Tag: ashley herring blake

Top Reads of October

Here are my top books for October!

  1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
    This is such a great book. The Iliad/The Trojan War is my weakest subject in Greek Mythology and I’ve always wanted to learn about it. I found this book so sweet and perfect in the way that it doesn’t focus too much on the war, instead focusing on the love between Patroclus and Achilles. I love the way this book (and Patroclus and Achilles’ friendship) developed and I found the plot perfect. The ending was one of the saddest things I’ve ever read. I love this book so much!
  2. Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake
    Hazel is a young girl who has just moved to Rose Harbor in Maine. When her mom (known as Mama) runs into an old friend, Claire, past feelings emerge again. She meets Claire’s daughter who’s obsessed with the legend of the Rose Maid, a 150 year old mermaid. Hazel finds herself getting swept up in the story and starts to open her heart to the magic in life. This is such a great book. I loved the way it talked about trauma and LGBT+ perspectives. None of it felt forced and all of it just molded into one story.
  3. Da Vinci’s Cat by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
    This is a beautiful book about time travel and friendships. Federico is a hostage to the Pope living in the 1500s and Bee is a young girl who has just moved to a new house. The book starts off with Federico following a kitten who leads him to a closet. The kitten goes inside, then emerges as a full grown cat with someone named Herbert Bother. The two become close friends and rely on each other, until Herbert doesn’t come back. Then, a girl named Bee steps out of the closet. She has her own motives and secrets and is trying to understand what to do to get on with her life. This book is such a great read and I love it so much!
  4. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
    This is the first book in the duology that focuses on Nikolai, a side character in both Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows. I love this book and the perspectives it is told from. Zoya is a Grisha (someone who can do magic). She’s been working with the king to help him battle his mysterious new ailment and the way it’s been affecting him while grappling with her own past. Nikolai is doing his best as a young king, trying to keep down the beast inside of him and be a good leader. When a cult for the Darkling rises, all of this gets challenged. Nina is trying her best after Matthias’ death. She is on a quest with two other Grisha. As she meets a new friend, she understands how to embrace her new power and how to work smart. I totally recommend this series to you!
  5. Tristan Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia
    This is the second book in the Tristan Strong series. Tristan is back at his grandparents’ farm, but he’s been hearing whispers asking him to save the speaker. No one else seems to hear them, so he dismisses them until his Nana is kidnapped and the main man behind it, The Shackle Man, comes to the farm. He finds a way back to Alke, the mystical and magical world where African myths are real. He gets the help of his old friends Ayanna and Gum Baby and makes a new ally, Junior. This is such a great book and I can’t wait to read the last book in the trilogy!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September: click here

April’s Top Books

Here are my top book of April!

April’s Best Books:

  1. Circe by Madeline Miller

    As you know, I love Greek mythology, so when I heard of this book, I was really excited to read it. I was captivated from the moment I started reading. Circe is so brave and I love the way that we were able to see both the soft, motherly side of her and the hardened warrior side. I love the way the author took the tale of Circe, who is usually one of the villains, and made her the best type of heroine. She’s brave and strong, but just like humans, has to work up to getting there. I learned about heroes that I had never heard about or seen before and how certain villains had formed. This was such a great book and I can’t wait to read another book by this author!
  2. Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

    Echo is a spell-binding tale of three musicians, who are connected by their deep love of music and a harmonica…… The book starts out with Otto, a young boy playing Hide and Seek. While playing, he meets three sisters (Eins, Zwei, and Drei) whom he has read about. Suddenly, he becomes entangled with a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. The book cuts to Friedrich, a young boy living in WW2. He loves to play harmonica, especially a special one with an 𝓜 written on it. His tale ends with a shocking cliffhanger, and we get introduced to another character, Mike. This tale is also set during WW2, but that isn’t focused on. Mike also encounters this special harmonica, and like the previous scene, ends with a bang. The last character we meet is Ivy, a girl who lives during WW2. She loves playing the harmonica, and happens to have a special one with an 𝓜 painted on it (yes, it’s the same harmonica). As the others do, it ends shockingly. The end is such a good tie-up and I enjoyed it a lot. I totally recommend it to you!
  3. Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera

    Cece Rios is a young girl who has been “cursed” with a water soul, which isn’t very accepted in the community where she lives (Tierra del Sol, or Earth of the Sun). One day, her sister gets kidnapped by a Dark Criatura. Cece knows that the only way to get her back is to become a bruja, a witch, but when she sees how the criaturas that the brujas command are treated, she knows that she can’t be a full bruja. Instead, she pretends to be one, and lets her criaturas do the work. I loved the final battle, and how Cece realized that her “curse” was actually a blessing. This book was so good and I think that you should read it!
  4. The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake

    Sunny has just gotten a heart transplant, and she has a list of everything she wants to do with her new heart. Then one day, she meets a girl named Quinn. Quinn and her instantly connect and they do everything together. She also meets her mother, who she hasn’t seen in a long time and a bond forms between them. While Sunny navigates all of this, she also is figuring out her feelings about other girls. I love how this book includes so many feelings, and how fun it is in some parts. It’s such a great book!
  5. Paolo Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia

    This book was about Mexican mythology. Paolo Santiago has always grown up hearing her mom’s tales about La Llorona and other mythological figures, but never believed them. Once her friend Emma suddenly disappears, she realizes that maybe her mom’s stories are more than stories. I loved reading about her adventures and how she rose up to the challenge of defeating La Llorona. She’s such a brave character and I love how her friends inspire her. I also love her attitude. I can’t wait to read the next book!
  6. How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby

    This touching story about depression and how it feels is so heartwarming. Pluto is a girl who has been diagnosed with depression. She doesn’t have any good friends, until one day she meets Fallon, who wants to help her. Fallon and Pluto bond soon enough and are great friends, even on days when Pluto isn’t feeling the best. While also wondering if she should live with her mom and dad, working with her tutor (who shares the same last name as Christa McAuliffe), and dealing with friend problems, Pluto is such a great character. Even through her ups and down, her good and bad days, I loved reading about her life and how she adjusts to living with depression.
  7. Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn

    I loved this first book in the series! Lottie is such a fun and bright character and I love her relationship with Ellie and Jamie. The plot was amazing and I loved how the character were developed and the background information for each of them. Every part of the book was well thought out and I loved making the connections between different parts. This is the first book in the series and I can’t wait to read the others.

Top books of January: click here
Top books of February: click here
Top books of March: click here