Tuesday, November 29, 2016

november wrap up!

Welcome to another Monthly Wrap-Up here at Stardust and Words! November was a weird month, and I'm not just talking about the election and everything that came after that. Sufficient to say, I'm not sad to see November go. ESPECIALLY because I love Christmas, and I think the joy of December is especially important this year. But anyways, we're focusing on November. I had a pretty good reading month. I ended up finishing 15 books and posting 6 reviews :) I hope that y'all's Novembers were better than mine!

1. Here's To You, Zeb Pike – Johanna Parkhurst ☆☆☆ 

Fact: When Zebulon Pike attempted to climb what is now known as Pikes Peak, he got stuck in waist-deep snow and had to turn back.

That's the last thing Dusty Porter learns in his Colorado history class before appendicitis ruins his life. It isn't long before social services figures out that Dusty's parents are more myth than reality, and he and his siblings are shipped off to live in Vermont with an uncle and aunt they've never met.

Dusty's new life is a struggle. His brother and sister don't seem to need him anymore, and he can't stand his aunt and uncle. At school, one hockey player develops a personal vendetta against him, while Emmitt, another hockey player, is making it hard for Dusty to keep pretending he's straight. Problem is, he's pretty sure Emmitt’s not gay. Then, just when Dusty thinks things can't get any worse, his mother reappears, looking for a second chance to be a part of his life.

Somehow Zebulon Pike still got the mountain named after him, so Dusty's determined to persevere—but at what point in life do you keep climbing, and when do you give up and turn back?

2. Been Here All Along – Sandy Hall ☆☆☆

Gideon always has a plan. His plans include running for class president, becoming head of the yearbook committee, and having his choice of colleges. They do NOT include falling head over heels for his best friend and next door neighbor, Kyle. It’s a distraction. It’s pointless, as Kyle is already dating the gorgeous and popular head cheerleader, Ruby. And Gideon doesn’t know what to do.

Kyle finally feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of Lord of the Rings, and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. Then, both Ruby and Gideon start acting really weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, and Kyle can’t quite figure out what he did wrong…



Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.

While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.

But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.

So does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.

Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.
 

4. Three Dark Crowns – Kendare Blake (DNF) 

Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

5. Him (Him #1) – Sabrina Bowen and Elle Kennedy ☆☆☆☆

They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend...and a big one to learn about himself.

 
6. Us (Him #2) – Sabrina Bowen and Elle Kennedy ☆☆☆☆


Can your favorite hockey players finish their first season together undefeated?

Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He’s living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves—Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There’s just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.

Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It’s not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn’t help that his new job isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.

Or can they?

When Wes’s nosiest teammate moves in upstairs, the thre
ads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly? 


This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.
  

8. Constance: A Story of Early Plymouth – Patricia Clapp ☆☆☆

"Pish!" says Constance the day the "Mayflower" finally lands in America. Constance longs for her beloved London, but she does her share to help the pilgrim settles fight disease, tame the landscape, and befriend the natives. The village of Plymouth grows as more settlers arrive. Many of the young men have eyes for Constance. Could there possibly be room for romance in this wild new place?







 
9. Disneywar – James B Stewart ☆☆☆☆ 

"When You Wish Upon a Star," "Whistle While You Work," "The Happiest Place on Earth" -- these are lyrics indelibly linked to Disney, one of the most admired and best-known companies in the world. So when Roy Disney, chairman of Walt Disney Animation and nephew of founder Walt Disney, abruptly resigned in November 2003 and declared war on chairman and chief executive Michael Eisner, he sent shock waves through the entertainment industry, corporate boardrooms, theme parks, and living rooms around the world -- everywhere Disney does business and its products are cherished."DisneyWar" is the breathtaking, dramatic inside story of what drove America's best-known entertainment company to civil war, told by one of our most acclaimed writers and reporters.

Drawing on unprecedented access to both Eisner and Roy Disney, current and former Disney executives and board members, as well as thousands of pages of never-before-seen letters, memos, transcripts, and other documents, James B. Stewart gets to the bottom of mysteries that have enveloped Disney for years: What really caused the rupture with studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, a man who once regarded Eisner as a father but who became his fiercest rival? How could Eisner have so misjudged Michael Ovitz, a man who was not only "the most powerful man in Hollywood" but also his friend, whom he appointed as Disney president and immediately wanted to fire? What caused the break between Eisner and Pixar chairman Steve Jobs, and why did Pixar abruptly abandon its partnership with Disney? Why did Eisner so mistrust Roy Disney that he assigned Disney company executives to spy on him? How did Eisner control the Disney board for so long, and whatreally happened in the fateful board meeting in September 2004, when Eisner played his last cards?

