Tag Archives: reading

Top 5 Book Boyfriends to Swoon Over

Few things compare to the enduring pleasure of falling in love with men who live in the worlds of words. With outsized passions or masculine overtures, they’re not called heroes for nothing. Who is your favorite book boyfriend? Here’s a list of book heroes we love falling in love with, from the Beyond Words Team.

1. Mr. Darcy

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mr Darcy Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The consummate “don’t you see you’re in love?!” story, Pride and Prejudice stars Mr. Darcy who makes the book list for striking the perfect balance between conceited rich guy and noble humanist of convictions. Restrained passions between him and Elizabeth Bennet in Austen’s 19th-century tale eventually lead them to discover one fine day that they’re really, truly, mad for each other. Kiss. Deliver a letter.

 

2. Noah Calhoun

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Ryan Gosling - The Notebook

It’s 1946 and Noah Calhoun spends a sweaty day fixing up a house that’s almost 200 years old, to come home and quote some Whitman with a cup of tea. Need we say more? Dashing Noah Calhoun is the summer boyfriend of our dreams. And winter love, and spring love…

 

 

3. Heathcliff

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Laurence Olivier Merle Oberon Wuthering Heights

Love. It’s all about hate. Or at least acute episodes of brooding 18th-century passion. Heathcliff makes the list for his total dedication to loving Catherine as much as he can’t stand her. Their love blossoms as kids when social class is not an issue, but the fickle Catherine opts to marry for money and status, leaving Heathcliff to cut off his nose to spite his face. We understand the smoldering nature of your intense desire, Heathcliff, even if Catherine never quite does.

 

4. Rhett Butler

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Rhett and Bonnie Blue Butler

Wiles don’t work. Tears don’t do the trick. Straight up pleading neither. Rhett Butler is the rebel with a cause. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we are stronger than we think we are. And while he is the epitome of all that is enterprising, cunning, and masculine, the velvet of his true heart comes to life when he has a daughter. Sigh.

 

5. Gideon Cross

The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day

Henry Cavill

“Gideon Cross was an impossibly gorgeous man, so beautiful that people stopped and stared when he walked by. I’d once thought of him as a sex god, and his frequent–and enthusiastic–displays of prowess constantly proved me right, but I also knew he was all too human.” – Entwined with You

Yes.

5 Relationship Books for a Better Love Life

Nights curled up together with interlocked limbs. Days spent on long country walks, smiling coyly at one another as the light catches the horizon. Bliss. Indeed, if every relationship consisted of these endless moments, we’d live in a utopian world. Sadly, we do not. The reality of any relationship is a splatter of the good, the bad, and – on hungover Sunday mornings – the ugly. However, if your relationship has lost that loving feeling and you’re feeling a little blue, there may be something you can do about it. It could be time to quite literally turn the page and read your way to a happier setup. Here are five new romance and self-help relationship books to get you started along the way.

5 Relationship Books to Teach You About Love

The All-or-Nothing Marriage by Eli Finkel

best relationship booksThink that self-help relationship books are full of mindless fluff? Think again. Underscored with compelling data and scientific research, The All-or-Nothing Marriage offers a unique take on how to achieve happiness in your relationship. Northwestern University psychologist Eli Finkel dedicated this book to his own life partner with a heartfelt statement. “To my wife, Alison, who thinks it’s hilarious that I’m a marriage expert.”

The book starts with an overview of how marriage has changed over the years. Then, it takes a turn into what that means for the modern-day relationship. Combining quick tips with science-backed advice, this one ought to be your one-stop-shop when it comes to improving your relationship once and for all.

How Luck Happens by Barnaby Marsh and Janice Kaplan

How many hilariously tragic dating tales do you have to hand? If you’re the type of person who is constantly unlucky in love, here’s the relationship book for you. How Luck Happens sets out to answer its title conundrum. New York Times bestselling author Janice Kaplan and academic Dr. Barnaby Marsh tackle the superstitious myths of good and bad luck head-on.

The question at the heart of this guide is simple. Is there such a thing as luck? And, if there is, is it something that you can learn to control? After taking a look at the available research in the area, the two come up with ways in which you can realistically change your fortunes and become lucky in love, life, and just about everything in between too.

