My 2015 A-Z Challenge Wrap Up!

I started off this challenge with a list of books that fit each letter of the alphabet and that were on my TBR. As you probably know reading a certain book doesn't always fit your mood so I had to take a step away from the reading the books I specified and just read what I was in the mood for. So, I ended up meeting the challenge with a few more technicalities than I wanted but I completed it and I am so proud!

Here is my final list of books from A to Z:

A. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

B. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

C: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

D: Dime by E. R. Frank

E: Everyday by David Levithan

F: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

G: Golden Son by Pierce Brown

H: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (re-read)

I: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

J.  Joyride by Anna Banks

K. Kagawa, Julie - Talon

L. The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg (re-read)

M. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

N. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

O. The Outsiders by SE Hinton

P. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (re-read)

Q. The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

R. Rogue by Julie Kagawa

S. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

T. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

U. Uglies: Cutters by Scott Westerfeld

V. Very Good Lives by J. K. Rowling

W. The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

X. AleXie, Sherman - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Y. Yoon, Nicola - Everything, Everything 

Z. Zevin, Gabrielle - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

In 2016 I plan on participating in this challenge as well as the Around the Year in 52 Books challenge! You can check out these challenges by going to the Young Adult Book Club group for the A-Z challenge and the Around the Year in 52 Books group both of which are on Goodreads! I am also participating with the A Very Shadowhunter Read Along group in their year long (re)read of all of the Shadowhunter novels.

Christmas Questions from Epic Reads

Margot at EpicReads posted a holiday tag on the EpicReads youtube and I thought I would answer the questions on here!

1. What is your favorite book to gift during the holidays?
I don't really have a singular book that I gift because I have friends with very different tastes in books. A lot of times I just get them a gift card so they can pick out their own books but if I were to pick one book that I would gift to literally anyone this year it would have to be I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson!

2. What is the best book you have ever received as a gift?
I've been buying my own books for a while now but the best book I remember receiving as a gift was my UK boxed set of the Signature Harry Potter hardcovers that I got for Christmas last year. I received all of the HP books as gifts as they came out and being they have affected my life so much they obviously had to get the mention.

3. What book do you hope to get this year?
I got a handful of signed books on Black Friday as a gift from my Aunt, but I obviously had to be there to pick them out so I have already received those. I hope that if anyone was to buy me a book that it would be a pre-order for Passenger by Alexandra Bracken or Front Lines by Michael Grant!

4. What is your favorite holiday movie?
ELF! All the way! I quote it so much and just adore it! Oh and the Polar Express! I can watch both of these on repeat for the whole month of December and not tire of them.

5. What holiday song is always on repeat?
I am actually not that into Christmas music (don't kill me) but if I were to play any song on repeat it would probably be Baby It's Cold Outside (Idina Menzel and Michael Buble version). I also love All I Want For Christmas! A not so Christmassy winter song would be Mittens by Carly Rae Jepsen. I think I just need to find the right albums and songs to get myself more into Christmas music, I guess that is my task for the coming year so I can be prepared for next Christmas season! Recommend awesome Christmas albums/songs and artists versions that you like below?!

6. What is your favorite holiday food to either make or eat?
COOKIES! I love making chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, the peanut butter ones with the hershey kiss in the center, basically all the cookies. I also really enjoy oreo truffles, 'poor man's' peanut butter candy, and fudge.

Merry Christmas everyone!
- Amanda

The Shadowhunter Academy Novellas by Cassandra Clare

The Shadowhunter Academy novellas follow Simon Lewis as he tries to regain his memories after the events of City of Heavenly Fire and attends Shadowhunter Academy in Idris to eventually Ascend as a Shadowhunter. While many of the novellas focus on Simon's trials at the academy, his newfound friendship with George Lovelace, and his struggles with Shadowhunter law a good few of them also focus on some other characters that have popped up throughout the Infernal Devices and the Mortal Instruments or will be in the upcoming Dark Artifices and Last Hours series.

