists, gift guide, Saga, top 5, wish list, wonder woman

“Call me Ishmael” and Other Favorite First Lines in Literature

November 14, 2014 by Erin

Happy birthday, Moby-Dick! On this day in 1851, Herman Melville’s classic novel was first published in the United States. Even if you’ve never read the book, odds are you’re still somewhat familiar with Captain Ahab’s maniacal hunt for the albino sperm whale that ate his leg. You’re probably also familiar with the first sentence, because it’s one of the most well known in the literature world: “Call me Ishmael.” That’s a damn fine opening, especially for a novel that otherwise […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: famous first lines, herman melville, literature love, moby dick, top 5

Top 5 Series for Summer Beach Reading

July 15, 2014 by Erin

The term “beach read” can mean something different to each individual reader. Do you hear the phrase and think of a trashy romance, or maybe a police procedural that’s short and sweet and ultimately forgettable? Perhaps you think this label applies to any old paperback you don’t mind lugging around in a sandy beach bag full of spilled Cheetos. Whatever! But I think all readers can agree that a proper beach read must be compelling enough to suck you into […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: maddaddam, romancelandia, science fiction, top 5, urban fantasy

Top 5 Upcoming Romance Series Continuations

April 14, 2014 by Erin

Mark your calendars and prepare your bosoms for some serious heaving – we’ve got new romance novels coming our way! Here’s a list of upcoming continued series releases that have my bookish heart all aflutter. The Kraken King (The Iron Seas #4), Meljean Brook Genre: Steampunk Release date: April 15 Why I’m excited: I can’t describe this series any better than Ms. Brook herself does on her website: “The Iron Seas series combines nanotech and pirates with a gritty, gaslit […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: rogues cads and scoundrels, romance, romance novel, sexy times, steampunk, top 5

Jessi’s Top 5 Literary Crushes

February 13, 2014 by Jessi

Jessi weighs in on her bookish fancies – but with a twist! For our final Valentine’s crush list, she offers some boys off the beaten path. First, a note to my fellow ladies on the shelf: Because my fellow authors’ lists are absolute perfection (Erin’s and Caitlin’s), I’ve decided to adopt theirs as my own. (It’s done. Deal with it.) Wait, Jessi, does this mean you’re not going to make your own list? How utterly devastating! Of course, I’m going […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: boys, romance, top 5, Valentine's Day

Caitlin’s Top Five Literary Crushes

February 12, 2014 by Caitlin

For our next Valentine’s Day installment, Caitlin confesses that she’s in love with a pirate. The Pirate. There’s something utterly fanciful about a man in print. What’s better than a man you create your mental image of? No matter how close casting comes for the movie version, they never seem to match my mental feelings juuuust right. (Note that some of my favorites do have movie versions – Princess Bride aside, The Time Traveler’s Wife movie utterly lacked passion and […]

Categories: Best Of • Tags: boys, romance, top 5, Valentine's Day