Quarterly Reading Update: 2023 Quarter 1

Hi there!

Honestly – I had a hard time coming up with an idea for this week’s post. As I was trying to reorganize my TBR, I thought it might be a fun idea to do a quarterly reading update/check-in for the first quarter of 2023 (January through March). The weather is warming up here (though we didn’t really have much of a winter), and I’m admittedly feeling quite energized and motivated.

As ya’ll might know if you read last week’s post on my current reading habits, I was trying to read too many books at once, due to some poor planning on my part. I am finally back down to one read! And I finally finished my February (lol) TBR. So I think I’m in a good spot now for a 2023 reading update.

So far I’ve read 27 books, which is over halfway through my yearly goal of 50. This isn’t as impressive as it sounds – eight of these are volumes of Witch Hat Atelier, a comic series I’ve been eating up this spring. 6 of these 27 books (22% of my total reads) have been nonfiction; 4 of these have counted toward the 19Nonfiction challenge I’m participating in, meaning I’m 21% through that challenge. Writing that out, I’ll admit I’m pretty confident that I’m on track.

My top genres this year so far have been: fantasy, LGBTQIA+, graphic novel & manga (what did I say – all of those Witch Hat Atelier volumes), romance, and young adult.

It’s also been a really good reading year so far – I haven’t read anything that I didn’t like; in fact, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by some of my reads. My favorites so far have been, in no particular order: Witch Hat Atelier (vols 1-8), Greywaren (Dreamer Trilogy #3), Babel, all about love, On a Sunbeam, Year of the Tiger, and Ace. So yes – a lot of great reads so far this year! By using my local library, I’ve been able to access a lot of books I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise, and I think this shows in my reading, as I never have to settle. I’ve been reading nothing but great books.

My current read is One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, and I have high hopes for it. I’ve already laughed out loud once and I’m only a few pages in. Aside from that, my spring TBR consists of a lot of nonfiction, though I’m planning to read more fiction as I move into the summer. I’m really excited for some of my upcoming reads, and I think this good streak is going to last. I’m looking forward to my quarter 2 check-in as that will be halfway through the year. It will definitely be interesting to see where I am at that point! I’m confident about meeting my reading goals, so I’m mostly excited to see how my top reads might change.

As always, thank you for reading and I hope you’ll check back next week for something new.

Winter 2023 Wrap-Up

Hello all,

Welcome to my first wrap-up of 2023! This is my winter 2023 wrap-up and will cover January and February. Let’s take a look at what I’ve been enjoying so far in 2023…

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Books

Let’s start with what you’re all here for – books. January was an excellent reading month for me, while February has been a little slow. Here are my favorite reads from January and February:

Greywaren (The Dreamer Trilogy #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

The end of an era for me. I’ve been a fan of Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle trilogy for years and was so excited that she was continuing this universe with a spinoff series focused on my favorite character, Ronan. That spinoff trilogy has come to its end and according to Stiefvater, so has the Raven Cycle world. I don’t normally trust spinoffs, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the Dreamer Trilogy, including Greywaren.. I’ll miss these characters and this world so much! (Though I know I can always go back!)

Atomic Habits by James Clear

This was a new year’s read for me, especially as I’ve been struggling to create some kind of routine since finishing grad school in the spring. I always suggest to take self-help books with a grain of salt and a bit of a side eye, and Atomic Habits is no different. That being said, I did find this one to be both interesting and useful. There were loads of great tips on how to start simple and small with implementing changes into your life, and I really think this book is a game changer for looking at your day-to-day if you want to make changes. Reading Atomic Habits is actually what inspired me to reimplement writing and blogging into my life. So without my reading it, you may not be reading this post!

Babel by R.F. Kuang

I was a bit nervous about this one given its page count (and incredibly small font). I tend to find big books daunting, and I often get bored with them because they take so long to finish. But it only took me a little over a week to finish this one; I never wanted to put it down. I loved the overarching message about oppression, colonialism, and passivity. And while I only speak one language so I couldn’t truly appreciate Kuang’s commentary on the impossibility of true translation, I do have some experience with translation theory from my literature courses in college that made this particular theme catch my attention. And I’m giving bonus points for how deeply attached I was to some of these characters, which rarely happens for me reading a stand-alone novel. Just all around adored this one despite it’s heavy topics and tense plot. Highly recommend.