Here, too, is the creative process that lies at the heart of Disney -- from the making of "The Lion King" to "Pirates of the Caribbean." Even as the executive suite has been engulfed in turmoil, Disney has worked -- and sometimes clashed -- with a glittering array of stars, directors, designers, artists, and producers, many of whom tell their stories here for the first time.

Stewart describes how Eisner lost his chairmanship and why he felt obliged to resign as CEO, effective 2006. No other book so thoroughly penetrates the secretive world of the corporate boardroom. "DisneyWar" is an enthralling tale of one of America's most powerful media and entertainment companies, the people who control it, and those trying to overthrow them.

"DisneyWar" is an epic achievement. It tells a story that -- in its sudden twists, vivid, larger-than-life characters, and thrilling climax -- might itself have been the subject of a Disney animated classic -- except that it's all true.


Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They've totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.


Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?
 

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.
 

13. Lisa and Lottie – Erich Kästner ☆☆

When they meet for the first time at summer camp, two ten-year-old girls discover they are twins and agree to exchange identities in an attempt to reconciliate their divorced parents.














This new series features the blandest sisters who ever embarked on a rollicking, swashbuckling, and entirely unintentional adventure

In the spirit of A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters will captivate middle-grade readers looking for humor, hijinks, and a swashbuckling good time. Meet Jaundice and Kale Bland, two sisters who avoid excitement at any cost. Together, they patiently await the return of their parents, who left on an errand years ago and have never returned.

One day, the Bland sisters are kidnapped by an all-female band of pirates. They’re unwillingly swept into a high-seas romp that might just lead to solving the mystery of what happened to their parents. With whimsical illustrations and Roald Dahl–esque wit, The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters is the visually stunning, laugh-out-loud funny start to a new series for readers who are looking for an anything-but-bland adventure.
 

15. Alterations – Stephanie Scott ☆☆☆☆ 


If anyone saw the prom boards Amelia Blanco makes on her favorite fashion app, they'd think Ethan Laurenti was her boyfriend. They wouldn't know that all the plans she's made for them are just dreams, and that she's the girl who watches him from the kitchen while her parents cook for his famous family.

When Amelia's abuelita enrolls her in a month-long fashion internship in NYC, Amelia can't imagine leaving Miami--and Ethan--for that long. As soon as she gets to New York, however, she finds a bigger world and new possibilities. She meets people her own age who can actually carry on a conversation about stitching and design. Her pin boards become less about prom with Ethan and more about creating her own style. By the time she returns to Miami, Amelia feels like she can accomplish anything, and surprises herself by agreeing to help Ethan's awkward, Steve-Jobs-wannabe brother, Liam, create his own fashion app.

As Liam and Amelia get closer, Ethan realizes that this newly confident, stylish girl may be the one for him after all . . . even though he has a reality TV star girlfriend he conveniently keeps forgetting about. The "new and improved" Amelia soon finds herself in between two brothers, a whole lot of drama, and choice she never dreamed she'd have to make
.


what did you guys read this month? 

xx
Caroline   

top ten tuesday: best friend book buys


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish, and this week's theme is: "November 29: Holiday Gift Guide freebie (ten books to buy the YA lover in your life, 10 books to buy for your dad, etc.)" I love giving books as Christmas presents, so this is one that I was really excited for!

I decided to make a Top Ten list of books to buy for your best friend, which are basically books that feature really awesome friendships!

 


 1. Open Road Summer AND The Start of Me and You – Emery Lord: Emery Lord is writing some of the truest and bravest friendships that I've seen. I seriously just cannot get enough of her writing, and these two books in particular just have all of the #squadgoals! 




 2. This Adventure Ends – Emma Mills

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.


3. Kids of Appetite – David Arnold

Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell.
It begins with the death of Vic’s father.
It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle.
The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it.
But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.

This is a story about:

1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love.

 
4. Saving Francesca – Melina Marchetta

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas, who specializes in musical burping, to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

A compelling story of romance, family, and friendship with humor and heart, perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Lauren Myracle.

 
5. Princess Academy – Shannon Hale

Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village.

The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess. Soon Miri finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires.






 
6. The Unexpected Everything – Morgan Matson

Andie had it all planned out. When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?





