The Loyal Book

Ashley’s Best of 2018

01.22.2019 by Ashley // Leave a Comment

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

I read this on a whim after a recommendation of the librarian at my school last school year. I thought it would be a nice quick read, and it definitely was, but I didn’t expect it to really blow me away like it did. I find that modern poetry can be quite hit or miss with me, but I have also discovered that I really, really love modern poetry when it’s telling me a story. This was one of those ones. I absolutely loved the story, and it was deeply moving. I likes the way that Reynolds put a pause on the story, telling the basics of a trip down the elevator but drawing it out to teach his character a lesson he needed to learn. I always recommend this book to students now.

Review | You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn

12.31.2018 by Ashley // Leave a Comment

**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn through NetGalley for review purposes. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this opportunity.

You’d Be Mine is the story of Annie Mathers and Clay Coolidge. Clay is the quintessential country rockstar. He sings songs about beer, babes, and trucks; he’s a superstar. Annie, on the other hand, is an up and coming country star whose deceased parents are country royalty. Clay, who has a bit of a bad boy reputation, is charged with recruiting Annie, and her band, to play on his summer tour so that he can put himself back in his label’s good books. She reluctantly agrees and they end up touring the United States together. But while touring, country music isn’t the only thing that’s brewing. Could there be a bit of love in the air?

Ashley’s 2018 Reading Wrap Up

12.31.2018 by Ashley // Leave a Comment

This year was a crazy year for me with reading! I grew my bookstagram to over 1600 followers, I started a book blog with Kari, and I read a whopping 231 books! It’s been an excellent year and I’m so thankful for all I’ve achieved.

I was trying to think of some way to wrap up my reading year, and trying to wrack my brain for ideas. I saw a friend who did a one sentence review for every book she read this year, but I didn’t want to do that because I didn’t think anyone would want to read it! 231 is a lot of reviews! I decided, instead, that I would just go through my 2018 Reading Resolutions and let you know how I did on each one of them!

Misc Monday | 27 Books to Read in my 27th Year

12.03.2018 by Ashley // Leave a Comment

Today I turn 27! It is both exciting and terrifying because I feel like now I’m fully into my late 20s and that’s scary. It doesn’t help that I feel like I haven’t achieved a lot in my life, though people who know me will give me a pep talk and tell me that teaching isn’t nothing. And that’s very true, it isn’t nothing. I am very proud of my teaching and love my job very much. That doesn’t make 27 any less scary and that doesn’t stop me from making comparisons to other people in my life.

Review | Slayer by Kiersten White

11.28.2018 by Ashley // Leave a Comment

***Disclaimer: I received a free early access copy of Slayer by Kiersten White from NetGalley and the publishers for review purposes. Thank you to them!

I was late to the Buffy-verse. I never watched the show when I was growing up, and I still haven’t seen the movie. I started watching the show in university thanks to a friend who had all of the seasons on DVD and got through several seasons which inspired me to go out and seek the rest of the show myself. I still haven’t seen all of Angel, and I haven’t ready any of the comics, and I’ve only watched through the show once, but I loved it. I fell in love with the characters and the stories that they were telling, so when I heard that Kiersten White was writing a novel set in the Buffy-verse, I was super excited. When I saw it on NetGalley, requested it, and actually received an eARC, I was so excited.