Reading these have really made anxious for the Dark Artifices and have made me feel guilty for still not having read The Infernal Devices or The Bane Chronicles yet... /shame/

It wouldn't be a Cassandra Clare work if it wasn't an emotional roller coaster ride of feels induced hysteria. Here are some one sentence summaries that should help you get a small gist of what I was feeling after each book. No spoilers are intended.

Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy
One sentence summary: Reading this was like coming home after being gone for several months.

The Lost Herondale
One sentence summary: I am curious as to how the plot of this short may come into play in future Shadowhunter novels.

The Whitechapel Fiend
One sentence summary: Love hearing more of Tessa Gray's story!

Nothing But Shadows
One sentence summary: James Herondale and Matthew Fairchild, some interesting back story in this installment.

The Evil We Love
One sentence summary: The beginning of The Circle as told by Robert Lightwood.

Pale Kings and Princes
One sentence summary: Helen and Mark Blackthorn get some air time in Simon's studies.

Bitter of Tongue
One sentence summary: Simon had to get kidnapped at some point. 

The Fiery Trial
One sentence summary: Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn get a cameo and Simon trips on Lake Lyn water.

Born to Endless Night
One sentence summary: Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood have a fantastic character dynamic and I am so excited for their little plot twist!

Angels Twice Descending 
One sentence summary: I was so smiley and happy and then I was emotionally destroyed.

Graphic Novel Wrap Up | #2

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

 This was a really interesting story about Jin, Danny, and a monkey king. Jin is a young Chinese-American boy who has just moved to a new school and just wants to fit in with everyone else. Danny is an All-American boy who is embarrassed annually when his cousin Chin-kee comes to visit. The monkey king struggles with wanting to be the master of everything and not wanting to be a monkey. Each story adds a new facet to a great story of self-discovery, understanding your worth, and being comfortable with who you are. Each character damages their lives with choices they have made and now they need to right the wrongs. This is a great story for anyone to read because it makes you think about choices you have made. Plus it is just a fantastic graphic novel with beautiful art and story telling. ★★★★

Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley

This was such a fun read! If you have ever thought back on an event in your life and wanted to change it thinking that it would only get better this book illustrates just how wrong you might be. Katie has it pretty good, she helped start an amazing restaurant and is now moving on to owning a new restaurant but things are not happening the way she wants them and when given the chance she is able to write her mistakes away. I love Katie and Lis and would love to read more of this story and the magic involved. The art in this book is gorgeous and the story was so intriguing and quick to read. ★★★★

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Through the Woods is a collection of "spooky" stories based around the woods. Knowing that this is a Middle Grade/YA book I new that it would not be super scary but it was spooky enough to be perfect for the month of October when I read it. I really enjoyed the second story of the book. It had a good rhythm and flow to it. The rest of the stories were just okay. None of the stories in this book blew me away but I definitely appreciate what Carroll was trying to do. I kind of wish the stories fit together better and that the conclusion would have tied all of the stories together. The art is lovely and the stories are unique and interesting. ★★★

Here by Richard McGuire

Here is a graphic novel that focuses on the corner of a living room and how that one corner evolves over billions of years. The most interesting thing about this book for me was that it was not a linear progression of time and that multiple years of time were depicted in one image. It was so interesting to see how time and history can be shown through a fixed point. This is such a surreal and thought provoking novel that makes me think of how the would may have changed over the course of time in my own fixed point, my own corner of the world. What was here 50, 500, 5 million years ago? What will be here in my place in another 500 years? I definitely recommend you leaf through this a few times to get the full impact. I have noticed something new each time. ★★★★

Saga Vol. 5 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

Saga is a FANTASTIC sci-fi graphic novel!

"When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe."

