To Read or Not To Read

What an absolutely delightful sophomore novel from the author of Dangerous Alliance , Jennieke Cohen! A retelling of the the much-loved My Fair Lady, My Fine Fellow follows the culinary hijinks of three characters—Elijah, Penelope, and Helena—as they cook their way to magnificent heights and learn all about love and acceptance in the process.  Jennieke Cohen is a Filipina-American author of young adult historical fiction. Her debut novel, Dangerous Alliance ,  was a Junior Library Guild selection and has been translated into multiple languages. Jennieke studied English history at Cambridge University and has a master's degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California. She has worked as a nonfiction ghostwriter, a literary agent's assistant, and as a writing consultant to Silicon Valley tech companies. When not writing or researching little-known corners of history, you'll find her cooking and baking up a storm, singing show tunes, overanalyzing old ...

This young adult novel is one for the books. Angela Velez's debut, Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity , covers more ground than just the distance between Baltimore and San Fransisco. It dives deep into familial expectations, the meaning of sisterhood, and the development of self-love. Lulu and Milagro demand to be heard, and their story isn't one that will soon be forgotten. A must read for all avid young adult fiction fans!  Angela Velez grew up in Baltimore, Maryland under the watchful eye of her Peruvian immigrant parents. She earned her bachelor of arts from Columbia University and her master of fine arts from the University of Pittsburgh, where she was a K. Leroy Irvis Fellow. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her pile of books, three plastic flamingos, and one wobbly disco ball. Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity  is her first novel. You can visit her online at www.angelavelez.com . You can also find Angela on Instagram and Twitter.  Overachiever L...

Another powerful and enlightening historical fiction read from Ruta Sepetys, I Must Betray You is more than just a story of Romanians from the communist regime, but a testament to humanity's strength and resilience. With her masterful world building skills and creating characters whose stories we care so deeply about, Sepetys shows the world once again how important history and giving history a voice is.  Ruta Sepetys is an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Sepetys is considered a "crossover" novelist, as her books are read by both teens and adults worldwide. Her novels Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, Salt to the Sea and The Fountains of Silence have won or been shortlisted for more than forty book prizes, and are included on more than sixty state award lists. Between Shades of Gray was adapted into film Ashes in the Snow , and her other novels are currentl...

A gorgeous contemporary romance novel from writing duo Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, The Roughest Draft is the perfect novel for fans of Beach Read and Weather Girl . Featuring two cowriters—both struggling with personal and professional problems—writing to the heart of their biggest struggle yet, this novel is all about facing your fears and falling in love along the way.  Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka met and fell in love in high school. Austin went on to graduate from Harvard, while Emily graduated from Princeton. Together, they are the authors of several novels about romance for teens and adults. Now married, they live in Los Angeles, where they continue to take daily inspiration from there own love story. You can find them at EmilyAndAustinWrite.com.   Three years ago, Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen were the brightest literary stars on the horizon, their cowritten book topping bestseller lists. But on the heels of their greatest success,...

A beautiful and heartfelt debut from Shauna Robinson, Must Love Books is more than just your typical romance. In fact, it turns the genre on its head, while demystifying some of the publishing industry's greatest myths. A must-read for all of my publishing savvy friends, Must Loves Books is a new favorite of mine, and a story to be treasured long past the final paragraph.  Shauna Robinson's love of books led her to try a career in publishing before deciding she'd rather write books instead. Originally from San Diego, she now lives in Virginia with her husband and their sleepy greyhound. Shauna is an introvert at heart—she spends most of her time reading, baking, and figuring out the politest way to avoid social interaction. Must Love Books is her debut novel. You can find more of my reviews of Shauna's work here .  Applicant: Nora Hughes—the overworked, underpaid, last assistant standing. At least for now. Experience: Five years too many. When Nora landed an editorial a...

An entertaining, and clean contemporary romance novel, How to Love Your Neighbor is a wonderful introductory novel to the genre for those looking to break into contemporary romance. With a blend of the genre's most beloved tropes—grumpy/sunshine, enemies to friends to lovers, and found family—coupled with side-by-side home renovations, How to Love Your Neighbor is an enjoyable weekend read. Sophie Sullivan is a Canadian author as well as a cooking-eating, Diet Pepsi-drinking, Disney enthusiast who loves reading and writing romance in almost equal measure. She writes around her day job as a teacher and spends her spare time with her sweet family watching reruns of Friends. Ten Rules for Faking It was her rom-com debut novel, but she's had plenty of practice writing happily ever afters as her alter ego, Jody Holford. You can find Sophie Sullivan at SophieSullivanAuthor.com .  Interior design school? Check. Cute house to fix up? Also check. Grumpy, sexy neighbor who is going to ge...

This book is, quite possibly, about to become one of the cornerstone novels of the contemporary romance genre. Combining the best elements of romantic comedies with the harshest and most poignant details of real life, Weather Girl reevaluates the potential of contemporary romance, providing heartfelt commentary on the power of telling real love stories. Rachel Lynn Solomon is the bestselling author of love stories for teens and adults, including The Ex Talk , Today Tonight Tomorrow, and Weather Girl . Originally from Seattle, she's currently navigating expat life with her husband in Amsterdam, where she's on a mission to try as many Dutch sweets as possible. You can find Rachel at RachelSolomonBooks.com, and on Instagram and Twitter @RLynn_Solomon. You can find more of my reviews of Rachel's works here .  Ari Abrams has always been fascinated by the weather, and she loves almost everything about her job as a TV meteorologist. Her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torranc...

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms thoughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the circumstances of his criminal convinction for gross indecency for consensual homosexual acts in "one of the first celebrity trials," imprisonment, and early death from meningitis at age 46. Below, find the best quotes from The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest  with their corresponding chapter numbers or act numbers!  The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty. There is no such thing as a moral o...