 Author: Sheryl Sandberg
Pages: 217 Overall: 4.5/5 Takeaways: 4/5 Cheers Factor: 4.5/5 Pairing: Twinnings Buttermint Tea This is my pairing because you want to be sharp when you read this one. This tea is a great herbal tea to drink when reading at night which is exactly how I read this title. It’s great to curl up with a soft blanket and drink your tea and read your book.
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 Author: Kim Scott
Pages: 246 Overall: 3.5/5 Takeaways: 3.5/5 Cheers Factor: 3/5 Pairing: Canned Peach Bellini by Infinite Monkey Theorem This fun little canned cocktail is great for this book because it’s light and airy, but also makes you feel like a bad mamajamma. Plus the color of this can match the color of the book jacket which believe it or not is hard to do with those colors of orange. https://theinfinitemonkeytheorem.com/wine-shop/peach-bellini-can-4-pack  Author: Rachel Hollis Pages: 240 Overall: 5/5 Takeaways: 4.5/5 Cheers Factor: 5/5 Pairing: I Ain’t Sorry - I think of the Beyonce song Sorry and I think it has a very similar vibe that Hollis was getting at with Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato. This is one of my favorite juice combinations that I actually drink regularly. I put mine into a Starbucks to go cup and take it with me even. Also this is an alcohol free drink which is a nice change in pace. Hollis talks about taking responsibility for being healthy and making good decisions. Now I’m not saying this doesn’t have a lot of sugar, but everyone knows I have an obsession with juices. Ingredients 3 ounces Pineapple Juice 2 ounces Cranberry Juice 1.5 ounces sparkling water Ice  Instructions
Step One: Measure out ingredients Step Two: Mix ingredients into a glass and enjoy Take a Shot: Rachel Hollis started out as a blogger that has built her media business into a multi-million dollar company. She’s now a New York Times Best-Selling Author and she’s a badass. She talks about topics from excuses we need to stop telling ourselves to skills to start helping yourself. This one is great for a wide range of ages which makes it super awesome.  Author: Molly Blume Pages: 272 Overall: 3/5 Takeaways: 3/5 Cheers Factor: ⅗ Pairing: Reese’s Cup I love drinking this as a nice strong sipping drink. Not only is it delicious, but it’s perfect for feeling like a badass, but it tastes great. Molly drinks whiskey a lot and talks about doing so. I’m also inspired by the way Jessica Chastain drank it in the movie so here it is. Ingredients 1.5 ounces Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey ¼ cup chocolate chips ½ ounce Milk 1 Ice ball (cubes can work but a singular solid is better) Instructions Step one: Start freezing an ice ball at least a few hours before drinking Step two: Heat a pan on a stove on low and add chocolate chips and milk Step three: Stir often until melted consistency (add additional milk as needed) Step four: Add ice ball to a rocks glass Step five: After allowing the chocolate to cool, but not harden pour over the ice ball in the rocks glass. Just add enough to cover the ice ball Step six: Add whiskey to the glass and enjoy 
Step 1: Measure out all ingredients
Step 2: Pour ingredients into a shaker Step 3: Shake with ice Step 4: Use a plate filled with a little water and dip rim of glass into it Step 5: Roll rim in plate with salt Step 6: Strain onto fresh ice in glass Step 7: Serve and enjoy
Take a Shot: Diana is a tenured professor at Yale who is currently doing research at Oxford. She’s also a witch but she refuses to use her powers. However, one day she’s able to call up an old manuscript that was thought to be lost and it just might be the key to the creation of witches, vampires and daemons. Matthew Clermont is also a professor at Oxford and a vampire and becomes interested in Diana for the purpose of obtaining Ashmole 782, but then he becomes interested in so much more than that.  My roommate from sophomore year got me hooked on the first season of this show. I watched all 8 episodes in one day because I was so hooked. I admit I did watch the first season before reading the book. I try to always read the book first, but I am guilty and I will admit when I cheat. However, I feel that without having watched the TV show I definitely would not have loved the story as much. That being said I would highly recommend the tv show because Theresa Palmer plays an incredible Diana and I love her. Now for the actual book. I loved the adult nature of the story. It was so refreshing to read adult fantasy that was so purposeful in its delivery. The relationship that Matthew and Diana have is very mature and they develop such a true respect for the other which is really great. The forbidden nature of their relationship is also a nice juicy addition. I think everyone dreams of having a forbidden romance that isn’t actually a problematic one like him being your best friend’s brother. I also love the tenderness that Matthew has with Diana and it’s not because she’s a fragile human that he could hurt, it’s genuine and because he actually loves her. I also think he begins to realize that she’s a badass witch (see what I did there) who could easily snap her fingers and he would cease to be. Arguably my absolute favorite aspect is the setting and scenes where everything takes place. I love the dark academia aesthetic you get from Oxford and their living quarters. I especially love the river that Diana goes rowing on. It surely romanticizes Oxford, and if I didn’t want to study there before sure as heck sign me up now. Harkness just does a truly magical job no pun intended with the setting and tone. The setting changes help to move the pacing along as well which I thought was very well done. Information unfolds naturally as certain events happen and you learn a lot alongside Diana which connects you to the character quite well. This is definitely a great book to read in the fall and during spooky season. The changing leaves outside the window and the chilly mornings get you right in the mood to dig into this novel. If you enjoy the vampire and witch tropes this is surely one for you with its attention to detail and realism of the supernatural living amongst normal humans.  “It begins with absence and desire. It begins with blood and fear. It begins with a discovery of witches.”