The Love Gap by Jenna Birch

Smart, empowered, career-oriented women can’t find love, right? In The Love Gap, journalist and relationship columnist Jenna Birch reaches out to all the confident single ladies to help them navigate the modern-day dating scene. Why is it that so many women find success in every aspect of their beings except relationships?

Being a serial dater herself, the central question was as much a personal quandary as it was the subject of the guide. After a year and a half of hard work and answer-searching, Birch came up with a truly meaningful romance guide. The book contains a treasure chest of information from enlightening interviews with relationship gurus to in-depth research.

Happiness Is A Choice You Make by John Leland

relationship books about happinessLessons From a Year Among the Oldest Old reads the tagline to this one-of-a-kind book. Author John Leland follows the lives of six subjects, all of whom are now in their golden years, in a bid to better understand life and relationships. Dropping in on these individuals at infrequent moments, he learns to understand the true struggles of an aging existence.

Unlike other self-help guides, the lessons learned from Happiness Is A Choice come directly from the subjects themselves. But then, who better to preach about life than those who have been there and done it all? Should you be struggling in your current relationship or desperately seeking that rare slice of joy, you simply have to read this book.

Heart Talk by Cleo Wade

Finally, let’s take a moment to appreciate a relationship book created with the Instagram generation soundly in mind. Heart Talk is an artistic take on the genre, but that doesn’t mean that it deserves to be overlooked. If you’re short on time and need a daily dose of confidence and reassurance, this short book is the way to go.

Think of it as a book of advice from your wisest friend you can keep in your purse. Wade offers mantras, poems, and affirmations that should see you through even some of the rawest times within your relationship. As though that weren’t enough, all of the above scream “beauty and truth.”

Which one of these relationship books will you read first?

The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries

When was the last time you stepped into a library and enjoyed a view other than simple rows of books and desks perfect for hours of research? Since the 17th and 18th centuries, libraries have been built to hold the most treasured volumes and historical texts, and were historically designed to welcome aristocrats and scholars. Due to their high place on the societal ladder, many were built fit for kings, and around the world a few of these architectural masterpieces can still be enjoyed today.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but the world’s most beautiful libraries may leave you speechless. This is only a small sample from a much larger pool. Most are centuries old, one on this list is very new, and all are breathtaking.

1. Admont Abbey Library in Admont, Austria


Who has always wanted to visit the library from Beauty and The Beast? The largest monastery library in the world so closely resembles Disney’s portrayal that it has earned a reputation as the “real-life” version.

Built in the 1770s, the Abbey’s library hall was designed in dedication to wisdom and reason. If you ever have the opportunity to visit, take a break from perusing the 70,000 books stored along the three bright chambers (and the sculptures along the way) to look up: Seven cupola frescoes (watercolor artwork on the ceilings) are completely dedicated to the Enlightenment Era and depict the course of human knowledge from the beginning of time to Divine Revelation.

2. The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.


The library with the second largest collection in the world (over 158 million items in over 460 languages) is located in none other than our very own Washington, D.C. The global resource as we know it today was influenced by Thomas Jefferson, who believed in the importance of all resources (regardless of origin or language). Located in the aptly named Thomas Jefferson building, the interior design elaborately reflects the American Renaissance period.
Library of Congress

3. Bodleian Library in Oxford, UK

Courtyard of the Bodleian Library, Oxford
This academic library is so beautiful that Hollywood seems to snatch each opportunity to film there. You may recognize various locations in three of the Harry Potter movies, as well as the beginning of The Golden Compass, in addition to other films. Serving as the main knowledge base at the University of Oxford, this English Gothic treasure is the second largest library in England.

Bodleian Library - Oxford 2015

4. The Royal Portuguese Reading Room in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil


The dramatic architecture and 19th century neo-Manueline styles of this reading room is a feast for the eyes that may make your jaw drop. Light filtering through a stained-glass ceiling and a wrought-iron chandelier illuminate the panoramic floor-to-ceiling of books, artwork, and sculptures (that reflect the Portuguese Age of Discoveries). Started by Portuguese immigrants in Brazil, it was given the title of Royal Portuguese Reading Room by Portugal’s King Manuel II in 1906.

5. Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt


This location is the youngest library on this list (having opened in 2002) but stands as a living memory of the first library in Alexandria, which was one of the most notable in ancient history where scientists and thinkers once met. The new contemporary-styled building is a slanted disc on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Outside, the curved wall is inscribed with calligraphy, and above, the roof is speckled in skylights so natural light can filter through.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina (2007-05-030)

6. George Peabody Library at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD

George Peabody Library
Would you love to get married inside a library? If the answer is yes, check out this American 19th-century library in Baltimore, which is so beautiful that it is regularly scheduled as an event venue in addition to acting as a traditional research facility. Here you will find six levels in cast-iron and gold-leaf, reaching a height of 61 feet from the marble floor.
George Peabody Library

7. Biblioteca Joanina in Coimbra, Portugal

biblioteca-joanina-coimbra1_580x458.shkl

From the pictures, you may expect this to be the private reading room of a noble family instead of a resource for a university. The three grand reading rooms (each dedicated to specific subjects) are lined with beautifully ornate wooden bookshelves and separated by narrow hallways containing the institution’s coat of arms. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, the Baroque architecture adds an element of mystery. Or perhaps that feeling is due to the academic prison below the main level, where historically the university rule-breakers were confined.

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6 Activities to Practice Mindfulness When You Can’t Meditate

The benefits of meditation are well-known; but calming the mind and concentrating on breathing patterns can be harder than it sounds. Especially when beginning, even two minutes of mindful stillness can seem like an eternity and cause restlessness — the opposite effect that meditation works to achieve. So how does one practice mindfulness?

Why not ease into a mindful practice with activities that promote peacefulness while still engaging the senses? Eventually over time, incorporating two to three minutes of breathing exercises and traditional meditation techniques may seem easier. Or, make one or more of these activities your permanent meditation ritual.

Easy Ways to Practice Mindfulness

Knitting

Knitting isn’t just for grandmothers; it’s a trend that has gained a lot of traction with younger generations, turning into an art form and creative outlet, in addition to a calming mechanism. How does it work? Instead of focusing on breathing techniques, concentrate on the repetitive knit and purl stitches. More intricate patterns require increased focus, and the desire to prevent a mistake will keep your mind on its task.

Gardening

practice mindfulness

Connecting with nature helps to also reconnect with yourself; and those with a green thumb (or not) find many benefits from playing in the dirt. From the scent of the flowers and soil to the feel of the sun’s warmth, gardening is yet another way to direct and narrow our attentions. Whether you’re pulling weeds or planting groups of bulbs, the effects are similar.

Walking

Our bodies were built to move, and walking is a wonderful cardiovascular exercise that also benefits the mind and soul by allowing you to practice mindfulness. Walking meditation isn’t the time to get your heart rate up and work up a sweat; it’s a relaxing stroll where each sense takes its turn to tap into the world around you. What does that mean?

While walking, listen to each sound, one at a time, whether it is the birds, laughing voices, the wind, or car engines. Then turn your attention to scents (this is better in a downtown area busy with bakeries and restaurants). After a while, pay attention to the rhythmic movement of your arms and then legs, or bring your focus to your head and how it feels on your neck. In some cases, walking has proven to be as beneficial as other body-mind-soul practices, like Tai Chi.

Cleaning

Even cleaning is made up of mechanical and rhythmic motions that center the brain on one task at a time. Open the windows to allow in fresh air and then focus on one room, task, or corner. Before you know it, an hour or two may have passed and not only will you feel relaxed, but enjoying a clean home is a stress-reducer itself.

Coloring and Play Therapy

Take a breather from adult life and tap into your inner child with a coloring book and some crayons (or colored pencils). The Huntington Post addresses several other ways coloring can boost mental and emotional health, and the New Yorker expanded their focus from the sophistication of adult coloring books to the benefits of other forms of youth-inspired “play” therapy as a stress-reducer, like adult summer camps.

