Books Via Ashley

The Little Paris Bookshop - Nina George Synopsis Jean Perdu owns a "literary apothecary", a floating bookstore where he prescribes books to help people with their various life ailments. The only person he can't seem to heal is himself. Twenty years after the love of his life left him, Perdu finally opens the last letter she wrote him... And discovers something that sets him off on a journey of renewal to the south of France. He is joined by a young successful author who is trying to escape his newfound fame, an Italian cook, and they meet several other people along the way. Review Reading this book was like eating a delicious chocolate torte: savoring each bite and letting the rich, satisfying taste linger before taking another. I read this book slowly, enjoying the beautiful words and exquisite sentences. Plus, SO MANY FEELS. This book really delves into love, loss, and all the stages of grief in between. These emotions are described so poignantly that yo

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo Synopsis It's a self-help book about how to clean your home once and for all. Review This is a non-fiction, self-help book.  My mother was quite tidy; she always kept our house very neat and couldn't abide clutter. I recognized many of her habits while reading this book. Basically, the method is such: Tidy in one go. Discard everything that doesn't "spark joy". Organize everything in one place. Put things back where they belong, and get rid of stuff things you accumulate daily. It sounds very simple, and she goes through step-by-step telling you in which order to discard things (clothes first, always), tips for doing so, etc. She even talks about how to store things: Fold your clothes a certain way, don't stack things, etc. What I liked best about this book was that there was an overarching emotional impact that physically cleaning your house has, and she addressed this throughout the b

Many apologies for the lack of posts recently. I've been ill and had a few other things going on. But never fear! I've still been reading plenty of books and have many new reviews on the way! The schedule won't be as frequent, but I have plenty of things I want to share with all of you!

Walk On Earth A Stranger - Rae Carson Synopsis Leah Westfall has a gift: she can find gold. When her parents are murdered, she joins the migration west to California. Disguised as a boy, she makes the perilous journey across the continental United States, learning what it means to trust and have friends, and also learning more of who she wants to be. Review This was a really good book. I was expecting a bit more magic, but what I got was more Western. And I didn't mind at all.  I enjoyed reading about the trek west in the California gold rush in 1849. As someone who grew up in California and learned about this as part of my history in school, and also as someone whose ancestors were pioneers and made the same trek, it made me feel connected to the book and the characters. The plot was good, fast-paced, and pulled me in. A couple of times it was like EVERYTHING happened all at once. But I know that pioneer treks were hard and dangerous and people endured everything des

Due to the holiday, there won't be a regular book review today. Instead, here's a quote from my favorite Shakespeare play, Macbeth. I love the scene with the witches gathered around the cauldron chanting their spell (which I still have memorized from when I was eight years old!). But the truly creepy thing about this play is the darkness and terror that comes when we discover that the real monsters can be inside each of us. Enjoy the holiday!

It's Halloween this week! One of my favorite holidays! Something you should know about me is that I HATE being scared. As a child I was scared of everything (I think it comes from having an overactive imagination). I've gotten better as I've gotten older, but I still refuse to go to haunted houses, I hate horror movies, and things that shouldn't scare me will creep me out. I have yet to read some truly horrifying books like those by Stephen King because I know I can't handle it. So if you're like me, I've managed to find some books that are just creepy enough to enjoy, but not too scary! 1) I Am Not A Serial Killer - Dan Wells John Cleaver is a teenager and sociopath who works in the morgue with his mom. He is also obsessed with serial killers. He recognizes that he has many of the traits himself, so he lives by a strict set of rules to keep the "monster" caged inside. But his knowledge of serial killers helps him recognize somethin

The Girl On The Train - Paula Hawkins Synopsis Rachel, a recently divorced alcoholic, takes the same train into London every day. Even when she gets fired, she keeps her daily commute so her landlord/roommate won't know. Every day, she passes the same set of houses--one of them her ex's and his new wife.  There is another house that sticks out, just down the street. A young couple lives there, and every day as she passes them, Rachel feels like she comes to know them.  She makes up names for them, creates backstories, etc. But then one day she sees something that isn't right. Her observation gets her caught up in a dangerous police investigation and tangled up in the intimate details of other people's lives. Review This was a HUGE best-selling thriller earlier this year, and one of the most reviewed books on Amazon. I read it in about a day. This book was mainly told from the viewpoint of three complex women: Rachel, Anna, and Megan. Rachel is the main p

Partials - Dan Wells This is Book 1 in the Partials Sequence trilogy Synopsis In the near future, scientist have created super-humans, called Partials, which they used as soldiers in a great war against China. Then, denied rights as human beings, the Partials fight against their human creators. The war ends when a huge virus has wipes out 99.9% of the human population. The people left (in the US at least) have formed a society on Long Island, while the remaining Partials occupy Manhattan and other cities. Unfortunately, all new human babies being born die within a day from the virus. This means extinction for humans is on the horizon. The Partials face a similar dilemma: They were built with an expiration date and are also beginning to die out. Kira is a teen who works in the hospital and is studying the virus, determined to find a cure. While out on a mission, she and her friends capture a Partial, Samm, who helps lead to a discovery about the virus and the origins of the

