Author Event ~ Ally Condie "Summerlost" book tour


Ally Condie Meet the Author Summerlost Middle Grade Book tour

Last night I was fortunate enough to attend the launch of the "Summerlost" book tour with author Ally Condie. The tour kicked off at the Provo Utah Public Library, a beautiful site to hold a meet the author event. Chattering voices could be heard in the hallway as we excitedly waited outside the ballroom to be let in. At first the group was mostly women, but as the ballroom filled up there were quite a few pre-teens there as well.

Summerlost - A Sneak Peek

Summerlost ally condie early book reveiw

One of the good things about being a book blogger is that I am sometimes able to receive advanced copies of a book or have access to a sneak peek of the book. I was excited to receive the opportunity to  review the first 6 chapters of this book. Especially because I am going to an author event this Tuesday where Ally Condie will be speaking about her new book!

Much Loved Books for Baby's First Library

Building your baby's first library is a fun thing to do. I have made a list of much loved books to add to the library for your baby. Some are old favorites that everyone knows, but I have included some lesser known books as well and hope they become family favorites.

loved books for baby library old favorites new books


This post has been moved to my other blog Home Crafts by Ali. You can see it by clicking this link


Books for Weekend Reading 3/18

Another week has flown by. My children visited the Scholastic Book Fair at their elementary school this week and have been busy reading their books for the past few days. While they are occupied with their new books, I am going to make some time for reading a book myself too. Today I'm sharing what I will be reading, as well as the books my kids will be reading, this sunny weekend.

Weekend Reading books kids adults


The Mapmaker's Children - A Book Review

If you are looking for a book that has a current story line as well as a historical story, then The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy is for you. Read below for my review.

Mapmaker's Children book review historical fiction contemporary fiction

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for writing an honest review of the book. All thoughts are my own and are not swayed by receiving a free copy of this book. This post contains affiliate links.

The Mapmaker's Children tells the story of Sarah Brown during the time of the Civil War and Eden Anderson in modern times. We read about the strength and trials of both women throughout the book. We see how their lives are intertwined through alternating narratives.

Sarah is the daughter of abolitionist John Brown and she realized that her artistic talent can help guide escaped slaves to safety. It is a risk though because if caught, she could be sentenced to death like her father.

Eden has moved to a small town in West Virginia to try to start a family and save her marriage. She left behind an ad agency job so she could focus on infertility treatments. She has to make many choices throughout the book to decide what is best for her life.

I loved Sarah's story of being an unconventional woman during the late 1850's. Focusing on schooling, her artistic talents, and helping in the cause of freeing slaves was against the norm for women at that time. I enjoyed the letters that she writes back and forth to her friend Freddy.

Eden from the beginning to the end of the book makes quite a change. It was interesting to see her make day to day choices that helped her grow as a compassionate person and a more likable character.

I liked this book quite a bit and look forward to reading more of Sarah McCoy in the future. I would suggest this book to people that are interested in historical fiction and contemporary women's fiction.

My Rating:



Books for Weekend Reading 3/11

Weekends are for spending time with my family and relaxing. While I'm relaxing, I like to pick up a book and get lost in the story. Here's a look at what books I'll be reading this weekend.

books to read while relaxing weekend reads

I've said before that I like to have a few different books to pick up and read depending on what I'm feeling in the mood for. These two are definitely different, but I'm looking forward to reading both.

25 Books to Add to Your Home Library

Sometimes there are books that you want to read over and over again. Those are the books you should add to your home library. Read below for my list of books to buy for your own home.

books for your home libary


I love the comfort of being able to peruse your bookshelf and find an old favorite to read. Those books that you know you can get comfy, open your book, and get lost in the story. I' have 25 of those books for you today.

Current Reads On My Bookshelf 3/4

 Here's a sneak peek at what books are taking up room on my bookshelf this weekend.

books currently reading cooking sewing italy

This week has been busy and I can't wait to relax a bit over the weekend. One of my favorite things to do while relaxing is to grab a good book that I can get lost in.

The current reads on my bookshelf this week are less about engaging stories and more about creativity. That's what I love about books, I find what I'm in the mood for and go from there. Next week I could be reading an adventure series.

10 Unique DIY Bookshelves For Your Home Library

When you have a passion for reading and an ever growing collection of books, finding a place to put all your books can be a challenge. Instead of having a plain bookshelf from the store, you can start a DIY project and create (or makeover) a bookshelf for your home library. I have found 10 unique DIY bookshelf ideas to share with you today. Hopefully in this list you will find one that will be perfect for your home.

DIY bookshelves book storage solutions

I have moved this post over to my other blog that I use most often Home Crafts by Ali. Click THIS LINK to see 10+ creative and unique ideas for DIY book storage.
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