Reading

practice mindfulness

When you tune into a good book, you also tune out the world, making it a great activity to practice mindfulness. Reading is one of the best things we can do for ourselves, and it is a habit among successful people; but it’s also a meditative practice. Try running a hot bath, pouring a glass of something delicious (whether it’s wine or juice), and losing yourself to fiction.

6 Self-Help Books for People Who Hate Self-Help

For many of us, our 20s are a defining decade of self-discovery. We’re learning how to navigate careers, relationships, and even big decisions like buying a house or starting a family.

In the midst of it all, it’s easy to question our paths and whether we’re making the right decisions. While there are a number of classic self-help books, like 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to help us find answers to life’s biggest questions, many of today’s self-help books suggest we need to get rid of everything we own to find true happiness or tidy up to find true joy.

If flowery, woo-woo, purge-everything-in-your-life self-help advice isn’t for you, there are a few no-nonsense self-help books to help you find your way. Try reading one of these books to figure out your life and career, get comfortable with taking risks, become a better person, and chart your own path to true happiness:

1. Daring Greatly, Brené Brown

self-help books

Dr. Brené Brown is a researcher who has studied courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy for over 16 years. In her book, Daring Greatly, she teaches us we must dare greatly every day, and the importance of having courage to be our true selves. She acknowledges that daring greatly can be uncomfortable, but it’s one of the only ways we can allow our true, authentic selves to be seen by our colleagues and loved ones. If you are looking for a little courage to make big decisions in a relationship or your career, this book is for you.

2. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Mark Manson

self_help_books

While many self-help books and happiness experts tell us that positive thinking is the key ingredient to a happy life, Mark Manson argues that we need to “f*ck positivity” in order to figure out what really matters. In The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Manson tells it how it is and doesn’t sugarcoat his life advice. He explains that once we accept our limitations, stop running from reality, and confront painful truths, we can then find the courage, perseverance, and forgiveness we have been searching for.

3. You Are a Badass, Jen Sincero

self help books

You Are a Badass is a how-to guide filled with honest advice and inspiring stories to give you a much-needed kick in the butt to make some serious changes in your life. Jen Sincero helps readers identify and change self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that keep us from getting what we want in life. She also explains how to take big risks, how to love ourselves, and how to set big goals and reach them.

4. Boss Bitch: A Simple 12-Step Plan to Take Charge of Your Career, Nicole Lapin

self-help books

As a financial journalist and the youngest anchor to work for CNN and CNBC, Nicole Lapin knows what it takes to be a “boss bitch” in all aspects of life. In her book, Boss Bitch: A Simple 12-Step Plan to Take Charge of Your Career, she provides honest advice to help women be a boss at work and home. Lapin shares raw and hilarious stories from her own career, and then provides actionable advice on how to kill in your career. If you’re looking to take your career to the next level, this no-nonsense self-help book is for you.

5. Creative Confidence, Tom Kelley and David Kelley

self-help books

Regardless of whether you work in a creative field or not, we all must tap into creativity every day to solve problems. Creative Confidence brings us back to when we were in kindergarten and helps us adopt the confidence we had as young children before we were afraid of having a “bad idea.” Written by leading experts in innovation and design, Creative Confidence outlines principles and strategies that help us access and apply creativity in our careers and personal lives, and teaches readers how to innovate every day.

6. Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

designing your life

Have you ever thought about looking at your life through the eyes of a designer? In this book, authors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans provide insight on how to design a life you truly love. They apply design thinking concepts to everyday life and then walk you through the process of building a career and life that are fulfilling and joyful. The authors also provide exercises at the end of each chapter to challenge you to think about your goals and then develop an action plan. Regardless of where you are at in your life and career, Designing Your Life is an excellent read for learning how to create a life you love.

What are your favorite self-help books? Tell us in the comments section below!

Books from Around the World With the Power to Connect Us All

Every human being looks for the opportunity to connect with another human being. It’s how we foster a sense of belonging. Though our physical appearance may differ from the person next to us, the feelings we experience are all relatable. Every culture, in its own unique way, understands the power of love, the exhilaration of joy and the magnitude of pain.

