coffee table books

I totally have a love for and an obsession with coffee table books (is anyone really surprised?). I totally have plans in the future of having a huge bookcase filled with pretty books (think Mackenzie's awesome bookcase in her apartment). I've started my collection already (thanks mom and dad), and just like me, it's completely random. I have one that just pictures of puppies, then we jump to the first Kate Spade one, and then over to one all about Vera Wang and weddings. Not to mention my pretty extensive cookbook collection. I think the mix keeps it fun though! Below are some favorites of mine, and some I'm lusting over. It's definitely just as mixed and random as my current collection!

What's your favorite coffee table book?

-Kylie

eightysixed

As you guys know, I have a serious love for reading. All kinds of books, I could just read forever. (I've already read about twenty books this summer, and plan on getting a couple more in before my nursing program starts). So when I got an email from Emily Belden of Total E-Bag, a blogger turned author and known as the Carrie Bradshaw of Chicago, talking about her memoir Eightysixed, I jumped on the chance to read it! 

Now, to be honest, I was slightly nervous when I saw that it was a memoir. Sometimes they can be dry and boring, or stories that you don't really care about reading. But thankfully, that was not the case with this! It's her own personal experiences of her early twenties, and I found myself completely enthralled! I seriously read the entire thing in under a day (while munching on some popcorn, of course). I found myself laughing and sending certain quotes to my friends, and then feeling my heart break with her goodbyes and breakups. I could describe the book myself, but I don't think anything's better then Emily's own description.
"It's basically like if Bridget Jones was a Chicago foodie who dated Mr. Big and Christian Grey at one time or another. It's a seriously addictive, fast-paced read about trying to navigate your 20s in the big city. In the end, it does something for the soul; I really, truly, 100 percent believe that."
If you like reading at all, or even if you don't, this is an absolute must read!

And for all the bloggers out there who have considered writing their own books, Emily has given the Top Five Tips for Bloggers Who Want To Become Bloggers!

1) Don't Abandon Your Blog: A lot of bloggers think they can't keep up their site while also working on a book. Not only is that not true, but it's detrimental to the cause. You've got to keep your audience entertained, hooked on your content, and sharing your material so that they are all chomping at the bit for your book when it comes out.

2) Make Friends: Your best friend as a blogger is...other bloggers. Make friends in real with with the authors of your favorite blogs. They'll love sharing the news of your writing progress and merging their audience with yours can only lead to bigger, better things.

3) Consider Making Your Book an Extension of Your Blog: The easiest way to turn blog readers into book readers is to give them more of what they already know and love. I blogged (and still do) about 20-something life in Chicago. Eightysixed is the mecca of what it's like to be just that. Therefore my readers were excited to finally have something more than 400 words to sink in their teeth into.

4) Research, Research, Research: When it comes time to pitch the concept of your book - or a full length manuscript - make sure you get it into the hands of the agents and publishers who would be most drawn to and excited about your content. This takes a fair amount of research (and a bit of Twitter stalking), so make sure you do your due diligence.

5) Patience is a Virtue: Book-writing and publishing is a very long process. It took me 3.5-4 years total from start to finish and can take up to 7 before Eightysixed, the movie, comes out. But if writing is your passion, then there is no greater reward. So stick with it! 

And to sweeten the deal even more, Emily has provided discount codes to get her book, for both paperback and e-book!

Paperback: 20% off

Coupon Code: 2NPRU7QM 

Link: https://www.createspace.com/4562243  

e-reader Kindle/Nook: get the book for under $5.

Coupon Code: AR54R

Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/412208

So don't waste another second and go read Eightysixed! 

-Kylie

And don't forget to enter the Preppy Bows and Sass giveaway!

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favorite books

So now that it's officially summer break for me, I get to do one of my favorite activities...reading for fun! I absolutely love to read (my mom finally made me start going to the library in middle school because I would read a minimum of two books a week), and I am totally that nerd that will reread my favorite books multiple times. There's always parts I forget, and I love reading them again! So I thought for today's post, I would share some of my favorite books and series! 

I don't care if it's cliche. I LOVE The Hunger Games series. Suzanne Collins is an amazing author (and she went to my college!) and has that amazing talent to really pull you in and immerse you in the story. I read the first book in one day, and read the next two in the course of a weekend. I've also reread the series twice! If you haven't read them or have only seen the movies, I highly recommend reading them! The movies are fantastic, but the books are even better.

Another post-apocalyptic type series, just not as well known! I read the Uglies series throughout high school as the book came out, and it is still one of my favorites. (I think I need a reread this summer!) Slightly more sci-fi than a lot of the other series in this realm, but I promise it's not an overload (that's a lot coming from me, the proclaimed hopeless romantic who likes everything romance, girly and happy). This is another one that really pulls you in, and I'm still crossing my fingers for the day this becomes a movie! (I totally volunteer to play the lead character!)

 

Let's go classic here for a moment. My two favorite classic are The Great Gatsby and Pride and Prejudice. I'm pretty sure it's like a law to read both of these books in your life (ahem, Dad. Looking at you. Get on it!). I have an obsession with the twenties (was a flapper for Halloween and have two other book series based in the twenties) and The Great Gatsby is just such an interesting trip into that decade. And I think Pride and Prejudice just speaks for itself. I'm a big Jane Austen fan, and have read so many parodies/spin offs based off the Austen books. I think everyone needs to at least give these two a try at some point!

I could honestly go on and on and on about all my favorite books, but I think I'll leave it here for now! 

What's your favorite book or series? I'm always looking for suggestions!

-Kylie