Saga is all about this family and their fight to stay together despite all of the attacks coming at them for being from two different races and having a child together while their planet and moon are fighting a civil war. This story is crazy, awesome, action-packed, and graphic. It is definitely for mature audiences. I have enjoyed every single volume of this story, so much that I had to start buying the individual issues to sate my obsession. The art style and the amazing cast of characters are just two more reasons you should dive into this story sooner rather than later! ★★★★★

Bookish Subscription Boxes

Subscription boxes are becoming very popular in the lives of many pop culture geeks and nerds of the world as well as foodies, readers, and homemakers. If you are into geeky gamer gear you may have your eye on Lootcrate, Nerdblock, or 1up Box. If you are a foodie you may get a Graze Box or Nature Box. If you enjoy getting things for your dog friends there is always the Bark Box. If you are a fan of jewelry you may have seen the Flitwicks Box and the Fandom of the Month Club. The list goes on and on!

For readers like me, and probably you too since you are on my blog, there are several book related boxes that have become all the rage recently especially in the realm of YA literature. Here are just a few of the boxes that I know of that contain books and book related goodies and a few quick notes about them:

• Owlcrate - YA book box based in Canada - each monthly box has a theme
• Uppercase Box - YA book box based in the US - 3 price level options
• The Book Drop - book box based in US - run by an independent bookstore
• The YA Chronicles - YA book box based in Australia - boxes center around a theme
• Illumicrate - YA book box based in UK - boxes are delivered quarterly
• The Bookworm Box -  book box based in the US - all profits are donated to charity
• The Bookish Box - book related home, beauty, and apparel products - based in the US

There are so many great options and surprises wrapped up in these boxes of goodies. I have seen the products that all of these boxes have put out (not all in person unfortunately) and I am really impressed with the quality that each box puts forth. Out of the ones above I have personally purchased the Owlcrate, Uppercase, and The Book Drop boxes and I will go a little more in-depth on what each of these boxes are and my opinions on the boxes. If you are interested in other boxes mentioned above please click on the links and visit their websites where you will be able to find out more information about the different services they provide. Now, on to the reviews!

Owlcrate - "Magical Monthly Reads"

What comes in the box?

The Owlcrate box always comes with a new release YA book (sometimes an adult book) and the book is usually a new release from the month that the box ships out (example: the November box has a November new release book in it). Along with the book there are usually 3-5 other bookish goodies and some kind of exclusive from the author or publisher. Each month is curated around a specific theme and items are usually from other small businesses such as Etsy shops. 

How long have I been subscribed?

I have been subscribed to this box since March 2015  which was the first ever box they released.

What purchase options are there?

There is currently only one type of box being offered but you can subscribe for 1, 3, or 6 months at a time.

What is something special about this box?

I love the themed aspect of this box. Each month has a theme and that is all we know about the box until it is dropped off by the owls. I always try to venture a guess at the book and sometimes I am wrong and sometimes I am right! The theme also gives me a hint as to what books to stay away from when book shopping.

What is my overall impression of the box?

I love this box! Each one gets better and better and I am always surprised as to what will be in the box. The attention to detail and the wonderful owners behind the box make this a subscription that you shouldn't miss out on! I even got a book that was slightly damaged and they were quick to respond and get a replacement sent to me right away.

Uppercase Box - "YA Books Delivered to You"

What comes in the box?

The Uppercase box delivers a new release YA book and 1-2 exclusive book related items. You also get an online interactive "Uppercase Reading Experience" via codes placed throughout the book that you enter on the Uppercase website to get exclusive content or be a part of the discussion on the book with other Uppercase subscribers.

How long have I been subscribed?

I have been subscribed to this box since October 2015 (and a one box trial back in March 2015).

What purchase options are there?

There are currently 3 plans available for you to choose from:

• The lowest price option is the Book Exclusive plan and costs $17 a month before shipping. This plan only includes the book (which is the same as the Expert plan book) and the Uppercase Reading Experience. 
• The second option is the Expert plan which includes the book, 1-2 bookish goodies, and the Uppercase Reading Experience. The cost for the Expert box is $23 per month before shipping. 
• The third plan is the Personalized Plan which is tailored to you and is not a "cookie cutter" box that everyone receives. This plan is $29 per month and includes a new released book and 1-2 bookish items. The personalized plan does not have an online, interactive component nor are the books guaranteed to be signed/include a bookplate.

