 Author: Jennette McCurdy Pages: 320 Overall: 5/5 Takeaways: 5/5 Cheers Factor: 5/5 *caveat it’s not a happy cheers and more of a drink your feelings kind of vibe Pairing: Have the Champagne This is a limoncello mimosa and frankly is not for the faint of heart. It will hit you like a truck, but it’s perfect for a Summer spritz kind of vibe. Ingredients -1oz limoncello -Around 6oz sparkling wine Instructions -A few hours before drinking make sure you chill both the limoncello and the sparkling wine, this drink is not tasty warm and ice dilutes the taste -Into a chilled champagne flute add in limoncello then top with sparkling wine of your choice -Enjoy Responsibly  I am way behind actually reading this book and I will be the first to admit that. Before it’s official publication I was so excited to read it as I’d seen a lot of the press McCurdy was doing ramping up to her release date and it seemed like she had written a fantastic book. Thankfully that was true regardless of when I read it, but oh boy was it so much more than I thought it would be. I had grown up watching ICarly so I was familiar with McCurdy from that and after the show ended she had all but fallen off the face of the Earth which was puzzling given ICarly’s success and this book details a little bit of that and so much more. I think the most powerful part of this book, similar to They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera, is the title is not a lie. I do truly believe McCurdy is glad that her mom died. Not in a malicious way, but after listening to this title and Jennette herself detailing the abuses of her mother, I can’t entirely say that I disagree. I think the most poignant moment was when her mother told her that a way to stay skinny was caloric restriction. It was quite hard to read a parent teaching their child how to have an eating disorder and it’s something that this author still struggles with and hearing the way that her eating disorder was so micromanaged by her mother makes me nauseous.
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 Author: E. Lockhart Pages: 242 Overall: 5/5 Setting: 5/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot and Themes: 5/5 Cheers Factor: 4/5 Pairing: Keep it Classy This is for sure something the Sinclair family would drink in one of their many houses on the island. You cannot convince me otherwise. It’s not super boozy but anything in a champagne flute is an obvious win. Fair warning there are 2 ways to make this cocktail. I would have done the former, but there’s the lighter way and the boozier way. Take that as you will. Ingredients -Sparkling Lemonade - 1 1/2oz Empress Gin (it has the coloring otherwise everything is the same color) -For more boozy lemonade -Prosecco Instructions -Add sparkling lemonade to a glass. If you're doing it boozy add 2 oz lemonade and add prosecco leaving enough room for gin in flute -Using a stirring spoon carefully layer the gin on top diffusing the liquid so they layer -Enjoy responsibly  “This island of ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.”
Take a Shot: Cady comes from a wealthy family. And not just any kind of wealthy family, the kind of old Succession type money. Every summer the Sinclair daughters bring their families to the island to spend time together and with patriarch Harris Sinclair. That is until a disaster Cady can’t remember causes her to have horrible headaches and other physical imparities after she was found in the water near one of the homes a previous summer. This summer she gets to go back and finally see her friends, the Liars and maybe get some answers as to what happened. “You do not wish you were dead. Don’t say that.” Setting Something about a nice Hamptons style Martha’s VIneyard style house island deal really sells me. I think it’s overall very intriguing concept of their isolation on the island for the majority of the story which I think only highlights the important aspect of the story and plot. Characters Cady is an annoying and unreliable narrator and that’s the point. I don’t love stories with this type of trope, but I find I’m not mad about this one and its execution. I actually quite enjoyed it tbh. The set up of Cady being unreliable is incredibly important to the plot. I also love the other characters. I think they are all done in a great way. I like the dichotomy we get to see wight all the characters during their time on the island and as the story progresses how they feel the more they are together. I also believe that the parents are often forgotten characters, but I think they are actually some of the most interesting characters. More on this in the spoiler section cause this is spoiler free. Plots and Themes This book is still one of my favorite twists in a book from this era. I did not anticipate the twist and in retrospect I should have the first read, but forgive me as I was literally 14. 