1)  The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared  - Jonas Jonasson Centenarian Allan Karlsson has ended up in a nursing home after a very long and eventful life. But on his 100th birthday, Allan decides he still has a lot to live for and escapes out the window in his bedroom slippers. A series of zany events follows, involving a suitcase of stolen money, angry criminals, new friends, and an elephant. But this isn't Allan's only crazy adventure. The book talks about his crazy life, his fondness for explosives, and his ability to be in the right place at the right time. Not only has he seen some of the key events in the last century, but he may have been the one behind them. This book was wacky and fun to read, with lots of laugh out loud moments. The book was written originally in Swedish and translated into English, giving it a unique voice. 2)  The Unlikely Pilgramage of Harold Fry  - Rachel Joyce Harold Fry, recently retired, lives a quie

Shadows of Self - Brandon Sanderson This is the second book in a series, so potential Spoilers for the first book, Alloy of Law. Synopsis Waxillium Ladrian is back in Elendel a few months after the events in Alloy of Law . He's trying to settle into normal life, but obviously failing. He and his best friend, Wayne, use their powers to help the police force chase down criminals in the city. Marasi Combs, now a constable, joins them. In doing so, they uncover a plot to overthrow the governor. With social and economic conditions worsening, the government collapsing could send them back to a state like from the time of the Final Empire. It's a race against time and an immortal enemy to save civilization as they know it. Review Surprisingly, I have not reviewed one of Sanderson's novels yet.  He is one of my favorite authors, and I basically love everything he writes.  He is a master storyteller, with huge plot twists and reveals that I can never quite guess,

The Last Kingdom - Bernard Cromwell Synopsis Set in ninth-century England, Uhtred, a minor Northumbrian noble, is taken by the Vikings when his father is killed in battle. He grows up learning the Viking ways, but wants to reclaim his birthright and castle, which his uncle stole from him. He joins King Alfred of Wessex (later known in history as Alfred the Great) and becomes one of the greatest warriors to fight for what will be known as England. Review This book has long been on my "To Read" list, and because the BBC made a TV series out of it did I finally decide I needed to read it. And I'm glad I did! Uhtred is the main character, and narrator. He tells the story from the future looking back on his life, so he gives plenty of foreshadowing. Sometimes I don't like this "storytelling" narration, especially since some of the sentences tended to ramble, but in this case it works and makes you want to keep reading. It is interesting to see Uhtr

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan Synopsis In the recent recession, Clay Jannon is out of a job, until he stumbles across a 'Help Wanted' sign in the window of an unusual bookstore, owned by the kind yet mysterious Mr. Penumbra. Clay is hired for the nightshift in the store, and it's clear that it's a front for something else--strange customers come in to the store at all hours of the night, urgently requesting to check out some of the store's unique volumes. Clay decides to get to the bottom of what's going on. Enlisting the help of his friends, their investigation leads them on a wild adventure to solve a mystery that's hundreds of years old. Review The plot is extremely compelling, but lighthearted--it doesn't take itself too seriously. I really didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book--I had seen it was popular and looked interesting. But after the first couple pages I was hooked and in for a fun adventur

Another week, another chance to get at that To Be Read stack! I just finished Book 65 of this year, and yet I have so many more lined up! What are you currently reading? Have a great week!

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir Synopsis Laia is a Scholar, a people who were conquered hundreds of years ago by the Martials. When her grandparents are killed in front of her and her brother is taken prisoner, she manages to escape. She finds her way to the Resistance, a rebel movement which her parents once led, and for which they lost their lives. In exchange for help in getting her brother out of prison, Laia agrees to spy for them in the very heart of Martial society: Blackcliff, the academy where the terrifying Masks are trained. Elias is one of those Masks--in fact, the best the school has seen in decades. But he finds himself disillusioned with the blood and violence loved by Martial society. On the eve of his escape, the fulfillment of a prophecy brings him right back into the center of everything he hates as he fights friend and foe for the chance to be Emperor. He wants to be free, but will it cost him his soul? Meanwhile, ancient evils stir, and Laia and E

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Gailbraith (aka J.K. Rowling) Synopsis Cormoran Strike is a private investigator barely making ends meet and is now living in his office after a final breakup with his ex-fiancée. Enter John Bristowe, a childhood friend who asks Cormoran to look into the death of his supermodel sister, Lula Landry, from a few months back. The police ruled it as a suicide, but there are hints that it was not. Following the case, Cormoran is plunged into the world of supermodels, rockstars, and the fabulously wealthy as he seeks to expose the dark underbelly of that glittering world.  Review If you're looking for Harry Potter, don't bother with this book. However, for what it was (a crime/detective novel), it was good. Not great, but good. The characters had some depth, though at times it ran on cliché (rough but brilliant detective in a dingy office with a female secretary, etc). I felt like the main character maybe had too many crazy de

