Book Your Future Reads is a feature on Stories in Space where I put a spotlight on upcoming releases that deserve recognition, a spot on your to be read lists, and to be your next pre-order purchases. Through this feature I want highlight novels I am excited about and novels I think you should be excited about too. This week I’m putting a spotlight on two upcoming romance novels: The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon and Much Ado About You by Samantha Young.
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Book Your Future Reads is a feature on Stories in Space where I put a spotlight on upcoming releases that deserve recognition, a spot on your to be read lists, and to be your next pre-order purchases. Through this feature I want highlight novels I am excited about and novels I think you should be excited about too. This week I’m putting a spotlight on two upcoming Christmas themed novels: One Way or Another by Kara McDowell and Christmas Wishes by Sue Moorcroft.
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Welcome to Stories in Space! This is a new and improved version of my blog, previously named Olivia Chanel’s Galaxy of Books. My last blog post was made in August, 2018, which was more than two years ago so a lot has happened since the last time you saw me on here. I made this post to reintroduce myself, and the blog, and to update you on what has happened in my life since the summer of 2018.
First of all, let me tell you about the name change. I decided to change my blog name from Galaxy of Books to Stories in Space because I want to venture out from just book blogging in order to discuss other media forms as well, such as movies, and I feel the new blog name better reflects my love for all narratives, both those that exist within the pages of novels and those outside of them. However, my love for the universe is still a cornerstone of this blog which is reflected in the new name too.
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Hey aliens! I see you’ve found your way to this blog post dedicated to The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. This book truly blew me away with its magic and the feelings it gave me. If you haven’t seen it yet, I posted a review of this book last week where I go into detail of what it is about this book that makes it so special. Let’s just say it’s a lot. Because this book was so amazing and the fact that it’s actually being adapted into a movie, I decided to make an unofficial soundtrack for the book. Like the book, these songs are about the universe, destiny, and epic love. This story of two teens who spent one single day together in NYC, and how their day together changes not only their lives but the lives of those they encounter during that day, is one you do not want to miss.
Hi, people out there in my book galaxy! How are you doing? I’m here with a new blog post for you all and it’s another Galactic Book Playlist. Fun, am I right? I’ve honestly made more playlists this summer than I ever have before and it’s just the most exciting and fun experience; creating these playlists is almost like reading these books again. These playlists give me a chance to both find new music and relive the feelings I had when I first read the books. It’s the best combination. Expect a lot more of these playlists to come in the future.
This playlist is for the book Songs To Make You Stay by Jay E. Tria. It’s the last book in the Playlist series and it’s the novel that finishes the story of Shinta and Jill. I have also made a book playlist for the second book in the series, Songs To Get Over You, and you should definitely check that one out as well, which you can do here.
Hi there people in the galaxy! I’m back with another blog post and it’s another book playlist – this time one inspired by the #romanceclass novel Songs To Get Over You by Jay E. Tria. This book is about Miki and Ana. Miki is in a band called Trainman and is in love with his best friend Jill, who is the singer in the band and together with someone else. The book is about unrequited love, moving on and finding love elsewhere. It is the second book in the Playlist series, though I would argue you could read it as a standalone (but the first book is amazing, and Jill is the protagonist in that one so definitely read it first).
This playlist is dedicated to love that can be messy, unrequited, and hopeful. It is about the fact that love can be a powerful and strange thing and that the sadness of one love can lead to the happiness and future of another. I made the playlist to celebrate this book’s beautiful universe metaphors, the different kinds of unrequited love shown, and the feeling of firsts in new love when you finally manage to move on. If you haven’t read this series yet, I hope you will. You can buy the first book, Songs of Our Breakup, on Amazon and add it on Goodreads. The second book, Songs to Get Over You – the one about Miki and Ana – is also on Goodreads and can be bought on Amazon.
Hi there, galaxy travelers! I hope you’re all doing okay. As the title of the post suggests, today is the two year anniversary of my book blog, Olivia Chanel’s Galaxy of Books. I can barely believe it’s been two years already, it has been a blast. The posts I’ve written, the books I’ve read, and the authors I’ve interviewed and met, it has been an amazing experience. Also, did you guys notice my new layout on the blog? Tell me what you think? I felt that after two years I really needed something new and I want to hear your thoughts on it.