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

I also finally got around to reading this lovely graphic memoir. I’ve been really interested in gender theory recently, but mostly I’ve been interested in reading about real people’s personal experiences coming to terms with differing gender identities (rather than clinical or academic perspectives). Kobabe’s memoir is very candid, sad and challenging at times, but mostly funny and heartwarming. I really enjoyed this book, enough that though I borrowed it from my library, I’m considering purchasing a copy of my own as I know I’ll want to go back to it more than once.

Games

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I’ve been revisiting Breath of the Wild recently for two reasons. One: in an attempt to actually beat the game before the sequel comes out in May. But I’ve actually been replaying it since prior to the announcement of the second game’s release date, because two: in the fall I wanted a cozy game I could just fall into since I was struggling mentally at the time, and Breath of the Wild was just what I needed. Then, a few months later, the trailer for the sequel dropped. Perfect timing! Now to actually beat Ganon….

Slime Rancher 2

I’ve also recently started playing Slime Rancher 2. Though I’m relatively new to farming sims and they can overwhelm me, I had a good time playing the first Slime Rancher. So far, I think I’m enjoying the second one even more! And the game is still in early access, which means all of the areas and features aren’t fully in the game yet, so there’s still more to come! I can’t wait to see what the devs have in store for the future of the game. You’ll probably be hearing about it again in a future wrap-up!

Music

Midnights by Taylor Swift

There isn’t much music in particular that I’m listening to at the moment. Mostly I’ve been looking for new stuff and listening to one particular playlist I made to psych myself up for the new year (I actually just checked my Spotify “On repeat” playlist and its entirely songs from my motivation playlist I’ve been listening to all year.) But I have to give a shoutout to Taylor Swift’s Midnights (check out the Midnights book tag I did last week!). I wasn’t blogging when it originally came out in the fall, and it wasn’t actually my favorite at first. But I’ve found myself coming back to it often in the last few weeks, which is kind of a trend for me and Swift’s albums.

TV & Movies

I have no TV or movies I’ve been watching recently, though there are a lot of upcoming releases that I’m looking forward to (most particularly Shadow and Bone season 2, Heartstopper season 2, and the Red, White, and Royal Blue movie). I’m sure I’ll be sharing my thoughts on those, so keep an eye out!

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And that was my winter 2023! I cannot believe it’s already nearly March! This year has been flying by at a tremendous and terrifying speed. I’m just trying to hang in there. Next week, I’ll be posting my spring 2023 TBR. See ya’ll back here then!

Summer 2020 Wrap-up & Faves

Hi all,

This summer has…not been ideal. And with grad school starting right around the corner, I have a lot going on in my mind. I didn’t read nearly as much as I wanted to; with all the stress, my brain has a hard time focusing on the words. Instead, it often drifts and I find myself starting at the same page forever, getting nowhere. I have a hefty TBR that I’m working through slowly, and have found myself playing video games more than reading books to keep busy.

That being said, there’s not much to wrap-up. We’ve been settling into our new apartment and I’m trying to prep for grad school. Though it’s been a stressful and unconventional summer, below is my list of things I enjoyed from June, July, and August.

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Books

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Horizon Zero Dawn #0 & #1

I’ve talked about my love of the video game Horizon Zero Dawn (see: Games section of this post), and when I was playing it recently, I said it would make a great graphic novel. My girlfriend told me that it was already a thing, and the first edition dropped that same week. Of course I read the prequel edition and first edition, and enjoyed both. I’m definitely looking forward to reading these as they come out and getting more from this excellently crafted world!

Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Promise Ombnibus

Two graphic novels in one favorites post? I love Avatar and have wanted to read the series of graphic novels set post-show for quite a while. When I found out about the omnibus for the first arc of the comics, I waited until it dropped to read the comics. I really enjoyed getting back into this world and following these beloved characters again! I can’t wait to get my hands on the omnibus for arc 2 when it comes out in September.

TV & Movies

I haven’t watched any new TV shows or movies this summer. If you have any good recs, let me know in the comments!

Music

folklore by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s surprise album….definitely surprised me. I’ve been a fan of her work for years, so I assumed I would enjoy this newest album. But I did not expect to fall absolutely in love with it. I’ve always said Swift was a great songwriter, and my favorite music has always been an artist with nothing but an acoustic guitar or piano. That’s pretty much what we get with folklore, and it’s such a raw, beautiful album. I’ve listened to literally nothing else since it dropped.