Even though this truth has held steadfast through time, disconnection in the form of hate, war, misunderstanding and conflict is what constantly permeates the Internet and the airwaves. This year’s current political climate and the fight against terrorism make us feel as though we’re disconnected from those around us when in truth, we’re all just looking for common ground. So what do we do to foster connection when it seems so far out of our reach? Mario Vargas Lloso, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature, once stated:

“Good literature erects bridges between different peoples, and by having us enjoy, suffer, or feel surprise, unites us beneath the languages, beliefs, habits, customs, and prejudices that separate us.”

Books can provide the bridge. The titles listed below can bring cultures together through the exploration of trials the individuals in the books face. Even though these experiences may seem foreign, the emotions they evoke are all quite familiar.

 

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie (Nigeria)

This novel, set in Nigeria, follows the lives of Kambili and her family. The book explores religious hypocrisy and the effects of a broken family on the psyche of a young girl. Kambili combats all the coming of age lessons any young girl faces—learning her place within her family, finding her voice, the realization that things are not always what they seem. Through the book, Kambili and her family come to terms with their past and their futures through companionship and life’s lessons—something we can all relate to.

purple hibiscus

 

Monkey Bridge by Lan Cao (Vietnam)

It’s one thing to be a teenage girl growing up in America. The yearning for social acceptance and craving to find oneself are overwhelming. Add onto these common struggles the added complication of immigrant parents, and the internal conflict faced by every teenager becomes a little more complex. Mai immigrated to the United States from Vietnam with her mother Thanh to escape the war. Mai’s mother holds steadfast to Vietnamese culture and traditions while Mai tries to navigate a “normal” American life without losing a sense of her Vietnamese culture.

monkey bridge

 

When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi (Afghanistan)

Mahmoud and Fereiba are a typical middle-class family. They have two children, Saleem and Samira and a third on the way. Fereiba and Mahmoud love each other, and they live a life most families can identify with, that is, until the Taliban comes. In the wake of wide-spread refugee crises, When the Moon is Low gives an inside look into how being forced from one’s home effects the family. Follow Fereiba and her family through the fear and danger of fleeing a country torn by war, and watch as the bond of family shines through.

when the moon is low

 

Literature has long acted as a bridge between worlds – we can learn about cultures and peoples we wouldn’t normally know about, and we’re able to make the connection between others and ourselves. Though the stories might be different, the emotions are the same.

Each of these books gives perspective into the way people around the world live, but they also include trials and emotions, regardless of location, with which anyone can identify. Give yourself the opportunity to experience something new through reading. You might find you can cultivate a sense of connection in the most unexpected of places.

4 Must Read Celebrity Autobiographies

Curling up with a fictional novel might be your activity of choice; but when you fancy a something a little different, there’s an entire world of interesting factual literature out there. In fact, when you take the time to seek them out, there are some truly intriguing celebrity autobiographies adorning the many shelves of bookshops. These intricately knitted life stories can aid you in weathering the many storms of your own life. Each person’s tale contains a wealth of experience and life lessons. If you plan to read an autobiography this year, let it be one of these four.

 

The Fry Chronicles – by Stephen Fry

stephen fryIf Fry’s all-engrossing narrative is not enough to draw you into his world, then perhaps his charming way with words will do the trick. Most know this man as a mere TV host, but he’s so much more than that. Part actor, part comedian, full human, he tells of a comically tragic past in an exquisitely engaging style. A master of the English language, his writing has a bewitching quality unlike almost any other author. While the book covers just seven years of his life, each chapter comes packed with a life lesson and a pinch of humor.

During that period, Fry had his first taste of fame, began to perfect his comic stylings and started experimenting with drugs (hilariously noting Sugar Puffs as his first real addiction). In short, the book is a large slice of his winning, yet tainted, personality, carefully packaged into just over 400 pages of text.

 

Not That Kind Of Girl – by Lena Dunham

lena dunhamWhen Dunham’s candid coming-of-age book first appeared on shelves, it was met with no end of controversy. Like the woman herself, the book pulls no punches and tells everything just as it was – or, at least, as she saw it at the time. If you read any reviews of the autobiography, you’ll come across the same words time and time again. “Narcissistic,” “self-indulgent” and “privileged” all make frequent appearances in both critics’ reviews and posts by the average reader.

