{Bookish} Style Files: The Library of Fates

I'm really happy to be a part of the official blog tour for The Library of Fates, a brand new standalone fantasy from author Aditi Khorana. If you're interested in my thoughts on this one, my review will be popping up in a couple of weeks. Anyway, inspired by the vivid color palette of this cover and the details that Khorana weaves into her story, I picked out a couple of dresses to match!

The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: July 18, 2017

Source: ARC received from the publisher (Thanks!)

Buy the Book: Book Depository | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

No one is entirely certain what brings the Emperor Sikander to Shalingar. Until now, the idyllic kingdom has been immune to his many violent conquests. To keep the visit friendly, Princess Amrita has offered herself as his bride, sacrificing everything--family, her childhood love, and her freedom--to save her people. But her offer isn't enough.

The unthinkable happens, and Amrita finds herself a fugitive, utterly alone but for an oracle named Thala, who was kept by Sikander as a slave and managed to escape amid the chaos of a palace under siege. With nothing and no one else to turn to, Amrita and Thala are forced to rely on each other. But while Amrita feels responsible for her kingdom and sets out to warn her people, the newly free Thala has no such ties. She encourages Amrita to go on a quest to find the fabled Library of All Things, where it is possible for each of them to reverse their fates. To go back to before Sikander took everything from them. 

Stripped of all that she loves, caught between her rosy past and an unknown future, will Amrita be able to restore what was lost, or does another life--and another love--await?

Aditi Khorana spent parts of her childhood in India, Denmark, and New England. She has a BA in international relations from Brown University and an MA in global media and communications from the Annenberg School for Communication. She has worked as a journalist at ABC News, CNN, and PBS, and most recently as a marketing executive consulting for various Hollywood studios including Fox, Paramount, and Sony. She is also the author of Mirror in the Sky. She lives in Los Angeles and spends her free time reading, hiking, and exploring LA's eclectic and wonderful architecture. For more information, visit aditikhorana.com.

I decided I wanted to stick primarily to choosing dresses that matched the array of colors that are included on this cover, so check out this beautiful selection of solid colored dresses I curated! Which one is your favorite? Personally, I gravitate towards the purple the most, though I wouldn't mind owning them all.

A Divine Dream Midi Dress in Mauve

Posh Prompting A-Line Dress in Dusty Rose

Petit pleated A-Line Dress in faille - Wisteria

Impress Rehearsal Lace Dress

Also, you're in luck - there's a tour-wide giveaway going on! Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five (5) copies of The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana (ARV: $18.99 each). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on July 10th, 2017 and 12:00 AM on July 31, 2017. Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about August 5, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops!

July 10 – The Fandom – Meet the Characters

July 11 – The YA Book Traveler – Indian Mythology in The Library of Fates:
Guest Post by Indian Blogger, Aditi Nichani

July 12 – YA Wednesdays – Library of Fates Aesthetics

July 13 – YA Book Central – Library of Fates Excerpt

July 14 – Read Sleep Repeat – Author Q&A

July 17 – Bibliophile Gathering – Review

July 18 – Boricuan Bookworms – Author Guest Post

July 19 – Once Upon a Twilight – Review

July 20 – The Reading Nook Reviews –Review & Library of Fates Pendants

July 21 – A Page With A View – Author Q&A

July 24 – Fiction Fare – Author Guest Post

July 25 – Alexa Loves Books – Bookish Style Files

July 26 – Chasing Faerytales – Review

July 27 – IceyBooks – Library of Fates Quote Candy

July 28 – Across the Words – Review & Fan Cast

TYRR #4: After I Do

Yes, we're both aware that it's almost the end of July. Yes, that means that this is basically three months late. But since The Year of Recommended Reads is our little project, Lindsey of Bring My Books and I are making our rules up as we go - and we're catching up on the books too. It was my turn for a recommendation in April, and I chose to have us read my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid novel - After I Do. Don't forget to go and check out Lindsey's post as well!

Why was this book on my TBR? If we're using the term TBR to refer to books that I haven't read yet, then this technically doesn't count as part of my TBR. However, if we're just using TBR in the general sense of books that I wanted to read in 2017, then After I Do was on it because I wanted to reread it and see if it still held up as my favorite after reading all of her other work. Plus, anytime I'm asked which of her novels I recommend, this is immediately the one that comes to mind.

What is the book about? It's about Lauren and Ryan, a married couple who have reached a breaking point in their relationship and come up with their own solution: take a year off from their marriage in the hopes of resolving their own personal issues and finding a way to fall in love again. Their only rule is that they cannot contact each other at all; otherwise, they're free to do what they want. Lauren spends the year going through a cycle of emotions (anger, grief, surprise, joy, to name a few), as well as experiencing a perspective shift about herself and her relationships.