Games

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Horizon Zero Dawn

Again, I’ve talked about my love of this game on my blog before, so I’ll keep this brief. I actually rage-quit this game in the middle of a horrible side quest in July 2019, and picked it back up in July 2020 (not knowing I was a few days from a full year since I quit). I finally beat the game, played the DLC, and even found all of the collectibles. This is quite honestly my favorite game that I’ve ever played; the writing is incredible, I was so invested in the characters and storyline, and it’s just beautiful. I cannot wait to play the sequel!

Planet Zoo

I loved Zoo Tycoon as a kid, so of course I bought Planet Zoo when it came out. It’s much like the Tycoon games, though a little different as it’s from an indie company. But I’ve had a lot of fun with it! I definitely plan to play through all of the campaigns, though I feel like it’s going to take me a while…

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Does this even need an explanation? I haven’t stopped playing Animal Crossing since March, and probably won’t any time soon! I play nearly every day, at least getting my fossils and checking my stores. I like doing those little tasks while I have my morning coffee; it’s a great way to wake up!

Diablo III

Okay, this is a recent obsession of mine. My girlfriend and I sometimes play Diablo together, and the newest season has started while we’re in the middle of quarantine. I’ve quickly become obsessed with buffing up my new character and getting the season achievements.

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That’s all have for now. Here’s to hoping for a better fall!

Spring 2020 Wrap-Up & Faves

Hi all,

I quite honestly cannot believe I’m already wrapping up spring of 2020. How? How are we almost in June??? I’m shocked.

Things have been universally crazy, and I’ve had a lot going on this year personally that I haven’t really talked about. I want to do a full life update post soon, but here’s a little summary: I’ve accepted admission to a graduate school to get my Master of Library Science. It’s what I’ve been striving toward since I graduated with my Bachelor’s in 2018. Our lease is up here in June and my girlfriend has finished up her Master’s in Literature, so we’ll be moving out of her parents’ house and closer to my new university. I’m scared and nervous about a lot of thing: did I pick them right program and register for the right classes? Can I adjust to being a full-time student again? Can I write a paper that’s not a literary analysis? How the fuck am I going to pay rent??? I’m so lucky to have the unending support of my girlfriend and her family as we go through some of these huge life changes. I know they need to happen eventually and I’m excited, but also so, so scared.

I did take a little hiatus on March as I was going through a lot of the above. There’s still a lot of details that need to be worked out, but for now I’m taking things day by day. With all of that being said (phew), I, like many of you, have been taking a lot of solace in books recently. I was in of bit of a reading slump early in the year, but around late March I started to slowly come out of it. And of course I’ve been playing a ton of Animal Crossing.

I’ll stop rambling now – my intro and “wrap-up” piece of this post is already much longer than I intended. Let’s get down to my favorites from March, April, and May of 2020.

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Books

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Throne of Glass books #3 and #4 by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass books #1 and #2 were in my winter wrap-up, and I again have to say I cannot believe I put of reading these books for so long. I’m genuinely really enjoying them! Book #4 was, I think, the main motivation of me coming out of that book slump. I missed these characters a lot so I decided to read the next book, and then could not put book #4 down. I haven’t started book #5 yet because of the way I have my current TBR organized (more on that TBR in next week’s post!) but I’m definitely looking forward to diving in soon!

The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson

I’m a pretty big fan of Stevenson’s work (and her Twitter content) and this was a highly anticipated read for me. I love Stevenson’s art style and thought this was such a fun and unique and beautiful memoir. There were also so many moments within that I really related to and stored away in the back of my mind for when I need a little inspiration.

Soulless: The Manga by Gail Carriger (author) and Rem (art)

Now, I don’t read manga too often; it’s just not something I seek out. But my girlfriend reads a ton of it, and she recommended this to me. Our reading tastes are drastically different so we rarely read things together, but she knows my tastes. She said the main character of this series is the exact kind of character I like, and as the series was only 3 volumes, I decided to give it a shot. Reader, she was not wrong. (She rarely is.) I loved this series. I read it in about 2 days, and could not get enough. It’s actually an adaption of a series of novels, and I plan to add them to my TBR asap.

TV & Movies

Nothing new in this category. I haven’t been watching too much lately, between playing lots of Animal Crossing and lots of good reads!

Music

Wake Up Sunshine by All Time Low

Ya’ll know I was hyped for All Time Low’s new album and it did not disappoint! I love every song from this album and have listened to it non-stop since it was released in April. I definitely recommend giving it a listen!

Games

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know I haven’t been quiet at all about my obsession with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I’ve played literally every day since it’s come out and have put over 200 hours into the game. It’s brought me a little needed happiness to make some progress in designing my island and decorating my house, even if it is only virtual. I even did an Animal Crossing: New Horizons book tag, which you can check out here!

Cat Quest II

My girlfriend and I may not read a lot together, but one thing we love doing together is playing co-op video games. We recently started playing Cat Quest II together. It’s a cute little indie game, and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it. I wanted to mention it here because it’s a great RPG if big RPGs like Diablo or Skyrim intimidate you. I know they do for me, and sometimes I want the fun of an RPG without all of that work. Cat Quest II has been a fun, cute alternative for me and something we’ve had fun playing together during quarantine.

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Thank you all for sticking around, during the craziness and the hiatus and the life ramblings. Thank you again for reading this post, and see you next week with something new!

Winter 2019/20 Wrap-Up & Faves

Hi all,

Time to wrap up this winter season, finally. To be honest, this winter has been a tough one for me and I’m more than ready for fresh air and sunny days. Still, I have a lot of faves to report in this post. My life may have been a mess this winter, but I discovered (or rediscovered) a lot of great things recently!

Books

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Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater

I’m sure ya’ll know that the first book in the Dreamer Trilogy was much anticipated by me, and I have to say I was pleased! It was so great revisiting some of my very favorite characters and seeing them go on new adventures and take on new challenges (no matter how nervous it makes me…)

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I’ve been hype for this book since the premise was announced. A secret magic society at yale? Dark academia? Count me in. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I ended up loving it more than I thought I would. I can’t wait to see where Bardugo takes this series!

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

This was heavily recommended to me by a coworker. It’s her favorite book, and I can see why. I feel like this book landed in my hands at just the right moment. I dog-eared and underlined and I even marked up the table of contents for essays to reference later. I have a feeling this book will stay close to my heart.

Throne of Glass books #1 and #2 by Sarah J. Maas

I finally indulged and started reading the Throne of Glass series. I’m always nervous to read really long or really popular series, and this one is both. I’ve decided to read them as ebooks here and there to save money and shelf space, and I’ve actually quite enjoyed them so far! I haven’t read a long YA fantasy series in a while so it’s been fun to live in this little world from time to time.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

This was another of my most anticipated reads. I loved Children of Blood and Bone so much and with that cliffhanger, I’d been going crazy waiting for the sequel. Once it was finally in my hands, it wasn’t quite what I expected but everything I needed.

TV & Movies

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Steven Universe Future

Steven Universe has been one of my absolute favorite shows, and I’ve had just as much fun with the Steven Universe Future episodes that have been released so far. I definitely can’t wait to get more from this gang in future episodes! I’m really missing this one right now…

Miss Americana

I was so excited to see that Netflix was putting out a documentary about Taylor Swift. I’ve been a fan of her for years and the documentary offered some great perspectives on her life and what she’s been through in the last several years. I definitely recommend it, especially for fans.

Music

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Some Kind of Disaster (single) by All Time Low

Ya’ll, I was the biggest fan of All Time Low in middle/high school, and I still listen to them all the time. I hadn’t realized how long it had been since they’ve put out new music until they dropped this single! If it’s any indication, their new album will be stellar. I can’t wait! Check out the music video here; it’s one of my favorites.

Manic by Halsey

And yet another thing I’d been looking forward too. Halsey’s second album wasn’t exactly my favorite, but I enjoyed the singles from Manic and had high hopes for it. Boy, did it exceed my expectations. I’m completely obsessed with this album, to the point where I pre-ordered the special edition…

Lover by Taylor Swift (see: Miss Americana)

When I watched Miss Americana, it re-kindled my love for Lover, and I’ve been listening to it again quite a lot recently. I’ve even finally bought a physical copy, which I hardly ever do with music anymore. 

(And look how nice Manic and Lover look next to each other!)

Games

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Pokémon Sword

Yes, yes, I’m the newest champion of the Galar region. Don’t want to brag, obviously. But of course I’ve loved playing the newest Pokemon game! I love some of the new features they’ve added to this game, and I might even complete my Pokedex for the first time. I’m now awaiting the epic-looking expansion packs!