It is all of these things, but it’s also worth your time and here’s why:

Dunham tells her story, that is a story of a privileged young woman growing up in an artistic community of actors, writers and the like. The chapters (or essays) may be speckled with grossly overstated first world problems, but they also hold gems of genuine wisdom too. Though it would be all too easy to disregard her problems, they are real and here she spills them out across the pages of her book for all to read and, of course, judge. It’s a brave move; and no matter what, her story will captivate even the most skeptical of readers.

 

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance – by Barack Obama

barack obamaWho wouldn’t want to read a narrative by the most powerful man on earth? First published back in the mid-90s, this is not the tell-all political novel many expect it to be. Instead, it is a far more personal account of the many lessons that shaped the man Obama has become. The fact that the book was written before he had the slightest success in the political spectrum is to its merit. Highlights include a glimpse of his youth, in which he details excessive drinking and mild drug use.

Far from attempting to hide his past, this book lays out his truth, which is that he lived fairly normal teenage years. If you’ve ever pondered who the man behind the title is, this memoir is an excellent place to start.

 

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? – by Mindy Kaling

mindy kalingThough the tone of these essays are light-hearted, that never detracts from the sheer intelligence of the book. Mindy Kaling has a sparkling personality, which is entirely evident in her writing. Reading her prose is like having a heart-to-heart with an old friend; her informal use of language draws you in and engages from the first page. It would be unfair to say that this is a complete overview of Kaling’s life; it’s not. Instead, it reads like random scenes from a movie that hasn’t quite been edited together yet.

The Rainbow Fish and 4 More of Our Favorite Childhood Books

A child’s mind is full of vibrant creativity, magical fantasies, and the possibility of the impossible. We encourage this by reading to our children books that foster the growth of their imaginations; and it’s a good thing we do: One study found that reading to children helps activate the part of their brains that lets them understand the meaning of language.

While your reading preferences are likely very different as an adult, don’t let yourself forget where it all started. Remember these heartwarming pages of your youth?

1. The Berenstain Bears

I remember the time those rascal cubs ate too much junk food; and I remember the time they had to go see the dentist. I remember all the times my mother and I sat down with these books; and to this day, I’d gladly spend a few hours with those friendly, furry faces.

2. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Our teachers read this to us in school all the time, and we all loved it because it was fun to say. And if your singing voice is as beautiful as mine (kidding), you can also partake in the musical version of everyone’s favorite alphabet song.

3. The Rainbow Fish

This story once taught all of us a very important lesson on kindness and sharing; and boy that book was sparkly. In case you can’t get your hands on a hard copy (it’s seriously dazzling), here’s the story of The Rainbow Fish, as told by Ernest Borgnine.

4. Amelia Bedelia

Who could forget the lovable but confused housekeeper? Amelia, while always well-intentioned, manages to mess up just about everything her employer tells her to do, because she takes everything literally. In the end, however, things always work out.

5. Pippi Longstocking

Growing up, Pippi was our favorite freckle-faced redhead. Having led a life at sea aboard her father’s ship, she was never taught proper manners or how to behave like a lady. Pippi was never afraid to speak her mind and seemed to possess superhuman strength, demonstrated by her ability to lift a horse with one hand!

What was your favorite book growing up?

Bookish Instagram Accounts for Readers

Readers find much camaraderie through the various outlets available in the virtual world. From blogs to groups to Facebook pages and Twitter hashtags, the literary world is at the tip of one’s fingers. The world of Instagram has embraced the literary as well. Here are five IG accounts completely worth a look at.

1. Subway Book Review

Ever wondered what your fellow subway passenger was reading? Now you don’t have to. The account’s creator, Uli Beutter Cohen, found that the New York subway system is a “literary microcosm,” to use her words. She decided to start asking passengers what they were reading and if they were willing to give a short review of the book. Thus, Subway Book Review was born. You’ll find everything from the traditionally published to the self-published, literary to children’s lit to nonfiction, chick lit and beyond.