23 year old Ashlyn would catch it now, but I deeply appreciated it when I originally read it and it’s my selling point when convincing other people to read this book. I still think about it nearly 10 years later and that’s how you know the book was done well. Overall I love this book and would put it into the same category as In Five Years which is also another one of my favorite. Short and sweet but rotten on the inside trying to keep its secrets hidden that it has to tell you in less than 400 pages. Huge kudos to the author. I recently picked up b ook two that was recently published and it spurred the reread and i’m incredibly happy that I did end up picking it up and reading it this summer in the park. “It’s clear you want everyone to feel sorry for you. And we would, I would, but you have no idea how lucky you are.” Reasons to Raise a Glass - PLOT TWIST, rotten rich and spoiled Too Strong - I’d love to see this in a non YA context to be honest. It’s not really a critique just a desire to have the adult version of this book and wish it could go more along those lines given the adult content. Like a reboot. Maybe book 2 is that way so stay tuned “Be sad, be sorry - but don’t shoulder it.” Warning spoilers ahead if you read more. Proceed at your own risk!  Author: V.E. Shwab Pages: 444 Overall: 4/5 Setting: 3.8/5 Characters: 4.5/5 Plot and Themes: 4/5 Cheers Factor: 3.75/5 Pairing: Aged and Confused When making this my mom mistook the name of the infused brand for “Aged and Confused” as opposed to “Aged and Infused”. However, it felt like it matched Addie’s vibe and I also think it was one of those drinks that felt like it was different enough that it would fit Addie. Ingredients -2 oz apple, ginger and cardamom infused vodka from Aged & Infused -2 oz pear juice -Ginger beer -orange slice for garnish Directions -Combine all ingredients in a copper mug -Stir thoroughly and garnish with optional orange slice -Enjoy responsibly "What a luxury, to tell one's story. To be read, remembered."  "Take your echoes and pretend they are a voice."
Take a Shot: Addie LaRue is not like other girls. You’ll meet her and then forget she ever existed and your interaction will float into the wine with her. That’s because she made a deal with the devil back in the 1700’s when she was a young woman who wanted more than her life could offer. She wanted to see the world and he gave her the ability to do so. But then a sweet boy from a bookstore, he remembers, he remembers her and then her world doesn’t feel so small anymore. Setting Honestly the setting is the most boring part of the book. It’s really not all that life changing given our character has lived for hundreds of years and undoubtedly traveled to many cool places. But like we get a handful of locations and they feel lackluster. No granted, the story is our focus not the setting, but I can’t objectively say that the setting was all that great given other pars of the novel were quite good and opposite to this. Characters I love Luc. He gives me Darkling vibes even though I think the darkling is yucky. I could not get enough of him. I also loved sweet Henry. He’s nerdy and cute and sweet. I liked Addie for her sheer tenacity as a person. She’s fiery and strong despite having grown up in a time where women were not favored to be such. I did love the LGBTQ+ representation. The fluid love of both Henry and Addie was quite intriguing as well as refreshing to read. Sometimes I don’t ove the blatant LGBTQ+ storylines, but I really liked this one and the way that it was so subtle as a way of informing us to both of the characters. Truly a job well done. Plots and Themes I loved the twist. And no I won’t spoil it, but I thought it was really well done. Now did I feel as sad as some of my counterparts on the internet did? No, no I did not, but I did feel attached to them all individually. I thought they were all so entwined in the story that it felt really nice to feel so attached to them individually in their journeys. Overall, did I predict the ending? Yes. Was I mad about it? No. So I did feel satisfied with the ending and moved quite honestly. Overall I wouldn’t say this is the best book I read, but I have to give props to the way it was written. It’s truly so well done and absolutely stellar in the writing style. Story, plot and characters aside the writing makes the book so amazing. I would love to read more of her work because I was truly blown away and would recommend this book solely on this principle. Too Strong - Tall, dark and sexy man was the villain, for real (you can’t do this to me), Where was the cool settings?!?! Raise a Glass - THE. WRITING. GETS. YOU. "History is a thing designed in retrospect." Warning spoilers if you click read more. Proceed at your own risk.  Author: Matthew McConaughey Pages: 308 Overall: 4/5 Takeaways: 4/5 Cheers Factor: 5/5 Pairing: Green Tea Shot This in no way tastes like green tea to me and is also odd it has whiskey, but when it comes to shots it's an easy one and far better than shooting it straight (sorry not sorry Carrie Underwood I will never be that girl) Ingredients (makes 2) -2.5oz whiskey (I used Tin cup Colorado represent but it's usually made with Jameson) -1/2 oz lime juice -1/2 oz lemon juice -1/2 oz simple syrup -1 oz sprite -ice -can substitute lime, lemon and simple for sour mix I just made my own Directions -Combine all ingredients except sprite in a shaker and shake well -Strain into glasses then top with sprite -You can stir it if you want unless you want to shoot it with sprite first to cover the taste -Enjoy responsibly  “No matter who’s in your bed each night, we sleep w/ ourselves. We either live or get sick and tired of it.”