7. Truthwitch – Susan Dennard

In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

 
8. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom – Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes


Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

 
9. Iron Cast – Destiny Soria

It’s Boston, 1919, and the Cast Iron club is packed. On stage, hemopaths—whose "afflicted" blood gives them the ability to create illusions through art—captivate their audience. Corinne and Ada have been best friends ever since infamous gangster Johnny Dervish recruited them into his circle. By night they perform for Johnny’s crowds, and by day they con Boston’s elite. When a job goes wrong and Ada is imprisoned, they realize how precarious their position is. After she escapes, two of the Cast Iron’s hires are shot, and Johnny disappears. With the law closing in, Corinne and Ada are forced to hunt for answers, even as betrayal faces them at every turn.





10. Some Kind of Happiness – Claire Legrand

THINGS FINLEY HART DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT

• Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)
• Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.
• Never having met said grandparents.
• Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)

Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real--and holds more mysteries than she'd ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.

With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.

Reality and fantasy collide in this powerful, heartfelt novel about family, depression, and the power of imagination.


what's on your list this week?

xx
Caroline

Sunday, November 27, 2016

gilmore girls book tag


Hey everyone!! Okay, so since the Gilmore Girls reunion *just* came out on netflix (I haven't watched it yet, so NO spoilers y'all) I figured I would do a Gilmore Girls booktag to celebrate! I saw this one over at Pretty Deadly Reviews, so this text is from there, as are some of the gifs :) Hope you guys enjoy!

I JUST GOT HIT BY A DEER – character having the worst day ever

for this one, I would have to say Kady and Ezra from Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. They're just going about their lives and all of a sudden, their planet is being bombed and their lives are thrown into a complete and utter shit show. 
 
STARS HOLLOW – wildly eccentric cast

I'm going to point to This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills. You've got a social media star, a party connoisseur, a dad who writes romance novels, a 22 year old stepmom, and a friend group that would kill and be killed for each other. I loved the quirky little things about all of these characters! 
 
COFFEE – a book you’re addicted to/a character w/ an addiction

I am definitely addicted to the Captive Prince trilogy by C.S. Pacat!! I am constantly thinking about how much I love that series. I am planning on rereading it as my first read of 2017! It just has everything that I love about high fantasy, but with some truly original twists that just made me love it even more. Captivating characters, good plot twists, amazing worldbuilding.
SOMEONE DEVIL EGGED BY CAR?! – great act of revenge 

The whole of Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo centers, at its core, around Kaz Brekker getting revenge on the man who ruined his life. I absolutely loved that plotline! I don't feel like I read a lot about revenge, but that was a really great one. 
MR. MEDINA – an illicit affair

I just went through so many books, and I could not think of an illicit affair that I really liked except Frankie and Marco from The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia, which I liked, but was not my absolute favorite. 
KIM’S ANTIQUES – a world you’d be afraid to enter

I feel that this is kind of a cop-out, because it is so very obvious, but I have serious fear of it, so The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I am terrified of that world! 
HARVARD VS. YALE – character who needs to make a life-changing decision

Shazi from The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh! Will she kill the man who is responsible for the death of her best friend? Will she follow where her heart is leading? Either way, her life is forever changed. 
LUKE’S DINER – a comfort read

The Goose Girl or Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. Both of these books have super strong connections with my childhood, because I think they are the books that truly got me into reading by myself, when I was around nine or ten. Before that, I would read for school and with my parents, but they really turned me into a voracious reader. 

AM I CRYING OR LAUGHING? – a book that messed with your emotions

KINGS RISING BY C.S. PACAT! OKAY??? SO MANY EMOTIONS SO LITTLE TIME. 
EMILY – the HBIC (Head Bitch in Charge)

Obviously Aelin Ashryver Galathynius from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas. She is the character that I aspire to be. I aspire to possess her sense of style, her flair for the dramatic, her toughness, and her fight. 
 
LORELAI AND RORY – favorite family dynamic

 The Edwards family from Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson, aka the best and most beautifully heartbreaking family you will ever read! 

I PUSHED HIM IN THE LAKE! – a book you’d throw in a lake

probably Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck... I just cannot take the cringey-ness in it. I honestly think the premise is super interesting, but the execution is definitely not my favorite. 

1000 YELLOW DAISIES – favorite romance

Where to even begin?? Damen and Laurent from Captive Prince, Jamie and Wes from Him, Aelin and Rowan from the Throne of Glass series, Jesper and Wylan from Six of Crows, Will and Tessa from Clockwork Princess, Max and Paige from The Start of Me and You, Andie and Clark from The Unexpected Everything 
 
JESS – an unpopular opinion

I don't know how unpopular this one is, but I actually enjoyed The Heir and The Crown more than the original three Selection novels! 
FIRST SNOW – snowy or holiday read

I am partial to Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn myself! I first read it probably more than five years ago, and it is just one of my favorite books to get me in the mood for Christmas and everything that comes with it. 
HEP ALIEN – book centered around music

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord focuses on a Taylor Swift-esque country star who goes on tour with her best friend for the summer! One of my absolute favorite contemporary reads from one of my absolute favorite authors.