Moreover, I know I have been a bit MIA lately, mostly because of University and the massive workload that comes with it. However, I am still at it and am working on blog posts and book news I hope you’ll all enjoy. If you’re waiting on something from me, you hopefully won’t have to wait for too long.
For this blog post, I want to do a couple of things. I want to share a few of my favorite blog posts I’ve made over the years, tell you a few of my goals and ideas I have for the blog, and let you know about all the cool things I’ve experienced since the start of my blog two years ago.
Hey there aliens! I’m with you here today to talk about something super exciting, my book haul from Sweden’s annual book sale. This book sale occurs every year at the end of February and every store that stocks books decide to put out a number of books for discounted prices. Usually, since I only read English and book prices are a lot higher here, I don’t tend to buy books in Swedish bookstores but this year I really managed to grab some amazing books for a great price. I can’t wait to share my finds with you. I hope you’ll find it as exciting as I do.
Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson
Publication Date: November 21, 2017.
Publisher: Wednesday Books.
Genres: Young Adult and Contemporary.
Rating: 
Purchase here: Amazon | Book Depository
Synopsis: Elliot Gabaroche is very clear on what she isn’t going to do this summer.
1. She isn’t going to stay home in Sacramento, where she’d have to sit through her stepmother’s sixth community theater production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
2. She isn’t going to mock trial camp at UCLA.
3. And she certainly isn’t going to the Air Force summer program on her mother’s base in Colorado Springs. As cool as it would be to live-action-role-play Ender’s Game, Ellie’s seen three generations of her family go through USAF boot camp up close, and she knows that it’s much less Luke/Yoda/”feel the force,” and much more one hundred push-ups on three days of no sleep. And that just isn’t appealing, no matter how many Xenomorphs from Alien she’d be able to defeat afterwards.
What she is going to do is pack up her attitude, her favorite Octavia Butler novels, and her Jordans, and go to summer camp. Specifically, a cutthroat academic-decathlon-like competition for a full scholarship to Rayevich College, the only college with a Science Fiction Literature program. And she’s going to start over as Ever Lawrence, on her own terms, without the shadow of all her family’s expectations. Because why do what’s expected of you when you can fight other genius nerds to the death for a shot at the dream you’re sure your family will consider a complete waste of time?
This summer’s going to be great.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for my ARC of Not Now, Not Ever. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review; this does not affect my opinion. Any quotes mentioned below are taken from the ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
I have fallen in love with Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson. This book is funny, adorable, and perfect for anyone interested in a nerdy romantic comedy. This diverse contemporary young adult story is about Ever and her summer at a competitive camp for geniuses where she has the chance to win a scholarship to her dream school. The only catch is that everyone in her family thinks she is somewhere else and no one at camp knows her real identity.
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Liv approached me to write a guest post about what books Valentina would read if she lived in our modern world, and I absolutely loved this idea! Val’s journey of self-love and growth was based on her finding validation on the books she read inside her tower. They were her salvation and what kept her grounded for many years. So here are a few books that I think she would love:
What would be better for Val than a book about a dorky lesbian queen looking for lady love? The Second Mango is an adorable fantasy story with Jewish inspirations. I’m sure Val and Shulamit would be great friends if they ever met in some parallel world.
Queen Shulamit never expected to inherit the throne of the tropical land of Perach so young. At twenty, grief-stricken and fatherless, she’s also coping with being the only lesbian she knows after her sweetheart ran off for an unknown reason. Not to mention, she’s the victim of severe digestive problems that everybody thinks she’s faking. When she meets Rivka, an athletic and assertive warrior from the north who wears a mask and pretends to be a man, she finds the source of strength she needs so desperately.
Unfortunately for her, Rivka is straight, but that’s okay — Shulamit needs a surrogate big sister just as much as she needs a girlfriend. Especially if the warrior’s willing to take her around the kingdom on the back of her dragon in search of other women who might be open to same-sex romance. The real world outside the palace is full of adventure, however, and the search for a royal girlfriend quickly turns into a rescue mission when they discover a temple full of women turned to stone by an evil sorcerer.
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