“I was remembered by being forgotten." Take a Shot: Matthew McConaughey shares life lessons and his green lights that have kept him on his path. He takes on his career, his childhood, his marriage and many things inbetween. “Good from afar, but far from good.” If you don’t listen to the audiobook you are a fake fan. I can think of a short list of more exciting things than listening to McConaughey talk for 7 hours. I did indeed listen to it while working (if we work together you know I live to have my headphones in). But truthfully I feel like it was a great environment to listen to his wise words of wisdom. I really love when he talks about his time in Australia and the wacky times he had there. It reminds me of my own experience abroad, albeit in a different country, context and century, but nonetheless similar. I loved the way he so honestly described his desire to be a father and the way he spoke of his wife. I really loved the way that he elaborated in detail with candor about his career. I think someone who is very settled with themself can write those things from their own heart and that was my favorite part of the novel. There’s not message being shoved down your throat either. Now he may push you to follow your greenlights and to accept the things that present themselves to us in life, but it doesn’t feel condescending as though he has all the answers to life. He merely shares his own experiences in an inspiring manner that makes him relatable and easy to listen to (literally and metaphorically). “Don’t invent drama. It will come on its own.”  Author: Colleen Hoover Pages: 385 Overall: 4/5 Setting: 3/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot and Themes: 3.5/5 Cheers Factor: 4/5 Pairing: Self Love "I love it when the sky makes me feel insignificant." Ingredients -1 oz St. Germain -1/2 oz lemon juice -1 oz Empress Gin - Prosecco -ice Instructions - Combine St. Germain, lemon juice and gin in a shaker with ice -Shake and strain into a coupe glass -Top with prosecco -Enjoy responsibly  Setting
I like the big city setting we get in this novel. I personally have never been to Boston, but I do feel like I romanticize the idea of living in a big city as a young person. I also loved the way it wasn't detracting from the story and it didn’t take away from the quintessential plot line. Characters I think the way that the characters are written is very interesting. The flashbacks to see the old relationship versus the new relationship are very intriguing in the way that time is shown passing between present day and the past. I think it helps to give the characters growth and experiences without having to genuinely witness it. Plots and Themes This is such a deep book that totally hit me out of left field. I did not know anything going in to this book and it did indeed take me by surprise. It felt very similar to when I read In Five Years and it was a hard hitting in the same way. Overall It has taken me a few days to truthfully come around to liking it. And by a few days I mean a couple of weeks. I think at first, this novel felt very triggering for a multitude of reasons and then I began to respect it as I continued to reflect. I think my heart hurt a lot and processing that was very difficult. Too Strong - check trigger warnings before reading Reasons to raise a glass - painful, but in a good way "Just because someone hurts you doesn't mean you can simply stop loving them." Warning spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own risk.  Author: Penelope Douglas Pages: 349 Overall: 3/5 Setting: 3/5 Characters: 3/5 Plot and Themes: 3/5 Cheers Factor: 3/5 Pairing: Young Summer I know this book doesn’t really take place during the summer, but I like the vibe of reading it during the summer so here we are. Ingredients -1 ½ oz vodka -½ oz agave nectar -3 slices of a fresh nectarine -about a glass of white wine (or more it’s a choose your own adventure) -ice (enough for a slushie) Instructions -Combine vodka, agave, nectarine, wine and ice in a blender -Blend baby blend -Pour into glass of choice and optional garnish with a slice of nectarine  “People have worked to make you think you’re not worthy of their attention.”
