Black YA Authors You Need To Read This Year

In honor of Black History Month and wanting to share more marginalized voices, I’m making a list of black authors in the YA world that should be read more. I’m only discussing authors and books I’ve specifically read. Unless they have a heavily anticipated book coming out and that would be most of them! Here we go: I would be surprised if someone who read books regularly didn’t know who Angie Thomas was. I adored both of Angie’s books so much. They’re so real and current and amazing. I’m so glad I was given the chance to meet her at ALA in 2017. She was delightful. I cannot wait to see what she writes next. My Review For On The Come Up Other Books Released or Forthcoming: Until You Came Back (TBA), Stories in Black Enough, Hungry Hearts and Battle of The Bands Jay Coles will forever have my money. […]

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Posted February 25, 2020 by Amber in Bookish Lists / 0 Comments

Five Shows I Am Tragically Behind On

More Than This Provincial Life is a feature where I’ll talk about anything non-bookish or blogging related. This will include but not be limited to TV shows, movies, anime, music and occasionally my life. This will generally be a feature posted for Friday. You can read other MTTPL posts here. Hi all! I hope everyone is having a good weekend! I am usually pretty good at watching the few shows I actually watch. This becomes a struggle when you suddenly don’t have internet anymore and all the shows are coming out! And, you know, you’re trying to save that $8/a month a company charges. . . I wanted to talk about the five shows that I am so very tragically behind on and need to watch as soon as possible. I’ve loved The Bold Type since the first episode. The second season I liked a bit less but still enjoyed a […]

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Posted February 23, 2020 by Amber in More Than This Provincial Life / 811 Comments

Mini Indulgences: 2020 e-ARCs Edition (Part One)

Hi everyone! Today, I’m sharing four mini indulgences reviews for eARCs. I received these all from Netgalley via the publishers. This does not affect my reviews at all. Spoiler: They were just all so amazing. Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz Don’t Read The Comments by Eric Smith The Gravity Of Us by Phil Stamper Foul Is Fair by Hannah Capin Mini Indulgences are my spin on mini reviews. Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz Published: January 7th, 2020 from Wednesday Books Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult Rating: Five Stars Goodreads Summary: Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz returns with Jane Anonymous, a gripping tale of a seventeen-year-old girl’s kidnapping and her struggle to fit back into her life after she escapes. Then, “Jane” was just your typical 17-year-old in a typical New England suburb getting ready to start her senior year. She had a part-time job she enjoyed, an awesome best […]

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Posted February 20, 2020 by Amber in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

Wondrous Covers Wednesday: Couples Edition (#3)

Wondrous Covers Wednesday is a weekly feature where I usually choose to showcase at least three covers with similar attributes and themes. This series will be branching out a little. To see past editions, you can check out my page for them here. I’m continuing my couples theme for my illustrated series. Here is where you can see last week’s theme. To see my other posts in the series: Wondrous Covers Wednesday (Illustrated 1) Wondrous Covers Wednesday (Illustrated 2) This week’s theme is. . . Couples in different positions. I’m going to say now that these are all so cute. I’m in love with all of them. You Say It First, Tweet Cute and Bookish and The Beast have to be my favorites. Judging by Bookish and The Beast and Tweet Cute, risking your life is totally fine. I’m exaggerating but just looking at these makes me nervous. In case […]

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Posted February 19, 2020 by Amber in Wondrous Covers Wednesday / 1187 Comments

65 Middle Grade 2020 Releases I Want To Read

I’m broadening my horizons with this list of middle grade books I want to read. I want to try to draft an MG book this year and I haven’t read much work for this audience hardly ever. So I figured I need to research and what better way than trying some 2020 releases? *Covers and rest of links to come* January: Clean Getaway by Nic Stone Releases: January 7th, 2020 from Crown Books For Young Readers Goodreads Summary: From New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a middle grade road-trip story through American race relations past and present perfect for fans of Jacqueline Woodson and Jason Reynolds. How to Go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma: * Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED. * Fasten Your Seatbelt: G’ma’s never conventional, so this trip won’t be either. * Use the Green […]

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Posted February 18, 2020 by Amber in Bookish Lists / 0 Comments

Classic Confessionals: Lord of The Flies by William Golding

Classic Confessionals is a new review feature where I review and discuss classic books I’ve read. My first book of discussion is Lord of The Flies by William Golding. Goodreads Summary: At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate; this far from civilization the boys can do anything they want. Anything. They attempt to forge their own society, failing, however, in the face of terror, sin and evil. And as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far from reality as the hope of being rescued. Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, Lord of the Flies is perhaps […]

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Posted February 17, 2020 by Amber in Classic Confessionals / 463 Comments

Wondrous Covers Wednesday: Couples (Illustrated Edition #2)

Hey all. I’m continuing my Illustrated 2020 covers series today and I have been waiting to do this post forever. In honor of Valentine’s Day and, you know, gorgeous covers, I’m featuring all of the (standing) illustrated couples of 2020 that I could track down. Nothing like looking at a ton of couples to get you in the mood for feeling single. ? I’m not a bitter. Really!! I promise. I am hoping that all of these are actually romances as I was unsure about a couple of them. ? I’ll be featuring quite a few covers from a past WCW as well because, well, it’s just how it goes. Wondrous Covers Wednesday is a weekly feature where I usually choose to showcase at least three covers with similar attributes and themes. This series will be branching out a little. To see past editions, you can check out my page […]

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Posted February 12, 2020 by Amber in Wondrous Covers Wednesday / 1067 Comments

YA Lit Gets Political (Trending In YA #1)

Hi everyone. I am so glad it’s Friday and in honor of it being Friday I’m going to A. Sleep in (Ha, I wish, alas, bills need paid, I must work). B. Start a new feature. I am beginning a new feature which will discuss YA bookish trends I notice. I’ve been wanting to do this feature forever but I’m not always the best feature starter but this year, that is all changing. As you may know from my features, Wondrous Covers WednesdaysWondrous Covers Wednesdays and Bookish Lists, I love spotting similarities in books. Trending In YA is a feature where I will discuss trends regarding titles, covers, plot elements, random aspects of books, and more. It’s no surprise that as 2020 starts and we begin another election year that there are more books coming out dealing with politics. I think it’s really important that we have books on politics […]

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Posted February 7, 2020 by Amber in Trending In YA / 0 Comments

Wondrous Covers Wednesday: Featuring The Non-White Narrative

Hey all. I am diverting from what I was going to originally do for today. Don’t worry, I’ll be posting it next week. Wondrous Covers Wednesday is a weekly feature where I usually choose to showcase at least three covers with similar attributes and themes. This series will be branching out a little. To see past editions, you can check out my page for them here. So, yesterday a certain article went out regarding classic books being given a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) cover makeover. This is problematic for so many reasons. 1. The stories are still white centered, nothing of value has changed. 2. We get the question, “What if your favorite literary characters reflected the Diversity of America?” from this tweet which is such a non-sensical question, because, yes, what IF. Also, what if they supported BIPOC covers to begin with? What if there wasn’t gate keeping? […]

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Posted February 5, 2020 by Amber in Wondrous Covers Wednesday / 608 Comments