HE’D BETTER HAVE A MOTORCYCLE! – your book crush

I have a great many book crushes, but my number one right now would have to be Daniel from The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon. 
IT’S REPETITIVE AND REDUNDANT – a book that could have been shorter

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare. I felt like she could've gotten the point across in WAY less pages! 
KIRK – the weirdest book you’ve ever read

Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason Black! I definitely didn't think that this book was bad in any way, it was just a lot weirder than I was expecting going into it! 
IT’S A LIFESTYLE. IT’S A RELIGION – that one book that means more to you than any other 
         
Oh god... the ultimate question! It probably comes down to a few. All of Emery Lord's books, the Throne of Glass series, the Six of Crows duology, The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, and Harry Potter.        

spotlight on: new-to-me favorite things

Welcome to Spotlight On: A Monthly Series! This is something that I do once a month here at Stardust and Words, and the topic ranges from anything bookish that I've been loving to life updates to thoughts that won't leave my head. This month, since I've been a little spotty in my posting the last few months, I just wanted to sit down and have a chat with you guys! I want to talk about all of the bookish things that I've been loving in the past couple of months, from books to authors to blogs :)

Authors Who Have Made Their Mark 

Nicola Yoon – I read her debut novel, Everything, Everything, last year when it came out, and though I really liked it, I wasn't totally blown away. However, upon reading her second book, The Sun is Also A Star, I have to say that I have been thinking that Nicola Yoon is one of the most talented young adult writers that I've read lately. The way she writes is so deeply human, I think there is something in it for everyone. Definitely she is becoming an auto-buy author for me.

Mindy McGinnis – I have had a couple of her books on my TBR for a long time, but I didn't get around to any of them UNTIL I read The Female of the Species, which came out recently. Let me just say that I was totally blown away. I couldn't believe that McGinnis had the guts to write a novel like this one, and I have the utmost respect for her and am kind of in awe of her for pulling it off as well as she did. Mad props.

Anna Marie McLemore – Magical realism at its finest is what I encountered when I read McLemore for the first time last month. Her most recent release, When the Moon Was Ours, tackles issues from identity to sexuality to going from friends to something more, and I absolutely loved it. I can't wait to see what else she puts out, because I just know that it is going to be gorgeous.

Books That Have Made An Impression 

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff – a Short Summary of this book: holy shit this girl is a total badass, oh my goodness that is a lot of blood, wow i did not see that plot twist coming, this world building is awesome

THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES by Mindy McGinnis – a Short Summary of this book: this book is speaking to me, wow I have encountered that casual sexism as well, FEMINISM!!, what you wish you could do to jerks, great friendships/heartbreaking plot developments, violence trigger warning

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur – a Short Summary of this poetry collection: this is the most beautiful thing I've ever read, this is some real shit, poetry shouldn't be able to be this heartbreakingly real

Him and Us by Sabrina Bowen and Elle Kennedy – a Short Summary of this book: i usually never get into NA but THIS BOOK, holy hell this is the cutest thing ever, m/m romance, healthy relationships that you will get jealous of, crying because of the adorableness, hockey which is new

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna Marie McLemore – a Short Summary of this book: tackling the real issues, positive trans and lgbtq representation, magical realism that revolves a lot around pumpkins?, water and roses and stars, friendship is the strongest thing besides family, friends to lovers trope

The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon – a Short Summary of this book: immigration/family issues/fitting in/finding your unique identity are all things that can be made beautiful, super interesting narration style you will fall in love, beautiful boys, beautiful girls, culture clash, love and destiny and math and science, some things are meant to be

Twitters to Follow 

(as ALWAYS) Emery Lord @emerylord
Adam Silvera @adamsilvera
Strand Book Store @strandbookstore  


Misc. Things I've Been Loving 

Reruns of America's Next Top Model
Moana and its soundtrack
Panera Hot Chocolate
Counting down the days until Christmas!!!

sorry that this post is a little bit all over the place, I just wanted to get all of the things I've been loving recently onto a page! Hopefully one of you will get a suggestion of what to read or enjoy next from this post :)

80% Read the Printed Word!