Covet Fashion

I used to play this app game all the time in high school, and recently got back into it when I got an iPad this Christmas. It’s still so fun and they’ve added some great features since the last time I played, and I’ve been lowkey obsessed with it since I started playing again. 

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And that wraps up my Winter 2019/2020. I’m welcoming spring with big, open arms and it can’t come soon enough!

What books, tv shows, movies, music, and games have ya’ll enjoyed this winter? Let me know down below!

Fall 2019 Wrap-up & Faves

Hi all,

With a sigh, I guess it’s time to wrap up fall 2019. The holidays are approaching (and my birthday, yay!) and the nights are getting longer and the weather colder. I always get so sad as my favorite season comes to a close (or maybe it’s just seasonal depression?) but here we are. It’s been busy, and I feel like things are really changing. I’m scared and excited and anxious and all kinds of other conflicting emotions, but more on that in next week’s birthday post. For now, here are some of the things I’ve enjoyed this fall. I read a total of 13 books so far this fall (September through November, and as I’m writing this it’s still early November), so safe to say it was a successful reading season for me!

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Books

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Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy

Ya’ll, I had an ARC of this and I absolutely loved it! It was sweet and emotional and adorable and touching. I love Murphy’s work and had no doubts that her middle grade would be excellent. Clearly, I was not disappointed, but for more proof you can check out my review.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

I finally caved and reread The Raven Cycle books this fall, including the short story, Opal. Part of this was because I’ve been dying to reread one of my favorite series. Part was because I wanted to reread it in preparation for Call Down the Hawk. Either way, I loved it just as much the second time around.

TV & Movies

Stranger Things, season 3

I also finally got around to watching the newest season of Stranger Things. I’m not a big TV person, so it can take me forever to watch shows even when I like them. I was pleasantly surprised by season three (not gonna lie, I didn’t have high hopes) and I’m looking forward to more of the show.

Music

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Lover, Taylor Swift

As ya’ll probably know if you saw my Lover book tag post, I’ve been enjoying Taylor Swift’s latest album; there are so many good jams on this album. I was a bit disappointed with Reputation, so I’m glad Lover didn’t let me down.

Everything Opposite, Simple Creatures

Ya’ll know I love Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low) and Mark Hoppus’s (Blink-182) project Simple Creatures, and their newest release might be my favorite from the project. I could not stop listening to this when it came out and I expect them to keep

It’s Still Nothing Personal, All Time Low

If you’re a former emo kid like me, you were probably obsessed with All Time Low’s Nothing Personal. The 10-year-anniversary of the album was this month, and the band released a re-recorded anniversary edition. It’s definitely interesting to hear the band’s current take on these old songs I’ve loved for so long, especially as their sound has fluctuated and they’ve grown as a band. (Vocals have definitely improved, I’ll give them that.) This has been so fun to listen to, I’ve had it on repeat writing this.

Games

Luigi’s Mansion 3

I’ve never played one of the Luigi’s Mansion games before, but my girlfriend loves them and asked me to play the third one with her when it came out. I’ve become mildly obsessed with it. I didn’t realize the whole game was about destruction (you basically have this ghost-busters-esque vaccuum to suck up the ghosts, but you can also suck up almost everything else in the game with it, and you get money for destroying the floors). It’s very cathartic, do recommend.

Virtual Villagers

Do ya’ll remember these games??? Something reminded me of them a few weeks ago, and I found out they’re on the app store and there’s several of them (I thought there was only the one). It’s one of those weird things that I couldn’t do as a kid (I only had the free trial, and never could complete it) that now, as an adult with my own time and money, have decided to put way too much time and effort into, because no one can tell me not to. I’ve become obsessed with them, and have downloaded and completed the first three.

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And that’s all for fall 2019. I’m about to celebrate my 24th birthday and the holidays are coming and wow, I feel time is moving crazy fast! Hope fall treated ya’ll well, and see ya’ll next Wednesday with a new post.

Summer 2019 Wrap-up & Faves

Hi all,

Summer’s nearly over, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier. My season is approaching! My birthday is coming, and cooler weather, sweaters and hoodies, crunchy leaves, pumpkin treats, rainy days, Halloween, hot lattes…I honestly pique during the fall, and I’m so excited to be wrapping up summer. It may be my least favorite season and most uneventful season, but I will say it was a good season for reading for me. I had a ton of great reads this season, along with some music, TV, and gaming that I’ve been obsessed with lately.

