Books Via Ashley

This post is especially for white people. We need to educate ourselves on what it means to be black in the US. Beyond listening to my POC (that's People of Color) friends when they speak about the injustices and prejudices they face, and following more POC on social media to gain a broader perspective, I also read as much as I can. These are six books I think are very helpful to understanding the history and reality of black people in the United States. Fiction 1) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Starr witnesses her unarmed friend get shot by a police officer and decides to speak out. I think this book should be required reading in all schools. 2) Americanah   by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Ifemelu moves to the US from Nigeria and learns for the first time what it means to be "black". 3) The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead In this book, the Underground Railroad is a literal thing that helps Cora escape from slavery in Georgia. But with a slave...

So you really liked The Hunger Games and want some more of that sweet sweet dystoptian YA feeling. I'm guessing you've already read Divergent by Veronica Roth and Maze Runner by James Dashner (if not, were you even part of the YA dystopian craze??). Here are some other series I think you'll enjoy: Red Rising by Pierce Brown Basically Hunger Games in Space with super evolved humans. The main character is of the lowest caste (a Red) and fakes his way to the very top of society in order to take them down. ***Content Warning*** This book has a lot of violence (about the same as HG), and there is high use of profanity. Partials by Dan Wells One of the most underrated series in my humble opinion. 99% of the world's population has been wiped out by a weaponized virus during the war with the Partials—engineered organic super-humans—and no new babies are being born. Sixteen year old Kira is trying to find a solution. When a supply run ends with them capturing ...

Hello everyone! *waves* Remember how I said I was "back" and then didn't post anything for tover a year? Well now with this global pandemic I finally am returning to this blog. Lots of people are reading more than ever now, and I've had many people ask me to recommend various books. So I thought I'd do some posts more along those themes, and perhaps the occasional book review sprinkled in between. Today, the theme is inspired by traveling and exploring. I, like many of you, am tired of being stuck inside and unable to travel. One of the thing I love most about books is it's a way to escape and go on a new adventure. And I especially love books about finding a new world, ones that capture that awe and fascination and magical sense of a new place. It calls to that part deep within me that longs to see stunning vistas and meet new people and get to know a culture different from my own. Here are five books that capture that feeling, and will leave you aching t...

Tomorrow my husband and I are off on a holiday to Egypt! We're going to tour from Cairo to Aswan and back again and see EVERYTHING. Ancient Egypt has always been a fascination of mine. I remember getting one of those Discovery Books about mummies when I was about eight years old and being totally mesmerized by it and everything Egyptian. When we learned about Ancient Egypt in sixth grade, I read the entire textbook and then some. To top it all off, I recently completed my MA in Egyptology. To celebrate, here are some novels I've read that have to do with Egypt, both ancient, modern, and fantastical. Nefertiti - Michelle Moran This book, told from the perspective of Nefertiti's little sister, Mutnodjmet, chronicles the rise of one of Egypt's most famous queens. While I don't love Moran's writing or characterization, she breathes life into Ancient Egypt, vividly describing the beauty and wonder of the civilization and the people. She's also writt...

Anyone who knows me knows that I love cats. Growing up, we always had a cat or three around the house. They were mostly free-range cats, living outside and roaming around with no collars, only coming by for food and ear scratches. But when I was in 7th grade, we acquired a cat that we named Tabitha (she was a tabby cat; super creative, I know). She was my best pal for years. When she died three years ago, I was beyond devastated. And now, this past Saturday, my husband and I got a new little kitten named Jinx. He's all black with yellow eyes and is spunky, playful, adventurous, and loves to cuddle in my lap. I love him so much already! In honor of kitties, here are five books that have fun feline characters: 1) The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents - Terry Pratchett Set in Pratchett's famous Discworld , Maurice the cat and his rats are self-aware and can talk (they ate wizard rubbish), and they have the perfect scheme to get rich. The rats "infest...

In honor of just having been recently married last Friday (!!! :D), here are five books that have to do with love and marriage: 1) Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen I mean, you all had to know this would be on here. This book is ALL about marriage! I love Pride & Prejudice because it's about flawed people (both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth) who realize their mistakes and work to become better people for each other and slowly build up their love and trust. Plus Mrs. Bennett's (and everyone's, really) obsession with marrying off all her daughters is fun and ridiculous to behold. 2) Les Miserables - Victor Hugo This book has a ton of things going on in it, from the heavy themes of justice and mercy, to the plight of the lower classes, but mixed in among everything is a very sweet love story. The musical makes the love between Cosette and Marius seem very fast, but if you read the book, it happens over the course of a few months, and after all the craziness...

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...

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, l...

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 ...

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...

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 ...