Category: Books

Book Recommendations: 2 Epic Female-Centered Book Series

I’ve been kicking some reading butt lately and recently read not one, but two awesome female-centered series with strong women role models.

Fun Fact: I totally had to google how to do the plural of series, which according to Merriam-Webster is a zero plural. So, the plural of series is… series.

Anywhoo, I know a bunch of you are also big readers, so I wanted to pass on my recommendations. As always, be sure to check your library (or online library though Overdrive) first to save yourself some money!

A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

Source: Amazon.com

Book 1: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Book 2: A Court of Mist and Fury

Book 3: A Court of Wings and Ruin

I borrowed the first book through my online library for free and HOLY MOLY it was so good that I couldn’t wait for the next two books to become available and had to buy them for my kindle. And now that I’ve read them all, I think I need to buy them in physical form so that I have them handy for re-reading. This series just sucks you in and doesn’t let you go until the last book. Which, I guess, isn’t the last book because a fourth book centering on the main character’s sister will be coming out this winter.

The Court of Thorns and Roses series centers on nineteen-year-old huntress, Feyre. After killing a wolf in the woods who ends up to be Fae, she is dragged off to a magical land and held captive. This was touted as a new twist on ‘Beauty and the Beast’ which is what originally attracted me to it, but it is about so much more. Feyre is a amazing strong character who is human and makes mistakes and grows and learns over the course of the series. This series blends adventure, romance and fairy tales into an action-packed series that I could not put down. Highly, highly recommend!

Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard

Source: Amazon.com

Book 1: Red Queen

Book 2: Glass Sword

Book 3: King’s Cage

Book 4: War Storm

In Red Queen, there are two classes of people: those with Red Blood and those with Silver Blood. Silvers have superhuman abilities and are the royalty of the world. While Reds are born simply to serve. Seventeen-year-old Mare Barrow was born Red, but a twist of fate throws her into the Silver’s world. I want to stress how great this book is, but I also don’t want to give away anything important! This book series follows Mare though many, may changes in her life. She basically grows up from a teenager to a woman over the four books and learns to fight back against the world that she was born into. Another series where I was glued to the pages reading as quickly as I can.

If you want to follow along with all the books I’ve read so far in 2020, you can find them here: 2020 Book List. I also post mini reviews on my Instagram stories after I finish reading each book and keep them ‘pinned’ to my Instagram home page: The first 50 book mini reviews are saved as ‘Books 1’ and the rest are currently saved as ‘Books 2’.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Jack’s Book Recommendation: Last Kid’s on Earth

Source: Amazon.com

Starting back when he was an itty-bitty baby, Jack and I have been reading every night before he goes to bed. Over the years, we’ve read though dozens and dozens of books. Actually, maybe hundreds of books? Sometimes we take turns on who reads to who, but usually he likes it when I read and he can just snuggle and listen.

I’ve previously shared some of his favorite books, like the Hilo series, the Bad Guys series, the Dog Man series… and now I have another series to add to his list of favorites: Last Kid’s on Earth. If it sounds familiar to you, it may be because it’s also a Netflix Original television series.

The books center around Jack Sullivan, an average thirteen-year-old kid. A monster apocalypse has hit town and Jack and his friends battle and befriend a mix of monsters and zombies. If your kid likes video games and monsters doing funny things, they will love these books! They are written for an age range of 8 – 12 years old (grade level 3 – 7), so they are too advanced to Jack to read on his own. But he LOVES the stories and the adventures that friends go on in each book. In fact, every night he BEGS for me to read more chapters. Every. Single. Night.

I mean, what more could a bookworm mom want?!

Here are the books in order:

  1. The Last Kids on Earth https://amzn.to/393Wv4I
  2. The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade https://amzn.to/30mhfAI
  3. The Last Kids on Earth and the Nightmare King https://amzn.to/2ZAsre7
  4. The Last Kids on Earth and the Cosmic Beyond https://amzn.to/32oMs9d
  5. The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade https://amzn.to/3hj6XbJ
  6. The Last Kids on Earth: June’s Wild Flight https://amzn.to/2OuoroP

 I have to admit, even though I’m obviously reading them for Jack… I really like the series too. There are certainly plot surprises and after we read our chapters for the night, I’m interested to see where the next chapters will lead!

Have you or your kid read The Last Kids on Earth series?

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

2020 Book List

For 2020, I’m trying to do a better job at keeping track of the books I read. As I finish each book, I post it with a few words of a review on my Instagram stories. Then on a monthly basis I update my “2020 Books” saved story with a running tally of all my tiny reviews so far. It was suggested that I also have a on ongoing list on my blog for easy access, so here you go!