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Books

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The Library Book by Susan Orlean

This book was brought to my attention my the librarian I’d worked with during my senior year of college. I’d worked with her for an internship and independent study in our university’s Archives and Special Collections, and we presented our research at a library studies conference this past spring. She brought up the book at the conference and I immediately knew I had to read it. I got around to it this summer, among it being a genuinely enjoyable read for library and book lovers, it solidified for me my interested and the field and inspired me to dig up my research on library science master’s degree programs. I plan to finally start applying for programs this winter/spring. Stay tuned!

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

I’d seen Oseman’s books literally all over the internet but as a US reader, I had a hard time finding them. I finally broke down and ordered Radio Silence and Solitaire, and while I haven’t gotten around to Solitaire yet, I loved Radio Silence. I can’t believe it took me so long to read Oseman’s work! Keeping up with the apparent summer trend, while Radio Silence inspired me to start taking my writing a little more seriously. I’ve been working on character bios and world-building for an idea I’ve been sitting on for a few years. Thinking about even starting a WIP soon – we’ll see.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Ya’ll, I under-estimated this one. I didn’t think it would live up to it’s hype and I couldn’t have been more wrong. I. Loved. This. Book. This book got me out of a reading slump; I never wanted to put it down, and I had my nose stuck in it during my commute and every time I had a break at work. I immediately bought Daisy Jones & the Six after finishing, and I can’t wait to get started on that one next.

TV & Movies

She-Ra & The Princesses of Power, Season 3

My girlfriend recently convinced me to watch the new She-Ra animated series on Netflix, and I adored it. Not surprising since the show’s executive producer is Noelle Stevenson, the mind behind my favorite graphic novel Nimona. We binge-watched season three the night that it came out and I’m already begging for season four. (Also, I stan Catra and I definitely don’t get to talk about it enough.)

Music

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Nightmare (single) by Halsey

This as the angry summer anthem that I didn’t know I needed, and it makes me so excited to hear more from Halsey.

Skin & Earth Acoustic by Lights

Lights is hands-down my favorite acoustic artist. “Lost Girls” is my badass chick anthem, and combined with “Nightmare” makes me feel totally unstoppable. What I really loved about this album is it’s tie to Lights’ graphic novel. Each song of the original album goes with a chapter of her comic/graphic novel. For the acoustic album, she recorded some of these songs at a location that matches with the graphic novel (ex: in one chapter they got cliff-diving, and she recorded the acoustic version of the sound out on a cliff.) You hear wind, echoes, etc depending on the locations, and the songs are so flawed and raw. It’s one of my all-time favorite acoustic albums.

Happiness Begins by the Jonas Brothers

Okay, okay, okay, I may be a little too excited about the Jonas Brothers’ return. I may be listening to them as I type this. I may still be reeling from seeing them live for the first time in nearly 10 years. Maybe it’s the nostalgia. But I have had so much fun with their new music! I’m hoping they continue to release music – they’ll always been one of my faves!

Games

Horizon Zero Dawn

I have a complicated relationship with Horizon Zero Dawn. My girlfriend is totally obsessed with this game, and I watched her play through most of it. I was captivated by the story and adore the main character, Aloy. When I tried my hand at it about two summers ago, I quit before the first mini-boss, I was so bad at the game. Because of how much I’ve loved watching her play it, though, I decided to pick it back up, beat the first mini-boss, and literally cannot stop playing this game. Like, I think about it daily. My hands itch for the controller. (Okay, actually at the time I’m writing this I’ve rage-quit the game after repeatedly getting my ass beat by a thunderjaw, but I’ll pick it back up again. I won’t be so easily defeated the second time around.)

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And that wraps up my summer 2019! I consumed so much good content this summer I had a hard time choosing what to put in this favorites post. Let’s hope fall is just as good to me!

As always, thanks for reading!

Spring 2019 Wrap-up & Faves

Hi all,

It looks like it’s time to wrap up Spring 2019; summer is on it’s way! (And I am not ready…) This May marks a whole year since I graduated from college and I’m not sure how to feel. I feel like I’m in such an awkward, transitional phase of my life ad at all times, I have no idea what’s going on. I’m still working a job that I hate and that has nothing to do with that degree. I’m paying the bills but still feeling like, well, a loser. But I’m trying to plan for the future, for a Master’s degree and a cute apartment with my girlfriend. As of now, I’m planning to start grad school applications this fall; I’m starting to feel restless and stagnant where I am now. Until then, I’m just trying to get by day-by day and find the positives in all this.