 Hi everyone! My name is Ashlyn and I want to start by saying thank you for being here. Cheers & Chapters is basically my baby and I’m so excited to share this journey with you. I have been wanting to start this for a very long time, but honestly I didn’t know the way I wanted to do it and I was scared. It didn’t come to me until I was mid-quarantine sitting at my computer writing, having a margarita, and listening to music. It hit me that I could make this my place to give recommendations on everything that I’m passionate about. I want to recommend books, drinks, music, movies and more. Basically all the things that I tell my friends about insistently. Before I turn it over to the real stuff I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me in getting here. I would not have had the courage to start this without that love and now without further ado, welcome to Cheers and Chapters. I am so excited to share this novel as my first book here. Between Grit and Grace was a very powerful read. I am working on my thesis this semester that is an in-depth analysis looking into a collection of novels written by career women and how they balance their lives from different types of responsibilities like child rearing, the corporate ladder, leaning in and more. I have read a few books in this genre, but I loved the viewpoints that Dr. Schillcutt brought to it. I know in my personal life I’ve always struggled with seeing my future as a career woman while wanting to also pursue motherhood and other passions. However, I love this quote that Dr. Schillcutt wrote, “as we become more authentic, as we dare to advocate for ourselves we can also educate others by openly discussing our gender biases”. I love that sentiment because I have openly discussed my thoughts on this subject with my roommates, sorority sisters or girlfriends, but I’ve never spoken about this in depth with a member of the opposite sex. This concept has resonated with me. I don’t think that the men in my life would think that in 2020 I am still worried about being a woman in the corporate world or balancing wanting a family with my career goals. I just believe that it’s possible that sometimes we assume that we have moved beyond those things, but even my friends and I are proof that maybe we aren’t speaking as openly about it as we should be. Another topic that I appreciated was when Dr. Schillcutt wrote about prioritizing yourself. I am also personally quite bad at this and have spent a couple years dedicating a conscious effort to listen to myself and give myself time to breathe. Dr. Schillcutt wrote, “you are not required to set yourself on fire to keep everyone else warm”. I now want this quote tattooed on my wrist so I won’t forget it because it’s so true. I tend to blur the line between helping others to the best of my ability while giving myself grace and sacrificing so much of myself in order to do so. I think this is true for all of us and women especially. We love to nurture and help others and sometimes at our own expense. I am so grateful that I read this book when I did even though I believe the target audience is a little bit further in their professional and personal lives than I am. The advice I have taken from Between Grit and Grace is invaluable and has motivated me as a woman heading into the corporate world. Dr. Schillcutt founded Brave Enough, a platform for support and love and resources for women just like Sasha and her colleagues. I highly suggest taking a peek at the website and looking at all the community has to offer. Click here to view it https://www.becomebraveenough.com/.  “There is only one you. Only one person who can lead and live in your space with your talents and characteristics and the lethal combination of grit, grace, ideas and lip gloss.”
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Cheers FactorEach book here at Cheers&Chapters is rated based off of certain categories that are genre specific, however every book will get a Cheers Factor. The Cheers Factor is how much we wanted to raise our glass while reading it. So get your glasses ready and cheers! Archives
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