Feel free to bookmark this page, as I will keep it updated as I finish the next book. I’ll also stick a link to this post over on the right sidebar for easy access.

Here are the books I’ve read so far in 2020:

Book #Title of BookAmazon Link
1Meet Cutehttps://amzn.to/2UgfL8X
2One Little Wishhttps://amzn.to/374Bdmw
3Maybe You Should Talk to Someonehttps://amzn.to/2BtKzfR
4Get a Life, Chloe Brownhttps://amzn.to/2UgsW9Q
5Big Girl: How I gave up dieting and got a lifehttps://amzn.to/2XDzcLc
6Intuitive Eatinghttps://amzn.to/2XAlcBz
7Delay, Don’t Denyhttps://amzn.to/3dEQa19
8Marked for Murderhttps://amzn.to/2XZ5D5C
9Ukulele for Beginnershttps://amzn.to/3dFzarM
10Secrets and Stilettoshttps://amzn.to/2XANADT
11It’s Not About Youhttps://amzn.to/30arGc6
12Keto Diet Cookbookhttps://amzn.to/2BCzw4d
13What is a Girl Worth?https://amzn.to/308YeDv
14My Kind of Wonderfulhttps://amzn.to/2MKoso5
15Well Methttps://amzn.to/3cE0jtH
16The Bromance Book Club (Bromance Book Club #1)https://amzn.to/375F1Ea
17When Katie Met Cassidyhttps://amzn.to/3gX1zeP
18Love Her or Lose Herhttps://amzn.to/2BFwbS5
19Dear Girlshttps://amzn.to/2MtXYqG
20The Proposalhttps://amzn.to/2AEemSK
21The Friend Zonehttps://amzn.to/2XCPyUd
22Worst Best Manhttps://amzn.to/3h0hed8
23Found, Free & FleaNot available
24Love Letteringhttps://amzn.to/3eQypfB
25The Wedding Datehttps://amzn.to/372DRsU
26Good Luck Charmhttps://amzn.to/3eUWouc
27The Perfect Dresshttps://amzn.to/2Mxob7J
28Leaving Unknownhttps://amzn.to/3eY3s95
29Ghostly Serenadehttps://amzn.to/3eWsl50
30How to Raise a Readerhttps://amzn.to/3dxpi34
31The Event (Creek Water Book #1)https://amzn.to/2AHHRD8
32The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clockhttps://amzn.to/2UhSd3I
33The Confetti Pacthttps://amzn.to/2XBOwaV
34Running Until You’re 100https://amzn.to/2MzPPAR
35The Bride Testhttps://amzn.to/2Y7KkyC
36Welcome to Temptationhttps://amzn.to/2XzJ34n
37Faking Ithttps://amzn.to/2XBiKuM
38Pen Palshttps://amzn.to/372fJqm
39Batter Up: Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls 1https://amzn.to/3e3F8Cl
40Tangled Up: Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls 2https://amzn.to/2XiMV8L
41Kiss and Make Up: Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls 3https://amzn.to/3g6DqSA
43Holiday Hook Up: Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls 4https://amzn.to/2XdQfSC
44One Sweet Match: Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls 5https://amzn.to/2ZlMnl2
45All Dressed Up: Bachelors of Buttermilk Falls 6https://amzn.to/3bQGdfc
46Becominghttps://amzn.to/37669Tx
47In Five Yearshttps://amzn.to/3eUN0GG
48Such a Fun Agehttps://amzn.to/2MuMnYr
49The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelburyhttps://amzn.to/2XzJCLx
50The Bright Side of Going Darkhttps://amzn.to/2XCGAWQ
51Simply Irresistiblehttps://amzn.to/30p7J1l
52Truly Madly Yourshttps://amzn.to/3hc55SD
53A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book 1)https://amzn.to/2ABwvkD
54A Court of Mist and Fury (Book 2)https://amzn.to/2YN2dTI
55A Court of Wings and Ruin (Book 3)https://amzn.to/2UTpR01
56The Happy Ever After Playlisthttps://amzn.to/37P6nP8
57 The Honey-Don’t Listhttps://amzn.to/2ZsolDf
58The Two Lives of Lydia Birdhttps://amzn.to/3gho6C4
59Red Queen (Red Queen Book 1)https://amzn.to/31RZqvM
60Glass Sword (Red Queen Book 2)https://amzn.to/2OuCLh7
61King’s Cage (Red Queen Book 3)https://amzn.to/3gUXuae
62War Storm (Red Queen Book 4)https://amzn.to/3eEWeqc
63Four Friendshttps://amzn.to/2EeiACp
64The Curated Closet: A simple system for discovering your personal style & building your dream wardrobehttps://amzn.to/2WPpWCV
65Sliced (A Lacey Luzzi Mystery)https://amzn.to/3jLK6Yj
66Same Beach, Next Yearhttps://amzn.to/30cTlJ5
67The Move (Creek Water, Book #2)https://amzn.to/3gewC4R
68The Plan (Creek Water, Book #3)https://amzn.to/3406qI3
69The Dream (Creek Water, Book #4)https://amzn.to/31ONj0T
70The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugohttps://amzn.to/34gNgOu
71The Hex Files: Wicked Twist of Fate (#6)https://amzn.to/34A5DOx
72Two Little Lieshttps://amzn.to/34OdQi3
73The Rules of Magichttps://amzn.to/2QFzhto
74The Simple Wild (#1)https://amzn.to/3bKPUgV
75Valencia and Valentinehttps://amzn.to/3bH0h5u
76Welcome to the United States of Anxiety: Observations from a Reforming Neurotic https://amzn.to/2R9NvTy
77The Plus One Pacthttps://amzn.to/3iIGfKt
78Wild at Heart (Simple Wild #2)https://amzn.to/32KbTSx
79Wow, No Thank you: Essayshttps://amzn.to/32TpgQ8
80Enchanted (Accidental Billionaires Book 4)https://amzn.to/33hLefS
81Red, White & Royal Bluehttps://amzn.to/3inPbUy
82Spellbreakerhttps://amzn.to/3jIjd76
83Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic. A comedians guide to life on the spectrumhttps://amzn.to/3lEygzi
84Dying Wishes (Shelby Nichols #14)https://amzn.to/2SMNztb
85How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Lifehttps://amzn.to/37mQ2mO
86Granny is my Wingmanhttps://amzn.to/35iZm8x
87The Woman in Cabin 10https://amzn.to/3e62sR8
88Something to Talk Abouthttps://amzn.to/3owK2xM
89My Year of Saying Nohttps://amzn.to/3jJW4Ak
90The Hex Files: Wicked Ever After (#7)https://amzn.to/3mJZmFx
91The Onehttps://amzn.to/2HTFil1
92My Greek Island Summerhttps://amzn.to/3oX4g3X
93The Selection (Selection Book #1)https://amzn.to/3p2aQGD
94The Elite (Selection Book #2) https://amzn.to/3lii7zK
95The One (Selection Book #3)https://amzn.to/3nbDS4E
96Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2)https://amzn.to/2ItBEis
97They Never Learnhttps://amzn.to/38Of52U
98This Won’t End Wellhttps://amzn.to/36PIuXE
99Stories I’d Tell in Barshttps://amzn.to/3l1hWb0
100The Last One: A Novelhttps://amzn.to/3kUeZsJ
101Crazy Stupid Bromance (Bromance Book Club #3) https://amzn.to/3m4Yf3j
102Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Mediahttps://amzn.to/2KO1cYi
103Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examinerhttps://amzn.to/3fS8eH8
104Magical Midlife Madness (Leveling Up Book #1)https://amzn.to/2JTbjuI
105Magical Midlife Dating (Leveling Up Book #2)https://amzn.to/3otup9p
106Magical Midlife Invasion (Leveling Up Book #3)https://amzn.to/36VjLCq
107The Space Between Worldshttps://amzn.to/3miuZ8s
108Someday in Parishttps://amzn.to/2WoBM6f
109House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City)https://amzn.to/3h6JIm8
110Forever Wild (Simple Wild #3)https://amzn.to/3riwtU9
111Daisy Jones & The Sixhttps://amzn.to/3heelpM
112The Hideawayhttps://amzn.to/3aR5rxg
113A Teeny Bit of Troublehttps://amzn.to/2L7tnle

If you don’t have Kindle Unlimited yet, you can try it out for the first month free! It’s like an all-you-can-read for books and I’ve been using it for the last few years: Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans

If you’d like to check out my tiny reviews of each book, follow me on Instagram. I post each mini review as I finish each book to my stories, and then I update my pinned story on my main Instagram profile at the end of each month. Find me here: https://www.instagram.com/pocketfulofjoules/ . The first 50 book mini reviews are saved as ‘Books 1’ and the rest are currently saved as ‘Books 2’.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.