What did I think of the book? Allow me to direct y'all to my original review, every word of which I still stand by as of this latest reread. After I Do is still the same whip smart, emotionally resonant, compulsively readable novel I remember it to be. Reid takes care to portray all sorts of relationships in Lauren's life - her coworkers, her family, her romance - with a complexity that feels so real. There are highs and there are lows; there's history and there's discovery; there's complicated and there's simple. I had almost forgotten how vividly portrayed all the important secondary characters are (not just her husband), and it was pleasant to be reminded of how much I enjoyed all the other relationships in Lauren's life.

But, since After I Do focuses primarily on Lauren's marriage to Ryan, the romance does take front and center. I must remark again on how much I enjoyed the contemplation on relationships - the trivialities, the larger issues, the good and the bad. It just felt like a very raw way to portray a marriage, and I like that Reid didn't shy away from the terrible bits to only focus on the good stuff (though she has a lot of that too). 

My minor quibbles have more to do with writing technicalities, but I still loved After I Do as much as I did the first time I read it. I truly think that the way Reid chose to write Lauren's journey, as well as the perspective she shares on marriage and romantic relationships, was still quite clever and refreshing and honest. I'd highly recommend checking out After I Do (as well as many of her other works too)!

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Washington Square Press | Publication Date: July 1, 2014

Source: Paperback I own

Buy the Book: Book Depository | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Favorite character? I had actually forgotten how much I like Rachel, Lauren's sister. She's a sweetheart who absolutely loves her sister and the rest of their family. I love that she's funny, thoughtful and loyal; I also like that she had this whole side journey where she wanted to open a bakery!

Favorite scene? Oh, this is definitely a tough one! I think I'm going to go with a moment that happens early on in the book, when Lauren and Ryan go on their first date. I just like the way that things fall into place for them, because it reminds me of my first date with my husband.

Favorite quote? "I know it will be okay because everything is okay in the end. And if it's not okay, it's not the end."

For the updates every fifty pages, I had to do something a little bit different since I couldn't properly mark it on Goodreads! I ended up making my own notes on my phone, so check out my thoughts as I read below.

Sailing Takes Me Away • Changes in Latitudes

(Alexa's Note: I'm well aware that this post is days late and going up on a weekend! In my defense, I had planned for it to be up on time, but I've been fighting off illness all week. Since I'm finally on the mend, I thought I'd get it up before this weekend ends!)

Cassie is still reeling from her parents' divorce when her mom announces that she's planning to take Cassie and her younger brother Drew on a sailing trip from Oregon to Mexico for four months - effectively ruining any upcoming plans Cassie had. Trapped in close quarters with the mother she resents, the brother she is trying to protect and a bunch of new acquaintances that they'll be sailing with, Cassie will soon discover that life is unpredictable, people can be surprising and maybe, just maybe, things aren't as terrible as she thinks.

Plot? Malone sets the story of a teen girl dealing with some rough emotional turbulence in her personal life against a little bit of a voyage at sea - and I liked it a lot. I thought it was interesting to read about a sailing trip, first of all, even though I know next to nothing about sailing and I don't know if I'd be willing to commit to that long of a sail myself. But I also really liked that there was more going on than just the ups and downs of this sailing adventure. Cassie was dealing with some pretty rough stuff to begin with and she also has to navigate some new relationships, and I think Malone was pretty adept at weaving that in between all the sailing bits.

Characters? I did like Cassie, especially because I could relate to her emotional turmoil as a teen (even though I was never in her exact situations). I understood her resentment and anger, and I fully felt for her when she was trying to keep it all together for the sake of her younger brother. Her interactions with other characters (particularly her mom, Drew and Jonah, a fellow sailor) were really well-done, though I could have used a tiny bit more time between her and her mother.

Writing? It's really easy to read, and I think that Malone has a compulsively readable style. I rather liked the way that it went back and forth between Cassie dealing with her problems and her experiences on the ocean, as the rhythm for it was pretty steady. Despite the fact that I think it ends well, I do sort of wish it had ended a little differently (though I can't say why for fear of spoilers).

Overall? I really enjoyed this one! I love reading books about travel in general, but especially in the summertime, and this proved to be no exception. If you're looking for something to tuck into your bag for a summer trip, a beach day or a camping trip, well, definitely consider picking this one up.

What's an experience that derailed your plans but turned out to be worth it in the end? My college friends & I had been planning on doing a little island hopping of sorts in the Philippines the summer after our graduation. But out of nowhere, my grandmother asked me to accompany her and two of her friends to Japan for their little trip. I didn't necessarily think it was something I wanted to do, so I dragged my heels a bit at first. But after having gone, I can certainly say it was worth it. Japan is one of my favorite countries I have ever been to, and I honestly can't wait to visit because I just know there is so much more to see.

Changes in Latitudes by Jen Malone

Publisher: Harper Teen | Publication Date: July 25, 2017

Source: e-galley downloaded from Edelweiss (Thanks!)

Buy the Book: Book Depository | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble