Historical Fiction Recommendations

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I love learning about the past, and the best part about this genre is feeling the connection between yourself and the characters. The best authors make you feel like you're experiencing the story, not reading about it. In fact, historical fiction seems more real than contemporary to me at times. So let's bring on the cowboy hats and boots (metaphorically, that is) and get started. All covers courtesy of Goodreads.

If you like reading about the Communism and Cultural Revolutions in China (respectively), then take a look at:
 

If it's the Revolutionary War you seek, look no further than:


If you want to read about the Mughal empire and the daughter of Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal), take a peek at:

I recommend checking out the books most of the books in the series (like the one with Marie Antoinette).

If you like learning about hardships of settlers in the late 1800s, take a look at:

If you want to take a look at life of Indians on an island off California, dive into (pun intended)...

I hope you enjoyed these Historical Fiction Recommendations, and stay tuned for more!

Summer Foods and Drinks

Finally it's officially summer, and along with it comes the heat. Don'the get me wrong, I like the sun as much as the next person, but sometimes I need a break to cool off from the constantly pounding rays. That's why I've already created a list of summer foods to enjoy, because what's summer without eating to the heart's content?

1. Flavored Water
Flavored water is delicious, especially when you create your own (because you can put in as many fruits as you'd like).

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2. Smoothies/Juice
Fruit smoothies are so refreshing in the heat. Juice is also another option if you don't want to take out the blender.

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3. Popsicles and Ice Cream
I'll let you in on a secret: I'm not really an ice cream person, or a popsicle one either. I can only stand cookies and cream or coffee flavored ice cream. Even so, ice cream certainly is cold, which is almost an automatic yes during the summer time.

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4. Cucumber Sandwiches
I love cucumber sandwiches, especially served cold. Just spread cream cheese and a few slices of the vegetable, and enjoy!

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5. Pasta
Pasta can be a heavy food, but if eaten in small quantities like a snack, I think it screams summer. Just go light on the sauce.

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6.  Salad
Salad is awesome during the summer. Crisp lettuce and squirts of lemon juice with bright red tomato slices make my day! Even if you don't want to go the veggie route, why not try a fruit salad?

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7. Fruit Kebabs
Melon, grapes, and more all come together for these kebabs. What's better than fruit on a stick? In general, I also recommend berries (my favorite are blueberries). You can easily fill yourself up with these tiny treats.

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8. Tarts
I usually eat pecan and pumpkin tarts in the fall (around Thanksgiving), but tarts in general are nice because off their small size.

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9. Potato Wedges
These are pretty healthy snacks, since they're really just potato and salt, but they're very tasty.

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10. Yogurt
Add a bowl of yogurt to your next meal for a cooling taste. It's nearly a necessity with spicy food as well!

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So that's my list of ten summery foods to eat and drink. Of course, we can't forget about the 4th of July barbecues, with burgers and grilled corn (add that last one onto the list). I bet there's a lot more that I've left out, but you can tell me all about them below. What do you like to eat and drink during the summer?

Scholastic Warehouse Sale

For a few weeks since my friend told me about them, I'd been looking forward to go to a Scholastic Warehouse Sale, where some books are discounted at least 25%, and most of the ones I got were 50% off. At first, I thought I would just do the build-a-box option (which isn't always available, but was this time), where you can buy a cardboard box for $25 and fit as many books that you can into it. Then I realized those books were in a particular section, and not all the ones I wanted were there, so I decided not to go that route. Instead, I walked around and picked up books that way. I wanted to get about 12 books, but narrowed them down to four because I decided to check out the rest at the library.The ones I got were...

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Cover Courtesy of Amazon

Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Cover Courtesy of Amazon

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine 

Cover Courtesy of Amazon

A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman

Cover Courtesy of Amazon

There was so much YA there, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty fun going into the large warehouse (because the books are just sold in an in-use warehouse with some sections tapered off). However, I was pretty short on time that day, so I didn't really get to check out everything. From what I did see, I'd like to go again for sure!

I planned to take a lot of pictures, but like I said above, I was really short on time. Overall, I had a lot of fun! Check out the official site for more information and registration before going. Have you ever been to one of these warehouse sales before? Did you enjoy it? Or do you want to go? Tell me below!

Book Review: The Friendship Experiment by Erin Teagan

Book Review: The Friendship Experiment by Erin Teagan

Image Courtesy of Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis: Future scientist Madeline Little is dreading the start of middle school. Nothing has been right since her grandfather died and her best friend changed schools. Maddie would rather help her father in his research lab or write Standard Operating Procedures in her lab notebook than hang out with a bunch of kids who aren’t even her friends. Despite Maddie’s reluctance, some new friends start coming her way—until they discover what she’s written in that secret notebook. And that’s just part of the trouble. Can this future scientific genius find the formula for straightening out her life?

My Review: Overall, the Friendship Experiment was actually quite nice. I sympathized with Madeline over her unfortunate loss of her grandfather, and at the big blowup of problems at the end. Her SOP usage seemed a bit odd at first, but I got used to them. Also, Riley and Elizabeth's true identities were revealed. Another key subject of the book was the Von Willebrand disease, which leads to less clotting of the blood. Madeline's sister got a lot of bloody noses. What I liked about that was that Brooke (Madeline's sister) always held her head up high and wasn't really ashamed of the disease, like some might be. In addition, Brooke and Madeline's relationship seemed very real, unlike some books where the older sister is bratty and just mean to younger sibling. It was a pretty well done construction, overall.
There were also some problems with the story. Madeline assumes she is a genius, but she's really just interested in science. I mean, she grows bacteria, but that doesn't make her better than everyone else! At least the author developed her character based on that, though, and her conceitedness wore off. I also didn't really understand how she became friends with her lunch group at all. How did she even get to know them well enough to become friends? Also, I thought there would be more science involved, and even though it was mentioned a lot, there was nothing really overly science-y about the book. The same things like the bacteria, SOPs, and Einstein poster were mentioned over and over again. Standard Operating Procedures don't just mean science. They're just a series of steps. 
Overall, the book deserves 3.5 stars. It was pretty fun to read, but it just had some problems.