Luckily, this season has been good to me as far as books and music are concerned. Ahead are my faves for Spring of 2019!

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Books

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King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

Ya’ll, I was so hyped when this book was announced. I loved Nikolai in The Grisha Trilogy, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a book centered around him. There are a lot of mixed reviews for this, but I personally loved it and I cannot wait until Book #2 of the duology. Also, check out that gorgeous cover! You can read my full review here.

Running with Lions by Julian Winters

I finally got around to reading this, and I can’t tell you what took me so long. It was absolutely adorable, relatable, and all-around awesome. It was great to read such an accurate depiction of bisexuality. Teen mental health battles and the pressure to figure out your whole life at age 18 were also depicted so well. And I’ll admit, the kissing scenes were A+.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

This is another book that I cannot believe it took me so long to read. I expected this to be a fun, quick read, and it was. What I didn’t expect is the emotional impact it had. And I certainly didn’t suspect the ending. I had high expectations for this book, and it blew my expectations out of the water. I 100% recommend this, especially if you’re new to graphic novels and are looking to check them out.

TV & Movies

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Dumplin’

After finally reading Julie Murphy’s Dumplin’, I immediately watched the Netflix adaptation. I thought this was so cute! There were a lot of differences between the book and movie, but I think the team did a great job with packing the whole book into a two-hour movie. And I’ll admit it had me tearing up at the end. (Trailer)

Detective Pikachu

Okay, this wasn’t exactly a cinematic masterpiece, but I had so much fun with this movie! It definitely had the vibe of a Pokémon movie, and I can’t think of anyone but Ryan Reynolds to voice Detective Pikachu. I definitely think this is a lot of fun for Pokémon fans. (Trailer)

(I’m also currently rewatching all 22 MCU movies but we’ll get there when we get there.)

Music

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You Are OK by The Maine

I am obsessed with this album! The Maine gets better and better with each album, and this one is a killer. I know this one will be the soundtrack of my summer. My favorites are “My Best Habit,” “Slip the Noose,” “Tears Won’t Cry,” and “Flowers on the Grave.”

Strange Love by Simple Creatures

I was a little wary when I found out All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth and Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus were making music together, but it’s actually awesome. Their music has such a unique vibe and their EP is so much fun to jam to.

New music from the Jonas Brothers!

How could I miss this one? Ya’ll, it’s 2019 and we have new Jonas Brothers music. It’s 2019, and I just bought Jonas Brothers tickets. Can ya’ll believe?! I probably don’t even have to link ya’ll to “Sucker,” but I’m going to anyway.

New singles from Halsey & Lights

So many of my faves have been putting out music lately. Both songs by badass ladies, Lights’s “Lost Girls” and Halsey’s “Nightmare” are the anthems that I need this summer.

Games

Yoshi’s Crafted World

My girlfriend and I have played through the entire main storyline of this game on two-player, making sure to collect everything along the way. It’s adorable and so creative. It’s challenging to get all the collectibles but so much fun. I haven’t enjoyed a two-player game this much in a long time.

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And that’s that for the my spring 2019. Bring on summer!

Winter 2018/19 Wrap-up & Faves

Hi all,

It’s time for another wrap-up! I don’t know about ya’ll, but I’m ready for spring.

In probably the most boring seasonal wrap-up I’ve done since starting this blog, here is what I have to report about my life: I’ve been working a job I hate since November, playing lots of the new Super Smash Bros. I did take a fun trip to NYC for Christmas with my girlfriend, and I’ve been buying/hoarding/reading plenty. Mostly, things have been quiet here, which I guess is a good thing, right?

Books

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The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

I have been having so much fun reading this lately! I had my eye on the first book, Cinder, years ago but for some reason never picked it up. I finally snagged it recently, and I immediately ordered the full series plus the two companion novels. I’m currently on Book 4, and plan to tackle the companion novels and then graphic novels directly after. You can check out my review of book one here!

Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson

I’ve wanted to read more Anne Carson for a while and I picked up a bunch of her books for my birthday in November. This was the first of them that I read and I absolutely loved it. It’s a novel in verse, which I hadn’t known when I initially picked it up. I ended up getting totally invested in the story and characters, which I totally hadn’t expected since I didn’t even know it was a novel in verse at first. It’ll be a definite reread for me. (Review)

Animorphs by K.A. Applegate

Okay, let me explain – I read nearly this whole series when I was in elementary school. They were hand-me-downs so some were missing. I’ve been sneakily reading ebooks at work (I work at a call center and if we’re getting no calls, there’s nothing to do), and so I’ve been rereading the whole series as ebooks. I’m on #14 now. It’s been super fun and interesting to reread the series, and I plan on writing a whole post about it soon.

TV & Movies

Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse

I’m here to tell ya’ll that the hype that surrounded this movie was totally earned. I’ve always been a big fan of Spider-Man as a character but didn’t really know anything about Miles Morales’s character until this film. It totally exceeded my expectations from the animation to the humor to the characters to the music. Check out my 5 reasons to check out the film!

Music

Ya’ll, I’ve been listening to a playlist of the same 100 songs all winter. Nothing new to report in this department, friends.

Games

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

This game totally took over my life for a bit. I played it nearly every day and to be honest, I can’t even tell you why I like it so much. And I have been too chicken to fight the final boss, but I’ll get there eventually, okay? I’ve just liked playing all of the different characters (I main Pikachu, Link, and Sheik btw) and experiencing all of the maps and music combos. I’ve definitely had a lot of fun with it so far!

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And that was my winter 2018/19 in sum. Exciting, right? See ya’ll next week with another post!

Fall 2018 Wrap-up and Faves

Hi all,

It’s officially time to wrap up the fall of 2018. This year has really flown by, huh? I was really busy this fall, but a lot of exciting things have happened to: I started my first full-time job as a contract position, and I was recently offered the permanent position, which I’ll be starting this week! I also turned 23, I and went on a cute little book-buying adventure in the city with my girlfriend. Because I’ve been busy working and trying to get used to the 9-5 life (cue Dolly Parton), my Fall 2018 faves won’t be as long as usually. But here are the things that have topped my lists this fall!

Books

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• Cover image from Goodreads

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• Cover image from Goodrads

“Children of Blood & Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi

This is one of my favorite books of the entirety of 2018 so far. It’s an incredible debut fantasy by Adeyemi, who creates a world that feels so real and characters you can’t help but get attached to,good or bad. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on book 2 when it’s released, especially since I have so many unanswered questions. But, to keep it short, I was blown away by this book and I’m excited to see where Adeyemi takes the series!

“Remember to Forget Me” by Kerry Neville

This is a book of short stories by an author I saw speak live in April. I don’t normally go for short stories, but I was so touched and impressed by the story she had read that I bought her book on the way out.I’m so happy I did, because it was incredible. Neville can somehow make me feel strongly for characters within the span of 10-20 pages, when some full-length novels don’t have that affect. Reading her stories feels like cracking open the door to other people’s lives and quietly shutting it before they notice. I definitely recommend her work if you like short fiction.

Music

“Dirty Computer” by Janelle Monáe

I’ve been listening to this album non-stop the past few weeks, and it reignited my love for Monáe’s other albums as well. It’s such an incredible album, musically and lyrically, and it’s full of powerful energy. I can’t get enough.

I actually recently wrote a whole post about music I’ve been loving lately, which you can check out here.

Games

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Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!

Ya’ll, I love this game! I’ve been playing it every day since it was released. I know there were a lot of mixed feelings when it was announced, but to be honest, it plays much like a regular Pokémon game for me with some added fun.Not trying to get involved in hardcore Pokémon discourse or anything, but I’ve been having an absolute blast playing this. 4 gym badges down, 4 to go!

Super Mario Party

I promise I’m not sponsored by Nintendo or anything. They’ve just been putting up some quality games leading up to the holidays. I haven’t played any of the recently Mario Party games because of the whole “everyone’s in a cart” thing. But that changed with the new Super Mario Party, and I’ve really enjoyed the game so far. I will say I wish there were more boards and mini games, but I do enjoy the different modes like the river rapids.It’s definitely fun to play if you’re hanging out with a few people looking for something to do.

That’s all I have for Fall 2018. As always, thankyou for reading. Let’s hope the transition to winter goes smoothly and 2018doesn’t end in flames (it probably will…). Cheers!