What Does a Princess Really Look Like? It’s not at all what Chloe imagines.  In this adventure with her dads, Chloe learns that a princess is more than a crown and pretty dresses.  A princess is kind, observant, and stands up for what is right. Throughout the story, Chloe represents all of the ways to be a strong woman (or even a strong human) with the different aspects of a princess that she draws.  

Kate Bailey isn’t an extrovert.  Instead of hanging out with friends like a “normal” teenager she’d rather be on her family’s lake, alone with her thoughts, the sun, and the water.  Kate finds herself pushed out of her comfort zone when she is chosen to co-host the school’s podcast so she can give advice to her fellow students. Kate is hesitant at first, but finds that she’s pretty good at both listening and giving thoughtful advice, that is until an anonymous caller asks about a topic she has little experience in: love.  Kate thinks she knows the caller interested in her best friend, Alana, and the more time Kate spends with who she thinks is the caller, the more she herself falls for him.  I loved this fun summer romance, and I think you will too! 

I haven’t always been a fan of The Bachelor.  I used to think it was crummy television, but after I moved in with girls that love the show I found myself watching too.  Now I’m knee-deep in roses, fantasy suits, and Neil Lane diamonds (okay, I wish on that last one, but you know what I mean).  The thing is-I don’t think I like it for the right reasons, which is why I couldn’t wait to read Amy Kaufman’s behind-the-scenes look at the franchise.  Read more to see if I gave Bachelor Nation a final rose and why I still watch The Bachelor! ​

Love, Hate, and Other Filters is a recent release by Samira Ahmed that I absolutely devoured.  This coming of age story of a Muslim girl who just wants to experience the world through her own lens rather than the filter of her parents’ Indian heritage is poignant, clever, and just plain wonderful. It starts off as a tale of forbidden love but quickly shifts into a discussion of Islamophobia.  Ahmed creates a strong female protagonist, Maya Aziz, to handle all of the topics from the romance to the real-world issues we face today.  In her struggle to figure out where she’s headed in life after high school, she learns to rely on her own strength and to trust in herself.  All of my reads so far in 2018 have been heavy, but this is the kind of breath-of-fresh-air writing my reading slump needed.  I highly recommend you check it out (along with my full five star review below)!

When I first finished The Glass Castle, I sat for a full afternoon staring at my computer hoping to find the right words to explain what it was like to read it.  It’s been almost a month since I finished it, and I still am having a hard time expressing my feelings about it.  Jeanette Walls writes in a way that makes you feel like you are reading your favorite fairy tale, except that her story doesn’t exactly have a fairy tale ending.  It’s a story of resilience and redemption, all through the eyes of woman who decided to take off the rose-colored glasses of her childhood. If you’re looking for a raw and unapologetic memoir, this is the one for you.

 What can a taxidermied raccoon teach you about happiness?  Everything.  
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Furiously Happy is one of those books that just stays with you.  Jenny Lawson is a queen at humor, especially when it deals with the more difficult parts of life like anxiety, depression, and chronic illness.  The Bloggess, as she is fondly known on her blog and social media, finds a way to make all of the hard in life seem bearable, even comical. The cover of this one explains it all: this is a funny book about horrible things.  Lawson uses her own life experiences to make you laugh until you cry (like I literally did) at the absurdity of life.  I found myself highlighting whole pages and reading them aloud to anyone that would listen, regardless if they wanted to hear it or not.  The situations Lawson finds herself in are indeed outrageous, and I always found myself wanting just one more story.  She balances her anecdotes with humor and candor, which left me laughing and contemplative at the same time.  Wonder how that happens? Read more to find out. ​​

Books like The Hate U Give are important to read not just because they’re timely, but because the fill a gap.  They make waves.  They make you think about how you view the world.  Angie Thomas writes in a way that makes you immediately engage in this novel, so much so that I could imagine her quietly coming up and putting her arm around me saying, “I know this makes you uncomfortable, but let’s think about why.”  It’s uncomfortable because it’s supposed to be.  Many of you will shy away from that, choosing to read books that make you feel good.  That’s great!  As for me, I’m finding that I take more from a book that makes me think, feel, and wrestle with some difficult issues.  This book fits the bill.  The Hate U Give is a young adult novel and one that I would have as required reading in my classroom.  I think I might make it required reading for my friends and family as well.  Read more to find out why…

No, this isn't a new book, but it's one I've been dying to read for years.  Something always pops up as more important or more pertinent to read, causing it to slip further down the TBR list.  I have actually owned The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in a lovely leather-bound cover since middle school, but have been too intimidated to read any or all of the five novels because of the sheer weight of carrying the thing around.  I'm so glad I finally read the first one, though, because it is one of those few books that actually make me laugh out loud.  I can't recommend this book enough, especially if you're a friend of kooky sci-fi or fantasy.  This one will have you wanting to grab a towel and explore the universe quicker than you can say "Zaphod Beeblebrox".