P.S. Can I just mention how awesome the cover is?

MDBC Book Tag

 I've never done a book tag before, so I decided to do one today. For my first book tag, I think I should create one of my own, no? This one's from the series of The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick. I recommend you read the books if you haven't! Now let's do it!
All cover images from Goodreads.

1. Emma

Pick a book that doesn't have a lot of hype, but one that Emma would have read.

I'd choose the Royal Diaries series. Many people have heard of the series, but it's not overly popular.

2. Jess

Pick a book that takes place in the countryside/on a farm/outdoors.

How about... A Dog's Purpose? True, the dog narrating isn't always outside, but he usually is.

3. Megan

Choose a book about fashion.

Well, this isn't exactly fashion, but My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald is about Lucy's love of makeup. Maybe that makes it more of a Becca though (for the lip gloss).

4. Cassidy

Choose a book about an athletic protagonist.

Tris from Divergent is definitely athletic. No other commentary needed.

5. Becca

Find a read with a character that took a turn midway.

I'm going with Marcus from the graphic novel Cardboard by Doug TenNapel. Sorry, I'm not saying anything else to forbid spoilers.

6. Rupert

Name a story with a shy protagonist that finds their way.

The main character in this story feels worried about starting Jr. High and fitting in. It was another pretty fun graphic novel.

7. Annabelle Fairfax

Pick a book you completely disliked.

I'd say Anne of Green Gables. I'm sorry, book club, but this one wasn't for me.

8. Sophie Fairfax

Choose a book you misjudged by its cover.

The Iron Trial was a gift from my friend, but I left it on my shelves for quite a while until I mustered the courage to read it. It was So. Good. I'm now eagerly waiting for the fourth book.

9. Stewart

Name a book/series that started off nicely, but took a turn for the worse.
(Alright, Stewart wasn't that bad, but I just didn't really like him after the events of Wish You Were Eyre and the Mother-Daughter Book Camp.)

The Meaning of Maggie disappointed me a little. Read my review here.

10. Clementine Sloane

Name a book about a famous main character.

Fizzy, the main character, gets famous for her cooking, like Clementine!

So that's the book tag for the MDBC series, mainly about the girls and their peers. Perhaps I'll do one with more of the mothers in the future. And now, every book tag needs someone to tag to do it too, so I tag....

YOU! Participate in the comments below or on your own blog. Enjoy!

Paper vs. Ebooks

Ebooks are becoming widely popular in this age of technology. Who wouldn't want a book that can be carried around on a thin Kindle, with adjustable brightness and pages turning with a click? Paper books aren't yet in much danger of going out of print, yet they still are being bought less and less. People just don't care much about the value of crisp sheets and beautiful cover designs, not when compared to the cost of ebooks, which are often much less costly then their hard copies. Which may be rightfully so. Ebooks do not need to worry about the cost of paper, printing, and binding for each individual. This also makes them eco-friendly. However, there are also paper books that are printed on recycled paper (usually when they talk about saving the earth). Also, paper books open up new jobs for those without them. Quite simply, paper books are irreplaceable. Nothing at all can replace the feeling of a new book in one's hands. The smooth cover and print are just what make books the whole experience of reading exciting. 
In my opinion, books are more fun for the consumer, but ebooks outweigh them in some cases because of their convenience. So what do you think about paper and ebooks?

Let's Talk About... The Mother Daughter Book Club!

Do you want to participate in this week's Let's Talk About... topic? Basically, I'll post questions about a book/series and my answers to them, then I'll invite you to answer them in the comments below or leave a link below to your own blog, where you can respond. Just please link back to this post when you do, and feel free to change up the questions.

So Let's Talk About... The Mother Daughter Book Club!

Image Courtesy of Amazon

Amazon Synopsis for Book One: 

The book club is about to get a makeover....
Even if Megan would rather be at the mall, Cassidy is late for hockey practice, Emma's already read every book in existence, and Jess is missing her mother too much to care, the new book club is scheduled to meet every month.
But what begins as a mom-imposed ritual of reading Little Women soon helps four unlikely friends navigate the drama of middle school. From stolen journals, to secret crushes, to a fashion-fiasco first dance, the girls are up to their Wellie boots in drama. They can't help but wonder: What would Jo March do?

1. Which girl do you most resemble?

I'm not much for fashion like Megan and Becca, and I can't sing at all, let alone with a voice like Jess. I'm also not really super athletic like Cassidy. However, I do like to read and write, which leaves me with Emma. 

2. Do you own any fan-related memorabilia?

I have an autographed version of the Mother-Daughter Book Camp and bookmark that I won from one of Heather's giveaways. The book is one of my prized possessions. 

3. Which of the seven books if your favorite?

I really like Wish You Were Eyre and the Mother Daughter Book Camp (did I mention it's autographed :D).

4. Favorite mom?

Lily Wong was really funny and very sweet. She's also a passionate environmentalist, so she's be my favorite.

5.  Which character do you think changed the most over the course of the seven books?

Becca Chadwick changed the most, no doubt. She started off being really insensitive and mean to all the girls, Megan included, but later became nicer to everyone.

6. Favorite book cover?

Wish You Were Eyre is definitely my favorite. The title is so catchy, and there's just something so bold about the contrast between the suitcases and blue background.

Image Courtesy of Amazon

So that concludes our Let's Talk About... #3. What other series would you like to see?