Ever since the last Harry Potter book was published, the series has left a gaping hole in reader’s hearts. We’re all lost without the tales of Harry and company and the last movie is making us feel a little nostalgic. So what’s left to read? I’ve scrounged up some books that contain the same general themes as Harry Potter such as friendship, the supernatural, loyalty, adventure and so forth.

Disclaimer: Most of these books ARE children’s books. But so was Harry Potter, which you read and loved so give some of these other books a chance. I mean honestly there are only so many adult adventure books worth reading (or that I could find).

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Still dabbling in the world of YA, I decided to pick this up solely because it was one of Amazon’s best books of the month for January 2011 and it was getting amazing reviews all over the blogosphere…despite the fact that the blurb about it on Amazon didn’t interest me in the least. As I’ve read more and more books, I’ve decided that I can’t trust my judgment of how “good” a book looks, as it often lets me down.

With that said, does anyone have any recommendations for me?

And now onto the review. “Across the Universe” would definitely be categorized as Sci-Fi. The narrative flip-flops between that of Amy, a normal teenager, and Elder, the next leader of the spaceship Godspeed. Amy and her parents have chosen to be cryogenically frozen aboard Godspeed, a spaceship bound for a new world (known as Centauri Earth). They will travel for 300 years, not aging a day, and be “thawed” once the spaceship touches down. Both of her parents are essential to the new world (mom is a geneticist, dad is military), but Amy is just extra cargo, part of the deal that her parents made when they agreed to the mission.

However, not everything goes according to plan. Amy wakes 50 years early. Someone aboard the ship opened up her chamber and left her for dead. Thankfully, she doesn’t die, but she can never be re-frozen as she was not “thawed” properly. She enters the world of Godspeed; a strange place so different from the world she left behind. Everyone aboard the ship is monoethnic. They mate like animals during The Season and create perfectly-timed generations. And they don’t seem to care. Elder immediately takes to Amy. With her fiery red hair and rebellious personality, she is different. However, as more and more cryo-chambers become unplugged, it is clear that someone aboard the ship is trying to sabotage the mission and Amy and Elder must find out who. As they unravel this mystery, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems aboard Godspeed. Eldest, Elder’s mentor, is hiding a few deep, dark secrets about Godspeed and the mission that Elder must uncover.

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Now that it’s summertime, I find I have much more time to dedicate to my crafty pursuits. I’ve dusted off my trusted sewing machine and once again busted out my knitting needles. I love that I have the time to be creative – instead of slaving over a biology project whose destiny is the recycling dumpster, I can spend my days creating beautiful crafts. If you’re a veteran crafter or just diving into the wonderful world of DIY, everyone can enjoy these books and the projects they offer! I’ve taken these 4 for a road test and rest assured, they are all you need for a summer full of creating!

1. Stitch n Bitch, by Debbie Stoller

I consider myself a pretty crafty lady, so when the whole knitting craze hit a couple years ago (remember – Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson started and it just took off?), I had to get in on it too! I tried watching videos online and I bought several knitting magazines, but I just couldn’t master the whole casting-on thing. I was down in the dumps about my inability to master this new craft, when along came a little gem called “Stitch n Bitch.” Now, I figured that any knitting book that had the word “bitch” in the title had to be good (and sassy!), so I picked myself up a copy. And guess what? The genius that is Debbie Stoller finally taught me to cast-on! Debbie is so down to earth and makes knitting so fun and hip! This book is great for beginners, but also has pattens that keep seasoned knitters intrigued and on their toes. Read More »

Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really rad singer? A wicked new book? A fro yo pie that will delight your belly without making it bigger?? Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com or tweet me and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!

With summer here (or officially four days away) we’ve got lots and lots of free time on our hands. And by that I mean we’re cooped up in our parents house and – god help us – we love our parents, we really, REALLY do, but after about 48 hours back from school we are already counting down until Welcome Week.

There are only so many times one can surf through Perez or watch this week’s episode of the Bachelorette commenting on Ali’s awful spray tan, so what can you do to pass the time? READ. And by read, I mean the books you’ve always wanted to, not the ones required for class that you beg your suitemate for her notes on so you don’t actually have to read them.

The fun books, the good books, the books you can’t put down – so much so you take them with you to pee. The books that are thoughtless and funny and on and on.

So here’s a list of ten of my favorite books, some new, some old, some serious some fun. Go sit on your lawn, make yourself an Arnold Palmer and enjoy. Read More »

Summer has just begun for me and besides working 35 hours a week (doing the best student job on the planet, might I add), I’ve been devouring book after book. Science, YA, dystopian – I’ve got it all. However, despite my plethora of reading material, I often find myself trolling Amazon.com, looking for new releases that I can’t wait to get my hands on. And because I think many of you are in the same boat as me, in need of some serious reading for your summer break, I’ve compiled a list of 5 books from a variety of genres to keep your eyes on over the summer, listed in order of release date (hint hint to any publishers/editors/authors reading this!).