Take a Shot: Jordan is alone on her nineteenth birthday in a movie theatre when by happenstance she ends up meeting this sweet and sexy older man. However, things get turned upside down when she realizes he is her boyfriend’s dad and they both have to move in with him. Cue the sexual tension when Jordan’s boyfriend starts to distance himself because he doesn’t have the best relationship with his dad. Then the real fun begins in this age gap, spicy romance. Setting It was pretty bland in its descriptors. Also we never really see the characters anywhere else besides the house and their respective locations of work. I kind of wish we had gotten to see Jordan interact in some sense in her college classes or with more kids her own age besides her really creepy ex boyfriend. Characters I really didn’t feel connected to any of these characters to be honest. There wasn’t inherently anything wrong with them, I just didn’t feel like they were that believable as real people to be quite honest. Plot and Themes This is the part I have been waiting to talk about because truthfully there was 350 some odd pages of little to no plot. Now, I am a huge fan of a good sexy spicy romance where there isn’t much plot, but I didn’t get that either. I found myself feeling like I was halfway done with the book and had nothing to show for it in terms of events that had happened and that to me was my first inclination that I shouldn’t finish the book. For the record, I did, but I sort of didn’t want to. Overall I had really high hopes for this one because I had heard amazing things about Penelope Douglas and had seen a lot of people post about this book in general across my socials, but it really fell flat for me personally. I’m not sure whether it was that I had a lot going on personally so I didn’t invest as much emotionally as I would have if I had been less distracted. However, it is what it is. The way I feel after reading this is a little how I felt after reading The Cruel Prince series where I’m not overwhelmed with passion for it, but can understand why others are. “I should thank you, actually. I’ve been trying for years, it seems, to be the kind of woman I admire and all of a sudden I feel like I am that woman now. I know I’m worth it. You’re just not.” Warning spoilers ahead if you click read more. Proceed at your own risk.  Author: Faridah Abike-Lyimide Pages: 480 Overall: 4.5/5 Setting: 5/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot and Themes: 5/5 Cheers Factor: 4/5 Pairing: Aces This drink has one of my favorite gins. If you have been here for a while you know that's Empress so I naturally had to use it again. Ingredients -2oz Grapefruit Juice -1oz lemon juice -½ oz simple syrup -1 ½ oz Empress Gin -ice -Lemon Wheel for Garnish Instructions -Combine grapefruit juice, lemon juice and simple syrup in a shaker with ice -Shake and strain into glass with fresh ice -if using optional garnish of lemon wheel(s) place in glass with ice before adding gin -Gently layer gin -Enjoy responsibly  “Small, because the smaller the group, the less people know about you - and the more they want to know.”
Take a Shot: Chiamaka and Devon are two students at Niveus Private Academy. They are also the only two black students and when a suspicious anonymous online bully by the name of Aces starts spreading the secrets of both Devon and Chiamaka we start to find that it might have more to do with the color of their skin than we originally thought. Setting I loved the private school aspect that we get from this title. I think that the idea of a private school is always illustrious to those of us who never went to one. I also like the combination of a US private school using british private school concepts like Head Prefect and Head Master. Characters I really loved the characters of this with the exception of Chiamaka at most times. I felt her to be wholeheartedly mislead in a lot of her beliefs and I wanted to shake her when it became wildly apparent what was happening. As such an intelligent character it took her far too long to figure it out and discover that her friends would be the first to betray her. Plot and Themes I loved the truth to the story and the authenticity of the plot. I knew it was written so well when I felt angry and frustrated enough to want to put the book down. Kudos to the author for such an enthralling tale of injustice. Conclusion If you like Gossip Girl mixed with the evil A from Pretty Little Liars then this is the book for you. The author even mentions both of those concepts as inspiration for Aces and I had said that before even finishing so it hit the nail on the head. Reasons to Raise a Glass: Stellar writing, easy emotional investment, stand alone, LGBTQ+ BIPOC!!! Too Strong: Chi annoyed me sometimes with her optimism “I lose parts of him constantly. This was bound to happen someday.” Warning spoilers ahead if you click read more. Proceed at your own risk.  Author: Chris Bohjalian Pages: 499 Overall: 3.5/5 Setting: 4/5 Characters: 3/5 Plot and Themes: 3/5 Cheers Factor: 3/5 Pairing: Not My Vacation This tropical drink fits this book because it’s a great summer travel read. I also like that it’s a tropical inspired drink that someone traveling would be expecting, only Cassie is the one who would be serving said drink because she’s not the one on vacation she just does her job at 35,000 ft. Ingredients -2 ½ oz Empress Gin -2oz Pineapple Juice -2oz Lemon Juice -1oz Orgeat Syrup -Ice -Optional Pineapple Wedge Instructions -Combine pineapple juice, lemon juice and orgeat syrup in a shaker with ice and shake -Strain into a Tom Collins glass over fresh ice -Layer gin on top -Optional Garnish with Pineapple wedge or edible flower (if it’s not edible just don’t eat it) -Enjoy responsibly!  “The truth was, there was nothing casual about casual sex.”