2. Book Riot

The writers and editors at the Book Riot blog want you to know what they’re reading, what they’re doing and how they should be (but they’re reading instead) spending their time. Everything from pictures of pets with books to memes that every book nerd can relate to is found on the Book Riot IG account.

3. Book Baristas

Miami based blogger Natasha gives us the best of books and brews as she leads you through her literary journey. She’ll show you what she’s reading and what she’s drinking—usually coffee, but she’s privy to something stronger every now and then as well. She’ll give you a glimpse of the picturesque locations where she enjoys a good read and lead you through a local bookstore. She also provides book reviews and takes review requests.

4. Make Blackout Poetry

Is poetry more your thing? This innovative account spotlights the ability to make poetry out of a page of words. By taking a page from a book and “blacking out” most of it, the inspirational lines of hidden poetry emerge.

5. Hot Dudes Reading

There’s really nothing better than a good looking man engrossed in an old-fashioned book. This community-based, no-kindles-allowed page feels the same way. Literary fans can browse this page for a look at NYC’s plethora of literary eye candy. Have you recently spotted a good looking man in the coffee shop? Snap a photo of him and submit it to the page so more can enjoy.

Must-Read Books from 2015

Every year, the stack of books sitting on your end table grows taller; and each year, your time becomes more and more precious. We can relate to that time-crunched feeling you get when the New Year is starting and you haven’t yet completed your New Year’s resolutions from the previous year. So, we’ve taken the time to cultivate a list of books you may have missed last year that we think you should make room for in 2016.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

an ember in the ashes bookThis young adult (YA) fantasy novel was named as one of the best books of the year by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Popsugar. Tahir weaves an epic story of survival, loyalty and love set in a terrifying ancient Rome-like world. The story unfolds in shifting points of view as Laia struggles to save her brother, and Elias fights for his freedom from the Empire.  An Ember in the Ashes is a satisfying mix of Hunger Games, Romeo and Juliet and Game of Thrones that reminds teen and adult readers alike to never give up hope.

The Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev

bollywood bride bookThey say not to judge a book by its cover, but Bollywood Bride is just as captivating as the cover’s image. In typical Bollywood fashion, Dev’s novel is a story filled with emotion, family and glimpses of Indian culture. This witty romance tells the story of Ria Parker, a Bollywood star. Ria goes home for her cousin’s wedding when she is confronted with her childhood friend, Vikram, who thinks she’s sold her soul to become a celebrity.

 

Ashley Bell: A Novel by Dean Koontz

ashley bell bookDean Koontz’s newly released fantasy thriller is an unpredictable story featuring a wide array of characters, including a surfer girl, Nazi sympathizer and a Navy seal. Cancer patient Bibi Bell meets these characters and others in an effort to rescue Ashley, a teenager that supernatural messages are prompting her to save.

 

 

House of the Rising Sun by James Lee Burke

house of the rising sun bookHackberry Holland, the novel’s protagonist, is a character straight out of a western. He’s honorable and intelligent, yet troubled by the guilt he feels for his past. House of the Rising Sun follows the Texas ranger as he tries to reconnect with, and later rescue, his estranged son from the crosshairs of an arms dealer who believes the object Hackberry carries is the Holy Grail. Burke’s novel is a beautiful combination of landscapes from the withering Wild West and action packed scenes.

Boys in the Trees by Carly Simon

boys in the trees bookIn her #1 bestselling memoir, Carly Simon, singer of the 1972 #1 hit song You’re So Vain, tells the story of her difficult childhood, musical debut and marriage to James Taylor. The book includes tidbits about how songs came to be; but mostly it is a deeply personal account of her life experiences that showcase the vulnerable person hiding behind her sexy persona.

 

See Me by Nicholas Sparks

see me sparks bookThis is not just another romance. In See Me, Sparks blends his typical love story with a suspenseful thriller. Yes, the protagonists, Maria and Colin, meet by chance and fall in love; but they also face a terrifying series of events triggered by someone from Maria’s past. See Me is the perfect read for those who want a little romance combined with an Alex Cross style mystery.