Did I miss any exciting new releases for the summer?! Read More »

Spring Break is fast approaching and besides a margarita permanently placed in my grasp, there is something else I’m looking forward to accompanying me on the beach.  And it is a good book.  There is really nothing like the feeling of placing your lounge chair up to the waves to tickle your feet, and slamming through drink after drink book after book.  Life gets pretty difficult when you mix hot sun with alcohol, and this is a fair remedy for a relaxing beach activity.

So here is a short list of books you can shove in your carry on, before you hit your fabulous beachy destination of choice this year.  And if you’re anything like a book-nerd like me, you will get through (almost) every single one of them. Read More »

A trip to the campus bookstore is an exercise in self-assurance. When you spot an intriguing book that you cannot wait to read cover to cover, you may or may not have the cajones to bring it up to the counter. Why, you ask? Hmm, maybe because its entitled The Going Down Guide: Tongue Tips and Oral Techniques for Men and Women!

Sure, it may be full of exclusive tips that you are dying to learn and try out on your man, but can you really muster the moxie to pay for it along with a bottle of water and box of pens?

“What if the cashier thinks I have an oral-fixation that I need to feed in between classes by learning how to properly fellate a fellow?” The embarrassment would be akin to buying the economy-size box of tampons at the grocery store while still in your PMS PJs.

But, now I wonder: what other hidden treasures can I find in the bookstore that I’m too scared to plunk down the cash for in public?

Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love, and Lose at Both
What it’s about: So, do you think that by hooking up you’re being sexually empowered and going after what you want for a change? Not so, says Laura Sessions Stepp. She “follows three groups of young women over the course of an academic year to discover what hooking up is all about. She attends class with them, parties with them, and listens to them talk about their sexual encounters – coming away with some enlightening and disturbing insights into sexuality.”

What it tells the cashier: I am sorta slutty and I want to know the repercussions.

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A few  years ago, if someone mentioned a self-help book around me I would have cringed… and laughed in their face. I didn’t understand how people could pay money for books that any idiot with a computer could write and try to pawn off as good, sound advice. However, in light of some recent events, my attitude about self-help books and the like has done a complete 180.

Not to say I’m a total self-help junkie now, but I am pretty shameless about the fact that I read – and believe in – the healing power of self-help books. (Okay, that sounded unnecessarily cheesy, but you catch my drift.)

So, even if you’ve never snuck a peak at the Self Help section in Barnes & Nobles (or are just too embarrassed to admit it),  here’s some of my faves & some others whose street cred is pretty great, as far as self-help books goes:

1. You Can Heal Your Life – Louise L. Hay. I just recently started reading this one myself and I’m in love. It’s intense and has caused quite a few life-changing epiphanies, and Hay will seriously stop at nothing to help you create your perfect life.

2. The Secret – Rhonda Byrne. The now uber-famous Law of Attraction is explained in this simple, visually appealing, tiny book. And when you don’t exactly have time to sit down & waft through an intense self-help workshop like you’d get from something like You Can Heal Your Life, The Secret will totally suffice. You can easily soak up a chapter between classes or use it as a study distraction. It’s more exciting than King Lear, I promise. Read More »

When the writers out in Hollywood began their strike a month ago, it really didn’t affect me.

Sure, I support their cause – everyone should be compensated fairly for the work that they do – but I didn’t really care if they were striking because my Thursday night line-up was still intact.

Now, one month later, I am beginning to feel the pinch.

Whereas I used to stress out about the sheer number of shows backed up on my DVR (“Ahh! There is never enough time to watch them all!”), the lack of new episodes of my favorite shows this past week has left my poor DVR out of a job. And left me with nothing to do after a long day at my job.

I have been forced to get a little more creative with my free time and have discovered some wonderful new activities to enjoy beyond my couch and remote. If you too are experiencing a little non-reality-TV-withdrawal, fill your newfound free time with some of these:

Reading For Pleasure: I didn’t realize just how little I have read in the past year until I sat down and began reading some new books this week. My God, there are so many good books out there right now! My new favorites (that everyone absolutely must read) are: A Thousand Splendid Suns and Eat, Pray, Love. I finished both in under a week!

Discovering New Music: Everyone knows iTunes is the bomb for finding just about anything, but my favorite feature is when they recommend new artists based on the music you like. I started playing around with it and three hours later I had found some awesome new stuff (like Dave Barnes). Read More »