Take a Shot: Cassie is a flight attendant that lives the lifestyle to the fullest. With no ties she finds herself living dangerously and drinking her free time away. That is until she wakes up in the bed of the cute guy from 2C in the first class cabin on her route to Dubai and rolls over to find him dead and herself covered in his blood. To make things worse she has no recollection of the night before due to her blackout and she knows she has to leave or be charged in Dubai for his murder. “In the meantime, she would brace for impact.” Setting I really love the idea of having a flight attendant be the main character because of all the fun places the book can take place. Like I loved that we go from Dubai to New York then to Italy. I also love the travel references of first class cabins and all the joys that come from fun international travel. It reminded me of the fun times that I have had while internationally traveling prior to the pandemic. Characters I hated Cassie. Like really almost the entire time I didn’t feel like I was rooting for her. It pissed me off the way she acted and the way that she was so immature about a lot of serious situations. I did like the depiction of her addiction because that felt real and I guess it influenced her personality and her decision making, but it still made me angry. I really loved Enrico though and he saved it for me. I would love to date a cute Italian bartender who is as sweet as him. Plots and Themes I liked the plot of this book, but it kind of had me bored. I have a feeling that the TV show made it more sensational than the book did. A lot of the investigation made me hesitant to believe that it was accurate. It just felt predictable and slightly boring. Conclusion If you are a fan of The Girl on the Train or anything by Gillian Flynn you will like this. It’s a good thriller type mystery novel that I did really like, but it wasn’t entirely my favorite. It was, however a good vacation read. Reasons to Raise a Glass: Easy travel book, thriller aspects, murder mystery Too Strong: Cassie’s personality, seemingly low stakes despite it being a murder? Warning spoilers ahead if you click read more. Do not click read more unless you want spoilers!  Author: Rebecca Serle Pages: 255 Overall: 4/5 Setting: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot and Themes: 4/5 Cheers Factor: 4/5 Pairing: Bright Side This is a light pairing that’s super tasty and reminds me of our main characters best friend Bella. It also reminds me of my best friend Bella with the light taste and possibilities for cute presentation. Ingredients 1 ½ oz gin (I used Breckenridge) ½ oz Aperol 1 oz lemon juice 1 egg white Aromatic Bitters Lemon wheel Ice  Instructions
-Fill shaker with ice -Add gin, aperol, lemon juice and egg white to shaker -Shake for about a minute -Strain into a glass without ice -Garnish with bitters and lemon wheel -Enjoy “This is the thing she’s wanted forever. This right here. This is love.” Take a Shot: Dannie has it all. The boyfriend, the work ethic, and soon to be the job after her interview. On the night of her engagement she falls asleep only to wake up five years later in a bed that isn’t hers, an apartment she’s never been in, in a neighborhood she detests, wearing a ring that isn’t her engagement ring and with a man who isn’t her fiancé. The catch is, it’s five years later. After an hour in this future time, Dannie returns to herself in present time and can’t shake the thought of her night five years from now. “She is life incarnate. What would happen if we just pretended we’d never heard?” Setting I love the New York setting of this novel and it did a great job of not over explaining to the degree of becoming too minute in the details that I wouldn’t feel lost. Personally, I liked the details we were given and it was fitting Characters I didn’t love the characters individually, but I loved the relationships the characters had with one another. I loved the depth of the relationships that we didn’t see. It was reminiscent of Normal People to me which is beautifully private while still being a book. The friendship between the main character and our best friend is just so sweet and the kind of friendship that I feel like I don’t read frequently enough. I love the love displayed outside of romantic relationships towards other characters. Plot and Themes This one hit me with the We Were Liars kind of feel and I really liked the plot. It was meant to be a quick short novel so it felt somewhat underdeveloped and I don’t entirely love all of the insinuations throughout. However, I think it’s overall very moving and as someone who has experienced a lot of similar experiences to those depicted in the book it felt very real and raw. Conclusion I would recommend this book to anyone who loved We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and Normal People by Sally Rooney. Reasons to Raise a Glass: friendship between main character and best friend, ending tie in Too Strong: the pacing, realistic factors of real life were ignored To read a more of my thoughts including spoilers click read more! |
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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