The Expert and Book Exclusive plans also guarantee that the book will be signed or come with a signed book plate and usually come with a promotional item.

What is something special about this box?

One of the perks of the Uppercase box is the fact that you get a signed book or a bookplate to put in your book each month. I love having that little piece of a connection with an author especially since signings just don't happen that often in my area. I also think the fact that this box only has 1 or 2 items will appeal to those who don't want a bunch of extra trinkets. 

What is my overall impression of the box?

This is a fantastic box! It is well worth the price and the items are high quality and usually exclusive to the Uppercase Box. The packaging is different because the "box" is actually a bag and it is delivered inside a padded envelope. 

The Book Drop - "Run by an independent bookstore at the beach"

What comes in the box?

The Book Drop box comes with one paperback book and usually some kind of extra bookish item. Most of the time the book comes signed or with a bookplate or signed swag. On rare occasions the lovely people at Bethany Beach Books includes a bonus book or item! I receive the YA box called A Little Bit of Everything.

How long have I been subscribed?

I have been subscribed to this box since August 2015!

What purchase options are there?

This box has the most options that I have seen in a subscription box yet! There are adult boxes - the Jane and the Ernest, 3 genre based YA (14+) choices, and 3 genre based children's (8-12 yo) boxes. The Jane box includes a book that is either contemporary, historical fiction, or literary fiction. The Ernest box includes a book that is either thriller, action, or non-fiction. The YA box choices are Romance/Love, Action/Adventure, or A Little bit of Everything. The Children's box choices are Pleasant Reads, Action/Adventure, or A Little bit of Everything.

What is something special about this box?

I love that this box is so diverse an that there is literally something that could please everyone! I also really love that this is a box that is run by an independent bookstore from my state and that this is a great way for me to support them even when I can't make a trip there as often as I do the more local indies near me. These boxes have a very personal feel to them and are always packaged with great care.

What is my overall impression of the box?

This box has its own little niche to serve of people who prefer paperbacks or don't want the newest most hyped books out there. I am so impressed that I have gotten books that I haven't really heard of before (aside from A Thousand Pieces of You) and that they have been some fantastic reads.

In Conclusion

I seriously love each of these boxes and it has been so much fun getting a surprise each month. It is like Christmas or your birthday each month when a box pops into your mailbox. Anyways, I hope that my reviews of these boxes help you gain a better understanding of what these products are and why they are such a hit with loads of people. I wish I could review all of the bookish boxes out there for you but I have to draw the line somewhere. :)

If you receive any of the boxes featured in this post or know of any other boxes that should be on my list please leave a comment below sharing your experiences and varied knowledge! 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: April 1st, 2014
Edition: Paperback/Audiobook Pages: 288
Purchase: Book Depository

My Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars) 

Synopsis

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love (Goodreads).

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading/listening to this book! The main thing that sold me on this book was that it is a book about books. The book mentions so many books and authors it makes you want to read even more (here is a list of books mentioned in Storied). 

I love the characters, I love how the story progressed, I enjoyed the little twists and turns, and I adored the beautiful and bittersweet moments in the book. There is so much that I can say about this book but I really don't want to give away too much. The synopsis says enough! Oh, and I adore Amelia! She is my spirit animal!

This book has some great quotes about books and love, and just some really funny moments. 

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books about books or books about bookish people because sometimes you just need to read a book about people like yourself. 

“Sometimes books don't find us until the right time.” 

“They had only ever discussed books but what, in this life, is more personal than books?” 

“You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, What is your favorite book?” 

Get to Know Me | Questions and Answers (#1)

Hello All! I've been wanting to do a Q&A/ get to know me kind of post for a while now just to help you get to know me more. Thanks to those who have asked questions on Instagram! Lets start with some basics: my name is Amanda, I am 24 years old, and I teach middle school science.

