Let’s talk about What I’ve Been reading lately

So, as I have said early…my summer has been weird. And I have kind of been keeping the blog updated as far as reading goes, but I know I can do better. For now I want to just tell you about two books that I have read (because that is all I have completed this month so far…come on Emily. Get your stuff together!). One book is a standalone, with many many laughs. The other, the end of a series that I become so addicted to for a wide variety of odd reasons.

For a full synopsis of My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows head on over to Goodreads!

Essentially, My Lady Jane is a retelling of the story of Lady Jane Grey, who was Queen of England for 9 days and then was beheaded. Not exactly a pleasant story in history, but the retelling is FANTASTIC. The details that are added to this story to make it a little lighter than the actual history event are amazing, and the humor in this novel is unforgettable. I honestly can’t remember the last time a book had me literally laughing out loud like this one did. There are pop culture references all over the place that just had me rolling; for instance…when Jane became queen she had to respond to invitations to various events and she automatically turned down the Red Wedding. There are so many little things like that throughout the book that just keep the reading guessing and keep them wanting more. Jane was a headstrong woman from the beginning, and I don’t think it was a bad thing but it also didn’t help her. Throughout the book she continued to be a bit headstrong and stubborn, but she really grew to become a well rounded individual and to accept what is actually happening in her life. Edward and G also really grew in the book. Their views changed, and they added to the already amazing attributes. I absolutely LOVED G (Gifford). There was something about him that was so sweet, kind, and compassionate. He only grew on me more throughout the book as he continued to get in touch with what he was feeling and what he could do about it. This book was filled with adventure, beautiful friendships with unbreakable bonds, and romances that had me swooning (and yelling because sometimes the characters really don’t know just how much they need to stop second guessing themselves and JUST DO IT). All in all, I adored this book and I think it has definitely made the list of some of my favorites from this year. If you haven’t read it YOU SHOULD!!!

To find the full synopsis of The Crown by Keira Cass head to Goodreads, but if you haven’t read this series yet you should probably check out The Selection.

Ok, I binged the first three books in this series so hard two summers ago. I was kind of obsessed, and I couldn’t really put my finger on why. The premise of The Selection is essentially The Bachelor, just a little cleaner and with royalty in a dystopian world. I just got so invested in the world and who the prince would pick that I just couldn’t stop reading. So naturally I was ecstatic when I heard that Keira Cass was going to write TWO MORE BOOKS about the Prince and chosen’s daughter as she goes through her own Selection. The first book with the daughter, Eadlyn, was pretty good, but I do think that this one was better. Was it better because I finally got to figure out who she chose? Probably. I honestly was filled with many emotions, going back and forth to figure out just which one would be selected. But beyond that there were some really good elements to the story. First there was the idea that you are capable of more than you ever thought. In this book you see Eadlyn take on A LOT of things and she kind of nails it, for the most part. It showed the importance of friendships. First, you see Eadlyn’s mom and her friendships and how strong they still are, no matter the distance or issues going on. They were always friends, no matter what. They all had such a strong bond, and I think that by the end of the book the reader can really sense the importance of it. It also showed strong friendships between the sexes. YES MEN AND WOMEN CAN BE FRIENDS WITH NO ISSUES ACTUALLY HAPPENING. IT’S POSSIBLE. Obviously they were in a competition, but as suitors left they all (minus some) left in friendly terms and had some connection back to Eadlyn. No matter what she wanted the best for them, and they wanted the same for her. She got really close to her Elite, and I think that if the story did continue on you would see those friendships growing even stronger. Lastly, you see the importance of family. I think the bonds in Eadlyn’s family just grew stronger throughout this book and showed us why our family is there. They are there for the good and the bad, no matter what. I loved that, for once, there is a book series with some positive family interactions. So often you get the deadbeat parent, but in this family neither one was a deadbeat and both were so proud of their daughter. It was refreshing to read that. So besides the slightly cheesy part, I think there are a lot of benefits to reading this book and this series.

So tell me…have you read either of these books? Would love to hear your thoughts!