There's a trending hashtag on Twitter among authors and literary folks called #DiversityInBooks, promoting the reading of books by authors or about characters who are from a diverse set of ethnic or racial groups (aka: not white). Personally, I love it and always have enjoyed reading about people and cultures and situations that are completely different from mine. I think that by doing so, we create better understanding among each other as human beings. Diversity should unite us, not divide us. Here are three books that I found that are not only written by minority authors with minority main characters, but actually discuss what race is and what it means in the US today. Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng This novel, set in the 1970s in small-town Ohio, shows the struggles of the Lee family after the sudden death of their teenage daughter, Lydia. Unsure if it was murder or suicide, the book slowly reveals backstories for each of the characters until we find out what

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab Synopsis There are four different Londons in four parallel worlds: Grey London, Red London, White London, and the closed off Black London, all with varying degrees of magic. Only two people, known as Antari , have the ability to travel between them. Kell, from Red London, is one of them, and works as an ambassador between worlds. He also smuggles forbidden artifacts from one world to another. At one point, he unknowingly brings a dangerous object from Black London. He flees to Grey London, only to have it stolen by Lila Bard, a pickpocket with big dreams. She then saves his life and forces him to take her on an adventure spanning worlds. Together they have to try save all the Londons and the worlds they inhabit from an ancient magic that threatens to destroy them all. Review I was drawn in by the first couple pages and couldn't stop. Some have complained that the first 100 pages are a bit slow and front-loaded with world building

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella Synopsis Poppy Wyatt is engaged to handsome Magnus Tavish, a brilliant academic from a brilliant, nerdy, academic family. They're all set to get married in just a few weeks, though she struggles with feeling inadequate and inferior to her fiancee and his family. But then she loses her phone, and her engagement ring, on the same day. Luckily she finds a spare phone in the rubbish, which happens to belong to Sam Roxton, a practical and often socially inept executive at a prestigious company. He agrees to let her keep the phone if she helps him with some work while he looks for a new assistant (the last one having ditched the phone in the bin when she quit). Poppy begins to find out more about Sam's life, and begins to interfere little by little, her actions having often hilarious consequences. As Poppy juggles wedding prep, hiding the missing ring from her fiancé, and meddling with Sam, she begins to really think about what--and

Looking over some of my favorite books that I read over and over from when I was growing up, I realized they all had one thing in common: Strong, independent, kick-ass female protagonists. I know reading these books helped shaped me into who I am today, as I wanted to emulate the characteristics found in these girls. I highly recommend all of these books to everyone, but especially if you have any young girls that you know. 1) Catherine, Called Birdy - Karen Cushman If I ever HAD to pick a favorite book (which, let's be real, is really impossible), then I just might say it's this one. I read this book so much that I had to go buy another copy because the first fell apart. The story is about Catherine, nickname Birdy, who is 14 years old, living in England in 1290 AD. Her father is determined to marry her off, but through hilarious shennanigens, she sends each would-be suitor packing. But then the nastiest--and richest--suitor comes along, and it will take everythi

The Martian by Andy Weir Synopsis The Ares 3 Mars mission is forced to abandon their 31-day mission on day six due to a huge sandstorm. Unfortunately, a flying piece of debris hits Mark Watney as the crew makes their way to the ship. He's lost in the storm, and the five other members leave him behind, thinking he's dead. Well, he's not. Instead, he's stuck on Mars. By himself. With only thirty days of food and limited supplies and no way to communicate to back home. And the next Mars mission won't be there for four years. Plus, if anything breaks down, he's dead. So he'd better get to work on figuring out how to survive. Review I first heard about this book about six months ago, saw the thousands of five-star ratings on Amazon, and bought it. It joined my "To Read" queue, but was repeatedly pushed back by library books with more immediate due dates. Finally, with the movie release coming up soon, I moved it to the top of my list a

Redshirts by John Scalzi Winner of the 2014 Hugo Award for Best Novel Synopsis Andy Dahl has just arrived the galactic ship  Intrepid . But things aren't... quite normal. For one thing, people seem to die a lot, especially on away missions, and especially newer people who come on board. People act weird too, suddenly saying things or having knowledge and skills they never mentioned before, along with incredible technology that has no explanation. And it all seems to center around the Captain and four of his closest crew members, who manage to survive every away mission. So Dahl and his friends decide to do some investigating to figure out what's going on, and potentially save their own lives. What he discovers isn't at all what he was expecting. Review This is one of the more clever and humorous books I've read. It's great satire on the tropes and stereotypes of science fiction shows *cough*Star Trek*cough* (before anyone gets on my case, I was raised

BBC's Pride and Prejudice mini-series turned 20 years old today! One of my mother's favorite books was Pride and Prejudice, and she passed that love onto me. Jane Austen was not only a talented and witty writer, but she captured the different social aspects of the time (the balls, the etiquette, and the romance) and provided comedic commentary. She also created unique, clever, and memorable female characters in an age where women were not at the forefront. For those of you who love Jane Austen and all things Regency, here are five books that you are sure to enjoy. 1) Austenland - Shannon Hale At 32, Jane is obsessed with everything Austen, but especially Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately, that has had repercussions on her real-life relationships. Then her elderly relative provides a three-week vacation to Pembroke Park, a discreet British resort where guests live like they're in an Austen novel. Jane vows that she will go as one final hurrah, and afterwards leave her