A few people may remember my Instagram started as @amandareads21 in January of 2015. I started the separate Instagram account specifically for my book pictures because I wanted to share them with people that would appreciate them and the friends and family that follow my personal IG just weren't the audience I was going for. Then I started thing that my username was pretty generic and didn't represent me the way I wanted it to so I wanted to go by a different username and create a stronger presence within the bookstagram community. So, in June after BookCon I made the change, I started this blog for my reviews, called it The Bookish Hollow, and started "making a name for myself" under the new handle. I love sharing pictures and reviews of the books I read and I have thoroughly enjoyed this past year of sharing my reading with you. Now, on the the questions you sent!


First book you read? - thebookishangel 
I am not really sure. The first books I remember reading in Elementary school were Eric Carle books (I loved Brown Bear, Brown Bear) and the Magic Tree House books. I was also a huge Scholastic book fair nut and was a member of the Magic Tree House and Dear America book clubs.

What book got you into reading? - fictionandtea
Matilda by Roald Dahl!

Do you have any siblings who are obsessed with books? Where are you from? - fictionandpages 
I have a 30 year old brother that is not a fan of reading, so unfortunately no. I don't really have much family that is into reading. My mom has read some things that I have forced on her. I make up for the lack of bookishness in my family by having friends that love to read books and the people I know through bookstagram/blogging of course! I live in the state of Delaware in the U.S.

How old are you? - rosexblood 
I am 24 years old! I am a 90's baby and the song Unbelievable by Owl City featuring Hanson is my theme song! Plus Hanson is my jam!

How has your life changed by having a bookstagram and blog? - livthebooknerd 
This is a really interesting question! My life hasn't changed too much really. I spend a little more time taking pictures of the books I am reading and buying and chatting with other 'grammers. I also put more effort into my reviews to make them interesting to read. I have also been able to get some galley's from a local bookstore and NetGalley.

Who's your favorite book villian? - samreadstoomuch 
Hmmm... I really love to hate Count Olaf from A Series of Unfortunate Events and Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter Series.

Favorite series/show? - maddiejo3l 
Once Upon a Time, Doctor Who, House, Sherlock, Supernatural, and Criminal Minds are just a few of my current favorite TV shows. My all time favorite TV shows are probably Lizzie McGuire and Boy Meets World.

Book that surprised me the most this year? - sarenasashabooks 
I have read many a good book this year and could say that they have all surprised me in some way or another but to narrow it down I have 3 different ways to answer this question...

1. The "no words/please leave me to my tears" book - I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson and My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga 
2. The "holy plot twist, Batman" book - Damage Done by Amanda Panitch
3. The "overwhelmed by awesomeness" book - Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Favorite Book Adaptation? - totoro_books
The Hunger Games movies are probably my favorites! I love the HP adaptations and The Fault in Our Stars but I think The Hunger Games movies have been consistently the best!

What are your opinions on ARCs, do you think they give blogger status? - booksbyvale
I enjoy getting access to the few ARCs that I do get and I kind of enjoy getting early access to new books. I don't particularly like that ARCs are given out for some sequels just because if it is an establish series or the first book was well received then I feel like the sequels should be kept from everyone. I do think that bloggers that receive lots of ARCs do gain a bit of status but so have the booktubers. I don't really care about the status of ARCs I just enjoy getting a first look and be able to recommend some new books to people. I would still blog even if I didn't get to review a few ARCs.

What do you and your favorite book hero/heroine have in common? - booksbyvale
Hands down my favorite protagonist is Matilda! I connected a lot with her when I was younger being the bookish loner that I was. I loved her bravery and though my family is nothing like hers I connected with how books were her escape and school was what I looked forward to, even with the bullies.

If your question wasn't answered here then I may have already answered it or I am saving it for it's own post! Thank you all so much for asking such wonderful questions! If you have a question you would like me to answer next time, please comment down below!