The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The best thing about being a reader is the way it lets you live countless lives, countless stories. Books let you leave yourself behind, becoming such a part of your worldview that sometimes you can’t remember what came first: the book or the feeling. Truly great books say things we didn’t even know we felt, or at least express them better […]

Side effects of reading the following books may include feeling like you can climb a mountain, the urge to call your best friend immediately, and the binge-purchase of copies for everyone you love. It’s impossible—IMPOSSIBLE—to read them and not look at the world with fresh eyes and a hopeful heart. Read with caution, and abandon. Mostly […]

When is romance a key part of a coming-of-age young adult story, and when is it simply a box to be checked? In a 2013 Huffington Post op-ed, author Elizabeth Vail lamented the unnecessary YA romance, which can overshadow other plot elements. Other bloggers agreed, with author Morgan Matson pointing out that friendship can take a […]

Some books benefit from being read in installments, whether you’re wrestling with ginormous page count, complex themes, or intricacies of plot or syntax. Others, however, require being gulped down in as close to one sitting as possible, with brief breaks for brewing more coffee and canceling all your plans. These books are the latter kind. Back To Top